You Never Know...

I grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. Raleigh is the home of North Carolina State University and is the capital city of North Carolina. Athletes and coaches like Bill Cowher, Lou Holtz, Phillip Rivers, David Thompson and Jim Valvano have made their way through N.C. State. But Raleigh has also turned out some other celebrities as well. Emily Proctor (who currently stars in CSI Miami) and Sharon Lawrence (former NYPD star) are also from my hometown.

But two of the funniest people around today lived a few houses away from me. David and Amy Sedaris grew up a rock’s throw from my front door. Their older sister Lisa was my family’s babysitter. Never heard of them? Google the two of them and you’ll discover that they are both major celebrities. Amy pops up on David Letterman’s show with regularity and David is a staple on NPR. Both are playwriters.

My parents still live in the house I grew up in. Lou Sedaris (Amy and David’s Dad) still lives in the house they grew up in so our parents are still friends. Dad and Mr. Sedaris both worked together for years for IBM.

So what’s my point here? To let you know I know the Sedaris siblings? Nope…growing up I can honestly say I never in my wildest dreams would have predicted that either of them would become famous people. They just seemed like the rest of us kids. Okay that may not quite be the truth (Amy in particular was always very dramatic) but there wasn’t something that just cried out “a star is born.”

We all walk through live surrounded by extraordinary people (we ourselves may be extraordinary.) Extraordinary can be demonstrated in a number of ways but its meaning is obvious. Whether it is a famous doctor, actor or athlete they all come from somewhere. Perhaps the next Justin Bieber is hanging out at your local Mall…

I’m currently reading David’s latest book Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: a Modest Bestiary and that’s what prompted this blog. Every time I see Amy cracking up David Letterman I wonder when did it happen? When did she discover that she had “it”? Because when we were kids she was just a neighborhood kid like the rest of us. But read one of David’s books and you’ll wonder how in the world I did not notice that he was a bit different than the rest of us!

DJ Kazmierczak

Go Wolfpack!

Everyone has their favorites. For some it is Dale Jr. For others it is Troy Aikman. For a few it is the Boston Red Sox. But for me nothing can come close to North Carolina State University football!

I remember the moment that I was hooked. My sister attended NCSU from 1992-1996. But it was two years after she graduated when I realized that it was always going to be the Red and White for me. It was Sept. 12th 1998. I was thirteen years old and a freshman in high school. My family had season tickets since 1993 and no matter what was going on even if it was pouring down rain if there was a game we were there. It was a Thursday night and I was sitting on the grass behind the goal posts. I watched wide-eyed as NCSU made history and defeated Florida State. It was the first time that Florida State had lost since joining the ACC.

I don’t remember the final score or who the play makers of the game were or who the coach of NCSU was at the time, but I do remember that feeling. It is something to watch your team win a huge game.

I am very proud of my Wolfpack because this year they went from being considered possibly the worst team in the ACC to being Bowl Eligible. While I got to experience that historical win sadly I’ve never been to a bowl game. I’ve watched my fair share of them on television like the Orange Bowl back on January 1, 2003. I would have given anything to see Philip Rivers beat Notre Dame. I can’t image what that experience would have been like.

So to all you hopefuls out there with your fingers crossed that your team (cough…Florida…cough) make the big game I hope that you get to experience the glory that is college bowl games whether it be on the television or in person. I hope to some day see NCSU win the big game.

Go Wolfpack!
Allison