Jill Cartier Noll

I'll be there so I'll update you, but let’s start... I grad. from U of W in '84, in Theatre Arts (yeah real employable but a degree never hurts). Met my husband working at the Space Needle and married in '87. He is a great man and I thank God daily cuz I don't know how I lucked out (ok, some days I go "whaaaaaaat?-not really :) If your kids go to West Valley H.S. ask them about "Mr. Noll". He teaches Chemistry and Physics and also has the other side of the brain working. He does professional web cartooning and plays guitar in our church worship group (and other gigs), juggles, does impressions, a real athlete at everything. He also put in our own pool, sport court, and landscaping with all our summers off. (Yeah, we are spoiled!!) Okay, so all isn't perfect I still am looking for my "career" here in Yakima. I am an actress/director in theatre and have done TV and radio spots (years ago) but Yakima doesn't offer the same opportunity, for pay. I went into school work cuz I love "messing with kids' minds" and joking with them and watching the light bulb go on when they get it and I like to make teaching fun. I'm still searching for my one perfect job but yet to find. I think as of now all work, only wanting part time, is secondary to being a mom and being a best friend to my guy. My dream job would be part of a writing team with Dan, for a late night show (maybe some performing too)...so I'll keep dreaming. My kids are great and cute, just like everyone else’s but yes my kids are not perfect. DeAnna, "DeDee" acts, models and sings right on tune but basketball is her second love only to boys (takes after mom, so I hope she'll be as blessed as me). Timmy is great at any sports and math but hates to read and has hated going to school since kindergarten!!! I just need to not future about his future. His big brown eyes have saved his bu_t many times already. Thank goodness he is a cutie. He gives true meaning to Jekyll/Hyde. Anyway, there’s a lot more, especially about what I've been doing lately career wise and how much we are thankful to be living in our comfy middle class USA (have you seen Slum dog Millionaire??? If so you'll know what I mean). We also "have a child in Bangladesh" (sp?) where $20 buys him a goat, shirt and pants and at the Reunion it would buy 3-4 drinks!!! Life..imperfect but we just keep reaching for perfection...until we get to the other side.

Cool nights at the football games and wearing the perfect outfit only to be covered up by a coat. Our perfectly coiffed and sprayed feathered hair would be blown about like one big bird's wing. We always wanted guys to notice us just to be shy enough to act like we don't notice them. All the games I played and the silliness with boys. I wish I could take most of it back, but it got me to where I was to make the best decision of my life. I just remember my favorite teachers were Mrs. Scoggins, and Mr. Frazier; if you can call what he did as teaching. "Go out and help our environment go and pick up some litter or something." Man, with a free period, lunch and then his class some days we had 2+ hours to take off from campus. Not always a productive thing. (Let's just say my kids are not going to be able to get away with much since I know all the tricks!) I have to say some of my closest friends came from the Jr.H.S., for me, Wilson (Deb Bernhardt and I met and fought over who got Starsky and who would get Hutch). I made just a few more lasting ones from H.S. but they are mostly acquaintances. I enjoy seeing some of my old classmates around town. Some I recognize right off and some not!!! I remember Senior skip day at the river. That was fun. Glad it was safe for everyone. I'm so glad we lived in the time when cruising was ok and we didn't have to worry about hard core addictions or shoot-outs in schools. We felt safe and tried to pull little pranks without getting kicked out and some of us would skip with little or no consequences (just have a friend work in the office). Pretty easy days no texting all the time and tied to someone/everyone 24/7...You thought we had drama and gossip?!!!