38 Reasons to Attend your 45th Reunion!

1. Because You Still Can! (Life is short...Each day and milestone should be celebrated!)

 2. Because you're never too cool for your high school friends. (and you'll be missed if you do not show up!)

3.Your family is tired of hearing your stories and you want to relive them with someone who actually cares 

4. Ummm…who else is gonna fill in the blanks to your slipping memory? Thank goodness for name tags!

 5. If we get a good turnout, we're gonna take a group picture in the form of a 65!

 6. You can share a drink with your friends without having to sneak into the bars.

 7. Because you still think you have a crush on..(umm, wait, don't think anyone  can remember!)

 8. If you don't show up, we'll assume you still have big/long or even no hair. But, no one really cares about your hair! They want to see you!

 

 9. You know you really want to. (it just might be fun!)   

10. Hey…Who cares if we don't fit into our old bellbottoms?  Ya gotta stay huggable!  Friends just want to see you!

11. Network! Network! Network! (it's a small world and you will be surprised at how many "coincidences" life really holds!)

12. Because you're still upset that you were only voted runner-up for something. (but we really can't remember!)

13. Enjoy an evening out without the Grandkids.(don't worry, you might even be home before the news comes on...)

14.You've always wondered what happened to (um,can't remember!)

15. Show off your pictures (of your family,kids,grandkids, hot date,pets,car, vacations, etc!)

16. Renew old friendships. There's really nothin' like an"old"old friend!

18. Renew not so old friendships, meet new friends!

19. Get the latest gossip, as well as can be remembered. 

20. Because if you don't show up, you might be the subject of that gossip (if anyone can remember)

21. See and be seen.(because we might not remember, but it's fun to people watch!)

22. See if that old crush is still what you thought they were, or as you thought you remembered!

(the more some things change, the more some things stay the same...and the fun is in trying to figure out the difference!) 

23. Because you're curious and you HAVE to know what everyone has been doing for the last 35 years. 

24.Did we mention there would be lots of FUN??

25.You love reunions!

26.You have nothing better to do.Sitting or napping on the couch doesn't count...)   

27. Because you want to go where everyone knows your name..(they just can't always remember!!!)

28.To talk about the "good ol’ days"! When we were "young", carefree and life seemed so simple...(What we can remember!)

29. You’ll laugh, cry and reminisce with some of your oldest friends.

30. We're going to play music that you "remember" (bring on the real music!) and maybe even understand, and that you can actually dance to!

31. Even if you didn't even like school, don't fret about it, you'll most likely find something to laugh about now after all these years.

32. Because you know you really want to!

33.You don't have to lie about your age. (well you can try, but some will catch on...) (Even if we did officially turn into our parents!)

34. Did we mention there would be lots of fuN?? 

35. It gives you a chance to humor those who have tried to plan these things...deluded die-hards that have hope that somewhere, some how it is going to make a difference...

36. Because some of us want an excuse to go back "Home"....if only for a weekend!

37. Because we really want to see you!!! Who knows when there might be another reunion!!?

38. And finally, studies have shown that those who were initially hesitant about attending their reunions, discover it was the event that they wouldn't have missed!

LIFE Happens..Get up, Get dressed, Show up...
 

Betchya you'll be glad you did!!!! (and so will everyone else!)

 

 

"Rekindled friendships often burn more brightly"

“Our Friends Are A Very Important Part Of Our Lives.  Treasure The Tears, Treasure The Laughter, But Most Importantly, Treasure The Memories."

 

Ah, being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.

 

Eventually you will reach a point

when you stop lying about your age

and start bragging about it.
 

One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young.
 
 

 

 

 

 

Cool Text Maker   Why is it that at class reunions you feel younger than everyone else looks?

 Some people try to turn back their odometers. Don't bother, tell them you look this way because you've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination. So work like you don't need money, love like you've never been hurt and dance like no one's watching.

 

HOW TO STAY YOUNG...

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay them.
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. " An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love, Whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

 

 

The High School Reunion is a Time to Celebrate The "Invisible People"

~Richard Burton

Few things grab us by the collar and humble us as much as our high school reunions. They come back,every ten years or so, to haunt us like a ghost from the past. And maybe that's just what's so humbling about them...our youthful past is exposed once again-laid bare like an open wound, and brutally juxtaposed with our current realitynbsp; I'm from the class of 1969. What a year, Nixon was President;the Vietnam War raged out of control; men landed on the moon; a half million young people gathered for the Woodstock Festival; the New York Mets won the World Series; and gas was 35 cents a gallon.

I say fortunate because reunions are the great equalizer. There is a satisfying irony in finding out that the captain of the football team now has bad knees, a beer belly, and is thrice divorced. That the gal whom you thought was a goddess now looks more like the gal at the checkout counter at K-Mart. And that the star honor student who later went on to receive a Ph.D. in nuclear astrophysics, has dropped-out, moved to Oregon, and opened an ostrich farm.

Now this is the best part. Because most of us were among the Invisible People in high school, we actually held up much better over the years than our more visible counterparts, the Jocks, the Brains, the Queens, and the Hoods. Our legacy is too blurred to really hang a label on. We were diamonds in the rough. We hadn't blossomed yet. Had not reached our peak. And thus, it is all but impossible to notice a glaring difference between then and now, because we seem today, about how we seemed back in high school... only with wrinkles.
We survived high school without too much baggage, and therefore, assimilated into proper society without much difficulty.  Many of the Jocks, Brains, Queens, and Hoods had a far more difficult time of it out in the "real" world in spite of their former lofty positions.

Actually, from my keen observations at these reunions, I would say that after the Invisible People, the Hoods fared best in the long run. Some had gone into the Marines after high school. That'll usually straighten a person out. Some had even done a little prison time. Ditto. But most had simply outgrown their bullish and antisocial ways. These Hoods are now, for the most part, respectable members of society, married with 2.5 kids, and coaching soccer on weekends.

But back to the undefined masses, the multitudes of us who didn't stand out. Who just did what our parents and teachers told us to do. Who simply went to class, did our homework, got a good nights sleep, and did it all over again the next day for 4 long, inglorious years. All withoutour 15 minutes of youthful fame. Here's to the tru surviviors...us...the Invisible people.

Class Reunions

Elizabeth Lucas
(to the tune of 'Twas The Night Before Christmas)

It was my class reunion, and all through the house,
I checked in each mirror and begged my poor spouse
To say I looked great, that my chin wasn't double,
And he lied through false teeth, just to stay out of trouble.
Said that 'neath my thick glasses, my eyes hadn't changed,
And I had the same figure, it was just a mite rearranged.
He said my skin was still silky, although looser in drape,
Not so much like smooth satin, but more like silk crepe.
I swallowed his words hook, sinker and line
And entered the banquet feeling just fine.
Somehow I'd expected my classmates to stay
As young as they were on that long-ago day
We'd hugged farewell hugs. But like me, through the years,
They'd added gray to their hair, or pounds to their rears.
But as we shared a few memories and retold some class jokes,
We were eighteen in spirit, though we looked like our folks.
We turned up hearing aid volumes and dimmed down the light,
Rolled back the years, and were young for the night.

 

 

 

TOP 10 EXCUSES FOR AVOIDING THEIR REUNION 

 

10.) I am not rich enough yet or my job is not high-powered enough.

When will you be successful enough to face everyone? In 2025 at our 50th reunion? Please don't wait that long --- life is too short to miss a chance to connect. Check your ego and attend our reunion anyway.

9.) I'm 53 and have not yet married, had kids, bought a house, written a book, sold my screenplay, traveled the world . . . (fill in your favorite personal disappointment here)

You have been doing something during these past 35 years. Come and tell everyone about it.

8.) I'm too heavy/going bald/have an embarrassing skin condition.

You aren't alone.  Try having wrinkles and zits at the same time! And most of us have another chin... None of these are good excuses. Pull on your Spandex, comb it over, slather on the Eucerin, and forget about it for the night.

7.) I didn't like  high school/"I don't care about those people"

Are you sure? Not one single person you can remember with fondness? C

2.) I hate 60's music. I refuse to go anywhere where I might be trapped in a room listening to The  Beatles, The Temptations, The Rolling Stones and The Righteous Brothers

1.) I can't go because the dog has indigestion, I am having a  grandbaby, live more than 10,000 miles away, don't have permission from my probation officer to cross state lines...

OK, in those very special cases, you get a free get-out-of-reunion card, and we wish you well.

Seriously, there is something to celebrate about "yesteryear" and the fact that we can still celebrate! Many do not get this opportunity.

We hope to see you, because it won't be the same if you're not there!

...and here's another rendition of same...catch a theme here?

 

 

MEMORY LANE - a stressful walk by Adrian McCoy

"High school reunions can be a time to renew old friendships and relive glory days.

But for some, an impending reunion can spark sheer terror, bringing on desperate crash diets and some tough self evaluation.  Any, for many, a reunion can give way to a tendency to embellish the truth a bit.

Especially susceptible to such problems are the 5 and 10 year reunion-goers, for whom salary comparisons and claims for overnight promotions are fodder for any number of television sitcoms. "At the earlier reunions, they're still on the road to their own life," says Alan Dezen, executive director of The Counseling Center in Bloomfield, Pa.  But those attending 5 and 10 year reunions, he said, have become "somewhat established in their careers, but they don't feel completely secure."

So getting ready for a reunion can be stressful. "You haven't had contact with these people for 10 years," says Dezen.  "People try to pick up where they left off, and they regress momentarily to when they were 17." Even confident, self-assured types may find themselves feeling pangs of teen angst, he says.

But, happily, reunions tend to lose some of the threatening qualities as years go by, gradually becoming more of a party than a milestone, says Bob Crytzer, a professional reunion organizer. "As you drift away from that (5 to 10 year) time frame, it becomes more of a reunion in the true sense.  People put aside their egos." By the 10th or 20th, for example, the cliques that existed in high school are totally dissolved.

By then, however, one problem may be replaced by another.  For example, Dezen says, by the 20th year reunion many classmates may be going into mid-life crisis, "looking to rekindle something from their youth that they feel is missing."

Dr. Douglas Schiller, a psychologist who has survived his 20th year reunion, has some insights into why mid-life reunions can be such an emotional experience.

For one thing, he said, people attending a 20 year reunion aren't always prepared to see friends looking more like their parents than their yearbook pictures. "The first thing people notice at the 20th reunion is that people look older," he says. "One is immediately struck by the passage of time."

The 40, 50 and 60 year reunions tend to have less pressure associated with them.  By then most have stopped seeing reunions as a kind of yardstick for personal achievement and are ready to have fun. But then these can be stressful occasions, too: usually death has claimed former classmates. 

The best advice for any reuniongoers, whether you're 23 or 83: 
lighten up and enjoy it.  "It's one evening.  You probably won't see these people again, or at least not for 10 years," Dezen says.  "What you say or do isn't going to make any difference.  You might as well have a good time."

Smile! ....and always remember life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

 

"Friends"   Friends 4 Ever     If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you." --- Winnie the Pooh    True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it's been lost." --- Charles Caleb Colton    "A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."    "Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Walk beside me and be my friend." --- Albert Camus    "Strangers are just friends waiting to happen."    "Friends are the Bacon Bits in the Salad Bowl of Life."    "Friendship is one mind in two bodies." --- Mencius    "Friends are God's way of taking care of us."     "If you should die before me, ask if you could bring a friend." --- Stone Temple Pilots    "I'll lean on you and you lean on me and we'll be okay." --- Dave Matthews Band    "If all my friends were to jump off a bridge, I wouldn't jump with them, I'd be at the bottom to catch them"    "Everyone hears what you say. Friends listen to what you say. Best friends listen to what you don't say."    "We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere" --- Tim McGraw    "My father always used to say that when you die, if you've got five real friends, then you've had a great life." --- Lee Iacocca    "Hold a true friend with both your hands." --- Nigerian Proverb    "A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words." --- unknown

Senior citizens are constantly being criticized for every conceivable deficiency of the modern world, real or imaginary.  We know we take responsibility for all we have done and do not blame others.

HOWEVER, upon reflection, we would like to point out that it was NOT the senior citizens who took:

     The melody out of music,
    The pride out of appearance,
    The courtesy out of driving,
    The romance out of love,
    The commitment out of marriage,
    The responsibility out of parenthood,
    The togetherness out of the family,
    The learning out of education,
    The service out of patriotism,
    The Golden Rule from rulers,
    The nativity scene out of cities,
    The civility out of behavior,
    The refinement out of language,
    The dedication out of employment,
    The prudence out of spending,
    The ambition out of achievement, or,
    God out of government and school.

And we certainly are NOT the ones who eliminated patience and tolerance from personal relationships and interactions with others!! 
       
And, we do understand the meaning of patriotism, and remember those who have fought and died for our country.

Does anyone under the age of 50 know the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner?   or O Canada
                                
Just look at the Seniors with tears in their eyes and pride in their hearts as they stand at attention, on veterans day and our great country's   birthday .  


YES, I'M A SENIOR CITIZEN!

I'm the life of the party......    even if it lasts until 8 p.m.
I'm very good at opening childproof caps...   with a hammer.
I'm usually interested in going home before I get to where I am going.
I'm awake many hours before my body allows me to get up.
I'm smiling all the time because I can't hear a thing you're saying.
I'm very good at telling stories; over and over and over and over...
I'm aware that other people's grandchildren are not nearly as cute as mine.
I'm so cared for --- long term care, eye care, private care, dental care.



I'm not really grouchy,

I just don't like traffic, waiting, crowds, lawyers, loud music, unruly kids, Jenny Craig and Toyota commercials,  barking dogs, politicians and a few other things I can't seem to remember right now.

I'm sure everything I can't find is in a safe secure place,  somewhere.
I'm wrinkled, saggy, lumpy, and that's just my left leg.
I'm having trouble remembering simple words like.......
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
I'm sure they are making adults much younger these days, and when did they let kids become policemen?
I'm wondering, if you're only as old as you feel, how could I be alive at 150?
And, how can my kids be older than I feel sometimes?

I'm a walking storeroom of facts.....  I've just lost the key to the storeroom door.
 

 

Yes, I'm a SENIOR CITIZEN and I think I am having the time of my life!

 

 

 

 

 

How Old Does This Make You Feel?

This is an eye-opener for old folks like me who forget that 1980 was almost 30 years ago. COOL! -- this is really far out, man! Hope you think it's groovy, too! Most of the students who are starting college  fall of 2000 across the nation were born in 1982. To get some idea about what has influenced their lives, read on -- and try not to laugh... or cry. Then ask yourself, "How old do I really feel?
 

1. They don't know much, if anything, about 442s, GTOs, AMXs, Barracudas, Falcons, Torinos, Corvairs, or Comets.

2. They have no meaningful recollection of the Reagan era, and did not know he had ever been shot (much less, that he was an actor before he became President). The resignation of Richard Nixon is a footnote in a history book.

3. They were pre-pubescent when the Gulf War was waged. To them, the war was a video game shown on CNN.

4. Black Monday 1987 is about as significant to them as the Great Depression is to you.

5. There has only been one Pope. They can only really remember one President.

6. They were 9 when the Soviet Union broke apart, and do not remember the Cold War or the Iron Curtain.

7. They have never feared a nuclear war or practiced an air raid drill. "The Day After" is a pill to them, not a movie.

8. They are too young to remember the Space shuttle blowing up, and Tienamin Square means nothing to them. The moon landing in 1969 is more science fiction than fact to them. What was Sputnik?

9. They have heard about AIDS all of their life, but don't know anything about cholera, small pox or diphtheria.

10. They never heard about the Salk Vaccine or had a polio shot, and most likely, do not know what polio is.

11. Bottle caps not only have always been screw off, but have always been plastic. They have no idea what a pull top can looks like (or what a beer can opener or 'church key' is). Never had an RC Cola, a NeHi or a Grapette.

12. "Atari" pre-dates them, as do vinyl records and "45's". What's an 'adding machine'? What's a 'slide' rule for?

13. The expression "you sound like a broken record" means nothing to them.

14. They have never owned a record player, but have always had a computer. What's a record changer?

15. They have likely never played Pac Man, and have never heard of Pong or Space Invaders.

 

16. What's the big deal about "Star Wars"? The movie looks very fake to them, and the special effects are pathetic.

17. There have always been Red M&M's, and Blue ones are not new. What do you mean there used to be beige ones?

18. They may have heard of an 8-track, but chances are they probably have never actually seen or heard one.

19. The Compact Disc was introduced before they were born. As children, they were 'filmed' with a video camera.

20. As far as they know, stamps have always cost about 32 cents. UPS has always delivered packages to their home.

 

21. They have always had an answering machine and wouldn't know what to do with a dial telephone. Can't imagine not having a portable telephone, or only one telephone in the house. What was there before the Internet?

22. Most have never seen a TV set with only 13 channels, nor have they seen a black and white TV. What's UHF/VHF?

23. They have always had cable and don't know anything about 'rabbit ears', or TV 'tube testers' in drug stores.

24. There have always been VCR's, but they have no idea what Beta is/was. What was Super 8?

25. They cannot fathom not having a remote control.... for everything, but they can program the VCR.

26. They were born two years after the Walkman was introduced by Sony

27. Roller-skating has always meant in-line for them. What's a skate-key?

 

28. The Tonight Show has always been with Jay Leno..... Johnny who???

 

29. They have no idea when or why Jordache jeans were cool.

30. Popcorn has always been cooked in a microwave. How else would you cook it?

 

31. They have never seen Larry Bird play, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a football player. Who was Mohammed Ali or Cassius Clay?

32. They never took a swim and thought about Jaws, or watched the Mickey Mouse show.

 

33. The Vietnam War is as ancient history to them as W.W.I, W.W.II or even the Civil War.

34. They have no idea that Americans were ever held hostage in Iran. A Cuban Missile Crisis?... no way!

35. They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are.

36. They don't know who Mork was or where he was from.

37. They never heard the terms "Where's the beef?", "I'd Walk a mile for a Camel", or "De plane, de plane!".

38. They do not care who shot J.R. and have no idea who J.R. was.

39. The Titanic was found? Was it lost? I thought we always knew where it was.

40. Michael Jackson has always been white...... Who were the Jackson 5, anyway? What was 'Thriller'?

 

41. They think Kansas, Chicago, Boston, America, and Alabama are places, not groups.

42. McDonalds hamburgers never came in Styrofoam containers. A 15 cent hamburger.... No way!

 

43. What's a Ben Franklin store? What was there before Wal-Mart? You went downtown to shop? Why?

44. Elvis Presley has always been dead.... what's the big deal?

 

 

 

1. • Mindset List 2008 Most students entering college this fall were born in 1986. Desi Arnaz, Orson Welles, Roy Orbison, Ted Bundy, Ayatollah Khomeini and Cary Grant have always been dead.
   • "Here's Johnny!" is a scary greeting from Jack Nicholson, not a warm welcome from Ed McMahon.
   • The Energizer bunny has always been going, and going, and going.
   • Large fine-print ads for prescription drugs have always appeared in magazines.
   • Photographs have always been processed in an hour or less.
   • They never got a chance to drink 7-Up Gold, Crystal Pepsi, or Apple Slice.
   • Baby Jessica could be a classmate.
   • Parents may have been reading The Bourne Supremacy or It as they rocked them in their cradles.
   • Alan Greenspan has always been setting the nation's financial direction.
   • The U.S. has always been a Prozac nation.
   • They have always enjoyed the comfort of pleather.
   • Harry has always known Sally.
   • They never saw Roseanne Rosannadanna live on Saturday Night Live.
   • There has always been a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
   • They never ate a McSub at McD's.
   • There has always been a Comedy Channel.
   • Bill and Ted have always been on an excellent adventure.
   • They were never tempted by smokeless cigarettes.
   • Robert Downey, Jr. has always been in trouble.
   • Martha Stewart has always been cooking up something with someone.
   • Mike Tyson has always been a contender.
   • The government has always been proposing we go to Mars, and it has always been deemed to expensive.
   • There have never been any Playboy Clubs.
   • There have always been night games at Wrigley Field.
   • Rogaine has always been available for the follicularly challenged.
   • They never saw USA Today or the Christian Science Monitor as a TV news program.
   • Computers have always suffered from viruses.
   • We have always been mapping the human genome.
   • Politicians have always used rock music for theme songs.
   • Network television has always struggled to keep up with cable.
   • O'Hare has always been the most delay-plagued airport in the U.S.
   • Ivan Boesky has never sold stock.
   • Toll-free 800 phone numbers have always spelled out catchy phrases.
   • Bethlehem has never been a place of peace at Christmas.
   • Episcopal women bishops have always threatened the foundation of the Anglican Church.
   • Svelte Oprah has always dominated afternoon television; who was Phil Donahue anyway?
   • They never flew on People Express.
   • AZT has always been used to treat AIDS.
   • The international community has always been installing or removing the leader of Haiti.
   • Oliver North has always been a talk show host and news commentator.
   • They have suffered through airport security systems since they were in strollers.
   • hey have done most of their search for the right college online.
   • Aspirin has always been used to reduce the risk of a heart attack.
   • They were spared the TV ads for Zamfir and his panpipes.
   • Castro has always been an aging politician in a suit.
   • There have always been non-stop flights around the world without refueling.
   • Cher hasn't aged a day.
   • M.A.S.H. was a game: Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House.

 

Dear Abby on reunions...

 

HIGH SCHOOL REUNIONS REQUIRE DEGREE OF HUMOR

 

DEAR ABBY: I saw the letter you printed from the 79-year-old woman who was concerned about going to her class reunion because she had been very promiscuous back in high school and had bedded about a third of the boys in her class. When I read the letter to my husband, he looked at me and said, "Did you write that letter?"Should I hit my husband on the head with my marble rolling pin or trash his golf clubs -- or both? -- HELEN IN TACOMA

 

DEAR HELEN: None of the above. But if it WERE true, I'd hide the yearbook.

 

DEAR ABBY: This is in response to "Former Belle of the Ball," the 79-year-old lady who's reluctant to attend her 60th high school reunion. My siblings and I were all born, reared and educated on the West Coast. One of my baby sisters was popular in high school and wouldn't think of missing a reunion. Sis was, and still is, the girl with the perfect skin, perfect body, perfect career, etc., even after two husbands and four children. Sis related this story to me after attending her 25th high school reunion. When she made her entrance, not only was there no drum roll or trumpets to announce her arrival, no one recognized her. She later admitted that she didn't recognize any of them, either, name tags and all.

Then something interesting happened. People began approaching Sis's husband, saying, "I remember you!" He's usually socially retiring, but after people persistently ignored his protests, he settled into enjoying being identified by various people as everyone from the quarterback of the football team to the class president. One woman even pointed to a picture in the class almanac and announced, "There you are. I could never forget you!"

 

 
 

Taken from Ann Landers advice column,
June 9, 2000

1.  No whining or moaning over what "might have been," or anything else
depressing.  No one wants a pall cast over this happy event.

2.  Seek out people who have made a difference in your life, and thank them.
  They will appreciate it.

3.  Check your midlife crisis at the door.  No one needs to know you are
having an affair or that your spouse just left you.

4.  Do not brush off anyone who wants to talk to you.  It doesn't matter
whether or not you liked that person in high school.  We have all changed.

5.  Bring an extra hankie, and cry all you want when you are overwhelmed by
nostalgia and old friends.  Tears can be a great catharsis.

6.  All responses to questions should be at least two full sentences.  don't
be abrupt.  It will make you appear snobbish.

7.  Don't do too much bragging.  It puts a spotlight on your insecurities. 
The best compliments are the ones you get without fishing.

8.  Any remarks about your baldness, weight or wrinkles should be countered
with something humorous or self-deprecating.  No offense is intended. 
Sometimes, when people are surprised at the change in the appearance of an
old friend, they don't know how to deal with it, so they try to mask their
surprise with humor.

9.  Be careful how you approach others.  Be respectful.  Remember that you
are dealing with someone's wife, husband, mother, or father.

10.  Be yourself.  We remember you from way back, and will accept you the
way you are.
 

 

Pass on to those friends of the past, and those of the future...and those you have met along the way. 

Thank you for being a friend. No matter where we go or who we become, never forget who helped us get there. 

There's never a wrong time to pick up a phone or send a message telling your friends how much you miss them or how much you love them. 

If you love someone, tell them. Remember always to say what you mean. Never be afraid to express yourself. Take this opportunity to tell someone what they mean to you. Seize the day and have no regrets. Most importantly, stay close to your friends and family, for they have helped make you the person that you are today and are what it's all about anyway. 
 

The difference between expressing love and having regrets is that the regrets may stay around forever.

 

 As I've Matured...

 

 OLD IS WHEN...

* your sweetie says, "Let's go upstairs and make love," and you answer, "Honey, I can't do both!"
* your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and you're barefoot.
* going bra-less pulls all the wrinkles out of your face.
* You don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go along.
* you are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of by the police.
* "getting a little action" means I don't need to take any fiber today.
* "getting lucky" means you find your car in the parking lot.
* an "all nighter" means not getting up to pee!
 

 
 

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:
 

1 - You believe in Santa Claus.

2 - You don't believe in Santa Claus.  

3 - You are Santa Claus.

4 - You look like Santa Claus.
 

SUCCESS:

At age 4 success is . . . not peeing in your pants.
At age 12 success is . having friends.
At age 17 success is . . having a driver's license.
At age 35 success is . . having money.
At age 50 success is . . . having money.
At age 70 success is . .. . having a driver's license.
At age 75 success is . .. having friends.
At age 80 success is ... . . not peeing in your pants..
 

 

Come to think of it, not much has changed in 45 years

It’s hard to believe it has been 45 years since Graduation Day, 1965. It’s hard to believe after this many years, we continue to say, “It’s hard to believe…” What did we think, that we were immune to the passage of time?

That we would remain forever in our 20s? That we were the first genera­tion in history that would not wake up one day and discover we were now in our 50s, and our kids are older than we were when we graduated?

Yes, that’s exactly it. We never thought we’d ever get old. Or, at least, we never thought it would happen so darn quickly. There’s an old expres­sion: The more things change, the more they stay the same. Well, there’s another old expression: The more things change, the more they REALLY change.

Here is a list that demonstrates how much things indeed have changed during the past 45 years.

Each couplet describes something we were doing back in 1965, followed by what we instead are doing now in 2010.

Sociology exam – Prostate exam.

Going to sleep at 4 a.m. – Waking up at 4 a.m.

Keg parties – Tupperware parties.

Long hair – No hair.

Hot dates – Hot flashes.

Hours of enjoyment with a $4 Fris­bee – Hours of frustration with a $900 set of golf clubs.

Progressive politics – Progressive bifocals.

Getting high – Getting high blood pressure.

Beer kegs that flowed to the max – Bladders in desperate need of FLO­MAX.

Lying to our parents about what we did in high school – Lying to our children about what we did in high school.

Starting Saturday night at 10 p.m. – Concluding Saturday night at 10 p.m.

Poli Sci – PoliGrip.

Studying ancient history – Remem­bering ancient history. Thinking people in their 30's were old timers – Thinking people in their 30's are young pups.

Hundreds of vinyl albums stored in a heavy wooden crate – Hundreds of digital albums stored in a 2-ounce iPod.

Hoping we wouldn’t have to move back in with our parents – Hoping our kids won’t move back in with us.

Greek fraternities – Grecian formu­la.

Wishing our parents would leave us alone – Wishing our kids would call once in a while.

Amazed at Bruce Springsteen’s en­durance during a 3-hour concert – Amazed at Bruce Springsteen’s en­durance during a 3-hour concert.

Bushy mustache – Bushy ear hair.

Deciding where to live – Deciding where to be buried.

Trying to discover the meaning of life – Trying to discover the meaning of death.

Focused on finding happiness – Re­alizing happiness comes when we stop focusing on it.

Now that the Class of ‘75 has ac­quired age and guile, we too under­stand that the experience gained during the past three decades far out­weighs youth, innocence, and especial­ly those hideous 1970s-style haircuts.

Which brings us to our final 1965-2010 couplet .

Thinking people in their 60's were ancient fossils – Knowing people in their 60's are just hitting their prime.

Well, at least that’s our story and we’re sticking to it.

 
 

OLD FRIENDS:

Two elderly ladies had been friends for many decades. Over the years,
they had shared all kinds of activities and adventures. Lately, their
activities had been limited to meeting a few times a week to play cards.
One day, they were playing cards when one looked at the other and said,
"Now don't get mad at me .. I know we've been friends for a long time,
but I just can't think of your name! I've thought and thought, but I
can't remember it. Please tell me what your name is."
Her friend glared at her. For at least three minutes she just stared and
glared at her. Finally she said, "How soon do you need to know?"
 

 


 

 
 

Renew your driver's license.
Get a colonoscopy.
Decide if you're going to attend your high school reunion.

Every 5-10 years, you'll probably receive an invitation to revisit the years that you spent wishing away pimples and dreaming about the hottie in homeroom.

If you were prom queen or starting quarterback, if you still have your figure and/or your hair and you're now CEO of a successful corporation, then your only decision will be whether to take the BMW or the Porsche.

But for most everyone else, the thought of seeing all those old faces stirs a potent mixture of curiosity and apprehension.

Will they remember you as an immature, self-centered teenager or will they see the much-improved adult you've become? Have your looks stood the test of time? Will you have anything to say to people you haven't seen in years?

If you're mulling whether or not to attend your reunion, here are some things to consider – and ways to prepare for your journey back in time.

Why am I so nervous?

It's normal to worry that your old classmates will judge you for who you were then, instead of the mature, accomplished adult you are now.

“One thing you have to remember is that everyone is in the same boat,” said Lynn Thompson, owner of Carlsbad-based Reunion Specialists. “You are 10, 20, 30 or 40 years more mature and more experienced. You're not the same person you were, and neither are they.”

My career has had more downs than ups, and I recently got divorced. I don't want to explain all of that.

So what if you've never become a titan of business or renowned brain surgeon? The older you are, the more likely it is that everyone else in the room has suffered their own disappointments, from failed businesses to failed marriages.

Before you go, think about what makes you happy, whether it's your children or your travels, and talk about that.

Should I bring my spouse or significant other?

About half do, half don't, Thompson said. If your spouse or partner doesn't need a lot of your attention at social functions, then go ahead, Thompson said.

If you're worried about not having anyone to talk to, it's also OK to bring a friend or sibling, perhaps someone who graduated another year from the same school, Thompson said.

I've gained a lot of weight and I'm not sure I want anyone to see me.

You can try dieting, exercising and booking your Botox/teeth-whitening appointments. Or you can try not to worry about it so much.

In a survey of 277 adults before and after they attended reunions, many expressed fears about being judged harshly by their former classmates.

Yet hardly anyone said they were interested in doing that to others, said Glenn Reeder, a professor of psychology at Illinois State University.

“People get nervous when they think the purpose of the reunion is to show other people how successful they are, or compare who's gained weight,” Reeder said. “But that's not why most people go.”

What should I wear?

Choose an outfit that's flattering and comfortable, and cross your fingers that the organizers haven't chosen a tropical theme. Floral dresses and Hawaiian shirts don't do anyone any favors.

Women can't go wrong with a simple dress and heels. For men, a dress shirt, slacks and maybe a jacket will work.

There will always be one guy wearing shorts and flip-flops and one woman in a fire-engine red, sequined number. Let it not be you.

I was part of the “in” crowd in high school. Frankly, I wasn't always so nice.

Whether you were the geek or the snob, well, they don't call it adolescent behavior for nothing. Some people apologize for past behavior in their reunion bios, Thompson said.

I was not part of the “in” crowd. In fact, I remember high school as something to be endured.

If there are wounds that haven't fully healed, use the event as an opportunity to replace those old memories with new ones.

Some of those old classmates have probably grown into people you will like a lot better today than you did then.

I'm still feeling unsure. Give me one good reason why I should go.

Reunions can be great for rekindling old romances and networking. But the main reason to go is that you'll probably have a good time.

In the survey of reunion attendees, nearly everyone reported having fun.

“The older the respondent was, the more they enjoyed the reunion,” Reeder said. “As you age, you're a long way from those high school cliques and are just happy to make connections with people you once knew.”

Jenifer Goodwin