say "hello!" to stephanie
Stephanie moved to Port Huron, Michigan at the begining of our 9th grade year. We met in Mrs. Johnson's gym class because we are both highly unathletic. However, she is now a freshman engineering major at Purdue. She is an amazing confidante, a great story teller, and one of the smartest cookies I know. She's into math, science, and other stuff I don't understand. I love her to pieces and miss her a lot when I'm away at school. This summer we didn't see much of each other because she worked at camp too. Steph and I were often mistaken for sisters (I guess we're equally annoying, but...) so long ago we started telling people we were cousins! Cool! We have had some "amazing coincidences" over the past four years. You know, I think we've been through just about everything together! She's the bestest! (And she's from England, not Canada!)
D.O.B.:January 3, 1979

say "hello!" to julie
I have known Julie since we were first-graders stuck in Prime Time after school with each other. We hated each other when we were little, things got a little better when we were older (recall any cat fights about sleeping in Mr. Knisley's class, Julie?), and now well, we basically tell each other everything. I think the best thing about Julie is how much we can tell each other. I think we've said it all at some point ... nothing is sacred! One of my most consistent e-mail buddies, Julie goes to school back home at St. Clair County Community College. Through high school, we survived yearbook and numerous plays. We love harassing pot-heads with "hi!" notes, doing the Rat Boy dance ("ahhh!"), and programming obscene noises into computers. Julie is especially fond of falling down the stairs. She is usually our picture-taker and rallyer for get togethers. She's adventurous, and um, loves trying new things. (Ha ha ... you know what I mean!)
D.O.B.:April 29, 1979

say "hello!" to jolene
I met Jolene through 7th grade science with Mr. Crossman and art with the dreadful Mrs. Korff. Our friendship blossomed by ragging on a kid named Mark and over tunes like "Baby Got Back" and "Tenessee." But today, Jolene is my amazing fellow Tori-lover of a pal who does cool stuff like go to wait for early-morning tickets ("Eat my nuts!" yelled the strange guy), and take chemistry with me! Jolene has also been a fellow mall-employee with me over the years. I guess one of things I love most about "the Bean" is her creative-ness, her sarcastic streak (ouch!), her good listening skills (A+!), and all of the fun memories we share. We tend to have a pretty good time doing whatever, and we're quite good about trashing guys when it comes to it. Jolene also goes to community college back home, and must be one of the busiest people I know. She is a very committed individual who always sends me cool stickers in her letters. Speaking of which, I need to write her sometime soon.
D.O.B.: September 4, 1979(?)

say "hello!" to dana
Oh geesh, I've known Dana since I moved to Port Huron in first grade. We were always casual church and birthday party aquaintances for the longest time (i.e. Mom: "Why don't you invite Dana to your party?" Laura: "Okay."). We even attended the late camp Pleseant Hill (SNIFF!) together (remeber perverted Barbies?). She was the one who stuck by me when my grandpa died the summer of 3rd grade. I should of known she was something special then. However, we bonded over our week at 8th grade confirmation camp, and the rest they say is history. We've seen each other through a million crushes (a certain dead-head at Dennison, hmm Daners?) and a million trials and tribulations. Dana endures my extremely extro-verted side very well. She has been my fellow Gathering and Bass Lake buddy for years, and now we go to Wittenberg University together. She loves to ice skate, but since she can't major in that, she is looking at nursing (since she likes biology a lot, but also likes social interaction). She will succeed in whatever she does.
D.O.B.: May 17, 1979

say "hello!" to becky
Oh Becky Sue, how I love you. I've known Becky since 7th or 8th grade, but I must say I believe we bonded the most in tenth grade geometrey with the very scary polyester king, Mr. Talladay. As frightening as the class was, you, Julie, and I scammed seats together and had too much fun. (Math class isn't supposed to be fun, but it really was.) Like myself, Becky is a huge fan of all the retro-funk of the 1970s and 1980s. You might call her the daughter of funk. Whether it be music (getting funky with Come On Eileen!--anytime, anywhere!), movies (Goonies! Ferris Bueller's Day Off! The Princess Bride!) or cartoons (especially Scooby!!), Becky and I love 'em all. From the few times we've really sat down and talked (skating off into the sunset?), I've come to totally value her trustworthiness and her enduring outlook. Becky moved back to Jackson, Ohio at the end of our senior year, and reuiniting over breaks is not the same without her at all. She is only an hour or so south of me now, but I haven't seen her in the longest time. It's about time I sit down and write her a letter too.
D.O.B. September 14, 1979

say "hello!" to lydia
Lydia is one of those people I was introduced to in the beginning of high school. Together, we survived the wrathfullness of the evil Mrs. Scandi-Peattie, and I remember my first impression of her. We were in class, reading self-written story excerpts, and Lydia ruthlessly told a story which involved "tearing flesh", "choking screams of terror" and other lovely mental images that left us squirming in our seats. Right then, I knew I had to get to know her. We've been in countless crappy school productions together, though the best was in 10th grade -- "Flowers for Algernon." However, Lydia can eternally be on my s^#t list for her part in the play, which involved getting to kiss the boy of my dreams! No fair! Lydia is quite the smooth babe, and uses it to her advantage. But she needs a good man who won't spoon-feed her crap. Lydia is going to Eastern Michigan University and seeming to have a pretty good time there.
D.O.B.: ???

say "hello!" to rachael
I met Rachael in 11th grade in Mrs. Hammil's advanced comp. class by the wonderful process of alphabetical order. She moved to Port Huron from her beloved New Hampshire, which she misses. Without much encouragment, we voluntarily put seal and tiger noses on for the class and sang the wonders of semi-colons. Before too long, we were filming Masterpiece Theater in my living room and she was Allistar Cooke. Through 11th grade's euthinasia and child pornography (heavy!), we bonded that year. With lockers next to each other our senior year, and a very encouraging Julie, we started to hang out more. On a very memorable birthday, we did naughty things that became legal as of turning 18 (we won't say what, since Mom and Dad could read this!), and consequently, now share some great memories. Rachael goes to school at University of Michigan and is definitely a smart cookie. She has discovered the wonder of Tori too, and is a very creative and artsy individual.
D.O.B.: January 25?, 1979

say "hello!" to diane
Diane is a friend I have had, truthfully, forever. We were born 6 months apart from each other and our first homes were across the street from each other in Sandusky, Michigan. Becoming great kindergarden and first grade friends, I moved to Port Huron halfway through first grade. We remained friends through the move, and numerous week long visits through our childhood. Diane and I always had a money-making or attention-getting scheme when we'd get together. There was the song-writing (and photo-copying), concerts, good old Dorsey, medicare (a marvel of medicine!), making up amazing stories about the very unlikely. The times we went skating (well, you skated Diane - I couldn't!), attracted weird boys (either pubic-faces or just at 2:30!) and had a lot of good times. Over the years, and through times of letter writing and times of phone calls, our friendship remained something always there. Diane is now attending classes in my hometown Port Huron, but again, our paths have missed. She has always been great about giving me advice and setting me straight. Because of her, I have amazing childhood memories!
D.O.B.: November 5, 1978