Gotta have it! A picture of a Washington, D.C. license plate (but you figured that out already, right?)	Destination: Washington, D.C. - Gallaudet University My SCAD friend, Lara and I left Savannah on Thursday (April 6) right after our class and we took off and drove straight to Greensboro, NC – which was around 6 hours away and met with her old friend, Kenny (also deaf)… he introduced us to some of his friends in the dorms and we stayed up a little late to watch “Sixth Sense” (AWESOME movie) – afterwards we just chatted about nothing but the movie. Then it was finally something like 3:00 A.m. when we all finally went to bed – Lara and I slept in a girl’s dorm (friend of Kenny’s)…very different from CSUN dorms (each floor has to share bathrooms – down the hall!)
Kenny had a morning class on Friday but by the time Lara and I were ready, he was back from class. So we took off at around 10-11 a.m. for D.C. It was another 5 hours (not too bad) before we arrived. Lara found it a little scary driving around D.C. especially since we got lost trying to find Gallaudet University (we found it after Lara wrote “Gallaudet University?” on a piece of paper and shoved it through the window to someone driving by – they were able to tell us how to get there). We got to the dorm of a guy friend of Kenny’s. Turned out that since so many visitors were planning on crashing the dorms, we each had to pay $18 per night (yes, EACH person, each night!) … but Shey, the guy who was letting us stay in his dorm, decided to try to ‘sneak’ us in (getting ahead of myself, the plan worked – we never had to pay for the room). Anyways…there was a pep rally so we went to that and bought our RockFest tickets there. Then there was a party at a bar nearby in D.C. called the 501 (don’t ask me why – maybe it’s the area code). I saw a friend who used to go to CSUN and we chatted for a long time! The bar closed at 3:00 a.m. so we went home and realized that there were 2 girls and FIVE guys sleeping in the same dorm room (some guys asked to join in our “slumber party” – friends of Lara, Kenny, and Shey – but awfully sweet guys) so they gave me and Lara the bed to sleep on while everybody else slept on the floor (hee hee!)	Finally an old face! Kevin Merchant and me. Kevin used to go to CSUN but transferred to RIT a couple years later - been there since.
Lara Kelly, me, Darren Reed, and Kirk Victery, Jr - sitting in front of a statue at Union Station	Saturday was the day of the RockFest -- I was able to see the true meaning of RockFest -- since Gally and NTID are kind of close to each other (compared to CSUN!) geographically, every year, one school hosts and the other comes to that school and they have an entire day of playing sports against each other (football, baseball, etc...) we went to see the guys play basketball but it was abruptly ended when someone pulled the fire alarm as a joke.   After that we went to the bookstore - I did remember it a little when we (the Hamilton family) visited there the first time...but it seemed to be a lot smaller.  Even the CSUN bookstore was bigger, I think.  We also strolled through Union Station which was really neat.
Later that evening, we went to the parking garage where the RockFest celebration was held.  It was like under a large carport or something so we were kind of outside/inside.  LOTS of people and incredibly loud music (they had a live band - don't ask me why!!) ... when we got in, we saw that they  had one of those inflatable trampolines - I don't know what they're called but they blow the things up with a huge fan and then let you in a what looks like a "cage" and you just jump all over like a bouncing ball - anyway we all got in and it was FUN -- got me so dizzy and my legs were sore.  Had a lot of laughs!  Anyway ... we went in to join the crowd that was milling in front of the band.  It was sort of like what you'd see in a live concert - the front was absolultey packed - a mosh pit was formed and they had security lined up right in front of the stage so nobody could climb up or anything.  I stayed away from the front, although I did go in a couple of times trying to find Lara (and almost got trampled!) ... I stayed a little behind and chatted a lot with Jon Lamberton - the guy who was on the Gally College Bowl team ... and chatted with Kevin and met quite a few new people.	Me and Jonathan Lamberton - admist the riot and ruckus at RockFest
The Grand Finale - (top row) Kevin Merchant, Jared Patton, Kenny Bryant (bottom) Darren Reed, me, Lara Kelly, and Kirk Victery, Jr.	Anyway...the whole thing went on until 3 a.m. and I noticed while chatting with Jon that my hands were absolutely FREEZING - I mean, it was nearly frozen stiff.  It wasn't until I walked outside when I saw it was SNOWING!!!!  We all ran back in the dorms (think of this - I was wearing flip flops!!) and Shey checked the weather on the internet and said, "I think it's best that you guys left NOW before the roads got too bad" - we were planning on sleeping there one more night and then taking off... since that was out of the question, we left at around 4:00am ... and drove and drove (well, Lara and I took turns driving) to Greensboro, NC, dropped Kenny off...then drove right on to Savannah ... we got back at around 3:00 pm and I've been "catching up on sleep" since.
Destination: South Carolina - The Palmetto State Lara invited me to go up to South Carolina so I could meet her "familia" and "amigos/amgias" so I decided to be spontaneous and take her upon the offer. On April 13, Thursday, we left (Lara, Kylie, and myself) as soon as Kylie got back from her evening class which was around 5:30 and drove up to Spartanburg, SC, dropped Kylie off at her friend's house then Lara and I drove to Simpsonville, SC...her mom was already up and waiting for us at the door -- she turned out to be a really sweet woman -- a very concerned mom :)  (like how my mom is with the DOGS!).  It was nearly midnight so we all went to bed.	Lara and Kirk (don't you think Kirk resembles Keifer Sutherland? I think so!!)
Roger, Darren, Lara, Kylie, Kirk, me, and Jason - horsing around in front of the camera at the guys' apartment	Friday, I got up and had breakfast (blueberry muffins) and chatted with Lara's mom for a while.  The weather was overcast that day ... drove back to Spartanburg and went out for Mexican (gosh, you wouldn't imagine how DIFFERENT Mexican food is in NM/CA/SC!) with Kylie and her friends ... rented "Sixth Sense" even tho Lara, Kylie, her boyfriend, and I had already seen it -- we didn't mind watching it again.  Drove back, went to bed.
Saturday, Lara and I drove to the local mall and met with Lara's two best friends, Kelley and Meredith (both deaf) ... anyway, they both had a lot of catching-up with Lara and they were really nice enough to take the time to explain who they were "gossiping" about :)  We had lunch at a place called Ruby Tuesday (sorta like AppleBee's) and then scouted around the mall, looking for a gift for Kylie (her birthday was last weekend but she celebrated with her family) ... we all went back to Lara's home (which, by the way, is a GOREGOUS home) so Meredith and Kelley could see Lara's mom.  After that, the two girls went home and we stayed...I chatted with her mom some more ... then Lara and I decided to go out again - with Meredith, Kylie, and her boyfriend to an Italian/Greek restaurant for dinner...then we went to a dance club for Kylie and Meredith (Meredith's birthday's this Wednesday) ... stayed there until 3 a.m. and by then I was REALLY tired.   Drove home and went to bed.	At the club - Kylie Crumpton and Meredith Tucker
Cheers! Kylie Crumpton raises her tequila shot for a toast!	Sunday, I got up early and ate breakfast ... then Lara woke up.  Lara's stepdad made this German-style pork chop (it was breaded, etc), mashed potatoes, and green beans for lunch -- it was REALLY good!  After that, it was time for Lara and me to go...we drove to Spartanburg, picked Kylie up and then went back to Savannah.  This weekend, I'm gonna just stay here! :)

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