OMG 60th High School Reunion?!

 Note: I have taken the liberty to intersperse a few thoughts said better by a very eloquent guy. They are borrowed from the 60th reunion speech by Stephen J. Trachtenberg, class of ’59, Columbia University.

Call the police - and some paramedics - the class of '66 is partying!

Don't blame me, Sheri, I told you we should NOT have invited Pederson!

Has it already been ten years since my classmates and I celebrated 50 years away from (the no-longer-existing) Jefferson Senior High? Yes, sir! We celebrated the rather awe-inspiring number 60 recently. And what a wild time we had - some of us stayed up until after 10!

Lotta snow on the roof  there 

Thanks to fine work of the People’s Committee for Honoring the Alexandria Class of ‘66, some 49 of us (original class size: 266, 178 at time of reunion) gathered in the old home town on a dreary Minnesota fall evening. It was brightened by familiar voices - perhaps a bit huskier with age - sharing old stories made new by their recollection (with a few details still a bit hazy?)

As always, the years are kinder to some of us rather than others (you can figure that one out)

Over the last 60 years many of us found professions, pastimes, loves and lovers that fired our passions, and gave us a steady glow of gratification. Each of us worked the trail that best suited our personalities, talents and circumstances. On many occasions we raised glasses together and toasted moments of joy and good fortune.

Wow, all this and Jerry Teeson hosting for 35 bucks? What a deal!

"I should have charged more!"

Yup, Jerry, our very own Alex Trebek

Jerry, back by popular demand from 50th, did another fine job MCing our gathering. The color guard and recognition of vets was again a wonderful touch - even with our dwindling numbers. It was much appreciated by all us vets. As noted, our class like so many others graduating during those Vietnam years, sent a large percentage of our guys off to war. Some not to return.

There were a few brave spouses who ventured along and none seemed to have come at the point of a gun so hats off to them. You know, it’s hard enough to be around a spouse that’s 78 years old – eh, huh, what'd you say?! – let alone a roomful of over-excited senior citizens. By the way, that is a term that most of us disavow (senior citizen, not over-excited.) Okay, I disavow it. I choose to think of myself as very late middle age. You know what they say, 78 is the new . . . 75 – or something like that.

Rick and Pat - gotta be toupees

I'm telling you, Rick, my hair is still prettier than yours. 

Swabbies were nice enough to let an AF geek join them (Ahoy there, mateys, leave some cake for the rest of us!)

Everyone I told that I was going to my 60th wanted to know the same thing: how does everyone look. Jerks. What did they think I would say, old? Luckily, I can honestly say that everyone looked pretty damn good! Well, at least recognizable as their 18-year-old self (I refuse to say “for their age.”) Some of us have a few more miles on us than others but if you live this long it is highly unlikely that you will be wrinkle free, can tighten your belt to the last hole or have enough hair to worry about a bad hair day. (Well, except for Rick and Pat)

No sir, we can all look in the mirror and say, “not too bad!”

I forget things — little things: I sometime ask what day of the week is it; or “when are we visiting the kids?” And fairly regularly, I say “Please call my phone” or “did you notice if I took my pills today?” Minor inconveniences to the person I ask, and frankly, to me — the person asking. An acquaintance in Washington, the writer Judith Viorst, put it this way: “It’s okay to find your missing keys in the pocket of your raincoat. It’s not so okay to find them in the freezer, which means as of now I am definitely okay.”

Wait - so you're saying this is our 60th and not the 55th? I need another beer!

On a more somber note, the roll of those who are no longer traveling around the sun with us has nearly doubled to 88 over the last ten years. 88 is about 33% of the original class. Apparently, that is right on the national average for people not making it to age 78. Not too bad I suppose (unless you're one of the 88) yet somehow losing that many of your fellow classmates seems an unfair price to pay even with wars (which seem to afflict every generation) and the usual vicissitudes of life. Oh well, it is better to have known them and lost them than to not have known them at all. Besides, the great wheel of life rolls on over all of us . . .

Along with this satisfaction, however, we also felt the pain of loss and disappointment — personal and professional. We suffered illnesses, death, tragedies and shared episodes of great sadness. In other words, we’ve led normal lives, with exuberant moments and sorrowful seasons. I need not remind those here tonight that the road map we are presently following is coming to a new arrival point: we’re taxiing to the gate. Memories are often stronger than aspirations.

Buzzy - the class common denominator - and the cool kids' table

I know, Doug has always been delusional
but he's harmless

And Rickie, our class valedictorian. You know she barely beat me to it, right? (Okay, by about 60 spots but seemed closer than that to me.)

Kiddingly, I asked someone if they were interested in planning our 70th. I was rebuked mightily! It’s not that most of us don’t think (hope?) that we will make it to 88 but maybe it’s because we don’t want to press our luck or jinx it. Or perhaps that just as making it to the 50th and then – holy crap! - the 60th was simply inconceivable when we graduated, a 70th is like . . . science fiction - C'est Impossible! There is also the sad, incontrovertible fact that according to the odds only about 85 of us will be around in 2036. That’s a pretty small pool of partiers to hope for.

With my football buddy, Glenn - You know what they say about high foreheads and brillliance (or we played too much without a helmet!)

Well, to hell with that gloomy stuff! We 49, we few, we happy band of brothers and sisters, (apologies to Shakespeare) had the great pleasure and honor to gather again, tell our stories, share our joys and woes and glide back 60 years to that simple time at Jefferson High. If I make it to 88 I will gladly run, limp or drive my Little Rascal back for another chance to see . . . who can remember why the heck we were getting together!

Party on, classmates, party on.

(Perhaps should have had the valedictorian organize the unruly crowd for the picture?)

Some top tunes of 1966:

California Dreamin'   Mama and the Papas

Walk Away Renee    The Left Bank

Paperback Writer   Beatles

Last Train to Clarksville   Monkees

The Commies are Coming, The Commies are Coming!

AI Free

There is much pearl clutching today by the leaders of the Democratic party as it relates to the Democratic Socialists (DS) who have somehow managed to get themselves endorsed and elected.

A generally moderate independent voter, I admit touching some pearls myself.  Democrats are concerned that they (DS) will drag the whole party down; in what should be a huge, blue tsunami some fear it could end up a small wave lapping helplessly ashore because of DS candidates. A legitimate fear. Meanwhile, supporters of these new interlopers say the DS candidates are generating the first real excitement for the Democrats in many years. There is some truth to that too.

Republicans, naturally, and others of their ilk are describing these “wild-eyed radicals” as Communists. Not true, of course, although compared to today's two main Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum parties they are certainly "different."  (Besides, to today's Republicans anyone to the left of Genghis Khan is communist.) Like most of us Americans, they don’t really the know difference between liberal, socialist or communist – or even that there is a difference. So, how did DS suddenly get a foothold in a conservative country like the US?

Perhaps it was overdue.

Throughout history, the average person has had certain expectations of their governments. Rather governed by a king, a dictator, or democracy, they expect to be able to feed their family, have shelter, and to be left alone to live their lives. Not really asking for much. When those simple conditions are not being met, however, they get angry and finally “the people” start to revolt or turn against their so-called leaders and all they stand for. It happens Every. Single. Time.

King Louis XVI  French Revolution 1789
(Off with his head - We want croissants, we want croissants!)

Of course, today the bar is somewhat higher. Modern countries have almost nothing in common with their earlier selves. Life is much more complex with many difficult problems that simply can’t be solved by just ignoring them or hoping the free markets will solve them. A cursory look at America’s history will inform us where we would be if it weren’t for many government programs. It’s easy to forget that our “socialist” government gave us Social Security, Medicare, the interstate highway system, the internet - food inspection? - and countless other important things. With Republicans calling it “communism” Every. Single. Time. 

We Americans have been enormously successful for a very long time. In a sense, perhaps we've been spoiled not just by that success but by the stability and reliability of our government. Yet more recently that same government has ignored our many big problems - among them, out of control costs for healthcare, housing and education as well extreme income inequality - that have caused a great deal of damage for so many Americans in the last few decades. (Our attention misdirected, no doubt, by the “bread and circus” aspects of our modern society - can you say pro sports, reality TV and smart phones?) In any event, we have all been very compliant - some might call us sheep - for silently putting up with it. Meanwhile, those big issues are only growing while our usual political leadership seems unable – or unwilling - to do anything. (Well, they are solving the important day light savings time problem.) As noted earlier, history shows that when the political elite can’t - or won’t - make changes that help the “common folk” eventually the pitch forks come out. 

I believe MAGA was a warning shot, a legitimate cry in the wilderness for change. Unfortunately, it was hijacked by a very bad man and converted into a grievance-ridden focus on social issues that are far from the biggest problems of the country.

So, could that be why the DS is finding an audience today? Not unlike their earlier predecessors in MAGA or the even earlier Freedom Caucus, they are talking about those big problems that are making the lives of average Americans so difficult and offering solutions and changes to the way the government responds. Do we like all their solutions? Absolutely NOT - like the Republicans and Democrats they have some really bad ideas too (See Minneapolis city council DS members) and many will not fly in America. And hopefully, unlike those earlier movements they won’t turn into a nativist, anti-immigrant, anti-science, anti-democracy rabble. 

Maybe its time for us to get out the pitchforks?
(Hopefully minimize the beheadings)

While holding some goofy positions, the DS are not communist. Mostly, they are similar to several European nations, especially the successful Nordic countries’ systems – which have provided a wonderful quality of life for their citizens. I understand that to us Americans that still sounds like communism but that’s only because of a hatred/fear of government that has been pounded into us since the founding of the country and fear mongering by corporate interests ever since. 

I am not a social democrat nor will I join them. In fact, my greatest hope is not that DS win every election but rather that they win enough so our two main parties start to get a clue from them on how to start solving our freaking problems! (Should I start holding my breath?) 

These are very treacherous times with several possible outcomes for our country - most of them bad - so we desperately need change, real change, and if the DS pushes that I'm all for them.

Let’s hope for the best but plan for the worst - and don’t let demagogues scare you, America will NEVER be a communist nation!  

And be prepared because as is usually the case the youth will lead the way during times like this.

Music for the people . . .

 Do You Hear the People Sing?    Les Miz

Revolution   Beatles

Note: This will in all likelihood be my last post until after the election (which we will have!) and as after the 2024 election I will again have two posts for two possible outcomes. Please, please help make sure it's the happy one!