Message Forum


 
go to bottom 
  Post Message
  

08/03/08 02:26 PM #1    

Rachael Tee (O'Connor)

Welcome to the Westmont High School Class Of 1988 forums. Please press "Post Response" to participate in the discussion.

08/12/08 10:53 PM #2    

Rachael Tee (O'Connor)

I'm so excited to see people creating profiles on our reunion site!!! :)

08/16/08 01:17 PM #3    

Laura Waringo

You have done an awesome job of pulling this all together, Rach. :) You always impress me with your organizational skills... especially with everything else going on in your world.

((HUG & HIGH FIVE))

xo LW

08/17/08 08:49 PM #4    

Kevin Kempf (Kempf)

I'd like to echo Laura's comments; Rachael you've done an awesome job with planning the reunion!

09/02/08 02:32 PM #5    

Curt Richrath

THE SPOILED UNDER-30 CROWD!!!

If you are 30 or older you will think this is hilarious!!!!

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears
with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were when they were growing up; what with walking
twenty-five miles to school every morning ... uphill; BOTH ways

yadda, yadda, yadda

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up,
there was no way in hell I was going to lay
a bunch of crap like that on kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!
But now that I'm over the ripe old age of thirty,
I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today.

You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my
childhood, you live in a damn Utopia!
And I hate to say it but you kids today you
don't know how good you've got it!

I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have The
Internet. If we wanted to know something,
we had to go to the damn library and
look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!!
There was no email!! We had to actually write
somebody a letter ...with a pen!
Then you had to walk all the way across the street and
put it in the mailbox and it would take like a week to get there!

There were no MP3's or Napsters! You wanted to
steal music, you had to hitchhike to the damn record store and shoplift it yourself!
Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ
usually talked over the beginning and @#*% it all up!

We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you
were on the phone and somebody else called they got a busy signal, that's it!

And we didn't have fancy Caller ID Boxes either!
When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was!
It could be your school, your mom, your boss, your
bookie, your drug dealer, a collections agent, you
just didn't know!!! You had
to pick it up and take your chances, mister!

We didn't have any fancy Sony Playstation video
games with high-resolution 3-D graphics!
We had the Atari 2600! With games like 'Space Invaders' and
'asteroids'. Your guy was a little square! You actually had to use your
imagination!! And there were no multiple levels or
screens, it was just one screen forever!

And you could never win. The game just kept getting
harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE!

When you went to the movie theater there no such
thing as stadium seating!
All the seats were the same height! If a tall guy
or some old broad with a hat
sat in front of you and you couldn't see, you were just screwed!

Sure, we had cable television, but back then that was only like 15 channels
and there was no on screen menu and no remote
control! You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off
your ass and walk over to the TV to change the
channel and there was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons
on Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying!?! We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons, you spoiled little rat-bastards!

And we didn't have microwaves, if we wanted to heat
something up we had to use the stove or go build a frigging fire ..
imagine that! If we wanted popcorn, we had to use that stupid Jiffy Pop thing
and shake it over the stove forever like an idiot.

That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids
today have got it too easy.
You're spoiled. You guys wouldn't have lasted
five minutes back in 1980!

Regards,
The Over 30 Crowd

09/12/08 11:27 PM #6    

Brian Paulin

Great job Rachael, spent several hours at work looking at the yearbook :)

And Reggie, I could have sworn that your club that we went to after the 10-year reunion was also called the Stardust, is this a new one?

09/16/08 12:03 AM #7    

Mike Butler

Ok, so the pole for the favorite teacher is missing one who I would like a write in vote for. The Man "Norm", Joe Blackburn!!!! He was the only teacher that I can remember at WHS that let us call him by his first name! VOTE FOR NORM!!!

09/24/08 04:55 PM #8    

Sandy Bennett (Brokerhof)

Reggie, I think your club should be open to all of us both nights. Firday for after the football game and Saturday night.

Racheal you have done an awsome job on all of this. I can't thank you enough. I have had so much fun looking at everything that people have said and what they have done with there lives. I think it's pretty cool.

Sandy brokerhof (Bennett)

09/25/08 10:57 PM #9    

Daniel Sudd

I just want to say how much I am looking forward to the reunion. Not living in chicago since graduation, it is nice to be able to remember what we did as a school, a group, or as an individual. It has been a blessing to be able to look back 20 years and see what has been done by most everyone and take your impressions of those people and see just how far off or on you may have been. I can instill in my child not to take this time for granted, while she is in school, and savor it. Make every moment count to the best of your ability and to show how short lived trying to be "popular" really is. Whether you are prom queen, athlete, brainiac, or psycho......sorry went breakfast club on you. We all represent Westmont of 1988. To all of us flying or driving in from other states, I commend you on your committment and desire to bring back 1988 for a short time. I have cherished my HS moments with everyone and will be thankful to have a night that I can combine my past with my present.

And to April, you look great. To know the other half of peurto rican lover was just four hours away.

Rachael- you have done a tremendous job. I would like a drug test saturday night because I do not know how you do all this, work , and have 15 kids. You were told all while you were growing up, just say "NO" to drugs. You are a special person and your husband should let you have anything you want. I am sure it will be red :)

Signed ...no not the breakfast club

Dan Sudd

09/29/08 03:58 PM #10    

Ron Broach

Thinking about the many people I'll see at the reunion got me thinking about our teachers. I suppose many have moved on or retired, so I thought I'd check out who is still there. You can too at:

http://www.cusd201.org/srhigh/administration/teaching_staff/

Unless I missed someone, the teachers from 1988 who still remain at WHS include:

Beguin Doug
Blackburn Joseph
McCord Michael
Neurauter Ronald
Walker James
Wolf Stephen

Happy memories!
Ron Broach


09/30/08 12:30 PM #11    

Rachael Tee (O'Connor)

Speaking of teachers.... 35 teachers who taught our class during our years at WHS, WJHS and even some "Central" school teachers were invited. I had the assistance of the superintendent's office. I haven't heard from any of them, except for Karen McDowell.

09/30/08 12:31 PM #12    

Rachael Tee (O'Connor)

Karen McDowell's message to our class:

"A class reunion is a magical event, and I would surely love to attend, but will be caucusing all weekend for my candidate. I never got very involved in politics, but retirement affords me the luxury of following the issues and supporting those office-seekers who embody my values. I also am the chairman of my church's annual fund-raiser auction (using many of the same skills needed for directing high school musicals), read a lot (which I never had time to do while teaching), work on a Cool Cities project, lobby for the Sierra Club, and sleep late, so there's no need to wonder how retired people fill time and keep amused.

If anyone wishes to touch bases with me - bring me up to speed with how their lives are flowing - I would greatly enjoy hearing from them; you may print this message for sharing my email address.

If I were to be asked to give advice for the nearing-40 crowd, it would be that I hope you have your priorities straight,with family and friends at the top; protect your health by exercising, alleviating stress, getting plenty of sleep, and watching what you put into your body; get out of debt, stay within your budget, put lots into savings, know that retirement needs funding, and happiness is never found in buying things - happiness comes from knowing what you really want, building relationships, staying healthy, using your money wisely, and finding enjoyment in everyday moments of awareness of the preciousness of life.

Here's to many more happy reunions!"

Karen McDowell
"This, too, shall pass"
can2dowell@sbcglobal.net

09/30/08 10:55 PM #13    

Reggie Benjamin

Saturday is my big grand opening with Priscilla Barnes of Three's Company as my special guest and Lou Ferrigno "The Hulk", however I will be open friday, I will put a guest list at the door under WHS 88 Reunion both nights, just say that or call me!! here's the website www.stardustchicago.com use this for directions!!


Reggie

10/04/08 06:34 PM #14    

Bret Gash

i will say that it was an awsome time last night and i am looking forward to seeing everyone tonight. everyone of you hold a very special place in my heart, thank you all.

lets party and have a great time tonight!!!


:-}

Bret Gash

P.S. Rachael, you and the team have done an outstanding job you really have outdone yourself this year. thank you from the bottom of my heart <3.

10/05/08 05:02 PM #15    

Mike Butler

Thanks to everyone that partook in the reunion fun!!! Everyone looked great, and I was sooo proud to see that Class of 88 can still party like rock stars after all these years!!! We need to try to get together like that more often than every 10 years! Maybe a annual thing. I loved seeing everyone and am sad that our time together was short. As with any great event in your lives, last night and Friday will be embedded in my memory for a very long time... Everyone, please stay in touch as best you can. My personal email is countylinechoppers@yahoo.com. Take care!

10/05/08 05:34 PM #16    

Mike Butler

Hey Reggie....Thanks a million for the excellent hospitality last night!!! We had a blast and I wanna wish the best of luck on your club. You done a great job. And to the ladies that helped in the planning of all the activities, many many thanks to you as well!!!

10/05/08 07:57 PM #17    

Reggie Benjamin

Thanks Mike!! I was so disappointed I could not come to the dinner due to my grand opening,,Thank you all for showing up to the club, I was so happy and surprised that so many of our class was there, it really made my night!! Please stay in touch with me and I agree with Mike we should make it an annual thing!! I will host it at the club next time so its free for everyone!!My email is reggiebenjamin@yahoo.com

Reggie

10/06/08 10:31 AM #18    

Bret Gash

Reggie, it was soooo great to see you again and your family as well. Your mother is still the boss though LOL. I think that you have done an excellent job with this club, far better than you last one that was down town.

Hey! Remember what we talked about brother, going to Itily, LA, or me comming up there for new years and DJi'ing. I will consider the offer and check out how much time i can take. I will be in Arizona for about a week at the end of March so some time in the first three weeks, or maybe new years will work. Either way Reggie we will hook up and do something.

Thank you everyone for such a memorable time this past weekend. Thoughts of all the good times will stay with me and the memories will help get me through my next deployment overseas. I will carry every one of you with me at all times. Once again thank you for a wonderful time and may god bless you all, WHS Class of 1988 and your families.

Bret Gash

10/06/08 08:56 PM #19    

Reggie Benjamin

Bret, you da man, I'll see you New Years EVE as guest DJ for the club, thats gonna be great, we should get Mike Butler out too!! I put some club pics on my page from the Reunion, thanks tammy for some of the pics...I hope everyone can try to make New Years Eve at Stardust!!

Reg

10/06/08 10:15 PM #20    

Michael Regan

Thank you, Rachael for providing such an amazing social touchstone for all of us! Barb and I really enjoyed the reunion. It feels like I only talked to half the people I could of or should of. Maybe that's a common feature of these things? Six hours was not going to be enough time for everything you would like to say to everyone. That said, it was a wonderful link to my youth to have all those who attended sharing that same space at the same time. I hope we all get the chance again.

10/08/08 11:29 AM #21    

Bret Gash

Hell ya!

can you imagine Mike Butler and I DJ'ing together on New Years? Now that would be a gerat time.

Mike What do you think? Let me know ok?

Bret

10/15/08 11:57 PM #22    

Mike Butler

I will check into that.... It's very hard for me to get away from my restaurant that night b/c I am the only late night restaurant/bar in the area. But I will try, Reg, I will let you know soon if this can happen. Bret, I still can't find you on Myspace, so find me and add me! Later, But

12/04/08 12:44 AM #23    

Mike Butler

Hey guys,,,,I will be up in Westmont area this weekend to party with some Westmonters. If you can get away, give me a call,,,217.306.6640. Prolly gonna head to Reggies club "Stardust" friday night, then going to see a good band in bolingbrook Saturday night. Would love to see peeps so let me know!! Later (hint hint Reg)

But

06/30/09 11:51 PM #24    

Mike Butler

I just got the news about Donna D this morning from my uncle. Melody L had just been down to visit Donna a couple weeks ago. I was deeply sorry to hear of her passing away. Rach, do you have times for the visitation Thursday?? I will come up but need to know what time to leave here. Im about 2 1/2 hours from Darien. Im gonna try to get ahold of Mel for info, but if you have it could you shoot me an email.

Thanks, But

go to top 
  Post Message