Heading to my HS Reunion

[Belle]

Hey Everyone :D

Wish me luck - heading to my 10 year reunion tonight in Saratoga :shock: How time FLIES!!! I'm going more out of a morbid curiosity than to hang with old "friends" :roll: However, I am getting to go with two of my best friends - we have a blast together no matter what! So, hopefully it wiil be a night of good food and people watching, and getting to hear all the gossip :wink: Now, off to do something with this hair! :?

{hugs}
Belle

[ddoll]

You'll love it, Belle. I'm on my HS Reunion committee and I hear a lot of people tell me the excuses why they don't want to go to a reunion. But the fact is, those teenagers have all grown up and mostly everyone just wants to reconnect. They're all going there to have a good time.

Please let us know how it was.

[LimeGreenCheri]

Have a great time! Let us know how it goes!

[AndyL]

Enjoy the event Belle.

[pixie]

I'll bet you turned more than a few heads Belle. I'm sure right now you are having a fabulous time.

[Bookwood]

I"'m hoping you had a wonderful reunion and a safe trip as well. How did it go????

[disneylover]

Belle I hope you had a blast last night.Want to hear what a small world we live in.When I was little we lived in Saratoga.Went to St.Peters when all the teachers were nuns.My 3 best friends lived there and Debbie Green(maiden name) may still live there.This was back in the early to mid 60s.Hmmm maybe I'll go there next summer and show the kids were I partly grew up.

[FLSharon]

Wow, i loved my 10 yr. Let us know how it was!! 8)

[Belle]

Good Morning Everyone :D

Thank you all for you wishes :D I wish I had better news to report, but the night was really dreadful :( I blame it on the lack of planning and interest on the part of the coordinator. We planned Beast's reunion 2 years ago at the Sheraton in Saratoga Springs and had a wonderful turnout and everyone had a blast - we were kicking people out at closing time! :shock: I guess I was hoping for a similar night :? Boy was I in for a HUGE let down :evil:

Soooo, for a quick run down...

#1 Reason the reunion sucked - CASH BAR!!! For what we paid for a ticket, I assumed we'd atleast get one hour of open bar at cocktail hour. Nada, zippo, zilch! Even soda and coffee were $2.50! It was terrible! I was really shocked. Not that I am a drinker by any means at all, but I think a glass of wine or beer helps people feel a little more at ease to socialize, but people were holding back because of the price. And I really don't blame them.

Tables were set for 4! That's it! I expected the big 8-10 person tables forcing people to sit together and chat. So, being that I ended up going with 4 people, we got a table together and that was that.

NO ONE DANCED THE WHOLE NIGHT!!! The DJ was awful - no trying to interact with the crowd or anything. The music was lousy - he played music like "Baby Got Back" and other such irritating songs :roll: I expected songs from our HS days and some from today, but I think he thought all us young whipper-snappers enjoyed rap from the 80's :roll: Beast actually requested a song for us to slow dance to because the guy kept playing unknown crap that you can't fast or slow-dance to. We were the only ones to use the dance floor :shock:

The food was mediocre - the traditional pasta buffet with cream puffs and what tasted like "no-bake" cheesecake for dessert :evil: No carving station or anything. There were some italian deli meats out, but no traditional turkey or roast beef :evil:

And the waitstaff was NASTY! :shock: We got a waitress who was ticked because I asked if they had Hot Cocoa! I guess you are only supposed to want regular of decaf coffee :evil: Well, she practically threw the packages of cocoa at me while scowling about having to go get the hot water pot. WHAT-EVER!

Had some people recognize me... One that I have known since Kindergarten. However, by the time he approached me, he was so drunk he apparently was talking to my double that was positioned at my left shoulder :shock: He said "You work for Tom Ridge, don't you??" In a slurred, barely audible voice. "Uh, who?" I asked. "The Homeland Security guy... You work for the FBI right??" :roll: "Oh... (Remembering who TOM RIDGE is now, lol) Um, close... I actually work for..." I began to reply as he starts to stagger away... "I think I better switch to water..." He announces.

That was about the extent of it. Lousy and uneventful. Definitely WON'T be attending the 20th :(

BUT... Beast helped me see the brightside - I'll be seeing all my good friends next week! :D :D :D :D I know I will have a blast then! 8)
And, I learned I like Amaretto and Coke - my one drink of the night :P Tasted like a strong vanilla Coke to me :lol:

So, now with all this stuff behind me, it is time to focus on the real important stuff - MOUSEFEST!!! Can't wait for the Tagrel.com Family Reunion in only how many days??? :lol:

:minnie: :mickeyXmas: :theWave: :dance: :circle:

:grouphug:

{{hugs}}
Belle

[AliciaG]

Sorry it wasn't better, Belle. I remember you planning Beasts' reunion and it did sound like fun.

You are right about next week. There is no way you can go wrong when you are in WDW with other fanatics. :D I bet you won't get any attitude when you ask for hot cocoa at the Wilderness Lodge. :mrgreenSanta:

[Ursulinda]

I'm sorry you had such a wretched time, Belle! I hope you forget it by 20 years though, because that's when it starts to get fun;-) (I also recommend you get on the planning committee, and I have name of a great DJ with Karaoke) See you in a couple weeks - amazing we have to go to Florida to get together!

[cshore]

Sorry to hear that your reunion was a bust. The planning committee has 10 more years to get it right next time. Maybe they will have gotten a lot of feedback and will make the next one much better. You are right about one thing, we all will have a super terrific time meeting at Mousefest!

Chris

[Cinderella]

So sorry the reunion was a bust Belle but at least you found out what your new best drink is!!
I went to my 10th and it was so-so. Most of the friends there were ones I saw on a regular basis. I went to one "all-class" reunion the year before we moved to PA and an old best friend and I reconnected after, get this, I'm showing my age, 32 years!!! All classes who had ever attended our high school were invited. It was summer and it was daytime and they had an old car show and givewaways and a band and a DJ playing oldies from the 50's/60's/70's/80's. They had all our old prom pictures and yearbooks inside one hall of the school for us to see. Met up with lots of old friends who I still email now. It took aboaut 2 years to organize and they set up a website to find each other and get new addresses etc. Lots of work involved. Never had our own class reunion after the 10th as no one wanted to get involved in all that planning so I'm glad I went to the all-class one (and, no, never did find anyone who had any info on my old heart throb who took me to the senior prom!!! He seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth even though we have heard about him being sited now and then).

Maybe you should wait until your 20th comes up and see if anyone has done a better job or better yet, contact a few friends about a year ahead of time to put the idea in their heads about organizing it.

Cinderella

[Bookwood]

Belle,

I am sorry the evening was so unfortunate- but look on the bright side- Ameretto is a great drink!! (I like Ameretto sours myself!)

[Cinderella]

Is that what keeps you going so long during the day Pam?

Cinderella

[LimeGreenCheri]

Belle, I too am sorry the reunion didn't go well. But, I had to laugh, it sounded just like my 10 year reunion. It totally sucked! The food was awful and there was a cash bar. I was the only fat girl that showed up. All the other fat girls stayed home. I did have liqour in my car and made several trips to the car though. :roll: Always bring your own at events like this. :wink:

We're going to have a great time next week!!! :smileSanta:

[ddoll]

Oh Belle, I'm so sorry to hear you had a lousy time. The sole purpose of reunions is for people to have a good time.

One thing I can do is defend some of the choices made by the committee, because we've done many that you complained about.

First cash bar: we have never even considered an open bar. It costs so much more money and it's not fair to make non-drinking guests pay for something that they won't even use. It would also raise the price per ticket so high as to make it prohibitive for some to even attend. The price of hotel catering has gone up so much it's shocking! We're planning for next year's reunion now and couldn't believe how much the prices had rose from 5 yrs ago! It's class money that's used to pay for everything, not one person picking up the tab, like at a wedding. Besides, some people really overdrink with an open bar!! Makes for some unruly, obnoxious guests. Not everyone is well mannered and restrained.

Tables for 4: we have requested small tables for the next reunion, as it worked so well the one other time we tried it. When you use full size tables, the people sometimes sit down early and socialize with only the others at their table, really limiting their interaction. When the tables are small, it makes them sit only to eat and then get up and mingle again. We're not having a sit down meal either so we can further facilitate socializing.

As for the DJ, we're considering not having one at all this time. Last time, we paid for one and no one danced at all!! All our classmates spent the evening in the hallways near the bars talking and having fun. No one ever returned to the ballroom that evening. The DJ sat by himself spinning his CD's.

I guess a lot depends on your group too. We have a very social group. But it's gotten more fun as the years go by. Our 25th Reunion was the best party I've ever attended. My face ached the next day from laughing all night long.

And it's a trial and error venture. You learn from past mistakes and input from the attendees.
The best way to help ensure the next reunion is a success is to give your suggestions to the committee members.

I really enjoyed hearing your input though. Even though it's impossible to please everyone, it's good to hear what people like and dislike.

[BetsyAnn]

Sorry to hear the event was not great -- :hugs:

:doh: I should have told you about Amaretto and Coke years ago - very yummy! :winking:

[WDWDen]

You shoulda came over and talked to me!! Me and my boys were leaning against the wall near the bathroom!! I was there all night and nobody, including YOU said a word to us!! :cry:

[Belle]

Oh Belle, I'm so sorry to hear you had a lousy time. The sole purpose of reunions is for people to have a good time.

One thing I can do is defend some of the choices made by the committee, because we've done many that you complained about.

If there was a committee, that would have been one thing. The guy (class president) had his mom get it together for him, and decided to let us all know about the reunion 6 weeks ago with very little info and never returned phone calls/e-mails asking for more details. I actually called the hotel to make sure there was a reunion being held there so we weren't getting scammed :shock:

As for the open bar/cash bar thing - believe me, I understand about unruly guests. Having done DH's entire reunion planning on our own in 2002, we encountered many issues along the way. However, for the ticket price we paid for mine, I believed one hour of cocktails should have been included, or even coffee and soda, if nothing else.

Again, had the DJ played something recognizeable or even danceable, there might have been some folks on the floor.

We were able to do the Sheraton Hotel in Saratoga Springs with 4 hours of open bar - beer, wine and soda, a DJ, a fajita bar, pasta station and carving station, full dessert bar and 130 guests on Thanksgiving weekend 2002 for $65.00/pp. People had a great time, lots of dancing, tremendous positive feedback, etc. I assumed we'd have a similar experience 2 years later for my class, but obviously not.

So, I think it really depends on how the event is coordinated that brings about a good result. When the planner doesn't care things fall apart mid stream and people leave to go drinking in downtown because they are bored to tears. Pretty sad and a huge waste of time and money.

I guess it shows if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself - but I am not volunteering - once was enough! :lol:

{hugs}
Belle

[Belle]

You shoulda came over and talked to me!! Me and my boys were leaning against the wall near the bathroom!! I was there all night and nobody, including YOU said a word to us!! :cry:

I was ignoring you :twisted: :P :wink:

{hugs}
Belle

[Beast]

You shoulda came over and talked to me!! Me and my boys were leaning against the wall near the bathroom!! I was there all night and nobody, including YOU said a word to us!! :cry:

I thought I recognized you! :wink:

But seriously... Belle really knows how to throw a party! My reunion rocked, and this one stunk.

[Robin]

Our high school reunion fizzled before it happened. So many of us are scattered around the country and the response was so poor the coordinator just cancelled it.

Even worse, the guy coordinating it was someone I knew 'of' in high school but never spoke to. Suddenly we're best buddies talking on AIM all the time...until the messages started to make me uncomfortable...such as links to dirty songs. It's one thing from someone you know well, another from some married guy you don't really know. Creepy... I removed him from my buddylist and stayed off AIM for a while until he disappeared. :unsure:

[Belle]

...until the messages started to make me uncomfortable... I removed him from my buddylist and stayed off AIM for a while until he disappeared. :unsure:

Yikes! :shock: Pretty freaky! Well, I suppose mine wasn't THAT bad :lol: I think our "coordinator" was just lazy, didn't bother putting any effort into reaching out to more of the 700 kids from our class. Surely there could have been a better turnout and entertainment :roll:

{hugs}
Belle

[Belle]

Belle really knows how to throw a party!

You know it :wink:
{hugs}
Belle

[WDWDen]

Ours was SO lame, that we didnt even have a 10 year!! :cry: I was really looking forward too seeing everyone too. Hopefully they'll have a 15 or 20! :roll:

[ddoll]

If there was a committee, that would have been one thing. The guy (class president) had his mom get it together for him, and decided to let us all know about the reunion 6 weeks ago with very little info and never returned phone calls/e-mails asking for more details. I actually called the hotel to make sure there was a reunion being held there so we weren't getting scammed

Wow Belle. Now I see why you were so disappointed. That's a whole different ball game. Too bad they didn't get you on the planning committee!! I'm sure you would have a done a much better job.

[Belle]

Too bad they didn't get you on the planning committee!! I'm sure you would have a done a much better job.

Amen! :lol: Ah well, on to bigger and better things... In hindsight, I wish I had suggested he hire a karaoke DJ when I sent in my check - I could've used the practice for next week :wink:

{hugs}
Belle

[ddoll]

Belle, were you planning on joining us for karaoke? I don't have you on my list. We'd love to have you, I just didn't have you down. (I'm trying to get a good head count for the restaurant...hoping they'll rope it off to outsiders if there are enough of us!!)

[Belle]

Belle, were you planning on joining us for karaoke? I don't have you on my list.

I didn't commit because we will have Mik with us, so it really depends on whether or not Beast will let me have some fun with the girls for a few hours while he stays at the room so she can sleep. I gotta work on buttering him up :wink: :lol: Can't make any promises, but hopefully you can squeeze me in :D

{hugs}
Belle

[ddoll]

hopefully you can squeeze me in

You know I will Belle! 8)