1983

In enlisting Lynn Hollenbeck to ostensibly share in the glory of periodically assembling this column, Jenny and I were tacitly acknowledging a few grim facts about most of you; namely, that the substantial majority of our class either has gone subterranean or conspired to engage is a massive news blackout to torture the downtrodden '83 secretaries. Or, more sinisterly, both. Having said that, maybe its just something in the lunar cycle, a quirk in the timespace continuum that renders things just a little bit off. Not long ago, my 9-year-old daughter Alex inspected me closely one morning over a box of limited edition Fruity Pebbles (mine, not hers). This is—exactly—what she said: "Daddy, most days you don't look like you're 40. But (explosive giggle) this isn't one of those days." That afternoon I retaliated by raiding Alex's college tuition fund and putting whatever was left over into eBay call options.

About once a year, Liz Mueller appears, like an angel sent from Above, to say hello and bless me with some class news. Liz has left the world of designing golf courses, and dived full-bore into career No. 4 (my estimate), which involves fundraising and development for Scripps Mercy Hospital in La Jolla, California. Liz visited recently with Dr. Leanne Eberly Jordan, M.D., as well as the estimable John Hall, who's masterminding the J.P. Morgan-Chase merger in the Big Apple. The word from Anni Dupre Santry, through Liz, is that Anni's juggling four children, renovating a house in Brookline, Massachusetts, and intent upon lowering her golf handicap. And, then we have this neat story from Liz about John Dodge, who I don't believe has ever graced these Notes. John is a primary care doctor in internal medicine who trained at Scripps Mercy and now practices in La Jolla. John is married to Carrie, has two children—Kate (6) and Jack (4)— and apparently has been contemplating launching a radio show with one of his medical partners. Go, John, go!

We got a nice update on Igor Sikorsky, albeit not from Igor. Igor and wife Karen for the past four years have owned and managed a fishing/hunting camp—the actual name is Bradford Camps—on Lake Munsungan in Maine. Doesn't that sound wonderful? I heard about Igor's news on the same exact day that I finished Dinesh D'Souza's third book, The Virtue of Prosperity: Finding Values in an Age of Techno-Affluence. Folks, I'm far from qualified to offer book endorsements, but I'd suggest putting this one on your should-read list. I'm somewhat biased, because Dinesh's writing helped me survive, mostly intact, an inexplicable and sordid six-hour "air traffic control" delay at O'Hare, but if you're interested in gaining an understanding of all the attendant implications of the New Economy, this is a good place to start. Dinesh is with the American Enterprise Institute and lives in Washington, D.C., and San Diego.

It's been mentioned before, but here's a reminder that the DAM is preparing a special edition early next year called "special places" on campus. Jenny, Lynn and I would love to hear from you aboutyour favorite spots. Here are a few ideas to spark your memories: The river? Lake Mascoma on a fall day? The Phi Delt Mud Bowl? Occom Pond for ice-skating? Peter Christians on a snowy winter afternoon? The Ravine Lodge? The Tally House? A classroom with professors Lagomarsino, Shewmaker or Rassias presiding? Thompson Arena for a hockey game? Well, you get the idea. It's a TERRIFIC topic. Take a pause in whatever you're doing, think back to our four years in Hanover, have some fun with this...and DO NOT keep it to yourself!

6 Carriage Lane, CherryHills Village, CO 80121; 303/221-866/; kjohnson@marsicocapital.com; 16Rennie Drive, Andover, MA 01810; (978) 409-1630; jennross@mediaone.net;2042 Larkin St., San Francisco, CA 94109; (415)931-4154; lynnhollen@aol.com