Saturday, July 16, 2005
Bios: Robin Melior Bernhardt, Carolyn Culley Brown
Before the bios, I've gotta say something about how this wonderful Internet and Cyberspace in general have aided our attempts to put on a reunion. You're currently reading one obvious advantage--the blog. I'm betting that several months ago, many of you heard the word "blog" and just passed it off as something you'd never care to explore.
I felt the same way until I started my first personal blog; now I write for four, including one for the Spokesman-Review. Anyway, this particular SHS1965 edition can continue indefinitely after our reunion. Maybe I'll eventually figure out how to post pictures, and we can spice it up a bit.
Then, there's the immediacy of email. Sure beats the Pony Express in getting the word out. Yesterday, an email-related event dramatically illustrated how phenomenal this tool has become. Robin Melior Bernhardt sent me a note and wondered if we'd ever found Nancy Smith Vlastelica.
Well, we committee members didn't know about the "Vlastelica" addition to Nancy's name, and we sure as heck knew the odds were pretty slim if we went to the Internet white pages to look up "Nancy Smith."
With that last name in hand, I searched for "Vlastelica's" in the white pages and found about a dozen. After writing down several telephone numbers, I picked one out of the crowd and punched in a number from Lacey, Wash., on my cell phone. An elderly lady answered. I gave my name and said I was looking for a classmate named Nancy Smith Vlastelica.
"She's my daughter," the lady said. I was stunned but thrilled that the first number I dialed found our long, lost friend. Nancy's mother said she was off at the lake for the weekend and to call back Sunday.
So, classmates, even before Nancy knows, you all know we've located her. And, thanks, Robin, for giving that vital piece of information. Love this Internet!
Now, on to the bios: (Several more coming, by the way)!
Robin Melior Bernhardt: Let's see--where to start. I'm definitely older, lots of gray hair, wrinkles; and a few new aches and pains seem to make themselves known on a weekly basis.
I work part-time as a medical secretary at KGH Hospital and have for the last 15 years. My three children live in the Tri Cities, thankfully only 45 minutes away. I have three lovely granddaughters whom I adore. Except for the 6-year-old, I'm the shortest by far.
Five years ago, my husband Duane and I moved from the Tri Cities to the little town of Irrigon, Ore., on the Columbia River, with plans of retiring. Unfortunately, my cherished Duane passed away three years ago, and I haven't been able to tear myself away from the river.
So, the last few years, I have been seeking out who I am and what I enjoy. I do enjoy maintaining my home, small yard, and very small garden. When I'm not busy with them, I love to go fishing, boating, riding on the back of a motorcycle, and reading. My newest hobbies are kayaking and golf lessons. Next reunion, I may be ready for your golf tourney, but right now, I seem to miss the ball way more than I hit it.
As our 40th-year reunion gets closer, I look forward to rekindling old friendships. See you soon.
Robin's email address: birdbern@msn.com
Carolyn Culley Brown: Kids, grandkids, volleyball, snowmobiles, jet skis, 4-wheelers, lake house, horse shows, tropical vacations, Corona with a slice of lime.
Same house, same job, still making it with the same, crazy old guy. It's been a great ride -- Pura Vida!
I felt the same way until I started my first personal blog; now I write for four, including one for the Spokesman-Review. Anyway, this particular SHS1965 edition can continue indefinitely after our reunion. Maybe I'll eventually figure out how to post pictures, and we can spice it up a bit.
Then, there's the immediacy of email. Sure beats the Pony Express in getting the word out. Yesterday, an email-related event dramatically illustrated how phenomenal this tool has become. Robin Melior Bernhardt sent me a note and wondered if we'd ever found Nancy Smith Vlastelica.
Well, we committee members didn't know about the "Vlastelica" addition to Nancy's name, and we sure as heck knew the odds were pretty slim if we went to the Internet white pages to look up "Nancy Smith."
With that last name in hand, I searched for "Vlastelica's" in the white pages and found about a dozen. After writing down several telephone numbers, I picked one out of the crowd and punched in a number from Lacey, Wash., on my cell phone. An elderly lady answered. I gave my name and said I was looking for a classmate named Nancy Smith Vlastelica.
"She's my daughter," the lady said. I was stunned but thrilled that the first number I dialed found our long, lost friend. Nancy's mother said she was off at the lake for the weekend and to call back Sunday.
So, classmates, even before Nancy knows, you all know we've located her. And, thanks, Robin, for giving that vital piece of information. Love this Internet!
Now, on to the bios: (Several more coming, by the way)!
Robin Melior Bernhardt: Let's see--where to start. I'm definitely older, lots of gray hair, wrinkles; and a few new aches and pains seem to make themselves known on a weekly basis.
I work part-time as a medical secretary at KGH Hospital and have for the last 15 years. My three children live in the Tri Cities, thankfully only 45 minutes away. I have three lovely granddaughters whom I adore. Except for the 6-year-old, I'm the shortest by far.
Five years ago, my husband Duane and I moved from the Tri Cities to the little town of Irrigon, Ore., on the Columbia River, with plans of retiring. Unfortunately, my cherished Duane passed away three years ago, and I haven't been able to tear myself away from the river.
So, the last few years, I have been seeking out who I am and what I enjoy. I do enjoy maintaining my home, small yard, and very small garden. When I'm not busy with them, I love to go fishing, boating, riding on the back of a motorcycle, and reading. My newest hobbies are kayaking and golf lessons. Next reunion, I may be ready for your golf tourney, but right now, I seem to miss the ball way more than I hit it.
As our 40th-year reunion gets closer, I look forward to rekindling old friendships. See you soon.
Robin's email address: birdbern@msn.com
Carolyn Culley Brown: Kids, grandkids, volleyball, snowmobiles, jet skis, 4-wheelers, lake house, horse shows, tropical vacations, Corona with a slice of lime.
Same house, same job, still making it with the same, crazy old guy. It's been a great ride -- Pura Vida!
