Weird and Powerful

 Krystal: I found this random quote posted on “The Book” as I like to call Facebook. After exhaustive research, I was not able to determine the source. Whoever said it, though, was dead on.  This quippy quote resonated with me so much that I felt it necessary to text it to Kate one morning. We were in separate rooms of the apartment, so I could very well have walked my phone over to her; however, texting it seemed to make it more “special”.

Kate: And it is special because it is exactly how our friendship started six years ago... 

2008

Some of us from school were planning a get-together in Portsmouth for some dinner, drinks, and dancing (before the big baby-boom of MVMS happened). I was in the teachers’ room having lunch when Krystal came in to grab something from the refrigerator. I had really only had one prior conversation with her across the table at the “Wan” one ninth period.

Krystal: That’s Schezwan Gardens for all of you who aren’t hip to the lingo, and ninth period is code for drinking session after school on a Friday.  We used to go often to celebrate the success of making it through the arduous work week.

Kate: I remember thinking, this girl is funny and seems to have no filter. Though we seemed to have different personalities, I felt we had a lot in common too and had the potential to be friends, which led me to asking her if she wanted to join the Portsmouth gathering that day in the teachers’ room.

And the rest is history.

Krystal: Thank God she thought my lack of filter was amusing- not everyone agrees. At that time in my life I was living alone, had recently lost a bunch of weight but had not found my confidence, and had no social life to speak of. I walked into that lunch room and she invited me into her life at the exact moment that I needed a friend. It was kismet. And she was right, I am funny. But as I always tell her, she’s actually the “funny one”. I just seem funnier because I say the F-word a lot.

Kate: I’m not sure about that, I mean me being the funny one, not the F word comment; that is very true. (That’s the no filter part I was referring to earlier).

2014

Krystal: Kate and I have obviously become BFFLs (best friends for life as dubbed by our former Bagel Works barista, Nadia) over the years and have done a lot of “stuff” together. Last weekend, for example, while in Boston for our third Jay Z concert (That’s right; we’re teachers, we read self-help books, and we are down with the Jigga Man!), we went out to lunch with The Smiths. Andrew was supposed to meet us at the restaurant but was running late per usual. I thought Kate was annoyed by his tardiness because she was keeping hyper vigilant watch towards the door.

What I didn’t know was that she had a surprise planned that she was dying to share. Once he arrived, practically before he had even sat down, she whipped out a little flip book that contained a super clever post-it note message revealing that she and Andrew are taking me on a trip to Las Vegas for my upcoming 30th birthday. These are some seriously GREAT friends I have. Overwhelmed by their generosity, I had tears of joy in my eyes and had managed to sweat right through my sweater.

Kate: Good thing it’s a sweater.

Krystal: SEE! I always say she’s the funny one!

Kate: Not only do I want her 30th birthday to be a memorable one, but I’ve never been to Vegas and can’t wait to hit the strip and see the sights. I also made sure we come home on a Thursday so that I have 3 days to recover from what I’m imagining will be some long nights.

Krystal: And by long she means she is likely to stay up past 9:30...Gasp! She has been practicing her late nights lately, and I didn’t know why. Now it all makes sense! What I need to work on prior to the trip is my Veg-ass. I have been hitting the gym once a week in preparation! I’ve let myself get soft this winter, what with random Cone Heads from Friendly's and a dark chocolate Lindt ball after every dinner. My Veg-ass needs a major tune up. When I mentioned that I should probably go to the gym this morning, Kate’s response was, “Yes, you should.” Her support means the world to me.

Kate: Whenever it is a question between working out and not, I will ALWAYS say do it. There’s an open invitation to join me at boot camp…

Krystal: Hahahaha! I am not much of a tire flipper, but thanks.

Kate: This folks, is how and why we work.

Our friend and yoga goddess, Tina, recently wrote on a Selvesie™ (that’s a selfie taken by two people) of us that friendship is powerful. I couldn’t agree more.

Krystal: Ditto. Our friendship certainly is weird and powerful. I'm weird and you're powerful. You can give credit to those boot camp classes you've been attending lately.