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Additional Text for the 08/04/04 Alumni Sandstorm 
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>>From: Jeff Michael ('65)

Hey Bombers and Bomberettes...
    I have to admit, as of yesterday evening, I had not
recovered from the trauma of the Pappy Pond Bashing in the
Sandstorm the other day. Just the thought of anon letters to
the portly pond caretaker was almost more than my itty bitty
feelin's could handle. It was totally beyond my faculties to
respond yesterday. Even bouyed by the undeniable honor of
Pappy bestowing the title of "Lustrous Potentate of Puddle
Pond Current Events" on this awestruck scribbler was
insufficient to muster a response. But land of goshen... 
today was certainly a new dawn! Look at that, 29, yes, 
twenty-nine, posts to today's Sandstorm!!! Enough readin' 
for three (3) cups o' java! Now, mind you, they were not ALL 
about Pappy's Pond (in a long ago past, referred to as 
"PP"). Some had to do with various serious subjects like,
life and death. But Maren, has there EVER been a level of
participation than exceded the cyberspace limits of this
document? And if so, what serious subject prompted it? The
State Basketball tournament? The hanging chads of the last
Presidential election? I know it WASN'T the release of
Clinton's boring book or even the miracle of Lance
Armstrong's victory over cancer and world-wide bicycling.
What has it takin to draw more people to the forum?
Laughter, jest and jibe, and the underlying commentary on
current events.

     [Try 47 entries... had to split the Sandstorm in two 
      for the 6/26/00 Sandstorm - most all ad the subject of 
      "R2K" -- and there were 27 entries for the 6/27 issue.
      AlumniSandstorm.tripod.com/htm2000/2000-06-Jun.htm
      is where you can read them all.      -Maren]

    I recall my days at Chief Jo. There were parties where 
we barely pubescent men and women struggled to emerge from 
our cocoons of infancy. For some of us, the release came
from dancing/frolicking to the strains of "Louie, Louie" and
other tunes of the time. For others, it was dicussion/debate
groups in a corner off the dance floor. Some folks were bi-
lobed-cranial creatures who could move about in both circles
with equal acumen and grace. Others were only comfortable in
one group or the other. But we all came to the party. I
liken that description to this forum, risking banishment 
to the Sagebrush. I've seen fixations of spelling/grammer,
allitteration, puns and personal parrying over particular
preferences during the past year of my partication. But look
here, even John Browne, Jr ('61) has ascended to Haiku in 
his last post! Now that's serious stuff!
    So, in summation, let's all come to the party. Take from 
the table those things we like and enjoy... pass over those 
that do not interest us. Live and let live. As some these 
days like to say: It's all good.

To: Pappy Swan ('59)
    As I mentioned earlier in this post, I really appreciate
the position of honor that you have enlisted me to. But I do
have a problem with the title. In my days of more serious
reading about current events, I have delved into the "end
times" series of books. In fact, I have met the authors at
the pre-release of one of their volumes. My point is, I have
a visceral reaction to the word "potentate" that is most
distressing, much like "I'm gonna be sick!" I ask with all
humility that you consider modifying the title to use some
other word. If that would be a problem for the Puddle Pond
Powers that Process Papers, then I must ask that the title
be betowed upon another person. Thank you.

To: Patti Jones Ahrens ('60)
    Oh my, what a memory! Your little sister, Nina, and
swings at Spalding. Makes me wanna go there right now...
but someone would probably start whistling "Aqualung". Nina
was one of my favorite girls, but unapproachable for me.
After all she was a "ten" and I was a four-eyed, short,
suspender-wearin' "-3". Gregor Hanson ('65) was more her
level... Captain of the street crossing patrol and all. It
doesn't look like there are any signatures on the bungee
jump expedition. I have an idea about that, though, that
I'll share in a future post.

dj jeff Michael ('65)
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