NADIA SEILER

5/30/1978 8/15/2014

It has been one week since my college roommate and dear friend Nadia Seiler passed away.

This week has been confusing and blurry to me as I try to make sense of this tragedy. I

have found myself without words so often. I can describe how I am coping and what I am

doing, but not how I am feeling. I cannot, in any meaningful way, express my deepest

sympathies to those who loved Nadia, however sincerely I feel them.

Though I still cannot express how I feel about her loss, I can share our history. Nadia and I

have been friends since we were 18 years old practically babies. Looking through pictures

reminds me of what a sweet, goofy, affectionate, and quirky woman she was. Our friendship

lasted 18 years she commented recently that we have been friends for half our lives. It

breaks my heart that our friendship has been cut short.

Because I have been having such a hard time finding the words, I am using my pictures

and notes she wrote me to help. This is going to be a long one. It represents 18 years, after

all.

THE CARLETON YEARS

Flower Nadia

Fellow Carls will remember flower Fridays. Since I keep everything,

I found several of the notes that were attached to my flowers from

Nadia.

It appears that at this time, we were planning a trip to El Tequila, a

Mexican restaurant in Faribault. Im surprised we planned it trips

off campus were usually far more spontaneous. And I can never

forget our trip to the snack bar that ended up taking us to dinner

40 minutes north of Northfield, and dessert 20 minutes south.

Good times. I think that was one of the times we were being

indecisive about what we wanted to eat. This became such a

common theme with us that we eventually put a far more positive

spin on it. We referred to ourselves as flexible.

Nadia in the Closet

I am not really sure why she was in the closet here I

seem to remember that we were visiting our friend

Jody in Chicago for the weekend, though I could be

wrong. Its not really a flattering picture, I know, but

I still love the expression on her face.

Fairy Nadia Halloween 1998.

At this time, Nadia, Twila, Lindsay, and I were living in

a quad in Parrish House (the language house). The

four of us living in such a small space with such

different habits led to some craziness, but we also had

some good times. I think we cobbled together our

costumes at the last minute, in the great tradition of

college students.

Fancy Nadia Midwinter Ball 1999.

Looking good, Dia! More good times

from the quad. I think we spent more

time getting ready and taking pictures

before-hand then we did at the ball

itself.

Bakers Square Nadia Wait, they have

pie?

Why yes that is a man and a dog made out

of French toast, I think.

Someone didnt finish their dinner

Roommate Nadia

My three roomies! I have no idea what

the occasion was. I think this might

have been before or after apple picking?

Muppet flower Nadia

I actually remembered this note even before I started

looking through my photo albums. Who could forget

muppet flowers? I was so glad I found this one

Fall term senior year, Nadia was on leave because she

had done a summer term in England. But she

couldnt stay away from Carleton who could, really.

She spent about a month camped out on the couch

in our triple in Sevy.

Flower Nadia (Rueb)

Nadia was my drinking buddy of choice in

college. There was no one better to visit

one of the two bars in town with. Our

choices were the Reub or the Contented

Cow.

Senior Dinner Nadia

We were saying goodbye to Carleton and to each other. Or at

least to the times when we would see each other every day,

and visiting each other only required a short walk (and no

going outside at all). I can see the sadness here behind our

smiles. College was a wonderful time.

And look! Our shoes match! Actually, I think hers were

dark brown and mine were black. Or vice versa.

Bowling Nadia

While this was not an official senior

week event, a group of us went

bowling at some point when there

were no other activities planned.

None of us were exactly experts. I

think the winner had to buy the loser

ice cream.

Nadia and I took a break from

throwing gutter ball after gutter ball

to pose for this.

Senior Cruise Nadia

We had a cruise organized as part of senior

week. Good music, good food, good drinks,

and, of course, good friends.

Dancing Nadia

Nadia and Twila doing The Twila Dance. I cant

adequately describe it with words, though I have a very

clear picture in my mind. I wish there were a video of

this.

I was treated to another viewing of the Twila Dance

(sort of) only a month ago when Nadia, Twila, Michelle,

and I were in Charlottesville celebrating Nadias

bachelorette weekend.

Excellent Nadia

Dinner at Buca di Beppo in

Burnsville. Nadia and the rest of our

friends are mimicking Mr. Burns

from the Simpsons. Excellent.

Post Carleton

First Year Nadia

After we graduated, our Carleton group tried to get together at

least once a year. The first year after we graduated, the group

came to stay at my first apartment in Maryland. I believe it was

this trip when I said to Nadia, completely seriously You dont wear

contacts, do you? She didnt answer, she just looked at me. I

think we both cracked up shortly afterward. In my defense, she

wasnt wearing her glasses at the moment and it was late at night.

Second Year Nadia

Our next reunion took us to Twilas first

apartment in WV. Its possible that we drove

out to Maryland after that. I forget the

details

Tiger Nadia 2003?

I went to visit Nadia and my high

school friend Michelle in New

York. While I was there, we went

to a party thrown by Rachel (yet

another college friend).

Seventh Year Nadia

In 2007, we were back in Minnesota for our reunion. I

think we went to a celebration of Terahs wedding (still

another college friend). And no trip to Minnesota would

be complete without a trip to Carleton.

North Carolina Nadia

After Nadias time in New York and then in Michigan (for

grad school), and my time in Alabama, we miraculously

ended up in the same place again: the metro DC area.

We did not take as much advantage of this as we should

have. But we still managed to get out to Boone, NC to

visit Twila.

Puppy-loving Nadia

I think this picture of Nadia with Andy

(one of Twilas dogs) is one of my

favorites and is so totally Nadia.

I could go on. Its been 4 years since this trip, and we have certainly seen each other since

then. I even have a few more pictures to document those times. But this picture seems

like the right place to stop.

Nadia, I wish we could have done our battlefields and vineyards tour. That we could have

taken more of those trips we talked about. That I could have seen you and Andrew

married. Wherever you are, I hope you are happy and at peace. I love you dearly and will

miss you always.