1977

Almost 25 years after graduation and what's this? A homework assignment!

Tonight I'm pondering the rather intimidating questionnaire for our 25 th reunion yearbook. Twenty-four questions plus an essay, all asking me to reveal stuff I either can't remember or thought I had successfully repressed. "Favorite song while at Dartmouth"—l can handle that one. But"most thought-provoking moment" and "single most important lesson learned" require searching through many lost brain cells.

After that, comes "a personal statement of your life and times" spiced with "original song lyrics, epic poems and fables." I doubt Evy Chan's friend Franz Schreker (or even Frank Zappa) could make much interesting music from my life story. With apologies to Kool and the Gang, how about this: "Play a little golf, drink a little gin, get down tonight."

Fortunately, this assignment is not due until October 31.

In case you weren't among the lucky 493 to receive these messages when we rolled out the class listserv...

From Kristin Bjorklund: "What about the pierced belly button? Must I conceal that? It was nice to hear from you. I've already booked the Hanover Inn. I decided not to rough it next year in the dorms although bumping into half-naked men in the hallway did bring me back to my undergraduate days at Dartmouth. I won't mention names but that did happen to me last reunion. See you soon and I'll spread the word."

From Chip Swicker: "Thanks for the update. It has reached me (through the miracle of' trons) all the way over in Yokosuka Japan, where I have just taken command of the guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56). Just think...a former South Mass resident who once kicked around with gentlemen such as Hojo Hansen and Mark Farnham and launched his share of funnelator water balloons from the roof is now steaming around the worlds oceans with a load of Tomahawk missiles. That said, I will have to miss the reunion, as I will be roaring up and down the Persian Gulf chasing international bad guys. Please tell Stu Kurland and Mike Levy that they will have to divide my share of the cold adult beverages."

As a minor league baseball fan, I enjoyed reading about Andrew Rayburn's second career as the owner of two minor league baseball teams. After 18 years successfully running his family's business, Andrew sold the company in 1999 to spend more time with his 6-year-old twins John and Annabelle and 8-year-old daughter Iris. He also began studying the business of minor league baseball and checking out promotional ideas. In June 2000 Andrew purchased the Daytona Cubs of the Class A Florida State League. Six months later, he acquired the Hagerstown, Maryland Suns, another Class A franchise.

"The big rush for me is to sit back in the stands, in the bleachers, and just watch all these kids running around having a good time with their parents knowing everything is safe and clean and it doesn't cost a lot of money," Andrew told the sports scribes in January. He also likes watching young guys playing against the odds for a shot at the big leagues. "There's a purity there we can really enjoy."

In the June newsletter we identified five sons and daughters of classmates who will be entering Dartmouth this September. Joseph Waligore recently wrote with the news that his two children, Timothy and Athena, graduated from Dartmouth this spring. Joseph teaches Asian philosophy and New Age spirituality at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and should be enjoying a substantial increase in disposable income.

14102 Beckley Trace, Louisville,KY 40245; alan.macdonald.77@alum.dartmouth.org