I met Andrea just about a year ago and am thankful to call her my friend. One of the things that I admire about her is that she loves big. Seriously, I have never met someone who really goes out of her way to tell people how much she cares about them, and then vociferously edifies them to everyone else, and truly means it.

It is fun to watch her expand her wardrobe and embrace "traditional" femininity by experimenting with micro minis and copious amounts of faux fur. You'd think she was inviting extra cuddles or something!

Andrea is very conscientious, passionate, and motivated. She has some really great ideas with regard to the environment and her therapy practice, and I am looking forward to seeing her really do some great things. I appreciate how she consistently challenges and works to improve her Self, her environment, and help those around her. She's wonderful.

You entered my life and are the reason I examine my health and diet relations as a lifestyle choice now. Because of your constant strength, your never dying quest for betterment, you have been an example to me. A very pretty, sparkly, bling-bilng of an example of a human being. I love you, lovely.

I have known Andrea for over a year now and am getting to know her much better this year. We have had some interesting interactions and I have to say she is really growing on me. I feel she is sincere and brutally honest. She has a sweet soul that is much more open now than in the past. She is growing by leaps and bounds, and believe me, that's not easy. I am happy to call her FRIEND.

I was talking to Andrea on the phone today, and she said "Have we really only known each other for three weeks?" I said "I've known you for a long time, I just MET you three weeks ago." That's how I feel about this woman. We instantly clicked! She's beautiful, strong, insightful, she's into staying fit and playing outside, and she's FANTASTIC to talk to when you need an ear. In addition - she inspires me in soooo many ways (like being more creative and self-expressed in my costuming - have you seen the sexy, gorgeous stuff she wears??!!) And I have no doubt that I'll have more to say about this amazing woman as I have the privelege of getting to know her even better!! Love you Andrea!

Driving in the car with Andrea the other day, I hear: "I better watch what I say when we're driving," regarding my habit of writing about her solely in the context of the time we spend driving to Burner parties. "You always put it in your blog."

Does this mean it's in your testimonial too, now?

You are still one fantastic burner girl. And a rockstar too, which I will never tire of reminding you.

Rockstars are always driving somewhere at 4:30 in the morning.

I have been meaning to put a testimonial here about this wonderful woman for some time, but words fail me so far. So this is simply a tribute to the testimonial that will be written...someday. That testimonial will make birds sing, flowers bloom, cause epic planetary alignments that cause galactic harmony. It will make you laugh and cry, it will be one hell of a testimonial I assure you. What I can say now is my life is better due to having VeganSkater as a friend, and I hope my "someday" testimonial will trully show that. Till then this tribute will have to do (if she approves it).

So I was sitting on the roof at Space Island, shooting the proverbial shits with friends, and this leggy blonde in green and purple striped stockings and a pink fishnet shirt is talking to me, and then we find each other in the chill space, and by morning we are at the Denny's by the freeway and the jail. We start going to parties together, and introducing friends to each other, and shopping for costumes. We go to this weird thing called Burning Man. She trades me in for some temporary playmate, but since I'm still part of the carpool, she has to take me home anyway. We grow fond of coffee and artichokes. I put paint on her walls. She buys hummus.

Life in a nutshell. But it's never about the nutshell, isn't it?

Andrea is one of my very dearest, very favorite people in the world. Smart, wickedly funny, and the bearer of one fantastic burner body.

I believe every word that comes out of her mouth.

I have shared countless lifechanging moments over the last 8 months with Andrea. Rainbows, double rainbows, canned artichokes, aural waves, and the smiles you get when someone who you wouldn't expect looks into your eyes and says, often without words, I Understand You.

Men fall over themselves about her, and if they don't, they're blind.

I found my people, darling, and you have too.

Love you, love you, love you and your rad self.

Let's go for coffee soon.