June 2085: graduation day

High school graduating classes of 2085: 

Lakeside Heights: Ruby McCullough, Parker Michen
Sunrise Shores: Gloria Garth, Shiloh Morgan


Belated pictures from Ruby's graduation and grad party, because this would have happened in June.

I had once taken these pictures thinking I would do a blog story for it, but it became too big and involved and novel-like, so I decided it was the kind of story that would be better suited to books instead. For reasons. Too complicated, overwhelming and smothering the neighborhood. Too many books to write for one lifetime. Life happening. Need to conserve and funnel and allocate my creative energy. And junk.

But I already took these pictures, so I figured I might as well share some of them here, to mark the occasion of these proud young people at the culmination of their high school years.

May 2085: dresses

Ocean Michen is 16, Joey McCullough is 15.


Ocean hovered in Joey's peripheral vision, smiling silently, quiet and floaty. She was like a blue jelly fish.

"I know," Joey said. "My sister ditched your brother at the prom. My sister is Satan. It wasn't my fault and I don't care."

Joey's sister was graduating, finally and thank God. Not that Joey ever craved the spotlight, but maybe for once she could exist in this town without being known as "Ruby's little sister".

"I don't care either," Ocean said.

the McCullough family

Phillip McCullough
age: 44
birthday: July 7, Cancer
LTW: Max 3 skills
TS2 aspiration: fortune/knowledge
TS3 traits: ambitious, friendly, loves the outdoors, workaholic, nurturing, bookworm, artistic, photographer's eye, family-oriented, perceptive
hobbies/likes:
hates:
occupation: education, School Board President
family:
BFF:
romantic: married, Barbara McCullough
romantic history:
family: children, Ruby, Joey, Claude, William

Barbara McCullough
age: 41
birthday: August 27, Virgo
LTW: raise 5 children
TS2 aspiration: family/fortune
TS3 traits: perfectionist, shy, light sleeper, no sense of humor, family-oriented, bookworm, frugal, never nude, eco-friendly, hot-headed
hobbies/likes:
hates:
occupation: stay-at-home mom
family:
BFF:
romantic:
romantic history:
romantic: married, Phillip McCullough
family: children, Ruby, Joey, Claude, William

Ruby McCullough
age: 18
birthday: May 23, Gemini
favorites:
LTW:
TS2 aspiration: popularity/fortune
TS3 traits: schmoozer, hates the outdoors, no sense of humor, mean-spirited, diva, ambitious, unlucky, star quality, artistic, ???
hobbies/likes:
hates:
school: Lakeside High School, class of 1985
occupation: student, part-time shop clerk
family: parents, Phillip and Barbara McCullough; siblings, Joey, Claude, William
BFF:
romantic: Kevin Pittman, dating since June 1983
romantic history:

Josephine "Joey" McCullough
age: 15
birthday: November 26, Sagittarius
occupation: student
LTW: ???
TS2 aspiration: knowledge/family
TS3 traits: loner, grumpy, bookworm, family-oriented, rebellious, handy, perceptive
romantic: crush, Ocean Michen
family: parents, Phillip and Barbara McCullough; siblings, Ruby, Claude, William

Claude McCullough
age: 14
birthday: July 11, Cancer
occupation: student
LTW: ???
TS2 aspiration: pleasure/?
TS3 traits: absent-minded, schmoozer, adventurous, loves to swim, brave, dislikes children
romantic: single (dated: Lily Riley-Kim, 4 months; Gabby Roseland, for a minute)
family: parents, Phillip and Barbara McCullough; siblings, Ruby, Joey, William

William McCullough
age: 4
birthday: January 14, Capricorn
TS2 aspiration: ???
TS3 traits: neat, hydrophobic, no sense of humor, good, artistic
family: parents, Phillip and Barbara McCullough; siblings, Ruby, Joey, Claude