1984

Think of the most pressurized, gut-wrenching job you can imagine. Landing the space shuttle in a snowstorm? Trying to overtake the lead on the last lap of the Indy 500? They're nothing compared to Peter Vondoersten's typical day at the office. Basically, he drills large holes in people's skulls, reaches in, and pulls out bad things, like tumors, that shouldn't be there. (Imagine the patient consultation prior to such an operation: "Sir, we've determined that, in fact, you do need a hole in the head.') Based in Missoula, Mont., Peter is the only specialist in this type of cranial excavation in Montana, Wyoming, and northern Idaho. He winds down after these and other types of procedures (some of which can restore the hearing of people who are completely deaf) with hiking, skiing, or kayaking, followed by a dip in the hot tub of his mountainside home. Enjoy it, Peter—you deserve it!

Ted von Hippel is another man on a mountain—Kitts Peak in Arizona—where he spends moonless nights at one of the country's largest telescopes, contemplating the age of the stars. The observatory is partially owned by University of Wisconsin (way too cold and cloudy a state for observatories), which employs Ted as resident astronomer at Kitts Peak. Some of Ted's colleagues recently reported that the "vacuum of space" is not really a perfect vacuum and that it is theoretically possible for a change in its nature to cause a kind of cosmic tidal wave that would travel across the universe at nearly the speed of light and eliminate all matter in its path. Yeesh! No wonder these guys don't sleep at night! E-mail Ted at while there is still time.

Caroline Bergman Gottschalk and husband Michael brought their first child into the world on June 14, 1996. At this point, Benjamin Hugh Gottshalk has not indicated whether he intends to follow Mom into the legal profession, where she is beginning her seventh year in the salt mines of New York's Cravath, Swain. In another major first, Caroline reports that this was the first time that she has ever written to Class Notes. Congratulations, Caroline, and on behalf of the entire class, thank you for sharing your wonderful news with us.

Seth Rowland has stopped practicing law after eight years and has started a soft- ware company to promote a "high-end document assembly system" for "legal deparments of HMOs, Fortune 500s, and municipalities." (I quote directly for those of you in the legal/business world who will understand the full meaning of this and want to contact Seth at .) Seth also reports that he and Rose have had a baby named Samuel who "looks like Rose but has my winning personality." The world will surely be his oyster!

At the wedding of Robert and Allison Schwartz, sightings of Steve Hoxie, NickHuber, Vadim Pevzner, Ken Gallagher, and Jodi Danzig were made. Class Notes looks forward to further updates! PaulBonucci's wife, Jan, reports that four years of medical school were justified when Paul helped deliver his daughter Gabriella on November 5, 1996, during one of Oahu, Hawaii's, biggest storms of the year. Paul's residency in emergency medicine will continue at Chicago's Cook County Hospital in June. The Bonuccis can be reached at .

Best wishes and write soon.

PO Box .2776, Rivonia 2128, Republic of South Africa; phone, 011-27-11-807-5769; fax, 011-27-11-339- 3368;

peterYondoerstendrills large holesin people's skulls.readies in,and pulls out badtilings, liketumors. TOM CALLAHAN '84