1983 GHS Yearbook - Me (... as a private in the US Army)

This 1983 high school class yearbook sketch project got pretty grueling toward the end. But it was a great exercise. Now that I officially finished it you might be wondering... where is the artist? Well, the answer is, I never had my graduation photo taken for the yearbook.

I could pass this off by saying I didn't have a chance to get a photo because I joined the Army at age 17 (here's a sketch of my boot camp photo). While technically true, this isn't the whole truth. I could have had a graduation photo in the yearbook if I cared more. But I just didn't. I was a bit "anti-high-school-establishment" back then.. or at least against the "typical" expected high school participation in things, especially in regards to the the material stuff.

I never bought a class ring, never bought a graduation photo, I never participated on fund raisers, never joined band, choir, sports, debate, whatever... I never even went to prom or homecoming. I was in freshman football for about a month before I quit. I just didn't want to spend time (or my hard-earned cash) on any of these things.

Looking back, did I make a mistake? Well, not from the material side of things. I don't sit around wishing I had a class ring or a yearbook photo.

But I did pay a price from the social side of things. Because of my described attitude, I didn't interact too much with my fellow students. I had a couple close friends and I was really nice to everyone. In fact, I prided myself on being outside (above?) the typical "cliques" of high school. There wasn't anyone in my class I wouldn't talk to or joke around with. I wasn't exactly a severe introvert, but I also wasn't Mr. Popular. I was voted "Most Studious"by my class, probably for this reason.

Well, I guess this sketch exercise triggered a bit of soul searching, and maybe that's the point.