Meet My Groomsman pt. 4 Ryan Barber

Well it's Thursday here in Israel so that means I am soon starting my weekend. I know we have a day trip planned for tomorrow although I can't recall the name of the place we are going. Should be fun though. I've enjoyed writing these meet my groomsman posts, and I hope you enjoy reading them. This installment features none other than Ryan Patrick Barber. When I asked Ryan to be a member of the wedding party I went through his wife Lauren. Whenever I need to relay information to Ryan I just let Lauren know. Ryan is notorious for never checking his voice mail. So I sent Lauren a message and asked her to have Ryan call me. Eventually he did.

I really look young in this picture

When did you meet?

Ryan and I met when he started school at Murphy Ranch in fifth grade. Ryan says I was his first friend at Murphy Ranch. I think it was fifth grade but it could have been sixth grade that Ryan had one of those Wiz Backpacks which for some reason have not made a lasting impression on the internet. Either way I wanted that back pack. We were both in Mrs. Burns class with Diane Burke. Also Ryan lived across the street from KP who you might remember from my last post as the nicest guy in the world whose truck JJ and I vandalized.


Nickname
In high school we universally referred to him as Barber. I still call him Barber put most people call him Ryan. Occasionally he will refer to himself as Rybar.


Where does he live? 
Ryan lives with his wife and high school sweetheart Lauren in Northern Virginia. He works for the government and when he first moved there we lived two blocks from each other which was fun.

Who does he root for?
Ryan like me is a big Angels fan, he was a Jazz fan in High School and like me switched his allegiances to the Lakers.


What does he like?
Baseball, complaining about his job, seersucker suits, road trips, Offspring (the band and his own), chemistry, and of course Iron Man.

Which Star Wars Character is he most like?
Anakin Skywalker before he turned to the dark side.

Things you should know about Ryan

• In fifth grade Ryan and I dressed up for twin day. We more or less have the same hair color and we were the same height, and wore identical clothes. We did not place. I think we were robbed.
• In sixth grade Ryan had a sleep over and squirt gun party for his birthday. We toilet papered Nicole Ledbetter's house at 9:00 PM and explained to Nimish and Amish where babies come from.
• I went to my first ever concert with Ryan. We saw Everclear, Marcy's Playground, and Fastball in Hollywood.
• When Ryan ran for ASB Vice President he gave this really funny speech where he made elaborate preparation before the speech, wore a suit, had a briefcase and a bottle of water, and simply stated...Vote 4 Barber. The he said Vote para Barber, and then he did it in sign language. He didn't win but whenever I watch that speech I crack up. Our speeches still hold up (ask Shannon I made her watch the tape, yes tape because Jordan promised me that he burned a DVD but I never saw it and I certainly don't have it).
• Ryan's grandparents got him a Mercury Tracer when he turned sixteen. We went everywhere in that car. He also seemed to get in accidents or get tickets all the time.
• There was a time while we were in eighth grade when we were not friends. I can't really remember why except that I totally expected to be invited to his birthday party and wasn't invited. We made up and haven't had a falling out since.
• In 12th grade Ryan, Thomas and David were collectively known as the Dawg Pound, who had a feud with Jordan and Darren's group WAM. (This was the time when wrestling was huge and so were factions so it made sense). For Ryan's senior project The Dawg Pound plus myself ( I was sort of an honorary member) made this television show that was played on public access in Eagle Rock, CA. I have a feeling it was terrible but we had a very good time making it. I know it involved Ryan's head being dunked in a basketball hoop thanks to the miracle of green screen, David wearing a mustache made of construction paper and me giving a sports report.
• in 11th grade, Ryan and I discovered that you could pick the winners in a Gatorade under the cap contest by looking through the bottles of some clear flavors. We went to the grocery store and cleaned them out. 
• At first Ryan's now wife Lauren would not give him the time of day, She did however agree to be his Spanish tutor. Eventually they started dating and have been together ever since. When we went to prom in the same group together, (JJ was there too) Ryan insisted that he wear a green cummerbund. When we went to dinner at the fancy place in Newport, the waiters were dressed exactly like Ryan complete with green cummerbunds.
• Ryan, Josh, B-Rock and I were playing pool one night. As we where saying our good byes Ryan punched me in the junk. That was five years ago. I promised him ultimate revenge and I have not forgotten.
• The summer before 12th grade Ryan, Thomas, and David stayed the night at my house. We slept (really we talked all night) on the trampoline, and laughed and laughed while we listened to the South Park CD. We went to Raging Waters the next day and it seemed like we were the oldest ones there.
• When we played fantasy football this year he drafted three defenses. 
• One time I turned off the power at his house. I thought this was very funny, until his parents called my parents and I had to write an apology letter and was grounded for the whole summer. I did not get to hang out with my friends at all. I spent a lot of the summer babysitting David Dickinson ( you'll meet him soon).
• For Ryan's birthday in ninth grade we went to play paintball. It was really fun. The thing I remember most was before we got started we were just sitting around waiting. Javier shot Josh in the head. Just thinking of this makes me laugh.
• I was one of Ryan's groomsmen when he married Lauren. It was the first wedding since my sister's that I was in. I was totally honored.

There are few people on Earth that I look forward to seeing and spending time with more than Ryan Barber. He's been my friend for more than 20 years, and always will be even if we end up being depression era farmers.