Melon Collie

If you need to turn that frown upside down…

WW

Before I left DC and completed my first year working at a real ‘job’ my Italian hairdresser Mossimo decided to send me on my way south with a new ‘do. I was over the hot pink hair extensions he glued into the spots underneath my brown tresses that I was allowed to wear at the small magazine I worked at in Tenleytown. I figured, why not? New digs and a new ‘do seemed like a natural way to prepare for the fun project of moving. The new cut was not what I pictured but I loved Mossimo for his talent. I couldn’t tell him to reattach the hair I saw on the floor around me.

I had never had such a short cut in my life. I had nowhere to hide the college 50+ pounds I gained over the last few years. What next? I did what so many post college grads do–I went on a major diet. Buh-bye Papa John late night pizza parties. No more snacking just because I was bored or needed a study buddy. It was time to get on track and take a look at how I ate and why I ate what I did. Poor choices led to my weight gain that piled on after high school. I learned about a healthy way of eating. I was first introduced to their methodology when I was in grade school and chubby was no longer considered cute. Hello Weight Watchers.

DC to FL

When I moved to Florida in 2001 I heard about this online dating thing. My best friend was doing it in New York and she swore it was a safe place. Not just anyone can post a profile here. You had to be willing to put down around $30 for a one month subscription. Since she was doing it I figured I had nothing to lose. I had moved to a new city and state, graduated from college and was free as a bird. Once you pay for your membership you must take the time it takes to fill out an online profile. Should I write more or less? Post pictures? Talk about myself? No way. Post profile pictures of me–alone? With friends? I didn’t know anyone in Florida yet. I had just started a new job and worked with an older crowd.

Back to the profile picture part. Who heard of such a thing? We were a long way from selfies in 2001 and smartphones were nowhere in sight. I didn’t even own a flip phone with a basic camera at that point. So I dug around for flattering photos of myself (one in a casual setting, one in formalwear to show that I clean up well) and scanned them in for website approval. This was a project in itself. Luckily I had a decent amount to pick from since I had almost immediately begun taking cruise vacations out of Ft. Lauderdale. If you have ever gone on a cruise you know about the photo opportunities that abound with endless backdrops to choose from. Formal nights allow for posing in front of faux wooden paneled grand staircases or white background casual settings to show off your new tan. What could be better?

NY to DC

In 2001 I reconnected with a sorority pledge sister who I had been best friends with for years (we even lived together our senior year of school) but we stopped speaking by the time graduation came around. When I try to think of the reasons why we lost touch and I didn’t go to my sorority spring formal I realize that I can confirm that I blocked out much of my college life. If I think about the surrounding circumstances I can try to piece some facts together which may have led to my moving off campus. Lucky for me she and I reconnected, she enlightened me about this new site I will refer to as “the system” AND her memories of life at AU are crystal clear.

During the second semester of my junior year of college I was planning to go abroad. Three of my pledge sisters were all signed up and I was going to be their fourth for the Spring semester in Brussels. When the time came that paperwork be finalized and payments made I decided it was best that I stay closer to home. My mom was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The cold weather was unkind to her aching joints and even though she had our cockapoo Charlie to keep her close company while I was in school, my grandparents went from being Florida snowbirds to full time residents. It felt like moving south was the right thing to do. So she decided that it was time to pack up and leave Westchester County, NY where I spent the first 21 years of my life. She moved closer to me in the suburbs of Washington, DC during my senior year.

The second semester of my senior year I moved out of the upperclassmen dorm and into the apartment my mom rented in Maryland. It was a thirty minute drive to campus. I ended up spending more and more time at the apartment instead of with my friends of the past four years. I believe that all things happen for a reason and I’m thankful that even though my living situation changed and friendships were affected as a result I was able to reconnect with the girls that count. These friends have been there for me during the ups and downs since college. Though we all live in different states I know that I can pick up the phone or send a text or an email and they are there to offer advice and support whenever I need some. This means more than the world to me.