Class Reunion Meeting

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
There was a meeting last evening of my high school class reunion committee to plan our 50th reunion. I needn't have bothered going since my suggestions were either nixed or ignored. It almost seemed they had already made up their minds on the venue. Made me wonder why they even invited members to attend. Most attendees wanted an open bar at an additional cost per person of $25. I said that wasn't fair to people that don't drink to have to pay. All I got were some icy glares. It was in a church hall and the classmate that sat across from me brought a cooler of bottled beer and finished three within an hour. I also wonder what that was all about. When a priest walked in on the meeting, the beer drinker didn't even attempt to hide the empties on the table in front of him. If I drank that much in such a short time, I'd be in a coma.
 

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I've never been to a class reunion and as far as I know, many of my fellow students have scattered to the corners of the globe. The last time I met one, I bumped in to him at the baggage reclaim at Heathrow airport.

As I see it, if we wanted to stay in touch, we would have. Even before the internet, we could write or phone. We've all gone our separate ways so I wouldn't bother with reunions.
 
Not entirely clear if you are a committee member or invited to listen to & suggest ideas. What were some of your input ideas other than the $25.00 for an open bar not being fair?
 

The $25.00 open bar charge wouldn't work for me. Not that I don't enjoy a drink, it's more about if you are at a function where drinks are optional. At 67 or 68 at a 50th year high school reunion if you can't afford to buy your own & tip the bar tender then don't drink.
 
I've never been to a class reunion and don't even know if they ever had one, I went to a Catholic school. I would not go even if invited. Re paying $25 for drinks I would not have, I would refuse to pay. I never have more than one alcoholic drink anyway.
 
In this day and age, the old open bar is a very dangerous thing that IMO should be prohibited by law. I'm old enough to remember the good old boys that would order trays of drinks for their table to make sure that they got their money's worth.

I would favor an inexpensive casual mixer with a cash bar and complimentary finger foods that would keep people on their feet and moving/mingling for a couple of hours.

If people want to form small groups and stay for dinner or go out after the meet and greet I would leave that up to them.
 
My wife and I attended my 15th years ago - -didn't enjoy it and have never gone to any since. 3 years ago it was the 65th and again we didn't attend but I did wonder how many of us were even left and in good enough condition to make it .
 
I was unable to attend our 55th reunion but the planning folks made sure to state that drinks were separate charges on each bill. There also would be a taxi service available for those not able to make it to the hotel safely.
 
Another reunion committee meeting this week. I have though by now that people would have grown out of their bullying attitudes. I was bullied somewhat in school and I am still getting it at these meetings. The woman that sat next to me started right on the alcohol thing. She brought something in a sippy cup that was a cocktail or mixed drink and kept shoving it under my nose and insisting I drink some. She kept asking me why I don't drink. I wouldn't have had any even if she hadn't already drank from the cup. Why are they so eager to get me drinking? I'm beginning to think I graduated with a bunch of lushes. Are their lives so bad thay need an alcohol crutch to deal with it? Then she started in on why I never married and had kids, then cast aspersions on my sexual orientation. If they don't want me to be on the reunion committee, why don't they just be direct like, "Deb, we'll handle the arrangements." That is all they have to say.
 
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debodun said:
Another reunion committee meeting this week. I have though by now that people would have grown out of their bullying attitudes. I was bullied somewhat in school and I am still getting it at these meetings. The woman that sat next to me started right on the alcohol thing. She brought something in a sippy cup that was a cocktail or mixed drink and kept shoving it under my nose and insisting I drink some. She kept asking me why I don't drink. I wouldn't have had any even if she hadn't already drank from the cup. Why are they so eager to get me drinking? I'm beginning to think I graduated with a bunch of lushes. Are their lives so bad thay need an alcohol crutch to deal with it? Then she started in on why I never married and had kids, then cast aspersions on my sexual orientation. If they don't want me to be on the reunion committee, why don't they just say so "Deb, we'll handle the arrangements." is all they have to say.
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I would recommend dropping this bunch of idiots like a hot rock. You don't need this kind of treatment. Hang out with us on the night of the reunion. We like you, will keep you entertained, it won't cost a dime, and none of us will spill any drinks on you or puke on your shoes.
 
I'm on my 50th reunion committee, although from the other side of the country. I've been to three official reunions and a couple of mini reunions. Had a great time at all, and the other attendees seemed to be doing the same.

Our last few reunions (and the upcoming 50th) have been no-host bars. Not even a discussion.

So many people in our age group don't drink at all for a myriad of reasons - recovering alcoholics, medical issues, drug interaction problems, or simply lost the taste for alcohol. Most others will have one alcoholic drink, two maximum.

I can't imagine my husband or I drinking $25 worth of alcohol in an evening.

@debodun, it seems like your committee is indeed made up of a bunch of lushes.
 
Okay....a follow up on the last post. I did hear back from the person asking me to delete what I had place on Facebook.

She said I was giving out wrong information. All I can say is I posted what I had heard at the meeting: it would be at the &^%$ country club, on Friday, September 18th from 6 to 10 pm, there was an open bar, the buffet would include a chicken, beef and seafood dish and some salads and the cost would be $50 a person. Each attendee could bring one guest.

Apparently these were just ideas presented and nothing had really been decided - I got the wrong impression that they had been finalized.

I was not a popular student when in HS. I didn't chum around with anyone. I'd go right home from school and do my homework instead of going bar hopping like so many did. I was not valedictorian, but I was in the top 10% of the class. Smart kids are usually shunned anyway. I still think it makes them uncomfortable. Go figure.
 
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debodun said:
Okay....a follow up on the last post. I did hear back from the person asking me to delete what I had place on Facebook.

She said I was giving out wrong information. All I can say is I posted what I had heard at the meeting: it would be at the &^%$ country club, on Friday, September 18th from 6 to 10 pm, there was an open bar, the buffet would include a chicken, beef and seafood dish and some salads and the cost would be $50 a person. Each attendee could bring one guest.

Apparently these were just ideas presented and nothing had really been decided - I got the wrong impression that they had been finalized.

I was not a popular student when in HS. I didn't chum around with anyone. I'd go right home from school and do my homework instead of going bar hopping like so many did. I was not valedictorian, but I was in the top 10% of the class. Smart kids are usually shunned anyway. I still think it makes them uncomfortable. Go figure.
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50 bucks apiece, really?
Your situation sounds a lot like mine. You were probably more popular than you realized, especially with the people who really did something later in life.
I did have a few friends, but they were "nerdy" like me. Now we are all retired engineers of some sort after fine careers. When I went to our 45th reunion, it seemed like the kids who were "big deals" still thought they were "big deals" even though a number of them wound up working for the class nerds.
The 45th was enough for me. I couldn't remember all that "School Song" stuff and any other trivia. I think that I actually found a life and lived it.
The only person I recognized was my chemistry teacher who was our "class sponsor." He looked pretty good, even better than most of my classmates who were busy hitting the beer. I had a good conversation with him.
 
IMO FB/social media has made high school reunions obsolete.

People these days can stay in touch or renew old acquaintances without the need for an expensive meet and greet every few years.

I've never been to a class reunion and really can't understand the interest that some people seem to have in them.

It would be more enjoyable for me to get three or four old classmates together to rehash the old days without going to the hassle or expense of an actual reunion.
 
They do not sound like the sort of people I would ever want to be around, pretty toxic vibes.
 

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