Here at Top Comments we round up some of the site's best, funniest, most mojo'd and most informative commentary. We depend on your help with talent spotting. If you see a comment that deserves recognition, please send it to topcomments at gmail by 9:45pm Eastern. Please please please include a few words about why you sent it in as well as your user name (even if you think we know it already :-)), so we can credit you with the find!
I spent 10 hours either on planes or in airports yesterday getting home to Boston from Little Rock, Arkansas. Why was I there? Because a friend asked me to...
Casa Brillig has spent two weeks each of the past two summers at a friend's house in Tulsa OK with common friends from all over the world. This year my Oklahoma friend moved the week after we all left to just outside Little Rock, Arkansas, where her husband had taken a job 6 or so months ago. She'd stayed behind with their twin 7yo sons so they could finish the school year out. Couple of weeks later, while she was up in Boston with me attending a conference, her marriage hit the rocks.
This isn't going to be about who did what, who's right, or wrong, what she or I or anyone else believe will happen in the future, or anything of the sort. As I started to say... after a month of considering what she ought to do, my friend M decided to move into a place of her own. Given she'd only been in her town for a month, and because her IMHO dysfunctional family has decided to support her husband instead, she asked me if I could possibly come down and help she and the boys move into a place of her own. I asked Mr. Brillig if I could, and he, without hesitation, said yes.
So remembering all I'd learned about air travel this summer :-), I took a laptop bag and a backpack, ie one carry-on and one personal item. Had Mr. Brillig drive me to the airport at wtf-o'clock in the morning because the cheap fare left then, and spent 4 full days packing, moving, cleaning, unpacking and collapsing in exhaustion after first assembling a bed to sleep in. I also helped two kids get ready for school, find snack when everything's been packed, fall asleep in a new bedroom, and cope with seeing their Dad's house rearranged so it didn't look so much like half of everything was gone. Other than the Saturday night we took off to relax and have a good long conversation, we were working nonstop.
I had more than one friend ask me "why are you going, isn't that far away? Isn't there anyone else?" I also had someone ask, in not so many words, why I was (a) going down to split up a family; and (b) why was I in a good mood?" Well...
Yeah, I had noticed Boston and Little Rock aren't exactly close. So I figured when my friend asked me to come that just maybe there really wasn't anyone closer. I say the same things to my friends that I'm sure you say to yours: If there's ever anything I can do.... Far too often, when the time comes, we mumble apologies as to why we can't this time but definitely will be there next time. I've let my friends down before in all sorts of ways. I have learned from those experiences, and wasn't going to this time.
I obviously knew her husband, and I neither dislike him nor in any way am happy it's come to this. I wish them all the best in finding the path that works best to bring them a peaceful and appropriate resolution, whatever that may be. I wasn't there to judge the situation, only to help my friend move refrigerators, desks, clothes and more, and to support her in any way I could.
I truly adore her two little boys, and their world has been uprooted by this. They didn't ask for this and don't understand why it's happening. I watched my parents go through this when I was 17 and my sister was 10. It sucks, no matter what the reason. I assembled bunk beds, shared french fries at Sonic, tucked little ones in, handed towels over the shower curtain without peeking, laughed at jokes, talked quietly when emotions overflowed, and tried to let them know that yes, they were loved by both parents, and that they always would be. I put on a happy face and consoled them when their dad was unable to take them to the annual Father-Son Boy Scout overnight (thus scuttling the one free night I'd planned to visit a friend in the area) then hi-fived them when the Scoutmaster came up with a way for them to go.
All of these boil down into one basic reason, however: If it were me in need, wouldn't I hope that my friends are the kind of people who would do the same? I think they are, each and every one of the friends I hold most dear in this world. I'd be there for each of them, if they asked and if my family could spare me (and yes, I'd hold the fort down so Mr. Brillig could be there for his closest friends).
What's the Golden Rule again? Oh yeah.. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Not a bad one, as far as rules go.
Have you ever had a friend ask you for something major? Were you able to help?
=====
Here at Top Comments, we're all about helping each other find the best comments on the site, and we do it every single day! Let's see what tonight's nominations look like:
From aoeu:
Wow-what else is there to say about this one from bkamr?
From RiaD:
Susan G in MN on Sarah Palin's, shall we say, deelingz.
From blueyedace2:
I really like this one by jhecht in nathan andover's diary WI-SEN: Feingold Wins Second Debate. Polls Tightening.
From ItsSimpleSimon:
During remembrances of International "reactions" to Clinton Lewinsky in TomP's diary Rand-Paul-Ensures-Defeat-By-Attacking-Bill-Clinton-On-Lewinsky meandering from New Zealand, through Spain, we finally got to what the Aussies had to say courtesy of Mayfly. Hilarious. (and TomP's diary was aces as well).
I know, no comments by me. After five days away, K1 and K2 wanted Mommy Time today. There was no school, and we had a great day. I hope you all understand :-).
Top Mojo brought to you tonight by me, courtesy of the mojo-to-excel magic of cskendrick and sardonyx.
Top 30 (plus ties) Comments excluding tip jars, first comments and stuff:
1) If Russ can pull this off by edwardssl — 121
2) Wow...thank you by SanJoseLady — 109
3) Bill Clinton's visit to Kentucky has unnerved him by Scarce — 107
4) I usually say rest in peace for those by blue jersey mom — 106
5) I Have Commented A Few Times by webranding — 93
6) Just like her company by optimusprime — 90
7) I can... by QuestionAuthority — 87
8) Great diary. by maxschell — 87
9) The Rutgers University Student Newspaper by JekyllnHyde — 86
10) When you get angry at the democrats by relentless — 77
11) People respond to branding by ActivistGuy — 73
12) It is an epidemic by puzzled — 69
13) Take a page from California Mr. President... by jec — 69
14) Follow The Money by drewfromct — 67
15) I hear the WaPo is good for wrapping by ontheleftcoast — 66
16) Isn't it amazing? by SanJoseLady — 65
17) I think I said enough. by TomP — 65
18) Everytime I read something like that by LeftHandedMan — 61
19) Yes, I think Paul by TomP — 59
20) IMHO There Is A Special Place In Hell by webranding — 59
21) These right wing candidates by playon — 59
22) What a goddamn motherfucking shithead asshole. by lineatus — 55
23) I have 2 words for Rand Paul by DisNoir36 — 55
24) That's why I was going for a by Detroit Mark — 55
25) Unfair by WineRev — 55
26) He & We Can Make It Happen by nathan andover — 55
27) HUGE! by Clarknt67 — 55
28) the branding that people should be concerned by josephk — 53
29) Oath or Affirmation by Prince Nekhlyudov — 53
30) Because they are homophobic assholes? by MinistryOfTruth — 52
31) Christ that was what 16 years ago? by Ex Real Republican — 52
32) Wow this is a biggee!!!! by skindig55 — 52
Top 30 Comments with no exclusions, aka the Tip Jar & Pooties list :-):
1) Tip Jar by indiemcemopants — 453
2) Tip Jar by TomP — 406
3) Tip Jar by SanJoseLady — 397
4) Tip Jar by Detroit Mark — 344
5) Tip Jar by GlowNZ — 323
6) Tip Jar by Frederick Clarkson — 295
7) Tip Jar by nathan andover — 258
8) Tip Jar by TarrylClark — 252
9) Tip Jar by Tara the Antisocial Social Worker — 163
10) recs, if you feel like it. by Adam B — 141
11) If Russ can pull this off by edwardssl — 121
12) Wow...thank you by SanJoseLady — 109
13) Bill Clinton's visit to Kentucky has unnerved him by Scarce — 107
14) I usually say rest in peace for those by blue jersey mom — 106
15) Tip Jar by Haole in Hawaii — 102
16) Tip Jar by Benintn — 98
17) Please Donate Generously to Jerry Brown by JekyllnHyde — 96
18) Scritchie Jar by triciawyse — 96
19) I Have Commented A Few Times by webranding — 93
20) Tip Jar by brooklynbadboy — 92
21) Just like her company by optimusprime — 90
22) I can... by QuestionAuthority — 87
23) Great diary. by maxschell — 87
24) The Rutgers University Student Newspaper by JekyllnHyde — 86
25) When you get angry at the democrats by relentless — 77
26) People respond to branding by ActivistGuy — 73
27) Thank you for reading this. by blue jersey mom — 73
28) Tips? Flames? by Something the Dog Said — 70
29) It is an epidemic by puzzled — 69
30) Take a page from California Mr. President... by jec — 69