Jenaca shout-out

I should be in bed instead of posting, but I saw Alicia's camera/computer cord and decided to seize the moment. Seriously, though, it's really embarrassing how long ago this post should have been made.

In lieu of buying each other Christmas gifts last year, Jenaca and I decided to do something together. We thought about seeing the Nutcracker, or taking a train ride, instead we held our first ever Frienaissance - a celebration of our friendship. We filled a day and a half with what we love to do together - currently, and in the past. Here were some highlights:

A lot of these memories are shared by other friends, like Kendra, Kali, and others. We wish you could have been here.

Jenaca and I fell in love w/ Jimmy Fallon during his first season on SNL and had fake fights about which one of us was his girlfriend (we were 18 and 19 years old). It started with notes from Jimmy around the house, and it escalated. I even got a phone call once from "Jimmy," breaking the news (gently) that Jenaca was his real girlfriend. I got a Valentines card on my mission from him. So, for Frienaissance, Jenaca had me open a card that I thought was for me, instead it was really to her from Jimmy.

Of course, we had to watch our favorite movie from our Ricks College days, Empire Records. It's still SO good, and I was surprised to find out I was still in love with Lucas (that scene when he runs after the shop lifter "Warren" - to die for!). We used to watch this movie on Wednesday evenings, "hump day", eat "special recipe brownies", and dance to the soundtrack on our porch.
We went to a yoga class. This dates back to high school when Jenaca was doing yoga before all the hippies in Seattle were. She's that cool/one with the earth. ps. the instructor got mad at me for chewing gum. Good food has always been a part of our friendship, especially when Jenaca makes it. We made rice crispie treats with loads of m&ms which dates back to ~2004; also, we love being domestic. We also love pretending we are artists - which includes decopage, candle making, water color painting, and now oil painting.

Mine and Jenaca's friendship spans the years since primary. We've been friends in Washington, Idaho, Utah, Vancouver/Seattle (we had a long-distance relationship with wkends spent traveling to each others' homes), and now back in Washington again together. A couple years ago we set out on "Discover Western Washington" fieldtrips where we paid homage to Washington's beaches, campsites, museums, hikes, art, food, markets, etc. Our friendship has also been marked by music - concerts, roadtrip soundtracks, mix cds (made by Jenaca w/ titles such as, "Angry Girl Rock of the Indie Persuasion" "Totally Fa La La La La" "Coffee Shop" and "A Hallmark Valentines"), and made up song lyrics.

In honor of this we compiled a mix cd entitled "Frienaissance 2007." With hits and artists such as: (This playlist is so random, we don't prefer to listen to most of it anymore, but it really does follow our friendship. Chronologically, even.)

• Oh L'Amore by Erasure (youth dances)
• Cranberries (high school - after seminary, belting out the chorus in TaVaun's van)
• Forever Young (youth dances)
• Long December by Counting Crows (high school/Ricks)
• Aqua Bats (Ricks college concert)
• Not an Addict (Ricks college - dancing in our shared room)
• The Promise by Tracy Chapman (road trips)
• Rusted Root (road trips - a nod to Jenaca's hippie side; although I think she prefers "natural")
• Cold Beverages by G Love and Special Sauce (from Can't Hardly Wait soundtrack, another movie we used to love before we got picky abt what we watched)
• Crazy Life by Toad the Wet Sprocket (it's so "us" + from Empire Records)
• Circle of Friends (again, Empire Records)
• Crush by DMB (Jenaca loves them and I would always make her play this song for me)
• Birken Street by Peter Breinholt (We don't care what anyone else says about him, we love him, and after around 10 concerts together, he's a part of our friendship)
• Coldplay (the new "us" - and I can't ever repay her for introducing me to them when she bought me their album for my bday years ago)
• Edwin's Tale by Peter B. (we had to have 2 on the cd. this is Jenaca's favorite, and what Peter usually plays for one of his encores. We would know.)
• Keane (the newest "us" + the best concert we've been to together)
• 9 Crimes by Damien Rice (Jenaca played this for me, knowing I would like it. I did, "this is the most beautiful love song ever," I said. "uh, it's about cheating," said Jenaca. Oops. Also, I never remember the name of it, but Jenaca knows to play it when I ask for the song "by that guy, and it's about a gun?")
• Camera Obscura (one of the few groups I actually introduced Jenaca to - it's usually the other way around. It was a proud moment.)

If there's anyone out there who has an eclectic (and somewhat poor) taste in music, I'll make you a copy.

Thanks for such a great celebration and lifetime of friendship, Jenaca. You inspire me with your genuine kindness, your vast knowledge of all things beautiful and "natural", your excitement for adventure (including Goonie roadtrips, Rainforest expeditions, and camping without our fathers), your perfect gift giving (okay, I'm good at getting you stuff too - no brainer! I like that about us), and your endless talents in creativity (my oil "painting" is still just orange painted onto canvas, a poor comparison to your adorable toadstool that matches your gnome welcome mat), and your savvy business sense (how's that resume coming, hmm?)

I wonder if Peter B. is coming to town anytime soon.