Don't You (Forget About Me)...unless I forgot about you first
So a couple of weekends ago, it was my 20th high school reunion (well, technically it was the 21st, as no one bothered to put one together last year), and though I didn't make it to the actual reunion, I did go to the picnic the following afternoon.
Why didn't I go to my reunion? Well to be perfectly honest, I couldn't justify paying $160 ($80 per person, $160 for a couple) to go see people I haven't seen since the LAST reunion. Maybe I'm cheap (OK, I am), but I just didn't really see the point in spending that kind of money for a party with people I don't know anymore. With the exception of Dan (who couldn't care less about our graduating class and chose not to attend either event), I don't see these people, I don't stay in contact with these people, and I can't say I'm really friends with these people anymore. Yes, I grew up with them, yes they were influential during my formative years, but pretty much they were out of my life on graduation day of 1988. So why should I pay to see them now?
I understand the logic of paying to see them now, BECAUSE I haven't seen them in 10 years with all that catching up, reminiscing about old times business, et al. But the fact that I haven't been in contact with anyone (Dan notwithstanding) over the ensuing decade, let's me know that I'm just not part of that world anymore. And once I got to the picnic and was reminded again that the people I socialized with STILL socialize with each other, really cemented the fact that I'm not part of their world either. And one of the main reason I think everyone is in contact is that everyone kept talking about Facebook. I heard it mentioned too many times to count. And since I've drawn my line in the sand and refuse to join up, I guess that's whats keeping me out of the loop. So ultimately, I guess there's no blaming them as it's kind of a fate of my choosing and they're not purposefully shunning me like Liz Lemon's reunion experience on a recent episode of 30 Rock (self perceived loner is actually perceived bully)...at least I hope not!
But I'm not bemoaning my fate. I like the friends I have now. And with the exception of my job burnout, I like my life overall. For the most part, I'm happy and content (things could be better, but that applies to anyone). Would being in contact with my high school alumni enrich it? Perhaps, but the question seems moot. I'm not really friends with them and they're not really friends with me either, and I'm cool with that. It was nice to see everyone, at least people I could remember (there were a ton of folks I vaguely recognized, but wasn't until I busted out the old yearbook later on that I recalled names...so bad at remembering names). And it was crazy to see how many of them had kids, and big kids at that! And it was a pleasant afternoon on a whole, and from the sound of it, I missed out on a lovely evening the night before.
And maybe when the next one rolls around (25 or 30 or who knows who decides when these things take place), I might feel a bit more nostalgic and decide to pay to see the old gang again. Maybe I'll even cave in and join Facebook and get back in touch with everyone beforehand. Or I might just wait for the free day in the park to see everyone like this time around. Or I just might skip that too, who knows how codgerly I'll be in a few more years?
Why didn't I go to my reunion? Well to be perfectly honest, I couldn't justify paying $160 ($80 per person, $160 for a couple) to go see people I haven't seen since the LAST reunion. Maybe I'm cheap (OK, I am), but I just didn't really see the point in spending that kind of money for a party with people I don't know anymore. With the exception of Dan (who couldn't care less about our graduating class and chose not to attend either event), I don't see these people, I don't stay in contact with these people, and I can't say I'm really friends with these people anymore. Yes, I grew up with them, yes they were influential during my formative years, but pretty much they were out of my life on graduation day of 1988. So why should I pay to see them now?
I understand the logic of paying to see them now, BECAUSE I haven't seen them in 10 years with all that catching up, reminiscing about old times business, et al. But the fact that I haven't been in contact with anyone (Dan notwithstanding) over the ensuing decade, let's me know that I'm just not part of that world anymore. And once I got to the picnic and was reminded again that the people I socialized with STILL socialize with each other, really cemented the fact that I'm not part of their world either. And one of the main reason I think everyone is in contact is that everyone kept talking about Facebook. I heard it mentioned too many times to count. And since I've drawn my line in the sand and refuse to join up, I guess that's whats keeping me out of the loop. So ultimately, I guess there's no blaming them as it's kind of a fate of my choosing and they're not purposefully shunning me like Liz Lemon's reunion experience on a recent episode of 30 Rock (self perceived loner is actually perceived bully)...at least I hope not!
But I'm not bemoaning my fate. I like the friends I have now. And with the exception of my job burnout, I like my life overall. For the most part, I'm happy and content (things could be better, but that applies to anyone). Would being in contact with my high school alumni enrich it? Perhaps, but the question seems moot. I'm not really friends with them and they're not really friends with me either, and I'm cool with that. It was nice to see everyone, at least people I could remember (there were a ton of folks I vaguely recognized, but wasn't until I busted out the old yearbook later on that I recalled names...so bad at remembering names). And it was crazy to see how many of them had kids, and big kids at that! And it was a pleasant afternoon on a whole, and from the sound of it, I missed out on a lovely evening the night before.
And maybe when the next one rolls around (25 or 30 or who knows who decides when these things take place), I might feel a bit more nostalgic and decide to pay to see the old gang again. Maybe I'll even cave in and join Facebook and get back in touch with everyone beforehand. Or I might just wait for the free day in the park to see everyone like this time around. Or I just might skip that too, who knows how codgerly I'll be in a few more years?