....and the joys of spending it at home watching a movie.
Alternate title~ Why being a recluse has it's advantages.
My high school class held it's 35th reunion on New Year's Eve...and though we missed it (not in every sense of the word) I had a front row seat to the planning and discussions leading up to the event. Or should I say two very separate/split events.
Even at our advanced age...ahem...and the fact that some of us remain fairly technologically challenged, most of said planning went on thru Facebook. And it wasn't all bad (stay tuned). I've reconnected with old friends and made some new ones. People I was intimidated by as a teenager have turned out to be pretty wonderful....and others who I admired, not so much.
High school was fun....some days. High school was inclusive....rarely. High school was painful....a lot. Worries over grades paled in comparison to worries over clothing and boys and the quest for popularity. It was mostly a tough time with some giggles thrown in to help you survive. My dad once said that high school should be the "best time of your life." I wanted to shoot myself in the head when he made that comment. My only solace was that life after high school would be better (which it has been). This is the best it's going to be?....that's just plain depressing.
Maybe some people had a grand ole time in high school. Surely there were those who weren't slayed by adolescent angst but I was not one of the lucky few. The best thing I can say about High school is that it was mercifully short and eventually insignificant. Revisiting that period in my life just didn't seem like a very good idea. So despite being tickled to have reconnected with a few friends from those years, the thought of spending an entire evening with people I barely knew and frankly many who I'd just as soon forget, did not thrill me....at all.
As it turned out, high school didn't end for some people. The drama and pettiness and stupidity continue. My dad used to say that he didn't like reunions because everyone looked so old and you knew you hadn't changed. The sad thing is, some of these people haven't changed...and not in the, "you look great" sort of way. The reunion ended up being split because of differences over venue and beverages (alcohol) and although I have an opinion as to who was right and who were idiots, I'm thrilled to have missed it all. This was definitely one of those, 'Life is too short' moments.
May your New Year be filled with people that make you laugh, think and rarely annoy you!
ps. Since my HS boyfriend was committee chairman (and still as charming as he was in high school...which is to say, not very) I will add that I am incredibly glad to have made at least one
brilliant decision in my youth.
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9 comments:
Maureen, I like very much what you have written. I was not a huge fan of High School either, for many reasons. Had we gone to the same high school we probably would have traveled in different circles. (I'm friends with someone from your graduating class, by the way).
I'm so thankful that I know you and have connected with you over the past 9 years. Thanks for all you write. I love reading it all!
Hope I didn't offend a friend of yours Jean. I kind of feel like I didn't have a 'circle' but perceptions, especially from such a distance, can be a tricky thing. Mostly I remember feeling like an outsider looking in. I was once told that my coming to a friend's party was such a nice thing for me to do because I was one of the 'popular girls'. I was stunned....cause I sure didn't feel like I was one of them.
ps. and I feel the same way about you!
You summed up high school pretty accurately for me too - all that angst over superficial fluff. I viewed you as one of the nice popular girls - it amazed me that you were so nice to a dork like me who was 2 years behind you. And your old b.f. was nice too, so there. 8-)
No worries, Maureen! I was not offended and I doubt that she would be.
I didn't realize you were a dork Jana....I guess that was my fatal flaw. Or maybe it was the fact that dorks were MY kind of people and I was trying to fit into a group that just wasn't me.
...and I'm sure Rick wasn't ALL bad, what would that say about me? (don't answer that!)
Oh, and Jana....I can't get to your website any more. Do you have any ideas about what's going on?
love this!
My website is supposedly getting redesigned but it seems as if it is getting decimated instead. You can reach my blog by using this: http://cabinart.net/wordpress/ And I sent you an email or two after we ran into each other in Winco - did I get your eddress wrong? I have a knitting pattern for you!
You probably have it correct Jana...our email keeps destroying our messages (gotta love Verizon). Just in case it's, garverzoo1 at verizon dot net.
...and thanks!
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