Re: Tom vs. Brian

In college - no wonder
we were friends.

Tom: (noun) Urban Family's honorary male member.  Or as Bridget says, "80's pop icon who only wrote one hit record then retired because he found that one record was quite enough to get him laid for the whole of the 90's. Total poof, of course."

Brian: (noun) My dearest male friend who has been taking all of my drama, dolphin-noises, and elaborate plans in stride for oh, 12 years or so.  He's a doctor (mmm! but not that kind of doctor), and he's agreed to marry me at 40, should we both be single.  But only after we both go for international vacations to try to find green card spouses.  Mr. Moose, his partner-in-crime, was a sounding board for all of my wild ideas in college, and he once came up 8 floors to check behind my shower-curtain for murderers.

The possibility of marriage puts Brian ahead of Tom, sorry Tom.  But if Brian also was a retired pop icon, it would be no contest.