An Appreciation of Friends Post

     Over the last couple days it's struck me again that friendships are something to be treasured. Part of that is probably because Courtney was home for Thanksgiving, and your siblings can be friends, too, right?
     Also Caleb just got back from Mexico, seeing people he knows down there, and then Mattie shot his senior pictures this afternoon, which turned out really well.

     Daniel's daughter Grace arrived safely yesterday morning, really happy for him and Chrissy, they'll be fantastic parents. His sister Emily also just announced that she's pregnant, which is also cool. And Amanda's son Hayden was born last month, meaning that I now have a nephew.
     According to Facebook, it was nine years ago today that Ashland and I became FB friends, so it was neat to see the video that they compiled for the "friendaversary" (which is a stupid made-up non-word). "It feels like we've known each other for forever," she said, and it really does. 
     It was a little over ten years ago that I met them at camp the first time.

     Mini Parks and Rec marathon tonight with Caleb and Courtney, which was sort of like visiting friends again; not sure how I would've gotten through that first semester at RSU without the folks from Pawnee. Also, it was a way to keep in touch with NSU BCM friends.

     The first teaser trailers for Toy Story 4 released earlier this week/late last week, and of course Woody, Buzz and the rest were movie-friends I've known basically my entire life. I'm not sure whether I like the idea of a fourth movie, the trilogy wrapped things up so nicely, but I'll watch it. Anyway, "You've Got a Friend in Me" has been stuck in my head all day today, which is always pleasant.

     The sequel to Wreck-It Ralph, Ralph Breaks the Internet, opened a few days ago, it looks really good. Ralph and Vanellope make a great team.   

Strange Dreams, Part Six

3-16-18 -
     Stephen King is staying with me for several days, and we go to this dance class that Andrew Nichols is teaching. Dr. Mackie and Ashland are also taking this class.

3-22-18 -
     Ashland and I try to survive a shooting in a movie theater. It was scary.

6-10-18 -
     I agree to go camping with Amanda and Aaron to babysit Maya and Ellie so they can have a break. Chasing nieces around all weekend leaves you very tired when you wake up.

6-23-18 -
     Ellen DeGeneres is cast as the new Batman.

7-30-18 -
     A young single mother is trapped with her high school boyfriend's family for some unidentified reason. Also forced to stay with them is an elderly man whose wife has just died.

8-14-18 -
     For some reason I was writing a magazine profile of model Lani Baker.

8-27-18 -
     Something about pitching a teen soap opera for The CW starring either Lili Reinhart or Emma Watson in a leading role, about four teenagers who grow up in the world of show-dog breeding, with frequent flashbacks to their childhoods. The show takes place  roughly from the 1940s to the 1960s in upstate New York, and the shooting location had previously been used on an Olsen twins movie, and was currently a go-kart track. 

9-20-18 -
     I've been kidnapped by a bunch of angry rednecks with shotguns and I'm trapped inside their RV.

11-2-18 -
     In order to fully graduate college you had to return several years later and give separate faculty- and peer-reviewed presentations on what you've a\accomplished professionally, what you've done socially, and based on your cooking abilities.
     It was kind of like the scoring system for The Good Place, and lots of bonus points were added if you were engaged, married or had kids. Going to movies with your siblings scored negative points.

11-10-18 -
     Someone in my phone contacts named Rhiannon (no last name entered) calls me and doesn't leave a message, and I spent the rest of the dream trying to figure out who she is and why she was there