Ain't No Business Like Jo Business!!!

So someone like Chelsey keeps bugging me to blog, but I've been pretty busy with midterms and the like. To appease this madwoman and to tip my proverbial hat to one of the most awes (I just made up that abbrev on the the spot!) person I know: Joanne W. Ho.

There are many reasons one should have a friend like Jo, and I feel special that I do. Even though I have only known Jo for about a year, I feel like we have created a special bond. So I dedicate this blog to Joanne W. Ho and to all those special friends that make the world go round.

The following are little snapshots (in word form) into the reasons I love Joanne W. Ho:

1) I remember the first time I met Jo, it was last year while we were trying to figure living arrangements for this year. Chelsey, whom I had met through Muirons, invited me to her room to go over possible living situations. Enter Jo: she had her mini white board filled with different possibilities and started going through them, as I remember, in a very straight-forward, business-like manner. I thought to myself, "Dang, this girl is serious about getting an apartment next year." Little did I know that only a year later, she would be like family to me.

1.5) Our second encounter was when we officially signed up to be in the same apartment. Afterwards, before we scoped out our future apartment, we talked about classes and what not. And I remember saying that I was taking Math 20C, and Jo (and I'm pretty sure Jezli) replying, "Oh, it's not that bad, I took it 5 billion years ago." This might be a slight exaggeration, but I knew right then that she was a genius.

2) Taco Tuesday!! If I had to choose one thing that kept me looking forward to each week, it would have to be Taco Tuesday. This might be a bit an exaggeration, but not by much. At first, it was just Jo and me, since everyone else had class. It was always a highlight of my week just eating tacos, watching LOST, and talking about all sorts of things with Jo. I think Taco Tuesday brought us a lot closer, and now it's a whole apartment event! And I'm really glad everyone gets to share in the awesomeness that is Taco Tuesday.

2.5) LOST! Even though Jo may claim to not like watch, she's secretly a huge fan! One of the best LOST conversations I've had was with Jo. We spent almost two whole hours discussing the show, its symbolism, and what it all means.

3) I particularly enjoy our verbal arguments in our valley girl/squeaky mocking accents. They usually start with something like: "I'm Katie, I think I'm so cool 'cuz I'm in everyone's way!" -Jo

Followed by, "You know what, Jo? You are just like all in my business when I'm like trying to make some like food, and you're just like being annoying and like distracting" -Katie, while emphatically waving arms around. These conversations go on for a bit, and usually end with me cracking up and being unable to keep up argument.

4) Her car. Jo is an extremely professional chauffeur and I highly recommend her if you need to go to the train station or grocery shopping :) Thanks, Jo!

5) She's my surfing buddy!

6) One of the more memorable Jo moments has to be one weekend when we both opened our doors and walked out into the hallway at the exact same time. I am not even exaggerating in the least. We just kind of stood there for a second, and then started laughing. Jo asked if I was just getting up, and I said I was. It was a bit creepy, but then again, great minds think a like.

7) Those dang headphones! One time her door was slightly opened and I knocked, but she didn't hear, so I called out her name, still nothing. So I open the door, and again call her name. She doesn't even flinch and is intently studying o-chem. I walk into her room a little, hoping she might see me out of her periphery, but nothing. So I get up right next to her, and she still doesn't hear me. It's not until I wave my hand in front of book, that I get her attention. I felt bad because I had scared her, but those headphones are super duty noise blockers! Sheesh!

8) Our Mentalist breaks. Simon Baker and The Mentalist, can't go wrong with that.

9) Speaking of Simon Baker, I think Jo has a great taste in hotties like Baker and Depp.

10) Being our own judges an array of things, such as, Dancing with the Stars, and especially commercials. We find particularly annoying the Olive Garden commercials, and the very frightening ventriloquist commercial.

11) I'm pretty sure Jo is a pirate, or a ninja, or maybe a pirate-ninja. She enjoys beating the crap out of people in dodgeball and was thrilled when she received a gun (of the nerf variety) and wanted to immediately start shooting things. Ye be warned, she may be tiny, but you do not want to get on her bad side.

12) I'm not quite sure how to describe this one, but hopefully Jo knows what I'm talking about. We have this look we give to each other when someone is being particularly annoying. Be it Chelsey, Jezli, or again, one of those stupid commercials. We look at each other with a very annoyed/disappointed look, while our chins go down and we tilt our heads to the side.

13) Our discussions about religion and politics. Those are always really interesting, and I think it's a good way to get to know someone and broaden your viewpoints.

14) The Old Spice commercial, and how Jo and the rest of the apartment liked it so much that they would repeatedly quote it. Good times!

15) Her passion. Be it the Lakers, Trojans, friends, family, volunteering, it is easy to see how much Jo cares for these things and many more. Her caring and helpfulness, knowing her heavy workload, make me appreciate her even more.

16) Our morning walks to class.

17) Her and Chelsey beat-boxing and rapping the beginning lines of the 50 cent song "In Da Club." They were doing okay until the end, when they got really off beat. Good thing I have evidence. Well, shawty, it is your birthday, so we're gonna party like it's your birthday!

18) Pazookies!!!!!!! And Jo asking after dinner, "You want a pazookie?" It is quite possibly the best phrase you could ever hear.

19) Our leg kick, arm snap dance. We saw Date Night for Jo's birthday. Since I didn't get to sit next to her, the first thing I said to her after the movie was, "They totally stole our dance move!" Then Jo got excited and said, "I know!! I was totally thinking that!" So who cares about the rest of the movie, they did our dance move!!!! I felt kind of famous ;)

20) When Jezli, Jo, and I spent an hour looking at the "Lesbians who look like Justin Bieber" website. Then, we somehow got onto the "Drag Kings of San Diego" website. Let's just say that hour was horrifying.

21) Suffering through one of the worst USC Trojans football seasons ever! At least we had each other, otherwise I probably would have punched someone!

22) Our epic tag/hide-and-go-seek night after Nathalie's birthday dinner at Round Table. I won't lie, when I saw Nathalie and Jo carrying really big sticks (they were practically baby trees), I got scared and I feared for my life. Then, for primal scream, we used those sticks and did our "boat a lay lei" chant from volleyball.

23) Our tendency to carry on long conversations while I'm in the bathroom sink area, with Jo standing in the hallway. I don't know why this always happens, but it does. The conversation that comes to mind is the conversation about V for Vendetta.

24) She always seems to have a smile on her face, even if she hasn't had the best day. She lights up a room, and makes me laugh even when I don't feel like it. That's what I love about Jo; she could have just been through hell and back, but she'll put on a smile and tell you a joke to make you feel better. That's the kind of selfless, caring person she is.

I admire so much about Jo: her work ethic, spunk, personality, desire, compassion, humor...She's pretty much the whole package. I feel privileged to have her in my life and honored to be considered her friend. I sympathize with those who do not have Joanne W. Ho in their life, because she has made my life so much better. I also feel great joy and excitement for all those who will someday have even the slightest bit of interaction with Jo because she will have a great, positive impact in their life. I know she has in mine.

I love you Jo!! And from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for all that you do for me! As the great lyricist, Kelly Clarkson, once wrote, "My life would suck without you." She must have been talking about you, Jo :)