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You’re cool enough.
From what I’ve been told, there are quite a few people who aren’t planning on coming to our reunion because they’re not skinny enough, not successful enough, or just plain not cool enough. I just want to go on record encouraging people to take a step back and think about whether or not that’s a good enough reason to miss an event that comes around once a decade.
Here’s the deal. I’ve gained somewhere around 40 lbs. since high school. I drive a Nissan Sentra. I don’t have anything saved for retirement, and I’m not exactly running the world in the 40+ hours a week I call work. You were cooler than me in high school, and you’re still cooler than me now. I promise.
Hopefully, nobody is coming to the reunion to gloat about how they are successful, trim, and rich, and I’m not. If they are, then they are a tool and I’ll probably do my best to avoid having to talk to them. And so should you.
If you decide not to come, that’s your business. I’m sure plenty of people have a nice list of good reasons that they can’t make it. I just know that “not being cool enough” shouldn’t be on that list.
June 24th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Well put, Mike. I’m nowhere near where I thought I would be 10 years after high school either. When I graduated, the plan was to cruise around on an aircraft carrier or nuclear sub for 6 years in the Navy, but due to unforeseen medical reasons they didn’t discover until at boot camp, that lasted about 3 weeks.
I’ve gained probably a tad more than Mike has, drive a 17-year-old car with 401,000 miles on it and a 40 hour work week for me feels like a vacation. During high school I was about as far from “cool” as was possible, and probably very little has changed in that regard. But I have learned one thing in the past 10 years. It’s not about being “cool.”
In a lot of ways, life has been a disappointment. But in other ways it’s been immensely joyful and rewarding. I always have enjoyed politics and as a few of you may recall, three years ago I was gutsy enough to run for office, and shot way, way too high. Yep, I ran for U.S. Congress. I ran with no money, filed for election as a pauper because I couldn’t afford the $1,500 filing fee, and ran my entire campaign on less than $500. And came in 7th out of 7 in the primary. But it was an experience I wouldn’t give up for anything and today can legitimately say that I know my Congressman on a first-name basis.
I always thought I’d be married with a few kids by now, a nice house, 2.5 cars or whatever the stats are. But it’s just me and a couple cats in a tiny house that the bank owns most of. Was I “cool” 10 years ago? Nope. Will I ever be “cool”? Probably not. But I’m surely not going to let that stop me from spending time with friends and classmates for a weekend in July.
I’ve ran into classmates here and there over the past 10 years, people who were considered considerably “cooler” or more popular than me. And even if it was just in passing somewhere, it was great to say hi, to realize that we were adults now and that all the petty stuff from 10 years ago didn’t matter and catch up on life.
I hope all of us are able to come, reminisce and have a great time, regardless of where we are in life.
See you in July!
July 27th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
Andy - I switched my residence back to NE so I could vote for you in that one.
See you tomorrow!
August 1st, 2007 at 9:05 am
Wow…I wish I hadda logged on long before now! The thought of seeing everyone all at once after 10 years was kinda intimidating. I know for years, me and some of my friends from school used to talk about how fun going to our reunion would be. Then, I had 2 kids, still in Juco and life isnt the way that I planned it. The thought of going and having to sit at a table and wonder “is this the nerd table” was very strange. Yes, I’m an adult and things like that should be superficial but, its a reality. Looking at everyone’s pics I could tell it was a great time! I’m only sorry that I couldnt take my foot outta my ass and attend as well. I have no excuse after reading these blogs. Sorry guys… Guess I’ll c ya at the 20year mark….No excuses!