Brief Commentary on HS Reunion

This past weekend I attended my 25th High School Reunion. Part of me really wanted to see how everyone was doing, what they were doing but another part of me wanted to get an idea of how people had changed, not physically (which matters so very little), but mentally...in their attitudes towards fellow students.

Overall I had a good time but I was very disappointed in a few people who never outgrew the puerile behavior of those high school days...by ones 40's it really is inexcusable and it says SO much about people.

~~

After picking up lunch for my son and I at Pierre LaFond Market, my best friend, her husband, my son and I met at Manning Park for the "Family Day" picnic and walked in together. I was completely under the weather and certainly wasn't my shiniest self but I really wanted to be there and have a good time.

As we came into the event site my son quickly headed over to the bouncy castle they'd set up (Thank you!) and spent most of the rest of the event time there. We introduced ourselves to the gals (fellow classmates) who'd arrived around the time we did (or earlier) and sat ourselves at a central table nearest the west side of the park, close to where people were entering.
Since I wasn't feeling my best I tried to rest a little and eat a little something before meeting/or re-meeting the others.
I then chatted with a few people and a few people came up to where we were seated and chatted with us for a little while. I have nothing but kudos for those persons. There were, however, a select few who, echoing their high school selves, couldn't bring themselves to anything but a slightly forced "hello" or nothing at all.

I felt considerably better (though still a wee bit blah) for the dinner portion of our reunion that evening but I didn't gain my momentum until after a little food and a Margarita, the first in a long, long while. The dinner was held at El Paseo Restaurant in Santa Barbara, it has a long and varied history but remains one of the loveliest restaurants in the area, it's virtual plein air atmosphere lends to it's rustic beauty and history. Can't say much for the food or service but they do serve a delicious Margarita.

I picked a table where one of our yearbooks had been placed (5-7 tables had such), again close to where we could see people coming into the restaurant. Again, the people who had been nice in high school were nice at dinner but time and time again people (beyond those who were at the picnic) would sit down and realize it wasn't the "IT" table and would leave to go somewhere else...in FACT the two seats across from my friends and the seat next to me were empty the entire evening...every single other seat for our reunion was taken...every last one except those three.

I didn't want to leave my friends too much as the only reason they were there (my best friend was a fellow '82 graduate) was because I wanted to go. My friends weren't feeling their best either so didn't get up much and didn't want to participate much...which, of course, doesn't help to draw people in.
This was, unfortunately, far too much like high school and only proved to us that no matter how much time passes, and how different one may from their high school self, other people still have their preconceived prejudices and never mature correctly.

I can almost guarantee that the people who were treated like crap in high school by a small to
fair portion of students (like ones mentioned above) never think to attend reunions because they feel in their gut that these events have a reputation for attracting people who were in the upper echelons of the high school hierarchy.
I, for one, thought this a partial myth and was only too happy to prove it completely wrong. Much to my disappointment the myth is mostly true.
To be fair a small portion of people who'd been nice in the past were nice presently but these were people who we knew would be that way, they were mature young people back then and they grew into mature adults. Then there were people who weren't the best in HS but, at the very least, made an effort this go around. But the same people who were cruel and super click-y in high school were the same ones who made no effort what-so-ever to be genial to anyone but their close friends from HS or those students who went on to become well-known, etc.

So, either they feel so bad about the way they treated us in high school that they couldn't bring themselves to face us or they had absolutely no clue who we were (which would be so very difficult to believe considering how much they called us names/tormented us/ridiculed us) OR they simply continued to be as puerile as they were 25 years ago.

For the people who just couldn't get past their puerility...how very sad, your children will likely grow up like you and treat their classmates and others the same as you treated some of yours...perpetuating a long-held tradition of picking on those different than yourselves.

For those who were all about reuniting in friendship, YAY!! Super Kudos ladies and gentlemen, you've matured into productive and healthy adults and a pat on your parents' backs for raising you properly!! You guys and gals RULE!

Chicagoland Entertainment Collectors Expo - CECE

My first convention as a guest went very well and I had a terrific time! I was asked to do the cover art for the Expo's very first program (see above) and it turned out rather well.




I met a lot of wonderful people including, of course, the wonderful Paul and Diane Maiellaro who put on the intimate affair, Cherie, Vincent, Luis and Ben (with the magic hat and the David looks...except with a little bit of beard action) who were more than helpful as well as so many other members of the staff, Scott and Ed to name just two (I know I'm forgetting people...sorry), who worked their tails off to make sure everything ran smoothly.

The fans were just as pleasant and I talked and talked in between the sketching...boy did I talk.

Two Big Productions (Victor Layne and Larry Snodie) were conducting/filming interviews of all the guests and I found that both Victor and Larry were HUGE horror fans...Victor and I subsequently had a LONG conversation about all the terrific films from Hammer Horror AND a bonus of old and new Doctor Who talk!!
Also had a lovely chat with Gene from Alien Entertainment Company about Doctor Who...whom I also purchased a gold toy Dalek with Mutant Reveal for my son as he's been using R2D2 as a Dalek substitute for most of the year, which is simply wrong. :P

The celebrity guests were wonderful...
The coolest man in the world, Ernie Hudson, my good friend and voice of Salacious Crumb/the Gremlins, Mark Dodson (finally!). Forever young Ron Palillo (author/playwright: The Lost Boy) who had a seemingly endless supply of natural energy (of which I wish I'd had from day two onward) and stories. Erin (Moran) and her husband Steve who were such a blast! Larry Thomas (Seinfeld) was great! I had a nice conversation with C. Andrew Nelson spoke briefly with Corin Nemec, heard some interesting stories and trivia from Larry Storch and his sweet wife who were directly across from my table in the convention room. And I cannot forget to mention the lovely and charming Cindy Morgan!!!

~~

Also this month Non-Sport Update Magazine did an article (by Ryan Cracknell) on the Women of Sketch Cards which included interviews with me, Cynthia Cummens, Rowena Pagarigan and Connie Persampieri. To read the entire article please purchase a copy at http://www.nonsportupdate.com/ ...

More to come!

Leah

Heroes Approved Cards

Hiya!

These three cards represent part of my approved cards for the Topps Heroes set coming out later this year. I'll post more later.

LM

Topps Heroes Preview Sheet!

Topps/NBC/Universal released the Seson One Trading Cards preview sheet (see above)

And, what a nice way to start the day, I found out that one of my cards was included on the Preview Sheet!

Peter Petrelli (in blue, bottom, second from the left)

My guess at this time for a release date is sometime in October. I heard somewhere that October 15th was the latest but one can never be too sure.

I drew a total of 56 cards for this set (many of the artists did around the same amount).

Thanks!

Leah

Star Wars 30th Anniversary sketch card auction

Obi-Wan Kenobi - eBay Link

As listed on eBay. :D

This Obi-Wan Kenobi is
original artwork drawn directly upon an official Topps Star Wars 30th
Anniversary sketch card and is not a printed reproduction, it is a
one-of-a-kind, there are no duplicates, and is one of only 70 drawn for the set.



Winning bidder must pay within 3 days of auction end and
insurance is required. Insurance cost
will be calculated based on winning bid and card will be shipped via the USPS'
Priority Mail. The card is housed in a sturdy toploader and will be wrapped,
boarded and bubbled.



This card will be shipped within 5 days of cleared payment.



Thank you!

LMangue-Art