All About Me

I got this from Jeff today.

Rod,

Happy Birthday my friend. My birthday present to you is the following blog that you can keep private or post to your site. Your call. Enjoy it however you see fit, because it's your day.

Rod is 32. I remember a day when Rod was just 17. Senior year of high school. This shy high school buddy with a quick wit and killer jump shot was an immediate close friend. He had an amazing ability to make me feel comfortable right away, as if I had known him for years. With some guys it takes a lot of time before you can call some one "friend." Maybe it was because Tim, Joe and Trevor already knew him and spoke highly of him. Maybe it was because he just made me laugh. Maybe it was because I secretly hoped he would teach me to dance so that I could shed the stigma that has rightfully followed me my whole life (Hammer! Don't hurt'em!). Whatever way you look at it, Rod was a close friend from the first minute.

Summer vacations, college, roommates, and best friends. We've done it all and we have no intention of stopping any time soon.

What I really think it is about Rod that I love and cherish so much is his quiet acceptance of me as I am. I can look back at the last 15 years and realize that no matter how I changed and matured (he said hopefully) that Rod accepted me as his friend no matter what. I'm not talking about liking my hair cuts (of which there were many failed experiments) or digging on my sense of fashion (country songs are written about those failures) or my knack with the ladies (we still wonder how I landed Lavinia). Rather, Rod knows who I am and accepts me. I've never had to be more than that to him.

Let's face it. I know I've been an ass at times (I know I have.. give me a second to think of one time.. just a sec... well I'm sure it will come to me). I know that I can be stubbornly impatient. I know that I need to work on being modest (an effort I'm quite proud of). That said, Rod has his faults too. Our friendship has had the normal ups and downs. Actually that's a lie, we've had way more ups than downs, but my point is that we've had downs. But with the ups and downs, and the faults thrown in on top, we still accept each other. It's the most important thing, loving unconditionally.

Sure I may not be able to name that tune in less than 5 seconds like he can, and he may not be able to fathom the idea of sitting a bicycle seat voluntarily for 10 hours at a time, but we still celebrate the successes of the other when we are together. Case in point, I was leaving to cross America on my bicycle at an awfully early time of the morning, but there was Rod to give me a hug, tell me I was crazy and to make me promise to be safe.

On this day in which we celebrate Rod I think that people will celebrate different things. Some will celebrate Rod the son, one will celebrate Rod the husband, others Rod the friend, two dogs will celebrate Rod the Dad (which they do every day) ,still others Rod the co-worker, and a select few will claim to celebrate Rod their close/best friend. Myself, I'm again choosing to celebrate Rod my brother on the sixteenth of August.

I like to say that I've always learned from those around me. Rod is just one of those guys in my life that has shown me how to be a better friend. As I type this at my laptop I look up I see four 20 year-old faces staring back at me from a picture in Ellensburg, WA. Those guys knew what they had. They still know it. I don't need to say it Rod, but I will. I love you my friend.

Happy Birthday
Jeff

Thanks, man. It's heartfelt and very much appreciated. Dammit, now I have to be all nice and shit to him. :)