“What would Carrie Klypchak Do?”

Dear A’Mari,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xCmNcjymQo

Above you’ll find a video highlighting the events of the move from east to west Texas. Thanks to Ryan for editing the video and making it look all pretty and such!

I really wish I had the honor of having you be my carhop at Sonic. I feel really bad I missed out on that. You really seemed to have a lot of fun and I loved hearing about the random happenings behind the scenes at Seven Points Sonic. I’m going to need a photo of you in your full Sonic attire. Pigtails, skates, and all. I’m very proud of you for working your butt off this summer and for trying something new. I want to be a carhop just like you! Though…I’m not sure if I could fit between the menu and cars to give people their food. And if I were to accidentally run into another carhop skating around I’d probably severely injure them. I’ll just let you handle the carhoppyness. You’re Sonic planking photo is my favorite photo ever.

It’s weird to think that I’m not going to be in Commerce this upcoming year for school. Five years of the same route to the theatre, the same building, the same teachers, and the same friends. I know I’ll get along just fine here. There are a lot of similarities between the Texas Tech theatre and the one at TAMU-C. The spaces are pretty similar and the Professors are really welcoming and friendly. Though I know I’m going to miss the hell out of Carrie and M. Knight. I’m very thankful they’ve prepared me for this new chapter in my life. I’d definitely be no where near as knowledgeable about theatre without them pushing me to do my best all of these years. I still have so much to learn but I know that I’ll be just fine if I keep asking myself “What would Carrie Klypchak Do?” and channel M. Knights’ aura of cool.

Colorado is going to be awesome. I’m already scheduling things around it just to make sure I can come see it a couple of times…heh. I can’t wait to find out who is added to the cast. We are starting the year off with Urinetown and Our Town. I’d love to be in Our Town again but I think I’m going to take this semester easy and not get too heavily involved with shows until I get acclimated to the theatre and the work load. I’ll be teaching Cinema Studies with a few other TA’s. The class has a total of 900 students in it! Insane! I’m really looking forward to getting back to work though. The campus is amazing and college football season is right around the corner. Please don’t think less of me if you see me shirtless on ESPN with a big Texas Tech logo painted on my chest and my chair decked out to look like a horse.

Seven year old you and Nine year old me would have gotten along just fine.

Moment of Honesty:

There is a part of me that wonders if I made the right choice in leaving TAMU-C, the theatre, the professors, and you. That was such an amazing time in my life and I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s going to be like not going back. I’m horrible at making new friends (though people disagree) and I am extremely shy around new people so it worries me that I won’t be as comfortable here I as I was there. I knew every single person in that building and every one meant something to me. It’s weird to imagine that I won’t be on that stage anymore, that I won’t be able to come bother you and Denise in the box office, and that I won’t get the amazing feeling of making Carrie Klypchak proud of my designs for her shows. I know that change is necessary and that stepping out of your comfort zone will test you and make you stronger. But it’s hard to leave a place you’ve known as home and the people you’ve shared so many ups and downs with. If I show up randomly and hang around the building just act natural…heh. I may even surprise you with a Dr. Pepper from Sonic like I always did.

Fuzzy Memory:

You and I were sitting on the mainstage and you were fiddling around on the piano. You had me show you a couple chord shapes and then you were playing like an old pro. I was amazed that you picked it up so quickly. You started singing and playing Jonas Bros and other songs from Disney channel prodigies. I could have sat there all day and listened. I remember buying you that little guitar for your birthday and your face as you opened it up in my living room at New Pride. You had wanted a little guitar for a while and I had finally found one that was “A’Mari sized.” Within a week of playing around on it you were already further along than I was a year after starting to play guitar. Keep it up. I want to hear more music from you. 🙂

Love,

Mattie