Time to move away from the farcical state of affairs back home. Hopefully, the tide is turning and more people are waking up to the lies and stuff-ups. Anyway, moving on.
At the start of this year, there was something that had me concerned and raising a serious question that comes in many people's lives. The 'High School' reunion. Many folks don't want to go to their reunions because they either, don't want to remember that time or feel they are a failure and aren't as successful as they thought they'd be at this point of life.
This year would've been my 15th reunion. I was advised of it as a "Save the Date" back in January. It was scheduled to be held in the first week of October. Now granted I am out of the country now, but prior to COVID flying in for this event would not have been a problem. The question though was, should I have even gone?
I went to my 5th and 10th reunions. I enjoyed both of them. The 5th, well you're still in your early 20s and can just get totally smashed. It was just an excuse for a get-together. Thankfully due to Facebook many of us were still in contact with each other anyway. So pretty much everyone was there. The 10th reunion, well this is approaching late 20s and nearly 30. Although Facebook kept many in contact, the turnout was good and this was, in my view, the time that reunions started to become "serious". What was funny was that it was held at the school and we got a tour. It also summed up how the generations have changed. Whilst on the tour we were told about the teaching methods used in the classroom with the guide adding "some of you with kids probably know about this" to which 98% of people laughed. Only a few were married and barely any had a kid, above the age of one anyway. It was also the reunion where you could see those that hadn't changed a bit (not in a good way) or were starting to have their regrets. One of my friends I went up to and said hello, replied with "hello, I haven't done anything" because obviously everyone will normally ask that question and she was getting tired of it and having to go into the detail. So I just told her to tell people she was a high-class escort. By doing so she could make out that she was making a killing financially, had some high profile clients and was mixing within high society and people would probably just want her to stop talking about it. To which she replied, "Yes! I'm so doing that!" Which she did and it worked a treat.
One thing I did realise was that the "cool group" were the ones that hadn't got anywhere and those that would be classified as the "nerds" were the successful ones. Those in the middle were a bit of both. So from a psychological perspective, I must say, High School Reunions are very interesting. However, since the 10th reunion, much has changed for me. One that no doubt would raise many questions.
Since the last reunion I "dropped off" the face of the planet. I got rid of my Facebook account, that was for personal reasons back in 2017. So no one I went to school with would've been able to keep up to date with what I was doing. Even then ever since I left school I rarely caught up with any of my high school chums. Therefore if I turned up, many of them probably would've come up to me wanting to know everything. Although there's an extra thing now. I transitioned and am proudly living my life as the real me. I think without a doubt that would catch many off-guard.
Even during the COVID bug, I was contemplating whether or not to go. Obviously, with my home state being a locked-down police state it isn't going ahead anymore. But I reckon it will at some point and do I consider going, or even to the 20th and onwards?
I'm sure in this day and age this ad would be seen as "offensive" well I find it hilarious and not because it features Kenny Bania from 'Seinfeld'.
I digress, in January it got me thinking about those who have transitioned and whether they went to their reunion or not. I couldn't find many negative stories, many I found were remarkable and full of positivity. Although not many people have shared how they broached the subject with people. It seems many just opted to have both their 'school name' and 'current name' on their nametag. Almost like those that get married, "Jane Smith nee Blogs". Not sure how I feel about that as an option though, nevertheless, I suppose it makes sense. As no one would remember the new name being in their year.
In this age, I'm fairly confident that most people now, wouldn't care. So that's a very fortunate time that we live in now, but without a doubt, you need to accept that you are going to be the curiosity of the evening. With people no doubt talking about you throughout the night with "hey did you see, Joe is now Jane". Which I don't care, humans are curious people. Although for someone as private as myself, says the girl who shares her views on a public forum, I guess the biggest questions you have to ask yourself are.
Do you want to be fielding questions all night?
Is it really important to see how these people are going, or could you live without knowing?
The best or funniest suggestion I read was to get an actor who looks like your former self, brief them to play you and go as your own, fiancée or wife. I love that idea, however, that seems like too much work.
Has anyone transitioned and gone to their reunion? Was it a positive or negative experience? Feel free to share your stories below.
Ash
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