| Jennifer V: God, what can I say after nearly 20 years of friendship? I'm sorry that I let a guy who wasn't worth the heartache come between us in 10th grade, but I'm not sorry that we grew and changed into the people that we are today. I wish we didn't live so far apart, but I'm sure we'll have many wonderful memories in the future. Until then we can smile when we think about dressing up as clowns in preschool, countless hours playing barbies and sewing pillows, even more hours listening to New Kids on the Block and writing novels ("Tracy and Jessica" rock!) we would never show anyone but each other. Who could forget the trip to Boston or to the beach where we met Eddie? No matter how we grow and change, no one will ever know me the way you do because you were the only one who was always there through it all. |
| Jamey B.: Oh, what would a senior year in Communication Analysis have been without you? You truly are one of my best buddies from the Bama squad and one of the people I most enjoyed hanging out with. I will never forget DSR Nationals, shaking like a leaf waiting for postings and the Southeast closing out the top 3. I'm sorry you had to sit through my speech so many times but I'm glad I finally got to hear yours at the best tournament of the year. Best Wishes as you finish up at Texas Austin and keep in touch! |
| James M.: What a summer last summer was! I'm glad we're better friends now that we're not living under the same roof (funny how that happens.) I'm sorry I drove you nuts with my friends at all hours and the not sleeping and the starbucks craziness. Thanks for putting up with all my crap! :) |
| Josh H.: Although I still maintain that you did NOT write my CA, you certainly did provide a lot of inspiration and support for me during my forensics career. Now that you're a LAWYER, I know you will continue to provide me with endless rants of legal knowledge and the occassional Casey Kasim or Kermit the Frog impersonation. Thanks for the snowball fight in Arizona, the countless hours of interp coaching, and for giving me phrases such as "Outstanding" that I would use over and over again, much to my friends' dismay. Much love, Joshiepooh! |
| Irina: Another one that I don't know where to start. You're one of a small group of people I like to call The People from UF Debate that I Actually Respect (small group, big name). Thank you so much for always being there for me, for keeping in touch when none of the others seemed to care, for having a huge heart that you wear on your sleeve, for kickboxing and countless hours at Perkins and Starbucks drinking entirely too much coffee. I love you my little Russian friend! |
| Jacob: Thank you for inspiring me to keep up with interp when it seemed like everyone else was discouraging it. Thanks for being the best duo partner I ever had and for always making me laugh, even when I felt like crying. I'm sorry we've kind of lost touch in the past year, but know that you're still in my thoughts and prayers and that I value your talent and the person you are very much. |
| James A: You're so nice, there are times I wonder why the hell you're in debate! Thanks for sharing my appreciation for Big Band, for sincerely being one of the nicest people I know, and for understanding and empathizing with my debate apathy. I wish you much success in everything you do. |
| Jason H.: Thanks for putting up with me and all my crap at Teen Court over the past 6 months. I'm really glad we're buddies and that we've gotten to know each other. I'll be even more glad when you get me a date with one of your cute friends. :) Seriously though, I really appreciate your enthusiasm for the program and that we generally seem to be on the same page on things where running the program are concerned. I hope that we continue to work well together in the future as collegues and friends. |
| Jay F.: You're another one I seem to have lost touch with lately...mostly because you're never online anymore. I can honestly say that you're one of the most interesting people I've ever met. Although our friendship has been an odd and somewhat rocky one, I'm glad we got to know each other and I sincerely appreciate your humor and honesty. I also think you kick ass at parli...Ah Jodi Barnes, where would we be without you. |
| Joe G.: I think you said it best yourself in my Dreambook. I wish we did get to hang out more outside of hotel rooms, planes and buses, but I still consider you to be a dear friend. You're a wonderful writer, an amazing interper/actor and most importantly probably one of the nicest guys I've ever met. Keep being your silly sweet self and you will undoubtedly find success in whatever you wish to accomplish. |
| Judd: What a long and winding road we have had, eh? It all started back in seventh grade when you and Paul used to make me cry in Mr. Harris' Gifted Chem class. (No, I'm never going to let that one go.) Then it was on to high school where we would go from loving to hating each other on a daily basis. Painting parties, cruises (the first was definitely better than the last!), watching Sliver on my 15th birthday, whip cream fights, road rallies, staying up all night on debate tournaments talking when everyone else was passed out around us, Gainesville, Sarasota, novels and screenplays and Cranes Roost Park, and most importantly, finally becoming adults and finding a balance of friendship we're both comfortable with. Ah communication... I know the road less taken is traveled at least by 2 people, two friends who I'm convinced have a long, scenic road ahead of them. I knew this would be the longest entry in here because there's just so much to say, so much I love about you, and as a writer, it's rare that I find it difficult to put how much a person really means to me into words. This is one of them. Most importantly, I'm glad that we are finally friends, with no messy subtext or complicated plot lines. :) |