By Gregory A. Weiss
George Brown appears to be taking retirement quite seriously. We’ll let his recent note speak for itself: “I’m writing just to let you know that my 60-foot catamaran is finally finished and in the next few days I’m heading north from southern Chile (where it has been built) up the coast of South America to the Galapagos, and then through the Panama Canal to the Caribbean. As you may recall, at the beginning of 2005 I gave up my former life and enrolled in a five-month live-in course at the UK Sailing Academy to get my yachtmaster offshore and ocean competency certificates—the latter ending with a 600-mile trip from Palma to Malta, navigating solely by sextant. For the two years since graduation, while my boat was being built, I’ve spent extended periods of time off and on in the Dordogne, France; in Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay (where I’ve established official residency); in Key West, Florida; in Namibia; and (with occasional side trips to Brazil and Argentina) in Chile, mostly squabbling with the shipyard over the construction of my boat. Once I get to the Caribbean, my current plans are basically to have no plans, other than to live on the boat, moving leisurely from port to port eastward around the world, occasionally going inland for extended touring or flying off to visit family and friends. I’ve got a website (www.georgealbertbrown.com); but don’t worry, it has only contact information and a skeletal itinerary. I have no intention of filling it full of pictures and ponderous blogs, as I consider that sort of thing to be equally tedious for both the writer and the reader.”
Guy Moss sends this update on his doings in Boston: “Not ready to retire, but dismayed by the endless mergers of my prior mega law firm, I decided to downsize and in January became a partner in the 80-pluslawyer firm of Riemer & Braunstein LLP in Boston. I continue in my specialty, bankruptcy and restructuring law, and also remain active in writing and lecturing in the field. I’m delighted to report as well that my office is but a few minutes from Mass General Hospital where my son David, Class of 2001, is a second-year resident in anesthesiology.”
From Robert E. Sullivan, MD: “Have been doing medical cannabis evaluations for almost three years now. Amazing efficacy for a large and diverse bunch of diagnoses, most quite common. Our patients are a great selection, generally bright and interesting, and all are for real, believe. Most just want to live a normal life and found something that works better, is safer and non-addicting, and leaves them more functional than conventional meds. I hear moving testimonials daily. Meanwhile, the ‘arrogant ignorant,’ fed by the DEA propaganda machine, errantly try to squash the movement that’s not hurting them (unless they work for a pharmaceutical!), or anyone, but is, rather, a major improvement in some good people’s lives. Our practice, growing rapidly from the outset, is all word-of-mouth. I am continually amazed by this whole experience. Inquiries welcome at dr.sullivan@comcast.net.”
Some of the highlights of a letter recently sent by Steve Friedlander to “lots of friends in the U.S.”: “I moved to Israel three years ago by myself with the intention of making a completely new start in life. I have found life here on the whole very fulfilling, mainly as a function of studying with powerful teachers, writing, deepening absorption in Jewish life, and making lots of new friends. I completed the formalities of immigration in April and became an Israeli citizen with the Israeli name of Shlomo Dror. (‘Dror’ means freedom, which seemed to fit in with the sense of Friedlander, and paralleled the fact that my grandfather took the name Friedlander when he moved from Russia to the U.S.) I found a wonderful woman to plan a life with. Her name is Ashirah Yosefa, a Canadian immigrant who preceded me here by a year. We will [be married soon] and live in my current home, which is a four-room apartment on the ground level, with a private courtyard and a private garden. And a damn good stereo, if you know what I mean.”
Finally, a reminder: make sure you visit, early and often, the Yale ’66 website for class news, upcoming events, reunion recaps, photos, classmate directory, etc. (www.yale66.org). For those who like to see their names in lights, you should know that Stephen Billard posts the class notes on the website soon after they are submitted to the alumni magazine, which is about six weeks before the actual publication date. In particular, you should check the website for Mike McConnell’s fascinating report on his first couple of months in The Gambia in the Peace Corps. (His move there was described in the last issue of the magazine.)