1978

Well, gang, I'm back on the job again. One good thing about the delay is that I actually have some interesting stories to pass along... While attempting to find out how the other "half' (meaning all you folks at home with families and day care and two jobs and no vacations and tax increases and all), I called up my co-spy (I mean cosecretary) and found out some dirt about none other than Catherine Gates of Atlanta, Ga. Seems that she has been taking off to Hawaii (with the help of a sister whS wins sales contests) and hanging out at the fantasy pool at Kannapali Beach on Maui, pile mentioned something about running into the dynamic due, Milli Vanilli, while at the pool... but whether this was part of the fantasy or what ... I just don't know. Maybe we'll hear about it on the next Top TV act. I mean, like, we even hear them over here (and then can't stop!!!!).

Now here's some more exciting news 1 got a postcard recently with a big Himalaya on it (great, somebody's in Nepal with all the noting going on) from a long lost old friend Atnena Moundalexis! Of course it took about a month to get here, and of course it was the kind of note that informed me of an impending visit on a date earlier than the arrival of the card. So in a panic, enlisted the help of an English-speaking operator in Istanbul to assist in finding the phone number of the Himalayan Rescue Association in Kathmandu where Athena was supposedly working. Unbelievably, the phone number existed (and it only took 28 minutes to find) and even more unbelievably, Athena was still in Nepal! So through the very bad connection on at least the tenth try to get through, I spoke to a voice that actually sounded like Athena. She explained that she had finished her medical residency last June, then worked in an ER for a few months before deciding to see a bit of the world (great idea, if I do say so myself!), started the tour in New Zealand, then on to Hong Kong, Kenya, and India before arriving in Nepal. Athena signed on as a volunteer at Rescue Association where she lectures on mountain sickness and treats hatever Nepalis and trekkers wander in with. She even mentioned that she found a Oartmouth Med School Alumni Alag in the clinic office. We do get around, don't we? line was becoming more garbled, I barely heard mention about new children belonging to Terri Scriven and to I ayloe Holton. I am hoping that Athena is able to get over here on her way home to give more details on this matter.

In the last column I wrote a passing note about Josh Lieberman who had co-authored a geologic article about the Himalaya. Well, Josh must have gotten wind that I needed some more substantial news, because he sent a card with a big Alp on it. He commented on the pleasantness of postdoc life in Europe (you know, skiing and traveling to Greek islands), but also noted that the prospects of his getting back to the U.T as an academic were "pretty horrible."

working with highly leveraged transactions with small to medium-sized companies in the N.Y. metro area. I had to laugh when I read the note, because she envisioned me writing the Class Notes "among dust, rocks, and scorpions." The truth of the matter is that I am able to use my laptop, even out in the boonies, but I did narrowly miss out on a scorpion sting the other day, as I was out working on one of my projects. I never saw as many scorpions in Arizona or New Mexico as I do here. There's more news from Jackie about Mary Lou Teel, RoseGasner, and Marty Altemus, but I'm out of room this time. Next time...

Tunus Cad, 76/5, Kavaklidare, Ankara, Turkey