Cecilia Brown
Hello! It’s been great to catch up with everyone. I look at names and think, “Now who is that?” Then I see your pictures and say “Ohhhh.” And yes, just the other day I babysat for a lady while she attended her 1987 reunion.
Let’s see…I’m in Portland, Oregon, where I’ve lived for 2 years. I share a house with 2 golden retrievers who I rescued six years ago. They are now 11 but still dig under the fence and eat garbage. Good thing they are cute.
Back to 1988. I attended the University of Notre Dame and majored in Biology with minors in Football Observation and Fanatical Yelling. I was ecstatic to leave Los Alamos and was frankly surprised to get homesick. The flat landscape and gray skies of the Midwest made me appreciate LA’s mountains and sunshine. I loved Notre Dame (thanks Greg Hirons for encouraging me to go there), especially the ethic of service. After graduation in 1992, I volunteered for a year in Oakland with Holy Cross Associates, a Catholic service organization. I lived with 5 other volunteers and worked with homeless people locating shelter, food, and other services. This was a life-altering experience and opened my eyes to the struggles of poverty in our country.
After a year in California, I was happy to return to New Mexico. There is nothing like a Los Alamos fall, with aspens turning and asters blooming. Upon my return I discovered a great love for cycling and have ridden all around Los Alamos and Santa Fe. I also volunteered for several years at Esperanza women’s shelter.
I wanted my next job to be service-oriented but wanted to use my major too. Well, the environment always needs help. I landed a job with the New Mexico Environment Department, where I spent 5 years writing environmental permits for work in streams and wetlands. I loved living in Santa Fe and got to explore New Mexico extensively. How many jobs pay you to hike? Eventually my wanderlust returned, and I decided to leave again.
At our 10-year reunion, I’d just decided to quit my job, travel the country, and move to Portland. Trip was amazing—six weeks, 37 states, 13,500 miles. I visited Kelly (Oliver) Amy in Sacramento and Karen (Harrigan) Ladd in New Hampshire. While I was at Kelly’s, she showed me an ad for a temp Wildlife Biologist job in her office. Hey, it’s not Portland, but I’m unemployed, why not? Lo and behold, they hired me and I lived “temporarily” in Sacramento for 7+ years. (Kelly left in 1999…she still thinks I haven’t forgiven her, but I swear I have.)
I worked with endangered species—no easy task to save rare plants and animals from extinction in the juggernaut of Silicon Valley’s tech revolution. Long live the red-legged frog, and no, really, Pleasanton does not need a 15th golf course! While in CA I ran into 2 LA folks—Hans Weig on a ski lift and Lori (Martinez) Risinger at Livermore Lab. Lori, I was supposed to call you to get together—sorry about that! (blush, blush)
In early 2006 I made it to Portland. So, I followed through with my 1998 plans, eventually. You who know me know this is my pace. I’m working at Bonneville Power in their salmon conservation program, doing contracts for habitat restoration in the Columbia River basin. Portland is a great city for cycling, and I ride to work on open space trails. I struggled with the weather during my first winter, but this year I took strategic trips to sunnier climes.
Haven’t been back to LA in a couple of years; my parents sold their WR house last year. They now live in Albuquerque. My older brother Eric (’87) lives in Omaha with his wife and 2 daughters. He’s a chemical engineer at Con-Agra, tinkering with Hunt’s products and Slim Jims (note to self: never eat a Slim Jim). My younger brother Tim (’92) lives in Albuquerque with his wife and new baby son. He’s a traffic engineer for the City of Rio Rancho. Any of you in Rio Rancho have him to thank (curse?) for your roundabouts and bike lanes.
Moving so much, I’ve packed and unpacked my high school stuff several times. I still have my notes from Mrs. Sharp’s English class and John Wilkins’ book “Learn to Speak 11 Languages Fluently in 1 Hour.” Ha! To be honest, high school was not the best time of my life. I moved to LA in 6th grade and never felt like a local. I was shy and awkward and struggled with classes and a streak of laziness. But, I did end up with a couple of lifelong friends and my favorite nickname. (No, Mike Esterl, it is not Sissy Jupe.) I’m in touch with Kelly and Karen and am godmother to Kelly’s daughter Gwen.
As I’m sure you’ve noticed, I’m still flying solo. A few serious relationships, engaged for a time in 2003. Didn’t pan out, but that’s why we date, right? Now I’m working up the nerve to join an internet dating site. Shouldn’t take more than 6 or 7 years.
Unfortunately I won’t be at the reunion. I had the chance of a lifetime to visit Cambodia last year while a friend was living there. My travel budget is tapped, and repairs to “This Old House-Portland” use up what’s left. Reading the web page has brought back lots of memories—marching band, Mrs. Anderson’s Spanish class, lab partnering with Ngeci Bowman, and Mr. Brinsko’s insane homework loads. Isn’t it crazy how the clothes and hair styles are coming back? Portlanders have embraced the punk look, and I saw someone in stirrup tights the other day. If I see a set of shoulder pads I will pass out though. Take care all. I’ll be thinking of you in July!
later—“Cecil Brownie”
“Since Bruce Springsteen, Madonna,
And way before Nirvana
There was U2 and Blondie
And music still on MTV…”
