July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Who the heck are all these old people (08/09/06)
Back in the Saddle
By By JACK RONALD-
Who are all those old people?
That's the inevitable reaction when looking at pictures from a high school class reunion.
Funny thing is, that's your reaction whether it's your tenth reunion or your 40th.
"Those old people" is a relative term. When you're 15, it's people in their 20s. When you're in your 20s, it's people in their 40s. When you're in your 40s, it's people in their 70s.
Inevitably, though, there are more birthdays behind you than are likely to lie ahead.
That's about where the folks are who were in the pictures I was looking at. Lots of great years behind us and plenty of good years to come, but not as many as we have in the rearview mirror.
The pictures came from the reunion of the Portland High School class of 1966, and if there's ever been a class that knows how to have a reunion it's mine.
This year's festivities - back in June - spread over days and involved more than half the surviving class members.
You want souvenirs? We had souvenirs. T-shirts, keychains, a book updating information on everyone, and - soon - a DVD incorporating snapshots, yearbook photos, and vintage music.
You want parties? We had parties. On the Friday before the official PHS alumni banquet, classmate Ruth Ann Widman and her ever-patient husband Dale opened their house to any and all classmates and their spouses.
On Saturday, there was the official banquet followed by a gathering at the Portland Golf Club that went on for hours.
On Sunday morning, we gathered at White Linen Hall - Mike Loy and Vickie (Odle) Leonard, two of the owners, are members of the class of '66 - for brunch.
You want silliness amid the sentiment? We had plenty of both. For the second time, I cooked up a trivia contest for the party at Ruth Ann's, which made for some pretty raucous moments.
Cheating was not only tolerated, it was encouraged.
You want commitment? We had commitment. Gyles Webb, who was our foreign student senior year, made his business travel plans to be here for the reunion, coming all the way from South Africa.
You want to stay connected? My computer at home has the e-mail addresses of more than 70 members of the class.
Some of us hear more from one another today than we did when we were in school together.
But, yes, we are starting to look like "those old people" we used to chuckle about 40 years back.
Somehow, though, when we get back together, the years melt away.[[In-content Ad]]
That's the inevitable reaction when looking at pictures from a high school class reunion.
Funny thing is, that's your reaction whether it's your tenth reunion or your 40th.
"Those old people" is a relative term. When you're 15, it's people in their 20s. When you're in your 20s, it's people in their 40s. When you're in your 40s, it's people in their 70s.
Inevitably, though, there are more birthdays behind you than are likely to lie ahead.
That's about where the folks are who were in the pictures I was looking at. Lots of great years behind us and plenty of good years to come, but not as many as we have in the rearview mirror.
The pictures came from the reunion of the Portland High School class of 1966, and if there's ever been a class that knows how to have a reunion it's mine.
This year's festivities - back in June - spread over days and involved more than half the surviving class members.
You want souvenirs? We had souvenirs. T-shirts, keychains, a book updating information on everyone, and - soon - a DVD incorporating snapshots, yearbook photos, and vintage music.
You want parties? We had parties. On the Friday before the official PHS alumni banquet, classmate Ruth Ann Widman and her ever-patient husband Dale opened their house to any and all classmates and their spouses.
On Saturday, there was the official banquet followed by a gathering at the Portland Golf Club that went on for hours.
On Sunday morning, we gathered at White Linen Hall - Mike Loy and Vickie (Odle) Leonard, two of the owners, are members of the class of '66 - for brunch.
You want silliness amid the sentiment? We had plenty of both. For the second time, I cooked up a trivia contest for the party at Ruth Ann's, which made for some pretty raucous moments.
Cheating was not only tolerated, it was encouraged.
You want commitment? We had commitment. Gyles Webb, who was our foreign student senior year, made his business travel plans to be here for the reunion, coming all the way from South Africa.
You want to stay connected? My computer at home has the e-mail addresses of more than 70 members of the class.
Some of us hear more from one another today than we did when we were in school together.
But, yes, we are starting to look like "those old people" we used to chuckle about 40 years back.
Somehow, though, when we get back together, the years melt away.[[In-content Ad]]
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