1989

I am told that this column will become more homogenous as our class enters the "settling down" phase. However, I am noticing many '89s are restless where they are standing even as they marry and pursue careers, many are flouting traditional expectations in their own way. Artistic expression, wanderlust, thrill-seeking athletics, and political activism are increasingly common themes in messages I get from classmates. Few seem content with their level of educational attainment or place in the firm hierarchy. I wonder whether our coming of age in the post-Reagan 1980s left us with different expectations, interests, and ambitions than previous classes.

Although Heidi Reich is "building up tons of bad karma" in New York City working for Rupert Murdoch, she is seeking social redemption by producing a gritty screenplay with other alum, LeslieTimothy, and Paul Griffin '88. According to Heidi, "The subject is a convicted childmolester who has just gotten out of prison and longs to be a high-class pastry chef but instead gets a job doing food prep for the animals at the Bronx Zoo, then falls in love with a woman who works in concessions and has a young daughter..." The screenplay received critical acclaim at Sundance and "heartfelt encouragement" from the New York Foundation for the Arts. They are planning to shoot in the Bronx and donate all proceeds to youth-at-risk programs. If anyone has any fundraising ideas for them or is interested in working on the film, e-mail Heidi at .

Pat Giersch spent the last year in Hong Kong, Beijing, and other PRC hot spots collecting material for his dissertation. He is currently taking a year at Harvard as an exchange scholar, where he joins other dissertation writers Jean Shea (Chinese anthropology) and Sean Hemingway (classical archaeology) for the occasional brew at Grendel's. Pat informed me that '89s dominate the Beijing Alumni Club-Dave Spindler is pursuing his master's in history at Beijing University and EvanBetzer is working in the Foreign Service and is stationed at the U.S. embassy. Pat notes, "David may well be the most noticed man in Beijing because a 6-foot, 8inch guy decked out in Lifa longjohns and hauling around the Third Ring Road on rollerblades is not easily overlooked, even in the PRC."

Martin Fackler is in a Berkeley Ph.D. program in modern Japanese history with a mass-media focus. Ross O'Brien is at Berkeley's Haas School of Business and Chris Kennedy is finishing a linguistics Ph.D. at U.C. Santa Cruz. Karen Berlin is the head of community relations for Morrison Center, a Portland-based non-profit that serves victims of child abuse and neglect. She notes the organization is making progress in improving the children's lives. Karen was recently married to Scott Windier and reports that Joe McBae also just got married before an assembly of Bones Gate brothers. Catherine BaggiaDuwan got married in Hanover with music by the Dodecaphonics. The festivities at the Hanover Inn were followed by late-night pong at Beta. Lt. AndrewPoltrack married fellow officer Lt. Kelly Keefe last summer in Annapolis before an assembly of numerous '89s. Andy has resigned from active duty in the navy and is a fulltime medical student at Virginia Commonwealth University.

2930 Upton St., NW,

Washington, DC 20008;

Heidi Reick isWilding up tonsof tad karma inNew York Cityworking forRupert Murdoch. JEANNE DESA '89