CLASS OF 1971 | 2023 | FALL ISSUE
Aloha, classmates. Here is the recent news from those who emailed me with their transitions or news. Enjoy.
Nancy Binkin writes: “Love the new column! I saw that you are spending part of your time in La Jolla. Let me know if you ever have time to come over for dinner. I’m in Talmadge (San Diego), which is usually only about 20 minutes down the road, and I love to cook. We could also see if Stephen Ferruolo and his wife wanted to come.”
Nancy, Stephen and I have gotten together several times to talk and reminisce about old times and discuss new times. In fact, me the science guy will be lecturing a class of Stephen’s at USD law school about biopharmaceutical companies and regulations. Should be interesting.
Blake Allison asks to change his email from his old email at Dingman Allison, which is no longer in service. Please use his new email: Blakeallisonarch@gmail.com. He also tells us that he and Bob Yaro met. “Bob took a break from his battle royal with the Army Corps of Engineers and sailed his beautiful wood cruising sloop Iolanthe, a replica Newport 29 designed in 1914 by Herreshoff, to Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard, where he and [I] were able to rendezvous, as [we] had planned last year at the reunion. A memorable sail on Nantucket Sound and a sunset visit at [my] Chappaquiddick Island home ensued. Bob’s choice of designer for his boat is no accident, as he is the head of the board at the Herreshoff Museum in Bristol, Rhode Island.”
From Andy Glantz: “Thanks for continuing to do this thankless task. I am not undergoing any transition, save the slow and ineluctable slide toward the abyss—which I have managed to hold at bay, at least for the time being. Can you mention that I spent two weeks working on a kitchen on the Big Island, I will have moderated a panel discussion at a large trade show (AWFS) in Las Vegas on July 24, and will be teaching again at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking in September. Otherwise, life is good and Roberta and I are thankfully healthy and whole. Love to hear from classmates: andy@zenith-design.com.”
And transitions from Katy Butler: “I’m having the strange experience of NOT writing a book, NOT living in my head, and not feeling guilty about not writing a book. Instead, I’m living in the material world: pulling out the Makita drill my late father gave me, hanging mirrors and curtain rods, buying an orbital sander to refinish two beautiful Japanese end tables I found on the street, and fixing (or, rather hiring people to fix) our weathered deck and tippy paving stones. (More to come: repainting, reroofing, bathrooms, etc.)
“I successfully remodeled the kitchen two years ago, knocking out a wall and bringing in light. Now I’m pondering how to bring more Arts and Crafts touches into our 1970s blocky spec house. I have a lot of overdue nesting to do. Brian and I finally married a few years ago, after two decades of cohabiting, and finally I feel this house is really ‘ours’ rather than ‘his.’ The work transition was tough. I spent months in a liminal COVID and post-COVID space, with my speaking engagements dried up and the book project I had in mind shot down by my fancy New York agent Binky Urban. I theoretically wanted to write, but on the rare occasions that I did, the work depressed me. But now that I have given up thinking I can both write and remodel at the same time, I feel joyous.
“After decades in a male workaholic headspace (my father’s realm), I’m exploring the female. (My mother was an extraordinarily beautiful woman, a gifted amateur artist, and as anyone who visited their home in Middletown can attest, a fabulous designer and manager of home. Her taste was mid-century modern, but fashionable as it is now, I lean towards coziness, half-inch trim, the not-so-big house, and the work of Christopher Alexander, and the Arts and Crafts movement.)”
Katy Butler is author of Knocking on Heaven’s Door (A NYT Notable Book) and The Art of Dying Well. And see LA Times op-ed: “Harvey Weinstein and the Ritual of Degrading Women in Court”: http://www.katybutler.com/author/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Katy-Butler-LA-Times-121922.pdf
Grant Hawkins writes: “I hope all is well. I retired from the Marion Superior Court bench last September after almost 22 years. In December I had a knee replaced and on the theory that anything worth doing was worth overdoing, I overstressed during exercises. I am almost healthy enough to get active in the community.”
And from Anthony Wheeldin: “After 32 years as a lawyer and 12 years on the bench, I am retired as of August 2, 2023. I recently listened to a symposium featuring Professor Richard Slotkin . . . as impressive was he was in 1969 when the late James Horton ’71 and I had a tutorial with him on Mark Twain.”
A literary work from Jonathan Kramer: “The second edition of my world music textbook, What in the World Is Music? has been released by Taylor and Francis. It’s dedicated to Wes icon David McAllester. Nearly 20 years in the research and writing. Now transitioning into old age, but still teaching part time (emeritus) at NC State. Got a few kinks but basically sound.”
Well, that is all the news sent to me. For me, spending time on Kauai and fixing up my new townhouse in La Jolla. Interesting job when you actually get a new place but have nothing to move into it. An air mattress for a bed seems like life after college. Hmmm, another transition but backward I guess. 😊!
Keep your news coming.