Reunion Results with Video Documentation

Well, we made it to the Thirtieth High School Reunion, or some such number. Not everyone was able, or wanted to come, and they missed out on a good time of catching up. Our high school reunions are different than most. We all lived together on a mountain in Western North Carolina, in a strict environment, but with people who really did care about you (no matter how annoying you were). It was like going to church every day of your life. I like church for the most part, but sometimes it gives me a headache.

I tried to lay down the rules of a reunion in my previous blog. These rules fell on deaf ears obviously. The roadmap to success is to follow directions. Speaking of directions, I needed directions in a bad way. No, I did not have a GPS, I had a Rand McNally. Let me show you how that worked out for me.

Yes, so we did finally make it. It only took twenty five years to go to another reunion, but it was worth it. We had really small classes in high school, and we lived together, ate together, showered together, played sports together, and dated the same forty or so girls. It was very cool how we all jumped right back into the melting pot and became Ben Lippen Stew again. I, of course, am not so much substance in that stew, just mostly bits of salt and pepper. I was disturbed by the violations that I encountered right off the bat. Here we have documentation of dancing, touching, and crazy laughter.

I know, scary right? This is why we have rules. You break the rules and you must pay the consequences. Welcome to gf D-Hall. No writing of words or restrictions, no, just Worldwide You Tube.

Got that?

OK, on to the reunion the next afternoon. This was a lot of fun, mostly.

I was impressed beyond my expectations with the photography of this event by several classmates. I will have to collect some of these and share them with the blog world. I am sure I will have to pay a fee as some are professional photographers. Very nice job Ricky, Ben, and Beth as well as others. I on the other hand do not claim to be any thing by amateurish with my newly acquired photo hobby. So then, here are my pictures during picture time.

I also had the opportunity to spend some time with my family at this reunion. My son Alex and his girlfriend Katelyn came for a day visit. This was a well received surprise and we took advantage of it with some time in Charleston with them.



After some shopping we ate at Hyman's Seafood Restaurant, and then took a "Ghost Walk" through downtown.....spooky. Yea.

While on the Isle of Palms we checked out Fort Moultrie and also discovered a "Fort Church".

Finis

It was a good weekend that I really needed. The weather was perfect so that I did not need all of the sweaters and long sleeves that I had packed. Thank for all of you for inviting me, and putting up with my new video toy. A special shout out goes to Dawn Garlow who is our undecorated "Secretary of Alumni Affairs". This is her new title. She keeps up with everyone's email addresses, sends out myriads of birthday reminders, and overall keeps us all in the loop when the rest of us are "too busy" to communicate with each other. Thank you Dawn, great job.

P.S.

As I started to write this blog, which was to be a funny documentation in a gf way, I felt as though someone has kicked me in the stomach, and I had the feeling of disappointment, as though someone had tossed my ice cream cone into the dirt. One of our classmates Tom Scott has passed away. Tom was a real good guy. He was smart, funny, and a great athlete. Even though I had not kept up with Scott (like many others) I thought of him often, and I missed him at this reunion.

I will continue on, and I will do what I do in this blog, and that is be a distraction, an annoyance, and sometimes if I try real hard, I can make someone laugh. That is what I need right now. We will miss you Tom.

86 Texting While Driving

Texting while driving a motor vehicle is now officially illegal in the great state of Georgia. This is a good thing because being distracted while driving can kill you or someone else.

So that got me thinking. I know, but it is most likely why you are here in the first place.

What is next? What else will follow the texting law? Here are a few of my random thoughts on the subject.

Eating. Burritos, tacos and any Mexican food will have stiffer fines because they drip on your white shirts. This makes me swerve across the double yellow lines. Any eating is no different from texting as you are using one hand to eat and one hand to drive. Whoppers allegedly need two hands. No bueno.

Fighting. This is where, sooner or later, all married couples and families will run into trouble. Especially when the driver is lost. I can hear the State Patrol Officer now. "Sir, do you know why I pulled you over? ..'uh no.' "I clocked you doing forty seven miles per hour while fighting in your vehicle with the passenger to your right . Violation 23-45b.

Crying. For the love of Peter, water is streaming out of your eyes! How is one to see? I see this as a major driving violation. There is no crying and driving allowed.

Laughing. This goes hand in hand with crying. Sometimes extreme laughter produces tears, muscle pains, and other contortions. Laughing is very dangerous; it also can be linked to farting. No laughing allowed.

Farting. All family sized cars and vans will be profiled by the police moving forward, as family farting is one of the most common violations. If you have large teen boys who just packed in some Varsity chili cheese burgers, and you are on a leisurely drive home, you are in dangerous territory. There will multiple violations to include laughing, fighting, crying. Be prepared to have your license revoked.

Bikinis. This is usually a bigger distraction among men, however if one spots the right bikini on the right person anyone is at risk. Go to church more often. Wear dark sunglasses. Remember it is usually OK to wear a bikini, but not to be distracted by one. Kind of like a "no touch policy" with your eyes. Scary. Now if you are wearing a bikini like unto a ZZ Top video you could be ticketed as well for being a distraction. I guess it really depends on how well you are sporting the bikini. It could be a badge of honor to get a ticket for wearing a distracting bikini.

Breast Implants. Yea, well you are on your own here. Pray that they are not wearing a bikini. I see this as an opportunity for female police officers to set up road traps.

Loud Music. Enforcing this will eliminate more than half of the drivers in the Atlanta area. This should include playing with a CD player or MP3 player. It is the same as texting pretty much. Fiddling around with a gadget is the same no matter the gadget.

Spinner Rims. Why do people get spinner rims? Yes, exactly, to distract you from the road and make you look at their rims spin. This can put you into a dazed trance, putting your life and others in danger. Spinner rims are more dangerous than texting while driving. Texting will not usually hypnotize you at a red light. Spinner rims are most definitely a violation.

Babys. I really do not need to explain this one, but I will. Baby seats have to be in the back. You are driving in the front with the milk, toys, and diapers. This math is easy. Driving with your left hand, holding the bottle with your right. God help you if you have a straight drive. Oh, yeah, then they just spit out their "binki" onto the floor board. Nice distraction. Violation.

Rain. Come to Atlanta and drive in the rain. Everyone gets a ticket. Period.

Reading. Now you can read the Atlanta Constitution from front to back in most any rush hour traffic, but it is a violation. Ticket that reader.

Slouching. If we can only see your knuckles on the steering wheel while you are driving you are a violation.

What are your favorite violations?

gf