Since MB got to see my embarrassing high school pics...here are more from his child modeling days

I didn't always think it so, and often on those very dark days I sometimes forget, but I am a very, very lucky person.

Believe me, I can dwell on the negative and curse my wretched existence with the best of 'em, but today is not the time. Along with therapy, books, and far too much self-examination, this shall be part of my new protocol.

Positivity! (Yeah, even I'm gagging a little bit, but indulge me...)

One of the unfortunate outcomes of not speaking to my father for so long, was that I also didn't keep in touch with any of his relatives. My Mom's side has always been the one I considered "my" family, and although I knew none of Daddy's many brothers and sisters were really anything like him, it was a little difficult to justify a relationship with them, without having to go through him.

Well, there was the time my UCLA sorority was invited for a Pajama Party to a USC fraternity (a girl from my house was dating a guy from their house so I guess they thought they'd throw us all together and see what came out of it) and I ACCIDENTALLY WAS HIT ON BY MY UNCLE WHO HADN'T SEEN ME IN 6 YEARS...but I digress. (Shivers....)

But now that we're all in touch again, I couldn't be more thrilled. Mr. Blogger and I went to stay at my aunt and uncle's home in LA on Friday night (no not THAT uncle!) and we were treated with such hospitality, it felt as though we were their own kids. My aunt was especially killing me at how much she doted on MB...EVERYONE loves that man, I'm telling you. And you can keep feeding him and feeding him...he never says no. What mother doesn't love that? (He also never gains weight. Grrr.)

They were just so warm and inviting and I almost felt guilty that we were really only there so as to not have to drive up at the crack of dawn from San Diego on Saturday morning, for all our activities that day. We're going there for Thanksgiving now, which is nice considering it was going to just be MB and I sitting alone with our Tofurky. I shall be thankful.

From there we drove to a friend's home for brunch. We've known each other over 25 years (she's part of the high school friends' super-girl group) and hadn't seen each other since my 40th birthday bash last year.

Getty Girl is quirky and interesting and brilliant and lives in a 1920's home in the Melrose area. It's perfect for her artistic sensibilities. Nothing cookie-cutter for her.

She and her boyfriend made us an incredible (and incredibly healthy) meal and then...the old high school yearbook came out! Mine is still in storage, so MB had never seen it.

Oh the fun he had looking at Cheerleader Brooke and Student Council Brooke and Editor-in-Chief Brooke...all with out-of-control curly hair that would NOT behave into a Farrah feathered do and a weight that fluctuated from severely anorexic (Getty Girl remarked..."Oh yeah, that was the year Brooke ate an apple for breakfast, an apple for lunch and an apple for dinner. She was possessed.") to cutely chubby. (It irks me to no end how "fat" I thought I was, when I would now go back in time just to tell that girl that "YOU'RE FINE!").

We laughed at how cute she and I were and of course again spoke of what unfathomable angelic perfection all of us maintained. We were having so much fun, in fact, that I lost track of time and we had to then hightail it to Pasadena for the football game.

And M-I-L, she's going to try to scan some pics for you to see, so you don't even have to ask. ;)

I knew my old boss was going to be at the game as well this week, and we emailed that we'd try to look out for each other, but given that 80,000 some people were in the Rose Bowl as well, it didn't seem too likely.

So as I waited for MB to exit the restroom when we got there, I sat on a low rock wall and dialed Boss Man's cell phone. It's usually so loud that I knew he'd be lucky to even hear it. Now keep in mind, did you SEE the size of that stadium? There are probably 30 different restrooms alone.

"Hey there!"

"Hi...where are you?"

"I'm standing near where the band marches in." (His son is in the UCLA marching band and Boss Man's family was waiting to see him. But I wasn't entirely sure where that was.)

"Is that near Gate A?"

"Ummmm...I think? Where are you?"

"We're at the restrooms near Gate A."

"Hmmm...I think that's near us." (Really, I swear, we're both very intelligent people.)

"Well do you see me? I'll stand up."

"HEY! There you are!"

We were no more than 20 feet away from each other. How crazy is that?

It was SOOO good to see him. He was such a great boss, but then, as he says, The Company With No Soul bought us out and wheels came off. So we didn't get to work together that long, but it was long enough for me to appreciate that men like him don't come around every day.

He's funny as hell and smart as a whip. He was an empathetic and caring VP, and went to bat for us when needed. He didn't take shit from anybody, and expected you to do your best, but no one was more thrilled when you excelled.

And when I called him from my doctor's appointment, crying my eyes out after finding I had miscarried again, he didn't make me feel ashamed or embarrassed for showing emotions. He just told me to go home, not worry about my office, and take it easy. He really truly cared about all of us.

Then when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, we all lost it. You never saw so many co-workers pulling for a man they cared about so deeply; it went far beyond employee loyalty. We loved (LOVE) that man.

He came through with grace and humor, and I would have expected no less. He's been through so much, and continues to heal, and I am so in awe of his determination.

But when he announced he was leaving the bank, well, that was just too much. Thus, the mass exodus in the following months. No one could take his place. NO ONE.

So at the game, we hugged and introduced our spouses, and just generally caught up. His wife is exactly what I expected...adorable, warm and friendly. We lamented the loss of the old days, and complained of the way the new bank just had no appreciation for their employees, and wondered how those few who did stay on were managing.

He also told me he reads my blog every day, and I immediately worried that now that he knew me so well (I don't hide MUCH on this site), perhaps his view of me had changed. I'm embarrassed that I'm not back to work and sometimes feel whiny and wimpy.

But no, he called me brave. And an excellent writer. He sure knows how to compliment a girl.

With the game about to start, we again hugged, parted and vowed to stay in touch. We email all the time, so I don't worry. Plus, he offered to write another Letter of Recommendation. I'm DEFINITELY going to need that.

I haven't done this much socializing in ages. The whole weekend just reminded me again what joy and beauty I have in my life. As I said at the top...I'm a lucky, lucky woman.

Oh, and I forgot to mention...UCLA won. The cherry on the sundae.