I got a letter from my college today telling me that it had been 15 years since we graduated, and there were a number of options for where our "class gift" could be spent.
I nearly spit out my Diet Sierra Mist.
I hated my college. I graduated not because I was smart, but because I was stubborn. I can think of several thousand more worthy things to do with money than to give it to my college, including set it on fire, bury it in the woods, or grind it up and use it as mulch.
In summary, they can keep on waiting for my portion of the Class Gift to arrive.
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A bon mot from Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic Monthly: "In any case, trying to bring a racist to civilization is like trying to teach a dog to sing Verdi."
I used Diet Sierra Mist in Jell-O for my Grandfather tonight.
ReplyDeleteIt was glorious!
It is a nice beverage.
ReplyDeleteIt amused me greatly a) that they thought anyone has any money to spare these days, and b) that they imagined, if I did, I would give it to THEM.
I know it was just a mailing list thing, but I take my mail personally.
"trying to bring a racist to civilization..."
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, those Romans and Greeks and others whom we credit for advancing civilization were quite racist.
Sounds like college was filled with good times....maybe even grrreat times!
ReplyDeleteOf course-by 2009 standards, Abraham Lincoln was a racist, too.
ReplyDeleteWe stand on the shoulders of giants. Giant racists, that is.
ReplyDeleteI think that's an Isaac Newton quote-"If I have seen far, it is because I stood on the shoulders of giants."
ReplyDeleteBaseball historian Bill James likes to remind us that we should try to look with compassion on the mistakes of the past, in the hope that future generations will look kindly on ours.