I just experienced my 20th high school reunion. Lots of people grimace when they think about their 20th reunion past or future. I met it with delight. I had a great time learning about the fascinating lives and accomplishments of my high school classmates. A large number of my classmates are on Facebook and have been connecting with some people who I have not seen or spoken to in years. This included people I was not close with in high school. What a way to re-frame a past connection!

Although I am a big fan of active gatherings vs. less active ones - that is, gatherings where you mostly eat, drink, and talk, we got together at a local restaurant surrounded by the video and photographic reminders of our shared past. That is what brought everyone out - our shared past - classes, sports, clubs, teachers, signs of the time (it was the '80s), and other unmentionables.

Some people confessed their nervousness with attending. I love meeting people and hearing about their lives. Since I had the advantage of Facebook in some cases, I knew a little bit about a number of my classmates and had jumping off points to start the conversation. As you can imagine, there are standard questions to jumpstart a conversation or keep the conversation moving:

1. What do you do?

2. Where do you live now?

3. Tell me about your family. How many children do you have?

4. Who have you kept in contact with since high school?

If you have a reunion in your future, I hope these questions help you thrive and not just survive your gathering with a room full of old friends / new strangers. I hope you enjoy your reunion as much as I enjoyed mine.

Savor life's best,

Aimee

Thanksgiving is coming. Hopefully, you know where you're going or what you're doing for the holiday. Sometimes, each family member brings a dish over and sometimes one person does all the cooking. This year, we are invited to bring an appetizer or dessert. I got by last year arriving empty-handed - my family member did all the cooking, though. I don't want to start an unflattering streak. I'll be bring chocolate-filled croissants for an appetizer. Chocolate always goes over well!

When I was in graduate school at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, I had a chance to stay in Charlotte without my family and cook my first Thanksgiving dinner for a friend visiting from out of town. I've done 1 or 2 other Thanksgivings for my family. I got that out of my system! Cooking is not one of my favorites things. It's not that I cannot cook. It's that I'd prefer to do other activities and I need cooking as an obligation for nourishment. For Thanksgiving, the pressure of cooking for a hungry, captive audience is something I can do without. I guess the pressure also comes from not having alternatives - most stores are closed at a certain point, where getting a back-up meal is not an option. So, you're in the hot seat. One of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes to savor is the stuffing or dressing, depending on what part of the country you're in.

This year, I will also be reuniting with high school classmates for our 20th high school reunion. Although Thanksgiving at our school was a major pilgrimage for alumni, it is not the case as much. We'll have a great time with those who attend. I'm hoping I can stand any old photos of me.

Savor life's best,

Aimee