Jim Seeds in the cockpit
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Wedding photo of Jim Seeds and his wife Andrea
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Small Worlds

We finally found Russ Monroe, or rather he found us! Turns out the Jane Ramsey I had on the email list wasn't Jane Ramsey from high school, but a freind of Russ'. I don't know where I got the address, but I'm happy we've got one more email.
Uploading Jim Seeds' photos this morning too. Keep 'em coming!

Another check!

Just got a check with a little something extra for the reunion fund from Gary Williams! Every time I come home for the weekend and find a check in the mail, I get a little more excited. But I just noticed that so far, it's all guys! Some with their wives/significant others. What's up girls? I was thinking of Debbie Cox, Karen Browser. Mary Sqwish during the week. Anyone know how to get in touch with them?

Virtual Reunion

Jim Seeds has a great comment and idea. Let's turn this into a virtual reunion for everyone! You can post to comments, or send me your info and photos, and I will upload. Check out Dave Harr's photos and letter, below.

Dave Harr!
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Dave and his wife Connie
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Dave Harr and Family
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Where will you be in 2 years?

Brenda Maiolo (Pirtle) and I were talking about the Reunion on Saturday and she had a great idea. Her husband Nick's class had a reunion around the time they were all turning 50 - so Brenda and I will have another two years to try to track everyone down for that. In the mean time, no matter what, we're having this reunion. Even if we have to move it til later in the evening and be part of the regular bar crowd. Anyone have any ideas for where we could meet up on Friday night for anyone who's in town. I was thinking Last Chance or Dutch Cabin, but I'd just love it if someone else would take the reins on this one!

From Dave Harr

Hey you guys,



It turns out I will not be able to make it. It is killing me because I would love to see you guys and get caught up. I guess I’ll have to do it by e-mail. So, here’s the current info:



Married to my beautiful wife, Connie, for 25 years this July 19th.
Three daughters: Lindsey (graduated from Brown a year ago and now lives in NYC); Amie (graduates from high school in two weeks and will be attending Liberty University); Erin (will be a high school junior next year).
Employed at PKC Corporation (medical software) as a Client Relations Consultant.
Have lived in Burlington, Vermont for 23 years.
Other stuff: die-hard Yankees and Giants fan in Bosox and Patriots country (I am currently taking a shellacking from all my Red Sox friends); did the renovate the old VT farmhouse routine (bought a 200 year-old farmhouse that was going to be condemned and demolished and brought it back from the dead – it almost killed me; have since sold it); have run two marathons; am a horrible golfer, but I still like golfing; still not used to it being -25 F in the winter; 23 years in VT and I still haven’t hiked to the top of Mt. Mansfield – shameful! political leanings – all over the place depending on the issue but mostly conservative (yeah, yeah, I know… but get over it); brush with fame – almost got punched out by Mark McGwire while trying to get his autograph in a Boston hotel lobby (that was before we knew about ‘roid rage… I’m probably lucky to be alive)


In case anyone is interested, I am attaching a couple pics so you can see what the years have done to me and how lucky I am to have my wife and family. Risky, I know, but here they are. I would really appreciate any updates you guys could e-mail to me along with any (tasteful) photos. I am really sorry that I can’t make it. I hope someone takes lots of pictures and e-mails them around.



I’ll be in touch.



Dave

5 checks and counting

So far, I've got checks from JD Cowles, Joe Labriola, Tom Jones, Kevin Brewster and Kevin Whalen. Larry Neilsen can't make it. Neither can Dave Harr, who sent a great update and photos I will try to upload.
I need 3 volunteers for the day of the reunion to help with meeting/greeting. Please get in touch.
I'm hoping to find the time to make ticket/name tags from our yearbook. I had big plans for all sorts of things, but time is running out and you can't imagine how busy I am.
Just at the time of year I want to slow down and take it easy, clients come calling and exhibition opportunities crop up. I'm juggling as many balls as I can. They say if you need something done, ask a busy person!

What if we gave a reunion and nobody came?

I spoke to Matt at the Pavillion yesterday afternoon, to touch base about our numbers. In order to have the space to ourselves Saturday afternoon, we've got to have a minimum of 50 people. If we have less, we're just going to have to move the event to the evening, meet at the bar and be a part of the crowd.
Of course, those of you who sent checks will get a full refund, unless you'd like to make a donation for seed money for future reunions, or we can make a class donation to a worthy local non-profit. I'm not giving up hope yet, as the date is still a month and a half away.
Also, the ability to pay on Classmates.com doesn't seem to have materialized. No big deal. There was some kind of approval process, but it still says pending or tentative. It's easier on our end to simply deposit checks anyway. So if the word "tentative" has been keeping you from making a commitment, it's absolutely not tentative. And there's no chance of cancellation. Worse case scenario the time changes to later in the day. Win. Win.

By the way...

If you've got websites, home pages, etc. please send and I will add a link to this page. No one seems to be getting into posting - but maybe links will do it.
On another note, I just got an email from Rick Ballasone (rbalassone@yahoo.com) (class of 76) and though he won't be able to make it the 30th, he'll be in town July 10 to 26 - so if anyone else can't make it the 30th for some reason (though I'd really rather you made the commitment to that date) we can see if we can all meet for a drink earlier in the month. E-mail us both.
Also Kevin Whalen (kwhalen@comcast.net) is working on pulling together a day of golf.
This is what I'm talking about. Go Spartans!

What are you waiting for?

I've got 3 checks in hand, plus 2 checks for seed money. Shocking isn't it? Come on guys, this is for you! Need some inspiration? go to burningman.com and read about radical self-reliance, community and why it's so important to be a part of things, not just sit on the sidelines waiting for someone else to do it all.
Really, all you need to do is write a check and show up. That's it. I promise you a magical time. You don't have to dress up, or make excuses. No one cares how gray, fat or bald you've gotten. We've all got wrinkles; most of us have been thru the wars of one sort or another. I know lots of you have kids graduating from high school and heading to college. It's a time of transitions; life is full of them. Come celebrate and share your life stories. We shared home rooms and study halls once upon a time.
As they say when you get to Burning Man: Welcome Home. You'll know what I mean when you get here.
So get those checks in the mail today. I mean now. Right now. This minute.
Here's another reason why you should come. A freind of mine died 3 weeks ago. Massive heart attack 3 days after his 50th birthday. He'd been working 18 hour days for 6 months. Missing his kid's birthday parties because his company couldn't get by without him. He was a great dad. A really dedicated guy in a wide range of community activities. A great neighbor - I'll tell you stories about him when I see you on the 30th. But, I keep thinking about all the things he didn't get around to doing. The garden that he had been dreaming about for at least three years. The weddings he won't be at - in body anyway. Even things we didn't get around to doing with him: the dinners we always planned and never got around to. The celebrations we kept putting off because we were all too busy.
This reunion is a celebration. A beautiful chance and reason to just cut out from our overly busy, scheduled and cerebral lives and just have a little fun with old freinds who really haven't forgotten us even if we haven't spoken in 30 years. We're in each other's blood and bones. We grew up together. We're forever embedded in one another's psychological hard drives.
And that's a good thing, no matter how hard and fast we ran away from it all. Coming back to it will be a breath of fresh air. It will be magic. I promise you.

Can't do it without you!

I'm putting out a plea to everyone: get in touch with at least 5 people and ask those 5 people to get in touch with 5 more. That's the only way we'll get the word out about this reunion.
Need those checks now! The May 31st deadline has passed. Send your check for $30 per person made out to Riva Weinstein/Reunion: Riva Weinstein, 296 Stissing Road, Stanfordville, NY 12581.
And please: send me your email address for a master list. My email is riva_isms@yahoo.com
You can also post to this blog.
Don't wait! Do it now!
I'll be sending out and posting a master list later this week, so check back and help fill in the blanks.