One Loyal Friend is Worth 1000 Relatives

Today I love: Colin Firth
Listening to: Weezer

Last night, even though I was weeping from exhaustion (does this happen to anyone else? I literally lose control of my tear ducts!), I felt I had to stay up in a valiant attempt to watch a rented movie that had to be back today. It was the English Patient, in honour of my recently having re-read the book. I savoured and appreciated it all over again, and I thought I was ready to give the movie a chance (which is a risk, because often movies based on books are a real let-down).

And this one was no exception.

Now, I realize this movie somehow managed to win some Oscars and such. But to be fair, it was up against Jerry Maguire. I mean really, who would give an Oscar to that cheese-fest? Sure I saw it, sure I cried - it's a feel-good romantic comedy. But everyone knows that no matter how great a comedy is, it just won't be recognized (take Fargo for example, it didn't win, and it probably deserved it way more than Jerry Maguire).

It swayed so far from the book, I was much chagrined. The book is so haunting and so sensual and so wonderful...of course Hollywood has to come along and take every beautiful part and turn it into a farce. Anyway, an hour and a half into it, I said to Jason that I hoped it would just end soon, because I was up way past my bedtime. He just laughed. He knew this movie was almost 3 hours long, and I did not. I couldn't even guesstimate the running time because the movie was so unfamiliar to me that I may as well have read 'Johnny learns to ride a bicycle' and I would have been able to follow along just as well. Anyway, I turned it off, and had a delicious sleep. No word yet on whether or not I will attempt to finish the movie tonight (because as I later discovered, the movie is not due back until tomorrow, ugh).

All that to say I woke up in a mah-velous mood this morning. Maybe that's because I woke up to the phone ringing for me - I have an appointment! With my surgeon! Perhaps the end of my pain and suffering is in sight!

In any case, I felt it warranted an excessive us of !!!!s.

And then, to add to my happiness...well, let's just say I have great friends.

So today, I propose a toast to friendship:

Thank you friend who talked me out of getting that haircut that would have put a cold, dead stop to my sex life.

Thank you friend who told me that 12 tequilla shots were nothing to be ashamed of. And then held my hair as I puked. And didn't even complain when I got some on her shoe.

Thank you friend who held me close and brought me kleenex when we watched Armaggeddon, and never made fun of my mantra back in '97: when Ben Affleck cries, so do I.

Thank you friend who made my first tattoo a memorable one, complete with plastic wrap and molestations.

Thank you friend who rescued me from the man who mistook me for a hooker and became such a protective presence that I immediately felt safe.

Thank you friend who made work a little more bearable with your odd whistling quirks and your sexy stories.

Thank you friend who introduced me to 'betting on the ponies' and then who rolled around naked with me on the 1000 dollar bills that we won.

Thank you friend who visited me when I was sick, and even brought me play-dough to cheer me up, even though the smell of it gave me the heaves.

Thank you friend who gave me his coat to put over my tube top outside at the club, thus saving me from yet another bout of pneumonia.

Thank you friend who first suggested that since my advice was so good and true, I should consider going into psychology.

Thank you friend who cried with me when I was broken, who danced on the speaker with me when I was drunk, who sat through millions of showings of Billy Madison with me, and who did it all with kindness and patience.

I wish that everyone could be so lucky.