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Finally, Robin and Patrick got married today. Even Emma could not stop the wedding! It was gorgeous. Props to Brenda for pulling it off. Robin looked just beautiful and Patrick, well, he was as hot as always. Maybe even more so in his tux. Hard to improve on perfection! Have I mentioned how good looking he is before? Now, I love Jack. There's no one I would rather be with. And Jack is hot. But I can appreciate Patrick's hotness. He just, like, super hot. God-like, even (OK, so maybe that's a bit much, but you get the idea). Robin's a lucky, lucky girl.
Anyway, Christmas was wonderful. I did get the things on my list and even some surprises! So, props to my mom, too! Jack, Maxie, Matt, Brighton, Royce, Logan, Holden and I spent New Year's Eve in New York City bar hopping and having fun. We crashed at Ned's place (God love him for letting us and his decision to take his family to Buenos Aires for New Year's!).
Tomorrow (well, technically, today since I'm up so late) Brighton and I are going on a pre-school ski trip to Vermont. Her family has a cabin up there by one of the resorts, so it should be loads of fun.
Schools starts up in a couple weeks. Classes start January 19, so I still have time to hang out at home. But this is my last semester! So exciting and so scary. I don't think I'm ready to grow up, dang it!
I do think that Grandfather is ready to hand the company over to Ned and AJ pretty soon. He won't say it yet, but I think the time has come. After my grandmother died, he really threw himself into the company, but he's not getting any younger and I think he deserves to be happy and retired. I think by summer he'll start letting AJ and Ned take over.
Anyway, I'm pretty excited about the Bills. They've won their first three games so I hope they keep it going. I wouldn't want to jinx anything, but is there a Super Bowl in my future?! I hope so! Maybe Grandfather would even take us! I've never been to Arizona. I bet I would like it! I shouldn't get too excited. I mean, the Bills are famous for choking (especially in Super Bowls) anyway. Let's just hope they get through this game first.
Even the Big Red have won their first two games. Maybe this is my football year. Then again when your in a conference with Harvard and Yale, who let's face it are not exactly football powerhouses, it's shouldn't be difficult to get some W's. We play Lehigh this weekend so we'll see how that goes. Jack's coming for the weekend and the gang's all going to the game. I love watching the guys watch the game because they get so into it. I mean, I adore football, but the guys think every play is a life or death situation. Jack has actually become quite the Cornell fan since we've been dating. He loves coming to the games. Tailgating, pre-gaming, hanging with the Sig Pi boys. I swear, you'd think he went here and was a member of their frat! They even made him an honorary brother. And they gave him a certificate! Royce, the president of Sig Pi, made one on Publisher and presented it to him. It was so cute!
Anyway, my original point was this year's football potential is looking good!
Fall Break will be here before I know it. October 11-15. It'll be the first time I've been home this year since Robin's baby shower. She should be popping that baby out before too long!
I should probably be doing school work (I do have a presentation on Tuesday and all), but I can't seem to bring myself to actually do it. So here I am.
Robin's baby shower went well. Brenda managed to prevent a last minute disaster with the caterer, but other than that, the part went on as planned. Maxie and Georgie even found the most adorable cake. Robin was surprised, which I admit I was bit nervous about. She's not too big on those. Robin likes to be in control of things what with her, let's say, eventful, upbringing. But Brenda insisted and it turned out just fine. I was in charge of the guest list so I made sure everyone Robin would want there was there. It wasn't too big, just her closest friends and family, which I knew she would prefer over a big, splashy affair. Let's see there was Anna, Felicia and Tiffany. Brenda, Maxie, Georgie, and me obviously. Some of Robin's hospital friends including Emily, Karen and Elizabeth. Lois and Brook Lynn were there. And Lucy Coe and Serena too.
Speaking of Lucy, she's driving herself crazy making arrangements for the Nurse's Ball in February. Just let it be known that I LOVE the Nurse's Ball. It's the annual AIDS/HIV fundraiser/gala at the hospital where my parents work. I look forward to it every year. Lucy organizes pretty much the entire thing with some help from Robin and some other people from the hospital. And she hosts it. After Stone died, Sonny donated an entire wing of the hospital just for AIDS and HIV patients in his honor. I was only 8, but I remember that Nurse's Ball like it was just last year. Even though I've been to every single Nurse's Ball, nothing tops that one. Robin gave the most beautiful and heartbreaking speech in front of the entire town, which I'm sure solidified my complete adoration of her. Seriously, when I was a kid, there was no one in the world I looked up to more than Robin. Even in the face of everything she's gone through in her life, she handled it all with courage, grace and dignity. And the entire town adored her (they still, rightfully I think, do). I wanted to be just like her. I still look up to her, but I've learned that just being me is OK too.
Anyway, the Nurse's Ball. Why is it so fabulous? Well, there's the dinner, the auctions, the dressing up, the whole society event thing. But the very best part of the Nurse's Ball are the performances. The skits, the showtunes, all of which are performed by hospital staff and townspeople alike. I've been in skits for the Ball every year since I was 7 years old. My favorite skit (that I was a part of) was when I was 10 and it combined the songs "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." It consisted of Grandfather, Scott and Mac with their "little girls": me and Emily (Grandfather's), Serena and Karen (Scott's), Maxie and Robin (Mac's). Grandfather, Mac and Scott introduced us girls one at a time as they were "dropping us off at school" singing "Thank Heaven for Little Girls." Then it turned into the little girls (of which Karen, Robin and Emily were not so little!) going wild as we sang "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" while Mac, Scott and Grandfather, exasperated, tried to settle us down. It was cute and hilarious. My parents recorded it and sometimes I'll watch it with Grandfather and Emily. Good times.
So that's the Nurse's Ball. It's good fun and for a great cause. I can't wait until February! I wonder what skit we'll do this year...
Not too much has changed in months since I last wrote. Jack and I are still together. As are Maxie and Matt and Dillon and Georgie. Maxie is majoring in fashion merchandising (shocking) and Dillon is studying film and advertising. I don't know if I've ever mentioned what Jack does but he is a private investigator. He works at a PI firm with Robert, Luke and Felicia called Spencer, Jones and Scorpio. Coop has graduated from the Police Academy and is working as a cop. Brenda couldn't have been more proud if he were her own kid.
Let's see, what's changed...
Nikolas and Emily got married in July! The wedding was gorgeous. They had the ceremony in the garden at Nikolas' estate. I was a bridesmaid, as were Lulu, Brook Lynn, Skye, and Elizabeth was the matron of honor. Lucky was the best man and Spencer was the ring bearer and Kristina (Nikolas' cousin, not Scott's daughter. That's Christina. I know, it was a bit confusing at the wedding because both were there!) was the flower girl. Mom and Laura were thrilled. They've always thought Nik and Em should be together. Which is funny because Emily had a huge cruch on Nikolas when they were in high school and Nikolas only thought of her as a friend. Go figure. Emily moved out of the Quartermaine house and into Wyndemere. That's right, Nikolas is so rich his house (and when I say "house," I mean "castle-like mansion") has a name.
Brighton, Kingsley, and Logan made the now annual summer trip to my house. I don't know why but they seem to love the commotion of the Quartermaine house! It's become tradition! Brighton also dropped in often while we were at our house on the Vineyard. Just like when we were kids!
Oh, and speaking of Logan, Holden FINALLY made a move! HA! It was apparently awkward yet completely adorable but they've been seeing each other since. They make the cutest couple in the world.
Lulu is dating Johnny (also a junior), a guy she met at her school last semester.
Brook Lynn and Lucas are also dating. Adorable.
And something most be in the water because everyone is pairing off. Even Tracy is dating. Hilarious! Only because he's a bartender. Tracy's a bit of an elitist and normally a bartender would be beneath her. But she seems happy.
Serena is getting ready to start college at NYU so she'll be at school with Dillon, Lulu and Lucas as well as in the city with Brook, Maxie and Georgie. Dillon and Brook are living in Ned's penthouse and everyone else is in the dorms I think.
Brenda and Jax had a baby! A little girl for Jax to dote on. And I'm one of her godmothers! Robin is the other. Coop and Jerry are co-godfathers. Her name is Harlan Jane Jacks. Harlan for Brenda's father and Jane for Jax's mother. She adorable. But that could just be the co-godmother in me. No, she just adorable!
Speaking of babies, little Harlan is going to have a friend soon. Robin is pregnant with a little girl! She and Patrick are so happy. Mac and Felicia are thrilled. Especially Mac. Another girl to look after. Robert, Anna, and Noah are just as excited. Whenever he sees Robin, Jack talks to the baby. He says he wants her to recognize her Uncle Jack's voice! Dork! And now he has Matt doing the same. Between Jack, Matt and Mac, it looks like the Scorpio-Drake baby will have a few uncles doting on her. Maxie wants to make her clothes and Georgie can't wait to read to her. I just want her to come out! Dad was so happy for Robin. He's been with her since she was diagnosed with HIV (he's the one who told her she was infected and has managed her treatment) and he has a huge soft spot for her, and vice versa. Robin never thought she'd be able to have children and whenever Dad looks at her, happiness just radiates from his face. He was one of the first people Robin told.
The kids are getting so big! Michael will be 11 in December and Morgan is 7. Christina will be 8. Spencer is about 2 1/2. Kristina is also 7 and Molly is about 3. Cameron is 4 and Jake celebrated his first birthday in May. And Lila has grown so much! She's nearly 2 now!
Well, I guess more has changed than I thought. It's really been a great year so far and with Robin's baby arrives things can only get better!
Whew, it's been more than a month since I posted last.
I'm back at school, which gives me something to do. It's been great to see my friends again after the summer. Especially Brighton. She just makes everything so much more fun!
I ran into Robin yesterday. She and Patrick broke up. I felt so horrible for her, but more than that I'm really mad at Patrick. I've looked up to Robin my whole life. She's one of the best people I know. How dare Patrick hurt her! Even if he is incredibly hot!
Sonny's got a new lady friend! Hahaha! Why is that so funny? I don't know. I just think it is. LOL.
Jack invited me over to Mac and Felicia's for dinner next weekend so I'll be heading home pretty quickly after getting back in Ithaca. But that should be interesting. Mac is very protective of his girls (and he kind of considers me to be one of them) and, like a cop, loves to interegate the men in their lives. I can't wait to see what he'll do to his own brother! Jack and I haven't spent much alone time with Mac, so we haven't experienced his wrath, so this should be interesting. Luckily Felicia will be there, she has an amazing ability to talk sense into Mac.
Summer is beginning to dwindle as the first day of classes creeps closer. I'll be a junior. Which Brighton, Maxie and I have decided is the perfect year of college. It's long enough to be older (and, subsequently, better!) than freshment and sophomores, but still have that senior year buffer between you and the real world (or business school). I wonder how we can make that last longer?
Now that I've got underclassmen requirements out of the way, I can focus on major classes. Well, and two PEs. Swimming! I love to swim. I swam in high school. It's great exercise and it's something you can go for a lifetime without beating up your body. I tried to convince Brighton to take it with me, but she was determined to take fencing. Fencing! I love the girl, but I don't want to be anywhere near Brighton Livingston with a sword! I was able to get her to commit to sailing for our other PE. But that wasn't exactly diffcult. She loves sailing as much as I do.
I've also decided that I love Coney Island. Hot dogs, cotton candy, rides ... it's like paradise! No wonder Brook Lynn is always yapping about how much she loves it!
I had an interesting couple of days and in thinking about how I'm going to attempt to write this journal, I realized that if anyone were to actually read this thing, they would probably have no idea who these people are and how I know them. So here's a little cheat sheet for the people in my life who may or may not even appear in this journal so that I don't have to clog up my entries with long explanations.
My Family (The Quartermaine's!)
-Alan: My father, he's the Chief of Staff at the hospital.
-Monica: My mother, also a doctor (cardiologist).
-AJ: My oldest brother.
-Carly: My sister-in-law, AJ's wife.
-Michael: My nephew, AJ and Carly's oldest son
-Morgan: My nephew, AJ and Carly's youngest son
-Jason: My next oldest brother.
-Skye: My oldest sister.
-Lila Rae: My neice and Skye's daughter. She the newest edition to our family. She was born last year.
-Emily: My next oldest sister via adoption. She went to med school (at Harvard) and is an intern.
-Nikolas: My soon-to-be brother-in-law, Emily's fiancee. He's descended from Greco-Russian nobilty. Seriously.
-Spencer: My nephew, Nikolas and Emily's son
-Dawn: My sister. She died when I was 4.
-Edward: My grandfather, Dad and Tracy's father. He's ornery and very hard to please. He built the family company with my grandmother.
-Lila: My beloved grandmother, Dad and Tracy's mother. She was the glue, the heart and soul of our family. She died in July of 2004.
-Tracy: My aunt and Dad's sister. She is a force to be reckoned with!
-Ned: My cousin and Tracy's oldest son. Ned's ususally pretty busy since, in addition to his duties at our family's company, he often helps Lois and Brenda run their record company.
-Lois: Ned's wife. She's from Brooklyn and is absolutely hilarious. She and Brenda run a record company.
-Brook Lynn: My cousin and Ned and Lois' daughter. She has a beautiful voice and studies opera at Juilliard.
-Dillon: My cousin and Tracy's youngest son. He's not just my cousin, but one of my best friends. He's studying film at NYU so he and Brook live together in the penthouse Ned owns in NYC.
-Justus: My cousin, a lawyer. One of the most normal people in my family. And he gives the best advice. I adore him. He runs the family foundation. When I was growing up (and sometimes, today), people didn't believe that we were really blood related because Justus is black.
-Jimmy Lee: My uncle
-Bradley: My uncle, Justus' father, Grandfather's son, Tracy, Alan, and Jimmy Lee's brother. This is a little complicated. Before he met my grandmother, Grandfather had an affair with Mary Mae, a respected African-American in the community in the WWII era, which resulted in Bradley. Grandfather really loved Mary Mae but they knew it would be too hard to make a life together, so they ended the relationship. Bradley died before my grandfather even knew he existed, but since he found out in 1994, Justus became an official part of the family and he and Grandfather have become close.
-Mary Mae: Bradley's mother and Justus' grandmother. One of the town's most respected women, I used to sit on her lap and listen to her stories. She died when I was 9 in 1996.
-Scott: Technically, my uncle. He's my mom's adopted brother (my mom was adopted too, but not until she was older) and a lawyer. In fact, he's the DA.
-Gail: My grandmother, Monica and Scott's adoptive mother, respected member of the community
-Lee: My grandfather, Monica and Scott's adoptive father, respected member of the community
-Karen: Scott's oldest daughter, my cousin, a doctor
-Serena: Scott's middle daughter, my cousin. She's three years younger than me.
-Christina: Scott's youngest daughter, my cousin
My Friends (from home) and Friends of the Family
-Maxie: My best friend. I've known Maxie my entire life. When we were kids we did everything together and still do generally. She studying fashion at the New York School of Design.
-Jack: Maxie's uncle (he's only a few years older than us) and my boyfriend
-Georgie: Maxie's younger sister and Dillon's girlfriend. She's two years younger than Maxie, Dillon, and I. She's planning to major in sociology at Columbia.
-Mac: Maxie and Georgie's stepdad. He's the police commissioner. Mac's been pretty much the only dad Maxie and Georgie have known. He raised them, his neice Robin and, to some extent, me. Mac was like a second father to me growing up.
-Robin: Mac's neice, Maxie and Georgie's cousin. She's like a sister to me. She went to Yale (BOO! LOL) and the Sarbonne in Paris. She was Jason's first (and probably only real) love. He's been in other relationships, but I don't think he's cared about another woman as deeply as Robin. When they broke up she left for Paris (she was there for years but came home about three years ago), went to med school, and became a doctor. She's also HIV+.
-Felicia: Maxie and Georgie's mom and Mac's wife. She helped Mac raise Robin and he helped her with Maxie and Georgie. I love Felicia. Like Mac, she was like another parent to me.
-Brenda: Robin and Lois' best friend, Sonny's ex-girlfriend, and a beloved friend of my family's. Brenda's like yet another sister to me. My family adores her. She fun and outgoing. She lived with us for a while and let's just say life was never dull with Brenda around! I miss her being around the house even though she only lives across town now! She runs the record company with Lois.
-Jax: Brenda's Australian husband, business tycoon.
-Cooper: A good friend of Jack's and Brenda's nephew. He's in the Police Academy.
-Patrick: Robin's boyfriend. He's incredibly hot and a neurosurgeon to boot. Lucky Robin! LOL.
-Matt: Patrick's brother, Maxie's boyfriend, and Jack's friend. He's in med school.
-Noah: Matt and Patrick's father. Also a doctor. Must run in the family!
-Stone: I can't really mention Robin without mentioning Stone. He was Robin's first boyfriend. They were so in love. He died from AIDS in 1995. He was only 19. He played with Maxie and I alot as kids and the entire town was devastated when he died.
-Robert: Robin's dad, Mac and Jack's oldest brother, and Luke's best friend. And he is as awesome as Luke. We thought he was dead for years (he and Anna were presumed dead), but he turned up a couple of years ago. Robin was happy that he was alive, but felt abandoned since they "died" in 1992 when she was 15, leaving her in the care of her Uncle Mac.
-Anna: Robin's mom, Robert's ex-wife. Robin found out her mom was alive and living in Pennsylvannia in 2001, but she didn't have any memory of her life before the accident. She eventually recovered her memory and they happily reunited.
-Frisco: Maxie and Georgie's real dad and Felicia's ex-husband. I don't really know Frisco that well. I remember when he came home when Maxie was really sick (also when Georgie was conceived). He left afterward and came back once after Georgie was born and we haven't seen him since. He's also one of Robin's godfathers.
-Sean: A friend of my parents. He used to be the police commissioner but retired. He's another of Robin's godfathers.
-Tiffany: Sean's wife.
-Luke: Tracy's ex-husband. I still think of him as family. I love Luke. He's fun and he made living in the Quatermaine house even more interesting. He's the one who calls me Ali Q.
-Laura: Luke's wife, the love of his life. Even when he was with Tracy, I figured he'd eventually find his way back to Laura. They've been in love since she was a teenager. Mother of Nikolas (not Luke's) and Lucky and Lulu (Luke's)
-Lucky: Luke and Laura's son, Nikolas' half-brother. My former step-cousin. A detective.
-Elizabeth: Lucky's wife, Emily's best friend. They have two children Cameron and Jake. Emily, Nikolas, Lucky, and Elizabeth used to call themselves the Four Muskateers when they were in high school. They did everything together.
-Lulu: Luke and Laura's daughter, Lucky's sister, Nikolas' half-sister, my former step-cousin. I've known Lulu most of my life (she's a little younger than I am, but my family adores her mother), but I didn't really get to know her until her dad married my aunt and they lived with us while Luke and Tracy were married. Lucky was already living on his own then.
-Spinelli: One of my friends. He's kind of a geek, but I love him anyway. He knows everything about computers. And he lives with Jason. Don't ask why. They have a strangely close relationship. But Spinelli makes everything strangely interesting.
-Kevin: Mac's best friend and a colleague of my parents, a psychiatrist.
-Lucy: Felicia's best friend and Kevin's wife. Lucy's kind of weird, but she grows on you. She runs a club that Luke owns.
-BJ: A childhood friend of mine and Maxie's as well as Maxie's cousin. BJ was a year older than us. She died in a school bus accident when she was 9.
-Tony: BJ's father, Frisco's brother, and a friend of my parents. Tony's a doctor and works with my parents.
-Bobbie: Tony's wife, BJ's mother, Luke's sister, and Carly's mother. She's a nurse which is how she met Tony.
-Lucas: A friend, Tony and Bobbie's son and BJ's younger brother. He's Lulu and Brook Lynn's age.
-Sonny: A very unlikely friend of mine. The business that he owns is a direct competitor of my family's company. Needless to say, for that reason he's not exactly popular in my household, but Sonny and I have been close since I was about 8 years old. He's also a good friend of Luke and Robin's and a business competitor of my family's company. He took in Stone (his parents abandoned him and he lived on the street) and paid all his medical bills when we all found out he had AIDS. Stone was like Sonny's little brother.
-Alexis: Nikolas' aunt. She's a great lawyer. Has three daughters, Sam, Kristina (not to be confused with Scott's Christina), about 6, and Molly, almost a year
-Ric: Alexis' husband, Kristina and Molly's father, also a lawyer
-Sam: Alexis' adult daughter, Nikolas' cousin
My School Friends
(I've suddenly realized just how many people I've met and become friends with while at school so I'll just list my closest friends, the people I most hang out with)
-Brighton: My roommate, Delta Gamma sorority sister and best friend from school. She's from White Plains, New York in Westchester County. Our families have neighboring houses on Martha's Vineyard so we grew up spending our summers together dreaming of going to Cornell together. And now we're living the dream!
-Kingsley: Brighton and I met Kingsley and Logan (see below) our freshman year and the four of us have been pratically inseparable since. We're all political science or history majors and minors so we try and take classes together. And we all live in the sorority house together. Kings is from Greenwich, Connecticut.
-Logan: Kingsley's roommate and our sorority sister. She's from Boston.
-Greenlee: A friend and sorority sister from Sewickley, Pennsylvania. Journalism and political science double major.
-Royce: A Sigma Pi brother (most of my guy friends tend to be since it's the frat my sorority does the most with) from Boston where he knew Logan (she introduced Brighton and Royce). Brighton's boyfriend. Pre-law.
-Holden: Sig Pi brother from Brighton's stomping grounds: White Plains. Engineering major. Royce and Holden are roommates and the best of friends. I love them because they always include Jack when he comes and visits. And luckily it's not just to appease me, the three of them have become really good friends. So much so that they yap on and on about sports that they forget us girls are even around (except Holden, he ALWAYS knows where Logan is. LOL) He and Brighton grew up together and their families are very close. They're like brother and sister. He has the most adorable crush on Logan, but she's completely oblivious.
-Phillip: Also a Sigma Pi brother. Pre-med from Charleston, South Carolina.
-Waverley: DG sister from Newport, Richmond, Virginia. Phillip's girlfriend. Pre-law and Spanish major.
-Easton: DG sister from Rhode Island. Biological sciences major.
-Skip: Sig Pi brother. History and political science double major (so he studies with us a lot!) from Chicago.
-Erik: Sig Pi brother. Kingsley's boyfriend. Has become pretty good friends with my cousin Dillon. Pre-law. From Manhattan.
-Caldwell: Sig Pi brother. Econ and business double major from Maine.
-Hatcher: Sig Pi brother from Charlotte, North Carolina. Business major.
-Emory: DG sister from New Hampshire. English major.
-Julia: A friend of mine from another sorority (gasp! LOL). Psychology major from Florida.
-Ethan: Sig Pi brother. History major.
I live in a small-ish town between Buffalo and Rochester in upstate New York on Lake Ontario. And I've lived here my entire life. So I know everyone and they know me. And I know everything about everyone and they know everything about me. Yes, it gets annoying. But I love it anyway.
I'm Alison Quartermaine. If people shorten my name, it's usually just Al, never Ali. Except for Luke who calls me Ali Q, hence the title of the journal. I don't know why but I've always hated Ali as a nickname so everyone knows not to call me that. And Luke knows he's the only one who can get away with it as he does with most things. Seriously, it's a skill that never fails to astonish. The man can get away with anything. Anyway, as I mentioned, I live in a town on Lake Ontario, in upstate New York. And we do actually live on the lake. I love my life. Some people might call it "privileged" but it's my family and friends that make it that way. They are the best.
I decided a lot time ago that I'm not going to be just a trust fund baby. I want to support myself and know that I can make it on my own. I'm pretty independent and can be a bit stubborn so that helps! I'm a political science and history major at Cornell University and plan to get my MBA. I'd like to work for my family's company, but I want to earn it. I love history and politics, hence my majors. I wanted to study what interested me for undergrad before delving into a "real world" degree in graduate school. I do still live at home on breaks and in the summers, which isn't that unusual for an undergrad I guess. But living at home at nearly any age isn't that strange at my house. My sister is a medical intern and she still lives at home. Most of my family lives there. And I'm not talking just my immediate family. I mean grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, whoever lives in town and is a Quartermaine, lives in our house. We're basically a real life episode of full house without all the hugging!
