Go Big Blue!

I am bulldog. Not in the four legged, drooling, farting, snoring sense of the word (and I can verify that bulldogs really do all that stuff, ours did), but rather in the school mascot sense. I was a happy graduate of the class of 1996 from Folsom High School – you know "may the loft sierras watching over you" and all that crap. My 10 year class reunion was this weekend, I know I said 10 years, I get it - I am old.
Growing up in Folsom was like walking into the middle of cast call for Varsity Blues versus Dawsons, complete with wacky school mascot that goes to all the big parties and teen angst running amuck. Ten years ago Folsom wasn’t the 2500+ population school it is now, it was smaller and more intimate and for the most part I could recognize any of my class mates either by sight or name. I wasn’t what you’d call “A” list popularity, but I wasn’t a total loser either. I like to self appoint myself a B list popularity wise, I knew the A list and was cool with them, I just didn’t call any of them my BFF’s. Spending four years at FHS (go, fight, win), can be classified by simply saying “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”. I didn’t hate high school while I was there. I actually rather liked it – except of course the last 3 months of my senior year which NO ONE ever likes. So I was excited to go to my reunion and see people I've know since elementary school but haven't seen since the summer of 1996.
We arrived at Sutter street around 9:15pm - the reunion started at 830pm, and I figured this was the perfect time to arrive, I was right. For the reunion, since its all FHS alumni classes, they close down a part of Sutter street and much to my amazement tried to charge a $15 per person fee which Rick and I were able to side track by stating we needed to get cash first - never went back to pay that fee, you can bill me later alumni association! We made our way over to the Sutter Club- loving known to the bar crowd as the Gutter club, where we found friends we had planned on meeting up with.
After hooking up with our friends and getting cash from the near by ATM - it began; I saw a lot of people from my class. Some I was really glad to see and catch up with, some it was painful standing there for 5 minutes while they prattled on about their lives. And then there were the ones who I tried to refrain from making eye contact with but some how later in the night after a few drinks you couldn't avoid - you know the ones that bring their old senior year book in hopes of getting everyone to sign it, if I didn't sign it then, I am not signing it now. All in all I had a great time. We ended up leaving earlier than expected because of Rick's back (he'd been laid up all week). But I did get to see most of the people on my list of the ones I wanted to see.
The next day was a BBQ that I had not planned on attending due to the lameness I thought it would hold. However on Friday everyone was talking about it and kept asking "are you going?" "Going tomorrow to the BBQ". Unfortunately we had already made plans to help our friends move so we didn't make it. I was able to get the gossip from my friend Jesse - who gave me the low down on the people who weren't there Friday night. Talking to him about it made feel like I was 16 again though, as we gossiped about who was there, if they had kids, if they had come out, made something of themselves career wise or still stupid.
All in all it was a lot of fun and I am glad I decided to go. It’s hard to remember sometimes that I did like high school and that I did have a TON of school spirit. So all I can say now is:
BULLDOGS IN THE HIZZY! GO DOGS!