Hooray for fabulous friends!

It's amazing to me how much one person can influence your life and how much you can miss them while their gone. Back in January, Megan joined the National Guard and was shipped off to basic and the after basic training.

It was terrible. I'm not even going to try to sugar coat it. A) I was a horrible pen pal. Which was a necessity during the first three months while she was at basic. It also didn't help that there were special rules you had to follow in sending a letter. (I didn't want her to get pushups because of me.) and B) five and half months is a really freaking long time to go without having a friend you see or hear from at least 3 times a week, when they're out of town.

I did okay for the first 3 months. Granted to say I didn't write nearly as much as I had hoped I would, but getting out the occasional letter was okay. That and I remember thinking the time would fly by so quickly. Then she graduated from basic. Hooray!

Okay, not so hooray because then she started her second leg of training and that's when I really started to miss her. Even while she was at basic I missed her at least twice, enough that I wished she was already home. During her second leg of training, I don't think I went a few days let alone a week wishing she was already home.

I don't know why I missed her so much, but I did. I think it has to do with me not really being a nonface chatter. I'd much rather go out with a friend or group of friends and just talk. A movie is not even required, though delicious food is always a plus. I even enjoy the occasional email, but I LOVE seeing friends in person.

Megan's not the only person I've missed though. Since I first went to school at Weber (the armpit of Utah), that is where I've found a lot of my friends. Friends I still love hearing from and seeing when I can. I always try to email Maryland Mike (I know original. Names Mike. He's from Maryland.) and catch up with Friend Shaun (again original. Love friend Shaun.) That's not to say I also don't miss my friend Danny, but sometimes people get busy in their lives. All of them have had crazy amazing adventures in life.

Maryland Mike has gone to school graduated, had all sorts of jobs, lived in England and New York, and is just amazing. Funny to think that my first impression of him was so off from who he really is. I blame part of it on poor translation and the other part on him being from the East Coast. (I know not really an excuse, but it's true.) I've met a couple people from the East Coast and their personalities and how they interact is just different from people in Utah (though I don't know that I really fit into that crowd either). I love talking to him because he's great at giving me bits of advice when I need it and reassuring me that the world is still as crazy as it has always been.

Friend Shaun on the other hand is realistic zen. I kid you not. He's one of my favorite people because he's a lot of the things I wish I could be. He originally grew up in South Africa and moved here to the states when he was about 12. He's the friend I talked to about all the deep thoughts and ideas. (We'd fit in well at a really hip, cool coffee joint. Though I don't think either of us drink coffee. I may have to ask him.) He helps balance me out a lot because that is what he's all about. Both of us love Asia (though I'm starting to think mine's more of a idealistic love. *sigh*) and the culture that comes from there. This is helpful for Shaun because he's into martial arts and a lot of the Asian religions. He's been over to Korea, Japan, and is working on going to Taiwan next. So maybe I also live a bit vicariously through him. (Either that or I'm just helping support my tour guide.)

I can't forget Mandi though. She's pretty much been there through thick and thin for me. But she's not just a friend from Weber. She and I were friends in high school too. She is incredible. She has SO much energy it's sometimes frightening and she's incredibly smart. You can ask her to find information on almost anything and within a few minutes she's got all of the information you need and more. This does not even begin to describe her insane planning skills. I don't know why, but I just kind of gave up on planning things for the most part because it always went arie. So now Mandi helps with all the planning and we always have a fabulous time. Not to mention she's planning to complete her Masters as we speak. (Well, starting it which is still MUCH better than my incomplete Bachelors. Three semesters to go.)

Anyhow, I think I've gone on enough about my friends (as limited as they are). It's funny to me because I love getting to know people and I know a million fabulous people, but for some odd reason I'm more reserved about who I consider friends. It's almost as difficult as differentiating between animals and Animals in the book Wicked. (Really I wonder why the difference, but it doesn't seem to change the facts that there is one.)

p.s. I know I missed Danny, but he's amazing too. One day I'll track him down so he won't have to worry so much about all the variables of getting down here to visit. (That's how sneaky I am. lol.)