I am so happy right now I'm crying (GD people, pop in here. Happy stuff)

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

For a few years now I’ve been searching and searching for a guy I went to high school with. That’s nothing new; I do periodic searches on various people I knew just to see what, if anything, they’re up to.

This guy, however, had eluded my every search. Then early this morning (3 AM), I got the idea “Hey, his class had a reunion last year … I wonder if the office there had/has any information”. Wrote my former senior year advisor there, who also happens to work in the alumni office, and she gave me:

His physical address
His email address

He’s now living in Montreal. My advisor, regarding how current the address is, had this to say: “I can’t guarantee that the address is current but mail is not being returned as undeliverable.”

So not only is he not dead/laying in a gutter somewhere (first person to make a pun on that … well, don’t, okay?:)), he has apparently made it out of the hellhole he was in.

Oh, I’m so happy.

:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):slight_smile:
:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):slight_smile:
:):):slight_smile:

#2

Just to pre-emptively answer the question: yes, this is the guy I’ve posted about in GD a good bit over the past few weeks and in many a GD regarding sexuality.

#3

Punha, you should email the mods and ask them to remove the postal code. They can be used to identify a single side of a city block, and sometimes a single building, so you are giving more information than you’re aware of.

Anyway, since you asked, it’s not right in my backyard - it’s in the northeast part of the city (I’m in the southwest). But if you come to visit him, you’ll have a place to stay here. And I’m so glad you’ve found your friend :smiley:

#4

I’m glad you’ve found your friend, too, Paddy.

::hugs Paddy::

::would hug friend if he were here::

::winces and cries at the idea of what some parents do when their kids come out to them::

#5

Postal code removed.

#6

Um, much as I hate to rain on anyone’s parade, especially 'punha’s, this is somewhat of an invasion of privacy. I work in a similar office, and we do not, without exception, give out alumni addresses, unless we write to the alumna/us first and ask express permission of that alumna/us. Some people (and I’m not suggesting this of iampunha’s friend) don’t want to be found.

Having said that, congratulations on finding your friend!

#7

Thanks a ton, Coldy:slight_smile:

Duke, exception noted. I remember there being a caveat of sorts on the “what information do you have to share with your fellow alumni?” to the effect of “this information will be shared with all alumni and whoever asks for it” or something like that. while there isn’t a comprehensive list sent out of everyone’s email/snail mail (with over 2000 graduates, I imagine it would be like a small phone book, and produced at great cost to the school unless they charged for it), nor do I have the form with me right now, but it does indicate quite clearly that it will be given out to anyone who asks for it. That also means, unfortunately, that my former high school probably gives that info out to spammers and suchlike.

Honestly, it’s worth the spam I’ve gotten to know the guy’s still around:)

#8

Iampunha, I really didn’t want to throw cold water on your find–I was just concerned that your friend might be surprised by your sudden correspondence. If your old uni went through contacting him first, he’d be expecting a letter.

Just a question–did you get his phone number as well? There are a number of Canadian sites that match address to phone number, if you didn’t. I’d be happy to pass a couple along if you want, though I suspect you may know of them already.

#9

Duke, if/when I do email him I’m fairly certain he’ll be surprised to hear from anyone he went to high school with (email, that is, that doesn’t deal with annual giving, to which I haven’t donated since I did the one time, and to which I doubt he ever has). He severed all (or most, probably) ties with that place for much the same reason I did: I have little desire to communicate with most of the people I knew there. I would not be surprised if he responded in an antagonistic way to my email simply because of the whoel guilt by association thing. That’s part of why the email I may write will have to be so very carefully worded.

I did get his phone number as well. I don’t plan on using it mainly because I don’t know quite how welcome any correspondence I make with him will be, and I want to give him the option not to respond, or to plan out a response as he wishes … give him the power, since he is as far as I know currently unaware that I’ve been worrying about him for some years now.

#10

Pun, I’m so happy for you. It’s wonderful that you’ve found him.