Season 4 Step 1: The Goodbye Andersons Special

 The Goodbye Andersons Special

On August 18th, 2019, I awoke to the sound of my alarm at 6 a.m. I got dressed and ran to my "sister's" house. I walked into the kitchen and looked at all of the bags scattered across the floor. Aspen walked into the kitchen still in her pajamas, and I gave her the first of many goodbye hugs. Even though it's very in character for me to be sad when people move away, I wasn't this time. She was only going to college; I would see her again at Thanksgiving, then Christmas and New Years, and finally, she'd be back that next summer. August, Kid, and I stood in the driveway and watched as their parents, Rich and Barbara, drove Aspen away to begin her new life.

They made the two-day drive from Columbus, Ohio, to Miami, Florida, where Rich and Barbara dropped Aspen off at Barry University. Within a couple of days of attending college, Aspen had found her groove. She made many friends, was doing well in her classes, and found her passion in the ROTC program. Of course, I wasn't there so I can't tell you exactly what happened. Still, in the most basic terms, the distance between Aspen, myself, and her family gave her the freedom to figure out who she is as a person outside of our childhood friend group.

When Covid-19 hit America, Aspen was forced back to Columbus and completed her school year online. Shortly after the lockdown ended, Aspen, Kid, August, her boyfriend, Ben, and I had a campfire and played guitar by the firelight (Season 3 Blog 3). When the night was coming to an end, we returned inside, and I prepared to go home. As I was getting ready, I offhandedly mentioned something about Aspen returning to school.

"I'm not going back to college." Aspen said confidently.

"WHAT?!" I exclaimed. "You gave me so-h-ho much crap when I dropped out, but suddenly you want to do it and it's okay?"

"You didn't have a plan!" She retorted.

"Fine I didn't have a plan," I argued, "but I got a job at Haugland (New Story) and I'm going to announce a book this summer! What's your plan?"

It turned out that as Aspen took her online classes, she realized that she enjoyed the social aspect of college way more than the academic. The other part of her time in Miami that she missed was ROTC. After some research, she discovered "High School to Flight school." Basically, after two years of training, Aspen would be flying helicopters for the Air Force! After five years of service, she could leave, and if she wanted to go back to school, the military would pay for it. Aspen was more or less guaranteed the spot because the program needed more women, and physically if anyone I know is fit for the military, it's her!

Throughout her time back in Columbus, Aspen and I spent many a night walking the streets of Clintonville and keeping our mental health in check. Honestly, she is one of the main reasons that I survived the last 19 months. When she wasn't helping me out or hanging out with the girls and me, she would spend her time working. Aspen would have to travel out of the city every few months to meet up with her recruiter and do a health or some other test.

Unfortunately, things started to fall apart pretty quickly. First, a rule was added that said if Aspen didn't get all of her tests done by October 30th, 2020, she would have to do ten years of service instead of five. Then the recruiter kept rescheduling the last test so that it would not be complete before the 30th. The rule did not stop Aspen, and she took the test in early November and then didn't hear back from the recruiter until the beginning of this year! When she did hear back from him, the recruiter told Aspen she needed to take even more tests! Aspen, ever the trooper, did what she had to do, and when it was all said and done, the military said they didn't have a place for her.

As I explained a couple of installments ago, August moved in with Marshall in Cincinnati to train for her new job. The training is over now, and she is most likely going to move to the Colorado office. However, as of the posting of this installment, nothing is set in stone. With August on the way out and Aspen's plans dashed, Marshall asked Aspen if she wanted to move in, and she accepted.

Most seasons of Rules for a Greattastic Life have an official name. Season 2 is "The Coronapocalypse," Season 3 is "The Empire Of Friends," and this Season is "Step 1." I didn't give Season 1 an official name. Still, in my head, it's called "Goodbye Andersons" because it dealt with the older three Anderson girls moving. Regarding my "sisters," we are back to where we were pre-Covid: Arden out in Colorado, with August heading out there soon. Aspen is off doing her own thing leaving just me and Kid in Columbus.

Covid did a lot of terrible things. But as I watched Aspen drive off to Cincinnati, I smiled. For me, the silver lining of the pandemic was that I got to spend a little more time with my "sisters" in Columbus than expected!

Have a Greattastic Day and Be Safe!

J. Mitchie Ulibarri