|
21 Oct 03 - 08:26 PM (#1039307) Subject: Class reunion From: Jeep man Yesterday I attended the 50th anniversary of my high school graduating class. There was only 32 of us to start with and remarkably, only 7 have died. This was the first time we had been together in 50 years. We met on the lawn of one of our class members and later walked down the street to the cafe where we hung out long ago. I had reservations about attending this. I suppose I was leery of the unknown. I need not have been. Everyone was basically the same people I knew back then. This was a happy bunch. We had some teachers from then, and our teacher, coach, and principal, who still has the respect and love that only time can create. Class reunions may be thought of as "Corny", but, try one somethime, you might be suprised. Jim |
|
21 Oct 03 - 10:03 PM (#1039344) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: GUEST,Ely Haven't been to any yet (graduated less than 10 years ago), but my mother went to one last year (35th, I think) and had a wonderful time. She had a lot of reservations about going and, of course, not all of what she learned about her classmates was good news, but she was very glad to see them all. |
|
21 Oct 03 - 10:59 PM (#1039373) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: Jeep man Thanks, Ely. Jim |
|
21 Oct 03 - 11:04 PM (#1039374) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: Amergin my ten year was last summer. I didn't go. I hated high school when i was there...why would I want to relive it? |
|
21 Oct 03 - 11:08 PM (#1039378) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: NicoleC Yes. Everyone WILL be basically the same. Which is why I have gone to great lengths to avoid leaving any trail by which anyone I went to high school with might find me... But glad yours was good :) I suspect those who have good memories of high school might enjoy their reunions, but for those of us that were the proverbial square pegs, I suspect any reunion would be just as miserable. |
|
21 Oct 03 - 11:26 PM (#1039384) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: Mark Cohen I went to my seventh (oddball class!) and found that the people I wanted to see weren't there, and the people who were there were mostly ones I didn't know or had been trying to forget. The reunion I wanted to go to last year, but couldn't make the 5,000 mile trip, was my medical school class's 25th, in Hershey, PA. (Holy decrepitude, Batman, are we that old?) Aloha, Mark |
|
21 Oct 03 - 11:41 PM (#1039389) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: mack/misophist I have to agree with Dr Cohen. Thanks to classmates.com, I was able to see the list of those who had agreed to come to my 35th reunion. The only one there I would have been willing to talk to was some one I owed an apology to. I passed. Also, a disconcerting proportion of them made a point of how conservative they were. Not the place for a lefty. |
|
22 Oct 03 - 12:23 AM (#1039402) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: Amos The assholes I knew in high school, I wouldn't go out of my way to see. The bores and dullwits with niceness-overlays likewise. The truth is, there's one guy from that whole era I consider worth tracking, who was my best friend in HS and who stopped by for a weekend last month to my profound satisfaction. I t was like old times -- as though we hadn't missed a beat! Kinda doubt he'd go to reunion either! A |
|
22 Oct 03 - 04:56 AM (#1039496) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: Arnie A few years ago, I got an invite to my class renunion to celebrate 20 yrs of escape from the old school. As I've moved to the other end of the country, I wasn't too sure of going but went in the end and had a pretty good day. The school was built as an orphanage in the 1870's and hadn't changed much since. Tuck shop in the basement, fives courts etc...(anyone ever played fives?) I took my three teenaged kids who thought that my schooldays must have had a lot in common with a Dickens novel -Hard Times!. I still had dark hair at that time and was amused to see so many grey and bald/balding ex-classmates - unfortunately I've now joined their ranks! Anyway, a few of us got on so well that we arranged to meet at Llandudno later in the year and had a great weekend in a seaside hotel. We met again the following year but somehow the event was just not the same and I've never bothered again. My best mate at school is still a good friend and he's the only one I bother to e-mail or meet on the odd occasion. |
|
22 Oct 03 - 08:38 AM (#1039593) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: Rapparee Not having time to go, I skipped my 40th reunion this past summer. I did ask for the picture, though -- and when it came I thought "Who are all of those old folks?" I've looked at it several times and don't think I can recognize anyone. (Of oourse, *I* still look as young, handsome and viral [sic] as always.) But I've noticed something: as time goes by and the need to make an impression to satisfy one's ego fades, reunions get more and more interesting and fun to attend. Now mind you, at least one of my classmates was sentenced this past summer for defrauding the government! I'm looking forward to my wife's college reunion in Philly this coming spring. At the last one, when the "new" VW bug was newly out, one of her classmates and her husband arrived in one plastered with peace symbols, flowers and so on. The following conversation took place" "Nice car!" "Yes, I always wanted a VW like that, with the flowers and things. Messes with their minds at work." "Really? What do you do?" "I work for NASDAQ." "Cool! What do you do there?" "Well, ah,..." "Come on, you can tell me." "Well, I'm the President." And a good time (and lots of good drinks) was had by all. |
|
22 Oct 03 - 08:45 AM (#1039598) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: Amos New insights into the current recovery of the NASDAQ...ever since he fulfilled that vision of the Peacemobile in the parking lot, the index has been jumpin'! :>)) A |
|
22 Oct 03 - 09:07 AM (#1039611) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: Allan C. Most of my thoughts about this are in the post and song I wrote here. The song depicts an idea I had about why people go to these things. I decided that while it always has a bit to do with seeing old friends, there is also the unspoken wish to know that you are still remembered. |
|
22 Oct 03 - 09:20 AM (#1039616) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: Sandra in Sydney Some years back (about about 14 years ago) I received a call from a bloke asking if I was the sandra who left (anon) High School in 1969. Yes I said & he introduced himself (I didn't remember him) saying he was trying to set up a 20th anniversary reunion. Like other Mudcatters I was a square peg etc - I had very few friends at school, only 1 in my year & had lost contact with everyone & wasn't interested in re-gaining contact. He said he was having trouble contacting the women as many had changed their names, unlike me & did I know any. I asked him him he contacted me (I now live in the eastern suburbs, miles away) & he laughed & said Tax File Numbers (oops, I thought to myself). He said he would ring back with more info, but I never heard from him again. I think the moral of the story is that someone he called objected to the fact that he had abused his position in the Tax Office & looked up records to locate current addresses. I like to think he ended up in jail. sandra |
|
22 Oct 03 - 10:41 AM (#1039684) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: GUEST,Kim C no cookie I went to my 10th. My 20th will be coming up in 2005. I didn't care for school much, either. Not so much because of the people there, but because I never have cottoned to being forced to learn things that were of no interest to me. It's a wonder I graduated with honors, and even made it through college. Plus I spent a good bit of my teenage years in depression, so in all, not too many good memories. But I went to the reunion. I had a great time. I even made nice with people I hadn't really been friends with. I'm looking forward to the next one. |
|
22 Oct 03 - 10:59 AM (#1039689) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: GUEST,ClaireBear This thread has made me recall, with equal parts amusement and bemusement, a conversation I once had with a then-dear friend: "So, Claire, I'm going to my tenth reunion . . . what should I go as?" "Go as?" "Whaddaya think . . . successful record producer or famous actor?" "Ummm . . ." (At that time, said friend was a folksinger with one self-produced LP and worked as a carpenter for a local theater company.) I found this conversation enlightening on two fronts: It gave me an entirely different attitude about reunions . . . and it gave me new insights on the probable veracity of any information thenceforth stated as truth by said friend. Our relationship was never quite the same after that . . . but on the other hand I was quite fearless about my 20th high-school reunion when it came around. I chose to go as myself, in the end, but it was nice to know I didn't necessarily *have* to . . . |
|
22 Oct 03 - 12:36 PM (#1039744) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: Mooh There was a good thread about this 3 years ago started by Rick Fielding and I just reread it. My feelings haven't changed except that now I KNOW I don't really care. The second of the two high schools I attended had a mass reunion a couple of years ago (since Rick's thread) which I didn't attend and those I know who did basically said it was a yawn...though the jocks appear to have enjoyed themselves. I'm curious about one or two old friends but I don't need a reunion to find them...Classmates.com does it pretty well. The reunion I'd really like to have is with ALL my old band mates, even the ones I didn't care much for at the time. Now THAT would be a party. Peace, Mooh. |
|
23 Oct 03 - 09:44 AM (#1040350) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: Rapparee At a certain point, folks begin to realize that there's no point in competing any longer. That the touchdown at the homecoming game really didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. That they have achieved whatever they are going to. That other folks are interesting in their own right and have their own stories to tell which might be better. When that happens, reunions get to be interesting and even fun. I don't visit classmates.com. If I want to get in touch with folks, I'll find them and contact them. |
|
23 Oct 03 - 09:55 AM (#1040358) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: MarkS Just came back from my 40th last weekend. Elementary school friendships were still strong, and the girls who would not give you the time of day in high school now interact with you just like normal people! Funny how the calender tends to level everything and everybody off! Anybody who has a chance to go to a reunion should. Even if you are reluctant, I think you will be plesently suprised. Mark PS. One girl who would not give me the time of day back then still won't. Oh Well |
|
23 Oct 03 - 11:18 AM (#1040428) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: GUEST,Kim C no cookie Mark, maybe she ain't got a watch. ;-) |
|
23 Oct 03 - 01:19 PM (#1040499) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: LilyFestre Hmmm.....class reunions. There really is only one person from high school that I would want to spend any time at all with but he has passed on...guess I'll have to wait a bit to see him! As for college reunions...well...that could be fun! I've kept in touch with most of my college friends.....married the best one of them (*G*) and another lives just over the mountain...and she called yesterday afternoon to ask me how I'd like to be an aunt!?!?!?!? She's going to have a BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAPPY DANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh hey...I'm off track here. I like to think that I keep in touch with the folks that mean the most to me...not waiting for once a decade to roll around to get together. Life is just too short! Michelle |
|
23 Oct 03 - 07:04 PM (#1040680) Subject: RE: Class reunion From: Rapparee Actually, the next reunion I'll go to is the one for my high school band. I'd MUCH rather hang with musicians than jocks. |