Today, I attended the first meeting of my 20th year high school reunion committee.

As mentioned before, I have mixed feelings about high school. There were highs, but there were a lot of lows. Mostly from memories of a very clique-y group who were absolutely stereotypical of every teenage movie. We may not have had cheerleaders or sports teams in our school, but we did have those that would have excelled in the role.

Most of these girls I knew from elementary school. We were friends up all through those pre-teen years but as high school came, we parted ways. They partied. I studied. Yup, I was a geek. A self-conscious, studious, shy little geek. I know that now and realize it was part of what I needed to be to get to where I am today, but that little geek still exists in me when I am around that particular group. Hence, my need to face that little insecurity and be part of this committee to overcome that.

I told myself today as I was getting ready the whole pep talk. I've done well, seen a lot, experienced much. As I got into my car, I felt good.

Walking into the house today, I was instantly transported back 2 decades though. The host is still living in her parents house - inherited after her parents passed, and the house is almost exactly as I remember it. Except now, it's her children running down the halls instead of us. An odd deja vu I had not expected at all.

The other girl, our lead coordinator...well, have you seen Mean Girls? She is the original Plastic. I'm sure there must be more to her, but given that her story apres-divorce is how to compete with an ex-husband who has his own jet. "I got my son Billy backstage tickets to Hilary Duff for his birthday last month, and wouldn't you know it? His FATHER had arranged the jet to fly him down to Disneyland for the weekend!"

Lastly, there was the girl I came to consider my nemesis. For reasons I can barely remember, we became mortal enemies from age 10 onwards. Even our mothers were involved and to this day, the bare mention of her name to my mother gets her glowering. Imagine my surprise when this down-to-earth very sweet woman walked in carrying a 2 year old. Gone was the big 80's blonde hair and MadonnaWear. She was nervous, I could tell, but so was I. But by the end of the meeting, we ended up even joking with each other! Would never in a million years expected that!

Tonight I'm going through the old yearbook scanning pages and setting up a database. I think of some of my friends who chose not to go the reunions as there aren't many people they still want to talk to. But as I look through this book, I'm struck by names and faces I hadn't thought of in years. People who I wouldn't have considered good friends, but friends just the same. It makes me wonder what they've gotten up to as most I'd love to have a chat with, but for no good reason we've lost contact.

The event itself isn't until October 2007. Lots of planning to do beforehand, but I'm invigorated by the challenge.