Why Have a Virtual Reunion?
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The World's Stupidest DJ

The (almost*) last reunion I went to was the 25th. The hard-working and well-meaning committee had mistakenly hired a DJ with a room temperature IQ. The man was thick as a plank and many bricks shy of a load. Saying his elevator didn't go all the way to the top would be too kind. His elevator stayed on the first floor, making grinding noises. Before dinner we were all talking. He played so loud that everyone had to shout over the noise. No one danced. He kept turning up the volume, wondering, no doubt, why people were not dancing. Hmmmm. What would people who hadn't seen each other for 10, 15 or even 25 years want to do? Sit and talk, or dance? We voted with our feet, but he didn't notice.

After dinner, another pattern emerged. Mr. "Bright as a Night Light" would play one slow tune and 10 - 15 couples would dance. Then he'd play 9 fast ones in a row and no one would dance. Duhhh, as my kids would say. Here were 200 people, average age 43, who had just eaten a big meal, and they didn't want to bounce all over the dance floor. The man would have had trouble finding a pattern on a checker board. We stayed at the tables and shouted at each other over the music, again.

I left with a sore throat and ringing ears, determined that it would be the last reunion I went to in person. Thus this virtual reunion page. No loud music, pick who you want to talk to, and fire off a "catching up" letter.

Ted Pack

* 2002 Update: the 35th reunion was great! Great food (tri-tip and chicken), no DJ, great location (Cowel Park), no DJ, great time (One-ish to dark), great friends, and -- no DJ!

* 2006 Update: the 40th reunion was great, for the same reasons.