I really regret not being able to make Carol's mini-reunion. I think we should pick a date and have another one. I don't know about you but I can't wait until April of next year. Anna's idea of The Family Restaurant or the Italian restaurant on Queens Blvd. near the post office is good for the next mini. We need to get in practice for the big reunion. The places on Austin Street are not really good any more. I've been back there recently. It's not the same.

I'd like to have it in a nice place. Not the Marriott. ...Private, good food, nice music, etc. We'll need a podium and a microphone so that we can have a short program. Maybe even a guest speaker.....Certainly our Class President will want to make a few opening remarks. Glenn Korman and John Ryan can sing a duet. Let's think about a great location and make it a great event. We can book the place in advance, get a good rate, etc. I'll probably stay at LaGuardia, maybe one of the other newer hotels there. If there are a few of us, we can ask for a group rate. Time is on our side.
I agree with Carol: "Let's make some great decisions".

Frank, sorry, I never answered your question. Yes, I often stayed at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong prior to moving there. As a matter of fact, I stayed there for a month while my apartment was getting set up. I would often use that hotel as my choice for western food. It's really nice. Jean-Georges Vongerichten still has a killer restaurant on the top floor of the Mandarin called Vong. There is a Vog in New York as well.

Frank, were you an altar boy? No seriously, how would you like your very own Blog deveoted exclusively to your new found pasion! This can certainly be arranged. Knock the price tag off young man!

Zeida, I absolutely remember playing backstage. Flicking the color lights on and off, opening and closing the curtains, etc. Good fun. Several of us used to stay late after school. We basically had the run of the place. Running up and down the stairs, etc. I would often stay until after dark and then get driven home by Ralph the Custodian after sweeping the floors of the school. Mrs. Trapani would give me a milk envelope with some money in it every week for helping Ralph.

Zeida, I remember running after you and I remember Suzette running after me!

I'm working on my website getting ready to publish some photos. I found an interesting photo of all of us in the OLA lunchroom. Very funny!

Carol, when you get the photographs developed, you may want to ask them to put the pictures on a disk. They all do that now. I'm working on possibly moving the blog to a site where we can post photos, etc. You can send me the disk and I can post them on the new blog once we move.

On the date for the big reunion, since many of are coming from out of town, I vote for a Saturday. I know there has been talk of a Sunday. It can be a late afternoon / evening event. Sunday afternoon will be a travel day back for many of us. I agree with Suzette, let's select the date first and then we can focus on the location, etc.

How come we're not talking about Sr. Regina Rose? Remember Sr. Marianne? Mrs. Donnelly: "Times tables 1 to 12, 10 times, Mr. Kearns!" Sr. Paul was my absolute favorite teacher. Ms. Maris used to make us write chapters of history as a punishment. I would get double punishment when my father came home from work and and see me writing chapters of history.

Remember going to Brooklyn Tech to take the entrance exam? I think we all applied so that we go to Brroklyn and have the day off.

Does anyone remember going over to Lefrak City on Wednesdays to help teach religious instructions (CCD) to the public school kids? Walking over the LIE bridge, etc.? Also remember going over to James Leigh's house after school? Has anyone tried to locate Richard Guzman? Does his fountain pen work yet?

Enough for now.

Who would like to go outside and clap the erasers clean?

-Tom (Tommy)

P.S. What is Manuela's email address?