Scott Valentine

1989

Yes

Well, at some point my hair caught up with the year I was actually in, but only briefly.

After a few years in college, I finally graduated with a bachelor's in physics, and a combined dance/music minor. It's a great conversation starter, but not so hot for landing jobs.

During school, and for a short while after, I was a DJ, which paid the bills reasonably well. I tried my hand at web development and interactive design, which I still do on the side, but it never took off. That interest eventually became photography, which lead to a book deal due some time in November 2008.

Somewhere in the mix, I got married to a psychologist to get free therapy. We've been together for 14 years, married the last 11. In 2004, Austin showed up and validated every choice I've ever made - so I'm pretty happy with my life, even the frustrations, mistakes and pain. If anything had been different, these two wonderful people might not be in my life, and that would just be tragic. Of all the names I've been called in my life, the only one that matters is "daddy".

I currently work for the Los Alamos National Laboratory in weapons manufacturing. Big weapons. Very, very large, highly destructive weapons. Go look at that yearbook picture again and try to sleep at night. Mm-hmm.

My current hobbies are ice hockey, digital imaging/photography, and solo backpacking. New Mexico has great opportunities for the last two; hockey, not so much. I keep my hand in web development, and lead a user group for Adobe software enthusiasts. Yup... still a geek.

I would LOVE to hear from EVERYONE who even vaguely remembers me at RHS. And heck, if you don't, say hi anyway.

Email me: lightningsymphony@gmail.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sjv

Being very much alone for the greater part of high school, I only really have recollections of how it felt. I think I went on one date, failed miserably at social interactions, failed miserably at asking girls out, nearly failed miserably academically...

Particular events I recall with joy include getting in the local newspaper for dancing to 'Thriller'; that one date (does she even remember? *update: yep - shoe does!*); various misdeeds at night with a few like-minded individuals; being invited to participate in the Ambassador program; getting nominated for Prom something or other (thanks to the faculty - most students didn't know my name); playing guitar in Anything Goes while wearing a white flat cap; improvising lines during "Lillies of the Valley" with Dennis; all the dance concerts (it's not bad being the only guy in a room full of girls wearing leotards. seriously, now... who thought I was gay?).

Oh, and the crushes I had. What sweet torture that was!

So, as it turns out, the pluses far outweigh the minuses. It just took me 20 years to realize that ;)

The nerd herd...

How about artists, instead? David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Killing Joke, Echo and the Bunnymen, Siouxsie and the Banshees, U2... man, there's just a ton.

Yes, but some of it I won't post here.

I just published a book on Photoshop (due in Jan 2009), have maintained a long-term relationship, and managed to avoid jail time.