When I was watching this week's 30 Rock, I started thinking a lot about friendship. Then as I was re-reading parts of Mindy Kaling's book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me I started thinking about people I was friends with in High School (prompted somewhat by her discussion of Monty Python).

My freshman year a group of mean girls turned their back on me due to extensive jealousy on their part. It hurt really bad. It shaped a lot of who I am today, actually.

But my sophomore year I fell in with a group of great friends, people who just got me. We were a mixed bunch and I think if you saw us from the outside you'd wonder what the heck we were doing with each other. There was Holly my beautiful, intelligent, amazing best friend; Alison our resident athlete, cynic, and all around straight-man; Laura our smart, excitable, band geek; and then there was me (I don't really know how to categorize myself, probably a nerdy socialite, which sounds like a contradiction, but I made it work).

Looking at our group there didn't seem to be much to hold us together besides our statuses on the Honor Roll and what we sometimes were caught reading. But from the inside we knew. We all had the same sense of humor and taste in comedy that soldered us together as friends and comrades. There were endless nights spent in Alison's basement or my living room watching things like Monty Python and The Mummy. We could make any mundane or b-list movie into something hilarious and quotable to our little group.

I have such fond memories of this time in my life. We went to such simple, but rewarding lengths to make ourselves laugh and keep ourselves happy. Often we also enlisted the help of our friend Jon to sweeten the deal some. (Like the time we sneaked the picture into one of our favorite teacher's lab room, or the time we narrated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in spanish using sock puppets...which then became permanent fixtures in our lockers, the many times we created 'blow darts' after seeing the Mummy 2, even down to our ridiculous Apple Brown Betty recipe homework--in which we employed a sledgehammer.)

I believe true friendship is rare, and I am grateful I had these people in my life for the time they were there. Even though we're not still close and now are scattered across the globe, I'm grateful that each of us has been able to achieve our respective dreams...and continue dreaming more. I'll always consider them true friends.

I'm grateful for this reminder, that humor is something that can bond souls, and that it helps make life really happy -- even in the simplest of ways. Thanks for teaching me that lesson, guys.

"Remember, true friends are always together in spirit." -- Anne of Green Gables

xoxo.

some new deets

1. I have discovered the beauty of Google Reader. How did I ever live without it before?! It's increased the ease of reading all y'all's blogs...but it has cut down on my commenting because it requires another step...and I'm blog lazy.

2. Once upon a time I had to turn in my timesheet today for work. (Which includes my hours for tomorrow.) And once up on a time in a two week (80 "required" hour work week) I had 28 hours of OVERTIME. That's in ADDITION to my regular hours.

28
what the what!?!!

I miss my weekends. Sigh.

3. I have become obsessed with Parks and Rec on NBC. I'm firmly convinced that NBC has the market cornered on good sitcoms. Plus I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Amy Poehler.

4. I have finally watched two movies I was waiting to be able to rent: You Again and MorningGlory. Both are SO good. I really liked em. You Again is super cheese-fest, but it's really clean and pretty interesting. Plus I identified with the fact that she's a dork/klutz. And MorningGlory was really good...and pretty accurately depicts the news industry (which is usually a load of not-realistic poo in movies). My only issues with it were that it made me think of work on my limited time off. haha.

5. Pat and I have eaten BBQ 3 times this week...it's been AWESOME. I'm pretty much obsessed with brisket and ribs...and Mac & Cheese.

6. We watched an episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles the other night and the whole time I kept wondering how April's news station functioned because it seemed to shut down when she was missing ... but it wouldn't if it was New York ... and Pat laughed at me because I was analyzing news coverage, not the giant talking turtles.

Stupid Work

So I have to work today (Sunday) one of my all-time-least-favorite things to do. And it's a really, really slow news day. At least I can pull stuff from yesterday's shows. (p.s. sorry about my emotional last post...it was a hardcore bad day.)

But this weekend (my one day weekend) was fun. Sarah got me started on Grey's Anatomy. It wasn't really a fight...Patrick Dempsey is a HOTTIE (John says I just like his floppy hair...). Plus, I didn't have much to do. Friday night I got off work late...and ditched Laser Tag (oops. I probably should have gone.)...to chill on my couch in my pajamas. With Sarah. John came over too for a little while, which was fantastic.

With some Christmas money I bought my first piece of Eugene--an Oregon Ducks Hoodie.
It's the Victoria Secret Pink Collegiate Edition. And it was on freakin huge clearance.

And for Christmas I got some majorly awesome stuff. Some GORGEOUS jewelry from Santa, a bamboo spatula, and bamboo back scratcher (complete with complementary organic towels)...

this gorgeous Willow Tree Nativity Scene

this gorgeous china, and table linens to coordinate,

My wonderful friends and their families were so kind to me during the Holidays. I ate more food than anyone ever should. And each home had a stocking for me. Libby's parents filled mine so much candy. Sarah's family gave me even more candy, lip gloss and a wonderful card.

Libby designed and made a necklace for me, got me a book and a new journal. And Sarah got me some makeup bags, an oil warmer and a ring that says "Ama La Vida" on the top and the inside says "Se Valiente" (it means "Love Life" "Be Courageous.").

And Sarah and I found the world's smallest flat iron yesterday! It's SO tiny, and even plugs into your cigarette lighter in your car.

I hope all your Christmases were very Merry, Bright and Cheerful. And I hope you're enjoying your day!!