Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Happy Holidays!

We hope all of our Grads have been enjoying the holiday season. More grad reunion event news to come in the new year. In the meantime, best wishes to everyone in 2007 - lets make it a year to remember (in more ways than one!).

Happy Holidays!

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Grad Profile: HUGH SHEARAR

From reunion photos

Constant companion? My beautiful wife Lisa Ng, we were married Oct 21st 2006 after being together for 5 & 1/2 years, my constant companion. I met her in China when I first came here to teach business English, she was teaching as well at the same university and it just so happened she was from Vancouver too. Funny you have to go half way round the world in search of the right girl, to meet someone from your home town.

Occupation? Managing Director HS China Connect Ltd. If you are interested you can check out my web site www.hschinaconnect.com.

Children? Not yet, working on it, practice makes perfect (love that part).

When and where are you the happiest? I am most happy in the present, right here, right now.

What was your favorite journey? I left Vancouver when I was 28 to go on a journey to discover my life purpose, actually! Shortly after the last Grad reunion. I was bored with the old hum drum of trying to meet West Van expectations, which I had done for so long. Since then I have traveled right across the US and Canada, been to Brazil, South Africa, Australia, all over Asia and China where I currently live in the city of Jiangmen, just 1.5 hrs away from Guangzhou, with my lovely lady. Just got back from gazing at the Big Dipper in Lhasa’s incredible night sky while smoking a Cuban Cohiba cigar, sipping a glass 20 year old Balantines whisky, and discussing the finer points of Buddhism and the affect of communism on the Tibetan culture. The journey continues and I hope will never stop. Next time if any of the Hillside Gang are out this way or have work stops in China, please feel free to stop in and say hello. I will lay out the red carpet. It’s just a two hour jet boat ride from Hong Kong. I live on the 16th hole of a Jack Nicholas designed golf course, for those golf lovers, my nickname is the bogyman.

From reunion photos


What are your interests? Playing guitar (It took me a long time to get Stairway to heaven down too Richard, I feel your pain), filling up my sketch book, writing poetry, songs and stories, thinking of new inventions, studying ancient philosophy and history, chess, motor biking, hiking, diving, playing tennis and recently learning to hit a golf ball well. Would really like to try that Kite flying sport like wind surfing.

What is your fondest memory of Hillside? Skipping class, to go and be naughty. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more.

What is your favorite music, past/present? Hmmmm! Past - I would say the English Beat, Bob Marley, Super tramp, Specials, Doors, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Steve Ray, Clash, Hair the list goes on. Present – Love it all, especially if it brings me higher, “got to have a funken good time”. Love to make up my own songs too and jam them on the guitar.

What do you consider your greatest achievements? Becoming a Master Mason, Learning to speak Chinese, setting up HS China Connect Ltd, but most of all I think my greatest achievement was after studying Shaolin Chi Gung and Kung-Fu for a few years. I had 3 bricks broken over my head using another brick as the hammer and bent a double headed spear with my and my master’s throats pushing on the spear ends towards each other, all this to demonstrate the power of the Chi to a crowd of university students, to show that even a foreigner can manipulate the Chi energy. It’s hard to believe this one, but if you don’t believe me I’ll send you the pictures, just ask. It was an incredible experience too and to walk away with no pain, like there’s a force field around your body. It was hard training to get there; learning how to manipulate the chi takes a lot of focus and discipline. I don’t think I can do it again though, I slowly fell away from training, and the pressure was getting a little too intense with swords, crazy chain devices and sharper objects. I’m having a good laugh doing this.

What is your greatest regret? No regrets! All is as it should be.

What are you waiting to do? To become a father and have little ones running around! I Love kids and can’t wait to enjoy being a part of some others souls journeys in this wicked but wonderful world.

Your last 20 years in 20 words or less: Spiriting, Educating, Experiencing, Loving, Musicing, Traveling, Arting, Writing Sciencing, Technologizing, Kung-Fuing, Building, Teaching, Philosophizing, Energizing, Breathing, Familying, Sporting, Dancing. Doing-Being-Inging.

'87 Yearbook Quote: Hugh will be remembered as always knowing where the next party is. If not busily doing his calculus or physics homework (which he never had because he didn't sign up for those courses) he could be found dreaming of being the next "Mr Universe". His future plans if not accepted at Stanford are uncertain.

Friday, December 01, 2006

Grad Profile: BRIAN CUTTS

Current Companion: I am getting married to my fiancée Dr. Alison Brownlie (ironically our> reception is at the Vancouver Rowing Club on the weekend of May 26, 2007)

Occupation: I am a Professional Geological Engineer with my own consulting firm based in Nelson, B.C.

Children? No kids yet, but we are planning to start soon.

Where and when are you happiest? We have some wonderful waterfront property out near Hot Springs Cove on the Island that is very special.

What was your favourite journey? There are so many good ones that it is hard to pick a favourite, but maybe it was climbing in the Yukon, or biking across Tibet, or backpacking around the South Pacific and Southeast Asia during university, or recovering from my ice climbing accident, or working in the Philippines, or receiving teachings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama in India, or ski touring in northern Japan, or hiking in the Rockies, or building a cabin on Vancouver Island, or having a pint of Guinness with my Grandfather in England before heading to Europe, or watching the sunset in the Andes, then again taking the dogs to the park with Alison seems to be about all the adventure I need to be happy.

What are your interests? I like everything, but some of my interests include meditation, travel, real estate, environmental protection.

What is your fondest memory about Hillside? The sound of the bell on Friday afternoons. The trip to Whistler with Soprovich in my parents VW van.

What is your favourite music, past or present? I like Jack Johnson right now, but silence is good too.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Helping people.

What is your greatest regret? I try not to have regrets. We should try to live life to the fullest and if you make a mistake that's OK. Mistakes are just opportunities to learn something new. Why have regrets? Obviously we should avoid doing things that might hurt others.

What are you waiting to do? Getting married.

Last 20 years in 20 words or less: Very Fortunate. Fantastic.

'87 Yearbook Quote: Highlights of "pee-wee's" career at Hillside include being on the basketball team, playing various sports, and evenutally becoming HAC vice prez. Some of us will remember Brian for New Year's Eve parties at Whistler in his VW Van. Brian could also be found skiing and mountaineering. PP: Monday mornings. Future plans: take sciences at UBC next fall.

See you in June!

Quickest responses to yesterday's reunion email to grads - shall we expect you in June?

-I'm planning to be there - Heather Johnson
- I be there - Scott Cabianca
- I am planning to be there - Virginia Duivenvoorden (nee Corcoran)
- Hi all - you're great for taking this on. I won't knowuntil next year if I can make it. I live 3,000 miles away, but if I can get it work withfamily/school/work, I'm in. - Sheryl Grant
- I'm planning to be there - 80% positive! - Mitchell Davis
- I will be there! - Chris Mills
- I'm planning on being there - Jenny Thompson (nee Bell)
- I'm there! - Sean Broderick
- I'm there! - Catherine Staveley (nee Fronczek)
-See you in June - Kevin McCandless
- Please put me down as "planning to be there". Still working on the questionnaire.... - Aaron Vidaver
- I'm planning to be there! - Thea Ewert (nee Bently)
- I'm there! - Maaria Curlier (nee Solin)
- I will be there. - Ernie Holmes
- I'm planning to be there! - Kevin Frew
- Wild horses couldn't drag me away... - Shelagh McIntyre (nee MacKenzie)
- I'm there for sure! Great work, guys. - Lee Hester

Also - stay tuned for Brian Cutts' and Hugh Shearer's profiles coming soon!

eta: A few of you have emailed asking how you can help with the reunion. Most immediately - we'd like to add more profiles! Please email us your profile and photos to add to this blog. Also - if you can help us find some of the missing folks' emails, please do! And if anyone would like to help out on Reunion night in June (for example, setting up with decorations, sign-in, et cetera) we'd love to add you to the list.

And finally, thanks to all of you who thanked us, the reunion planning committee, for putting this together! Its been a fun project so far and we all look forward to the event coming to fruition. But in truth, your thanks really belongs with Richard Ostler, the man behind the curtain, who is leading this project and took it upon himself to make the reunion happen. :)

- the committee



Hillside Highwaymen