Happy New Year

After last year’s fun with the 2023 Friend Awards: Celebrating Connections, I decided the awards should come out annually. Welcome to the second edition! You are being both honored and roasted, if possible, as some of my favorite social media and real-life friends.

Two blockbuster movies that hit the theaters in 2024 were Moana 2 and my favorite Wicked. This is where we’ll begin…

Wicked flew in with a ton of great lines but I’ve managed to narrow it down to two favorites.

1. “If that’s love, it comes at much too high a cost,” Elphaba says, when she realizes everyone is in the wrong.

2. “He doesn’t know yet,” Glinda tells Elphaba after confiding to her that she and Fiyero will be wed. Problem is, Fiyero doesn’t know.

These lines go hand in hand with my…

Make Amends with Award:

No name, you know who you are. You’ll always be here in spirits, and I know you read. This is for you as is an early Happy Birthday greeting. Maybe it’s true, having a friend that loves you comes at ‘much too great a cost’ because ‘he doesn’t know.’ I understand but it doesn’t diminish my feelings of friendship for you. Have a wonderful New Year and hopefully we can make amends this year.

Hangout 72 Hours with Award:

Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank earns the honor here. Lauren, is a Disney Historian. I can only imagine the sights in museums tied to Disney Movies I would discover spending three days with her exploring them. Like Elphaba, time would fly.

Biggest Heart Award:

This one goes to Loren Reyes for always giving with love and care while never asking for a thing. A rarity in this generation. Loren’s given me so much inspiration and kindness it’s unbelievable. She, also, continues to give me countless reasons for not walking away from this laptop and telling my stories. A pure heart of gold and I’m so happy she’s in my life even if halfway around the globe.

Defining Friendship Award:

Jillian Newton, we’ve known one another for a while now. I’m honoring her with this because she showed me the difference between real friends and online friends. Jillian fought for my friendship, a rarity in this generation, and now she has it forever. Proof Michiganders are the best, even when living in Hawaii.

Captured in a Getty Image with Award:

Clearly there is no one other than Kristyn Burtt deserving of this award. I have either written about or mentioned Kristyn sixteen times in articles. She’s an entertainment reporter, a regular radio talk show guest, former ballerina, and friend. And has been an equally fantastic tour guide when I’ve asked for local hot spots while traveling.

I can see that Getty photographer laughing as we hold our action figures during that shoot. Thank you for the years of friendship, KB.

Favorite New Follow Award:

This choice wasn’t hard at all. I’ve been inspired, uplifted and currently being taught meditation but none of it would’ve began without Agnieszka Rdesinska. With her help, I’m healing.

Agnes, as she prefers, has been part of twenty plus articles on mental health on my site. And even interviewed ‘ME‘ in one of my own “Meet Me’ blogs. Without her, life would’ve been much more of a struggle this past year. Thank you, my friend.

Kindness Award:

Everyone has, or should have, that someone they just feel good about. Someone that says hello to you a couple times a week to show you they care. Someone you name a day after, Jensday. And you message them on that day to show them YOU care as well. That’s Jennifer and she’s ‘real’ as ever. And my favorite blogger too! Thank you, my friend, I’ll always cherish our chats.

Most Inspirational Public Figure:

There’s only one Najwa Zebian. I absolutely love her take on healing and inspiration. So much so that I find myself re-reading portions of her book ‘The Only Constant’ over and over again. It’s good to be inspired by one’s growth through her own healing and experiences. Najwa is by far the best at uplifting in your time of need. And that’s exactually what she’s done for me.

Stranded on a Deserted Island With Award:

This year the distinction of being ‘Stranded on a Deserted Island With Award’ goes to Tara Reid. Not for the reasons you’re thinking though. Tara, an actress, has more IMDb credits than anyone else I’ve befriended on social. We’ve been friends of one another on various sites seems like since the beginning of time. Yet I don’t have a ‘Meet Me’ interview with her. How about it, Tara? Don’t make us be stranded for me to get it. In all sincerity, that’s exactly why you’re here. Because you are who you are. Forever without a story is more special. Happy New Year!

Never Gonna Give You Up, Never Gonna Let You Down Award:

Tara Edwards has the single highest reader view count of any of my ‘Meet Me‘ articles. She has been mentioned in several others. Most importantly she’s my ‘Bestie.’

But I bet she’s ‘NEVER‘ been or thought she’d be ‘Rick Astley‘ed, Tara. It took all I had to tell you my deepest secret. The ties that bind us will always be there as will our friendship for one another. Love you forever.

And if there’s a day when I remarry, I want you there as ‘My Best Person.’ After all, who says, ‘Best’ has to be a ‘man’?

Don’t go Breaking my Heart Award:

It was early 2005 when I first met Michelle Gottesman. There was no snow on the ground and the only thing I remember being cold that day was my heart. My recent divorce had caused that.

Walking into the conference room I hadn’t expected her. I was expecting a man. But there she was. Smiling with a glow of excitement unlike any other lawyer I had ever met.

I could tell she had a warm heart by the demeanor in her voice. For the next couple years, we’d talk every now and again by phone over that day’s matter. Then it came to an end. Or was it a beginning?

A new thing called Facebook started and low and behold we both had signed up. I can’t say who friended whom with that request, as I simply don’t remember. But we’ve been friends ever since.

What are the odds of a sentimental ole fool finding a leaf in his yard, shaped as a heart on New Years Eve, while needing a break to think if he should continue writing this segment? Yet there it laid there, clear as day, on a cloudy afternoon with the New Year mere hours away.

I once read you talk yourself out of things and go with a safer choice. However, by doing so you’re choosing a more muted version of what you’re actually seeking. I don’t want to live muted and I’m sure she doesn’t either.

What is it we’re seeking Michelle? I don’t know for sure, so I’ll leave us both with this song and your ‘Award.’ Following it, is a quote from Matangi in Moana 2.

“There’s always another way even if you have to get lost to find it,” – Matangi in Moana 2.

Did we get lost and finally find our way?

Happy New Year Everyone

Read about the lyrics of the song here.

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