KHS 2001 80's Decade Reunion July 6-8, 2001 Arlington (Dallas/Fort Worth), Texas

Rembering Reunion 2001

(We have a radio station here in DFW that plays a lot of 80s music.. in one of those planets aligning kind of events, they chose the weekend of the reunion to play almost entirely 80s music.. it seemed like just about every time I got in the car, there was a song that just would take me back...)

You Spin Me (Right 'Round)

I started Thursday morning before the reunion early.. hitting DFW Airport to pick up Floreen (Redoble) Ramirez at 6:26am.. after a breakfast at IHOP and my first official trip down memory lane for this reunion.. everything was off to a great start. They let her check in early and I went back home for a quick nap before getting ready for the rest...

Time After Time

Cyndi Lauper was on the radio as I returned to hotel to grab Flo for lunch and a quick mall trip (for a camera and a dragon).. This was a big hit as I was leaving the Rock.. and that reminded me of why it is we do this.. at the hotel, I find out that Marie has checked in.. the party room is now set (we love you, Marie, you know that).. she's not there of course, and my message is probably still blinking on her phone.. during all of my runnings, I get a call from Jeff Morris.. he's here now and after 17 years, we are ready to catch up on all the news and share all of the memories that two primary 84 yearbook photographers would have.. after my runnings and returning to the hotel, I find a large crowd of us has gathered for an early bird dinner.. Trail Dust never saw what hit them, I think.. especially when Nate arrived.. (love ya, too, Nate). Oh yea.. and John and Liz? Feel free to come root for the Mariners anytime.

Don't You Forget About Me

Early Friday morning was the beginnings of a sinus migraine.. bad enough to wake me from a sound sleep at 4am.. I hit the hotel on Friday to check in to my own room (yes, I specifically asked for the 10th floor.. I figured the more we had on that floor, the less people there would be to complain about the noise.. because everyone there would be the ones making the noise)... migraine medicine wasn't helping, so I tried some Rum instead... well, at least I wouldn't care about it.. and then it was downstairs for the pool party registration... people came in all day.. Ken, hope to see you more when you and Jo'el move here.. Allison, was the flight that bad that you needed a Heiniken as soon as you walked in the door? Who is that that just went into the pool fully clothed? Oh... Ronnie.. I'm sorry.. Hello, Joann.. and Theresa.. I am so sorry I just couldn't pull your name out of the fuzz of migraine, medicine, and Rum.. still love me?

Off to get ready for our Friday night mixer.. more arrivals.. Cindy, you amaze me.. the 85 Panthers board was awesome! Flo.. you are a goddess for sitting at the table and passing out name tags and bags.. Vic, I don't know what possessed you to get up there and sing a song for us... but it gave us the inspiration for John to sing for us, too... Jack, who is that you are talking to... Sandy? No way... you looked great, love... the party moved to Manhattan's.. ok, what are the odds that a place called Manhattan's was next door to the hotel? It was not there when we picked the place... the band wasn't bad, the drinks could have been better.. but the company? Who cares about the band and the watered down drinks? Look.. Cindy and Evil are here.. Sandy and Kim took turns showing off tatoos and Tracy? You do look like Jeri Ryan.. and I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one.. Hmm.. Jennifer wants to go back to the hotel.. this place was getting loud anyway... 1am and I'm hitting the party room.. Marie, Ronnie.. you two are great.. and I'm sorry that I have addicted you to "that fruity drink", Marie.. We are such fun that even the hotel folks are drinking in our room now.. and at last, I get to meet Kelli.. too bad I wasn't awake, but it occurs to me that my migraine has finally faded.. last call hit Manhattans at 2 and when that crowd hit, I had to go crash in my room for a bit.. I'll just lay down on the bed for a moment.. ring ring.. the phone? Its 3am? Debbie.. what? The bags and name tags are missing? I guess it was going too well.. we'll deal with it in the morning.. I'm awake again, might as well get comfortable and go to bed for real...

7:30 and the phone rings again.. I guess its time for breakfast and softball.. bases, ice, drinks, and Jason's Deli.. and ... what are those people doing laying in the middle of second base? Oh.. that sounded bad.. glad you two weren't seriously hurt..

People Are People

TK .. we owe you one for having found the bags and tags for us.. so they weren't really lost, just outside the loop for a bit.. just need to make it past dinner now and everything will be smooth sailing.. dinner was great, presentations all went well, Debbie is our Queen.. Kareoke was ... different ... gotta run home and let out my dogs...

Hey, Mickey!

I got into my car to run home quickly and Mickey is on the radio... must be a sign... I return with cups for more fruity drinks and end up making a half dozen of them before I get one for myself and get back downstairs... and I really needed them... Our good friend, Kate (yes, she was old enough to serve us, and she thanks you for thinking she looked that young) ran off some teenaged crashers trying to get served (we were never that obnoxious, were we?).. I'm happy for them, because they had me wary... Tom... thanks for spotting that other guy.. if only that last one had been that easy to get rid of.. a couple Rum and Cokes (without the Cokes part, I think) and I didn't care anymore about it to be sure... (I've Had) The Time of my Life may have been the last song... but for me, the last song was the one before.. even if my wife and I were the only ones doing The Safety Dance. Yes, Evil.. I agree.. Lisa and my wife both "get it".

I'm still not sure how the rest of the evening went by so quickly.. several more fruity drinks couldn't have hurt.. Kelli.. thank you for "dress up" (get your mind out of the gutter, Tom).. and I guess I'll get my yearbooks back in the morning... 4am.. oh hell, and I said I would be downstairs at 8am to have breakfast with Jeff before he left... well.. there's time enough to sleep when you're dead..

Goodbye to You

Well, it was a goodbye song on the radio (even if the sentiment wasn't quite right) after my 3 hour long breakfast.. and the woman seating us didn't believe me when I told her we'd be streaming in all morning.. Joann and Theresa, Jeff and Paulette, Suriya, Mike, Cindy, Mike Lyons, Stu, Matt, and Dean.. more goodbyes with the 87-89ers in the back and it was time to start moving back to my real world life...

In the end, my thank yous and goodbyes would have to stretch to everyone on the guest list.. I know I've left people off my list as well.. Tracy? I'll help you for the next one if that's where we end up... or I'll help anyone else that does it... but no matter what, I look forward to it... all of you are the greatest group I could ever hope to be a part of.

Stuart MacFarlane, Joann (Queen) Hefner, and Victor Sim 59 kB	Dcp01317.jpg 44 kB	Cindy Rimrodt has upped the ante for the other classes 63 kB	Dcp01319.jpg 47 kB	Dcp01320.jpg 55 kB	Dcp01321.jpg 44 kB
Free Bird! 44 kB	"You Were Always On My Mind" 41 kB	"She's Out of My Life" 42 kB	Dramatic Effect 45 kB	Dcp01330.jpg 39 kB	Dcp01331.jpg 43 kB
Dcp01332.jpg 47 kB	Kareoke 48 kB	"We are gonna kill Murray..." 43 kB	Dcp01336.jpg 43 kB	"Hey Mickey!" 49 kB	Dcp01338.jpg 41 kB
"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" 47 kB	Kubasaki 85 57 kB	Dcp01341.jpg 46 kB	The Judges (Including the Russian Judge on the right) 45 kB	"Walk Like an Egyptian" 44 kB	"Walk Like an Egyptian" 48 kB
Dcp01345.jpg 46 kB	Dcp01346.jpg 43 kB	"Y.M.C.A." 48 kB	"Y.M.C.A." 47 kB	A Dragon for a Dragon 70 kB	Joann and Victor 40 kB
Ken and Jo'el 45 kB	Jeff and Paulette 47 kB	"You broke my heart!" 66 kB	Alissa, Brad, Paulette, and Jeff 55 kB