Ode to NY & Friends

I just wanted to say that we spent two weekends away in January and they were fantastically fun. When Anne came east to look at grad schools we went into the city to see (finally meet- in my case) her sister and visit Hadi. Kt, Anne, and Hadi met when they were tiny teens and sent to a geek camp an ivy league summer program. Of all the geeks students there, they met and found each other, fell into friendship and love, and spent the next several years getting to really know each other through letters. They attended 3 different nerd consortiums prestigious east coast universities but still only met with each other a handful of times. They have cultivated the enviable familiarity of friends that grew up down the street from one another without ever having the benefit of geographic proximity. We had amazing food, all kinds of conversation and at least one inappropriate sword fight in an upscale sex-toy store.

Then the very next weekend, we went to Lissa and Farz's house outside the city for a parrrr-tay. We got to see Ally and Lorne and a ton of L and F's friends that feel (from the once or twice a year reunions) like our friends too. Katy went to Smith with most of these amazing women; and the ones that date men usually bring round just about the most fantastic dudes you'd want to drink Masala Chai with. (Side bar: due to their Smith-centric view of the world, or my singularly fabulousness, or perhaps the amount of drink that must be consumed during college- that makes one forget your housemates- there is always an assumption that I went to Smith too... But I like to bat my eyes and mention my state school credentials, and you can't believe how a Smithie will get a rebellious sparkle in her eye.)

Anyway, it is nice to travel near or far to realize how people so different from you can be so much the same. It is also brilliant to hang out with your wife's closest friends and realize that they have become some of your closest friends too.

They exemplify my favorite kind of friends- They love you for who you are- not who you've been, or who you might become. They are sharp, smart, witty and gay (no, no, not that...) They are the friends you might speak to every day for a week, or not speak to for 2 years without ever becoming fearful the relationship is in danger... never once considering that frequency of contact might be a relative factor in depth of connection. With them, I've learned to better embrace change; to grow and succeed, but also be happy right where I am; and to face the world with bright enthusiasm.