So not only is it the first day of Summer, it’s also Mon’s birthday. And that makes it awesome. So to celebrate Summer, and Mon’s birfday, here’s a pic of Mon with her husband, Michael, and son, Adam.

They dress like this all the time.

Mon says that 25 is older than dirt, but 35 is older than compost. So what’s 36? Oh, our 20 year high school reunion is in two years. Sick. What’s that smell?

Mon = Mon Frek = ‘eh Mon = Monica. She rocks. Rocks! Mon was one of my closest friends growing up. Sadly, for the past couple years I’ve been a bad friend. But I’m making the effort now! You’ll see! I can be a good friend! I’ll call, maybe even write!

And now, some pics from the good ol’ days…

From left to right: Javier, me, Dave, Monica, Big Rob, Bri, and Stoney the dog
Big Rob’s house, circa 1990
No long after this photo was taken, Bri projectile vomited in the bathtub. Mon tooks pictures. Dave and I pointed at Bri, danced around him, and laughed.

From left to right: my sister Becky, Michie, and Monica
My parent’s house in Hayward, circa 1991

Sorry for being a bad friend, Mon. Things will be different now, you’ll see.

Happy birthday, Monica!

Looking at all those old pictures really brought me back. Good times.

But who are these people, you ask? I’m glad you asked! Let’s go down my list, shall we?

Austin was a punk-ass, teenage kid when I met him. In fact, I don’t think I liked him much at all at first. But hey, he was 15 years old and I was 25. He probably didn’t like me, either. But now Austin is a man (baby, yeah!). He lives in SoCal, born and raised.

Bill is a damn coastie. He joined the Coast Guard a few years back. After his tour of duty in Kodiak Island, Alaska he up and moved on to Hawaii. He’s a sailor of the seven seas. A young man with a dream. And that dream? To grow mustaches and wear funny hats. And drink in Irish pubs.

Corey is the coolest motherfucker you’ll ever meet. He’s also the mayor of Belmont Shore. OK, not really. But he is a shoe-shufflin’, hustlin’, movin’ and groovin’ Lord of the Dance. He’s been a video game tester, a video game designer/developer, a fiber-optic guru, and PC god.

Corey has a gal, this gal named Gina. Put the two of them together and they ooze crazysexycool.

Dave is one of my oldest and bestest friends. We met in my first class on the first day of my first day of high school. And he hasn’t been able to shake me since. Although he did recently move to Hawaii. I miss him terribly, but am soooo happy that my friend has found peace in his paradise.

Dawna is a friend from high school that doesn’t update her blog any more!

Lainey is the coolest chick on Earth. We met through mutual friends up in good ol’ Chico. She’s a techie and a dreamer and a smart gal. She moved to Australia a few years ago and married a great guy, and now they are Two Birds and have adventures Down Under.

Mark (Midnight) doesn’t update his blog any more, either! We met at PlanetQuake’s Beatdowns. Throughout the years we’ve always managed to meet up together in what ever online game we happen to be playing at the moment. Last I checked he still lives in SoCal and still works for Cisco.

Mark (Smitty) is the Godfather of Snow Crash. If he weren’t for Mark and his generosity, linux prowess, and all-around tech god-ness I wouldn’t have half the friends and/or experiences that I have today. Mark lives in SLO still (I think).

Owen = meme. Loves baseball and cats and Clutch. He drinks Jack and Coke and listens to 311. At least, he used to anyway. Bay Area born and raised, but relocated to SoCal. Temporarily. He’ll be back, oh yes he will.

Phil. What can be said about Phil? He’s part Smade. He loves monkeys. He drives an hour and half, sometimes more, to get to work each day in stop and go traffic. He is a music snob but I mean that in a good way. Phil is my favorite victim. I love this guy.

Sierra lives in Chico and I’m jealous. She rarely updates her blog.

Stef is my surf cuz. She had a child last year and stopped blogging.

Vanessa is a SoCal girl that met Tet-motherfucking-suo and moved to Arizona, because she loves him *that* much.

Vito is an old PlanetQuake Beatdown veteran as well. He has my dream job, senior UNIX systems administrator/analyst. Pak!

So that’s all I got. If you have a blog and you’re not listed here, let me know and I’ll give ya a plug!

And now, for your viewing pleasure, a picture of a donkey.

While we’re on the subject of donkeys–did you know that donkeys are my favorite animal? It’s true. When I was a little boy my favorite donkey was Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. And last time I went to Disneyland (6 years ago) I saw some worker-person dressed up in an Eeyore costume. I flipped the fuck out, dropped my things, and ran towards him/her shouting “Eeyore!!!”

Remember the Shrek movies? My favorite character? Donkey!

And when we were kids our parents would take us over to the stables in Yosemite Valley. I always wanted to ride donkeys, not horses.

Best donkey commercial ever.

Best YouTube donkey ever.

When Yum and I moved into our new apartment I happened to look over the fence. What did I see? Two miniature donkeys in a field! It was a sign. I was meant to live here.

I love donkeys, and I don’t care who knows!

So this time I’m going to do a little something different. Instead of my normal resolutions to eat less, eat healthier, and excercise more–my resolution this year is to do a better job of connecting, reconnecting, and keeping in touch with old friends.

I can think of any time in my life and tell you who my friends were. But my life is e’er changing, and my friends come and go. Sadly.

People are constantly moving in different directions as their lives progress. Sometimes we grow apart from each other. This hard fact of my life is a lesson I’ve had to learn over and over again. It makes me sad. I miss my friends.

And so, to my long lost friends, you’re going to hear from me this year. You may even find me on your doorstep on evening.

Monica: we were so close for so many years. You always made the effort, you always called or sent me postcards from Yosemite. And I was a bad friend, I never wrote you once. Please forgive me.

Brian Calhoun: brother… we were so close once. Why haven’t I called in you in over five years?

AJ: I feel awful for never having visited you in your new home in Utah. You’ve had two children since I last saw you. I have no excuse.

Danny Boy: you moved back to New England, and now you’re back in SoCal? Why haven’t I been down to visit? I suck. We had a brief e-mail exchange last year–expect me to pick that back up.

My SoCal TKE brothers: Spicoli, Battag… I’m sorry guys.

Dahi: we were doing pretty good there for awhile, reconnecting and keeping in touch. Your website went down and you had a child and I graduated from college… and I have no excuse. I’m sorry.

Brian Morrison: what happened? How did this happen? We were two peas in a pod in high school. And now I haven’t talked to you in years, let alone seen you. This year that will change.

Janden B. Sullivan: you were the closest thing I had to a brother when I lived in Chico. Expect to see me this year.

And to my current friends:

Dave: I will not let this happen to us. An ocean seperates us now, physically, but not in spirit. You’ve been one of my best friends since we were 13 years old. I don’t want to wake up one day, 20 years from now, and wonder what ever happened to you. I won’t let that happen.

Da Son: don’t fucking disappear on me, dude. I know you’ve got your eye on Hawaii. You can go, but you won’t shake me so easily.

James: working with you over the last year has been great. So many times I’ve stopped by your desk just to chat, and you’re always there when I need a friend. I won’t be in Concord much longer, but I’ll make sure we stay connected.

And to all those I’ve failed to mention here:

I’m sorry. I’ve been a bad friend. I’ll make an effort this year.

… for Auld Lang Syne.