Reunion Recap.

This past weekend was wonderful, and for so many different reasons. The main one was getting to reconnect with my friends Tanya and Michelle from college. I hadn't seen them in ages - since 1997 when we saw each other at the now defunct IAJE in Chicago. It's funny that in some ways, everything has changed, yet when it came to our friendships, nothing had changed. Tanya and I literally picked up where we left off, by hopping in our rental car at the airport and heading straight to the Mall of America to get our shop on (man do I love me some Nordstroms). We even had dinner in the Mall at a new restaurant called Crave. We got to the hotel around 11pm to check in and found Michelle, and really, it was like no time had passed.I had my own room, which allowed me to get some much needed down time as well. I found the events fun, but a bit overwhelming at times so I skipped a few of the sessions to sleep in, nap, and did I mention catch some zzzzz's? Getting that many singers in one place is kind of nuts. Add to that the fact that they are all jazz singers, and well, it was truly bananas. I don't listen to much vocal jazz these days (and haven't in over 10 years). Getting reintroduced to it reminded me that the voice really is the most incredible instrument, but also that I have a limited attention span for group singing. I have a theory that most of the time, it is more fun to sing vocal jazz in a group than listen to others perform vocal jazz in a group. For the most part, my theory stands up, at least for me.
Besides seeing Tanya and Michelle, the other person I really wanted to see was my professor Phil Mattson. He has been a huge influence in my life, and I wasn't sure when I'd get the opportunity to say thank you to him for being such an important part of my journey, and never giving up on me (even when I was a stupid kid in her first few years of college). It felt good to see him as an adult, and not only that, an adult who has her act together, who is happy and successful in life.

There were a few people who weren't able to make it to the reunion (the timing of the 4th of July weekend wasn't the greatest - lots of great gigs meant some of my favourite friends from college couldn't be there). Hopefully I'll be able to connect with these folks further down the road. And if not, well, there is always facebook, right?  I think the new friends I made this weekend balance everything out for the friends that weren't there.  One thing I know for sure - Tanya and Michelle - Orlando in 2010 - it's ON ladies!