You've Got a Friend in Damian

I was thinking about embedding a video of me doing a rousing version of "You Got To Have Friends" in today's column.  Aside from the fact that I'm clueless when it comes to technology, I decided that doing so would be counter-productive, given that I want to attract readers instead drive them away.

So friends are the topic of the day.  I've been lucky to make and keep great friends all along the way. I have several core groups from various times in life, from high school to the present. They've been there with me and for me in good times and bad.  I consider them part of my extended family.

I've kept in touch with one high school friend for close to forty years.   He moved out to California before me and, along with my brother, was one of two members of my original West Coast network.  Thanks to Facebook and other resources, I've since reconnected with several additional members of my high school class and hosted a mini reunion of all classmates that live here in NorCal back in 2005.

I also have a couple college buddies that I've never lost touch with.  We spent several years together in school in upstate NY and lived together in an off campus apartment for a semester.  We somehow scraped together the $300 rent for that three bedroom place every month.  Fortunately, we managed to acquire rudimentary cooking skills and thus avoided malnourishment.  These guys have put up with me since the late 70s and acquiesced to serving in my 1988 wedding.  I call us the Binghamton Triumvirate.  Nobody else does, but that's never bothered me.

Back in the mid-80s, I worked at a school for emotionally disturbed kids in San Francisco.  The pay wasn't great but the connections were priceless .  I met a teacher there and we began to court and spark.  We'll have our 23rd anniversary next month.  We still kid that the school was like a pre-Internet Match.com.  We know of at least five other couples that met there and later married.  Ah, to be young in the big city!  Besides the romantic angle, the guys used to have some hard fought half court basketball games in the tiny gym there every Thursday night and then hit the Sunset neighborhood bars afterward.  My ex-boss moved up to Santa Rosa many years back and still throws an annual picnic where we get to catch up with members of the old crew.

This all leads me to the oft mentioned posse.  Whether it's a spontaneous get together, like this past Friday night's pizza fete at my house, or our well planned European tours, we always enjoy each others company.  As I've stated previously, we were tossed together because we had kids of approximately the same age.   That game of chance has led to some deep bonds and great traditions.  One of those traditions is the boy's annual post Labor Day Tahoe weekend.  I'd like to provide you more details on that, but I've been sworn to secrecy.