Hey, Mamma Rock Me

So much excitement happened recently.

So much excitement! 

The most exciting thing would have to be the whole Bathtub Ring thing. I'm going to go ahead and steal Meredith College's description of what The Bathtub Ring is, if you don't mind.

"Three members of the Class of 1970—Betty King, Ayn Sullivan, and Peggy Timmerman—founded The Bathtub Ring singing group in the spring of 1968 and first performed for Phi Luau during Rush Week. Their blend of rebellion against and honoring of Meredith traditions has made The Bathtub Ring a perennial favorite at Cornhuskin’ and other campus events. Membership is by audition, and selections are made by The Bathtub Ring from students who are members of even-year classes." 

So there are 5 girls in BTR and they each become one of the 5 characters- Otis, Zeke, Rufus, Ralph and Ethel Sue.

I'm going to be Rufus, pretty much the coolest kid ever. I was told that Rufus is laid-back, so I'm thinking it won't be too difficult to "become Rufus".
We aren't "officially" BTR yet though, not until BTR 2012 graduates. So for now, we're called the Ring Around The Tub- or the RATTS of 2014.
Crazy.

So back up to auditions- I wasn't going to try out for it because I had so many doubts, so little faith in myself, and I was crazy intimidated by all of the other girls.
But Skye talked me into it, and I knew in my heart that if I didn't try out I would be really frustrated with never knowing how it would end up.
So I went to the practice on Tuesday with 15 or so other sophomores and we learned the parts to the BTR version of Rocky Top.
I was singing the song in my sleep, during class, at work- it was bad.

Then Thursday came, and I knew I needed to prepare a snippet of a solo song of my choice. So I decided to sing Hallelujah- the song that everyone has covered.
They started us off around 7pm with our solo songs, then we sang Rocky Top for about three hours until they finally let us go.
21 girls tried out, and that evening they cut us down to 10. Then around 11pm they sent us back to our rooms and said they would let us know if we made it or not by the end of the night.
I was expecting a phone call.

That's 2012 Rufus, in my room, letting me know that I made it.
I was not prepared.
That awful smile thing I have going on there- that's me being so excited and so shocked.

 

And then they put me in the hallway and told me not to talk. 

They told those other 2 girls the same thing- and I had no idea that they were there. 

So I stood in silence and darkness as they all walked away from me. 

 

We were finally allowed to take our blindfolds off, but only after walking across campus and singing together.
So that's us!

Then we had our big debut at Tea for Two- Meredith's mother/daughter tea for the sophomore class.
Lynda went with me, and I kept it a secret from her that I made BTR.

Hardest thing I've ever done!

Skye and I all dressed up together.

I had such a fun time! I missed mom a lot, but I'm glad that it worked out for Lynda to go with me.

Tea table

We got party favors

My hot date. We got some stares- we decided it was all of the mothers thinking to themselves "that woman looks way too young to be her mother- they must be sisters."

As soon as BTR 2012 walked up to the stage while singing Mountain Dew, Lynda turned to me and said, "You should totes be in that Caity- you could do that!"
At that point, I was so anxious and excited and nervous that all I could manage without giving it all away was a shaky, "mmhmm!"
I couldn't eat any of my brunch either. We had pancakes, bacon, eggs, potatoes, fruit, and desert and I had to FORCE myself to take bites.
So. Anxious.
But then 2012 called up the members of 2014 BTR and I looked at Lynda and said, "I didn't tell you..." as I slyly tied my bandana around my wrist and made my way to the stage.
I think she was surprised =)

There we are after our first performance!

2014 Bathtub Ring minus our Ralph. Instead of handing off the baton, 2012 handed off the Mountain Dew- because they sing a song called Mountain Dew.
We were pretty pumped.

And there we all are again!

There are videos circulating somewhere. If you have a facebook you can go to my timeline right HERE and see some videos that I was tagged in. If you don't have a facebook, then you really should get working on that.
Just kidding. But I have no idea where the videos would be found if not through facebook.

So yes, my weekend was filled with anxiety- the best kind- and so much excitement!
I can't wait until next year when we can finally start to have practices and do all the fun stuff that goes along with being in BTR.

Such a cool Meredith tradition and I'm honored to be a part of it!

Hello, Rita?

Good. Morning. 

=D 

The main reason I am writing right now is because I really do not want to make myself read Death of a Salesman. 

Again. 

I suffered through it once, and that was enough. They can't make me read it again. Therefore, I am going to fill all of my free-time until class with other activities so that I don't start to feel the pressure from my professor and my peers- and so that I can justify my actions in my own mind. 

I'm just too darn busy to read that- shucks! 

 

Today is rainy and gross- an appropriate way to welcome Spring, don't you think? Me either. This year's March showers will bring April flowers- totally breaking tradition and everything I've ever believed as a child, but I guess with that whole- "The polar ice-caps are melting" thing that means we are all sorts of off schedule. 

But that's okay- rain is rain. I have my trusty umbrella with me. 

Would you believe it- I still have not gotten my rain boots. 

None. 

I stomp around through the rain in anything BUT proper puddle stomping gear. 

It gets rather frustrating. 

 

But anyway, I have Spring break stories to talk about! 

So I was all upset about my lack of good stories right before I left- and wouldn't you know it, just after we crossed the Maryland border into the lovely PA, THIS happened. 

I was pulled over. BY A COP! 

It was an experience, that's for sure. I thought I was going to pass out from a combination of shock/confusion/anger/embarrassment/terror/ignorance/etc.

 Now keep in mind, this happened at 12:45am, and we were about 40 minutes from home. So naturally, I was ticked. I made it 6 hours and 20 minutes and was stopped NOW? 

(Hence the anger)

I started off strong by giving the officer my expired drivers license- score 1 for Caitlyn when he didn't even recognize that it was expired. 

I proceeded to confess that I had never been pulled over and therefore had no idea what I was supposed to give him- I only knew that it all lived in my glove-box where Dad tucked it away while I was shopping or taking pictures. So I laughed at myself as he reached in my window and helped himself to my insurance and registration cards. 

Super. (This would be the ignorance I referred to)

I was also informed that the encounter was being recorded. I acted pretty chill, but on the inside I was seeing re-runs of COPS shows where they threw people around and waved guns while yelling, "GET ON THE GROUND!"

I thought I was going to be featured on the newest episode of COPS. 

Fabulous. (Enter embarrassment!)

When he returned what seemed like hours later, he calmly told me that I had been swerving across the double yellow lines a few times. (He thought I was drunk! Me, Caitlyn Martin, drunk driving!? I laughed.) Then he asked if I knew why that was happening. To which I responded: We were dancing? Lynda then told him that we were just trying to stay awake. (We didn't have any issues with that the rest of the way, believe me!)

He laughed and thanked me for my honesty, and only then did I think that maybe I was going to get off ticket-free! I wasn't necessarily proud to admit it, but when he asked me what we were dancing to I had to tell the truth. 

Lady Gaga. 

When Lady G and Beyonce tell you to Just Dance- what else can you do? 

He laughed more, and then he was gone. 

No ticket! Booya!

What a way to start off my Spring break, hey? 

Nothing else that I did really came close to topping that. 

Of course I was reunited with my love. How cute is Shasty?? She's so cute. 

MC and I went to Target and tried on every ridiculous pair of glasses that they had. 

It was actually really fun- and really loud. 

 

She was a fan of the cat glasses.

 

These were octagonal- you can't really tell- so we didn't know if they had a hidden meaning. Like stop?

 

Then she shouted, "Cait- these are polarized!" 

Yup.

 

Mine were floral hearts, and hers were weird. 

 

 

She also tried on shoes. Everything about this pose and shoe choice was influenced largely by Elisa's recent visit and strange taste in heels. 

"Third position, Caitlyn!"

 

 And that's pretty much all that we did at Target. I think we each got a Starbucks before heading home. Successful trip, I'd say. 

Speaking of successful, I got "The eye" when I accidentally threw my salad all over the table one evening at dinner. My father politely asked my age and I responded, "I'm taking a picture of this!" 

So yes, I was acting my shoe size on this one. 

But how is a 20 year old supposed to act? I don't care anyway. 

I definitely had to clean that one up. 

We also played outside. For some reason my trunk was open when we went out and Mary Catherine called out, "I slipped!" 

When I turned around, she was happily situated in my trunk. 

Cool.

Also, dearest father added yet another vehicle to our used car lot- MC finally got a car! 

We did take pictures, but I think they're on MC's camera. Maybe, with some reminding, she will post them on facebook or something. 

They were cute. I stuck my head out of the sunroof at one point. 

It was painful, but I did it! 

Mom doesn't know how lucky she is- the garage spot? Seriously mom? 

If it weren't for those darn Harleys parked on the other side, maybe my Orville would get a garage spot too! 

Oh well. I better prepare myself for loads of pine-needles showing up EVERYWHERE (my car, shoes, clothes, etc)

I've successfully passed a good deal of time! No Death of a Salesman reading for this girl! 

Now I just want a free Rita's ice. 

Mango Gelati please Rita! 

Please? Rita? 

Happy first day of Spring!