Friends

It's a big topic. Friends are the flour in the cake of life. A flourless cake is just flat and boring. There are flourless cakes out there, but can anyone really say they're tasty? Not really, right?

I've been thinking about my friends a lot recently because there has been an exodus of them from Tokyo. At the same time, I connected with friends from my past in my recent trip to Europe. And the reason I'm writing this blog is because of another friend from my past, Amy. So when I get sad that so many good friends have left Tokyo I try to remind myself that 1. I'll see them again and 2. change means new opportunity. I think there is a Japanese saying to the effect, Every door closing means another one somewhere else is opening up. Which kind of sums up my nomadic lifestyle. I have met so many amazing people in my travels. Great! So many of those amazing people live far away from me. Not so great. But in our "global" world I've had the chance to keep in touch with them.

So below are some pictures of friends, past and present.

Some of my girl friends in Tokyo. We're in an Izakaya before hitting Smashed Hits.


Is there ANYTHING better at 4 a.m. than a doner? Juhi, force feeding my roommate Jo, doesn't seem to think so.


Here is a classic blend of old and new friends. Erik came to visit me in Tokyo and he blended in well with my friends here. The bond was firmly established over a loud and raucous rendition of MOONDANCE.



Banzai Mamas reunite in Italy. We met in Kagoshima back in 1995. Now Tammy is in NJ, Jenny in Australia, and I'm in Tokyo. So what makes more sense than to gather in Italy??! Well, that's where Tammy chose to get married and it was one of the loveliest weddings I've ever attended. And it was great to have the Bonzai Mamas back together, even if just for a few days.



Now, the friends here featured are all A-list. A-list? Yes. While everyone rates their friends to some extent (although many won't admit to it) I have a clearly demarcated ranking of friends. A-C. And these are spring cleaned annually. I don't rank below C because who wants a friend who is below average or failing? People who maintain D-level and lower friendships are masochists, in my book.

Friend ranking sounds harsh, but you know you do it too. Don't you? And A list friends are not necessarily those you see most often. I have many A list friends that I never hear from but are still very dear to me. And when (and if) I do see them, things are just like we were never apart. A-list friends are not necessarily those you have a lot in common with. Some A-list friends are ranked due to loyalty, sheer length of acquaintance, or just mutual appreciation of very different qualities.

Just writing this makes me want to contact all my A-list friends. Maybe I'll send them this link so they can know how much I miss them...