Roads Traveled

A possible topic for discussion would be the different places people have lived since '76. As someone who never ventured farther than ~68 miles from Milwaukee (not counting vacations and business trips) it's interesting to see where people ended up and how they got there.

It seems like many people are still in the Milwaukee area and in Shorewood (not that there's anything wrong with that, for many of us Shorewood was a good home) but we've heard from people in Europe, GA, MI, MA, FL, CA, MT ... how'd you end up there and where else did you live up until now. School ... jobs ... spouses ... potential spouses ... what took you there, and maybe what drove you away? (that's pretty personal, sorry, share only what you wish to)

This may be good conversation for the future reunion but it would be hard to get around the room and see everyone or tell the story 50 times .... besides, July is a long way off and at our advanced age we may forget what we read here and have to ask again anyways.

David M

Coffee tomorrow

Thanks Anita for calling this am - I will join in the coffee clutch at 12:30 at Stone Creek. Please can we consider downtown locations - There is lots going on in Economic Development for DT MKE!

Thanksgiving #48 Down

Isn't that an interesting picture? I can't stop looking at it.

Anyways: Not a big fan of the holiday season over here. I think it has something to do with...well, just the math -- I mean, 48 Thanksgivings? Forty-eight?
And every year I tell myself I'm going to be nice about Christmas, or at least sane, but it's hard when WalMart starts putting out the sweetened condensed milk and tinsel before Halloween. I'm not kidding. Pre-Halloween this year.
So every year I tell myself I'm not going to get mean about this, and every year I end up frustrated and disbelieving of all my friends who stay happy, bake and distribute homemade cookies, put up decorations outside their homes, AND don't seem to gain any weight over the holidays.
And I hate everything and get fatter every year. So that's fair.
48.
Robert and Maddie love, and I mean LOVE it. They even hammered nails into our livingroom wall one year so they could put up a star of lights. And another year they went out and bought a giant red velvet bow to put on the front door. I think I might have misplaced that thing last summer when I was cleaning out our storeroom. Whoops!
Anyway, anyway, anyway. What I came here to say was that I really had a nice time yesterday. We went to our Alano Club (building where local 12-step meetings are held) and got together with a mess of people I knew and some I'd never met before. There was tons of food and not much room, and I crammed myself into a seat between an old guy who looked pretty alone, and a couple I haven't spoken with in years. It was absolutely great.
Before Robert and I went to sleep last night we talked about all the people we know who we can't even figure out how they're buying gasoline, much less health insurance (we don't have any either) or making their house payments. A lot of them are single and well over 50, too. With no kids.
We go to sleep every night in a sinfully comfortable bed with a complete set of clean sheets on it, and have way more food around than we can possibly eat. We're healthy and also take for granted the fact that we have heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. Plus we all like eachother just a heck of a lot around here. And then there's Agatha. Greatest dog ever.
And I feel sorry for myself sometimes because of what, again?
Oh yeah: because I hate vacuming and some days I have to empty the dishwasher twice. Or I have to drive into town more than twice and I'm tired! And I can really get going on this stuff sometimes. You should hear all the weeping and wailing that goes on in my head.
Or not.
There's a little snow on the ground this morning, and Maddie had a friend sleep over last night. She just asked for some breakfast: sausage with french toast. Guess what? We have all the stuff! Lucky us.
After breakfast, I think maybe a little snowball action.

I'd Be Writing A Gratitude Post Now, But...

I think I've got the flu. I can't stop sleeping and everything hurts.

But still I crawl to the computer to see if anyone's here.

Happy Thanksgiving you excellent people! Boy, am I glad to know you!

Cheese & Slackers

She's got both...or has one and is the other.

Anyway, do I understand that we want to use "Cheese & Slackers" as the name for our recipe blog?

What about our "user name"...you know, for our profile?

And password ideas?

And slogans?

Here's A Fair Question:

Name three (3) of the best movies you've seen in the past thirty (30) years.

I'll go first. These are not in order, just three (3) of the best I can think of at the moment:

1. Tender Mercies
2. Fight Club
3. A Room With A View

And no fair thinking too hard!

Okay, whattaya got?

Joan Is Gonna Kill Me But....

You can see her on PBS's NOW program, tonight, Friday November 10, at 8 pm. There are usually reruns of NOW, too, over the weekend. Check local listings.

Here's one of our teachers:

This is Sally Kneser and her husband, Jim. She taught French, English, Drama Club and Volleyball. They are now in Colorado and both helped organize an institute in Denver called the Academy for Lifelong Learning (www.Academyll.com) and are teaching there.

at SHS last weekend

Time Difference

Hi All,

Everytime I try to post it's a different story and the time difference isn't helping. I only have access at an internet cafe. So to quickly respond to the many things I've read . I've been in Bordeaux since June and will be back on the eastside of Milwaukee, where I live, in December. Dave Phinney is alive, but I am not sure how well and I see him walking near north and prospect but we've never spoken. Joan, I have the pictures of people in the cheerleading uniform, so watch the "short" comments. Perry, by far, has the best legs! Andy, I am trying to remember you working in the kitchen at Primas. Laurels house sounds great. I love all the chatter and wish I could jump in because my head is spinning with curiousity. It has been a great source of entertainment and freaks me out a little.....I'm dreaming about highschool. I look forward to next July.

a bientôt,
Jodie

Wanna Play Tag?

I got "tagged" yesterday by one of my writer-blogging pals who had been "tagged" before me. What she was tagged to do was to name 5 things about herself that were interesting or unique.

Then I had to post 5 things about MYself that were interesting or unique. I did it fast, without thinking, and here's what I posted on her blog:

1. I lived in Chatham, England for one year, in 1968. I went to a real, old-fashioned public school there with a headmaster who wore a black robe and we had church every morning. It was fantastic.

2. I worked for Larry’s Flying Service in Galena, AK for almost a year. The town was so small that people passengers would call me at work at ask me what time their plane was leaving without telling me their name or where they were going. I was expected to answer. It was the greatest job I’ve ever had.

3. I was a panhandler in San Francisco for about a month when I was 28 years old. I was working for Charles Schwab and hadn’t had a drink in about 4 years, I guess, when one day I decided to have a beer after work with friends. Unfortunatley, alcoholism does not just go away with time, and I was on the street within about a month. That was an interesting job too (panhandling, I mean — one time I got a 20 dollar bill, it’s amazing what people will give you! It makes me sad to remember it, though. I was pretty sick.)

4. I think I’ve probaby read Salem’s Lot over 200 times. And I think that’s a conservative estimate.

5. I love toast with peanut butter and a fried egg on top. I cannot understand why everyone else in the world does not love this, too.

Okay, so that's how it works. You guys want to play?

Only time will tell, but I think I'm going to make one change to the game: I TAG EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO PLAY!! Post your responses here!

Thanks!
Claudia

Copperdome pages

Is John Larroquette related to our principal?

What next?

Now I've heard it all!
I didn't think anythting could top a Claudia Nowicki with class spirit,
but then Matt Rossi showed up on a dogsled, and with grandchildren yet,
and now I have a mental picture of Dan Edelstein DRESSED LIKE A PIMP, sliding his wife though his legs, tossing her over his head, and twirling her in mid air, all to the sounds of The Gene Krupa Orchestra.
I mean, what next?!!!!!!!!
Not that all this isn't great, cause it is. But I really feel like I have stepped into an alternate universe!
Luckily, this won't be one of my longer posts. All I have left to say Is rah, mush, and alreet!
I am now officially speechless.

dan b (no, not bennett, think harder)