Interesting dilemna

[Diana Michelle]

I have an interesting dilemma and was wondering all of your feelings on this.

I grew up in a small town somewhere between Toledo and Detroit. There was a small high school that was ancient when I went there back in the dark ages, I graduated in 1971, so you can imagine how old the building is now. It was where I went as did my brother and sister and everyone knew everyone. High school was not a particularly fun time for me as I was already wrestling with my transgenderism and was not really close with many and have not had contact with any of them in years. My brother and sister on the other hand have friends from back then they still associate with and more than one of those had siblings in my class. I am sure the subject of what ever happened to your "brother" has come once or twice so I am sure more than a few know of the path I took.

Well my brother informed me know that they are finally closing that school with a new high school being ready for the fall semester and this summer they are planning an all school reunion and trying to get as many alumni as possible together for a last farewell. Like I said I know there are a few or more who know of who I am now and I am not ashamed of who I am or what I did, still ...

There is a part of me that does want to go and show all of them I turned out better than the gawky shy kid I was back then. Then again there is part of me that says I really wasn't close to any of them and considering the area and its beliefs I may not be welcome by at the very least some of them. Hopefully you can see my dilemma. Don't get me wrong I had some good times there but overall it was a time of great internal turmoil.

Should I go for that one last look? That last time of seeing the old school and those few people I called friends back then? I have to admit since my brother told me of this a couple of days ago I have changed my mind several times.

So what do you girls think? Should I go and put on the dog so to speak or should I pass?

[Gina L.]

If it was me Diane, I would only go if there was going to be life long friends going. Any time I attended any similar event, I found that folk were just measuring you up to see if they, in their opinion, had done better in life than you.
Even friends that I thought at one stage were close, didn't make any attempt to renew our friendship.
Besides, looking at old wrinkly faces remind me too much of my mortality.

[KimberlyS]

Diana, if you are going to go, then go for yourself, not anyone else. You say you do not really have any friends you want to see, then it would be that you want to see the old building before it is gone, or some other reason.

Like Gina said, many people at those things are just sizing you up. You could be doing the opposite, you can go and size them up and see how much better you have done then they have.

There are also usually some people at those type of things that truly just want to renew old acquaintances.

It could be fun. But go for yourself.

kimberlys cd
joe in a skirt

[DonnaT]

I graduated in '73. I was there for only my senior year, so I didn't think there were that many people who I could call friends.

We have an all alumni reunion every year, and I was surprised to remember so many, who I didn't hang with a lot, but I remembered and they remembered me. Being the shy type, even my wife asked how I knew so many people.

You may be surprised too. And I would wager a number of ladies will be interested in getting to know the real you.

Do the alumni, or the class of '71, have a Facebook page?

[Joan Grey]

When I graduated way back in the '60s, I didn't have a lot of friends there. My one male friend and I keep in touch via Facebook, and my female friend knows how to get in touch, but doesn't due to her husband's wishes (we were kinda close....). This year is supposedly the "final (50-year) reunion", and it's being held less than a 1/2 hour away: I still see no reason to bother going. The school has a website that lists alumni and their e-mail addresses. Anyone who I might have forgotten about can easily contact me anytime....

[Davita]

You have your brother and sister to go with you so you have someone to hang with and talk to about everyone else It seems to me too, if you go to the last looks of the school, they just might be doing a bit of fund raising to get some nice stuff for the new school and the students. Just thinking....

As for being yourself? Oh yeah.... Why else is there to go really... Go stir the pot -- see who wants a new friend girl. I've been out and about in Detroit so I know they aren't so backwards about us girls. I had a couple coworkers that would go out with me when I was in town.

Hhhuuummmm... is this a good excuse to go shopping?

[Anthony Simon]

It would be interesting to see how they respond to you now compared to how they responded to you then. Apart from that I'm sure you could cope with whatever (flak?) you get.

[Emily]

It would be interesting to see how they respond to you now compared to how they responded to you then.

Besides, it doesn't seem likely that the opportunity to see the old school will present itself again...

[Noeleena]

Hi.

My school days go back to 1953 went to 4 schools one I did not know I went to ,till 4 years ago I found out I did Oamaru North we lived there for about 4 years , = Bamford in Christchurch , then Philipstown then Christchurch Tech Collage left in 1963, all schools in new zealand of cause ,

Philipstown is gone pulled down CTC = Christchurch tech C is all so gone the old part Oamaru is gone ,

Okay Bamford we had a reunion 1956 class there were 7 of us and 5 lads lived with in 6 houses of us at the do we had 120 people some I knew others where friends or later than us ,

I missed out on the CTC one and none from our class,s of 1960 to 63 were there , though I had all the details ,

Okay at the schools they saw what they thought was a boy and I never said a thing about myself for fear if you like of being abused more than I was,.

any way I talked with every one and was asked to take photos of the two get togethers we had I'm so pleased I went,

one they did know who I was as I have never tried to hide who I am , and I was happy with that and explained what I was of being intersexed and was accepted with out ? at all and I did natter with others who wonted to know about my difference so that too was lovely ,

I wont say all my schooling was a total waste though most was basicely I was a dumb as kid ,

I,v been back to all the schools and took many photos ,

As to how you dress, because I'm a female it mattered not , for you you know best how you should and I would go , you know there may come a time you wish you had ,so if you can go then do it ,

Look ,like myself school was school okay don't let that stop you from doing things , if I had then I would never have got where I am now , its like yes I was abused what they did not know I was a very strong kid and could have taken them down , I had been taught how to yet I knew I was not going to ,so really it comes down to are you stronger for who you are now or can you face what happened years ago . in other words face the demons , I did and pleased I have ,

Just go and enjoy the time there do some photos with the others .

...noeleena...

[Diana Michelle]

After some soul searching and reading all of your insightful responses I have decided I should go, if for nothing else than one last look at the ole building. God knows I will probably change my mind 23 times between now and then but isn't that a woman's prerogative?

I know I may be walking a slippery slope with some however we were the "rebellious" generation so hopefully at least a few of them still maintain our beliefs of tolerance. If not I can always do a nostalgic tour of the building and say "Adios!" Since getting the announcement forwarded to me by my brother I pulled out my yearbook and I do have to admit I wonder what happened to some of them. As for your question Donna I have no idea if there is a Facebook page, I haven't even been to my own page in probably 5 years or more. Wish me luck girls and we will see how things go.

BTW Antony I can dish it almost as well I can it. However to be on the safe side I'll wear armor plated panties,

[Kelly]

I'm happy you are going Diana. I hope that after multiple changes of mind, you still go.

I came from a class size of 70, graduating in 70. The entire four year high school was maybe 150 kids. Everybody knew everybody. Very similar to your past.

After college I rarely went back. Missed the 10 year reunion, but haven't missed any since. Each one has been more wonderful than the last. Hatchets got buried, grudges forgotten, or even denied to have ever existed. People who avoided each other sat and talked, and laughed.

By the last one, it seemed that everybody was happy that everyone else was OK (and ever if they weren't, at least alive).

People mellow with age.

Yea, even by todays standards, your life path is unique. May surprise a few folk. There may be some murmuring in the corners. But you have lead an admirable and remarkable life; but you know that. Most will recognize it.

I do wish you luck. I know you'll do fine. And, who knows, maybe you'll discover that one of those people you weren't so close to is really a right fine person to know.

Kelly

[RylieM]

I would go myself I graduated in '00 we haven't to my knowledge had a reunion at all and i'm signed up on enough sites that track this stuff If one was to happen id think id learn about it plus my name hasn't changed nor has my folks moved from the same house I grew up in or there number changed. Granted I had only 2 friends in highschool I wasn't popular at all the usual story I guess for a special needs kid Id still love to see the look on the naysayers from back then if I showed up in my army greens.