Amy:
We struck up our friendship freshman year of high school. We had nearly every class together so we became good friends very quickly. Our senses of humor are close to identical and we are both clever in our own ways. We both enjoy quirky movies and share a mutual obsession with The Sims, Mortal Kombat and Life.
Jenny:
Jenny & I have a very strange relationship. She is also a school friend of mine. The summer after 6th grade (1989) we became acquainted and eventually close friends. Our birthdays are only 3 days apart, which means we're supposed to be a lot alike. I find this to be only half true. Sometimes we're not only on the same page but we also tend to have a psychic connection as well. The other times we're total opposites so much that she's like the anti-Michele. We also have a similar sense of humor and only she laughs
at my "stupidest" jokes. Currently, she lives downstairs from my cousin Jennifer.
Mike C:
Confusingly enough, I happen to be friends with several people named Mike. I first met this Mike around 1990. He was Jenny's older brother's best friend at that time. I wouldn't say I knew him back then and to be honest, I disliked him because of his propensity to be a smart-ass. He is currently married to get this: the cousin of Jenny's sister-. His wife Kelly is a really nice, very funny person. Mike and I email each other back and forth, making odd comments about work, since we both work in claims. His inclination is to give everything to you 100% straight. Having a friend like that takes getting used to but after a while you really start to appreciate him for that very quality. He also tells the best stories and makes me laugh in a seemingly effortless way. Our conversations are so much fun because I feel more comfortable using big words. What is ironic is we spend more time gossiping than anything. So much for sophistication. View pictures of his dog, Chloe.
Kyle:
Kyle and I became friends mid-sophomore year. In Geometry, I sat behind him and two seats away (Amy in between) from him in English. Since we were in the accelerated classes, we were always
encouraged to interact with each other. We both hated school at that time
so he was my talking partner during the eternity in which our teacher taught
Geometry on the overhead projector. He used to have the entire basement to himself at home. Sometimes when his mom answered the door, I could already hear the muffled weird chords he was strumming on his guitar downstairs. Other times, I'd find him lying in the middle of his floor listening to "Careful With That Axe, Eugene" in darkness and a strobe light. We often have the same taste in music, and both worship Pink Floyd. Since we are both originally from Beech Grove and went to the same high school and Ball State our first year, we share a lot of similar experiences. Now he lives just two doors down from me in my apartment building.
Heather:
Heather and I met in the 6th grade. She was only 10 years old. I'm almost
a full year older than she is. She had on a navy blue shirt with a mustard-colored bandana around her neck. I remember thinking she looked like an 80s career woman. Heather & Jenny lived next door to each other so the three
of us were always hanging out together. One of our favorite things to do
was to borrow a neighbor's two-seater bicycle and ride it around the neighborhood. We'd sing "When the Saints Go Marching In" at the top of our lungs gospel-style. It must have been a sight to see. The boys in the neighborhood would chase we girls around in their respective vehicles, i.e. bicycles, mopeds and cars. We had most of our Spanish courses together so even to this day, we speak to each other in "Spanglish." There are a million + 1 things about her that bring a smile to my face. Her brother Tony is also a really good friend of mine so I usually see her over there these days.
Laura:
I met Laura's younger sister before I ever knew of Laura's existence. I was her cousin Liza's best friend at the time and went to their house on some occasions. We were in the fifth grade. I came to know Laura through proximity. She was friends with everyone I knew but we didn't really get to know each other well until we both turned 21 at the same time. We were addicted to bars for a couple of years. She was my roommate from 1999 to 2001. Laura's one of my favorite people because of her "don't mess with me" attitude. Of all my friends, we have had the fewest arguments between us.