Crystal Hillstrom:  

I never really knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. At least I thought I didn't. Turns out I knew way back in 2nd grade when I had to draw a picture of what I wanted to be when I grew up. I drew a picture of me with a tray and some food and drinks on it. Other than a few jobs that were not in the restaurant business, like retail clothing and radiation detection, I have remained in the business. It suits me well and has paid my bills and surrounded me with interesting people who really shaped me and my life. I've been lucky enough to love going to work every day, which is helpful since I have had to work all of my adult life. I have been distant from people I went to school with for so long that I think I have forgotten a lot about things I may have said and done. You know, when you still stay friends with people from school, they never let you forget things. The only person to really make an effort to keep track of me was Cindy Urban. We weren't even best friends in school. But she always looked me up and kept track of me as I moved around the country. We had a few years we lost touch but eventually would find each other and kept track thru e mail. After some years, I eventually also found Denise Null online although I've lost her again since my old computer broke and I lost all of my e mail addresses! I am now waiting patiently for my yearly christmas card from her so I can get her address again. I look foreward to finding some other old friends here. When I think of Campbell High I think of how beautiful the school was even though it was an older building. I think of Elton John, toilet papering houses, cruising through Los Gatos at lunch hour wishing I would live there when I grew up. Eating at A & W. Wanting to be a cheerleader. Having a crush on Leo Frolin. Me and Denise always telling everyone to get high on life. Sometimes I wonder how different my life could have been had I been able to graduate at Campbell. I went to school with my peers from kindergarten until the end of my sophomore year. I really felt cheated about not getting to graduate with them. Who are the people I would most like to see? I've often wondered whatever happened to Manuel Rodriguez. I used to walk to school with him every morning my freshman year. He and I would argue about who was better, Elton John (me) or Elvis (him). I also have wondered through the years how Jen Ryan has been. And Theresa McDonough my old neighbor. I also had a crush on Mike Wade for some time. And my old friend Lisa Crase and Mitzi Hillig! My softball buddies. We used to toilet paper houses and peanut butter cars! Often wondered how they are doing. But it has been so long since I have seen any of these people. Life doesn't always turn out the way you expect. What's been my biggest surprise? Everything. In high school my plan for life was to live in Colorado, have a hunky boyfriend who lived with me in my Chalet and made love to me every night on our bearskin rug in front of our giant log fireplace. I would ski every weekend, own a four wheel drive, have 3-4 huskie and St. Bernard dogs and never have children. I ended up falling in love right after high school. I met Kirk in August of 79 and marrie him in December of 79. My first son was...Expand for more