Victoria: Loma Linda, CA

Tori is my long time, rock-solid, so-down-to-earth, snowboard-wild, crafty, caring friend.  We went to high-school together--she was a year behind me but skipped her junior year and we graduated together in 2004.   Now, she's married to Aaron, her high-school honey (that was fun to write), and works as a dental hygienist while Aaron is in school to be a nurse anesthetist.  I LOVE Tori.  

I remember one night back in the dorm, I'd decided to sleep over, and the fun hallway havoc sucked us in.   Somehow, Tori and I got laughing and fighting/joking.   Tori threatened to spit on me (haha, real mature Tori...oh but just wait), and I told her very seriously, "If you spit on me, I'll get you back ten times as bad.  Not joking!"   She must have thought we were still joking, because she went ahead and spit at me.   We laughed, but she knew she was in for it.   She ran off, up to another floor of the dorm, and I went to prepare for retaliation.

I took a whole bag of pink bubble gum, and distributed it to the girls on floor two and three.  Then, in a very systematic sort of way, I had all of the girls chew the gum, and then all spit some pink saliva into a coffee mug.   I went around until the coffee mug was pretty full.    Then, I tracked down Tori.

I found her, and there was a bit of a chase if  I remember right, but the chase ended with me dumping a whole mug of spit on her head.   I know many of you are going to think of me differently now, but let's remember, this was in high-school, and the legitimacy of my word was at stake!!!   Tori was not happy.  And I actually felt a ton of remorse.  I don't know if she finally is able to laugh about this memory...for a long time, she would only glare at me!  Hahaha

PHOTO:  HIGH-SCHOOL HOOLIGANS AT TORI AND AARON'S WEDDING.
I spent the day with Tori recently, and I am reminded of her contagious spirit, her steady, faithful heart, and of the value which I place on our friendship.   Meet my good friend Tori:

"I re-purpose scraps of material for bows on presents, veganaise and tomato sauce jars for canning applesauce, old belts as handles on homemade purses, material scraps for hair bows, brown grocery bags as wrapping paper, shall I go on?"