30th High School Reunion-7 Weeks

My 30^th high school reunion is in 7 weeks. Starting now, preparations and vague anxiety have begun. Like participants nationwide, I've begun my regiment to firm up. Farewell most nighttime carbs. Good bye frequently indulged in enormous bowl of popcorn, lovingly dressed in melted butter, a light showering of ground garlic salt and pepper, basil and a dash of chili powder; liberally sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Adios, I loved you well, but I want a flat stomach and a rock hard ass, or the equivalent of at this age. Also on hold, comforting fantasies of my first home made Champorado. Resolve!

I have the dress. I bought it for a mixer that resulted in one of the worst dates I ever had. I rationalized the high cost when I realized I could wear it to my reunion that I had just committed to. I love this dress. It's a beautiful summery feminine breezy butterfly of a frock. Is it too much? Perversely, I'm almost wishing it was a ubiquitous little black dress. Butterflies don't blend in.

I don't know if this is the first reunion my class has had or just the first one I'm aware of. Facebook has really helped get out the reunion message. I don't know any of the people on the confirmed list. Sure, some names are vaguely familiar, but there's only one I count as a friend. I've really enjoyed catching up with her; we lost touch a few years after high school during the college years.

I didn't love high school. The second half of my senior year, I only had a class or two; I took courses at the community college. I was dating a 19 year old surfer from North Carolina. My girlfriends were for some reason one year older or a year younger than me. We all hung out with a group that was a little older. We intersected with some of the other high school groups at parties, but I wasn't true friends with any of them.

I desperately wanted my oldest and best friend to go with me, she's one year younger, but she can't get away that weekend. So, I'm solo. The friend I've been communicating with has warned me that everyone she has connected with is very politically conservative; NRA and Sarah Palin fans. Good to know. Are there seating charts at these things? Do we really just talk about jobs, kids, where we live?

It 's easy, I don't have to make much of an effort to go. My parents still live in town and I visit every summer. Admittedly, I'm curious. I guess it's partly rite of passage; it's time to do this. It's a once in a lifetime event, a few hours of my life. 30 years later--what became of us? What do we look like now? Who has the nerve and desire to find out and be found out? Friends have told me that a lot of spouses don't come and plenty will be divorced. They're also telling me how much fun I'll have, as if they've never met me. Probably a good testimony to my acting skills.