News Item 1

20 Year Reunion

A Review by Mark Larson

When Bruce first created this fine web site for our Twentieth Class Reunion, he was enlisting some help to write a review. I thought: “I could do that”. Since I had done none of the work to make the reunion happen, I felt I should try to contribute if only in this small way. This is written from my narrow little perspective, so I am sure that most of you will have your own stories to tell about the reunion.

For a variety of reasons, I thought long and hard about attending this years class reunion. I had decided not to attend, when Jim Hanlon called. Without really trying, Jim talked me into going to the reunion Now Jim has been my friend for longer than I deserved him, and I would enter a dirt eating contest to spend time with Jim and his wife Krista.. Jim is funny that way. I remember in the fifth grade, I think it was in Miss Lanes’ class, Jim said he loved a certain person who happened to be a girl. Of course, about 15 of us guys piled the mockery on Jim for loving a girl, of all things. He just shrugged it off:

“It’s OK, I love everybody.”-Jim was and is a man for the ages. Thank you, Jim, for changing my mind.

Some of the things about the reunion that I will remember:

	I walked into the Peacock, and the warm feelings and smiles didn’t stop all night long. I was happy to see people whose names I couldn’t remember, I laughed with people I hadn’t seen in twenty years and I swapped stories with almost all of you that attended. Those stories brought to mind how lucky I am to have had you people around me while I was growing up.
	Teri Crisp has either been traveling a lot near the speed of light, or is going to live to be 7,000 years old, because she looks like she has aged about 3 months since we graduated. Judging from my looks, I will be lucky to make it to fifty. If at our next reunion I still have more than a fringe of hair, it will be because of some wonder drug. If I am “combing it over”, someone please shoot me.
	I spent a great deal of time talking to my old buddy Dennis. This reminded me why he was my "Best Friend". I never thought it would go a whole year between times I saw Dennis, but it did and I am glad we met again at the reunion.
	It was great to meet Bruce again, and his wife Heidi for the first time. I loved the chance I had to discuss philosophies with Bruce, whose intellect and wisdom I have always respected and whose opinion carries a lot of weight. When I agree with Bruce on a point, I usually feel a sense of relief that I got that one right, at least.
	Talking with Lou Ann was great fun for her candor and sharp memory. Elaine made my day when she asked if I had been working out. From the pictures, you can see that the heaviest iron I pump is a fork, but Thank You, Elaine, you are sooo kind for asking .
	I am sorry that I missed seeing the people at the picnic, but I saw and talked to many people at the Peacock and at Papa’s Pizza. Perhaps someone who attended the picnic could fill us in on the details. Once again, I had nothing but feelings of fondness for the class of '79.

Remember when we would always win the spirit contests at the pep assemblies? No other class even close. At the time, I didn’t know how lucky I was.

There are a lot of valid excuses for not attending the class reunions. However, if you didn’t attend for a reason that existed twenty years ago, that is no longer valid. You are missing out. Next time, come and meet with us, celebrate what we were, commiserate and celebrate what we are, meet old friends again, find out how much you actually like someone you couldn’t tolerate back then. Please come to the next one. We missed you.

If you did attend, thank you. Every old classmate I met increased the enjoyment I had. I would not have expected it, but the reunion was one of the highlights of my summer.

Finally, and most important: To all of the people who did all of the hard work that was required to make this so enjoyable, thank you.