Maybe that's not much of a landmark event in and of itself. But the world really was a different place back in 1989. From a global perspective, this was in the midst of the Tiananmen Square situation. The very next day the Chinese government would send in troops to clear the area. The Soviet Union was still... well, the Soviet Union. I would spend my freshman year at Tech learning all about that government structure which wouldn't exist about a year after I completed that required class in my major. On a personal level we celebrated my dad's 49th birthday that next day. Still blessed to have him around and in good health, but I am now older than he was on that day. And my oldest son just graduated from Tech a few weeks ago. Kind of funny how time shifts the tiles around.... My particular class at my particular high school was notable for including a lot of high achievers. I've lost track of how many classmates have obtained terminal academic degrees -- and this from a fairly far removed corner of Southwest Virginia. We've also lost what I'd consider to be a disproportionate number who have passed away since that June day (including one of my best friends in a freak accident four years later just a couple of months after he graduated from VMI). In reflection I will note that my 17 year old self really had no clue about what was to come or how to handle it. 33 years later that is still largely true. But it's certainly an interesting ride so far. Here's to all of the other members of the high school classes of 1989 everywhere....