1978
Real World; Act II, Scene 7: From the news I've received recently, I'd say that everyone's spirits seem to be skyrocketing. I have several hypotheses for this phenomenon: 1) the impending spring, 2) completion of business school, 3) only one more year of law school, 4) only two more years of med school, 5) the imminent nomination of Ronald Reagan, 6) the enrollment of Pete Roby in Carnegie Writing School, or 7) the completion of your first job in sales and the start of your second job in banking. The two-year career menopause syndrome appears to be a consistent trend in the class. It is really difficult to keep up with you rascals in this world where everything is in transition from addresses to job objectives. The only common ground is the desire to "take some time off," "go sailing," "return for Green Key," or "own your own company" anything that clearly falls outside the realm of near-term reality. Thus, as the nice weather appears, we all are plotting our "Escape Missions."
.... Lay back, hit the Black Velvet, and dream about the implausible yes, Lumpy Barham resolving his puppy love and getting married; wonder how Brewsky will look in white. . . .
An impromptu class mini-reunion recently occurred at Boston Garden, where Dartmouth qualified for the NCAA finals. Of course, there was Rob Ceplikas, along with a swarm of purple and orange shirts, three rubber chickens, a keg of beer, and Boz Skaggs albums. One day I promise to get some of these guys in bold print. However, for now it would probably be in bad taste to spend 1,000 words on first and last names of AXA brothers who attend hockey games. Otherwise, it was the usual Boston crowd of Curt Oberg, Jim Bullion, Dusty McQueen, Jeff Crowe, Greg Melvin, and a score of others. Displaying a tremendous psych, Lauren Tanny led a contingent north from Insurance Land to join in the festivities. She met up with former roommate Amy Simon and Cathy Maher and Chris Hayer for a few postgame pops. Although Lauren has no idea what the score of the hockey game was, she was able to soak up enough knowledge that night in Boston to Pass her seventh actuarial exam. Too she forgot about numbers four through six. she claims that her only goal is to outduel she Blanchard in the race to become a fullfledged actuary. I'm betting on Ralph, based primarily cm lens thickness. Chris has also ecently joined Connecticut General in individual under writing, while singing soprano in the CG commercials. Lauren reports that Kevin Chase can help any of you who are tired of sales or marketing break into the insurance business, as he is a personnel officer at CG. Lauren wanted me to send out APBs for Jane Kirstetter, who was last seen interviewing with every Fortune 500 firm west of the Atlantic Ocean; Jill Erlitsen, doing graduate work at Michigan in cartology, with current marriage status unknown; Ken Landau, last seen hitchhiking from Louisiana to D.C.; and Bollie Bollenbach, who claims that women in England can't make his knees weak the way girls from Florida can.
Now for some other late-breaking news from the East Coast. Ted Olson couldn't crack Madison Avenue, so he settled on being the advertising director for a store in Harvard Square. He is soon to be married, with Steve Palmer a key supporting actor. Tim McNamara soaked up just enough law at Boston College (one year) to be able to sell cars at the family lot in West Lebanon and get married. Pete King is in the second year at Vermont Med School, working hard in the pediatrics clinic. Kudos go to two classmates who were recent recipients of Reynolds Scholarships. Kendall Price has resigned his post in the Dartmouth Office of Employment and as Lifetime Dorm Director at Fayer weather to interview students in South Africa and Namibia for articles in BlackCollegian magazine, while working on a novel. Meanwhile, Peter Kelemen will leave his native Wilmington, Del., to do some sight-seeing in the suture zone of Ladakh, India. Hamp Bekarian's aversion to mortars, but love for pucks, has resulted in his working in Boston. Todd Anderson graduates from Northwestern B School this spring and is currently looking to enter the world of big finance in the Apple at least for the first two years. Finally, Athena Moundalexis is preparing for a career in college administration by reading Jean Kemeny's book on watching wiffle ball at Sigma Nu and by attending Harvard School of Education.
From the western regions (defined as all areas outside a 200-mile radius of NYC, news continues to dribble in. Alan MacPhail has started in a bank training program in Detroit. If you believe that, I have some swampland for you. Actually, Fails has abandoned the fastpaced life a private eye, opting for handy mantype jobs around Taos, N.M., while getting in a little skiing. Similarly, Miguel Damien has departed from the frivolous life of med school for a more serious existence skiing in the Rockies. Mike Glass will be working for a mining law firm in Pittsburgh this summer. Always altruistic, Mike is now extolling the virtues of strip mining and poor working conditions. He plans to insure that coal mining someday has the same reputation as nuclear power. And Pete Lea is pursuing rocks, just like he used to pursue lacrosse balls into the net, at the University of Washington.
In the same general neighborhood, several classmates recently congregated for a romantic skiing vacation. Specifically, George Vieth, BillMcLaughlin, Chico and Bobby Denison, and Don and Nancy Ankeny decorated the slopes at Aspen during spring break this year. This was good therapy for George and Bill, both to get away from school and to see what married life was really all about. They found that besides never having to say you're sorry, love means: 1) going to bed at 10:30 and 2) buying two pairs of ski boots when you only need one.
It wouldn't be spring without bonding several classmates in holy matrimony. Leading off the season this year is the joining of two great Dartmouth families Lynch and O'Brien. Chris, son of "Doc," whom you may find tailgating at any football game, and Patty, daughter of "Eddie O," who also may be found at any given football game, plan to be married in May. By the way, Chris is now working at Epsilon Data Management, while Patty nurses at Mass General.
Finally, a few administrative notes. First, please continue to write Scott Axford or myself so we can spread the news about the class to as much of the class as possible. Remember, if you don't subscribe you can't complain I think William Loeb once said that. Second, it is time for Bill Devine to shine in the annual fundraising game. We were on top last year, but we need your help to pull it off again. Lastly, would all '79s please use words with less than three syllables in their letters to the class secretary. This might relieve some confusion for Pete.
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