Dear Middlesex School Class of ’84,
Last time around, a fair amount of people wrote in but only a few took advantage of the “comment” link below this post to put their updates online. According to a recent report out by the folks over at Pew, some 12% of Americans have posted comments on weblogs so I’m looking forward to seeing a few more of you jumping in and posting your news in the comments section below.
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I’ll start things off.
Since June I’ve sent our five year old off to kindergarden in Japan (where he promptly became bilingual), moved the family across the country to San Francisco, shacked up for two months in a one bedroom flat while looking for a place to live, found a place to live and bought it, bought a car while we were at it, potty trained the three year old and got her started in pre-school, updated every magazine, license, credit and membership card I owned (twice), and basically threw everything up in the air to get the kinks out.
My incredibly cool wife is still with me and has done an amazing job of holding everything together through the transition.
All this to join my sister at a neat little company called Six Apart.
Greetings to all in class of 1984–
Ian, thanks for bringing us into the information age. The technology world certainly has changed since we used to skulk down into the basement of Eliot Hall to the “computer room” for access to those awesome machines that put Middlesex on technology’s leading edge. I do recall programming, yes programming, in BASIC I believe, a novel program that spelled my name out in large block letters on one of the dot matrix printers owned by the school. Little do the kids know that Dad was a programmer back in the day.
As to more contemporary news, I am approaching my 10th wedding anniversary to the winsome Kirsten Dieterich. We have two red-headed daughters, Lindsey the Fair (5-3/4) and Laurel the Fairer (2-1/2). We live in Greenwich, CT with a “winter water view” (meaning that if one climbs up on the roof, every leaf on every tree has fallen and one squints, one can see Long Island Sound in the distance). How I love those real estate terms–pure poetry. Classic Contemporary anyone?
During the day, I am an “up and coming” (i.e., not quite there yet) corporate lawyer in New York and in the evenings and on some week-ends I am more or less a regular human being. On the extracurricular front, I recently took up ice skating and now routinely demonstrate the grace and flair that is my hallmark on ice.
Cheers,
Andy Pitts
Ian,
Thanks for masterminding this communication tool, I look forward to hearing more about what our fellow classmates are up to.
As for me, I have been living on the West Coast (Portland,OR) since 1991 and thus feel far removed from the MX community. My life is full these days raising two kids (6&2)with my wife Krista and building my Investment Advisory business (www.wmross.com). The Northwest has proven to be a wonderful place to do both. The great outdoors provides a good opportunity to seek some balance.
I think of our time at MX frequently and fondly and hope that our fellow classmates are well! I would enjoy hearing from those that I have lost touch with and again am appreciative of this opportunity to say HI!
Take Care,
Will Ross ’84
My only reportable news is that I married Barbara Welles, MX Class of 1988, on September 18, 2004, in Scarborough, ME. We live in NYC.
Thanks Ian,
I live in Lennox Head in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Just look on the map at Australia’s most Eastern point. Michael and I have two daughters; Sasha is 8 and India is 5.
I teach a blend of yoga and pilates in the local scout hall and I spend half the year teaching in the teacher training program as well.
We live near the beach, we have bananas and mangos growing in the garden. The balance of teaching and mothering and living in this beautiful place makes for the suburban dream.
Hi Ian,
I guess two cyber pokes in our virtual ribs does the trick. It looks like the comments are stacking up.
I live in Beverly MA with Mimi, whom you all known as Mimi Freund from MX, and our 3 kids Ledyard (6), Margaret (4) and Jack (2). They are all happy and healthy and keep us as busy as you must be too. I run an educational consulting company called SchoolWorks.
If you are not living in New England, let me describe what’s outside the window. This way you can remember the long walks to Ware Hall for cold eggs. There are about 6 inches of snow on the ground, and we are coming out of several days down at 0-10 degress. The sky is already starting to dim at 2:30. On the up side, we will be skating this weekend.
Best to you all
Greetings to one and all, I will add my thanks to Ian for providing us with the opportunity to catch up wioth one another again.
I continue in my position as President & CEO of our group of companies in Bermuda; comprised of Insurance and Real Estate service companies and a ’boutique’ Hotel. I was honored to be asked to join the Young Presidents Organization in 2004, a fraternity of Under 45 Presidents from around the world that provides an increadible network of educational and business resources.
My wife Susan and I celebrate our 11th year of marriage this year and our 3 sons Matthew (9), Quincy (7) and James (4) continue to grow faster and expend more energy that I ever thought possible. With the 3 boys there is hardly a dull moment in our house; it is a logistical exercise just making sure they get off to school every day dressed in uniform and packed with lunch and all of their books…
Having read Mike’s post, I can say that I am happy to have fond memories of the cold and snow in Concord… It is a frigid 55 degrees outside this morning and I’ll have to wear a sweater on the golf course today! Bermuda is a great place to raise a family, lots of outdoor activity and a very safe & friendly community, I feel blessed to be able to call this place home.
If anyone of you get the chance to visit, let me know in advance so we can be sure to get together. It has been great to catch up with Andy P. when he makes his annual pilgrimage for a sunburn and rum swizzle!
Best regards to you all!
Scott
Thanks, Ian, for getting this started and for the reminders!
I live in Arlington, VA with my husband and kids (4 and 2). For the last seven or so years I’ve been working as an attorney at the State Department. This summer we’re slated to move to The Hague for a few years, so we’ll get to experience the joys of moving a family that you described in your posting! I figure it will at least force us to clean out the basement…If any of our class members find themselves in the Netherlands, please get in touch! Best wishes to all for a successful and joyful 2005.
Hi all. It’s nice to hear how far and wide our class has spread across the globe. I am living in Sleepy Hollow, NY, on the Hudson River with my husband Josh and our two sons, Eamon (4) and Theo (1). Eamon’s best friend is Max Cover, Katie Scully’s son (also 4). We all spend a lot of time together, mostly outside – hiking, sledding, swimming and whatever else is available.
We recently moved here from Brooklyn and are still amazed that such natural beauty is in abundance so close to NYC. Safeguarding our precious river is another MX alumni, Alex Matthiessen (see Riverkeeper.org).
I work part time as a producer in a design firm, VSA Partners (vsapartners.com), focusing mostly on interactive/online projects. Life is good 🙂
Warm wishes to all,
Tracy
Well, Ian and I have been trying to get together for lunch for at least a month and, due to the hecticness our lives, have so far failed miserably to accomplish this task. Thus I will share my news more broadly via cyberspace.
I live in Marin County, north of San Francisco, with my husband and two stepdaughters. When I complain out loud about the bone-chilling Bay Area winter cold, I am reminded of the icy wind blowing through my bones in the half-light as we trudged to Ware Hall for dinner. (We never wore jackets, of course). Now I nudge my stepdaughters (13 and 9) to wear jackets themselves, which they rarely do.
I work in San Francisco at at non-profit conservation organization called the Trust for Public Land. I have been here for six years working to protect open space and build urban parks. It’s a good gig, my second family really.
I talk to Katie Scully and Laurie Taylor more than I see them (everyone is so scattered, as we see) and was thrilled to reconnect with Tracy Brown at the reunion. I’ll get back east again soon, but not till spring…
Thanks everyone for writing. It is wonderful to hear about your lives. I can totally see Maria in Australia – does that not make perfect sense? I do plan to make it over there one day, Maria, so I hope you don’t mind my calling!
Vest wishes to you all,
Vicki
Hey Ian, Just got back from Manila a few days ago and I am catching up on email while I jet-lag. Let’s get the MXSF crew together soon for coffee/lunch/cocktails/whatever. I checked the message board and did not realize that you posted part of my message to you. Quick summary… All is well. I love living in San Francisco. I have been living here on and off since graduating university. I have also lived in Europe, Asia, and on the East Coast of the USofA. San Francsico is “home”. I have been in la-la land these last ten years, as I have not had to be in an office. I have enjoyed myself while I was young and had the money. Now it’s back to the grindstone. In 1995 I made a list of everything I wanted to do in my life. I stopped watching television and made a vow that when I turned on the TV I could say I have done that, been there, or experienced something quite like it… I am fortunate to have had many varied experiences from high-brow to low-brow these past years. I have learned something from each person and experience. I did everything on the list save for having children. I am working on that one now. To use California jargon… I am in a really good place. I don’t owe a dime to anyone, and I don’t owe anything to anyone. I am extremely happy… I have my health… I have good friends around the world. I can’t complain. It’s been a completely wonderful roller-coaster ride so far. I wish all the best to the class-mates. Keep well, strong, and happy. Best regards, Howard
Here’s what I submitted to Middlesex tonight:
Tracy Brown writes from Sleepy Hollow, NY, on the Hudson River where she lives with her husband Josh and their two sons, Eamon (4) and Theo (1). Eamon’s best friend is Max Cover, Katie Scully’s son (also 4) and they all spend a lot of time together, mostly outside hiking, sledding, and swimming. Tracy works part time as a producer in a design firm, VSA Partners (vsapartners.com), focusing mostly on interactive/online projects. She recently moved from Brooklyn and is still amazed that such natural beauty is in abundance so close to NYC. She reports that another Middlesex alum, Alex Matthiessen, is safeguarding the precious Hudson as Executive Director of Riverkeeper(www.riverkeeper.org).
Howard Huberty just got back to his home in San Francisco from Manila where he was visiting for a family reunion with his aunt, the current President of the Philippines. In 1995, Howard made a vow to stop watching TV and has used the extra time to have, “many varied experiences from high-brow to low-brow.” We’ll have to wait for next Bulletin for more details. The only thing left on his list of “things to do in life” is to have children and we are told that is being addressed.
Matt Iler reports that he has married Barbara Welles (Middlesex 1988) on September 18, 2004, in Scarborough, ME. They live in New York City.
Ian Kennedy left his job at Dow Jones to join a weblog software outfit called Six Apart. Since June he’s moved the family across the country to San Francisco, shacked up for two months in a one bedroom flat while looking for a place to live, found a place to live and bought it along with a matching minivan, potty trained the three year old and got her started in pre-school, taught the six year old how to ride a bike, and updated every magazine, license, credit and membership card he owned (twice). Amazingly, his wife is still with him and has done an amazing job of holding everything together through the the entire run-on sentence.
Maria Kirsten writes from Lennox Head in the state of New South Wales, Australia. She has two daughters (Sasha is 8 and India is 5) with Michael and teaches a blend of yoga and pilates and spends half the year teaching in the teacher training program as well. “We live near the beach, we have bananas and mangos growing in the garden. The balance of teaching and mothering and living in this beautiful place makes for the suburban dream.”
Scott Kitson continues his role as President & CEO of a group of companies in Bermuda comprised of insurance and eeal Estate service companies and a ’boutique’ hotel. He was asked to join the Young Presidents Organization in 2004, a fraternity of under 45 Presidents from around the world that provides an increadible network of educational and business resources. Scott has been married to Susan for 11 years now and their three sons, Matthew (9), Quincy (7) and James (4) continue to grow faster and expend more energy that they ever thought possible. “There is hardly a dull moment in our house; it is a logistical exercise just making sure they get off to school every day dressed in uniform and packed with lunch and all of their books.”
Mike & Mimi (Freund) McFadden live in Beverly, MA with their three children, Ledyard (6), Margaret (4) and Jack (2). Mike runs an educational consulting company called SchoolWorks (www.schoolworks.org).
Vicki Peet lives in Marin County, north of San Francisco, with her husband and two stepdaughters (13 & 9). She works in the city at at non-profit conservation organization called the Trust for Public Land. She has been there for six years working to protect open space and build urban parks and calls her work colleagues, “my second family.” Vicki talks to Katie Scully and Laurie Taylor and was thrilled to reconnect with Tracy Brown at the reunion.
Andy Pitts is going to celebrate his 10th wedding anniversary with Kirsten Dieterich. Their marriage has produced two red-headed daughters Lindsey the Fair (5-3/4) and Laurel the Fairer (2-1/2). He lives in Greenwich, CT with a “winter water view” (meaning that if one climbs up on the roof, every leaf on every tree has fallen and one squints, one can see Long Island Sound in the distance). During the day, Andy is an “up and coming” (i.e., not quite there yet) corporate lawyer in New York. On the extracurricular front, Andy recently took up ice skating and now routinely demonstrates grace and flair.
Will Ross has been living in Portland, Oregon since 1991. His days are spent raising his two children (6 & 2) with his wife Krista while also building his investment advisory business (www.wmross.com). He enjoys the balance that the great outdoors has brought to his life in the Northwest but thinks fondly of his time at Middlesex and wishes his classmates well.
Heather Schildge lives in Arlington, VA with my husband and kids (4 & 2). For the last seven years she has been working as an attorney at the State Department. This summer she slated to move to The Hague for a few years, so will get to experience the joys of moving a family which includes cleaning out the basement. “If any of our class members find themselves in the Netherlands, please get in touch!”
Ian;
Thanks for taking the initiative to get this up for all of us to use. It has been great to read up on everyone’s news.
I am still living in Park City, UT and work for Vehix.com which is headquartered in SLC. Sue and I have been married for 13 years and have 3 children ages 11, 9, and 7. Most of you will be pleased to know that my son and 2 daughters are big fans of the Patriots and Red Sox, making the past several years very exciting.
It seems to me that with skiing in Park City, rum swizzles in Bermuda, fresh fruit on the beach in Australia, and shopping in NYC with Pitts, we should all house swap for our vacations.
It was great to see all that attended our 20th, and hope to see more of you at our 25th. Should any of you come through Park City, please let me know so we can say hello.
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