Back in the Old Neighborhood

Thanks to Milena Matic, a mini-version of my reunion wish came true.  A couple weeks ago, several members of Sacred Heart's class of 1980 and a couple of us from 1979 met at the Jovial Club in our old southside neighborhood.  It wasn't the full reunion of my clas that I have wanted for a long time, but it was a ton of fun.

Milena, a very talented artist, lives in the Pacific Northwest and was coming in for a visit.  She suggested a get-together of her classmates and mentioned it to me.  My old bud Tom was going to be there (his sister Karen was a classmate of Milena's), too.  I could not pass up the chance to see these old friends.

It was odd seeing Elida, Beatrice, Donna, Karen, Milena and Eva after all of these years.  It has been between 30-35 years since I have seen them.  They all looked great, too.

I had a great time mostly with Tom and his girlfriend.  We laughed over old times and told a lot of stories.  We always pick up right where we left off.  It is really awesome to be hanging with Tom so many years later.

I did catch up a bit with the ladies.  They are all beautiful, really funny women.  I talked the most to Karen (who I knew the best years ago) and she just cracked me up.

It's a shame we all have to grow up and move in so many directions.  I left the area in 1990 and I always wonder what would have happened had I stayed.  I often feel nostalgic for my old neighborhood.

New friends are great and I have been blessed with some really fantastic friends in my life, but there is always something special about the friends from youth.  There is a bond that will always be there, no matter how long and far we stray.

Thank you to Milena for organizing this event.  Thanks to the class of 1980 for including Tom and me.  It was a night I really enjoyed.

Sacred Heart Alums in Chicago, IL-November 2014.

Friendly Encounters

This is a regular series featuring friends who have met celebs.

Joel Quenneville made his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1978-79 season.  During that same time period, Mary Jovanovich and I were part of the Sacred Heart 8th grade class.  In today's Friendly Encounters, those two events intersect in a way.
Quenneville went on to have a successful 13 year playing career and is currently in his 14th season of coaching in the NHL.  He will forever be loved in Chicago for guiding the Blackhawks to their first Stanley Cup win in 20 years.
Mary and I went to different high schools and lost contact sometime during our college years.  A while back we reconnected on Facebook and I learned that she was married with two children.  I also learned they are huge fans of the Blackhawks.  They attend many games and somehow have met several players.  (I just have to know her secret).
I always love posting Mary here.  It's like going back in time.  Hopefully, other Sacred Heart mates will appear here in the future.

Mary Jovanovich Brazzale and Joel Quenneville in Chicago, IL-Early 2011.

Friendly Encounters

This is a weekly feature highlighting friends who have met celebs.

Today is a very special Friendly Encounters.  It features one of my classmates through 8 years at Sacred Heart school.  Back then, she was Mary Jovanovich.  Now she is Mary Brazzale, mother of two teenagers.
Mary was Class President in 8th grade and voted "Most Athletic" by our class.  She was well-liked by all and was funny, friendly, smart and everything you'd want in a classmate friend.
We went to different high schools, but I would see her around the neighborhood occasionally.  Unfortunately after high school, I lost track of most of my Sacred Heart classmates, including Mary.
A few months back, several of us reconnected on Facebook.  It was great to see Mary and her family. 
Mary and her family are big Hawks fans (her husband got to hold the Stanley Cup!).  At one of the games last season, Mary ran into Bill Wennington (who won some titles with the Chicago Bulls a few years back).  Mary was gracious enough to share the photo here.
I appreciate Mary sharing her photo here.  I can't believe so much time passed, but I am happy to see that Mary is doing well.

Mary Jovanovich Brazzale and Bill Wennington in Chicago, IL-May 2010.

Johngy and the Hammer

Here it is. This is a photo 20+ years in the making. This is Tom Skalski and me in Wrigley Field recently.
Tom was a great friend from my youth. We went to grade school and high school together. We went to different colleges, but still lived in the same area and kept in contact. I moved to the north side in November of 1990 and had only seen Tom once since then. We ran into each other at a Hawks game at the old Chicago Stadium.
We reconnected last year and finally got together for the Cubs game. We laughed a lot, discussing old times. It really was a great time, just like old times! Tom wore one of his 100+ jerseys and gave me a Cubs hat from Polish Heritage Night.
I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that it won't be 20 years before I see Tom again. Maybe a football game. Maybe just a lunch. It doesn't really matter. For friends, the setting is merely the logistical component in getting together.

Tom Skalski and me in Wrigley Field in Chicago-August 2010.

MoJi Expressions by Milena Matic

Through the magic of Facebook, I have reconnected with a bunch of former grade school mates. I haven't really talked to most of them since we all scattered while in college. One person who found me was Milena Matic, younger sister of Tommy Matic, a former classmate.

Tommy was one of the originals from my first grade class. Unfortunately, the Matic family moved away, but not before Tom graduated with my class of 1979.
Milena is an artist, who works with acrylics. She uses bold, fun and vibrant colors on her pieces and describes her art as memorable, funky and fun. I agree on all fronts.
She has worked with Portland Open Studios and is gaining considerable recognition. Her pieces currently are displayed at the Blue Pig Cafe in Portland (OR). Her work can also be seen on her MoJi Expressions website or her MoJi Expressions Facebook page.

I asked Milena if she had any celebrity pieces for me to show here. She sent the KISS piece. I thought it was especially fitting, since KISS was really big back when we all were in Sacred Heart.
I really like her piece called "Broken" (bottom right). Other great pieces include "Matador" and her "IzaDora" collection. Of course, that's just my opinion. You should check out her creations and see for yourself.
I am grateful that Milena shared her work her. It was great reconnecting after so many years. Hopefully other Sacred Heart mates will appear here in the future.

Tom, Milena and Tony Matic-late 2000's.

30 Years?

The year was 1979. The Susan B. Anthony dollar coin was introduced. ESPN debuted. The Iran hostage crisis began. The Chicago White Sox forfeited a baseball game, when Disco Demolition Night went awry.
On Chicago's southeast side, a group of 31 8th graders graduated from Sacred Heart School. I was one of those kids. I can't believe it has been 30 years.
Most of the boys went on to Mt. Carmel High School. Most of the girls went to Mother Seton (now Seton Academy). Others went to St. Francis de Sales, Washington or Bishop Noll. Our post-high school years separated us further.
I have had very little contact with any of my Sacred Heart classmates since high school. I don't even know where most of them are now, but I would like to find out.
Towards that effort, here is the roll call for the 1979 graduating class:
Monica Baeza
Kim Dosen
Jackie Farrell
Richard Garcia
Luis Gascon
Ninette Giacomelli
Mary Alice Gibson
Don Hroma
Steve Iwinski
Mary Kay Jovanovich
Jimmy Kennedy
Zelko Kireta
Steve Marino
Tom Matic
Joyce Melvan
Todd Mitchell
Karen O'Keefe
Melissa Pawelski
Lisa Peralta
John Preuss
Mike Rojewski
Holly Ruzich
Kim Ruzich
Debbie Salazar
Dan Shegich
Tom Skalski
Maria Toscano
Kathy Turich
Barbara Varela
Paula Velgos

If you know any of these people, tell them about this. If you are any of my classmates, contact me.

It's been 30 years since we ended our 8 years together. There should be a 30th reunion. I hope this might be the start to making that reunion a reality.

"Dreams of today...realities of tomorrow."