Happy Birthday Dorky Paul!

My Mom and Dorky Paul at a club at WIU. All my friends and family went out the night before graduation and had "a little fun."

Happy Birthday Dorky Paul!

Paul and I have been friends since 1992 - it's an interesting story of how we became friends. We met at Western Illinois University (for those of you that don't know WIU - it's where I got my BA in History). We were both living in Tanner Hall - an upperclassmen dorm. Paul lived on the floor above me. He used to bounce a basketball at all times of the day and night. Do you see where I'm going with this story? I finally got fed up with this asshole bouncing a ball over my head ever night so I finally went upstairs and confronted him. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship! :-)

Eventually, Paul moved to the fifth floor (the same floor as me). I could harass him anytime I wanted now (and vice versa)! I have so many memories from our days in Tanner Hall and WIU:

*My mom used to buy me macaroni and cheese (I was addicted to it and it was a VERY cheap meal). We had a kitchen on my floor so sometimes a bunch of us would cook group dinners. Paul used to come down to my room all the time because I always had food in my room. My mom was excellent about making sure I always had care packages and food. Paul used to prepare the mac and cheese without the milk and butter. He added water to the sauce. It used to totally gross me out.

*We used to call Paul Dorky Paul because sometimes he acted like a dork! And, it was easier to distinguish between my friend Dorky Paul and my boyfriend Paul (I later will become engaged to him).

*Our late night chats about life, love, and what the hell do we want to be when we grow up?

*Politics - Paul was a republican back in the day so we used to get into these heated discussions. I'm a devoted democrat and VERY liberal!

*When Paul got his apartment off campus, I would hang out with him and his friends. We had some great parties!!!!!

*Dorky Paul was so supportive when my then boyfriend Paul studied in England for a semester. DP listened to me cry and vent.

*When Dorky Paul dated Little Lorie. Yes, we had names for everyone in college.

*The night before graduation, Dorky Paul and his folks, my folks, and friends all partied together! Dorky Paul danced on stage with the band at one of the clubs. Have another drink?

*Graduation day - May 1994. Both us in our cap and gowns. So hopeful of what our future would/could be for both of us.

We've had some amazing times together. I am so grateful and blessed to have you in my life. We are always there for each other - through illnesses of parents, relationships, career changes, etc. You are in Chicago and I am here in Boston. But we still are together -

I love Ya Dorky!