Class of 1978 - We've still got it :)

Tonight was the BIG night. Yep, that's right. The class of Norwood High 1978 (not 2978 as I originally mistyped), reunited. I was really apprehensive to go. After speaking to one of the committee chairs a couple weeks ago, no one I remembered was on the list to attend. At least not that she told me. Yikes! I almost decided to lose the 50 bucks and stay home with Dad. For some reason this trip, I've been really reluctant to leave Dad's side, even to be with other family and friends whom I also want to see. I really hope and pray my sixth sense isn't telling me something I don't want to hear. He seems to be doing well. But I went. At first, I recognized NO one. Not a soul. I almost turned and left right then and there. Then one familiar face smiled at me -- bless you, Phil -- and then when I read name tags (why does the print look SO SMALL these days, even with my handy dandy new progressives?) and started remembering a few souls here and there. Then I befriended a couple new friends that I enjoyed meeting - Sandy and her husband Ed. Again, I thought about leaving after dinner. I was feeling awkward. But then I reconnected with some of the people I hadn't been best friends with, but friendly. I'd had a big crush on one of the guys I talked to a lot tonight. I won't name names, but I know I talked to him more tonight than I ever did back in high school and even now it made me happy. I don't think he had a clue I had a crush on him. Oh well. That was THIRTY years AGO. Wow, that thirty years went fast and I do NOT feel thirty years older. I'm young damnit! Anyway, I took a lot of pictures. I exchanged a couple of email addresses so we can keep in touch. And I even danced a bit. I really do mean a teensy weensy bit. I barely moved. I was busier taking pictures of other people dancing than dancing myself. What happened to the disco nut I used to be? I mean I LOVED to dance and I lived at the disco in my senior year in high school. Actually, I also danced at the disco (The Lighthouse in Clifton by UC) a lot during my tech school year in the Air Force, too, before I was married. Sigh. I had to marry a man that doesn't dance and I absolutely love to dance. If I ever marry again, my next husband HAS TO HAS TO HAS TO like to dance. Love to dance would be better. It was amazing I stayed awake in my senior year I was at Lighthouse almost nightly. In a manic moment, I told everyone in my high school class my super secret identity - yep, yours truly, Ashley Ladd. I mean I put it in black and white, baby. It's in the reunion handbook printed out and in PDF on everybody's email. Real black mail stuff. I'm sure I was blushing when one man asked me about my books and my writing. I shouldn't do that, but hey, I guess that's me. Now my cousin, who was in my class, will see this and perhaps tell the family. Up until now, I've only told my dad's side of the family, not my mom's side, or his neighbors that I've grown up with. Which reminds me. My aunt told me to write a story about my experiences twice this week. First about my ancestors' story and then about my high school reunion. She doesn't quite know what I usually write. In another manic burst of energy, I already wrote a romantica short story which I plan to submit to Harlequin Spice Briefs revolving around the ghosts of my ancestors. I don't think that's at all what my aunt had in mind. People don't know how dangerous it is to suggest to a writer to write about something specific. In fact, I didn't plan to write their story as an erotic romance when she told me this, but after quite a vivid dream, I just had to. Maybe my great-great-grandfather's ghost was haunting me. Like the heroine in this story, I don't exactly believe in the occult - but I don't exactly disbelieve it, either. There are many mysterious things in this universe, so I like to keep an open mind. I definitely like to have fun with it. If this story ever gets published, I'll let you know when and where and its name. Anyway, if any body from the Class of '78 tunes into this, I'm waving a big "Hi!" It was great to see you and reconnect!

What were you doing thirty years ago?

What were you doing thirty years ago?

That sounds sooooooooo long ago. It only feels like last year.

Thirty years ago, I was in my senior year of high school - that was 1978.


I was co-editor of our high school newspaper, on the year book staff, 2nd lieutenant of our flag corps. I worked part time at a junky jewelry store in downtown Cincinnati. I went to the disco several nights a week and danced hte night away.

We were all chatting on the CB radio, good buddy. That's a big 10-4. My husband wants to be Burt Reynolds/Bo in Smokey and the Bandit.


On I was watching M.A.S.H. (I saw a rerun tonight), One Day At A Time, the Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Eight Is Enough, The Waltons, Welcome Back Kotter, Charlie's Angels, and Little House on the Prairie. I was probably watching Brady Bunch and All in the Family reruns, too.



My boyfriend whom we called "Chewie" as everyone said he looked like Chewbacca, was way more in love with Star Wars IV than with me. I think he saw it at the theater at least 17 times. I liked it, too. We all did. I still say episodes IV, V, and VI are the best by far. Forget the better graphics in the first trilogy, the characters and story are great. By the way, I didn't marry this guy. Can you imagine what our kids would've looked like? Yikes!

I borrowed my mom's big tank of an Impala to drive my friends around Cincinnati. We went to the drive in a lot when we didn't go to the disco. In fact, I could see one or two of the drive-in screens from my mom's front lawn. Unfortunately, I couldn't hear the sound or lip read.

We also hung out at the Frisch's drive through, eating greasy fries and burgers. Well, I ate the buddy boy (the ham sandwich) with the greasy fries.


I wanted to go to college for journalism at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, but I was preparing to make do with the University of Cincinnati in Clifton.


I drove one of the best cars I ever had - a red Toyota Corolla. Later, I drove a blue, beat up Corolla, but it never let me down.


The only computers I knew about were the ones my dad worked on - the big IBM monsters that filled rooms and used punch cards. I don't think I heard of a PC until the late 80s when I was in college. (I dropped out of college and went into the Air Force for a few years and then returned to college after I was married and had 3 children - so much for dorm and sorority life).


I was thin without trying, without watching what I ate. But like I said, I was a dancing fool. That was back when the cool guys tried to be John Travolta on the disco floor, when they wore those 3 piece white suits. It was also when the guys just started doing "the bump" with us in the middle of the dance floor before we'd officially met. Those were fun days. God, I miss them.

On a different topic, I missed American Idol last night and again tonight. I was good and doing my edits at Borders. I just want my editor to know. :) I'll catch the recording Friday or Saturday.