Dec 2, 2010

It's Gonna Be The Future Soon

Writer's block. That's all the explanation/apology for the lack of posting that you're going to get. Deal with it.

So, last week was my ten-year high school reunion. I had mixed feelings about it - one one hand, I have degrees in Neuroscience and Genetics, and am completing a prestigious fellowship in DC. I've also lost a bit of weight and learned to tweeze my extremely South Asian eyebrows. On the other hand, in all other respects I am exactly the same person I was in high school... read: a huge nerd. Also, I am not married and don't have children. While those are not necessarily my current goals, I'm only a minor iconoclast and therefore must acknowledge some societal norms. Besides, even Nick got married and had a kid. NICK! (Sorry, Nick. Love to Trish.)

Regardless of my shortcomings, real and perceived, I screwed my (liquid) courage to the sticking place and went. And I actually had a great time. I have kept in touch with several of my high school friends via Facebook (many thanks to Dan, Ann, Jessi, Jenn, and Liz for the moral support), so I had a solid cadre of allies. I met several people who live in DC now, which is always nice. And I choose to believe that Trevor was amused rather than annoyed when I trapped him in a conversation about his painting. (Right, Trevor? Right?!?)

A part of me was dreading this reunion - but then again, doesn't everyone? We envision that all the petty rivalries and trivial slights of high school will carry forward (a la Romy and Michelle). Somehow, we forget that ten years have past - do we really remember who refused to be chemistry partners with us, who snubbed us in the hallway? Even if we remember, do we really care?

Maybe some people do - but they probably chose to stay home, rather than suffer the company of people they despise and who they imagine despise them. It was an fun crowd, and I even followed up on a few promises to "friend" people on Facebook. P.S. When did "friend" become a verb? Anyway, I'm already looking forward to the twenty-year reunion... maybe I'll even have my life together by then.

--

"It's gonna be the future soon!
I won't always be this way,
When the things that make me weak and strange
Get engineered away."
- Jonathan Coulton, Future Soon
(Highly recommended for my fellow nerds who are facing a high school reunion.)