20th High School Reunion. Eek!

Huh.

That was my reaction when it occurred to me earlier this year that I originally moved to Columbus 20 years ago for college. Somehow it didn't occur to me, however, that I graduated high school 20 years ago, too.

So when I got an invitation a few weeks ago to my 20th high school reunion, it almost caught me by surprise. Nevertheless, I quickly responded "yes," even if I was a bit nervous to see some if my classmates for the first time in 10 years (our last reunion) or even since graduation day.

High school wasn't the best time of my life -- thank goodness. (I would hate to think my best days were that far behind me.) But I did have good friends, and I remain curious about their lives and families. Facebook scratches much of that itch, but it was nice to catch up in person and reminisce.

Will we have a 25th reunion? Or will 30th be next? Either way, I'll do my best to be there.

Why June Makes Me Sad

My least favorite month by far is February. Cold, snowy, dreary. I firmly believe that the creators of the Julian calendar hated it as much as I do. Why else would they have made it only 28 (or 29) days long?

Each year I look forward to the day I can open up the windows and leave my coat behind. I love May. But in June, the rising mercury isn't enough to pull me away from looking back.

I'm a little too sensitive when it comes to these things. After all, I'm not old enough to reminisce! But this year I got nostalgic for last year's high school reunion. (Then again, maybe that isn't so strange. I probably enjoyed the reunion more than I did all of high school.)

In any case, every June I dig out my rose-colored glasses. I graduated from high school 11 years ago this month. I met Paul 9 years ago this month. I graduated from college 7 years ago yesterday and started my first full-time job three days later.

I think about all of the friends I've made, so many of whom I've lost touch with.

Yes, good things happen in June (see above, meeting Paul), but I tend to think of this as a month of endings.

Me: 37.5% the Same Based on Meaningless Questions

I knew I had changed since high school, but now I have proof based on mostly meaningless, random questions I answered a decade ago.

In high school, every senior filled out a questionnaire toward the end of the year, and the answers were published in a booklet distributed to the class. Nothing earth-shattering-- favorite food, favorite song, favorite book, and so on.

After the high school reunion last weekend, I unearthed the booklet. So based on these artificial questions that really tell everyone nothing about me, I calculated that I'm 37.5 percent the same.

Favorite Food
1999: Tostadas
2009: Blackout cake, the fudgier the frosting, the better. I don't even remember eating tostadas that often. Or at all.

Favorite Pastime
1999: Reading and just having fun
2009: I probably wouldn't word it that way exactly, but yeah, those are basically my favorite pastimes. The last one encompasses a lot though, doesn't it?

Favorite Clothes
1999: Sweaters and cargo pants
2009: Skirts and sandals. Can't even remember the last time I got out a pair of cargo pants.

Favorite Male Singer
1999: Elliot Smith
2009: Jude, although Elliot Smith is probably still in my top five.

Favorite Female Singer
1999: Sheryl Crow
2009: I don't think so, but I can't think of anyone I like better. I still like her old stuff, I guess. (Besides that, she'll always have a fond place in my heart since Tuesday Night Music Club was my very first CD.)

Favorite Musical Group
1999: Goo Goo Dolls
2009: Uhhhh ... no. U2 and some embarrassing older bands like Journey and Chicago.

Favorite Song
1999: "Barely Breathing"
2009: Actually, yes, that's still true.

Favorite Actor
1999: Harrison Ford
2009: Jack Lemmon, Edward Norton

Favorite Actress
1999: Gwyneth Paltrow
2009: Rachel Weisz

Favorite Movie
1999: "Sense and Sensibility"
2009: "The Painted Veil"

Favorite Book
1999: "Pride and Prejudice"
2009: Yup.

Favorite Expression
1999: Havin' fun yet?
2009: Really? Really? (Evidently I have a thing for rhetorical questions.)

Pet Peeve
1999: People who complain about stupid things.
2009: I'd say that still holds true.

If you could go through high school again ...
1999: I wouldn't worry so much about things that won't make a difference in five years.
2009: Absolutely still true.

What do you see yourself doing in ten years?
1999: I will be ecstatic over my promotion as feature writer for People magazine.
2009: Ha! I don't even remember reading and/or liking People magazine, so I wonder if this was a joke. I do distinctly remember, however, that I didn't care if I was famous myself as long as I met famous people. Not that I had to worry about either of those things happening, obviously.

Parting Words
1999: Remember that everything - good and bad - happens for a reason.
2009: Don't believe this anymore. Some things happen just because they happen.

Tinora High School Reunion: 10 Years Later

I was afraid my 10-year high school reunion would resemble a recent episode of "30 Rock." Liz Lemon remembers being the social outcast everyone picked on. But her classmates recall how she made their lives a living hell.

While I'm pretty sure I was neither outcast nor bully, I was extremely nervous about attending the reunion and had gone back and forth about whether or not to attend.

A few years back I put together a mini-reunion in Columbus since that's where several of my classmates and I were living. I also sent an email to those living outside of Columbus whose email addresses I had, inviting them as well. Long story short, I got an irate email from a classmate who didn't live in Columbus that said she and/or other people thought we were having a "secret reunion." FYI: I don't think secret reunions are allowed at the Blue Danube.

I was pretty bitter about it at the time, but in any case all but 2 or 3 C-busers showed up at the Dube, and I ended up having a great night. The experience, however, put me off getting involved in any other sort of reunion -- mini or otherwise -- but I was curious about seeing classmates I had rarely or never spoken to since graduation day.

So I booked the plane tickets.

The reunion was on the outdoor patio of BW3's, a bar that didn't even exist in Defiance in 1999. It started at 6 p.m., I got there at 7, and I stayed until the lights flickered out 7 hours later.

My classmates -- even and especially the ones I knew well back then -- were now even funnier and more interesting than I remembered. Before the reunion, I wasn't sure how my memory of myself would mesh with those my classmates held of me. I'm still not sure. (One person did tell me how much he hated me in fifth grade because I was so good in English. I failed to tell him how jealous I was over how well he did in our high school history classes. Secret's out, I guess.)

Several people said they were disappointed at the turnout-- maybe 15 or 20 of our class of 77 showed up. I was hoping to see a few of the no-shows ... even the writer of the "secret reunion" email. But we didn't do too bad. My uncle's 20-year reunion from the same high school was cancelled this year because of a lack of interest.

I had a terrific time, but I left with a feeling of regret. Why haven't I been friends with some of these people for the last 10 years? I lived practically (and at Ohio State, literally) down the street from a handful of them for eight years.

It would be easy to say I wanted to cut all high school ties after graduation, but that isn't true. I was too insecure to make many overtures, and time severs ties. After awhile it seemed too awkward to get back in touch. I made a few attempts (like that mini-reunion) but mostly let things be.

Will the reunion change anything? Who knows? But I do know that the evening ended too soon and that I meant it if I said you should visit and offered up the spare room.

Even after all of these years, I still feel socially awkward and a little behind my classmates. No kids and no plans to have any anytime soon. No idea when, where or if I want to settle. I'm still finding my footing, still trying to find my way in the dark.

At any rate, it's good to know that I'm not the only one who isn't exactly where she thought she'd be 10 years later. After yet another unsuccessful explanation of my job, one classmate replied, "OK, but what do you want to do?" Good question, and one I still can't answer.

So I figuratively lift high my Ram Shot (whatever that is) and toast the Tinora High School class of '99. Here's hoping it won't be another 10 years.