Last weekend was my 10 year class reunion. I was really not trying to make the trip to Detroit to attend but my best friends from high school, who are still my best friends today, insisted on it. Sharon went as far as to sit in an overcrowded airport with waitlists about 30 people long and pray that she could drag me on the plane with her buddy pass. The wait was hilarious as we sat in front row seats to watch the guy who was determined to sleep in the MIDDLE of the floor, right in front of the gate. So when a plane landed at the gate people were forced to step over or around the guy. Then there was "book man" - the young guy who pretended to be engrossed into his novel yet his eyes were never pointed towards the pages. Oh, and I can't forget "Mr Frustrated" who sat on his suitcase just behind the sleepy man and put his head in his hands as if he were a statue representation for frustrated fliers around the globe.
When we finally made it on the 11PM flight to Detroit, she convinced me to offer up my exit row seat for seat a two rows back so she and I could talk across the aisle. I guess that wasn't enough for her... she then offers my comfy aisle seat to the guy in the middle seat next to her so we can sit side by side. I put up a fake fuss when the guy jumped up and was in front of me waiting for me to move before I had even unbuckled my seat belt... but I think the passengers around us were probably more upset than we were because it was like amateur night at the Apollo in Row 12 with the two of us side by side. Especially after Sharon borrowed my iPod, turned the volume up and repeatedly tried to talk loud enough to hear herself over the music. The man in the seat next to us was having a blast and I think he would have offered to take us home and raise us as his own daughters if he wasn't already overwhelmed with his 2 kids that are still living with him.
So the reunion overall was a great experience. Thank you Sharon for dragging me on that plane! Many of the people who were there I had seen or spoken with at some point over the past 10 years but there were quite a few people I wondered about and it was good to see them still breathing and making a name for themselves on this earth. I hear there were some people who were uncomfortable about coming because of falling outs and problems that happened 10+ years ago. It made me wonder how many people had truly left those things behind them and came to genuinely enjoy themselves, how many came to measure their personal success against classmates whom they felt were less successful in life, and how many came with open hearts to forgive past transgressions and actions of immature teenagers and embrace the beautiful of the adults that many of us have grown to become... who knows? Either way, everything turned out beautiful and we had a great time! Here are some "then and now" pics of me with April and Sharon... the first is from our senior trip to LA in 1997 and the second pic is from the Friday night of the reunion. My how 10 years makes a difference!!!
On the shopping tip I have been picking up a few clothing items here and there. Some of my latest items from Macy's, Off Fifth and Target...
My biggest and best purchase of the summer is my new HP dv6436nr Laptop! It is on sale at Best Buy for $799 (from $899). I read so many comparisons over the week to decide if this is the one I should get. I was putting it up against the Dell 1520 and it was quite a battle that ended with a $250 side by side price difference (HP was cheaper and on sale) and the biggest HP advantage being no patience required while I wait for shipping (Best Buy is up the street with tons of HP's, but the Dell I would have to order and wait). This review on www.notebookreview.com (about a slightly different version of the laptop I bought) was the most helpful and after making my decision I popped in Best Buy at 9:50PM last night and sealed the deal. I haven't stopped using it since I got it!!! Next up - find some laptop skins to decorate the cover... thinking of going with pink and charcoal.... any ideas???
