Has It Really Been Twenty Years ?

About a month ago I found myself and the rest of the Case Clan back in Greeley, Colorado for my 20-year High School Reunion.  What a trip!

There's plenty I could write about the experience, but I've decided to just post a slew of pictures I took and make a few comments on them.

I still have my graduation tassel
(it rode with us for the 2 hour drive)

The NEW front entrance
(which did NOT exist in 1994)

The old auditorium is now the library!
(Those beautiful windows had been covered with bricks
when the auditorium was finished.  They were uncovered
during construction and provide amazing views and light!)

Just another good 'school spirit' sticker 

Courtyard between the NEW
and OLD halves of the

Most of my kids were willing to take a 'Locker Photo'
These are newer lockers - mine was bright ORANGE!

Looking down (from the roof) at the open
space in what used to be the main entrance.
(These trees were planted just a few years
before I began attending school here.) 

The OLD front of the school (from the roof)
Sadly I totally neglected to take a
picture from the street so you could
see why we called this 'The Castle"

Some more 'school pride' artwork and a decal.

I had about a dozen of these stickers on a variety of folders

... and maybe my car window?

The cafeteria looked (and felt) so tiny!
(Of course Cat was happy to claim this as hers!)

The concession stand outside the gymnasium.
(The artwork when I went to school was WAY cheesier!)

Our gymnasium floor, complete with new logo
(In the top of the picture you can see the windows
to the new weight room, which used to be open
space for extra seating - it also was where
we stretched for track and cross country.)

MUCH better than the logo we had
during my years at Central!
(and Cat is now a WILD-Cat too!)

First, the orange banner is the words to our school song.
Second, the 'everyone a wildcat' sign is even creepier
when it lights up.  I'm a little sad it's still there!

Layout / map of the school and the grounds
(we didn't need one of these when I attended school here)

Some more artwork in the newly constructed weight room.
(I'm thinking this cat 'juiced'!)

Song Of The Day:
The year was 1994 and I was not yet 18.  Top 40 music was an eclectic mix of 80's style fun stuff, mixed with some angry grunge scene sounds, and topped off with a strong infusion of R & B and emerging rap artists.
The Cranberries had a few popular songs during my hgh school years, and I have chosen  "Linger" for this post.  The experiences we have in high school often do linger with us for the rest of our lives.  I, for one, have changed a great deal from those decades ago, and yet, at my core, the same beliefs and values ring true.  I am grateful for both the stability of my life and also the growth I have experienced through challenges and living day-to-day.  I hope everyone can say the same after the next 20 years.

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What Do You Mean By "Master" ?

This past week, I experienced another "when did I get to be this old?" moment: High School Orientation for my oldest son Josh Jr.  It feels like no small coincidence that this very year is my 20-year high school graduation reunion.  A double dose of feeling my age: boom, BOOM!

But today's post isn't about being old.  Instead it is based on the picture I took below.

It is harder to read than I hoped, but the last line of the class description says:
"Students will master golf, racquet sports, ping pong, archery ..."

So the sign up process for classes seems much more streamlined than when I went to high school, but that much should probably be expected.  I was reasonably impressed by the different elective options that Josh Jr has for consideration through these next four years.  Even I wanted to sign up for some of the classes!

What I am not a fan of is the misleading verbiage that was used in the picture above.  I'm all about life-long physical fitness and learning the rules and gaining experience participating in different sporting activities.  But let's carefully consider whether it is appropriate to promise that students will master these various games.  You may master some of the skills.  You may master the terminology and regulations.  But come on?!  If you could "master" these sports through this class, don't you think everyone would be taking it?!  Even professional (see: paid lots of money for playing their sports) athletes aren't "masters" of their disciplines.  To be a "Master" is to perform even further beyond professionals.  It is the pinnacle.  The top.  The best of the best of the best.

It already feels like it's going to be a LOOOOOONG four years!


Song Of The Day:
It's been far too long since I featured a song by my favorite group: OMD.  One of their more popular songs from the 80's was "Dreaming" and it fits today because ... this instructor is only dreaming if they think high school students will master these sports in a single class, let alone a single semester!

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So You're Not At All Sarcastic ?

In high school, one of my best friends and I were insanely sarcastic to one another.  We could carry on a lengthy conversation (lengthy for high school boys anyway) and scarcely a single comment would be devoid of sarcasm.  We thought we were so cool.  We believed we were witty and in command of our words.  Eventually we believed that our superior intellect could battle with anyone and we would turn any comment into something sarcastic.  The world was ours and we mocked it openly.

That's the problem with sarcasm.

It begins as a simple little thing but can quickly spiral into negative and hurtful speech patterns.  One minute, everyone is laughing and joking.  Then, in an instant, one single comment can be taken a little too seriously and feelings are hurt.  The damage can be irreparable, and not just in high school.

My friend and I attempted a challenge which I would like to openly extend to anyone who is reading this post:
Pick a day, just ONE day, and commit to speaking with NO SARCASM for that entire day.

If you dare to try this, I would preface your day by saying you'll likely fail to make it through without any sarcasm.  That's okay.  The goal is not actually to eliminate the sarcasm but to help you recognize how much of your speech is influenced by this kind of speech.  Be sure to pay attention to your thoughts too because sarcasm can meander into your mind and it's only a short while before it slips from your lips.

I am certainly no saint when it comes to avoiding sarcasm.  I certainly have no claim to suggest I'm not sarcastic.  I know I am.  But I would like to eliminate the kinds of sarcasm that do not provide any real value.  Some sarcasm is witty, funny, and not really disparaging to anyone (I find the self-depricating kind can fit this criteria).  But a lot of sarcasm is more of an excuse to be mean, rude, or say whatever you are thinking regardless of how it comes across.  That's the kind I'd like to eliminate from my own speech.  And I'd love to see others join me in that goal if you'd like to.


Song Of The Day:
Today's song has nothing to do with sarcasm ... and I literally mean that.  I'm doing that on purpose because I can't really think of a song I like that is sarcastic in a positive way.  So instead, please enjoy "Pompeii" by Bastille.  I can't remember where I heard this tune, but I really like it and my friend Craig from high school would almost certainly like this song so shout-out to him!

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1 - You Were In An A Capella Group ?

From the Facebook post little known facts about Josh Case Sr:

1 - I sang tenor in a four-person A Capella group in high school.

I have always loved singing, but I never claimed to be any more than adequate at it.  Still, there is something heavenly, bordering on orgasmic, about a four part harmony coming together.  I love being a part of that and as a result have put myself in various situations I never should have really been in.

Back in high school was the first of these experiences.  Three of my friends from Spectrum (our select high school choir) and I decided that we loved singing enough that we should form our own a capella group.  Why a capella?  The real question is: why not?!

Our name was "A Shade Of Soul" which was supposed to be a play on words because we were all caucasian. The name was as mediocre as our singing, but we had fun and actually made quite a bit of money one Valentine's Day.  We spread the word about our willingness to serenade loved ones and shower them with gifts (flowers, candy, etc.) for a nominal fee.  We made enough money to pay for our entry fee to the annual UNC Jazz Festival.  We also had enough left over to splurge on some sweatshirts with our ridiculous logo and equally ridiculous bright red lettered names running down the sleeve.  I am glad I don't have any pictures of them.

We "broke up" shortly after our disastrous performance at the aforementioned jazz festival.  But we had certainly enjoyed many wonderful moments of harmony and melody coming together as we invested hours of our free time to try and improve our sound.


Song Of The Day:
Around this same time I became quite fond of the A Capella group The Nylons.  Obviously they were/are MUCH better than our group was, but their song "Good Old A Capella" always reminds me of the fun that can be had when a group of people just enjoy making that good old harmony.

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How Was Your High School Experience ?

Today at work, my boss' boss posed the round table "get to know you" question as this: name your favorite subject in high school.  As my peers shared their variety of preferred subject matter, it occurred to me that we all have had very different high school experiences.  Even if we went to the same school and graduated from the same class year, high school meant and means different things to each of us.

For some, high school is almost a pinnacle of life (up to that point anyway).  With lots of friends or great teachers who inspire the desire for higher learning, high school was a great experience for these folks.  Fond memories of parties or field trips or engaging classroom discussion quickly come to mind if you're one of these people.

For others, high school was more like a prison.  This could be because of bullying or challenging classwork on subjects that held no interest for you.  It could be because you felt better than these other high school "kids" and couldn't wait for the maturity of college.  Regardless as to why, high school doesn't hold many fond memories for this group of people.

And then there are ... therestofus.  This category is for everyone else, and it happens to be where I fall.  I have many fond reflections of high school, with an equal number of personally horrifying experiences that I would never wish to re-live again.  There were things I loved about the simplicity and free-spirited times of those years.  And there are memories of the boring monotony, endless homework, and awkward growing up experiences.

Overall, I think high school (and all of life too) is what you make of it.  But more on that with today's song ...

Song Of The Day:
It is only fitting to use "High School Never Ends" by Bowling For Soup as the song for this blog post.  I think for many, many people, life seems to just be a continuation of what high school was like.  But it doesn't have to be like that.  Life is what you make it and people only treat you as you allow them to treat you.  If you feel "stuck" in high school all over again, make a change.  Start small if you like, but focus on becoming the person you always wanted to be and you'll be amazed at how soon you will get there.

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