No Foe

Do you remember years ago when Thursday at 8pm was about the very best 1/2 hour of every single week! Why? Not because the weekend was about to begin. It was because in an act of sheer genius in both writing and entertainment value, we as viewers were given the opportunity to watch the television show FRIENDS. Heck, even a board game that I am oddly familiar with was actually spun from the popular sitcom. Many a nights in small town western Ontario and even in Colorado were spent playing this with one of my good and long lasting friend's and her husband. Today's version of the show is a lot less vanilla, best re-created in the not quite as funny, but still good Happy Endings. It sprinkles in less ambiguous relevance to mainstream gay as well as visible minority characters and issues, and is just more realistic to my, and our current demographic. It's likely that I've mentioned this in previous writings, but in one of my best friends' dining rooms sits a plaque on her buffet that reads 'Friends are the Family we Choose'. It is not the first time the statement has been passed along to me by a bestie. And even so, it remains brilliant. In just 2 weeks, we will reach the 10 year passing away of a dear friend Michelle that many were blessed to call a best. She used to staunchly and proudly host only friends, instead of family, from her colourful rolodex for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. This quip was a favourite of hers also. My current cast of characters that I call my best friends I am honoured to say come from all walks of life including race, religion, low key to outlandish pasts, etc. I am almost as, if not more proud to know that I have maintained this relationship with them for if not most, but all or more than my adult life. And while I won't go as far to say that they are 'the best friends anyone could have' like the typical ridiculous propaganda we hear all the time: there is still room for improvement...wink...I will say that they are pretty fantastic. Many of them we playfully refer to as my wives; more on that later. I had planned on writing an entry announcing my appreciation for great friends prior to my birthday about a month ago. But after a surprise birthday get together at a great little resto here in the city, with so much planning and effort put together for just me...it made it clear to me how fantastic they truly are. Years ago I made a very clear objective to cut out all of the negative, ruthless, selfish and folks with dirty aura's from my life. Highly recommended. Utterly successful. It's no secret I can be demanding. I like a little drama. A bit more gossip. And so laid back and lazy it comes across as uncaring. Guilty. I can closely pinpoint the state when the 'wives' titles began, and while I often share beds, meals and deep dark stories with them, my friends stick around for some reason apparently?!? I have vacationed extensively with most, been referred to as Mr. & Mrs. Patience with many, and can honestly say that I sometimes get an endorphin rush when knowing I will get together with, or after-high once leaving their company. It's nice to have. Not too long ago when I was hanging out with one of my buddy's, I was explaining to him this great relationship that I have with so many close female friends in my life. When I told him we playfully refer to some of them as my wives, he told me that his call themselves his 'Pussycat Dolls'. Hilarious. He is a few years younger, and so more on trend than I...so it's a great analogy for certain. Whatever the case may be, I am thankful. Take nothing for granted what they do for me, both literally and figuratively. And goodness, if we had a television show to depict it all...oh dear. Toodles