Political Posturing - okay, not really

I'm supposed to be working, which always brings out my creative-distraction gene. And--gosh--since politics seem to be so up front and center these days, I thought I'd add my own political posturing to the mix. (okay, not really, read on with confidence).

What I've located, as I sit here inhaling a bag of Sun Chips (French Onion), is my (brace yourself) campaign speech from 1987. With these words, apparently I convinced you I'd be worthy of leadership and reunion-planning until the end of my days.

And I quote:

"My name is Jennifer Egge, you see

(that's Jennifer Egg with an E)

I'm here to convince you to vote for me

For your senior class treasurer/secretary.

You may not think I'm cracked up for the job,

But I think I can do it, don't think I'm a snob.

I'm egg-stremely egg-cited for our senior year,

But I must admit I'm egg-sperincing some fear.

I'm ready and willing to pick up the yoke [yolk, get it? heh . . heh . . never mind]

and do egg-actly what's needed for all of you folk.

My egg-stra small speech has now come to an end.

And voting is just around the bend.

So when you are choosing, please think again.

Remember me, and vote for Jenn."

Let it not be said I hid both my writing abilities (ahem) and my comedic chops under a bushel barrel as a youth. There you have both in flying colors. (Panther colors of course).

All kidding aside, I thought you might need a reprieve from all the talking heads.

And yes, I know I look like Sarah Palin.

And no, I have no idea how to put lipstick on a pitbull OR a pig.

I'm Ba-ack . . .

I think I'm finally recovered from all the festivities. Whew. As an F.Y.I., I wanted to let y'all know I'll be posting now and then here on the infamous Class of 88 Blog, adding more Classmate Connections as they continue to trickle into my e-inbox. Certainly not as religiously as before, since I'm not trying to lure you to a reunion via my clever witticisms and mullet musings. Uhm, ya.

For you local folks, there's going to be a mini-get-together at The Blazing Onion Restaurant in Snohomish this Wednesday evening at 7:00pm (August 20th), located in the new shopping center on Bickford Avenue (look for the gigantic rock wall and Fred Meyer). We'll be handing back borrowed memorabilia, discussing our collective committee brilliance, taking notes for the 30th (seriously, we're sick people), and knocking back a few greasy burgers. Any and all are welcome. Spouses too, if necessary.

In case you don't believe that Snohomish has an honest-to-gosh, real-life restaurant that stays open past 9:00pm, check out their website: http://www.blazingonion.com/. [neener neener neener]

Post Reunion Reflections

Wow.

(and I mean that in a good way)

No kidding, what an amazing weekend. I'm still recuperating from all the fun. Excellent turnout friday night at Buzz Inn; special thanks to Mark and Tammy Perry who were the hit of the evening. Saturday was absolutely wonderful - Kyri stole the show as our Emcee Extraordinaire. And God bless all you Washingtonians for showing up Sunday, rain galoshes and all. Kudos to Sarah Bohlke for (in a pure moment of genius, I swear) renting the picnic shelter.

(*light the campfire and cue background music, this is where I get all Kumbaya on ya)

I've been truly amazed and humbled by so many of our classmates through the reunion process. I've heard from several who were not able to make it for a variety of reasons, some pretty standard, some not (ie: I'm going through chemo; I'm still grieving over the loss of my only child; I just lost my job; My husband just found out he has cancer, etc.). Each and every one of these individuals remained upbeat, positive, but so thankful to be a part of the SHS class of 1988. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times - we really do have a wonderfully unique class. It was a pleasure heading up the committee and I look forward to at least being a part of planning for the 30th (egads, that sounds so . . . . old). Many have already suggested a casual get-together for the 25th, possibly at Buzz Inn, which cracks me up.

I've also had requests [insert modest grin] that I keep adding to the blog. If anyone else has Classmate Catch Up stuff to send in, keep it coming and I'll be happy to publish it for you on the blog. And I'll probably check in from time to time with any other relevant info I discover along the way.

Dane and I both performed Sunday night at Giggles in the U-District amidst a die hard group of classmates and friends/family in the area. Lots of fun - we both thank you all for your support, laughter, and applause!

Thanks again for all the help from my stellar committee (okay and for the flowers and gift certificates - so unnecessary, yet so appreciated). So, fourth weekend in July, 2013 at Buzz Inn anyone???

Classmate Catch Up for Dummies

Okay, it's not that I think you're dummies, it was just a really catchy title.

If you haven't submitted anything for the Memory Books yet, you're definitely too late for the published version. However, if you'd still like to submit your info for the blog, I'll be happy to post it for you. Here's what ya gotta do:

1. Answer the following questions: (or as many as you want)

Name:

Occupation:

Spouse:

Spouse Occupation:

Children:

Favorite Hobbies:

What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years?

Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult?

What piece of advice would you give to high school students today?

2. Send me the answers (jenn at jenndoucette dot com).

3. Attach a photo (optional, jpeg preferable).

4. Send me a Starbucks card at the following address . . . .kidding.

And voila! - we're in business.

And now comes something I never thought I'd ever say during the span of my lifetime: See you all tonight at The Snohomish Buzz Inn - it's going to be great!

UPDATE - Saturday Night

If you're planning on attending Saturday and/or Friday, you still can, but here's the updated information from the RWC website:

***Reservations for this reunion are CLOSED. You can still attend the reunion, but you will need to register at the door with cash, Visa or MasterCard.

Saturday Night Event - GUEST LIST

T minus 48 hours and counting . . .

Saturday Night Event is almost upon us, so forget learning a new instrument, getting a tan, losing 20 pounds, or becoming a millionaire before your reunion . . . at this point, it is what it is, and it's all good.

Quick reminder on details:
Time: 6:30pm-12:00am
Place: Everett Events Center
If you haven't yet registered, it's not too late, but it helps to have a bit of a heads up for food and place settings purposes so check in with the RWC website (www.reunionswithclass.com). The guest list (for Saturday Night) is listed below, so please check for your name. If you don't see your name and thought you already registered, contact RWC right away (1-800-954-1044) and they'll get it cleared up stat.

Guest List:

Anderson, Neil
Anderson, Troy
Austin, David
Bailey, Kimberly
Bastian, Bryan
Belmore, Erin
Birks, Jennifer Wagner
Bohlke, Sarah Swanson
Bomar, Wendy
Brennis, Erik
Calozza, Michael
Cameron, Peter
Carpenter, Michael
Carpio, Aurora Nugent
Cavelero, Mark
Chonzena, Patrick
Coberly, Nina Sandoval
Curtis, Ben
Daniels, Betty Hall
Darwood, Charie Ford
Davis, Alan
Dolquist, Kristin Dzinich
Donohue, Chad
Eddleman, Roy
Egge, Jennifer Doucette
Ellison, Summer
Engeseth, Christa Skinner
Fagerlie, Sara
Ferguson, Michele Rodgers
Ford, Edward
Ford, Shanon
Friesen, Eric
Gable, Lisa
George, Malcolm
Gilchrist, Christopher
Gilpin, Kimberly Smith
Ginty, Kelley Lyday
Goosak, Ginger Donohue
Graves, Marigale Norman
Grieve, James Christopher
Griffith, Molly Burger
Haakenstad, Lisa
Harding, Melissa Mathewson
Harkins, Marianne Thompson
Harvey, Lance
Heckman, David
Hohenhaus, Yvonne
Holten, Herbert
Hood, Scot
Hord, Elise Evans
Jenney, Lisa Carlson
Johnson, Eric
Johnson, Michael
Jones, Pamela
Keel, Darcel Bradley
Kelly, Sean
Kester, Nick
Larsen, Derek
LaVelle, Jason
Marker, Craig
McDaniel, Bradley
Mills, Nicole McQuiston
Minnock, Kerry
Minogue, Bart
Moore, Danielle Erickson
Moss, Kelly Harris
Munding, Michelle Cash
Naas, Jill
Parker, Tammy Cooper
Petersen, Angela Sherbert
Pierce, Trella Reyes
Poier, Erika Lande
Posey, Sheri Plucker
Psaradelis, Joseph
Reid, Andrew
Ren, Kristen Stevens
Rice, Ellen Lewis
Rice, Scott
Riley, Darci Moreau
Roark, Constancia Daniels
Sanders, Kerri Rondona
Schoenfelder, Donald
Scott, Eric
Shelley, Robert
Sibley, Todd
Smith, Shawn
Stevens, Bradford
Surdyk, Gayleen George
Thompson, Molly Perry
Thompson, Sheryl
Tsircou, Kyriacos
Van De Casteele, Darrin
Van Duren, Kerry
VanAssche, Jason
Vos, Christine Berg
Waali, Darice
Walker, Wendy Malgesini
Warren, Douglas
Wegner, Timothy
West, Paul
Whitley, Sarah Carpenter
Whorton, Christopher
Wilson, Dane
Young, Rick

Classmate Catch Up with Herb Holten

Herb Holten
Occupation: Custom Cabinet Builder
Spouse: Tammy
Spouse Occupation: Investment Administration
Children: Ashley (14), Kourtney (11)
Favorite Hobbies: Hunting, fishing, golfing, and playing soccer. Watching my girls play sports and spending time with my family.
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? Raise great kids, return to Montana A.S.A.P., and live life to its fullest each day.
Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? Knowing what I know now, my (step) father Bruce. He taught me hard work, determination, unconditional love, and how to provide for my family.
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Get a good education and get involved with good activities and kids. Have fun as it only lasts a short time.

SHS Facelift 2008

Times, they are a'changin'. If you haven't yet heard, there is another Snohomish High School in the works (Glacier Peak Grizzlies), location: Cathcart area. The old school is currently getting a facelift and undergoing some serious construction. I was told by our stellar reunion committee that it would be "nerdy" to suggest an actual tour of the high school (you gotta love people who just tell you how it is), so here is a virtual tour in lieu of the nerdy one:

The new tennis courts along 5th Street (new construction in the background).

More SHS Construction Photos - July 2008

The view from 5th Street (the Art building is gone, as is the Band room).

Sunday Family Picnic at Legion Park

Here's the info for the 2008 Picnic:

Place: Legion Park
Time: Noon
Cost: Free!

*Please bring your own lunch, lawn chairs, and outdoor equipment to share if you want (Wiffle ball is always a bit hit. Pun intended). This is a free event, so come and hang out even if you're not attending the rest of the reunion. We will have some pop, lemonade, etc. on hand, so come on out and bring the family!


Check out some of the pictures from the family picnic in 1998:

Evening Dressy Casual -- What???

Google the words "evening dressy casual." I dare you. Seriously. I'll wait. What you probably discovered is a veritable gamut of clothing options. And that, fellow reunion-goer, is the point: dress up as much as you'd like. Or not. (We're talking Saturday night here. Please don't dress up for Buzz Inn. Trust me, you'll feel more than a little awkward). For Saturday we'll be in a fairly nice facility (translation: white linens), so dress as you would for going out to a slightly upscale Seattle restaurant. For some, that may mean a clean pair of jeans and a freshly laundered dress shirt. The point is to have a great time, so wear something that makes you feel happy. Unless you belong to a nudist colony. Ahem.

20 Year Reunion Committee Members

Two weeks to go and counting . . . .

We've been hard at work and look forward to seeing you on July 25th!

Lisa (Jenney) Carlson
Melissa (Harding) Mathewson
Kerry Van Duren
Jenn (Egge) Doucette
Sarah (Bohlke) Swanson
Nick Kester
Lisa Gable
Wendy (Walker) Malgesini

Classmate Catch Up with Wendy (Walker) Malgesini

Wendy (Walker) Malgesini

Occupation: Director of Human Resources

Spouse: Tony Malgesini

Spouse Occupation: Truck Driver

Children: 2

Favorite Hobbies: Reading, singing, working in my yard, hanging out with my family and friends.

What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? I want to run a marathon with my husband before I am too old to do it. I would like to buy vacation property somewhere, and travel more.

Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? My parents were and still are a huge inspiration to me. They have always worked very hard which instilled a good work ethic in me.

What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Enjoy High School! Make lots of good friends and memories so you can look back on them at your 20th reunion.

Classmate Catch Up with Chad Donahue

Chad Donahue

Occupation: English Teacher/Adjunct Professor

Spouse: Ginger

Spouse Occupation: Ex-teacher, current stay-at-home mom

Children: Madelynn and Lucas

Favorite Hobbies: I enjoy working out, making people laugh, reading, listening to podcasts, watching "The Office" with Ginger, overeating, arguing politics with my two brothers and dad, and more.

What would you like to do/accomplish in the next ten years? I'd like to get my Ph.D in ten years, continue teaching at SPU, and successfully raise both kids.

Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? I was inspired by many people: Rocky Balboa, my Dad, my Mom, Coach Armstrong, Mr. Svilar, Ray Johnson, Mr. Boling, and too many more to name.

What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Learn all you can and don't ever stop laughing.

Classmate Catch Up with Kris (Dolquist) Dzinich

Kris (Dolquist) Dzinich

Occupation: Auditor

Spouse: Kurt

Spouse Occupation: Teacher

Children: Cass and Rain

Favorite Hobbies: Playing ball, hiking, reading, listening to music, seeing friends.

What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? Visit Europe, watch kids graduate, live next to the ocean.

Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? Coaches and brother.

What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? No other three years will seem to last so long and mean so much. Enjoy every minute. Try and stay in touch with those people that touch your life.

Classmate Catch Up with Kimberly Helm

Kimberly Helm
Occupation: Mom
Spouse: Jerrell Neal (fiance)
Spouse Occupation: Political
Children: Jacob (4), Ashley (3)
Favorite Hobbies: Traveling, reading, and playing with my kids.
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? I just want to be a great mom and soon-to-be wife.
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Be yourself . . . Don't listen to others just to be "cool," do your own thing and be you.

Classmate Catch Up with Robert Shelley

Robert Shelley

Occupation: Firefighter
Spouse: Tamara

Spouse Occupation: Medical Transcription
Children: Aylia, Nik, Kara and Liam
Favorite Hobbies: hunting, baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, hockey, yard work, camping,walking on the beach, anything and everything with my family.
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next 10 years? Compete in a Natural Body-building Competition Masters division. Have all of my children graduated and off to college or work.
Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? My dad always instilled in me hard work. Mom always made do with what she had.
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Work hard, stay away from video games, ignore people that are mean to you. Always strive to do your best, do not fall short. Remember there is always somebody out there practicing to be better than you.

Classmate Catch Up with Creighkett (Gilpin) Smith

Creighkett (Gilpin) Smith
Occupation: Wife, Mother, Corporate Officer, Real Estate
Spouse: Jason Smith
Spouse Occupation: President, Questech Unlimited
Children: Preston (6) and Jasett (4)

Favorite Hobbies: Family fun time, sitting around the campfire, running, playing soccer, gardening, music, listening to a really good debate and those 'Ah Ha' moments in life.
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next 10 years? Cherish every moment that we have with our children, family and friends because time seems to be gaining momentum as we get older. Finish building our home, visit friends in Russia, be grateful, thankful and enjoy the blessing and gifts that have been bestowed upon us.
Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? Everyone inspired and shaped my life; the good and the not so good are all part of the choices that I make today and my dear ole' Dad of course. "Luv you, Dad!"
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? The definition of insanity: "Doing the same thing that you did yesterday, but expecting different results today. Stop the insanity, make a change and do it different!"

Today's Post Brought to You by the Number 8

I came to a startling conclusion recently: I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, the brightest crayon in the box, nor the fastest ship in the fleet. Ahem. I hate to even bring it up, but I have this compulsion to admit something that's been truly causing me committee-head angst lately:

We could have had our reunion on August 8, 2008, a.k.a. 8/8/08.

I know. Talk about a missed opportunity. Sigh. I'm consolling myself with the thought that every single member of the class of 88 is busy on August 8, 2008. If, perchance, you've got absolutely nothing going on that day, I don't want to know.

Keep in mind our actual reunion dates: July 25-27, 2008 (it just doesn't have quite the same ring, does it. Oh well . . . .).

Got Links?

More Classmate Catch Ups are on the way. . . just a quick shout out for links. Have a personal blog? A website for your business? How about a myspace or facebook account? If so, shoot me an e-mail (jenn at jenndoucette dot com) or reply below with your info and I'll be happy to post it on the right sidebar under the nifty category of "Got Link?"

Only 28 days til the reunion . . . if you haven't done so already, SIGN UP!