My intention was to spiff up my dated web page by the time of my 10 year high school reunion (7/12). I did use my reunion as an incentive to successfully catch up on my e-mail responses, but did not manage to get this page updated by then. Of course, my original intention was to update it long before this month, but we’ve been busy and I kept putting it off. I finally realized that I need to clean up my life (and my web page) for ME rather than because of my reunion. It’s one of those things I know I know until I have to learn it again.

So the reunion was a bit disappointing. I guess my expectations were too high. Not only was I very curious, but excited as well. My hope was to find some folks who probably live in the area with whom I wanted to reconnect. I remembered quite a few intelligent and wonderful people from class and was interested to find out what they were doing. I suppose I was most interested in the "geeks" from high school. Especially male geeks, who generally bloom in college in terms of looks, communication skills, and humanity, as well as popularity. (Heck, I married one such.) Also, I read through my yearbook again and was struck by how many suggested keeping in touch and scrawled phone numbers and addresses. I followed up on nary a one then, but was looking forward to doing that this year.

What I found, however, was not what I expected. Unfortunately, quite a few of the people I was most interested in seeing again were not there. And those that were there did not seem as interested in reconnecting and exploring new friendships. Perhaps their lives were already too full, or they were there only for curiosity and not looking for more friends. We all seemed to have the same conversations beginning with where we lived, if we were married, how many kids we had, and our profession; some conversations went no further. We just didn’t know what to say, maybe, or did not have the time. Or perhaps we were thrust too far into our expectations of each other to dig out from under them. I know I was half hoping not to disappoint anyone. I was amazed in reading my yearbook how many people expected me to conquer the world. My response was to remember how happy I am here and now. I have found the person I want to live with for the rest of my life. I have a passel of fantastic friends. I like life and live it with more awareness than I did 10 years ago.

Anyway, the sum total was positive, but not by much. I was able to spend time with my two best buddies from high school and their families. I was happy to see at least two confident lesbian couples. I was somewhat surprised (though I shouldn’t have been) at how many kids were running around at the picnic. And one of my best discoveries centered around one of my nemeses from grade school and beyond. It turns out that probably the reason she and I didn’t get along was her mother constantly holding me up for comparison, even now. Well, good luck S, and thank you. I wish you the best.

The primary thing that has claimed our attention in recent months and perhaps prevented me from keeping up with my electronic housekeeping has been our new house. We joined the ranks of the mortgaged on February 24 and have been working on it ever since. I suspect the house will always have somewhat of a claim to our attention, but as soon as the new windows go in, we repaint the outside, and we take care of the porch problem, we hope it will die down to a dull roar. We do have room for guests, so come and visit or stop by one of our movie nights.

I’ve been taking fiction writing classes at the UW (though I took the summer off) and have been writing short stories for those. The classes have been very good. I have learned that I can write short stories without feeling like I have to write a book. I have finished some pieces and gotten good feedback. Though class has kicked me in the butt, I still haven’t conquered the main problem: making the time to write on a regular basis. I continue to struggle and any suggestions or support is welcome.

I finally got a chance to serve on a jury in June. Though the lawyers were not impressive to me, the jury system was. I served for little over a week on a civil trial involving a motor vehicle accident, alcohol & drugs, injuries, and the Inaugural Day storm. We found the woman who stopped at the blacked out intersection and then proceeded not guilty in the collision with the woman who was under the influence of alcohol and drugs who did not stop and ended up with back pain. I think I would have felt pretty comfortable if I was a plaintiff or defendant with the 12 of us to decide my fate. However, I certainly would have hoped for a lawyer who did not confuse my name with the other party or get visibly angry and frustrated with me while I was on the stand. Which reminds me… How are sperm and lawyers the same? They both have a one in a million chance of becoming a human being.

Future summer plans include the 1997 round of weddings. I am glad that they are mostly local this year as our travel budget has been somewhat slashed. Congratulations to Kathy and Dan (6/28), Jill and Marcia (7/19), Arty and Creagh (8/2), Jay and Jenn (8/9), and Pam and Scot (10/18). We are also hoping to get both families out this way, make it to Spokane more often, and have another dessert party sometime soon. Somewhere in there we will do the aforementioned painting and then it will be time to update this page again.

If I do go too long before another NO Review (or even if I don’t), drop me a line and harass me. May you have a wonderful summer (and may it still be summer when you read this),

No

Pet peeve of 1997: People dropping the ly off the ends of their adverbs.

Wash drawers Wash cupboards Wash windows Wash walls Wash ceiling Clean fridge Put things away Replace light fixture outside back door Install heat register cover in kitchen Fix sink leak Kill Fly Install coverplate behind refrigerator Wash/scrub floor Rewire Dishwasher Replace lightbulb in oven Buy kitchen towel rack Organize nook shelves Clean windows Wash curtain Dryclean drapes Wash walls Wash ceiling Wash windows Clean fireplace Put books away Put tools away Give away give away box Brush sheepskins Put games away Install ceiling hooks for hanging plants Wash walls Wash ceiling Put china away Wash hall closet Repair entry sconces Replace thermostat with programmable one Buy entry mat Acquire phone table Wash floors Clean walls Clean ceiling Clean floors Replace bolt lock on basement door Adjust kick plate on basement door Organize hall closet Wash ceiling Clean windows Clean fan Wash floor Wash walls Wash closet Replace coverplate Hang clothes in closet Find places for the rest of our clothes Hang jewelry Wash walls Wash ceiling Clean light fixture Install computer Install GFCI outlet and grounded plugs downstream Install phone jack Clean blinds Add house to Quicken Clean windows Hang whiteboard Place futon Wash floor Put things away Wash closet Organize closet Wash walls Wash ceiling Install shower curtain Wash toilet Wash tub Clean tile in shower Wash sink Wash medicine cabinet Wash fan and light Clean window Buy hair screen for sink Replace lightbulbs Install towel racks Repair toilet flushing problem Wash/scrub tile floor Put away toiletries Clean trap in sink Buy bathroom shelving 17x28.5 x 89" max Repair loose outlet Attach furnace vent cover to wall Replace bathroom vent Repair desk lamp Install doorknob Wash ceiling Wash walls Clean carpet Vacuum thoroughly Fix flourescent lights Set up stereo Mend Big Pillow Remove nails from walls Add waterheater pipe Clean walls Clean light fixture Replace laundry tub Plumb laundry tub Clean floor Repair doorbell Fix junction box Install lights (2) Organize boxes downstairs Vacuum rafters Wash storage areas Wash walls Repair garage door Unstick garage/backyard door Replace bolt lock on garage/backyard door Clean garage Clean gutters Have corkscrew willow taken out Take out tree on east side Trim tree away from north side of house Plant bulbs from rental Sort yard waste bin Trim brush to lengths for yard waste Take out holly tree Sweep deck Plant gift flowers from Pam Weed front area Affix loose mailbox Pick up dog doo Weed west side of house Dig out dandelions Plant basil Remove front fence Put up address sign Put up Times Tube Make or buy compost bin Align gate properly Solidify cement blocks Wash moss off deck Put out plants Clean windows Test paint for lead Make wiring map Get Smiths to pay for their water bill Pursue fence repair costs with Smiths Get electrical work inspected and cleared Upgrade bathroom vent to outside Clarify mouse problem

As of July 15, 1997