ALVIE!

December 15, 2009


At nine thirty on the nose my phone rang. I knew who it was and why they were calling before I even looked at the phone.

"Yes Dad, that is my high school prom date you're watching on TV."

"I knew I recognized that face," my dad said into my ear from the brown living room sofa with the red cabbage rose print. "What was his name again?"

That would be Ryan Alvarez. My Ryan Alvarez, up there on stage singing and dancing on National Television, all light and magic and jazz fingers. I call him mine because he took me to prom once, and really, is there any greater hold a person can have on somebody than that?

I felt a certain kind of pride seeing him up there tonight. Pride in my "hometown," pride in the high school honors choir we sang in together TEN YEARS AGO, but mostly, pride in my choice of prom dates. Pride that a famous a capella singer who has been in the same room as Nick Lachey once had the idea to ask me to junior prom, and drive me there in his dad's slick Mazda Miata.

Proud that as soon as his group started singing I could pick out his baritone over the voices, since I used to sing right next to him.

And then I felt the crushing pain of "But what have I done?" What have I done with this, my mortal experience?

Things to ponder for sure.

(Becca, I know you went with him to Senior prom where he was crowned Prom King and everything, but let's not get all catty okay? I say we can share him. If you would like. (Does that make us sister wives?))

Oh but that brings me to my other point! Which is that as much as I am contractually obligated to root for the SoCal VoCals due to my verbal-agreement-via-prom-date-request-acceptance, I am also contractually bound to root for thoseProvo girls. You know, the ones that are all blonde, all cute, all more talented than me? (Basically sums up my entire BYU experience.) 

Where am I now?

Anyway Alvie, I just wanted to tell you this: Way to make good, buddy. I am so, so proud of you. My eleventh grade heart is just full to bursting.
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22 comments:

  1. Natalie you look absolutely adorable in your prom picture! So sweet! : )
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  2. I gotta tell you, I never expected to open up my RSS feed, and see a picture of myself.... And I definitely enjoyed that stroll down memory lane: the red miata, and your dad's pre-prom Taking My Daughter Out And You Had Better Bring Her Back By A Certain Time So Help You God speech.

    And I have to tell you: Our entire group is like, IN LOVE, with all the Noteworthy girls. They are so fun, so sweet, so cool to hang out with, and such great musicians, that we declared an a cappella alliance. So please, no worries about rooting for both teams... we are too!
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  4. Ahh, high school memories. It really is cool to see someone you knew way back when being recognized. And what a pretty dress! I have dress envy! Don't feel bad about having the braces, either. I suffered through them from 4th through 9th grade, so I was the first to get them on and the last to have them removed. I must have had REEEEALLY bad teeth. But it's awesome that someone you knew, were friends with, and who took you to prom is on national TV!
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  5. Nat, I just snorted--loudly--at my place of employment when I read the part about you and Becca being "sister wives."
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  6. Solid Gold right there. I watched in time to see his group perform, except I didn't think they were so good. The lead singer guy was a little flamboyant and off key if you ask me. I spent the rest of the night watching YouTube videos of the BYU girls and daaaaang they are gooood!
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  7. Now, look, Natalie. We can't all be famous a cappella superstars, you know.

    Also, we can't all be noticed (or even mentioned) on Blog of Note. (See?! You've done something with your life! You make the masses giggle, don't you know? It's just not live, with a laughtrack for you to hear.)

    Makes me wish we had cable, this post does...
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  8. Wow! I can't imagine ever turning on my TV to find an old high school friend... That has to be surreal. Congrats to your friend, and you, dear, shouldn't worry about "what you've done."

    What you've done is create this little blog that so many people love. Your friend may be on TV, but YOU'RE on the internet! That's a big deal too!
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  9. That actually is really cool. Does that make you sort of famous? If not for your blog, but because you actually know Alvie?
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  10. My friend Nabby was in Noteworthy the last couple years. I have no idea why she isn't anymore. Maybe I should ask? What a funny story! Thanks for hauling out that pic! :)
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  11. Not only does a TR mean that you've covenanted to be on team Donny O., it also means that you've made a solemn promise to own at least one Shade shirt at all times, often start to cry when thinking about how Mitt didn't make the White House, root for BYU no matter who they are playing, make sure that when you're out to dinner with friends everyone at the table knows that you don't drink and why, cook with cream-of-whatever soup at least once weekly, read CJane, have a testimony of NieNie, and get knocked up within at least one year of getting married. I know that's the real reason we should christen your house the Romper Room--it's not that you want a baby, it's that you know you're in severe violation of your covenants.

    Me too.
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  12. I nearly peed my pants once when I saw Ryan Alvarez on TV--I THINK it was on "Bones." I was like, "Bwaahhh!!! Karl! I went to school with him!!!" Granted, he wouldn't have talked to me if he'd been PAID to, but still. We both graced the halls of good ol' TuHS for four long years. Go, us.

    It's like when I watch "Orange County" for the 20th time and tell Karl for the 20th time, "Hey, did you know I went to school with Bret Harrison? Like, middle AND high school?" Even cooler, Bret Harrison once told Katie (who, being luckier than me, was actually in his CLASS) that she was the smartest girl in school. Obviously he didn't know how much smarter I was than Katie, but still. Reflected glory is good enough for me! ;)

    (Just kidding, Katie.)
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  13. I love seeing people from my past on tv. And I grew up acting, so it happens a lot.
    BODA lose weight
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  14. I would have even voted for Donny on Dancing with the stars if I had watched this season Biggest Loser was on at the same time and I could not tear myself from that. I would have voted for Donny because I like Many women of my age Had a hugh star crush on the boy when I was a girl. I am a card carrying member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , I am also a democrat . I have been told that I am a deep thinker but a well meaning LDS Long time friend of Mine so I am probably over thinking this whole issue But I vote differently than many Christians do generally.
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  15. Pearl, even democrats should dig tongue-in-cheek.
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  16. That's funny, sometimes I see Nat the Fat Rat's blog and I'm all "I grew up with that girl's little sister. And now she's on blogs of note. What have I done with my life?"

    One time I turned on Wheel of Fortune to find a girl who graduated from TuHS the year after me. That one I'm not as discouraged by.
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  17. Sparkles, it's a good thing I have a couple Shade tees. Otherwise I'd be doomed!

    Megan, your comments always make me laugh, and then go, what planet was she living on? You were just on the OTHER end of the geek kingdom, over there in band. Our end of the geekdom was just as bad, I promise. (And I name drop Bret Harrison constantly, even though I don't even remember him. But we're Facebook friends, and HE initiated it! So . . . right.)
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  18. Wow. You impressive people! I don't even have a name drop. LoL! So I'll just name drop Nat's blog that I follow, yes, I do! And SHE knows Alvarez. And THEY went to school together. And I, yes, I got to read about it on HER blog. ;) Lucky me!
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  19. So firstly, whenever someone says "Alvie" I think of Big Love, like my All Time favorite crazy show.

    Then you had to go and say "Sister Wives" and I too snorted out loud (but thankfully in the confines of my own home).
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  20. That picture is the cutest! I agree w/ Sarah about the dress envy. : )
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  21. I watched the show tonight! Well only the last 5 minutes...but now I'm definitely going to watch it tomorrow. I was really sad though that I missed the guilty pleasures...and even sadder that I can't think of a single song that I feel guilty about listening to! I'm unapologetic about my eclectic and sometimes horrid taste in music!!!!
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  22. awesome, and way to comment ryan!!
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