Going Back

Well after last night's high school class reunion, today we took a little stroll through the pages of Mr. Fun's senior yearbook. First of all, the cover in orange and yellow (pictured here) is an award winning design (especially for that day). It was created by one of Mr. Fun's best friends. Michael McMahon, who is an extremely gifted artist now living in the San Francisco Bay area. You can see the cover of the next year's yearbook (mine, from when I was a sophomore--plain green and boring). There's an amazing difference in the design of those two books. It is astonishing what an artist can add to an publication and the class was fortunate to have Michael's contribution to the book.

Just looking through the yearbook has inspired lots of conversation about class mates, close friends, and people and friends who are now dead -- this has been a day flavored with nostalgia. We've talk lots today about memories, crazy times, people we knew, and just the amazement that we sort of grew-up in spite of all the valleys, hard knocks, and stupid-ness. (We neither one really ever want to grow-up, but it is nice to recognize that we've wised-up, some).

Because last night's reunion was considerably different than previous ones (no DJ, no dancing -- just lots of conversation), we talked about ways that lots more could have been done to entertain the class with possibly a video that highlights photographs and music of the past. We do realize that someone from the class would have to be willing to do the creative work and the photo research to put it all together, but it sure would make for a fun evening.

There was another class reunion in our town today. It was held at the high school cafeteria--called the Star Room, (because it is built in the shape of a star)--this reunion was for every class of graduates. We didn't go, but heard this evening that the Star Room was packed with people. And two classes, in particular, had the most people because their classes had just had their reunions this weekend.

Of course we've also talked lots about Woodstock because of the 40th year anniversary this weekend. Even though we are this many years past that landmark musical moment, we still are instantly transported to that era when those songs are heard. I thought some of the very fine print on the back cover of the album is worth noting:

"The recording of the music at Woodstock was a challenge of unprecedented scope and complexity requiring a level of endurance from both man and machine previously unheard of in location recording. The music and sounds in this album were selected from 64 reels of 8 track tape recorded over a period of three and a half days in three continuous 18 hour sessions. Technical flaws, resulting from equipment failure as well as human overload are inevitable in a venture of this size. Just as inevitably, some of them occur in the material included in this album. Consider them like the scars in fine leather, proof of the origin and authenticity of the material in which they are found."

Okay, I'll end with this thought -- even though I didn't want to go to Mr. Fun's class reunion, I'm glad I went. It makes me consider going to my next class reunion (and I haven't gone to mine in years), so 3 years from now maybe.

That's it for this Sunday from Southern California.
Monday is arriving, have a great week.
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol