Just Kiran

Kellie Deaton is quite possibly the most lovely friend on the planet-she has not only inspired me to get back to blogging, but she has also made me a blogger head. I think she has transcended the status of "friend" and moved onto "saint". Though this is the first entry of my blog and should probably be about how I went on the elliptical for an hour today and didn't faint, I've decided to dedicate this entry to a very, very special friend of mine: Ashley Chandler Phillips.

I met Ashley my freshman year at Meredith. I thought that she hated me. This was because whenever we saw each other in the theatre building we would look at each other and keep looking until we were out of sight, but never said a word. Until one day, we were walking by each other (doing the looking thing again), and she stopped and smiled and said, "Hey." And then somehow, through a string of happenstance run-ins and conversation, we became very, very good friends. It turned out she had never really hated me at all, but had never said anything because I had never said anything, and you see where this is going. The point is, as the past two years have flown by, she has become one of my closest friends at Meredith.

If I could compare her to one thing, it would be sunshine. She has never failed to make me laugh when I am having a not-so good day, and move me to tears with her stunning acting ability. Ashley is loyal, dedicated, and very sure of what she wants, something that not a lot of people can say about themselves. She has a way of quietly consoling you when you're sad or jumping up and down exuberantly when you excel. She really is a true blue friend, and someone that I will hold close to me always.

Ashley is leaving to go here:

She is going to Los Angeles to work and try this beautiful, crazy, bright acting thing. This is something that not a lot of alums have done, and something that is so shockingly brave. I am so proud of Ashley because she is so determined, so fiercely determined to have success. I'm sure she's afraid. Actually, I know she is. But she is taking the plunge, and that is something that I admire her for, very much. With her talent and strong head on her shoulders, I know she can and will prevail in a city where there can be a lot of chaos. And when she does get big and famous and wins an Oscar, I'll either be in the audience (winning my own, hopefully) or in my pajamas, eating ice cream, and reflecting like I am now, on this incredible being.



I'm going to miss you, Ash. You've become one of my best friends at school, and you always will be. Congratulations, lady.