Today!!!

A few weeks ago, I went to see a performance of West Side Story with Nicole. I’ve been thinking a lot since then—about love and families and, dare I say it, youth. That probably sounds a little weird coming from someone who is pretty young (I turned 20 over the summer), but that’s what a really good musical will do for you. It makes you think. OK, in truth, it makes me think. But that’s what this blog is all about, right? Me. :-)

Except in this case, it’s about me and Nicole. We’ve been dating most of the time we’ve been at Carolina. For those of you who don’t know, we met our freshman year. We hit it off, but didn’t start dating until that November. Since then, we’ve grown closer and closer. Hard to explain since there are ways that we’re really different, but it works anyway. I really love the girl, and I know she loves me. (Would my mom think Nicole is old enough to be called a woman? Mom’s pretty stubborn about not using “girl.”)

Anyway, back to Nicole and West Side Story. We graduate this spring, and I know we’ll still want to be together. So, I’m thinking of asking her to marry me. Yeah, we’ve talked about marriage before, but not in any real solid way. I’m pretty sure this will be a surprise to her. (And to those of you who wonder, she doesn’t read my blog. Thinks it’s a waste of time when she can see me or text me to find out what I’m doing or thinking.)

So in the interest of romance, I’ve been thinking about how to pop the question. Skywriting over Kenan Stadium? (Too expensive.) The Durham Bulls message board? (Have to wait until spring!) Romantic fancy restaurant? (Not as expensive as skywriting, but still a lot on my budget.) So, I’ve decided to use a Carolina icon as the setting. It won’t be romantic, but it’ll be dramatic... and since I’m a drama major, that seems appropriate! I asked her to meet me in the Pit at noon to go to lunch. I’m going to take her into the middle of the Pit, get on my knees, and propose!

I think she’ll say yes. I’m pretty sure she will, but I want to maximize the chances, so I’ve got this really, really romantic quote to use on her. I plan to whisper it in her ear. Just don’t think that you’re going to hear it if you’re there when I propose.

But you can play this game I’ve created to see if you can figure the quote out. See, I’ve got some riddles below. If you solve the riddles and take the next step, you can figure out the quote, and won’t you feel smart! Work fast, though. The "next step" will disappear in a few days. (If you post your answers here, everybody can see how smart you are!)

So stay tuned.... If you’re not in the Pit when I propose, you can always come back here to find out how it went!

Ready? Here are your clues!

"I was named after a chancellor whose Light shone on Chapel Hill. Help awaits those who enter me. On one side of me is a venerable old soul and on the other, faculty, staff, and students go through the daily grind of campus life."

Who am I?

"My function is older than Silent Sam, but the students who fill me are anything but silent. They work for those whose voices are silent. Tangible memories of families, students, faculty, and events support those who walk around me. I echo with the collective strength of those who frequent me."

Who am I?

"I have been a home for scholars since 1923. My first students followed in the footsteps of King Hammurabi. By 1970, my halls echoed with the wisdom of Callimachus. Today, clay tablets and papyrus rolls have given way to sleek, modern machinery."

Who am I?