I remember driving up the hill to mom’s house, from dad’s house- on that steep hill right above the community center, just before the Kemnitzer’s- and you told me that it was really cool that I was becoming a real human and that we were actually becoming friends. And guess what? You’re one of the coolest friends I have.
I love that you know more random facts and pieces of information than probably anyone else I know. If I was on a game show, you would be my lifeline call.
I love telling people that you went to MIT because they automatically know you are ridiculously smart, and then they assume that I am at the very least a half genius, since we are half the same genes.
I still remember- and treasure- the moment in which you admitted to me, after wake boarding on the lake, that you thought I was more athletic than you. Then we got tipsy (you more so than me) and we sat in the swinging bench chair on the deck of the house overlooking the lake, and you told me how much you love me.
I think that’s when we really became friends.
Not long after that we rented the U-Haul and drove down south together.
Maybe that’s when the saxophone jam sesh playlists began..
On the way to LA we stopped in Santa Barbara to move in my furniture and you taught my friends how to shotgun a beer. We talked about boys for the first time and later that year Katie Reeves and I came to visit you during men’s Pac 10’s and we watched a marathon of Millionare Matchmaker in your apartment haha.
The next year I drove down to go to the Harry Potter midnight premier, only after dominating a game of beer pong which led to me not remember the beginning of the movie as well as the burrito we ate while we waited in line.
We walked home from the theater at 3am and played Bob Marley remixes on your phone, singing out loud the whole way through the empty streets.
The next weekend we went camping in Joshua Tree, and that random dude in the group came and fell asleep in our tent and tried to spoon me.
I remember going to SMC with you when you first moved back down to LA, and we pushed each other to do 1:15 intervals and joked about how pathetic we were.
One of my favorite recent memories is when I drove down to Hermosa for the afternoon and we spent a couple hours at the beach, body surfing and pretending we were on vacation in Mexico because the water was so incredibly warm and everything was perfect. That moment was perfect.
Then we went to the rooftop Mexican place and I remember not wanting to have to leave to go home, and wondering why we hadn’t hung out more and why it hadn’t been like that and wishing we could repeat it sometime.
I remember going surfing with you at Kronkhite once, and mom joked that because I was on my period, sharks were going to come for me.
You pushed me into the waves and you were the best teacher. You always have been.
I always learn so much more from you than anyone else.
I remember when I went with you and Brandon to Ocean Beach to photograph you guys surfing and I barely stayed afloat. I remember driving up to Tahoe and jamming to saxophone songs and not backing out of the trans-Tahoe swim the next day, even when it was storming out on the water.
I can’t wait to learn so much more from you.
I’m so happy for you that you’ve been so happy with your new life the last year.
You are winning.
I love you so much forever.
And I LOVE our amazing hugs.
I particularly love how you became so fond of giving them over the last couple years. I remember the first time last fall in Chicago when you approached me for no reason while we were standing in Al’s apartment, and gave me the most long , drawn out, amazing hug. I didn’t know if you were ever going to pull and it felt awkward at first but then I just gave in and I think it lasted a solid full minute haha.
I think you were secretly kicking into dad mode early with the anticipation of Sisi.
I love telling people you’re a dad because when they ask how you like it, I get to tell them that you’re absolutely obsessed. It’s so amazing to see how much love you have, and how unbelievably stoked you are every single time you see her and hold her and look at her. I know you’re going to be the most amazing dad because you already are. Sienna is so lucky to have you, and I can’t wait to see how much more love you’re going to have in your life with DJ on the way.
Love you beyond words.
PS. Your wedding day is still the best day of my entire life