Nov/Dec 2010
Don’t forget: Lang and Kathy Wheeler’s “The Brunch” on November 20th, starting at 9:30 a.m. at 48 Lakeview Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Then “The Game.” Dare we hope for a victory this year over the Cantabs?
With some Listserv prodding from your scribe, several classmates have submitted updates on their lives. I hope these reports will embolden other reticent classmates to take mouse in hand and send me their thoughts and reports on their activities. It’s too late and we’re all too old to be shy! Here is some of what I have already received:
Rob Shlachter (RShlachter@stollberne.com) writes: “Greetings from Portland, Oregon. It’s been an eventful last two years. In summer 2008, our daughter Jenna graduated from Colorado College, and then headed off for New Zealand to further develop her super snowboarding skills. In fall 2008, I had a chance to get together with Terry Light and Paul Lozier to root for Yale at the frigid Harvard game. First time since 1968 that I had attended The Game. Then off to the 40th reunion in June 2009, to meet up with Brad Gascoigne and Art Segal (and his bride-to-be, Angela Sumner). In summer 2009 was the wedding of our son David to Orlee Rabin in San Francisco. A wonderful day. Then in November 2009 I underwent heart valve repair surgery. I don’t recommend it as a way to lose weight. But I have recovered from the surgery and thankfully am doing fine. Just after New Year’s, we were able to celebrate with newlyweds Art and Angela in San Luis Obispo. Then, to celebrate my medical recovery and our 30th anniversary, my wife Mara and I traveled in May of this year for three weeks to France and Barcelona. We highly recommend the trip. Our favorite spot was Aix-en-Provence. Some French words even came back to the frontal part of my memory.”
Bill Fischer (fischerw@pdx.edu) writes: “I teach an upper-level German course that is conducted as a student-run startup business. Our little company produces multilingual greeting cards printed on paper made from recycled elephant poop. It’s anyone’s guess whether late-night discussions in Farnham Hall and Davenport College prepared me for that.
“I’ve been married for more than 31 years. The ultimate reward has been three daughters who melt my heart, and the well-seasoned joy of being yoked to the same plow. Some diversions: woodwork (furniture, canoes); music (brass ensemble, church choir); my license as a professor to read just about anything I please, and lots of it. Some darker clouds: periodic clinical depression; some bitter career setbacks (some of them deserved, some not); irritation at the vulgarity of our age, its this-worldly monomania, and its arrogant belief in the superiority of its own innovations; and—of course—intimations of mortality, countered by a fairly resilient faith in the Beyond. But in these first few years after 60 I’m also developing a sense of the uniqueness of my life, and the insight that I’ve lived it pretty much the way that fits my nature (if not as altruistically as I could have, or with the world-shaking effect I had anticipated). My existence has been quieter than some, richer than many. And I think I’ve still got a couple of shots in the quiver and arrows in the locker. Retirement is on the horizon, but then still—God willing—a physically, intellectually, and spiritually active life.
“A couple of years ago, when I was arm-wrestling my one-man canoe back onto the cartop, I saw a man of perhaps my same age walking with labored and painful steps along the riverbank. With relief (followed quickly by shame at my selfishness) I defiantly rejoiced that I was still far from his decrepitude. The phrase that escaped my mouth gave its name to that precious boat: Not Yet.”
From Walker Knight (walkerlknight@gmail.com):“I’m currently working with some colleagues from my On Command days on a startup cable channel, in charge of content acquisition. We have a great concept that distributors and advertisers alike are excited about. We hope to have funding nailed down in the next few months, at which time I will be releasing details and asking all of you to bug your cable or satellite provider to carry our fabulous channel. We hope to launch early next year. Meanwhile at home, my partner Judson and I just celebrated 32 years together.”
“Maybe the most elusive possession is contentment with what we have. There is no better way to attain that than a brush with mortality.”—Nicholas Kristof (after kidney tumor surgery), New York Times, 6/6/2010.