Home

On Friendship….

43 Comments

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another:
What! You, too? Thought I was the only one.”
-Clive Staples Lewis, novelist and essayist (1898-1963)

Last Thursday evening found us at the home of James and Julie (Jimmy’s House and Percolations) for the first big BBQ of the season. We were privileged to be joined by Rob and his sister Melissa. Rob and Melissa are life long friends of James and Julie and they also went to school with my wife Mary. I had conversed with Rob via this blog and his blog since the start of the year and had heard stories (good ones, don’t worry Rob!) before so it was a great pleasure to actually meet them both and spend the evening with them. It is odd to meet someone that you’ve had so many internet contacts with but have never seen. Odd in a good way, of course. Tom and Karen, fellow friends and commentors on this blog also joined us. It was a wonderful evening and James made excellent BBQ…chicken, hot dogs, sausage, and pork steak…man it was good!!! Julie made her excellent broccoli pie and Karen made a delicious chocolate cream pie dessert.

I was able to get my first kid fix of the weekend playing with James’ and Julie’s fabulous foursome (all girls) and Tom and Karen’s trio (2 boys, 1 baby girl). I rarely see Tom and Karen’s kids so it was really fun to get Jaden to bond with me and to snuggle with baby Evely. All of you fellow blog readers were in our thoughts and conversations and we wish you could’ve been there as well.

“It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Friday night was Boy’s Night In as James and I got together to eat BBQ leftovers (still great a day later!), drink beer and watch:

Fun, cheesy revenge movie. More “classic” one liners than even the great George Lucas managed with the Star Wars films. Cartoonish violence with a dose of Rebecca Romijn-Stamos and a fat guy singing opera thrown in for good measure.

AND

Saw was a much better suspense/horror film than either of us had anticipated. I have seen it compared in reviews to The Ring and The Others. I would agree that it has those same intensity levels but it is more violent. It was, however, less violent than we had anticipated and had a very entertaining storyline. The acting talent was top notch and somewhat surprising for a film of this genre. I don’t really want to review it as to do so would take away from the fun of the film. I would only say that if you like very suspenseful movies and can do with a little blood then don’t pass this one up. It was quite a surprise.

“True happiness consists not in the multitude of friends, but in their worth and choice.”
– Samuel Johnston

Sunday I was invited over to Jeff’s house to watch the extras on the outstanding Frank Frazetta documentary Painting with Fire.

We had both seen the documentary on separate occasions and felt that we were probably the only 2 people that we knew who would be geeked about the extras. (Frank Frazetta is poised to be the second person featured in my Artisan Series, so stay tuned!)

Having only been to his house once I drove by twice before realizing where it was. I was only saved from continued passes by the fact that his two children, Zach and Ashley, had their faces pressed up to the window looking for me. I was enthusiastically welcomed by both children despite only having seen them briefly on two occasions. They were quite hysterically funny and between them and the cat Molly, my all day blanket, I felt very much at home. Jeff’s wife Keri joined us for the last half of the documentary extras and we all had a wonderful time. The Smith family are relatively new friends but feel like good old friends and I feel very blessed to know them.

All in all it was a great weekend to celebrate friendship and I could never adequately put into words what each of the people mentioned in this post mean to me.

“Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, And say my glory was I had such friends.”
– William Yeats

43 thoughts on “On Friendship….”

  1. Fun post, Carl. We had a great time too. Especially with the Fantastic Four (the Jimmy brood). 😉

    It was neat to meet Tom’s clan too. Tom I could have lived without, but win some lose some. j/k, Tommy!

    (Tom brings out the best in people!)

  2. Wow, so you guys liked Saw? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always been a horror buff. Although now I’m more into psychological horror, not so much splatter flicks. I loved Seven.

    Saw seemed kind of cartoony in places. I thought that one dude was kind of overacting.

  3. We enjoyed it quite a bit. Now granted we went into it with no expectations which would account greatly for our surprise and enjoyment. It doesn’t match up with The Ring, or The Others, 2 of my favorites in this genre, but it was fun.

    I actually liked the overacting as it helped keep you suspicious of everyone.

  4. Glad you were so entertained. I hated Saw of course, and watched The Punished with one eyebrow cocked THE ENTIRE TIME!

  5. I also enjoyed myself thoroughly. It was so fun to meet and chat with everyone in person. I only wish I could have stayed longer. (My time at the bacholorette party was interesting to say the least.) Ah well! Maybe this will become an annual tradition?

    (Rob, please note my judicial use of exclamation points.)

  6. Your week-end sounds like it was fantastic!
    Now, when you say The Punisher had many great one-liners, surely you don’t mean more or better than Tango & Cash, right?

  8. Aaaawwwww…. What a sweet post. I am honored to be mentioned.

    I had a great weekend, too. Thursday night was a great start! We need to do it much more often. It’s great therapy to get together with good friends.

    I loved having all of you over to my bedroom…I mean house!

    Tell Tori she can have her pick and drink from any glass in my collection! I have the Smurfs, Muppets, Holly Hobby, McDonalds and Care Bears!

    Thanks Mary for my card. I love it!

    Karen, I’ll bag up all the stuff you left! I leave a trail wherever I go, too!

    Rob and Melissa, come back soon!

  10. Quit making fun of your wife’s the exclamation points, James! Ya big lug!!

    The food was wonderful, the fellowship excellent, and the old yearbooks were classic horror in my book
    (thanks, Melissa and Rob!).

    I do not want to see Saw (I am so hilarious) or the Punisher. I did see Crash this weekend with my friend Nick (Mosker). It was very intense and the actors did an excellent job. I keep thinking about the characters and the issues that were raised…I guess that was the whole point.

  11. Speaking of race issues…I keep trying to get Carl to read, To Kill a Mockingbird, one of the best books of all time, but he has not given in as of yet. I love Scout and Jem and Boo for that matter.

  12. It was great having you over so we could watch the extras on the Frazetta DVD. I was amazed that there was so much. The extras had to be at least twice as long as the movie and just as entertaining. Frazetta is a true master. Hopefully your family can BBQ over at my place next time. I mention this because Carl was nice enough to help Keri and I bring home our first grill from Home Depot (after twelve years of marriage) with his truck. I know that’s sad it took us so long to buy a grill. 🙂

    I laughed when I heard Tango and Cash mentioned. I had totally forgetten about that film. The best thing about the movie was that Teri Hatcher was in it.

    I have resisted watching The Punisher movie due to the fact I really don’t like the character but maybe I will have to check it out for fun someday. You have definitely peaked my curiosity about watching SAW though. I had been on the fence about checking it out and now I think I will.

    Lastly, I have to ask. What is broccoli pie? After years of never eating my vegatables I have tried to eat better this last year to try and lose some weight. I have found that I actually love cooked broccoli, much to the amusement of my family. So in all honestly you have peaked me curiosity. So Julie or Carl would you care to elaborate?

  13. I LOVE recipe swapping.

    This is a great recipe I found in my Betty Crocker cookbook that Aunt Joyce gave me for a wedding shower gift. It’s packed full of calories.

    IMPOSSIBLE BROCCOLI PIE

    2 packages (10 oz. each) frozen chopped broccoli
    3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (12 oz.)
    2/3 cup chopped onion
    1 1/3 cups milk
    3 eggs
    3/4 cup buttermilk baking mix
    3/4 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon pepper

    Heat oven to 400. Grease 10 inch pie plate.
    Rinse broccoli under running cold water to thaw; drain thoroughly. Mix broccoli, 2 cups of the cheese and the onion in plate. Beat milk, eggs, baking mix, salt and pepper until smooth. Pour into pie plate. Bake until knife inserted comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Top with remaining cheese. Bake just until cheese is melted, 1 to 2 min. longer. Let stand 5 minutes. Garnish with tomato slices if desired.

  15. “speaking of race issues” is exactly why I don’t want to read ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, or see ‘Crash’, or read or see anything similar. Please don’t misunderstand, I have nothing against books or movies that remind one of where we were in regards to race relations and how far we have yet to go, but I feel that this is one of those subjects that I heard about and read about so much in elementary school, high school, college, and in working in a multicultural environment that it is not something that I want to bring into my avenues of “entertainment”. I’d much rather read a Harry Harrison or Neil Gaiman novel for the umpteenth time…that’s just me. There is WAY TOO MUCH to watch and read and I’m just not interested in that genre/niche of fiction or film.

    Also, as I told my sweet wife, since I got an “A” in American Lit in junior high without reading either assigned novel: ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and ‘The Great Gatsby’, so why would I want to read them now? 🙂

  16. Julie, Thanks for the receipe. I appreciate you taking the time to share it with me since we don’t know each other. I will give a try minus the onion though. I really don’t like onions. I will try it making it soon and I’ll let you know my results. To be completely honest I will try to get my wife to help me bake it. She is a much better cook than I. 🙂

    Mary, I also liked To Kill a Mockingbird. I haven’t seen/read it since high shcool though but I liked at the time. Haven’t read the Great Gatsby though. I also have to admit I was lucky to pass with C’s in my English classes. I loved to read but my love was fanatsy books not the books I was assgined in class ( I really didn’t like – Ethan Frome and Of Mice and Men ).

    Carl, I guess I differ from you on the race issue in my entertainment. I don’t mind. Maybe because I don’t run into it much in my daytime work. It is one of those issues that is so hard for us ( Americans ) to honestly talk about along with politics, religion, and sex. Now sometimes I just want fun entertainment but other times I really like challenge my own feelings on the subject. Since I love watching movies I guess I welcome it more in that format than books.

  17. I look forward to hearing about how your crack at that recipe goes, Jeff! I am not, however, volunteering to be a guinea pig!

    I’m not sure that I “mind” race issues in these venues but I’m not one to seek it out. There have been some great movies…Mississippi Burning, American History X, etc. But I wouldn’t have seen these if someone else hadn’t rented them or asked me to go, etc. Its just not a subject matter that I intentionally seek out. Of course science fiction, fantasy, etc. often has thinly veiled references to race/culture issues, etc, but its not quite the same as historical fiction and the like. Now I do have Hotel Rwanda to watch and I’m excited about seeing that because its about a part of our (recent) history that I know precious little about so I guess my thoughts on the matter don’t entirely hold water.

    Ultimately though its really just a matter of time. I’m not refusing to read ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ out of stubborness and not only for the reasons stated above. I mostly don’t want to read it because out of all the books that I have piled up now and the endless supply of books from authors I like now or will come to like in the future I just can’t imagine ever having a desire to lay one of those aside to read this book. There are so many other classics of American and European literature that I haven’t read and want to get to some day that take precedence over this.

    I’m also one of those people who has to be in a certain “mood” to watch serious flicks. I didn’t see Schindler’s List until it was out on DVD for over a year…loved it, just wasn’t in the mood to watch it. I still haven’t seen Saving Private Ryan or Passion of the Christ….2 subjects about which I feel very strongly…just because I really can’t bring myself to watch them right now. I’m also that way in some sense about books although probably not as much as with films.

  18. To kill a mockingbird is an absolutely beautiful book, regardless of the issues raised. Harper Lee wrote wonderfully on childhood. Carl, you’re missing out.

    Now, about Tango & Cash. Carl. Gasp. A close one??? And Jeff, one more name: Kurt Russell.

  19. Kurt Russell is the best! Big Trouble in Little China is one of the best cheesy movies I’ve ever seen!

    One of these days I’ll break down and let Mary read it to me as she is asking to. She eventually got me to go to IHOP (which I still abhor)….ah, the things we do for love! 🙂

  21. Hey, I’m a professed science fiction and fantasy geek and I’ve never read Lord of the Rings, haven’t finished all of the Narnia books, and have never read Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke and many of the other big names in sci fi so it should’nt surprise you that I haven’t read TKAM.

    I would’ve read it in class during Jr. High…I read everything else in high school and loved the experience..but I was taking Am. Lit independent study and taking another class from the same teacher during the same period so I would just copy the Am. Lit. notes off the board from the class before mine and that is what he tested on.

    I enjoyed all the other books I had to read during high school…MacBeth, A Farewell to Arms, Of Mice and Men, A Tale of Two Cities…those are the ones that stick out.

  22. Anne, I will have to agree you. I also like Kurt Russell. Sorry I forgot about him. Carl, I’m also a huge Big Trouble in Little China fan. I can always watch that movie when it comes on TV. My wife can attest to that. It’s so cheesy and fun. Just like Flash Gordan. Another on my all time 80’s favorite movies. Along with all the John Hughes high school movies.

    I also haven’t read Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Heinlein ( mispelled? ), and Edgar Rice Burroughs. Although I can now scratch ERB of that list since I’m reading ( and enjoying ) A Princess of Mars right now. Don’t feel bad about not reading Tolkien yet, neither has my wife and she’s a huge reader of fantasy novels. She has tried but can’t get into his writing style. I read The Hobbit in the 7th grade and it turned me onto reading fanatsy novels for life. Too each his own. It’s funny I don’t like it as much now at this time in my life though. I’m not sure I would make it through it today but in the 7th grade I loved it. It’s funny what books effect us at different times of our life as we read them and which ones we love to read over and over again now matter how old we get. Ditto for movies.

    I agree with your comments on having a huge reading stack and finding time to get to everything you want to read. I think that’s one of the greatest things about reading. There is always another great novel out there you haven’t had time to get to yet. In fact I never want to be caught up on everything. I love the feeling of always having more to read. Adding to the stack some times is a much fun as reading. It’s that feeling of knowing you just added another cool story to your collection and you just can’t wait to read it. It’s a reader’s “high” for me. 🙂

  23. I have the Big Trouble 2 disk collectors edition on DVD if you ever want to borrow it!

    I read the Hobbit and liked it, but I’ve always intended to read LOTR, especially now that the movies are over, but just haven’t gotten to it.

    I really like Heinlein. He writes along the lines of a society in which free love (read casual sex) is a big part of life but despite all this his books don’t read like “naughty books”, the stories are quite good and I really enjoy the relationships his characters have. I started reading him a few years back…he’s from KC, you know!

  24. OMG! A two disc DVD. I know I’m I a geek because I’m smiling at the prospect of borrowing that from you down the road. 🙂

    I didn’t know Heinlien was from KC. I really haven’t read Asimov or Heinlein in the past because science fiction novels have never interested me as much as adventure/fantasy one’s. I do mean to read them down the road though. I love watching science fiction for some reason a lot more than reading it. Although that’s probably due to the fact that maybe I haven’t read the right science fiction books. Sometimes I’m too quick to judge a genre by the poor authors I happen to have read in a particular area. Connecting with the right authors makes all the difference in the world.

  25. I’ll talk to you more about Heinlein sometime. I’m quick to judge stuff as well so don’t feel bad about that.

    Anytime you want to borrow Big Trouble just let me know.

  28. Now I’m really curious. I only know his name but I don’t know anything about his works.

  29. The Heinlein stories I’ve read are great and I’ll tell you more about them in person, but there is just A LOT of sex in his books. His alternate earth has that free love, everyone has sex with everyone vibe to it.

  30. This blog seems to be a private conversation, how about email. This was all blah-blah-blah- Big Trouble in Little China-blah-blah-blah. I can’t help but feel justified in loving that movie when I hear other literary enhanced individuals mention that with favor. “Have I paid my dues? Yes sir, the check is in the mail”. Jeff you will think this is warped, but I have the theme to Flash Gordon by Queen in my car on a mix CD, complete with a beginning dialogue with Ming and his first commander Clitus. ” Clitus, I’m bored, what play thing can you offer me today? “Flash, ah-ah, he saved every one of us”. My wife claims I’m lost in the ’80’s, but I disagree, but I do enjoy wearing pink and teal though. with a flat bottom tie.

  31. That’s what blogs are supposed to be, “private” conversations that you have in public so everyone can put their 2 cents in! If you’d pick up a book once in a while you could jump right in on this Heinlein conversation! 🙂 (for the sake of others, I’m just kidding Tom, as he is the biggest kidder I know)

    And you know, Tommy Boy, that I’m stuck right there in the 80’s with you! Wish you would’ve worn the Miami Vice garb to the party last week!

  32. Tom, I don’t think that’s odd at all. Queen is also my all time favorite band. My wife can attest to that. They were one of the ultimate 80’s bands. It’s also just sad the lines I remember from Flash Gordan.

    Go! Flash! Go!

    Flash Gordan approaching! … What do you mean Flash Gordan approaching? 🙂

    The actor who played Ming was great. What a fun movie. Keeping fingers crossed for a Flash Gordan special edition DVD someday.

  33. I just don’t remember seeing Flash Gordan at all. I probably have. I wish it would come out on special edition DVD so I could give it a look-see.

  34. Don’t worry about it. It’s not like it’s truely great cinema.

    As for a movie I haven’t seen: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. My wife can’t believe I never saw it growing up. I guess I just lead a sheltered life.

  35. You…have …never…seen…Willy Wonka???? It’s grrrreeaaaatttt!!! (Tony Tiger) It is my kid’s favorite movie. The songs, and technicolor! Yeah Flash Gordon is no great f/x bonanza but it has Max Von Sydow as Ming and he is excellent! Also as the princess’s bo is Timothy Dalton. They are so young! It’s campy but it has the look of like Total Recall, etc.. I propose a Flash Gordon, Big Trouble, and Saw movie night. My house is good, Carl’s might be more central.

  36. Fear not, shelter-boy, I vaguely remember seeing it long ago and have only seen snatches of it here and there on tv and I don’t remember it at all. I’m really looking forward to the Tim Burton version as it looks deliciously creepy and odd.

  37. That would be cool by me Tom…don’t have the surround sound that you do but we can crank her up!

    Incidentally, do you know that the guy who did Tony the Tiger’s voice died a few weeks ago? He also sang the songs on the old Christmas cartoon classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

  38. “You brought me back from the dead?”
    “Hawk men, die!!!”
    “For God’s sake, strap yourselves down”.

  39. We’re typing at the same time. No I didn’t realize that he died. My surround is great, would love to have you guys over and I’ll make my world famous pizza. Actually it’s frozen and I put extra cheese on it when it’s almost done. Maybe an olive or two, too.

  40. This comment thread is hilarious…we went from friendship to eating to talking about SAW to reading to race issues to recipes to more bad movies then back to reading then to 80’s music to Flash Gordon and Tom brought us full circle back to SAW. Very funny how these things go.

  41. That would be great. I haven’t seen Flash Gordan or Big Trouble in Little China in years and I really want to see SAW after hearing Carls’ review.

    I seem to be the only person not to have seen Willy Wonka. I live in shame. 🙂 I’ll probably catch the Johnny Depp version this summer though.

  42. Carl, Yes this has been the most interesting thread. I’m sure people who haven’t read it since the day you posted it would be laughing with how all over the board we’ve been. Who would have thought ” On Friendship ” would be such a diverse thread. Kind of fits though doesn’t. All these different topics link us all together. Sweet!

    VOTE FOR CARL!

  43. Is it getting hot in here?…I think they turned on the heat or something… 🙂

Comments are closed.