Funny thing about fame...

Amy and I were flipping channels tonight, debating whether to watch a movie, when we paused on the start of "Law and Order."

I know, I'm getting old when a Friday night can happily involve channel surfing. But I did a serious double-take when I noticed someone I went to high school in the introductory credits.

Same goes for Amy, who is regularly stumped by the fact that one of her high school classmates is in a very popular rock 'n' roll band these days.

We never would have imagined Norman High's class of '95 and Deer Creek High's class of '97, respectively, had it in 'em. Go figure.

Let me start by saying that back in Norman in the mid '90s Milena Govich, who now plays Detective Nina Cassady, didn't look like this.

Milena Govich, "Law and Order" cast member and my former classmate

Had she, I'm quite sure the football stars -- and every other guy (and a lot of the girls) in school -- would have paid a whole lot of attention to the young woman who, if I remember correctly, was a gangly, bespectacled, braniac into theater and singing. We had a class together here or there, and I remember always thinking she was one of the smartest people in school. Stories from back home on her newfound fame report that she moved to New York right after finishing college and has been doing well since on stage and screen.

To hear Amy tell it, Chris Gaylor, pictured here on tour with the All-American Rejects, very well might have looked about this goofy back in high school.

Chris Gaylor, All-American Rejects drummer and Amy's former classmate

Apparently the guy who became the drummer in a rock 'n' roll band that probably has groupies wouldn't have been a front-runner in the race for homecoming royalty. In fact, it sounds like the band's name could be based on some of his high school memories. But no matter what you might think of the group's music, several Top-10 hits are one measure of success that's tough to make fun of 10 years after graduation.

The funny thing -- to me, at least -- about both of these instances is how they illustrate the foolishness of expectations so commonly, so easily and, often, so unfairly pinned on kids in high school.

Here's to defying those.