From: "Du, Lei " To: 83jc Subject: New Year resolutions Date: Wed, 7 Jan 1998 17:55:34 -0500 Happy New Year everyone!! First let me thank Tu Yuhai and Xu Jun for hosting me and Jean in their lovely home in NY. We had a wonderful time during the Xmas holiday: strolling around Manhattan, eating super-spicy boiled CzeShuan beef and sharing some great Phantom moments with Harry and wife. I also want to thank Shao Zhong and Xiaoguan for hosting a great party during their hectic baby raising schedule and fed a roomful of hungry jacks (some of whom got lost and drove around Hamden desperately due to my incomplete and inaccurate direction giving, sorry Yibin). I also got a chance to talk to Wang Xuelin, Wu Zuoguo and Leng Xiaohua when I phoned Wang Jianghong on New Year's Eve in Houston. I haven't spoken to the former two for ages. That's was a pleasant surprise. While we were munching meat and drinking beer in ShaoDa's residence, an idea surfaced when someone asked what we should do for First Night = 2000. We didn't get very far on that issue, but rather discussed another more near-term event: how about a 83jc reunion in 1998 ?!! I am sure some of you have had some thoughts on that, but allow me to start the round of (potentially fierce) discussions on this issue. There are many reasons why we want to have a reunion, and let me list a few: * 1998 is the 10 year anniversary of our graduation * 1998 is when many of us turn 30 and as you know, 30 seems to be a big thing for Chinese * Many of us have evolved from graduate students to bread-earners and this is a good time to celebrate the transition and exchange = experiences * Many of us have started to have the second generation, and before the situation gets out of hand (you know they will, quickly), let's seize the moment and party! * This would be a good test on how well we can handle something like this. We have tried to have a reunion a few years back, with limited success. I think we are more mature now and we can really make it happen if we put our minds to it * Finally, I think it's really time for us to get together and celebrate the bonding that we have had for all these years. Ever time there is an interesting topic on our 83jc net, many of us would pitch = in and create momentum for discussion, making me believe that many of us = do care about 83jc, its past and its future Well, what about some obvious difficulties for something like this: * too busy - hey you know we will never be free like students again, this event should only occupy a weekend * too expensive to travel - if we select wisely on the location, it can be dealt with (see below) * hard to coordinate such an event - not if we have volunteers who will serve as liaisons and committee members=20 * I have little kids - that's a tough one. I think we can try to arrange baby sitting at the hotel where we stay, unless you can leave them home with parents or sitters. This can be a big factor potentially. * I am not sure this is something I want to do anyway - well, you got me there. Not everyone is excited about getting together for whatever reason, that's Okay. There is no obligation. As long as there is a solid group of people, it will be a good start. Those who are interested can lead by example. Remember other people have done this and we know it works (838, 82jc to name just a few). So it's only a matter of determination. So how are we going to do this? The idea that seems to receive a favorable score during our Xmas gathering is to hold this event in Las Vegas !! Yes, the glitzy noisy slimmy gambling city in Nevada. And time? How about July 4th weekend? (I know we get July 3rd off, an extra day) Advantages for Las Vegas are: we can get relatively cheap fares (even = if it's not part of a gambling deal), many of us have never been there, it offers a variety of entertainment in addition to blackjack and = Roulette, such as shows and concerts (they have that Manhattan thing built, correct?). Of course we will have our traditional fun such as GongZhu, bridge, Majiang etc. I am sure we can also do sand volleyball, soccer, tennis and the like. Details are subject to further discussion. Now how about a poll on this proposal? I have prepared the following questionnaire, and I would welcome everyone to voice their concerns. I will keep the feedback confidential if you choose to keep it that way. But feel free to post your response to the entire net. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Are you interested in a 83jc reunion? yes, no, stop (can you kindly elaborate a bit more?) 2) Do you think 1998 is a good time to have this event? yes no, (when would be a better time?) 3) Do you like Las Vegas as the venue? yes no, alternative suggestion? (SanFran, NYC, Chicago, Bar Harbor, Aspen, SanDiego, Hawaii, Beijing ... )=20 4) If more than 10 of 83jc people are committed and will bring their family along, are you willing to make the commitment? yes no,=09 5) Now that you are a die-hard reunion fan, how about suggestions on activity planning? * do you favor a formal black tie dinner? (probably not :) * how about some casual "seminars" on things happened in your life that made an impact? * pictures, slides and videos of graduation, travel, wedding, children etc * kareoke, dancing, live band; billards, bowling; GongZhu, bridge, ZhuoSanXian, PaoDeKuai, pictionary, monopoly, risk? * what about inviting Chen Xiaowei from CCTV as our special guest/member, and who knows, she may do a show called "83jc, still live and well after 10 years"=20 6) Are you interested in serving on the planning committee and contribute some effort to make it work smoothly? yes yes, but only very limited amount of time no, I will go to the reunion. I am just not good with planning things and stuff 7) Anything else you would like to add? Okay, I will stop here and let you guys have a chance to shoot me down. Now about First Night 2000 ... TuMu