1981

And so, as the John-John Generation prepares to enter 1984, we can ask ourselves: Do I want a big car that drives like a small car, or a small car that feels like a big car? There is the pivotal, angst-ridden question of our day. We could care less about the superpowers' game of Pin-the-Missle-On-the-Ally. We're still trying to figure out whether or not there really is a curtain made of iron somewhere in Eastern Europe. We're so dumb that we don't even know the difference between a war and a police action. Let's face it, the Betamax is more important than the Bundestag I have no problem with that.

Some of you, the more intelligent ones at any rate, have already put this down and moved on to more important endeavors. Big mistake. You will undoubtedly miss a number of complete fabrications about people you haven't seen for a while. Think I'm kidding? Just listen to what Sue Hess had to say recently: "I'm alive and well in Houston beginning my third year of medical school at Baylor. Probably no one was more surprised than I to read in the last ALUMNI MAGAZINE that my last name is now Eliot, since I don't even know anyone named Eliot!" (Astute readers will have caught the correction in October's notes. Now I suppose this is a fair statement on Sue's part, and I could plead that someone fed me some spurious information, but why should I do that when the simpler response is that I lied?)

Anyway, I usually tell the truth, so pay attention.

The greater Chicago metropolitan region continues to hold a disproportionate share of '81s raking it in at work or shelling it out at school. Dawn Decker has waved bye-bye to U of Chicago B School and has taken her M.B.A. to IBM. Spiffy. A tad further up the lake shore, Fred Koberna and Steve Zales are still magnates in training at North western's Kellogg School of Management. With Evan- ston's blue laws, the guys should get a good deal of studying done. John Davis, on the other hand, has departed the Windy City for North Dakota. "A ranch?" you ask. Has John dropped out? Wrong. He's selling boxes for Champion International. For those who haven't considered the booming box business, John makes the following, casual observation: "So do you know anything sold in this country that isn't put in a box?"

I had no reply.

For his part, Willy Hill has hung tough in the Second City, returning for year two at Northwestern Law after having spent the summer "fighting corruption as a law clerk for the Massachusetts inspector general." To which I said, "Gosh are you kiddin'? Corruption in Massachusetts?" Well there is some now Barnes Darwin has moved to Reading, Mass., toting his Thayer School expertise. Barnesy is putting the little numbers onto Hewlett-Packard calculators. Pretty soon, they'll have him stringing beads or making clay bunnies.

Likewise at the Tip, Ted and Tsongas Homestead are a slew of '81s studying capitalism at Harvard B School. According to our Fearful Leader, Bill Burgess, he has joined a veritable colony that includes Vic Pantin, Rachel Kenzie, Kirk Wilson, Sue Lasko, ChrisNiehaus, and John Westerfield. Burgess also reports that his Dartmouth Night sojourn resulted in nothing besides blurred vision.

Among those not present for that weekend were myself and most of you. Mark Gherardi was unable to make it due to a prior commitment with the Peace Corps in Zaire. DougBuchanan might have shown, if it weren't for his one-year-old, his one on the way, his first year at Golden Gate University Law School, and his wife Katia all of whom decided that he had better just stay put for the time being.

Down in Palo Alto, meanwhile, Gary Nolin continues his Hollywood watusi as a freelance production coordinator. Gary is also still affiliated with General Cinema to keep in touch with what he calls "the exhibition side of this crazy industry." No questions, please.

Well, kids, I'm afraid we're going to have to cut things short this month. Now I know, I know, you're disappointed, heartbroken, emotionally crushed, spiritually spent, and morally bankrupt. But would you have it any other way?

Patricia Nast Beran, left, and Andrew Beran, right, both members of the class of '80, show offShoshana Debra Beran, born on September 18, 1983. Tricia and Andy are living in Evanston,III., where Andy is taking his M.B.A. at the Kellogg School at Northwestern while working forArthur Young.

Bruce Swomley '81, who spends his working days as a financial associate for the ContinentalCorporation in Stamford, Conn., travels in his off-time around the world to compete in kayakraces. He is pictured here competing last summer in Wausau, Wise., where he defeated 65 ofthe country's top kayakers to win the national championship of the American Canoe Association; last spring he qualified to represent the United States in the World Championship racesin Merano, Italy; and there he placed 15th the best finish by an American.

1640 19th Street NW Washington, DC 20009