Hall of Baldness: Anna, Coleman, Dan, Dave, Hyrum, Jacob, Jake, John, Leland, Matt, Megan, Rob, Robby, Russ, Ryan, Scott, Tiffany, Vhari

These lovely folks are some of my dearest and oldest friends. Leland, Matt, Robby, Russ, Ryan and Scott all went to the same elementary school as me. I specifically remember that Robby and Leland were in my second grade class, Ms. Griffiths' class, which was the first year that we lived in my parents' current house. I remember the other four from times throughout the rest of elementary school, but it is hard to remember specific classes and who was in which one after that. Anna, Dave, John, Megan, Rob, Tiffany and Vhari I remember best from high school, although I have vague recollections of Rob being on one of my soccer teams as a child. Dan married Megan, and Coleman is one of their sons, and Jake married Julia, another friend from high school and church. Hyrum and Jacob are Robby's two boys. Before I get into details, these people are just the best. They are the friends that I try to see when I am back in Provo. They are the friends with whom I had such fun times from high school and afterwards that I can always remember. They are all such good people and have been such examples to me in my life. They are also some of the funniest people that I know, and our get-togethers get me laughing in a way that little else can. I treasure these friendships and am so grateful that I have had friends like these by my side my whole life long. This post will necessarily be longer than usual, but hopefully it will be worth the read. Each of these people deserve an entire tome written in the praise, but as I want to get this posted and my memory is sometimes random, I will be forced to post a few things that come to my mind as I think about these dear people.

Megan, Dan and Coleman: I met Megan at some point early in high school. Her father was an English teacher at Provo High, and we had several classes together. Megan is a great people person, very smart, and also one of the funniest people I know. Her sense of humor is so brilliant and clever and just kills me. Brittney and I went to my ten-year high school reunion and we sat at a table with Megan and Dan among others and the entire night was just fabulous. Not because of the program or anything, but because of how funny everyone was. I remember one Christmas eve late in high school when Megan and Scott and I went to the mall to do some last minute shopping. We ended up sitting on a couch in the middle of the mall for what seemed like an hour, analyzing the people walking by, and how they held hands, and what that said about them and their relationships. What a fun day. I also remember that somehow I got free tickets to go to some swing dance at the high school, and ended up going with Megan. Neither of us knew at all how to swing dance, but we had so much fun faking. That night was memorable for another reason as well. On the way home some idiot leaned out of his car next to us at a light and punched in the window of the car we were in (my friends car). It was one of the most random and crazy things that has ever happened to me. Megan is a terrific writer, and I love following her goings-on over at her blog. I have met Dan several times at get togethers, but I feel like I know him somewhat from Megan's blog. He seems like a terrific guy, and a lucky one to be married to Megan. Coleman was the braver of the two twin boys, and I am happy to welcome such cuteness into the Hall of Baldness.

Megan, Coleman and Dan

Dave and John: I met Dave and John in high school as well. We had many fun times together playing basketball and Bond. Dave is also one of the funniest guys I know. He has a zany humor that just cracks me up. We were lucky to be able to drive out to his wedding reception when we lived in California and it was great to see him and meet his lovely wife. John is a gentle giant. He is one of the strongest people I know, and also one of the kindest and gentlest. I have never heard him say an unkind word about another soul. He is genuine and just good. When I heard that he was engaged I was overjoyed. I have yet to meet his wife, but I am sure she is as amazing as he is.

Dave

John

Robby, Hyrum, Jacob and Leland: My friendship with Robby and Leland goes back to my very beginning on Grandview hill. I remember playing with them from second grade on. Going over to their houses after school. Playing computer games like Mist and SimCity. They were my friends that I would walk home from school with each day. They are both great people. I haven't seen Robby for a while, but a few months ago we chatted on skype for a while and caught up. I was so touched by his sons' decision to join him in showing support by shaving their heads. I think Hyrum and Jacob have a great example to look up to as they grow older. Leland is one of my favorite people in the world. He is soft-spoken, humble and kind. He is one of the best basketball players of the lot of us, and always was able to pull off some amazing circus shot to get the ball in the hoop. I haven't been able to see him in person for a few years now, but was overjoyed to hear of his recent wedding. I can't wait to meet his wife. She is a lucky girl.

Robby, Hyrum and Jacob

Leland

Anna, Jake, Matt, Ryan, Rob and Tiffany: I met Anna in classes during high school. She is a great soccer player and good friend. The first date I ever went on was to the Halloween dance with Anna. Our group all dressed up as Waldo (from Where's Waldo). It was pretty awesome. Jake married Julia, who was in my ward during high school and also friends with all of us. I look forward to someday meeting him. I remember Matt from elementary school and also from high school soccer. I remember his dedication during practice and the effort he put into becoming a good goalie. He was pretty successful and we had some good times during high school soccer. Ryan is another gentle giant. I remember him most specifically from Calculus classes in high school. Our second year class was rather small (7-10 people) and so we had a lot of chances to interact and associate. He was funny and smart, and I still remember the things we learned, and our hero Guillaume de l'Hopital. Rob I remember from youth soccer and high school. Tiffany I also met in high school. She married another of our friends who I also knew from youth soccer. That makes keeping up with friends a lot easier, when they are married to each other.

Anna

Jake

Matt

Ryan

Rob

Tiffany

This theme continues as we move on to:

Russ and Vhari: I didn't meet Vhari until high school, where I had various classes with her. But Russ and I go way back. We played soccer together as long as I can remember, all the way through senior year varsity, and even some intramurals at BYU. I remember our freshman year they didn't have a freshman/sophomore team and we didn't make the junior varsity team. Together with another friend we worked our tails off over the next year to make sure that didn't happen again. And the next year we achieved our goal. I also had great fun studying for AP US History over at Russ' house. We like to combine studying of history with ping pong, Excitebike, and Rage Against the Machine. We really appreciated the perspective on US history that many of their songs gave, and of course they were just awesome to me, since I hadn't really heard much of them before. Russ and Vhari ended up getting married. Just this last summer they were in San Jose for Russ' internship and we were able to have them over for dinner. What fun that was, to meet their two darling daughters and reminisce. They are just wonderful people.

Russ

Vhari

Scott: Even among all the wonderful friends I have listed here, Scott's friendship stands out in my memory. I knew Scott from elementary school, but we really became good friends while studying for Calculus and other classes in high school. Scott's friendship came at I time where I didn't often feel that I had many friends. We began by watching the Simpsons and hockey, or playing pool or Cruisin' USA while listening to Led Zeppelin and Tom Petty. Scott's sense of humor seemed to mesh well with mine, and for some reason we just got each other. We eventually convinced my parents to get a pool table and then spent many hours playing pool and ping pong over at my house. My friendship with him was at the core of all my other friendships throughout the rest of high school and it was really through him that I started doing things with any other friends. Scott is brilliant and hard-working. He is a talented architect. He has a sarcastic and pointed sense of humor that I really appreciate and which I think is fantastic. I will always think of Scott's friendship and support with immense gratitude.

Scott

So, why were all these wonderful people covered in one post, you might ask? And what did you ever do to deserve such fantastic friends? Well, the answer to the second question is still a mystery, but the first can be explained. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Scott organized a head-shaving get-together at his Mom's house while he was in Utah. This was amazingly well-attended, and many people shaved their heads together. The others who couldn't make it joined in via Skype or sent pictures in later. A few days later I was chatting with Scott online and he told me of what had happened, and sent me a few of the pictures. I was literally sobbing to myself, overwhelmed by the amazing show of love and support by these people who are so dear to me. Scott, Leland and Leland's wife Lacie stopped by my parents' house and surprised my Mom, who didn't recognize them with their shaved heads. She, like me, wept as she heard what they had done. Over the next few days as a few more of the photos trickled in from those who couldn't be there in person, I was again overwhelmed and humbled by many the angels that my Father in Heaven has placed in my life. I will forever be grateful for all of these people. Anna, Coleman, Dan, Dave, Hyrum, Jacob, Jake, John, Leland, Matt, Megan, Rob, Robby, Russ, Ryan, Scott, Tiffany and Vhari, welcome to the Hall of Baldness!