Friends are great.
I’m not just talking any friends, but the ones you really click with. Ones that you would do anything for and you know that they would do the same for you (well, I’d hope so anyway).
I don’t have that many friends, even though I feel like I do have quite a few “mates”.  
But the ones I truly care about, they know who they are.
I have to thank them for being there and making me laugh and smile when things get me down. Taking me places I never would have seen on my own. Doing stupid stuff with me and generally arsing about the place. And the ones that gave me a second chance, when I possibly didn’t deserve it. I don’t know what I would have done without them.
Also given me advice, that I should have listened too. And been behind me on things that other people disagreed with. Backing me up on feelings that should have been put in a box and forgotten about.  

My longest standing friend is Sarah. I owe her so much and feel like I could never re-pay her fully for all the crap that she has had to put up with over the years. We fell out quite badly over something that we shouldn’t have fallen out over and we both probably vowed never to speak to the other one again. But when a friendship/sisterhood is that strong, nothing can really keep you apart. Even in the middle of it all, she did the thing that only she would have done and I am totally grateful that it was her and not somebody else. The phone call that would change things forever……Dimebag Darrell getting shot! Only Sarah really knew the importance of that man to me and I would have done exactly the same if I had found out first.
After years of not talking and being friends with people that never really filled that void, we met up again. To say I was nervous was an understatement. It was like going on a first date with someone. Luckily things fell into place really nicely and we are back…..to terrorise the neighbourhood, but in an older and wiser way than before. Even though we might not act it sometimes, as photos will prove over time.

Then there’s Emma. She has turned out to be my guardian angel at work. The girl who has me crying with laughter and 9 times out of 10, snorting some kind of liquid beverage out my nose.
At first, I never thought that we would become such good friends, but something clicked. I can’t remember the day or why, but I’m sure that we were being silly about something and it’s stuck so far. Nicknames, dancing, dressing up and comedy partnerships…..I’m hoping that it carries on for a long time after the Forbidden Planet era has ended, and Buttons McBoomBoom and Statues McGee will carry on spreading the joy and giggles worldwide (podcast pod cast!)

Now on to 2 guys who without them turning up when they did, things could have gone horribly wrong. My life was literally falling apart in front of me, and these 2 managed to keep me (kinda) sane and grounded. Hobbo and Andy……my two 360 buddies. I can’t remember the first game of Halo we played together or even why I added them to my friends list, but I am sure glad that I did. Like 2 beams of sunshine, they came and brightened up my life. So far, I have only met Hobbo, which even though it was weird at first, we soon fell into the Halo ways. I’m still wanting to meet Andy and get a real team photo. They are my “soldier boys” and I owe them both big hugs.

If things do go the way I want them too and I end up “getting my big movie ending” (thanks to Sarah for that), I want the 4 of you to know that I want you there if it happens. And that no matter where I am or how far away I am, I will always be thinking of you and what you have done to brighten my life and keep it to some kind of normality. There will never be a gesture big enough and just saying thank you just doesn’t seem quite right. I’d like to re-pay you one day, but for now I am hoping that my friendship and love will be sufficient.
 
There are a couple more people who I haven’t mentioned here, but don’t worry, you’re not forgotten about. It’s just that the friends I have mentioned, deserve the limelight and hold an extra special place in my heart.