Grad Gal Reunion 2008

This was the out-of-town guest list:
---Chris from New York City
---Margaret and 4 year old Ella from Kingsport, Tennessee
---Eileen and 4 year old Cordelia from Summit, New Jersey
---Trina and 4 year old Saumya from Boise, Idaho
---Genice and 4 year old Jiana from Oakland, California


At the end of April, five fabulous women from my grad school days at the University of Texas made a visit to Austin for a "Grad School Reunion, Happy Gigi Remission, Excuse to eat BBQ & Mexican Food" weekend. Not only did I get to see my buddies again, but I got to meet their daughters as my friends traveled to Austin with their 4 year old girls! It was such a treat.

Not all of the women and children stayed with me. I just hosted Chris, Genice and Genice's daughter. The other out-of-town guests stayed with other local grad school gals who also joined us for some of the weekend activities.

Our weekend was organized with the same managerial tools that we all use in our professional lives. It took 1 conference call and at least 40 email exchanges to nail down the weekend and plan our various weekend activities. I think Margaret even wrote a follow up conference call report!

Over the 4 day weekend, we ate $120 of BBQ from County Line, drank one full refrigerator shelf of Shiner Bock beer, enjoyed Amy's Ice Cream and ate at Bill Clinton's favorite Mexican food restaurant in Austin---Guero's on South Congress. In addition, Genice hosted her daughter's birthday party at my house. Genice invited some faculty and staff from University of Texas and Texas State University to the party. It was the 90's all over again.

The weekend was not all about me, but it was about acknowledging the importance of friendships and life. We agreed to make our Grad School Reunion a somewhat regular event. We didn't want to wait until one of us got sick to see each other again.

That weekend, I was reminded how smart, articulate, and funny each of my friends remain. No wonder they are such successful professional women (and great moms, too). That weekend was like a Sex and the City reunion...without the sex, and without the city but with all the intensity of girlfriend bonding.




Here is a picture of some of my most beloved friends from UT and Texas State--all together in my dining room!
BACKROW: Mary Ann, Virginia, Jef, Debbie, Wei-Na, Trina & Saumya, Michelle
FRONTROW: Eileen & Cordelia, Genice & Jiana, Me and Emma, Margaret & Ella, Chris