Jen, now I imagine your students being like, "Whu? Anthrax? Aren't they a heavy metal band? They rock!" You and Melinda should talk about the use of irony and sarcasm in the classroom, and how it bufuddles students. Of course, you're teaching at the university level and Melinda teaches 8th grade, but after hearing both of your descriptions, I'm not seeing a helluva lot of difference. This weekend my best friend from high school, Anthony, is getting married, so it's off to PA with me on Saturday morning for the big event. Part of me is very excited. First off, I'm happy for Anthony, and I think his soon-to-be wife is utterly fantastic. Second, I'm morbidly curious to see how the old "gang" from high school is faring, since I haven't seen many of them for the better part of 7 years. On the other hand, hanging out with people from high school ... I'd be lying if I said the idea didn't make me mildly dispeptic. I feel like I have to portray myself as glamorous and wildly successful. There was a 5-year class reunion for us a couple of years ago. I didn't go, despite the fact that it was a) held around Thanksgiving, so I was in PA anyway, and b) held at a banquet facility about 3 miles from my parents' house. You have to understand that my small, private Catholic high school graduating class had a grand total of 28. I had heard through the grape vine that many of those who would be attending (only about half the class) were doing normal-people things like climbing the corporate ladder and planning their weddings. I couldn't bear the thought of the smile-and-nod response when I announced my life, which at the time was, "I'm living in Shaker Heights, Ohio, with 6 of my friends. I got my degree in English and Theatre, but right now I'm doing temp secretary work because after 13 months with the Newspaper Company from Hell, and after 3 months as Editor at the World's Most Poorly-Run Medical Publishing Company, I'm completely disillusioned with the idea of an occupation that involves the written word. No, I'm not married. No, I'm not planning to be married any time in the immediate future. Frankly, I think I'm unofficially married to my housemates. I don't go anywhere but work without them." Or maybe I was just feeling surly that week. Who knows. Does anyone else out there have a raging fear of reunions with people from high school, or am I completely clinical? Hangon. Wait. Don't answer that.
posted by Kate at 10:04 AM link/comments
