Rich
Known Since: 1979 (Kind of)
Resides In: Galt, CA
So I've sort of technically known Rich since I was in 5th grade and he was in 4th. We both went to the same elementary school--Sacramento Union Academy--at the same time in 1979. We really didn't know each other, however, until the '85/'86 year, when I was a senior and he was a junior. That's when we started running in the same circles. We were part of the same group, big bunch of partying, fun-loving dudes we were. That's when the friendship started. No one told me back then that I'd end up sharing a house with the guy 10 years later. In our high school days, Rich was known as "The Driver". See, there were these don't-drink-and-drive commercials on TV back then. This dude in a leather jacket and cool sunglasses walks into the party, and this girl goes, "Ooh, who's that?" And the dude she's dancing with (who obviously wasn't having a good date if she was checking out other dudes) says "He's the Driver". Designated driver, get it? Well, that year, Rich didn't drink, so he was the driver, hanging out with the drunken dorks. We had a lot of good times then with all the boys, and we kept hanging out after high school, too. Catching movies, hanging out and such. Though Rich was a year behind me in school, he's actually almost a month older than me (I started school early), so when we both turned 21 around the same time, he and I (and Tim, also 21 in there) took our first Reno trip to celebrate.
Soon we had both transferred to CSU Sacramento, and with the same major. We were both going for communications with a broadcast (television, radio) emphasis, and so we ended up taking some of the same classes, too. We had a lot of fun during this time, and did some enjoyable video editing. And a lot of bar hopping. We spent a good amount of time following the band we knew, Shanghai (who later changed their name to "The Broken"), since they tended to play at our favorite bar, Jose's. Okay, maybe second favorite. The Cedar Room, and our late bartender, Milt, are still number one. Rich and I both loved music, and since Rich played guitar, and I attempted to write lyrics, we'd get together and try to write songs, too. I was soon off to Arizona after that, but when things went sour on the relationship, it just so happened that both Rich and Tim were looking for roommates back in Sacramento, and that was the beginning of the fabled La Casa days, when the three of us rented our house in Citrus Heights (that would soon house Aaron and A.T. also). So once again, we were hanging, and having the time of our lives at our house. It wasn't meant to last too long, as Rich would soon end up falling in love and getting married, and not too long after I would end up leaving Sacramento again and heading to San Diego.
But we still keep in touch, in Rich tries to get down here to hang out every couple of years. Rich, a low-key but perpetually moving guy, lives with his wife and sons in Galt (near Sacramento) now, and works at a couple of different Sacramento television stations (since he finished the degree and I didn't...). He's a busy guy, but I've never known him to be any other way. He still loves music and now video editing. A lot of years we've been friends, and boy, has a lot happened in our lives since it's all started. Couldn't ask for a better friend to share the ride with.
Random Me and Rich Memory: That time we decided to head to Tahoe to my sister's timeshare for Spring Break during college.
Teresa
Known Since: 1996
Resides In: Galt, CA
As I've mentioned elsewhere, I had this bet I proposed to my then-roommates Rich and Tim. We should each put up a personal ad online, and see who got the most responses in 30 days. Well, while I technically won the bet, Rich got a bit more out of it than I did. Teresa happened to find his ad and e-mail him. When that wasn't enough, she tracked down his phone number from information and called him. Soon they had there first date, and if the story I heard was right, she went back to work that day, was asked how her date went, and she said "I think I'm going to marry this one." Well, what do you know? She did just that. Knowing a good man when she sees one, Teresa kept dating Rich until he popped the question. She was a staple at our La Casa house, and fit in quite nicely. And she was liked enough by us that we forgave her for stealing Rich away from us. She and Rich now have two sons and a nice house near Sacramento that I still need to travel back and visit (I keep promising!). From my time spent hanging out with Teresa, I definitely found that she wasn't the only one making out in the deal when she and Rich met.
Random Me and Teresa Memory: Yeah, remember that time I got you a husband? :)
Rich and the boys - Travis and Ryan