BRYAN
Bryan and I met our Freshman year at Christian Brothers High School. We were both students in Frau Truhitte's Accellerated German I class and stranegely enough, met because he was reading a Star Trek book.
At the time, I had a friend named Marleen whose entire family was devoted to the Trek phenomenon. She'd mentioned something about a guy named Bryan that she knew from conventions. Thinking maybe *this* was the Bryan, I set out on a crusade to get the two hooked up.
It didn't work out, but through my efforts, Bryan and I developed one of those barely a step above superficial friendships that often occur between members of different social classes in high school. I figured I'd never see him again after graduation, but wouldn't you know it?
Trek brought us back together?
I'd become friends with a girl named Christina (evil hissing and spitting at memory of how she dropped me) who had hooked me where Marleen had failed. It was at a Trek Convention (guest Robert Picardo, "Doc" from Voyager) when whom should we bump into but Bryan.
Bryan waited with me after it was over and Christina's mother had picked her up. I was waiting for my boyfriend (evil hissing and spitting and thrusting pins into voodoo doll) to pick me up for our date. For the first time, we really talked about stuff. Life, love, and of course, sex. (Still a *very* popular topic of conversation with us... we're perverts, what can we say?)
Since then, we've managed to keep tabs on each other, and in the last couple of years, we've grown really close. I think probably my favorite Bryan moments are beating his buns at You Don't Know Jack, hitting him with pillows, and the constant stream of flirting that's become our own little way of letting the other know we care.
Of course, the time we sat in his room watching old pornos on BETA and critiquing them was probably the all time classic moment. ;-) classic.
Even though we're now about eight hundred miles apart, Bryan still mean the world to me. For all the nights when I couldn't do anything but cry, all the times it felt like love was kicking his butt, and every time we got weird looks from people who thought we were "together" and wondered what the heck this preppy clean cut guy and wild-haired overhyper chick in black could ever have in common, there's no amount of gold that could replace that for me.
I love you, Bryan.. I guess you'll always be the Harry to my Sally... even though we'll have a different ending. =] (Hope things with you and Niki are going well.)
("OH, BABY!")
MATT
Matt, Matt, Matt! Where oh where do I begin to define this madness? Matt and I knew of the other's existance our freshman year, but never really spoke untill Junior year. We got to the point where we could stop each other in the hall and high five or something between classes or make faces behind our Physics teacher's back. Senior year, though, would be the turning point.
In a fit of insanity, I'd asked a casual friend of mine to the Homecomming dance and soon after the dance, his sister's friend dropped some hints that he'd been really happy I'd asked him. As Fate would have it, I happened to bump into Matt shortly after, and wouldn't you know it? He and Ben were great friends. Matt and I became friends in essence, simply because his friend Ben had a thing for me, but for whatever reason, didn't want to date me.
Matt took it upon himself to try and get us together.. nevermind that with my excessive extrovertism and Ben's turtle-like introvertness it would have never worked, Matt was not going to take no for an answer.
On our Senior Retreat, Matt and I spent a lot of time talking about stuff... most of it seemingly inconsequential, but still enough to get us to open up about ourselves. He told me about going to France, I told him about going to Rocky Hoorror. Though few people would picture these comparable things, they each represented, to an extent, the worlds we both hungered for. I longed for Europe's romanticism and history... I dreamed of spending hours walking through museums just gazing at the paintings... he was equally entranced by my stories of the bawdy behavior that was common at Rocky. Just as I envied him his walks along the French countryside, he envied my raunchy responses to the lines of dialogue in the movie and the fact that I was allowed to throw stuff. It takes all kinds to make a world...
Though we didn't have that much in common, Matt and I forged a friendship that was based on the desire to live the other's life. For whatever reason, he thought I was cool, and I admired his determination.
Matt was completely deaf in one ear and had only partial hearing in the other. In spite of this, he was very into music and public speaking. To be honest, I don't think he knows how much he impresses me. Regardless of what anyone might think of him, I honestly believe he deserves so much credit and respect for going against the grain in every way possible and never letting his hearing define him. He's always just been Matt... shouting about Anarchy and lusting after Politics. He's one in a million.
No one can get to know Matt without assosciating him with small kitchen disasters, loud guitar playing, and his penchant for saying "Groovy". My favorite Matt momens are without a doubt, throwing empty water bottles at that concert the summer I turned nineteen, moshing together at Groovie Ghoulies shows, and our attempts to start a pirate radio station our senior year.
Take it easy out there in France, ok, Little Buddy? Don't make me come out there and beat the tar out of you.. and remember, I want to roast marshmallows over thr flames when you set your first apartmentr on fire.. it's only a matter of time with your cooking skills. ;-)
("HEAR HEAR!!!!"
MATT.. LIFE IS NOT A PARLI ROUND...")
Like most people... I've looked in lots of places for the things that make life worth living... like many, I've found those things in my friends. I might not be the most popular person, and my friends might seem an odd assortment but I love them all dearly and this page just wouldn't be complete without them... so here they are.. in no particlar order. =]
ANDREW
*giggle*
This is Andrew, and Andrew is a bit different from the others here because, well... he's more than "just" my friend.
Even though I haven't known Andrew very long, I'm very pleased to say he's already one of the best friends I've ever had. We met at the apartment of a fellow AZGoth mailing list member before going to the Nile with a bunch of other listies.
About a week later, I had a "hair dye party". Basically, it was an excuse for everyone to socialize while defiling their follicles. Andrew didn't want to dye his hair but came over to hang out with everyone, and he ended up staying after most people left. We had our first real conversation that night, and when he commented on it being the first time in a while he'd just hung out at a friend's place and talked, it made me feel a lot better about my decision to move out here... because it was the first time anyone here refered to me as a "friend".
A little less than two weeks later, I had a *really* bad day and was nearly hysterical. Being that I didn't really know many people, but really needed someone to talk to, I called him and asked if he could talk. He was genuinely concerned and came over to try and make me feel better... even though I just cried and screamed and yelled a lot.
Andrew's a Perky, like me. =] When we hang out, we generally spend a majority of the time laughing at stuff (usually each other) and telling stories from before we moved here. (He's also relatively new to AZ, just having moved here about three months before me.) Of course, we also do a lot of just plain goofing off, too. =]
Andrew's about the nicest person I know (maybe it's because he's Canadian, J/K) and he can always make me feel better when I'm upset or sad. Having a real friend like him so soon after moving eight hundred miles away from nearly everyone I really care about has helped me a lot. He's been known to drop by without notice if he's in the area (something I like because it means that someone actually wants to be around me, as oposed to me calling them and nagging them to come play with me, =]) and has been given the highest honor:
My roommate knows that if he comes over after I've gone to bed he has permission to wake me up. ;-) (If you think that's not a big deal, you've never woken me up before.)
I have Andrew to thank for my new obsessions with Legendary Pink Dots, Napoleon XIV, and Powerpuff Girls (I'm Blossom, Dot's Buttercup, and Andrew's Bubbles... yes, he knows he's not a girl), finally exposing me to the Mecha Streisand episode of South Park, but most of all, being there for me whether I'm bouncing off the walls perky, or end-of-the-world mopey, and knowing I'll be there for him through the same. Even though lately both of us have had a lot to be upset and hurt about, having each other to lean / cry / whine / mope on has really helped... especially since we're both still there afterwards to bounce and giggle and bug Dot. ;-) ("Are we there yet?")
Also, as of February 19th of this year, he's become more than just my kind, supportive friend... he's my kind, supportive boyfriend. =] It's a little unusual, dating someone I already know so well; but in a really good way. There's something nice about really knowing my boyfriend from the day we started dating and having the only nervousness be "I wonder if he likes how I'm kissing." (He's assured me he does. =])
Andrew, though I've said it before, I'll say it again. Thank you for being there when I've needed you, and having the faith in me to come to me when you needed someone. Your friendship has been the spoonfull of sugar that makes all the drama I've been dealt out here a lot easier to swallow. I value you very much and hope you realize I don't take your friendship for granted, but genuinely appreciate it, and am honored you see me as a close friend as well. I only hope that as our relationship continues to evolve, we'll only grow closer together.
"I'VE GOT CANS AND CANS OF KITTO, (CHUNKY CHICKEN!)"
JOHN
John and I met in a way I never would have expected, but should have.
On a whim, I'd signed up for Speech 5 in my fall 96 schedule at Sacramento City Colege... Speech 5 being something called Oral Interpretation of Literature. (A fancy way of describing reading something with feeling, but with a few nitpicky details.) Most of the people who seemed to enjoy the class had a fairly reconizable degree of familiarity with it, myself and John being the two exceptions. ;-)
John was without a doubt, the most intimidating looking person in the class, and I was by far the second, by sheer matter of my "weirdness". Being the two "weirdos" of the class, we started out goofing off and doing things like stomping up and down the steps going down either side of the "little theater" where the class was held, growling and sneering at each other. We ended up being on the same team for our final presentation and raised eyebrows by using material from Dilbert, Monty Python, the Dead Milkmen, and "How To Be a Superhero" in a three operson theater production meant to convey the human struggle with life and going against the norms. It sounds farfetched, but we actually did a good job on it and recieved much applause and positive remarks afterwards. No small feat in an arena where you were often considered a fool for not using a "respectable" author.. (very pretentious, ick.. I think we actually got a point against it accross in our theater.)
During the time we worked on our theater, we started hanging out between classes and talking on the phone. It didn't take me long to realize that underneath it all, John was just an overgrown kid with a very giving persoonality. He may look scary ,but trust me, I'vve never met anyone with as good a heart and as unique an outlook on life as John. He never ceases to make me laugh, and not just a superficial "ha ha" type of laugh, but that great bellylaugh that makes your sides ache and gives you renewed appreciation for Life.
To me, John has been nothing short of a miracle. I half expect him sometimes to reach into the air and produce flowers out of thin air. He's gifted in so many ways and man... there just aren't enough words to explain what an absolutely incredible person he is. (Jeez.. do I gush much?0
Often, while we're on the phone, he'll make some total non sequiter, and it'll actually have relevance to my imediate surroundings. Like the time he said completely out of nowhere, "Potatoes, Vampires, and Heroin." Oddly enough, I'd left a message on his answering machine where I randomly said "potatoes" at the end of my message. Stranger still... I'd watched Andy Warhol's Dracula that afternoon, and was wearing my "HEROIN SUCKS" T-shirt. Or the time we were on the phone and he started saying he smelled lemon.. and I was eating lemon pepper chicken. John just *says* these things and while it would probably freak me out to no end from other people.. it just seems normal from him. He's one of the most incredible people I've had the extreme fortune to have in my life and I would easily trust him with my life.
That's not something I say lightly...
Classic John moments have got to be Sitting in front of Speech 5 performing a pepperpot sketch from Monty Python (to this day we make jokes about burrying cats), the time we were at Arden Mall and climbed onto chairs in Market Square to mimic the "I'm flying!" scene in Titanic while some woman sang that horrendous Celine Dion song (of course, me in black nylon ruffled bloomers and black velvet blazer being held by him in a navy blue bowler and a furry pink spiked colar made it *that* much more classic), and most important and dear to my heart, the long conversation we had where he told me that he had faith in me... that he knew I could do great things if I wanted. Somehow, hearing words of encouragement from John means more to me than hearing them from anyone else. Probably because I know he truly believes it.
John... words can't even come close to describing how much you mean to me. You're so much more than I ever would have thought when we first met and I consider myself blessed to have you as my friend. You're amazing... I just hope I'm not the only one that realizes it.
("HERPES?")
SHANE
Shane and I met in October of '97 at my very first Forensic tournament. I was feeling slightly pissy because A) I'd gotten into an argument with my debate partner, B) I'd been fired OVER THE PHONE from the tournament, and C) this REALLY annoying 18 year old from Hayward was following me around like a puppy... complete with trying to hump my leg.
I walked out of the hotel for a moment.. needing to clear my head when I saw a guy with brown hair, glasses, and one of the most interesting untangible qualities about him I've ever known smoking a ciggarette and looking at the water in the pool as if he couldn't really see it at all. Now...I have this odd tendency to start talking to people for no reason... and often, it ends up being important.
Shane was no exception.
I can't even really remember what we talked about, I just remember thinking "Damn.. if brains were sex appeal I'd be tearing his clothes off". We seemed to click on some level... though we looked as different as two people could. (Shane's very much the GAP type, extremely clean cuut and the type you'd have a really hard time imagining in anything even slightly outrageous... whereas I... well... you've seen pictures. ;-) )we bounced ideas off each other about different things we were planning to compete with, complaining about sucky judges that did things ilke not look at you the entire time, the pain in the butt that having events run long was when it meant that you not only were late to your next event, but still didn't have time to go to the restroom or get a drink of water to calm your throat and before you knew it.. we were chatting like old pals. =]
Forensics, for those who aren't familiar, is Speech and Debate. At tournaments you hear a lot of rah rah about how Forensics can help you make friends for a lifetime... well, thanks to Shane, I know it's true. For whatever reason I decided to say hi to him, I don't care... I'm just really glad I did. We exchanged Email adresses and started chatting on AOL for hours at a time, mainly complaining about the men in our lives. ;-) I was awed at how responsible but still fun loving he was, and he was amazed that it was no big deal for me to be up past seven in the morning. We started talking about moving someplace (didn't matter where.. we were both sick of our respective cities) together and starting new lives... we eventually decided it wasn't the best idea but we still consider being roommies every so often. In fact, we have a running joke that we're going to get married because we only seem to attract people when we're taken. ;-) Of course, we'll be cheating on each other more than the cast of Melrose Place or some other God Awful soap opera, and have seperate bedroomds, but hey... we'd get a tax break!
Classic Shane moments are definately the State tournament where Shane, Angela (see page two ;-) ), and I hopped into the Bakersfeild Community College (his school) van and headed through the streets of Santa Rosa for a Barnes and Noble where we flipped through the postcards looking at the cute guys on them, pointing out the names of books we thought were amusing. (Get three speech nerds together and they'll be able to make almost anything sound kinky.) The *EXTREMELY* odd stares we got when we danced at States. (Picture a skinny WASPY type in a blue and white track suit and an overly hyper, slightly chubby chick in striped tights, cutoffs, and a Residents Tshirt freaking to "Getting Jiggy With It" and you'll come pretty close). And of course.. how could I forget Nationals, where we spent *much* time discussing the secred tradition of the "Phi Rho Pi Fling" and he grumbled that I was getting more than my share,but his too. ;-)
Shane.. though you may be the most unlikely friend on the surface, I know that when it comes right down to it you understand me better than most people realize. I giggle my fool head off every time we chat and I always look forward to any chance to see you. =] Even though we're over three hours apart, I know you're there when I need you and it means more to me than most would think. In the words of the Golden Girls theme (You're Dorothy and I'm Sophia, remember? Though I *do* admit to traces of Rose and Blanche... mainly Blanche, hehehehe) "Thank you for being a friend." =]
"HELL-O!"