High School Musings

I've been thinking about high school a lot lately, in large part because my 15 year reunion is coming up.  I doubt I will be going, in large part because I can't afford to (that whole lack of full-time employment thing is really getting to be a very large pain in my ass...).  I'd kinda like to go, as I did enjoy my 10 year reunion.  Missed the 5 year, though.  I was living in Colorado Springs, CO at the time, with no good way to go cross country...  

Hmm, is there a pattern developing here?  But I digress...

In talking about this with various friends and acquaintances, it seems that I am in something of a minority when it comes to my High School memories.  Most of these people actively disliked that time in their lives, if not outright hated it.  In nearly all cases, it had to do with their classmates.  Apparently, these classmates were, by and large, a bunch of beetle-browed neanderthals who did nothing but give my friends grief.  A fairly traumatic time, to say the absolute least.

But that's not the way I remember high school.

Now, I was never among the "in" crowd.  Hell, when you're 6' 3" and 230 lbs, this puts you squarely in the "outcast" category.  And yeah, I took my share of crap from people.  And yeah, I got that "friend" speech a lot.  But y'know what?  None of that really bothered me.  And the reason for that was a simple one.  Even before high school, I had adopted a fairly simple philosophy that I adhere to even today.  Care to know what it is?

I don't care what other people think.  This is who I am.  If you want to associate with me, fine.  If not, it's your loss, not mine.

Between this and my uncanny (and, some say, unhealthy) ability to laugh at myself, most of the issues that I've heard lately never fazed me.  

What I do have are a lot of very cool memories.  Playing football (though admittedly, not very well).  Three Musicals.  And a bunch of asshat friends and classmates who made for some of the craziest times of my life.  While mopping floors today (don't ask), the following things floated through my mind:

• Jim McKeany & I convincing Bernadette Matheis that there was a character named "Biff" in Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men.
• Re-enacting the "graduation" scene from Stripes in the Bandroom
• Scott Krawczyk threatening to hump the Resuci-Annie
• Joe Abate & his hovercraft plans
• The Sophomore year Food Fight (one wonders if the chocolate pudding is still on the ceiling...)
• Sneaking into the bomb shelter.
• Phil Dillard falling asleep in Honors English 3...and Mr. Gowan's "wakeup call".
• Kevin Dugan waking me in Religion...telling me that I was snoring.
• Our "Senior Prank" (IMO, it wasn't that great.  Mike Smyrski, Ed Kenney & I came up with a MUCH better one...email me if you want the details)
• Chris Creighton and his teacher impersonations.
• John Rickert & I building a fence for the sophomore year hall decorations.
• Bob Huber introducing us to the humor of Sam Kinison...and then, during "Hunger Awareness Day", asking why these people didn't move, since nothing grows in a desert.
• Working forever with Bob Passarelli, Anthony Giacchino, and Craig McCullough to perfect our Barbershop Quartet for The Music Man
• Discussing the high and low points of pro wrestling with Ernie Trinidad and John Rickert
• The SCWF

...and many others...

What I think it all boils down to is this:  I have a lot of great memories of those 4 years.  And a great deal of them are directly because of those "asshat friends and classmates".

So thanks for a great 4 years, you asshats.    I hope life is treating you well.

And if I don't see you at the 15 year, I hope to see you at the 20th!