An Infrequent Personal Post
It happens every Vandy game. I think about Connie and spend the week reflecting on life.
Connie Tingin was one of my best friends. We went to high school together in Goose Creek, but we weren’t very close at all. Besides having a few classes together and hanging out at the “Groo Spot” (someone wrote Groovy on the sidewalk, but the ‘vy’ wore off) during lunch, I didn’t spend a lot of time with her. But then came college where our love for the band Jump, Little Children brought us together. We traveled the Southeast going to concerts, hung out nearly every night, and carpooled home to Goose Creek often. She was one of the most happy, energetic people I have ever met. Her attitude just rubbed off on people and it was impossible to be around her without smiling.
Connie was a member of the USC flag team and she collapsed in the stands shortly after the USC – Vanderbilt pre-game performance. It was hot enough to drench all our clothes in sweat, so there’s no surprise everyone thought she collapsed from heat exhaustion. But it wasn’t the heat. It was a brain aneurism and she sat at Williams Brice stadium while her brain bled for way too long before being rushed to the hospital.
It was a long week of surgeries and ups and downs. Connie lost the fight and died at the age of 21, eight years ago this week.
I carried Connie’s casket as a pallbearer and the white gloves I wore still lie in my sock drawer. They make me think about Connie everyday, but its right after the Vandy game that I really start reflecting on life.
This website doesn’t exist for me to talk about my feelings or my personal life. It’s here to talk about politics. That’s why I’m sharing this story.
Recently it seems like everyone is stirring up crap for no other reason but to spew hate. Most of it doesn’t accomplish anything real. Many people just hunger for drama and those sorts of people are drawn to politics and power. While the Internet has given a voice to many who want to contribute to the debate, it has also unfortunately given a voice to trolls who have nothing else to do but to attack. And its not just in politics. It’s everywhere.
Maybe today instead of being a troll, you should think about life a bit and how short it is. Quit being an idiot. Live life and have fun.