This has been the best new years ever for me. The four days following new years eve were nothing but a bunch of great people, hanging out, drinking, eating, crashing on floors and couches, waking up, coffee, music, shows, drinking, eating, movies, crashing out, laying around, getting up going out, eating drinking etc etc.  The other day I looked at a couple of my friends and said, “do you realize we have spent the last five days in a row hanging out?” There aren’t many people I can do that with. I want to tell you about the ones I can. These are my best friends.

First and foremost, the ever-so-infamous Chase Reeves. Most people know Chase for his loud disregard for peoples personal space, but instead of being irritating he converts it into PARTY. If I had a nickle for every time he shared some private embarrassing thing he or his wife did I would be a rich man.  Mellisa (wife) is an amazing compliment to this guy, and they are both so incredibly secure in who they are it’s only infectious and fun.  Chase is my best friend in the whole world, and I feel like in the few years we have known each other we have walked through a lot of the same growing experiences.  Then he had a baby, and well, that has been really special to watch.  I wish I had a little tyke of my own to play with little baby Aiden, but until then I am content with the uncle status.

Chase and I met on a boat, on the Columbia river, water skiing at a church event.  In the hour we spent talking, we learned that we geek out about the same things, and that we actually live next door to each other. The next day I came over and helped him put one of those goddamn IKEA beds together and our friendship was born out of a shared frustration for cheep Swedish furniture.

Next up– Mr. Todd. M. Hammer. Todd is by far the classiest guy that I know.  I feel like everything he does he makes look good. Usually sipping a dirty martini on weeknights, and manhattans on the weekends, Todd is always out.  With a knack for disarming strangers with simple things like pretending to check ID’s while out front smoking, you can’t help but have fun with him. Plus he knows everyone in this city, which is always handy…

Todd and I met through Chase, a couple years ago and I liked him right away. Getting to know Todd has been great, and even when out having a good time Todd knows how to be real, and honest and sincere.  We are both kind of in a similar stage of life right now, so it has been a great combination hanging out, meeting new people, and being on the town.

Roommate extraordinaire, Gage is the coolest geek I know.  Always organizing game nights, costume parties, filming quirky independent movies, or drawing flash cartoons– life is always interesting in our house.  Also an amazing programmer/web developer I find having him across the hall to bail me out when I get myself into trouble is reeeeally nice. On top of that, he definitely gets the best “man cook” award for his amazing, uber healthy organic meals. I wish I could cook or bake half as good as this duder, but I really don’t need to because he always makes enough for me.  Lately it has been awesome because our schedule’s line up just about right for dinner, and I love sitting down every night eating and talking about our day, almost like a fucking family or something. I love it.

Along with Gage comes a troop of other amazing friends, and they all deserve honorable mentions. Some of my best nights out on the town have been with Gage, Ted, Will, and HB.

Gage and I met in Anchorage, Alaska at dinner with some mutual friends right before we were both moving down to Portland.  We never connected after our moves, but a few months later I randomly ran into him as we were both jogging up in forest park. This was about five and a half years ago now I guess. We hung out a few times after that, and then a room opened up in my house right as Gage was coming back from living in France. We’ve been roomies ever since, over 4 years now.

Note: Chase, Todd, Gage and I are all musicians too which only adds to the things we geek out about. Chase can play anything he puts his hands on, and really really well. Todd is an amazing guitarist and him, Chase and I regularly jam without any purpose or direction, other than for fun.  Gage is a singer/songwriter and guitarist/drummer, as well as a member of the popular local band Bombs Into You.  Although Gage and I do our own things musically, jam sessions always weasel their way in at some point since we live together.

Ben Thomas. The most honorable guy on the planet.  Ben will always protect and defend his friends, and he has so many of them it definitely feels like a privilege to be considered one.  When you add that to a really fun, outgoing guy Ben is always someone I want to hang out with.

If I had to pin one thing down to describe Ben though, it would be his obsession with football (soccer) but more importantly his home, English Premier League team Everton.  It is infectious, and Chase and I are solid Everton supporters now because of it. He’s a crazy man whenever they score a goal.

Ben is a man’s man. A fishing boat captain in Alaska in the summer time, an avid hunter, and a beer drinker Ben never ceases to blow me away.  He will always defend the honor of women or throw a punch with you in a fight I’m sure.  It’s been awesome getting to know him.

Dane is someone I met just a few months ago, through all these other guys above, but man I like him.  Usually going against the flow, Dane isn’t afraid to be himself, and he knows exactly who he is.  There is something infectious about people that are confident in who they are, and like the guys above Dane is just that.

One thing I am learning about hanging out with Dane is he will always rally. If he says that he is coming to hang out, he will hang out until the very end.  Never bails early or makes up an excuse. Which is great because he is super fun to be around.

Final Note: I am fortunate to know most of these fellas through Chase, and a lot of them have been friends long before I was even in Oregon.  I am new to their circle, but man I feel so lucky to call them all friends. I hope years down the road we are all still close, I really do.