Karol....

So, here's a story about 10 years old almost exactly to the day. It happened at what I proudly consider the "city college of Boston" where I graduated, cum laude, Northeastern.

You see, I was coming back from 6-months off. I was heartbroken out of a relationship, very young and headed back to college. I was returing alone almost two years after moving there to with with someone. Previously focused on the relationship, I hadn't formed any roots in Boston and knew practically no one. I was also "crispy," as I had spent much of the 6-months of debauchery on Phish tour and working on Block Island. I was kinda hippyish with straggly hair and bohemian attire. I had picked the very last minute to register for classes on-line and had gotten none I wanted. So, as soon as I arrived I had to jaunt upstairs in the Curry Student Center to the Auditorium and and stand in line to "add/drop" classes. That's when I saw her. That is when we met.

I'm not sure who approached who. I remember she was in all white with flaming red hair. Worse than me, she hadn't bothered to register for classes at all. She had a no bullshit Brooklyn accent and a serious presence that, at the time, reminded me of my true love, Stevie Nicks. Our first conversation was about political science (Her love for Reagan) professors, classes, music and ... umm.... alternative college recreation (umm.. yeah). Instant friends, we scheduled a class together and spent the next months getting to know eachother in and out of class. Always in touch, we see eachother rarely, but still loved eachother intensely. Her background was fascinating and different than mine. Her perspective, while not my own, was genuine and rooted in her life. She took off to Scotland, came back, then went home to New York, then came back, etc. I moved back to Connecticut, came back, went to DC for a White House Internship, moved to New York, etc. No matter how much we were apart, we were always in touch. No matter how much we think the other one is politically daffy, our love of the subject is something we nurtured together and we grew in our own ways always together.

Different roads.. different ideology.. shared love of politics.. shared affection for eachother, we nurtured what we have now.

It's hard to believe, 10 years. Cheers, baby, welcome to our 10th anniversary together.