I didn't. I didn't even tell them I wasn't. I'm told they read my name and everybody laughed, because I was infamous.

I regret it not a whit - but then, I was infamous. I graduated a semester early just because I couldn't put up with the bullshit anymore. I declared myself the antichrist and put up signs just for kicks. When the vice principal sent a toadie down to summon me to his office I told the toadie that if the VP wanted to see me, he'd have to come see me. And he did, which should tell you something.

Me not going to graduation was absolutely, positively in line with everyone's expectations.

My sister walked. She was all-state for band. She was every teacher's pet. Had she not walked there would have been a riot. She, too, was absolutely, positively in line with everyone's expectations.

Beyond that, it's important to note that my sister got swag, I didn't. Cash prizes to the tune of thousands of dollars. Me? I got this book.

So does the swag matter? If so, go. Are people expecting it? If so, go. You should be able to rent the stuff. At least, that's how we did it back in the pre-Clinton era. Will it likely be a big boring circlejerk? Yeah, probably. But big, boring circlejerks are stupid things to make a stand over.

I have studiously missed my ten year and my twenty year reunion. I saw a photo from the ten year - every other person was "who the fuck is that" and nine out of ten of them were "damn, they got fat." For the twenty year it was more about recognizing a missed opportunity to avoid in real life the people I avoid on Facebook. The anecdote about everybody laughing is way cooler... but the swag would have spared me some serious poverty.

Eh. Who am I kidding. I woulda blown it on synths. ;-)