Friday, April 20, 2018

My Jacksonville State University

I visited my college campus today. A tornado decided a few weeks back that it needed to stop and visit my school. It ripped up trees, downed power lines, left whole areas of the campus and the immediate area off-limits, and just left too many houses to count in shambles. I cried.

I wondered how it is that a storm decides it needs to sit down in a certain area and have a party. I am happy there were no deaths in all of that devastation; however, it is bad. People, you can see the storm in every building on campus, it seemed. I used to think the business building with it's huge mural was one of the most intriguing buildings on campus. It's a wreck. Ernest Stone, the drama and English department was hardly touched. It has a few things to show evidence of the tornado, like some upturned roofing and downed trees.

Let's talk the trees on campus. I hope you have pictures of those huge, magnificent things, because the storm took them. If they were not taken, they were beaten to show their despair. I drove around the TMB and there was this lonely tree standing there. It was standing, but if it could talk it would tell a story of whispers from the trees and screams and rumblings from the ground from my campus. I teared up at this tree.

See, JSU is MY campus. It was my dad's campus, my brother's campus, my sister-in-law's campus, my cousins' campus, and it is the home of my SOUTHERNERS! Blow 20Js! I remember yelling that across the field for my brother his freshman year. He he he!!! I remember asking him if he heard me in front of the whole section with Dave Higgins as the section leader of the Toads! Dave laughed and said yes, they had ALLLLLL heard me. I was sold! JSU was going to be my campus, too.

Sure enough, 4 years later and I was a flute player with the Southerners. It was a most awesome experience to march with this fine group of people. Hats off to all of you! No one could trill a trumpet like Tommy could do. He was magic on that thing! Scott, without you, I would have never passed music theory! Thank you! I also remember saving another flute player from exposure at the photo shoot when she passed out in the sun. Before she dropped, she whispered, "I'm not wearing any pants under these!" My memories from JSU always make me giggle.

I have fantastic memories from the Drama Department in 2002-2004 when I returned for my Masters. I would take my Will with me to classes where Dr. Whitton would talk about how he had heard that iguana tastes like chicken. He saw my Will years later and still remembered my oldest son from his class. Will helped in make-up with friends of Jeff and Angela and Jason and our wonderful professor, Freddy. He was always ready to teach us new techniques. I still have my Klingon mask I made in that class. I will never forget Jeff telling Will they had a real bear on stage. Of course, Will wanted to see the bear.

JSU is an awesome school. It will be just fine. Despite the destruction, there were people walking around campus with their heads held high and with smiling faces. There were construction crews working everywhere. I stopped at my favorite yarn store and got my dose of smile for the day. She always remembers us and can't wait to see what I pull out of the discount basket. She also told us about a new skateboard park in Jacksonville by Kitty Stone.

Our day worked out perfect with a stop at the finest BBQ in AL, The Rocket. We visited my campus, my yarn shop, and a skateboard park. Yes, I did get on the board, for just a brief minute. I think I'm too old for that sport!
Peace and Love,

Tela

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