list #8: things friends have done for me that went above and beyond the call of duty

1.  Convinced me to spontaneously walk into a five-star restaurant for dinner (even though we were seriously and inappropriately underdressed), teaching me that self-confidence coupled with courtesy and kindness can just about get you anywhere.

2.  Leaving a good night out with his friends, rushed to my side when I was assaulted, and then followed the ambulance to the hospital and held my hand as the doctor sewed up a gaping hole in my head -- particularly generous of him when you consider my friend was considerably drunk at the time.

3.  Instead of going out and getting emergency supplies, sat on the telephone with me for two hours, walking me through a relatively minor (and decidedly non-urgent) technical issue, while a hurricane was in the process of bearing down on her coastal town.

4.  When I was going through a tough behavioural issue with Alex, kindly and gently let me know that in fact I was the one being an ass, and that I should own up to this fact with Alex.  I did, and Alex's behaviour immediately corrected itself.

5.  Took my frantic phone call at midnight and calmed me down, even though my hysteria was due to the irrational belief that I was dying from rampant food poisoning, contracted as a result of my colossally stupid act of carelessly eating bad shrimp.

I have very, very good (and, God bless them, patient) friends.

Image:  Our kitchen table after dinner with one of these good friends and her family, photographed with Nikon D300, 50mm lens

Song:  Tightrope by Janelle Monáe