IJMC - Sentimental Mushy Stuff

I think we're just going to run the gamit tonight as I catch up to where 
I would have been if my server hadn't crashed over the weekend. We've had 
my rant, we've had tech support's rant, we now have Sentimental Mushy 
Stuff (tm pending), and I think I'll throw in a joke just to keep things 
balanced. Then I'm going to sleep...I'm already assuming the backlash I'll 
find in my email tomorrow...                                         -dave





 1.  In kindergarten your idea of a good friend was the person who
 let you have the red crayon when all that was left was the ugly
 black one.

 2.  In first grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went to
 the bathroom with you and held your hand as you walked through the
 scary halls.

 3.  In second grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped
 you stand up to the class bully.

 4.  In third grade your idea of a good friend was the person who shared
 their lunch with you when you forgot yours on the bus.

 5.  In fourth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who was
 willing to switch square dancing partners in gym so you wouldn't
 have  to be stuck do-si-do-ing with Nasty Nicky or Smelly Susan.

 6.  In fifth grade your idea of a friend was the person who saved a
 seat on the back of the bus for you.

 7.  In sixth grade your idea of a friend was the person who went up to
 Nick or Susan, your new crush, and asked them to dance with you,
 so that if they said no you wouldn't have to be embarrassed.

 8.  In seventh grade your idea of a friend was the person who let you
 copy the social studies homework from the night before that you
 had forgotten.

 9.  In eighth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who
 helped you pack up your stuffed animals and old baseball cards so
 that your room would be a "high schooler's" room, but didn't laugh at
 you when you finished and broke out into tears.

 10.  In ninth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went
 to that "cool" party thrown by a senior so you wouldn't wind up
 being  the only freshman there.

 11.  In tenth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who
 changed their schedule so you would have someone to sit with at lunch.

 12.  In eleventh grade your idea of a good friend was the person
 who gave you rides in their new car, convinced your parents that you
 shouldn't be grounded, consoled you when you broke up with Nick or
 Susan, and found you a date to the prom.

 13.  In twelfth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who
 helped you pick out a college, assured you that you would get into
 that college, helped you deal with your parents who were having a
 hard  time adjusting to the idea of letting you go.

 14.  At graduation your idea of a good friend was the person who
 was crying on the inside but managed the biggest smile one could give
 as they congratulated you.

 15.  The summer after twelfth grade your idea of a good friend was the
 person who helped you clean up the bottles from that party,
 helped you sneak out of the house when you just couldn't deal with your
 parents, assured you that now that you and Nick or you and Susan were
 back together, you could make it through anything, helped you pack up for
 college and just silently hugged you as you looked through blurry
 eyes  at 18 years of memories you were leaving behind, and finally on
 those last days of childhood, went out of their way to give you reassurance
 that you would make it in college as well as you had these past 18
 years, and most importantly sent you off to college knowing you
 were loved.

 16.  Now, your idea of a good friend is still the person  who gives you
 the better of the two choices, holds your hand when you're scared,
 helps you fight off those who try to take advantage of you,
 thinks of you at times when you are not there, reminds you of what you have
 forgotten, helps you put the past behind you but understands when
 you need to hold on to it a little  longer, stays with you so that you
 have confidence, goes out of their way to make time for you, helps you
 clear up your mistakes, helps you deal with pressure from others, 
 smiles for you when they are sad, helps you become a better person, and 
 most importantly loves you!