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!

Classmate Catch Up with Raechelle Stier Bellus

Raechelle Stier Bellus
Occupation: stay-at-home mom
Spouse: Ken Bellus
Spouse Occupation: Operations Manager for a lumber company
Children: Kara (17), Meghan (17), Skylar (12), and Ashlyn (8)
Favorite Hobbies: Scrapbooking, reading, hanging out with my kids, gardening.
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? Finish college and raise happy kids.
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Having two girls in high school this is easy... enjoy the ride and take advantage of everything that comes your way. Live in the moment and don't put to much emphasis on the future, you'll be a grown up soon enough (things I should have done).

Emerson Elementary - 5th Grade

Taking a quick break from the Classmate Catch Ups (keep sending 'em in, people!), here we have Emerson's 5th grade picture sent in by Michelle Munding Cash.

Grads to look for: Shawn Jellison, Darrin Billings, Sara Fagerlie, Dena Thompson, Zach Torre, Roberta Long, Paul Golitzen, Michelle Munding . . . . .

Classmate Catch Up with Shalini Patel Darji

Shalini Patel Darji

Occupation: Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (stay at home mom right now)

Spouse: Vinesh Darji (UK)

Spouse Occupation: Pharmacist

Children: Darshan (3)

Favorite Hobbies: Spending time with family, singing, dancing, doing volunteer work in our temple, working with teenagers, watching TV, playing board games (Cranium), and painting.

What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? Become the coordinator of our teen and college age youth group. Be financially sound enough to go back to India and travel there for a month, and to send my in-laws to India so that they can live a life of peace, working in the temple in New Delhi and loving life.

Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? My guru . . . .he inspired me to be a better teen and young adult by appreciating my parents and doing work in the temple or anywhere without looking for someone to praise what I have done . . .and for giving me my faith in God which has steered my life in the right direction.

What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Always strive to be better than you are . . . never let someone tell you that you can't do it . . . accept praise with humility and learn from your mistakes. Remember than in the joy of others, lies our own. When we help others, we help ourselves and we are pleasing God.

Classmate Catch Up with Tim, Christine, and Kelley

Tim Wegner
Occupation: Software Engineering
Spouse: Judy Bailey
Spouse Occupation: Marketing
Children: Adler (8), Auden (6), Amory (4)
Favorite Hobbies: Outside of my work and family my interests include skiing, hunting, mountain biking, and woodworking.
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Work to improve weaknesses but ensure it is not at the expense of enhancing strengths.

Christine Vos Berg
Occupation: Simple Working Girl
Spouse: Ryan
Spouse Occupation: Shop Manager
Children: Matt (16), Kelsi (10)
Favorite hobbies: Who has time for hobbies?
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? Move to a tropical locale, off the map (Lost style), and do nothing for awhile.
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Listen to your parents. They really do know what they are talking about.

Kelley Ginty Lyday
Occupation: Piano Teacher
Spouse: Gregg Lyday
Spouse Occupation: Owns Clearview Gutters
Children: George and Emma
Favorite Hobbies: Music, Farm Animals and Pets, Camping, Biking, Church Events, and Movies.
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? Provide a good career start for both of my children and keep my family healthy.
Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? Christian Worship Artists, and Mr. Pat Castro - SHS Choral Director.
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Focus on your passion and your abilities and be the very best at what YOU DO

Classmate Catch Up with Ginger (Goosak) Donahue

Ginger Goosak Donahue
Occupation: Ginger - stay at home mom; Chad - Teacher
Children: Madelynn (9 yrs), Lucas (5 yrs)
Favorite hobbies: Cooking, reading with our children, falling asleep at 9:00pm
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? Continue to be happily married to Chad, lovingly parent our children, and possibly return to teaching part-time. Who knows?
Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? One person who inspired me was my piano teacher, John Sinkevitch. His passion for and commitment to music and ministry increased with age.
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? I would encourage them to always Hope and have Faith in their futures . . . You really do get out of life what you pour into other people.

Classmate Catch Up with Chris, Chris, Marcie, and Kerry

Chris Grieve
Occupation: Aircraft Engineer and Fly Fishing Guide
Spouse: Julie Posch
Spouse Occupation: Vet Technician Manager
Children: Kyra, Kip, Tim
Favorite Hobbies: Fly Fishing, Skiing, Mountain Biking, Sailing
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? Make a million dollars, quit my job, and travel around the world. Maybe get a little fishing in along the way.
Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? Mrs. Cedergreen and Coach Armstrong
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Learn as much as you can. The more you learn, the more you realize how much you don't know. Take care of your body. You will appreciate it later in life.






Chris Gilchrist
Favorite Hobbies: Fishing, Sailing, Hiking
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? Live on a sailboat
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Enjoy life and the people around you, be happy, follow your heart, go where the wind takes you and have as much fun as you can.









Marcie Matthias Cameron
Occupation: Cake Decorator
Spouse: Dean Cameron
Spouse Occupation: Casino
Children: Monica (16), Laval (8)
Favorite Hobbies: Camping, Reading
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? Job advancement, buy a bigger home.
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Graduate and have fun in high school - make the most of it all!




Kerry Van Duren
Occupation: Bookkeeper
Children: Austin (17), Stephanie (15)
Hobbies: Reading, watching movies, spending time with my children, and catching up with family I haven't seen since I was a little girl.
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? Write my story and finish my degree (If I ever figure out what I want to be when I grow up).
Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? As wierd as it may sound, the mother I never knew inspired me the most as a young adult.
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Follow your dreams no matter how impossible they may seem. You are only given one life, so live it to the fullest.

Classmate Catch Up with Shawn, Tammy, Kerry, and Mary

Shawn Smith

Occupation: Civil Engineer

Spouse: Lynnette

Spouse Occupation: Household Engineer

Children: Ivy

Favorite Hobbies: Golf, Basketball, Skiing, Biking, Playing.

What would you like to do/accomplish in the next ten years? I want to travel more, get more toys, pay off my house, buy another house, and find the wash board abs I know are under there somewhere.

Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? Some guy sitting in an office when I was outside in the rain and mud weeding the flower beds.

What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Watch "Little Miss Sunshine" and listen to the Grandpa.

Tammy Parker Cooper

Occupation: Management

Spouse: Tom Cooper

Spouse Occupation: Cement Mason

Children: Trevor (13), Tori (5), Tatum (5 months)

Favorite Hobbies: Softball, games with the kids, snowboarding, vacations, cooking and decorating home.

What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? I would like to spend more time doing things with my children and work less.

Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? JON BON JOVI of course.

What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Don't do drugs and stay in school. Enjoy being a kid and appreciate your friends.

Kerry Minnock

Occupation: Store Manager

Spouse: Jaime Minnock

Spouse Occupation: Finance

Favorite Hobbies: Reading, golf, biking.

What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? To continue to travel.

Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? My mother.

What piece of advice would you give high school students today? Enjoy your friends and family everyday that you can.

Mary Harkins Thompson
Occupation: Occupational Therapist
Spouse: Kirk Thompson
Spouse Occupation: Media Specialist
Children: Emily, Anna, & Ruthie
Favorite Hobbies: Travel, hiking and camping.
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? I want to stay home with my kids, move closer to family and hike the Inca Trail.
Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? My grandma - she lent a non-judgmental ear anytime I needed her.
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Listen to your parents . . . . they know more than you think!

Classmate Catch Up with Lissa Kelsey and Dane Wilson

Dane Wilson
Occupation: Comedian-Actor (code for waiter in Hollywood)
Favorite Hobbies:
Contemplating things that amuse me, like how cool it would be to make a citizen’s arrest just so you could tell people, “I made a citizen’s arrest...yeah, I fight crime.”
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? I’d like to transform into a part-time superhero, calling myself The Urban Hobo. I’d also like to be in more movies, perform stand up around the country, get my own tv show and lose 40 pounds without going on a reality tv show.
Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? I thought Cameo McGraw was the prettiest girl I’d ever seen in my life so that was pretty inspiring. (Hi Cam!)
What piece of advice would you give high school students today?
Study as hard as you play...step away from the keyboard and go outside...and
don’t put anything on myspace or youtube that will embarrass you in a few years. Embrace who you are rather than trying to be like everyone else. And...don’t eat the worm.


Lissa Kelsey
Occupation: Administrative Assistant Student
Spouse: (fiance) Don Whitwam
Spouse Occupation: Longshoreman
Children: Kaitlyn 17, Brady 12, Willow 5 and Isabella 1
Favorite Hobbies: I love to garden and hang out with my kids.
What would you like to do/accomplish in the next ten years? I am going back to school to finish up my teaching credentials.
Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? My 7th grade science teacher Lisa Berg.
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Don’t screw off until the last moment. Pay attention to your grades now before it’s too late!

Classmate Catch Up with David Austin

David Austin
Occupation: Repair technician (office machines) and Projectionist
Favorite Hobbies: Hobbies? I don't have time for hobbies! I put stars on the silver screen (see occupation).
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? Take a real vacation.
Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? Top Dailey
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Pay attention!

Classmate Catch Up with Jenn Egge Doucette

Jenn Egge Doucette

Occupation: Writer, Comedian

Spouse: Ben

Spouse Occupation: Teacher

Children: JJ (13), Katie (12), Emma (9)

Favorite Hobbies: Reading, writing, retail therapy, gardening, watching movies, traveling, hanging out with my family, more reading, dinging around on the computer.

What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? I'd love to get a few more published books under my belt, I'd also like to eventually headline some Clean Comedy Shows. If my son picks up his room by then, that will just be a bonus.

Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? Teacher: Mr. Molinero, Musician: Michael Card, Comics: Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Bill Cosby, Carol Burnett, Author: C.S. Lewis, Jane Austen.

What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." - Helen Keller

More Classmate Catch Ups with Troy, Craig, and Nick

Troy Anderson
Occupation: Real Estate
Spouse: Natalie
Spouse Occupation: Homemaker
Children: boy (1 year old), girl (3 years old)
Favorite Hobbies: Skiing, wine tasting, dining out, artsy fartsy stuff and travel.
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? Go on vacation for a month or more in Italy.
Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? Budweiser or Schmidt? I cannot remember???
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Serve the Lord and take more risks, everything else is a waste . . .


Craig Marker
Occupation: Project Manager
Spouse: Thomas Tomasevic
Spouse Occupation: Lead Program Manager
Favorite Hobbies: Wine tasting, hiking, camping, mountain biking, roadtrips and travel, podcasting, news junkie, canoeing and kayaking, playing with my cats, soon-to-be motorcyclist, cruises.
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? I'd like to become accomplished in fixing up homes and flipping them for profit.
Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? I would say my mother inspired me the most growing up on a more personal level. She taught me that if you want it to last, take care of it.
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Stay in school and study hard. Run after your dreams in a focused manner with drive and determination.


Nick Kester
Occupation: Charter Fishing Guide
Favorite Hobbies: Still like to fish for fun. I also surf as much as I can, ride my bike, snowboard all winter; still live in Snohomish and run a Fishing Charter out of Everett and Seattle that puts me in the water about 200 days a year.
What would you like to accomplish/do in the next ten years? I can say that I have done almost everything that I have wanted to accomplish so far, maybe slow down and do nothing again. Sit in Mexico or some other third world country and chill, drink lots of beer and eat shrimp.
Who most inspired you as a teen or young adult? I would have to say my Grandparents for the most part. In all the silly things I have done, they were always there no matter what.
What piece of advice would you give to high school students today? Pick a dream, go after it with a mindset that who cares what everyone thinks about it or you. It's your life so have a good time with it and don't ever look back and say, "What if I did this?"

Graduation 2008

It's official. The SHS Graduation Class of 2008 will be celebrating tonight, making us 20-year alums. Here we are in the midst of the ubiquitous turning of the tassel. My only question is what the heck everyone on stage is looking at on the ground.

Any ideas? Does Mal have an overflowing pocket of pennies? Did someone play a prank? Or did someone step in doggy doo doo???? Inquiring minds want to know.

On another note: Registrations are coming in at a steady rate - thanks to all who've signed up for the Big Event. See you all in about 6 weeks!