Just missed Cypress High School’s class of 1980 30th reunion. I vaguely remember the 10th and 20th, but I’ve now officially left the stage. I have to confess to an “out of sight for a long, long time, out of mind” mentality. Skimming the reunion website and checking on people’s updated profiles has been sufficient.
I’ve kept up with a couple of friends from high school, but maintaining sporadic long distance relationships isn’t a strong suit.
I’ve lived in a lot of places, traveled far beyond the “Orange curtain”, been extremely blessed to have lived a fulfilling life, and don’t have much need to relive high school.
I don’t remember half of the 700+ graduates when skimming their profiles. It was a large, relatively impersonal suburban high school. My memories of my teachers and classes are vague. I remember sneaking out of English once to get to the golf course early. I remember exploding for five goals against Western in a junior varsity water polo game. I remember getting drunk and hurling in the parking lot at the “happiest place on earth”.
Why bother trying to catch up with 95% of my classmates when they are strangers? My life is and has always been focused on and enriched by family and friends where I’m living at the moment. I’m sure that’s also true for most of the people who attended, so maybe I’m just not as social.
I’ll always enjoy visiting SoCal (especially if my brother ever finishes his house), but it’s in the rearview mirror. Everyone that played in the reunion golf tournament Tuesday is no doubt celebrating that fact.
Pressing Pause 
It was fun. You should have gone! I understand what you’re saying, but it’s also nice to catch up once in a while on where we came from. Not too many surprises, but interesting nonetheless. See you sometime.
Hey Marc, glad you had a good time. In hindsight, I think I probably would have enjoyed it too. I contradicted myself about not caring by spending close to an hour looking at yours and other people’s pictures on line. Weird to see such a long passage of time. I’m sure you traveled farther than most everyone. Take care, Ron.
Ron, I have been reading your blog for a few months on my phone, but haven’t left a comment until now. I have to tell you…I just went to MY 30th reunion in Cleveland, and had a blast! Must better than the 20th, and not quite as good as my 10th. My HS also was large, about 620 graduates. There were several who were friends back then, and it was great to see what has happened since, and several who really surprised me in that we used to be friends in elementary school, lost it in HS, and now, as adults, realize how much we really liked eachother’s company. Granted, I probably won’t get together with anyone between now and the 40th, but the reunion has sort of stuck with me these last few weeks. I think about it, and I’ve learned some things about the nature of people that helps me, not only with my work, as a family doctor, but also in dealing with my kids’ relationships that are going through now. Never thought it would be a growing experience, but it was.
BTW, I love the blog. I really enjoy you’re insights.
Cool, another Duck is in the house, woo woo (raising my arms, palms facing upwards). Thanks for the kind words. And daggumit, with that substantive endorsement, now I’m thinking I should have gone. Well, I guess I have ten years to reconsider my decision to exit stage left.