Always Something There to Remind Me

Shelley Weysham Fulk sent me this great picture of her and Michael Compton at his prom in 1984. She also sent me recent pictures of her beautiful children and her husband, Tom. However, you will have to wait to receive your memory book to see those.

You know that we’ve been calling it a “memory book,” but what it really contains are updates and current photographs, not just memories. Maybe the logic behind the name is, “This will jog your memory of each classmate,” or something. (Am I stretching?) I’ve been receiving comprehensive stories that include timelines and children’s names and accomplishments and shout-outs. (Yo.) But I’m getting stingy about what I share on the blog because I want the memory book to be a good read.

I will be mailing the books directly to both reunion attendees and those who cannot attend but who purchased the book separately. This choice is giving me more time to include the late questionnaires and biographies I’m still receiving. In case you haven’t sent me anything for your entry but you still have the desire, you now have two more days, until Friday, June 2.

Isn’t this book-publishing process a great reflection of life in general? The story-keeper giveth (extended deadline!), and the story-keeper taketh away (fewer current photos on blog, at least for a few weeks).

I’m on a Bus on a Psychedelic Trip

I am not sure why I have so few memories of Grad Night myself. We obviously had a good time, even on the bus: riding from the hotel to the Magic Kingdom, riding to and from Florida. Lane sent extensive photo documentation, albeit without accompanying commentary, so we can only guess what Susan was singing at that moment in time.

Oh, I was almost going to forget to identify last week’s muscular biker, Michael Petty. Did you guess?

He’s Got Legs; He Knows How to Use Them

The family I featured earlier today belongs to Kelda Laing Poynot and Scott Poynot. I know I didn’t give you much time to guess, but I was anxious to give you another mystery.

I’m not even going to give you clues about this athletic guy because it might make the test too easy. Well, one tiny clue: we’ll see him in June. He’s flying home to reunite with everyone, singing all the way!

This Is My Four Leaf Clover

I used to test you* more often about the contents of our photos here. Today I give you another member of the 4+ Club and many clues. First of all, these charmers are Ethan, 10; Joshua, 8; Matthew, 6; and Mia, 3.

Their parents are both from the class of 86, and they attended the same college. The family stays busy with church, Scouts, and sports. In case you love golf, you should consider buddying up to Dad because of his own expertise and contacts. Because I love knitting (back before I loved blogging and reuniting, which suck up time like an expensive vacuum), I’m going to hit up Mom for some fiber tips when I see her in June.

Yep, your last clue is that we’ll see them at the reunion. Who is the couple?

Happy Memorial Day weekend to you all! May you enjoy your time with your families while we remember those we have lost and those who have served.

*Certain committee members who exchange Christmas cards with this family are exempt from this examination.

Throw Your Arms Around the World at Christmastime

I’m thinking Santa looks shocked. Or worried. “How am I going to explain this photo to my wife if it gets around?”

Wait: maybe he’s just dazzled by that shirt Karen is wearing! It resembles an optical test I’ve seen in my work on an ophthalmology journal.

You Know the Rules and So Do I

The reunion committee had a meeting last weekend and dutifully submitted photographic evidence. Laura, Lynette, Maria, Michelle, and Colleen discussed decorations and I’m sure all manners of things I haven’t yet heard. My favorite report is that they felt twitchy excitement about beautifying the reunion party; I hear that Lynette showed the enthusiasm we all remember and naturally still expect from a tiny cheerleader.

I’m not trying to jump the gun by discussing future reunions already, but I have nuggets of planning wisdom that I feel I should not keep to myself.

Begin your committee with anyone who says “let me know how I can help” and anyone whose name is mentioned by those people.

Include as many educators (teachers, foster parents, home-schooler, pastor) as you can.

Include as many PTA/PTO presidents as you can (BONUS if one also once worked as a people finder for a creditor).

You won’t even have to ask for talented people from the hospitality industry because they will step up at first notice and offer their wisdom for free.

Invite even guys to participate. Just make sure one of them is Jim Hennessey!

Recruit someone who has pulled bridesmaid duties in two weddings in a few months’ time. Nothing will sound absurd to her.

Choose the loudest woman with the greatest tendency toward tyranny to write the blog. Well, that won’t be necessary: she will nominate herself.

Are You Hanging on the Edge of Your Seat?

Yessirree, they will both be there! Susan has been reunion-ready for many months because she is on the planning committee. Stacey gave us a scare for a while because she was originally planning travel for that weekend. I believe she saw the light after Karen threatened her. Now we get to celebrate Stacey's birthday with her, too, because that happens two days after the reunion party.

Do you have a birthday around June 10? Don't you feel that much older with two milestone events occurring together? (Hey, someone had to say it; I bet you were thinking it too.)

There's Nothing Wrong with My State of Mental Health, by Sharon

After graduating from Slidell High, I attended LSU. I loved my time at LSU and decided to devote the next seven years of my life there. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1990, and since you really can’t do anything with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, I started graduate school that fall. In 1993, I graduated with a master’s degree in counseling. I worked for a couple of years in mental health jobs and decided that the most stable position would be in the educational environment which I was so accustomed to. I became employed as a counselor in the junior division at LSU in 1995. It was interesting to go from being a student to being an employee at the same institution. I enjoyed helping students register for classes and decide what they want to do in life. While working at LSU, I met my future husband, Web D. He was working on his doctorate in speech communication. I knew that academia would continue to play an important part in my life.

Web and I married in 1998 and moved to Clinton, Mississippi, after he accepted a teaching position at a local private college. I eventually found a counseling position at a community college where I currently work. I work with a lot of high school students as well as adult students. I have found that students today are still just as confused as they were twenty years ago and need lots of guidance. It is rewarding to see students find their “niche” and get excited about their majors and future career plans.

Web and I are blessed to have two children, Lauren, who is four years old, and Jon David, who will be two in September. Parenthood is definitely the most challenging thing I’ve done so far, but also the most rewarding.

As I reflect back on my high school years, I feel lucky to have had the strong academic background that Slidell High provided. I am thankful for good teachers and classes that stimulated my interests (like Mrs. Goldberg’s psychology class). I am also thankful for the experiences that made high school so much fun—Swingerettes, senior play, school clubs, dances, and good friendships, to name a few.

Some Things Sure Can Sweep Me Off My Feet

Oh, yeah: they’ll be there. I don’t know if the reunion photographer will be able to recreate this glamour shot of Lynnwood, Joe, and Matt, but all three men will be at the party for you to admire and harass. No, they can’t help being irresistible, but that doesn’t mean we should hold back.

High School Sweethearts, Love Was So Brand New, by Lorine

After we graduated from SHS, I went off to Florida State to major in English and Ray started at the University of New Orleans. He then decided that he wanted to transfer to FSU and joined the Air Force Reserve to get some start-up money to go. He was a jet engine mechanic before coming over to FSU our sophomore year.

Ray majored in accounting, and we both went to graduate school right after getting our bachelor’s. He went for a master’s in accounting and I went for a MS in higher education administration. I had spent a lot of time working in residence halls and in student affairs, so higher ed interested me.

We got married June 29, 1991, and our first home was in a dorm at FSU that Ray was running to finish putting himself through school. In January 1992, we moved to New York City and packed all our belongings, including two mewing kittens, in a Mazda RX-7. Ray trained there for six months with Salomon Brothers while they were building a new building in Tampa, Florida. We were living the good life—corporate apartment, stipend, etc.—and took advantage of seeing all the sights.

In June 1992, we moved to Tampa, and then in 1996, Ray’s boss got transferred to run Salomon’s London office and we signed on for the adventure. We sold our house, sold our car, put a lot of stuff in storage, and put three cats through rabies quarantine for six months. While there, I worked for an American university’s study abroad program. We saw a lot when we were there, and I tried to soak it all in as much as possible. Then despite the fact that we no longer lived in a comfortable house, but in a tiny flat, we suddenly wanted a baby and baby Grace was born February 4, 1998, in London.

Then I got homesick! It’s weird; despite the fact that the British speak English, there is a real cultural difference. You miss the weirdest things like sweet iced tea and Oreos. I would have anyone who was coming over to visit bring us goodies from the States. But I think the real thing that did me in was being so far away from family with a new baby.

So we moved back. We couldn’t move back to Florida, though, because Salomon had closed that office, so we had to go back to New York City. It wasn’t as charming the second time around, so we only lasted a year and then we were willing to move anywhere! Ray got a job with Bank of America in Charlotte, NC, and we have now been here seven years. Ray has had a variety of jobs there but now runs Corporate Treasury Operations. Don’t ask me what it is!

Soon after moving to Charlotte, we had our second daughter, Sophie, and settled into family life. Charlotte is such a great place to raise kids. The girls are now in second grade and kindergarten and both do dance. This is Grace’s first year on a competitive team. Grace has also done well with writing and recently won several writing awards on the local, state, and national levels for a story she wrote about how we found cat #4. Oh yes, we also have a one-year-old golden retriever. We practically have our own zoo.

I am involved with volunteering at the kids’ school and spend four afternoons a week at the dance studio with them. I have no real plans on returning to “paid” work because I know the girls won’t be small for long. I still can’t believe we have an eight-year-old and a six-year-old.

We’re looking forward to the reunion and seeing Slidell. The last time we were there was about eight years ago, so I know it’s changed.

It's Not the Future That I Can See

Yep, he’ll be there. And I have to warn you: I’ve seen a recent picture of Charles, and he is even more handsome now than he was 20 years ago. Did you know that was possible?

This is my last chance to ask you to sign up for the reunion. The deadline is Saturday, and I’m going to be away from my computer for a few days. Check your invitation materials; check past emails from us; make sure you email Teri or Melissa in the next two days if you even suspect you might come to the Gallery party. I don’t want to be accused of recycling past blog text, but there will be no tickets sold at the door.

So there won’t be a post on Friday, but I didn’t bother to date this one in the future since you’ve become such savvy blog users (maybe too savvy for your own good).

I Travel the World and the Seven Seas, by Joan

Well, here I go strolling into IHOP to get breakfast really early one morning, and I see a girl I think I know, but I’m terrible at names, so I am trying to be inconspicuous so she doesn’t see me. Mind you, it’s like 7 am; I have on my miracle bra (a shirt, too), a fur-lined coat (fake fur, fake fur!), and these big ol’ leopard-striped glasses, and I am ordering to go—that kind of inconspicuous. (I had just read Fabulous-ity by Kimora Lee Simmons, and I let the part about leaving the house looking glamorous just go to my head.) But anyway, hiding doesn’t work, and the girl turns around and it’s Laura from high school! Now I don’t think any of us look grown up; when I say girl, I mean it looked like some girl. Grown-ups are our parents. Anyway, we exchange info, I give myself a mental reminder to not go out of the house in the crazy fur coat ever again, and here I am, re-thinking high school. And blogging ...only due to Kris’s help and information: thanks, Kris! You rock.

The first thing I did was go home and watch Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion. Have you seen that? You should watch it. We are all in it, one way or another. (I am not Janeane Garafolo’s character!) So at least I know I am not the only one in the world who feels weird about reunions. And I was soooo quiet in high school. See, I started school (kindergarten) early as a kid and went from second grade to fourth grade, and then they put me in gifted classes on top of that. So I was younger than y’all, and to me, you all seemed so sophisticated. You could drive. You could drink (not together!). So I felt, and was, weird. Smart, but weird. Then, in 9th grade, I had chorus really early in the morning, and we sat on those green risers; remember? The boy next to me puked his guts up because he drank red wine before school. For Breakfast. And I was shocked because it was a Tuesday or something. I didn’t even know you could drink during the week. Yes, I was weird and geeky. And thus began my high school career.

I have good high school memories, though. I remember that April Lane was tooooo funny. That Lynnwood B. had really cool lace-up suede boots. That Stephanie C. was so nice. That Ms. Smith was really hard in English, but a great teacher. That at one point the seniors (us) had to root for the freshman to win the volleyball mark competition so the juniors wouldn’t kick our a$$ and win the entire competition for the year. (Ewwww, we rooted for the freshman? I hope I didn’t dream that up.) I went to every spring break (all four years! top that), and I skipped 70 days my junior year and still graduated on time. (Yeah, I know, I know: bad Joan!) I also remember my little sister Candice got mad at me and made a poster by putting my head on a bikini model’s body, making photocopies, and then pasting them all over school with a lovely “for a good time, call...” message. That still makes me laugh, or I should say, it makes me laugh NOW. (Anybody get one of those flyers? Cause no one called.) Little things are the things I remember.

But I grew up, thank goodness! And I love being an adult. I can set the thermostat wherever I want. I can eat cereal for dinner, and I do not have to get permission to go to Florida. (I’m going today as a matter of fact.) I absolutely love to travel! We try (my sweetheart and I) to travel once a month, and we were better about it before the storm, but Katrina changed everything for everybody. We got water in our home, like everyone else, but we had a rental house that was only minimally damaged, so that was good. We’ve been working on both homes long distance while we spend some time in Rome, Italy, with my family (my dad died in 97: he was from Naples) and also time in Atlanta, Georgia (thinking of moving there). I got a M.Ed. in counseling in 1997, I have taught high school and college, and right now I am just taking time off until the houses are done. The things you learn as you go along sure make the wrinkles you get worthwhile.

Oh, and my sweetheart: well, he is just that. Wonderful and Charming. His name is Brent, and he went to Salmen (boooooo), class of 98. Yes, do the math. The obvious age difference means a few things. First off, stamina (his, not mine). Second, I know what a “level 60 shaman with epic gear” is. Third, he keeps me so young. And since it’s cool now to date a younger man, I am no longer as weird. (No kiddos yet, but I do have 2 cats and 2 sugar gliders.)

So that is my life. I’m glad this blog was started; it’s so nice to see everyone’s photos and to read about how everyone is doing. I hope you all are well; that if you have family fighting for us overseas that they come home soon, safe and sound; that your children know how lucky they are to have such cool parents; and that the coming year sees you blessed. I wish I had talked to you all more in school. Everyone I see from SHS seems so nice. Thanks to everyone who is on the reunion committee and to everyone who is posting on this site!

Peace and love,
Joan

And I Grew Strong

At first I was afraid, I was petrified
Kept thinkin’ I could never live without you by my side
But then I spent so many nights thinkin’ how you did me wrong
And I grew strong and I learned how to get along

And so you’re back from outer space
I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face
I should have changed that stupid lock, I should have made you leave your key
If I’d have known for just one second you’d back to bother me

Go on now, go walk out the door
Just turn around now ’cause you’re not welcome anymore
Weren’t you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye?
Did you think I’d crumble, did you think I’d lay down and die?

Oh, no, not I: I will survive

[Editor’s note: There was a time when I thought it such a clever idea to name every post with a line or title from an 80s song. But spending the 115th day with a song like “When Doves Cry” or this Gloria Gaynor classic going through my head has made me vengeful. I challenge you to read this post and not hear this song echoing in your head all day.]

I'll See You When Your Clothes Are On

Did you know that Maria is Greek? It’s true! In the two weeks before her son’s baptism, she told me she was working on the boubounieres that would be favors for their guests. Well, I’m just a small-town girl who’s still building her worldly knowledge, so I looked up the word online. Boubounieres are small packets that traditionally contain at least 5 Jordan almonds, each representing health, wealth, happiness, prosperity, and long life. Maria designed her own boubounieres (although you can buy them online) and recruited her family and friends for the assembly line.

I couldn’t resist including two extra photographs of John Clay because I think they tell a story. First he is so happy to be getting naked! Then he is so sad when he realizes what getting naked can mean. I see the lesson in there for me and for you.

She Took Me In and Gave Me Breakfast

The very best thing happened on Friday: I had a message on my answering machine from Spreaf! I know I’ve posted her photo here before, but my excitement is too great to hold back now. The glam picture of Laura and Michelle is from Grad Night before we left the hotel and the humidity ravaged our curls. The camping picture: well, I have no idea where we were, but I think she was helping make pancakes for the Saga staff, a far worthier contribution than taking pictures of people making pancakes for the Saga staff.

Don't Do Me Like That

It looks as if the SHS web site no longer provides a link to this blog. That’s a shame, particularly in the last few weeks before the reunion when we still want people to find us and sign up for the party. That site has undergone at least two redesigns just in the time that I’ve been writing this blog. I understand that my blog isn’t under the official control of the school or parish school board, but it’s been more regularly updated and more informative than theirs.

Pardon the rant, but I don’t worry about my permanent record any more.

Abra-Abra-Cadabra

I know we all want to look our gender-role best for the reunion, but wouldn’t it be more interesting if someone showed up in drag? Georgina sent me this picture and said that it might be Robert Nichols. I want to thank his wife, Tonya, for helping us get the word to our teachers about the reunion weekend events.

My Mind Says Prepare 2 Fight

This is the only time I can remember two guys fighting over me, and I am positive it happened only because a camera was present. (Sigh.)

Will someone call Robert and Tim and tell them to come to the reunion? I think they’re each planning to stand us up, and that is unacceptable.

Oh, It's Too Hot, Too Hot, Lady

The weather in Chicago right now is krap. We’ve been enjoying some sunny spring days, but now a windy rain explosion has “parked” itself right over our city, where it is forecasted to stay for four more days.

That is why I need picnic pictures again: sunny, happy picnic days from our youth! I can almost feel the sun on my skin (that is, if I weren’t still so damp from dragging a prissy dog to her annual checkup at the clinic four blocks away). These photos feature people you will see at the reunion on June 10. Laura will be there, but Jennifer has sent her regrets. Tess will be there; I’m not sure about Kendra. Zeke will be there but claimed he’s having difficulty deciding how many dates to bring.

Put Away Those Young Boy Ways, by Chris

Well, Kris, today things are slow here in the Rio Grande Valley on a Friday, so I thought I would sit down and catch you up on my rollercoaster life. So here goes.

After I walked through the gates of Slidell High, I knew I was leaving behind some of the best days of my life. I knew at this time, though, that I was going to Ole Miss to play baseball—a dream realized—but I had no idea what was in store for me there. Upon arriving at Ole Miss, I pledged Phi Delta Theta and became a frat boy/college athlete to make sure I got to all the good parties. My first year, I was so scared I would flunk out, so the grades were good, but they slowly declined each year after that. I got a great education at a school in the Southeastern Conference while making some great friends at all the schools I played against, that is, when I played. You see, this is the second most important thing I learned at college: it’s not always how good you are but how much money your daddy has and the workout facility they buy for the baseball team… yes, politics. So I went on the cruise control plan and almost flunked out of college.

I did learn that I had a second talent that a lot of people liked, one that I had found my senior year: singing country music. This got me a lot of attention in college. My senior year came, and I became a commodity again on the field and also with the pro scouts. After all the BS I went through, I was pretty much burned out on baseball and ready to graduate and get on with my life. I learned that baseball was not everything. I graduated Ole Miss in 1991 with a BPA in public administration/criminal justice with minors in political science and sociology. These minors were there only because I was on the 5-year plan.

After graduating, I came back home to Slidell to work with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff office. While in college, I had worked as a reserve for the sheriff’s office when I came home for vacation and the summers. While working there, I started out as a patrolman, then became a K-9 officer and violent crimes investigator, and finally found the thing I liked to do most, working narcotics. In 1996, I also met my wife, Jolie, who went to Northshore High School. Seems I always dated girls from there; I don’t know why. Ya’ll probably don’t know her because she graduated in 95. (Yeah, I robbed the cradle. )

Anyway, Danny C. and I worked narcotics together for about 3 years before Danny got promoted. While working narcotics, I got invited to participate in the True Value Country Music Showdown as somebody had heard me on stage one night in Slidell. Although I was getting job offers to do tributes to Garth Brooks at the Mississippi Casinos, the showdown was not much to talk about, so I stuck with what I was really good at instead of what I was good at. I stayed in narcotics until 2003, when I got promoted to sergeant of the burglary unit working under Danny as my lieutenant.

During this time, I looked at my pension one day and decided that after 12 years at the department the pension did not look good and it was time for a change. I applied for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at the age of 35. I know: what the hell was I thinking? By the time my application cleared and I got accepted to the academy in Quantico, Virginia, I was 36. Most of the people in the class were much younger; I was the second oldest in the class. But my experience took me a long way.

I did 16 weeks away from my family, which at this time included a 4-year-old daughter, Paige, and a baby boy on the way. My wife was awesome during this time, handling all the things back at home, considering that I found out during the academy we would be moving to McAllen, Texas. Jolie got the house listed and took care of everything. My family and providing a good life for them pushed me through the hardest, most physical 16 weeks I had gone through since I did two-a-days at Slidell High playing football. I should have done this out of college; again, what the hell was I thinking? I was in the best shape of my life, though, running 2 miles in 14 minutes. (Don’t expect to see the results at the reunion; it’s been 2 years.) I ended up graduating number 2 out of 45, so I was pleased about this. Number 1, and I would have been able to stay in New Orleans.

Of course after we moved to McAllen, Katrina hit. I know it was hard on my classmates who still lived there, but after working 12 years alongside people like Danny, who fought alongside of you and watched your back for so many years, it killed me not to be there in Slidell, helping them, while the town that I knew, grew up in, and lived in for 28 years would never be the same again. My boss let me and three other guys from here go as soon as the rain stopped. Almost all my favorite places were gone. Once I was able to locate friends and family, the guilt started to subside, but the pain of losing things that were dear to all of us—classmates, friends, and family—will never go away. McAllen is where I live, but Slidell will always be my home.

Looking at the blog and all the pictures has brought back a lot of memories and regrets. Regrets are that I didn’t take more time with my friends, like Doug, Charles, Lynnwood, Chuck, Danny, Bill, and these guys. I missed out on a lot of good times by not going out with these guys sometimes, putting other stuff in front of my friends. Regrets are that I was so shy in high school and most of the girls I was scared to talk to—which were most girls—thought I was stuck up.

Good things I remember are the senior play; everybody knowing you and you knowing everybody; David B., who got me investing in the stock market; the parties our senior year; Friday night football games; and hanging out with everybody while cruising Gause on Friday and Saturday nights.

I am so looking forward to seeing everybody and their kids. I hate that some people who I would love to see cannot make it. I can’t wait to introduce my wife and kids to everyone. Everybody be good and be careful coming home.

Kyrie Eleison, Down the Road That I Must Travel

Abby is coming to the reunion and bringing her man. I know many people have already met Adam when they got married a couple years ago, but I’m sure she would like my approval too. After all, he’s not just her husband; he’s also her travel partner.

Anyone who spends more than 5 minutes with me gets to hear not only about my own travels but also about my favorite tropical illness. (Oh, I’ll save it for the reunion party if I haven’t already told you.) Abby got her version of my tales via email, page after page of stories. In fact, I even put them in a separate Word document with headings and send it as an attachment.

I prefer to think that the reason she stopped emailing me after that is more about the busyness of her career and not her fear of another Word document. I don’t know whether she reads the blog, but do you think posting her school pictures might flush her out?

And When She Shines, She Really Shows You All She Can

Will you look at that prize-winning smile? That’s like a magazine-advertisement smile. I hope Georgina Rennie Ledet doesn’t expect royalties from me for using this photograph.

I can’t remember whether I met Georgina first through friends in the courtyard at lunch or through the drama club in our sophomore year. This party was at Mr. Gatti’s after a performance of Cheaper by the Dozen. The guy with the fake mustache is Keith Long from the class of 85. The guy in between was from the class of 87 or 88: it kills me that I’m forgetting his name, but it might be Brandon? I ran out of the house this morning before consulting the ole yearbook, but when I remember to do so, I’ll make an addition to this post.

I have no memory of whose hand is holding the dangling pizza cheese in front of the camera. I bet real photojournalists don’t have this kind of challenge with actors.

Do You Believe a Love Could Run So Strong? by Brandi

I have attached a picture of my family. The one picture is of my oldest son, Stephen; me; my stepson, Will Jr.; and my husband, Will Sr., and the separate picture is of my 12-year-old son, Derek. I couldn’t find a good picture of all of us together, so I sent a picture from my stepson’s graduation; my youngest son didn’t get to come because he was in school and the graduation was out of town. Anyway, now for a little bit about my life.

Even though I was only in Slidell for the last 2 1/2 years of high school, I made some memories and some great friends (Mary, Kennitha, and Lynn, to name a few). After graduation, I moved back to Texas, where I met my husband of 17 years, Will. Together we have 3 great sons: my 21-year-old son, Stephen; his 19-year-old son, Will Jr.; and our 12-year-old son, Derek. So we have a “his, mine, and ours” family and we couldn’t be closer.

Stephen is a junior in college: he’s very athletic, he works a full-time job, and he has his own apartment. (Boy, is it hard when your baby grows up.) Will Jr. was just accepted into the Army and plans to do combat medic after he survives boot camp. Derek is in the sixth grade and very into athletics; he plays football, basketball, and baseball. We are very proud of our children.

Of course, many may do the math and realize that Stephen was born during our junior year, so I missed much of that year doing home school: god forbid a pregnant girl goes to school... LOL. But I have to say that he is one of the best things to happen in my life, and I would be lost without him. Thanks to the support of my great parents and friends, I was able to complete high school and go on to further my studies.

I have been working at a local hospital for the last 10 years as an administrative assistant, and I serve on the city council in our town. My husband is a welder/pipe fitter at a chemical plant in Houston and a volunteer fire fighter. We live in Splendora, Texas, just north of Houston. Our family enjoys spending a lot of time at the lake in the new, fully rigged Stratos bass/ski boat that I won last year in a raffle. It has been great fun for us all!

Anyway, I can’t wait to see everyone at the reunion and am ready to get reacquainted and party with my buds! If anyone would like to contact me, you can email me: I would love to hear from you! My prayers are with all my classmates, friends, and their families who were devastated by Katrina. Just try to remember that what doesn’t break us only makes us stronger.

[Editor’s note: please email me, krisfrom86@yahoo.com, so I can send you Brandi’s address. I want to spare her and everyone from the kind of spam that results from putting your email address on a blog.]

We Both Are Here to Have the Fun, So Let It Whip

It is my great shame that I never helped build a homecoming float for the class of 86. Stephanic LeBlanc did send me some evidence that I got serious about toilet paper flowers for the Keywanette float, but it seems that Michelle Tonkel was even more serious. And Stephanie actually made the greatest sacrifice of all: jumping off the float to rescue a key and running back with hair flying so the parade would not be delayed. (The lovely Keywanettes pictured from the class of 88 were Suzy Stimler, Kathryn Dennis, and Michelle Price.)

So Let It Whip (Let’s Whip It, Baby)

I salute the artists who did design and assemble this beautiful float! And I refuse to identify the boys hanging on the truck because it might indicate that I recognize them by their asses, which is truly not the case. However, they might be Joe Leap, John Laney, and Keith Brown.

Let Me Hear Your Body Talk

Allow me to get serious. [Regard photo of me being serious, perhaps in a lovely location, perhaps with pink-dyed hair, but serious nonetheless.]

You have two weeks to make reservations for the reunion party on June 10. We have to pay the Gallery in advance, and we have to know by May 20 whether you are coming.

That’s two weeks away. By the time you read this, it might be less than two weeks away.

Did I mention that you cannot buy tickets at the door? I’m serious. Please send in your reservation. Please email me at krisfrom86@yahoo.com if you need to know how to make a reservation.

Remember, you don’t have to have received an invitation packet to come to the party. If you email me, I can put you in touch with the treasurers and make your reservation in seconds.

One more serious thing here: don’t think you have to present yourself in some certain way to enjoy this party, to chat with others, to dance a little, to drink a cocktail or a soda with ice and maybe a cherry in it, to eat from the buffet, to reminisce over green memorabilia, to make fun of me for the pink hair experiment of 2005, to send in photographs, to picnic with everyone’s children, and to take new pictures with your friends.

Come as you are, not as you were, not as you think you should be. But make sure we know you’re coming.

Everyday I Write the Book

When I received Kristy Graschel Ruppel’s wedding photo in my inbox, I almost emailed it to the coworker of mine who is planning her wedding. She’d be lucky to look this lovely on her wedding day! I’d planned to also scan a photo I had of Kristy at Grad Night; she is sitting on a wall at Epcot Center with a few other girls. I had too much going on this week to find it, but I promise I’ll link it when I do.

Enough about me: you get to read about Kristy now, with my favorite bit of news appearing in the last half of the last sentence:

Just in case anyone is wondering, this year’s Jazz Fest has been the best ever as far as I’m concerned. We ended this evening with “The Boss” doing a heartfelt version of “When the Saints Go Marching In.” It was a great ending to a great first weekend that included Bob Dylan, Cowboy Mouth, Dave Matthews (with a guest appearance by the Edge), and Allen Toussaint (with a little help from Elvis Costello). If you want to judge the rebuilding of New Orleans based on the numbers at the fest, then I think we are definitely on the right track.

The only photos we saved were our wedding pictures that we evacuated with, and I’ve attached one in case you want something more recent. I certainly have learned a hard lesson about storing my precious memories in those under-the-bed storage bins in a hurricane-prone city.

In case you need any more “filler” about my boring life, here goes:

1990: Graduated SLU with a degree in psychology.
1991: Quit grad school to get a “real job” after realizing I didn’t really want to be a psychologist. (Mrs. Fritchie was right: I should have stuck to something with numbers.)
1999: After working my way up through various medical/psychiatric facilities, I opened my own outpatient mental health clinic with a couple of friends.
2003: Married my husband, Terry, and bought a house in Metairie.

Things I’ve learned over the years:

Skydiving does feel like you’re floating and flying at the same time.
Always keep a camera handy while hiking in the back country of Yellowstone because when the bears enter your campsite, people will believe a picture over a good story.
If your boyfriend still wants to date you even after attending a large-scale family reunion out of state, he’s definitely a keeper.
Sometimes it does take a major disaster to make a workaholic realize just how important her family and friends are. (Thanks, Katrina.)

Thanks again for all your hard work on the blog, and you’ll definitely see me and my husband at the reunion.

One Summer Never Ends

I know we’ve seen a lot of photos of Chris here, but darn it, the guy was everywhere. I’m posting this picture because it’s the only one I have of Debbie, and that is thanks to Susan. I think Debbie lives in Tennessee now, and I haven’t heard whether she will join us on June 10.

The Future Will Take Care of Itself Somehow

If you notice the dates of the last few posts (scroll down for all), then you see I managed to write for you in the future. I prepared for an unexpected trip by pre-posting. (It is not my fault if you read all the posts at once and must twiddle your thumbs until Friday.)

And if you notice that this picture is from a Sadie Hawkins dance, then you know how happy I was to find it on a return trip through my scrapbook. This one features Johnelle and Joe in the ubiquitous matching shirts with some of my favorite props. I wonder if what we cannot detect is a gentle tugging, a subtle battle over who will end up with that fun-looking firearm.

Every Girl Crazy 'Bout a Sharp Dressed Man

Marty is someone whose name has come up a lot since I started talking about the reunion many months ago. I think it was Gail who sent me his contact information for the Big Giant Spreadsheet. Someone else told me that he and his wife, Michelle, have four children. Another friend shared a sentimental memory of Marty at graduation. She’d had homeroom with him every year since junior high.

Marty emailed me once a couple months ago, a brief and gracious note, but he hasn’t provided a postgraduation story for our edification. Hey, not everyone wants to be a blog star: it doesn’t hurt my feelings. But look at how handsome he was in the last photo I have on file. Could Marty be the only man from our class who would not feel chagrined by the clothes he was wearing 20 years ago?

Nothing Ever Slows Her Down

At first, I didn’t remember that I had a portrait of Lori in my scrapbook. Perhaps Lori didn’t remember either. When she sent me the pictures of her talented daughter, she might not have known about my habit of filling in what I think is missing, such as a picture of the beautiful mother.

I Asked the Doctor to Take Your Picture

Should I apologize because I happen to have so many pictures of Billy Viner? I've mentioned before some reasons why. I am glad to have them to illustrate the email he wrote this weekend, a story that discusses both high school and the years he’s lived since. The rest of the post contains his words alone:

It’s great to hear from our old classmates and see where life has taken them. It seems as though all of us have ended up making it through unexpected hardships and also having joyful times as well. I hope that more of us will share their experiences before the big day. I guess after that, we will all get along with our lives at least for the next 10 years when we meet again. If you need material for your blog, I thought I’d share my last 20 years and perhaps a bit of history before that. It may explain my behavior through high school.

To be quite honest, I did not enjoy high school as many of our classmates did. Just before 9th grade, my parents had a bitter divorce, which was out of the blue for us kids since they hid it from us pretty well. The next thing I knew is that my dad moved out of state to avoid alimony and child support and really didn’t want much to do with us anymore. Nowadays they have laws in place to go after deadbeat dads, but back then it was different. Well, my mom, who has bipolar disorder (also unknown to us kids at the time), had to be placed in a psychiatric hospital. That left my older brother and me to fend for ourselves, and my younger sister landed in a foster home. I’ll spare you the details, but this was a miserable time for me and I reacted by drinking a lot on weekends. I thought about quitting school numerous times as well as other things. Fortunately, I had some great friends (Trevor Matherly, Henry Whitty, and Brett Haaga) who helped me out and gave me the stability I desired. Without that, I don’t think I would have graduated.

After graduation, I went to LSU and joined the Army National Guard. During that five years, I worked in several restaurants, pledged a fraternity, and discovered my calling in life. I met my future wife, Barb, at Mike Anderson’s Restaurant, where we worked during my senior year. I was accepted into LSU Medical School in New Orleans and spent the summer backpacking in Europe before starting. The next four years were spent in the drab grey buildings adjacent to the Superdome and the massive Charity Hospital. I learned how to study for hours on end, and I forgot how to socialize with non-medical people. In my free time, I worked at the Jefferson Parish Prison, which was quite an experience. The best part of that four years was my marriage to Barb and the birth of our first son, Kaigan.

I chose the specialty of ob-gyn and moved to Little Rock for the next four years. I must have been drinking again because I chose the specialty with the longest hours, highest liability insurance prices, and near lowest reimbursements. Oh, and I changed the spelling of my name because it was always mispronounced and because of its similarity to the female reproductive organ that I would be studying so much. I spent the four years working nearly every day and every fourth night on call. We had a daughter, Mikaylie, and just before leaving Little Rock, we adopted our second daughter, Brylie.

I found a job in Somerset, Kentucky, in 1999 and am in a group practice, which is doing pretty well. We adopted our second son, Wil, and then Barb gave birth to our last daughter, Nani. I think we’re done. We bought a small farm and we raise horses, goats, cows, chickens, dogs, and cats. We love to travel, go to church, and just hang out on the farm. I never thought I’d end up where I am now. My life has truly been blessed.

Hope to see you all at the reunion. If you’re ever in Kentucky, look me up. Thanks to all the organizers for their work in preparation for the party and to Kris for the blog, where we can catch up and share our triumphs and tribulations.

Bill Viner (aka Billy Vajnar)