“But it’s a long, long while
From May to December
And the days grow short
When you reach September.”

That is from September Song by Kurt Weill, who is far more famous for writing Mack the Knife.  I quote this ditty because I last posted on the blog site in May.  Now, September is past, December is upon us, and the days are definitely shorter.  In the broader picture, it reminds me that our days, metaphorically, are definitely growing shorter as we age.  I hope that all of us can look back and enjoy all the good things that have happened to us over the years.  If you want to listen to the September Song, click here or copy and paste into your Internet browser.  This version is sung by Walter Huston and is probably the original version.  If you want someone younger, you can listen to Vic Damone or a clutch of others on YouTube.  (note that you may not be able to click on the below URL because I cannot do it in the edit mode.  So if you really want to hear it, copy and paste it into  your web browser.  Same for the on further down.  And if that sounds Greek to you, let me know, and I will walk you through what to do.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3mAT-4FdP4

Moving along, when you see pictures on here, you will know I have figured out how to get them posted again, so I can no longer use that as an excuse for not posting anything—just mark it up to procrastination.  And be forewarned that us older folks tend to repeat ourselves, so you may find some ramblings that seem familiar.  Without going back to review all previous 85 postings over five years, I promise to be repetitive.

In these forthcoming ramblings, I intend to pass along items from classmates who write, because I think many of you will want to know what is going on in the lives of those whom we knew in high school 65 years ago.  I promise not to turn this into a gossip sheet—just the facts, ma’am, or sir.

When I do see or hear from you all, one of the first questions usually asked is whether anyone has died.  All too often I need to reply affirmatively.  Sadly, we recently have lost Socrates (Soc) and Homer Shanks.  I will be posting the obituaries in the next blog or two, as I want to keep these reasonably short.  Thanks to Pete Sweet for notifying me of Soc and to Bob Blake, Mike Gill, Don Martin, and Pat Sparks for providing information on Homer.

So, coming to a blog near you in the foreseeable future will be obituaries, a report on the re-dedication of the fountain in Student Council Patio, pictures from the class lunch in October, news of classmates, and more, depending on what you all provide.

In closing, I recently heard a song that took me back to high school.  Do you remember Everclear and the jokes about it?  Clear and pure alcohol, it was a great way to get high, cheaply, and with no ID required.  (I have that on very good authority…)  If you want to hear the song, click here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t__SVLJdlYo

If you just want the words without going to YouTube, here they are, but without the tune, it is not nearly as clever:

Every day in lunch in high school,
And all of my senior year,
I’d drink my Coca-Cola with a touch of everclear.
I never had to study math, science or history,
I’d have a chemical flashback to jog my memory.
In my junior year I swore I loved sweet Miss Sherrie-Ann,
One night I put some everclear in her Dr. Pepper can.
I thought it’d make her easy, but she took it pretty hard,
I took her home and rang her doorbell, left her lyin’ in the yard.

Tequila dries me out, and beer just makes me fat.
Whiskey makes me nauseous, tell me who the hell needs that?
If you’re thinkin’ about drinkin’, then the answer’s crystal clear,
It’s the invisible intoxicant….it’s called everclear.

I remember my church picnic in the spring of ’89,
They had 4 fresh watermelon sliced right off the vine.
When they bowed their heads giving grace for the food,
Hey, I pulled out the bottle, and I soaked them melons good.
Well they never knew what hit ’em, when the potion went to work,
They had Grandma’s doin’ backflips, Grandpa’s lookin’ up their skirts.
They were singing Hallelujah and Willie Nelson songs,
Preacher said it was the best dang picnic,
That the Baptists had ever thrown.

Tequila dries me out, and beer just makes me fat.
Whiskey makes me nauseous, tell me who the hell needs that?
If you’re thinkin’ about drinkin’, then the answer’s crystal clear,
It’s the invisible intoxicant….it’s called everclear.

When I’m drinkin’ everclear, I think I’m king of this whole world,
I’m bigger and badder than John Wayne and cooler than Steve Earle.
Until I wake up and I’m face down in the hall, 
Hey, I’m completely naked, for a reason I can’t recall.
Well I’m kinda, sorta thinkin’ that maybe I met a chick,
‘Cause there’s perfume in the air, and there’s lipstick on my neck.
Well I hope that she was pretty and I hope that she was kind,
Enough to leave my clothes somewhere they’re easy to find.

Tequila dries me out, and beer just makes me fat.
Whiskey makes me nauseous; tell me who the hell needs that?
If you’re thinkin’ about drinkin’, then the answer’s crystal clear,
It’s the invisible intoxicant….its called everclear.

Okay, till next time.