friend talkers

My friend, Kim, notices things. At her wedding rehearsal, she noticed that I was thrilled to be the third in line of like seven bridesmaids. I was just behind her only sister and her high school BFF and, truly, I didn't think I gave any visible signs of third-place-delight. She also noticed that I guzzle down my beverages. I had ever realized it before she pointed it out, but she's dead on. When she was last in town, she noticed that I love to talk about my friends. She called me, "such a Friend talkers". Oh my goodness. She's so right. I love it. I hadn't noticed it myself, but it's so true. I love to talk about my friends. And since I've been blogging, I notice that I write blogs about my friends...in my head. It's been a long time coming, but I think (notice the lack of commitment here) I'm going to have to do a series of blogs on some of my friends. I can't help it. The love and words are just dancing around my head. And, obviously, I'm starting with Kim.

In an effort to stay focused, I'll use categories. Various categories might come and go, but I'll start with these.

A bit-o-history:

We became friends in college. She can be credited for practically forcing me to audition for and join the Calvin Theatre Company. Her efforts were motivated by the delusion that I could somehow get into the already-casted current production of Animal Farm. Yep. I think she was a goat. She had a solo, but she still hated that experience. Anyway, Kim and I used to "study" together. That basically means that we went to Casey Stengels and smoked cigarettes, drank coffee and gossiped until 3am. One time I actually ordered food. Jalapeno poppers. Really. bad. idea. I threw up. Jalepeno poppers, Marlborough lights and acidic-truck-stop-coffee don't really sit well.

A fun little quirk:

Kim speaks Kim-ese. Here's a few classics. "Decision" is a verb. "Are we going to decision this?" Also, she shortens words. "That's so ridic[ulous]." If she thinks your at all entertained, she'll humor you by speaking in an entire sentence of shortened words. "Le[t's] ge[t] i[n] the ca[r]." It's kind of childish, but I eat it up and start guessing at what she's saying. And my favorite Kim-ism, which I have totally picked up, is calling people something other than their names. It's in the same vein as native American names like "Runs with Buffalo". It's like this: "Hello, Friend-talkers!" "Hello, eyes-filled-with-tears!" "Hello, cutest-youtube-video-singers-evers!" By the way, she used to call me "Big Girl". Can you believe that I didn't even mind?

Something that she probably doesn't think that I think about:

Kim can't say polyurethane. She pronounces it, polly-youth-erane. It's cute. I wish she worked at Home Depot so she'd have to say it all the time.

One way I'd like to be more like her:

She's pretty much awesome with my boys. She's so interested and conversational with them. They love to be around her. I want to show that kind of love and interest in my friends' children.

My favorite pictures:

Kim finds out she's pregnant. hilarious.

Miami 2006...borrowing Kim's clothes!

Okay. Final words on the Fabulous Friends Series. If I don't blog about you, it doesn't mean you're not my BFF. It just means I'm a quitter and I didn't get around to you...yet. If I sense that people (other than me and the featured friend) are absolutely bored with this series, I'll quit and write the friend a gushing letter instead...some day. I am still going to do other posts, too. So, family members, you'll still get doses of the kiddos. Never you fear.