This summer, will mark 30 years since I graduated High School. Wow did I have some hair back then. Okay, I've still got it, it's just much shorter now.
It was Orange Park High, just outside of Jacksonville, FL. That's my hometown, Orange Park. I didn't spend much of my Senior year actually "in class." I was working at various radio stations and various jobs like selling shoes at Sears, (at the Orange Park Mall) and a brief stint throwing packages for UPS.
Looking back, not going to my senior year was a mistake. I had purposely taken Summer School after 9th, 10th and 11th grades to lighten my load of classes during the year. They were required classes and we were on a credit system. We needed 15 credits to graduate, and going into my senior year, I had 15. I still had to take the required Americanism vs Communism class, so I took it first semester of the year, and hung out for an hour or two in the morning, before heading out. I really wasn't there much for the second semester of my senior year. I was mostly working. I just can't recommend it for most. The last semester of your senior year is where friendships bond, and maybe even last a lifetime. I missed out on a lot of that.
I am in the top row fourth in from the right, next to my close friend Tom ChaseHere's the funny thing, click on the picture, it'll blow up and you can see that
many had already been into the sauce. (not me, I don't drink)
Ten years ago, I went to our "20th Class reunion," it was nice, it was fun, saw many familiar faces, and was able to catch up with friends... many of them still live and/or work in the Jacksonville area.
Which brings me to this summer. The "30th" is being planned, and I'm having trouble getting up the desire (not courage) but desire to go. Why? Well, what do you do at reunions? You catch up with what's been going on. Find out who has the most Grand kids now. Who has "made it," who has been married and divorced the most... you know.
Driving into work this morning, I'm thinking, know what? Social Media may have just killed the idea of reunions. I already know what all my friends from high school are up to, or are going to be up to. They are my friends on facebook, and I can see from their pictures how they are doing, how their kids are doing, how their work is going.
We had a pretty good turnout for the "20th" Then again we graduated like 850 that year, so even 20 percent is a great turnout. This year, I fear, "the desire" will be diminished, and the economy will be a factor in the turn out. I hope I'm wrong. It's always great to see folks you haven't seen in a while, "face to face." But, much of the secret, the mystery will have already been lifted.
I'll keep thinking about it. You hear it, but never believe it, how "time flies." And how it goes even faster the older you get. We'll all be 48 this year. I moved to Orlando, FL a year or two after graduation to go to college at Univ of Central Florida, work at some radio stations and Walt Disney World, before catching on to WFTV-9, the ABC station there. Worked overnight news, weather and producing... before heading off to Memphis. I've been in Memphis now almost a quarter of a century. Here is my bio from work. I work at WREG, the CBS affiliate, where I handle the "weather duties" for the morning and noon shows, and what ever else comes along.
You can find me on Facebook, I'm "Todd on Daybreak" look me up, come say "Hi."
We had to take 2 photos to capture everyone who turned out 10 years ago.
