Lowell High School 40th Reunion

From Nancy: Reunion Photos and News

2009-10-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

Dear Fall 68, Spring 69 and Fall 69 classmate friends,

Take a look at our wonderful reunion photos compiled by Pat Soberanis:

http://tinyurl.com/ygqfkjn

You can load your photos on too. Just register with Picassa. If you have any difficulty, contact Pat atpat.soberanis@gmail.com and she can help you load your photos with captions.

We hope you had a wonderful time at the reunion! The reunion committee enjoyed themselves immensely too. So we have decided not to disband, but to organize a 45th reunion! Therefore, we would appreciate any feedback you can give us so that we can make the 45th even better.

Meanwhile we will maintain our blog and keep you updated on our plans. You can also post news about yourselves, for example announcing a new job, new email address, etc. We will have a link to the photos there too.

http://lowell40reunion.blogspot.com

Also, if you would like to get in touch with a classmate, send me an email and I will forward it on to that classmate.

Within a month we hope to have the biographies compiled into one electronic document that we can send to all of you. So if you haven't sent in a biography and attached a photo, please do so now and include any contact info you want given out at the bottom of the email. (You can send in revisions too.)

If you would like to make a donation to Lowell through the Alumni Association, the online donation site is

www.lowellalumni.org

You should also notify the alumni office of any changes in your address at that site. Please send me an email too.

We still have about 40 of the Fall 69 senior movie and the CD of 60s music left, so if you forgot to pick up those two grad gifts, send me an email with your address.

If one of you left your yearbook at a cafe in North Beach, contact me.

Finally, in the Memorial poster we mistakenly placed a photo of Alan Quan, who is still very much with us. It was our classmate, Roland Quan, who passed away and there is a memorial scholarship in his name. We very much regret the error and apologize to Alan's friends and family. (If you look at the Spring 1969 senior pictures in the 1969 yearbook Alan is misidentified as the first Roland Quan on your left.)

Thanks again to the committee: Mike Adelson, Russ Button, Barbara Loos Soochon, Ginger Hamilton, Kathy Plyer Moritz, Pat. Soberanis, Ken Giusti, Jamie Murray Carlson, Tess Albin-Smith, Miriam Wax Mackey and to St. Francis Winery
http://www.stfranciswinery.com

See you all in five years!

Very fondly, Nancy Ligon de Ita

S69 Class Speaker's Reunion Message

2009-10-24T17:17:00.000-07:00

Again, in case you missed it, here is Russ Button's reunion speech on behalf of the Class of Spring '69 (love the emphasis on love!):

How many of you got up this morning like I did, looked in the bathroom mirror and asked, "What the heck happened?"

I was asked to speak tonight for the Class of 69 and I have to tell you I have no idea what the Class of 69 wants to say other than...

Sock it to me 69!!!

What I really want to talk about is why we are here tonight.

Tonight is about more than just seeing old friends and telling stories.

When we graduated from Lowell, we had been blessed with the finest education on the planet. High school is a time where we are beginning to explore who we are. But it was also a time when everywhere you looked someone was putting you down. And so you coped by building friendships and helping each other. For many those friendships endured and continue to endure.

Friendship is just another word for love, and love is why we are here tonight. It is the love we have for our friends and what we remember Lowell to be.

Love is what we bring to our job each time we do it well. Love is the reason we cook a great dinner. Love is why we make families. Love is why we donate to charity, why we get up every day and do whatever we can to make the world a better place.

We graduated from Lowell and went on to live life as well as we could. And we did so based upon the example set for us by our parents and teachers. They showed us what it was to be grown-ups. They gave us expectations. They gave us the ability to see a better future.

If you haven't got a dream, how are you going to make a dream come true?!

And now it's our turn to be that same example for those who are now looking to make their mark in the world. It is up to us to set an example for them and the key to that is to spend your life loving as much as you can.

Love is the reason we are here tonight. Tonight everyone is a winner!

Sock it to me 69!

Thank you.

Russ Button

Origins of Our Reunion

2009-10-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

In the rush of the last-minute preparations, I asked core planner Mike Adelson how our reunion came about in the first place. I knew that as late as early April, no one had stepped up to the plate. And I knew how much work it took, because in March, a handful of us (inexperienced) F68 classmates looked into it - and dropped the idea. So, here's Mike's very short history of how it came to be:

It was Nancy and me at the graduation ceremonies at ATT Park for the '09

grads this year. They allowed any year multiple of 0 or 5 of your grad year

to walk with the current grads, so I sat next to Nancy and we decided we

better do something because no one else was going to. We called Russ later

to help. My job was to find the venue, and that is what I did and made the

deal with the restaurant. Nancy did the accounting and name lists and

emailing etc. Terry at the LAA was very helpful also. Russ and Katie had

great ideas. Everyone had been very helpful. This thing was put together in

a hurry.

Mike

Thank you, Mike, Nancy, and Russ!

So you can see why Mike, Nancy, and Russ earned very special gifts. Speaking of their gifts, many thanks to everyone who chipped in $5 or more to cover the cost of the gifts. The cost was covered quickly - donations came so thick and fast, in fact, that I lost track of who gave what, which I'm sorry about - and I know many more would have contributed had they known about it (it was a secret!).

On the very bright side, the tidal wave of donations covered the gifts plus $50 more, which I mailed this week to the Lowell Alumni Association on behalf of the Classes of F68, S69, and F69.

Thank you, one and all, for your overwhelming generosity.

~Pat Soberanis, F68

F68 Class Speaker's Reunion Message

2009-10-23T22:16:00.000-07:00

For those who missed the reunion (or couldn't hear the speaker), here is Kathy (Plyer) Moritz's great speech:

Welcome to everyone. I am Kathy Plyer Moritz from the Class of Fall 68. The class that painted the first block “L” in the football bleachers!

I wanted to briefly reflect on how far we have all come over the last 40 years.

Things were simple and less complicated 40 years ago. It was a time . . .

When we wrote letters with a ballpoint pen;

When the phone rang, you had to be at home to answer it;

When we had wall calendars to remember important dates;

When a Blackberry and an Apple were just fruit;

When our fingers actually did the walking through the Yellow Pages;

When we listened to music in our rooms from the sound of our record players;

When we did math in our heads;

When saving energy meant that your mom told you to turn off the lights before you left the room;

When we took the bus;

When saving the environment simply meant no littering, no graffiti;

When green was just a color;

When gym class was exercise;

When a cool car was a 57 Chevy, a GTO, a Road Runner or a 442;

When a ticket to a Lowell football game meant you got out of school early;

When movies on TV always had commercials;

When we had only had five TV stations to choose from;

When TV screens were curved instead of flat;

When video games were unheard of;

When we actually visited our neighborhood library to do our homework;

When we understood the Dewey Decimal System;

When we used a dictionary and the Encyclopedia;

When the space shuttle and the space station were only written about in science fiction novels;

When we never heard of Cap and Trade, Stimulus Packages, TARP Funds, Bailouts, texting, twittering, blogging, Google, Yahoo, Facebook or MySpace;

When everything and anything we did had nothing at all to do with computers, cell phones, I-Pods, rap music, Netflix, CDs, DVDs, high cholesterol, transfats, American Idol, Dancing with the Stars or Oprah;

And when 9/11 was just another day in September. . . .

See Photos of the Best Reunion Ever!

2009-10-20T20:39:00.000-07:00

Who knew a reunion could be this much fun? Great vibes, great food, great time!

http://picasaweb.google.com/pat.soberanis/Lowell40thReunion?authkey=Gv1sRgCMO0x4bgh-D9GQ#

More to come! Enjoy!

Only Two More Days!

2009-10-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

We have 200 people coming! So see you at 5:30 p.m.at Fishermen's Grotto #9 at 2849 Taylor St., SF.

We have the entire second floor! So please bring lots of $5 bills for drinks and to order the reunion video and lots of $1 to tip the bartenders.

Parking across the street and under the Pier next door is validated for 3 hours free.
At prepaid registration pick up your nametags first, then go get your menu tickets. Grads only, pick up your two gifts.

There will be lots of appetizers and a no host bar until midnight.

During dinner, iced tea, coffee and hot tea are free.

Bring your senior sweaters, wear your senior rings and bring your photo albums and other memorabilia for the display table.

We will have a list of the names and photos of those who have passed on, displayed.I will have your comments and memories in a binder with the bios.

I'm bringing my yearbook, so I hope you all will sign it. I feel like I have 200 new friends. It has been lots of fun organizing this, particularly due to the volunteers on the reunion committee: Miriam Wax Mackey, Pat Soberanis, Mike Adelson, Ken Giusti, Kathy Moritz, Russ Button, Joanna Felder, Barbara Loos Suchon, Cecilia Libby Reyes, Ginger Hamilton, Carol Coleman, Jennifer Ward, Esther Koch, Tessie Albin-Smith, Jamie Murray Carlson, and Nancy Kulvin Frahm.

See you Saturday night!

Best, Nancy Ligon de Ita

Latest News from the Reunion Coordinator

2009-10-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Classmates:

Our Reunion committee is looking forward to seeing you all next Saturday night to celebrate the earthquake that got rid of the Embarcadero freeway and 40 years of adulthood for us. Thank you so much for sending in your fascinating personal bios.

Just some general reminders regarding the reunion:

It's on October 17th at Fishermen's Grotto #9 at 2849 Taylor St, SF (Fisherman's Wharf).

The 2 closest parking lots give restaurant patrons 3 hours free parking.

Traffic around there is congested, so give yourself plenty of time to arrive at 5:30.

The best elevator is in the gift shop.

Pick up your nametag and menu tickets (to display) and gifts (for Lowell grads only).

There will be lots of delicious hors d'oeuvres.

There is a no host bar until midnight. The well drinks (alcohol) are discounted to $5 (including soft drinks) for those with nametags.

Iced tea, hot tea and coffee are the free drinks at dinner, which begins at 7:15.

We will be videotaping the reunion, so please stop by in front of the camera to say hello and to give us your name (including maiden name). To have a copy of the video mailed to you, you will need to fill out an Avery mailing label and paperclip $5 to it.

There will be a speaker from each class, after dinner, then an open mike for you to share funny stories.

Also the new Executive Director of the Lowell Alumni Association, Terry Abad, will speak briefly and will be accepting checks for donations to the school, so if you can, please bring a check to present to him. I've already received checks from a couple of you. You can designate if you want your money to go to orchestra, band, football, etc., though they prefer checks without limitations.

Bring lots of $5 bills for drinks (and $1 for tips).

If you have any questions feel free to call me. There is still room for 20 more people, so make sure all your old friends are coming. Have them email me for last minute registration. You can also check the reunion blog for late updates: http://lowell40reunion.blogspot.com.

See you there!

Best,

Nancy Ligon de Ita 650-347-0132

Oct. 17 Is Also the 20th Earthquake Anniversary!

2009-10-10T22:42:00.000-07:00

We'll be in town just in time for the 20th anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake - in fact, the exact time of the anniversary is 5:04 p.m., just minutes before our great gathering begins at 5:30!

If you're in town early and looking for something to do, take a look at the city-sponsored Big Rumble Web site:

http://www.thebigrumble.org

Can't get much more San Franciscan than an earthquake! Have fun!

Latest Update from Reunion Committee

2009-10-01T20:03:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest update from our intrepid reunion planner, Nancy Ligon de Ita, Spring '69:

October 1, 2009

Dear Classmates:

There is a slight delay in our set up of yahoogroups. You can expect to see several autobios next Tuesday. The cutoff for accepting autobios for inclusion in a booklet will be October 15th. So send them in, as we are all enjoying them.

Meanwhile we have about 170 people from the Fall 68 & 69, and spring 69 classes, coming and would like 50 more people so we can take over the upstairs of the restaurant completely. So invite your Lincoln friends, your football rivals, your kids and their significant others, your neighbors, your parents, anyone you know who would enjoy celebrating the 20th anniversary of the earthquake with a bunch of baby boomers!

Best,

Nancy Ligon de Ita

Our intrepid reunion committee, hard at work - at our reunion site, Fisherman's Grotto #9.

Left to right: Mike Adelson, Katie Rieke (Button), Russ Button, Nancy Ligon de Ita, and Mike's wife Amy Adelson.

Archives of the Lowell Newspaper

2009-09-21T21:33:00.000-07:00

In his bio, Greg Hook, Fall '68, writes: " For those who may not know, archives of the Lowell newspaper are available at http://www.thelowell.org/content/view/185/52/. Scroll down, way down, to find our years."

Thanks, Greg!

What Was Your Senior Ambition?

2009-09-18T20:22:00.000-07:00

Here's a sampling of ambitions we had in our 1969 senior yearbook:

Art and dance
Law
Merchandising
Psychology
Work with children
Psychology
To expand my consciousness
Find happiness
Peace Corps or stewardess
Architect
Social worker
Aeronautical engineer
History professor or emperor
Dental technician
To find truth
To become another Helen Karlsberg
To achieve peace of mind

Makes you want to know if anyone's ambitions came true, doesn't it? Come to the reunion and find out!

The World as It Was in 1968 and 1969

2009-09-05T23:05:00.000-07:00

To give you a better sense of what the world was like in 1968 and 1969, here are some resources.

Time Magazine has digitized all of its archives going back to 1923. Here are two starting points:

Information Please almanac:

1968: Tet Offensive and My Lai incident in Vietnam; Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
1969: Withdrawal begins in Vietnam War; Woodstock and Altamont music festivals; first walk on the moon

Wikipedia's detailed list of events:

Whew! Kind of hard to read this stuff.

Academy Awards, 1968 and 1969

2009-09-05T22:39:00.000-07:00

What movies were we watching in 1968 and 1969?

Here are the Academy Award nominees for Best Picture for 1969 (for films released in 1968):

Nominees for all categories

Here are the Academy Award nominees for Best Picture for 1970 (for films released in 1969):

Midnight Cowboy (Winner)
Anne of the Thousand Days
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Hello, Dolly! [starring Lowell alum Carol Channing]
Z

Nominees for all categories

Top ALBUMS of 1969!

2009-09-05T20:50:00.000-07:00

The Beatles' White Album is still on the Billboard Top Albums list for 1969. Here's the list - with covers! - courtesy of the Now Channel. (Wikipedia breaks it down by week, but without cover artwork.) To see what songs are on each album, just click on the album's title, which will take you to Amazon.com's listing.

1969: 13 Weeks		Hair - Original Cast
1968: 1 Week 1969: 8 Weeks		The Beatles (White Album) - The Beatles
1969: 8 Weeks 1970: 3 Weeks		Abbey Road - The Beatles
1969: 7 Weeks		Blood, Sweat & Tears - Blood, Sweat & Tears
1968: 1 Week 1969: 4 Weeks		Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell
1969: 4 Weeks		Green River - Creedence Clearwater Revival
1969: 4 Weeks		At San Quentin - Johnny Cash
1969: 2 Weeks		Blind Faith - Blind Faith
1969: 1 Week 1970: 6 Weeks		Led Zeppelin II - Led Zeppelin
1969: 1 Week		TCB - Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations

Top 10 ALBUMS of 1968!

2009-09-05T20:28:00.000-07:00

Were you wondering where the Beatles were on the list of Top 10 Hits of 1968 and 1969? Well, they're here, on the Billboard Top Albums of 1968 and 1969. The White Album, remember?

Here's 1968's Top Albums - with covers! - courtesy of the Now Channel. (Wikipedia breaks it down by week - but no cover artwork.) To find what songs are on each album, just click on the album's title, which will take you to Amazon.com's listing.

1968: 9 Weeks		The Graduate - Simon & Garfunkel/Soundtrack
1968: 8 Weeks		Cheap Thrills - Big Brother and the Holding Company
1968: 8 Weeks		Magical Mystery Tour - The Beatles
1968: 7 Weeks		Bookends - Simon & Garfunkel
1968: 5 Weeks		Blooming Hits - Paul Mauriat and His Orchestra
1968: 4 Weeks		Waiting for the Sun - The Doors
1968: 4 Weeks		Wheels of Fire - Cream
1968: 2 Weeks		Electric Ladyland - Jimi Hendrix Experience
1968: 2 Weeks		The Beat of the Brass - Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
1968: 1 Week 1969: 8 Weeks		The Beatles (White Album) - The Beatles
1968: 1 Week 1969: 4 Weeks		Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell
1968: 1 Week		Time Peace: The Rascals' Greatest Hits - The Rascals

Update from Reunion Planners

2009-09-03T06:32:00.000-07:00

Note: Reunion planner Nancy Ligon de Ita sent this message to everyone who has signed up for the reunion so far. As a reminder, the original announcement is on the Lowell Alumni Association Web site:

http://www.lowellalumni.org/reunions.shtml#1969. Tell your friends!

Aug. 31, 2009

Dear Classmates:

We have 140 people so far! If we can get 80 more people we can take over the entire upstairs of the restaurant. By the way there are two elevators. The best one that avoids any steps is inside the gift shop.

We will be setting up the room in tables of ten. We would like to have a yearbook at each table, so please put a label on your yearbooks with your name on it, and bring them to share. Also feel free to wear your Varsity sweater, Band sweatshirt, scroll cap, cheerleader outfit, or just red and white.

We would like to know if you would like the event to be videotaped and whether you would want to pre-order a copy of the DVD for $10 or so. Just email me so I can get an idea of whether to hire the videographer.

Best,

Nancy Ligon de Ita

nancydeita[at]aol.com [substitute the @ sign]

[Substitution made to prevent spam.]

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about This Blog

2009-09-02T21:49:00.000-07:00

Here are some FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) about the blogs, and the reunion blog:

Q: What's a blog?

A: A blog (short for "Web log") is a kind of interactive Web journal, with "posts" written by the blog owner, and a Comments function so visitors can participate in an online "conversation" about each post.

Q: What's the point of a blog for the reunion?

A: First, it's a great place to get updates from the planners, and share them with classmates who might not know about the reunion. As a big bonus, if enough people participate (by visiting regularly and posting comments), then an online "community" will form. Imagine submitting a comment asking if anyone knows where a "missing" classmate is, and having another Lowell grad - maybe someone you didn't know very well then, or haven't seen since - responding with his or her own comment, telling you where (city, state) your classmate now lives. Or think of the fun we could have sharing memories of music, events, teachers, sports, school dances and proms - anything, on campus or off, from "back in the day."

Q: Is the blog hard to use?

A: The reunion blog is extremely EASY to use! ANYONE can SEE anything on the blog without registering or signing in. You only have to register ONCE to submit a COMMENT. ALL INFO AND HOW-TO'S ARE ON THE BLOG, AND EASILY FOUND! Basic instructions are in the welcome message on the home page, including a link to "How to Register for This Blog."

Q: How is a blog organized?

A: The newest entry (or "post") is at the top of the page, with older posts below it; older posts are usually accessible through an archive. Because of this structure, the blog changes all the time, which keeps it fresh but also makes it harder to find what you just saw yesterday, or share it easily with a friend. But you can find any older posts easily, either through the Search function or the Archives, both of which can be found on the home page.

Q: What are comments?

A: A comment is simply a text box where you can type in your own message and post it to the blog, in response to a particular post. Blogs are usually set up so the blog's visitors can comment on any post - and that's how the Lowell Reunion blog is set up too. You've probably seen or participated in a blog without knowing it. Huffington Post is a very sophisticated blog; and most major newspapers' Web site have blogs led and written by reporters or columnists, which readers can comment on. In fact, any time you see "Post a comment" on a Web page, it's probably set up as a blog.

Q: Why do we have to register to submit a comment?

A: We limit participation to registered, signed-in users so we can screen out potential interlopers, who might post a nasty comment just for the thrill of it, even though the interloper knows nothing about Lowell High School or our reunion.

Still have questions? Sign in and submit a comment with your question, or email me at lowell40reunion[at]gmail.com (substitute the @ sign), and I'll do my best to answer.

Billboard Top 10 Rock 'n' Roll Hits of 1968 and 1969!

2009-08-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to collect 1968-69 info like this - music, news stories, phenomena, whatever. Feel free to add related findings in a comment to the related post.

From Amazon - where you can listen to audio clips - here's the list for 1968:

http://www.amazon.com/Billboard-Top-Rock-Roll-Hits/dp/B0000032JA/ref=pd_sim_m_1

1. Tighten Up - Archie Bell & the Drells
2. Judy in Disguise (With Glasses) - John Fred & His Playboy Band
3. (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
4. People Got to Be Free - The Rascals
5. Chain of Fools - Aretha Franklin
6. Green Tambourine - The Lemon Pipers
7. Cry Like a Baby - The Box Tops
8. Mony Mony - Tommy James & the Shondells
9. Yummy, Yummy, Yummy - Ohio Express
10. Horse - Cliff Nobles & Company

Again from Amazon, here is the list from 1969 (somehow I think the Bay Area's list was a little different - with, say, the Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Santana, etc.?):

http://www.amazon.com/Billboard-Top-Rock-Roll-Hits/dp/B0000032JC/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi

1. Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In - The 5th Dimension

2. Dizzy - Tommy Roe

3. Sugar, Sugar - The Archies

4. Crimson and Clover - Tommy James & the Shondells

5. Crystal Blue Persuasion - Tommy James & the Shondells

6. Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) - Steam

7. Take a Letter, Maria - R.B. Greaves

8. Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations

9. Time of the Season - The Zombies

10. Good Morning Starshine - Oliver

Guess Who's Coming to the Reunion?

2009-08-20T21:36:00.000-07:00

OK, that was just to get your attention.

Seriously, folks, I do have the RSVP list - but I'm not allowed to post it!

I can, however, answer your questions about who's coming by email. Send classmate names to me at lowell40reunion[at]gmail.com.

I will answer within a day or two.

Thanks!

Six-Word Memoirs

2009-08-17T23:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun challenge: Tell your life story in six words - no more, no less! Anyone can do it - you do not need to be a writer, I promise!

There are actually several books of collected six-word memoirs out now, the first one of which is called Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure.

So what does a six-word memoir look like? See lots of samples collected at the site that started it all: Smith Magazine.

Now, use the Comments feature to writer your own! (And please sign your real name!)

To see all Comments, you don't need to register or sign in. To post a Comment, however, you'll need to register (just once) and/or sign in, and then come back to this post. When you click on the title, the new page will have a text box below this post, where you can write and post your Comment.

Have fun!

Connect with Classmates Here!

2009-08-17T22:59:00.000-07:00

Looking for a classmate? Been out of touch for a while? Use the Comments feature to post their names - someone else might be able to connect you!

You don't need to register or sign in to view this post and its comments - just click on the title.

To post a Comment, you'll need to register (just once) and/or sign in, and then come back to this post. When you click on the title, the new page will have a text box below this post, where you can write and post your Comment.

So, who are you looking for? Who have you found? Tell us!

Latest Update from the Reunion Planners

2009-08-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

Reunion planners Nancy de Ita and Mike Adelson have some exciting news items:

The biggest news is that the Class of Fall 1969 has been added to the invitees list! So if you know anyone from that class, encourage them to join in!
About 100 people so far have bought tickets. If we reach our goal of 270 tickets, we can have the entire restaurant to ourselves!
Until then, we don't have a separate banquet room, but we do have a big section of the restaurant till midnight - hopefully well after the regular diners move on, so we can have the place to ourselves after that.
Someone is bringing a senior movie - possibly from Spring 1969 - and will be playing it on a laptop in repeat mode, so you can watch it anytime, all through dinner and beyond.
As mentioned earlier, Mike will be bringing a small boombox, so bring your CDs of Sixties-era music - rock, soul, folk, any and all of that great music! (Remember to write your name and phone number on each CD.)
A few people are bringing poster-sized photos from their high-school days. If you have photos from our Lowell days, and know how to make poster prints (FedExKinko's?), by all means bring it with you!
With all these exciting new amenities, the planners are now thinking of spending the entire evening, till midnight, at the restaurant, instead of heading for a nightclub (don't think I could manage that anyway).

Pass the word, mockingbird!

Which Classmates Are Coming?

2009-08-16T14:02:00.001-07:00

You don't even need to register to see who's coming - just click the headline to see the comments!

Once you're there, use the Comments feature to let us know who's coming - or not coming - to the reunion. (Make sure it's OK with the classmates you're mentioning. And no need to say why they're not coming, just that they're not able to come.)

To use the Comments feature, just Register once (search for "how to" to find out how), sign in, come back to this post (search for "classmates" if necessary), and post a comment in the text field below the post.

That's it!

Bring Pictures!

2009-08-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to bring a few photos to the reunion - of your family, of our classmates, of our high school days, whatever. And if you can make poster-size printouts of a high-school photo or two, all the better. We'll be decorating the walls with them at the restaurant!

Bring Your CDs of Sixties Music!

2009-08-16T13:40:00.001-07:00

Just found out from reunion planner Mike Adelson that we can play some of our own music, on a small boom box that he'll bring, even though we won't be in a separate banquet room or anything. It won't play LPs, of course, but it will play CDs, so bring CDs - clearly labeled with your name and phone number or email address - of music from our high school days, the Sixties!

Bring Your Yearbook!

2009-08-15T22:41:00.001-07:00

If you still have your yearbook, you will be doing those of us who lost ours an immense favor by bringing it along and sharing it with your table mates (with promises to handle with care!). You have no idea how hard it is to remember names and faces without it! Many thanks in advance.

Bring LPs from Back in the Day!

2009-08-15T22:35:00.000-07:00

Dust off your Old School LPs and bring them to the reunion! And if you have a mini stereo with a turntable, we'll see if we can set it up at the restaurant. After all, when's the last time you heard your own LPs?

I have a keeper: The Loading Zone's one and only LP, featuring Lowell's own Linda Tillery. The Loading Zone played at our Senior Prom, remember? It was the first time a rock band played at a Lowell prom. Before then, only orchestras played the proms.

Where to Find a Hotel

2009-08-15T22:15:00.000-07:00

Here are some places to start when looking for a hotel or motel to stay in while you're in town for the reunion.

Yelp.com's San Francisco Hotels and Travel page: Searchable by neighborhood (Marina/Cow Hollow is closest to the Fisherman's Wharf reunion location). See customer reviews for each hotel/motel listed.

http://www.yelp.com/c/sf/hotelstravel

San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau: Click on the Where to Stay tab on the left, and search by neighborhood, by name, or by price. No customer reviews here.

http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com

Expedia.com: Plan your entire trip here, from airline tickets to hotel reservations.

http://www.expedia.com/daily/hotels/default.asp?rfrr=-383

Email lowell40reunion[at]gmail.com if you know of other good hotel-search sites - or if you know of good, reasonably priced places to stay.

Post Comments Here to Ask about Classmates

2009-08-15T04:57:00.001-07:00

Looking for a classmate? Want to reminisce about friends from Lowell? Post your comments here (all comments are moderated). Or, send an email to lowell40reunion[at]gmail.com. To post a comment, register (once) or sign in (after registering once). If you don't end up back on this post, click this post's heading/title ("Post Comments Here to Ask about Classmates").

Who and What Is This Blog For?

2009-08-15T04:28:00.000-07:00

This blog is for all classmates and their families and friends for the Classes of Fall 1968 and Spring 1969 of Lowell High School. To participate in comments, etc., you'll need to register, which is a quick, one-time process (see blog post on how to register). Feel free to send this blog's address to all interested parties: http://lowell40reunion.blogspot.com.

The blog's purpose is to post reunion updates, and to connect with classmates.

How to Register for This Blog

2009-08-15T04:23:00.000-07:00

Before we get started, you might want to (1) bookmark this page (or make it a Favorite); and (2) print these instructions.

To register for this blog, just click the Follow button on the left side of this page, below the Welcome message and the search function. In the registration page that appears, you have two options:

If you've already set up an account in Google, Yahoo, or others shown there, just click on the logo and sign in; or
If you don't have any of these accounts, click the "Create a new Google account" link at the bottom of the registration page. (If you've already clicked the Google logo and find yourself at the Google sign-in page, there's a "Create a new Google account" there too, right under the sign-in area.) Fill out the form that appears next, and click Create an Account. After registration, you should be returned to this blog, but if you aren't, here is the address (or use your bookmark or Favorite): http://lowell40reunion.blogspot.com.

That's the simplest way. There are several other ways to register, but they are all more complicated.

I especially do not recommend registering while trying to post a comment; you'll get trapped in Google's net, asking you to sign up for a blog of your own - when all you wanted to do was post a comment to this blog!

(If you get caught on a page asking you to sign up for a blog of your own, get out of it quick. I'm not sure what options you'll have, but look for a Cancel button, a No button, or the like. Then start fresh from the Reunion blog home page, using these instructions.)

So, follow the KIS principle (Keep It Simple), and Follow this blog - that is, use the Follow button to register!

Once you register, you only have to sign in to post comments. And you don't have to register at all just to see what others have posted!

How to Post a Comment

2009-08-15T04:19:00.000-07:00

To post a comment in response to a blog post, simply click the post heading or title (here, "How to Post a Comment"). The resulting page will have a text box where you can type your comment, and a button to post your comment. You will have to register (once) and sign in to post a comment.

Update from Reunion Organizer Nancy de Ita

2009-08-15T03:25:00.000-07:00

From an email dated 8/10/09:

Dear Classmates: We have about 100 people coming to the reunion dinner. However we would like to have 270 to take over the entire floor of the restaurant so we can have music and a mike for announcements. Feel free to bring your children and friends. If you have already paid for yourself all guests can come for $60. We would all like to meet your kids and friends. We are even inviting some friends who attended Lincoln at the same time we did. So think about friends and family who might enjoy a night out, send a check and let me know their meal preferences. Chowder or Salad, Filet Mignon, Salmon, Halibut or Vegetarian.

Best, Nancy Ligon de Ita

Contact: Nancy de Ita at (650) 347-0132 or nancydeita@aol.com

We have a reunion!

2009-07-03T23:39:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Mike Adelson, Russ Button, and Nancy de Ita for stepping up to the plate and taking on this enormous project at this late date.

Here's the announcement:

Classes of Fall & Spring 1969 – 40-Year Reunion
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 5:30pm
Location: Fishermen’s Grotto
Contact: Nancy de Ita at (650) 347-0132 or nancydeita@aol.com
Details: It's been 40 years! Let's all get together on Saturday, October 17th at Fishermen's Grotto at #9 Fishermen's Wharf for no host cocktails at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner.

For more information, including how to buy tickets, visit the announcement on the official Lowell Alumni Association site:

http://www.lowellalumni.org/reunions.shtml#1969

Hurray!

2009-04-05T23:18:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the blog for the Lowell High School (San Francisco) January 1969 class. Here we will post updates submitted by you, our classmates! Let us know what you are up to by sending an update to lowell40reunion@gmail.com. Then check back often!