41 Reunions

Class Reunion
I had a dream that I went to my class reunion. I just knew who everyone was and they were youthful and fun. It was so very, very fun.

I have my 25th class reunion this year. I always have class reunion dreams around the time of the reunions. I only went to my 10th though. It wasn’t like my dream.

College Reunion
On the same day as my class reunion, an old college friend is trying to throw a reunion style event. He asked for maybe a Fredonia somebody to have something in their yard. My friends offered to do it so I think that gets me out of the class reunion. Although there is a drinking night the night before that might be possible as I don’t live too far from where I grew up.

Facebook Reunion
Being on facebook has made me feel like I am in one giant everyday class reunion though. I did like the people I hung out with in college and in highschool, but if we haven’t kept up with each other in the last 20 and 25 years, why would we start now? How much can the mind actually take in?

One of my friends calls facebook fakebook because of that highschool reunion element of people bragging about their great lives.

The flipside of that is I see a trend of commentary where people say, “I’m jealous.” I think that is meant to be a compliment but if someone is just reporting about what is going on in a newsy sense, it just makes me never-endingly annoyed. Jealousy assumes that somehow the person should be in the other person’s shoes. But really have you thought through the whole situation? Have you done the work they have? Do you have the talent? Have you made the same decisions? Do you really know the whole story? Maybe there are sides to things you can’t comprehend?

Family Reunion
I also have a family reunion this year. My parents have decided not to to go because they are just not in touch with anyone. I guess my reason for considering going to any of these things is pure curiosity.

Perhaps that is why I am on myspace, twitter and facebook. But at what point is the annoyance level outweighing the curiosity filling? Now I have too much information. My time is actually not being nicely taken up. I can keep removing news feeds on facebook of people that have proven to be more annoying than I can bear but when should I just take it down?

Fake Relationships
The groupie/celebrity relationships on these things make me crazy too. I think they all break down at this point. I have a studio myspace but do I really at all care about being friends with crazy MGMT fans? They are creepy a lot of times. On facebook my friends are friends with their fans. I think this breaks down the interesting levels of these things when people are not friends with their actual friends. Boring.

New Friends
On the other hand, I have made friends with several people that I am very happy to be friends with through my band and studio. This is about 4 people though. I guess this would be like penpals. We talk to each other as friends and it is fun. But don’t be friends with me if it is to get near Dave or any of the bands we work with. I will not be here for you.

Fake Friends
I experienced this in meatspace (flesh and blood) and I will not be involved with it. I’ve had at least one friend so intent on their pursuit of my friend in a band that they would just as soon run over me (with a car or figuratively) to get to that person. I don’t want that in my life. I don’t need people that tear me down or crush me. I will also not compete with or sit in a gaggle of fans for someone I think of as my friend. If you lump me in with your fans, I will not be your friend. Either we are real friends or we are not friends.

So, do I go to reunions? Do I start taking the annoying social networks down? I do love to reconnect with people I have loved or been close with. But who are these people? Why don’t we meet in meatspace? Why does it have to be on social networking or pre-organized get-togethers? Curiosity.

Curiosity killed the cat.

6/14/09