My new job!

[Michael Davidson]

Hey all,

I know it's been a while since an update from me, but not much has changed around here...until now.

This week, I started my new job as a librarian at the National Library of Medicine. I'll be working at the NIH Campus in Bethesda, MD, working on developing, maintaining, and supporting a bunch of the products that they offer to the public like PubMed, MedlinePlus, PubMed Central and some others. One of my main jobs is helping to make sure that all federally funded health research is made available to the public for free. Plus, I'm a real Federal employee now!

Hope everyone else is doing well!

Love,

Mike

[Meredith Freedman]

Congrats Mike!

I know I haven't written in what seems like a million years, but I figured I would use the opportunity to do a quick update for the non-Facebook using crowd.

For those that don't know, in April, myself and my department at work were outsourced and we lost our jobs. I was VERY lucky, had made some great business connections, and 3 1/2 weeks later had a job offer that came with a very nice increase in pay. The only catch ... The job was located in Jersey City, New Jersey. 4 weeks later, I found myself packed, out of a 2 year abusive relationship (I'll spare you the details, but moving was the best way out) and I moved into an apartment with a roommate I found on Craigslist in the Heights (an area of Jersey City right on the boarder of Hoboken). My parents are renting my townhome from me, which is an entirely other story that I won't get into.

My new job has been great so far, I've met amazing people and had some recent travel opportunities to CA. I am still handling employment law claims - harassment, discrimination, etc. I also get a lot of really great perks since I work for am Insurance company and we're the customers of law firms. So far my perks have included: fancy dinners and cocktail hours in NYC, seeing Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway, seeing Billy Joel at MSG, and going to a Yankees game!

Making friends outside of work and building a network again has had its challenges, but I've definitely been keeping myself busy (and seeing a few Deis people in the process). I don't feel like this is "home" yet, but I'm getting more used to it every day.

I hope everyone else is doing well! And if you're in the area or visiting the area, certainly drop me a message!!

Meredith


Sent from my iPad

[Jason Cloen]

Congrats Meredith and Mike! The new jobs sound great!

I don't think I've sent out an update either in awhile, so here goes. Diaan and I split up in April (after 7 years). It had been a long time coming and was relatively amicable. So I quit my jobs in South Africa, said goodbye to my life there, moved back to the states, crashed at my parents' and looked for employment. Almost moved back to Michigan to accept a hospice job, then decided to stay in Rochester. I'm now working as a pediatric palliative care social worker, which I really enjoy (yes, it's strange that I enjoy it, but I do). I've also worked my way into the music community, have an organ job and sing in a chamber choir. 

It's nice being near family - my parents, grandma, sister, and nephew are all in Rochester. I've reconnected with some high school friends and am making new friends through work/music stuff. Am just starting to date over the last month or so, and it's going fairly well so far. Sure feels strange to be dating again!

On another note, there's a reunion coming up, and although it's many months away, it might be a nice excuse to get together for those of us who can? 

Cloen

[Tricia Stering]

Mike, I've gotta say I'm rather jealous! My life hasn't changed in the broad strokes at all. We are probably staying in Del Rio, on the Texas border, for another two years. Jon is going to apply for more training, but recently there has been only one Air Force spot every two years for the specialty he wants. I'm learning so very much about being patient, reframing, and blooming where I'm planted. A friend of mine is an amazing trainer and I've been doing yoga and barre with her all year, and you can't beat $5 a class (just one silver lining of living in a small town). Plus I just did my first unassisted headstand today! Yep, that's my big news! Hahaha. This year I've gotten involved in the leadership of the local moms' group and am teaching at the homeschool co-op -- owl pellet dissection this week! Plus I'm staring down Emerson starting Kindergarten next fall or homeschooling/unschooling him. Glad I don't have to decide quite yet! For now he is in preschool and loving it, and Samantha is probably starting there on her birthday next month. They are both such feisty kids, must see to appreciate ;)

I guess my other big news is that I have FINALLY gotten a diagnosis which explains just about all my feeling terrible for the last 15 years. (Sleep disturbance like whoa.) It is pretty awesome to have validation. Unfortunately the standard solution doesn't seem to be doing anything for me and I still feel terrible, but I have some hope the treatment can be adjusted to work.

Anyhow, I was planning to visit Boston next year it's just a question of when exactly. The way things look now, I could make it around the time of the reunion if we're going to try for a group reunion as well :)

Trish

[Beth Mandel]

Hey y'all!  It is great to hear from everyone!  Congratulations in order to all - Mike for the new job, Meredith for boldly starting over in a new place, Jason for the same and a new job and braving the dating world, and Tricia for her headstand, raising 2 super kids, and being amazing. :)

I haven't sent an update in ages either, and it's been awhile since I've been able to see some of you!  I miss you guys.

I'm still living in NC (four years this past September).  This past March, I moved in with my boyfriend Darrin, who I've been seeing for 2 years. He's a computer programmer at Duke, and we do lots of neat stuff together. From him, I've learned to change my own oil, hang & mud drywall, install a ceiling fan, repair a broken toaster, change a bike tire and various other nifty things (he's very mechanically inclined).  From me, he's learned about a bunch of new bands, how to compose and expose pictures correctly, scramble eggs better, and he's even learning to love board games, a little (but not as much as me!). We also like bike riding and gardening together. We're in the midst of a huge project where we're tearing out our entire front lawn and installing a permaculture fruit/veggie/cross-pollinating-perennial garden in its place.  Down with unnecessary cosmetic watering!  It's also been fun to watch my dog and his cat go from eagerness/avoidance (respectively) to eagerness/tolerance in their relationship. They were both adults already when introduced, so we think tolerance is pretty good, all things considered. Picture of them napping on the couch together attached.

My photography business continues to grow, albeit a little slower this year than the last two. But I'm super proud of some of the work I've done this past year, including shooting 3 weddings totally on my own.  I just have to keep plugging away and asking for referrals, and hopefully I'll continue to make it viable.  If you want to see what I've been up to, here's my site: http://www.bwpwphoto.com.

I would love to meet up next year, either at the reunion or elsewhere if it works out better for people.  It would be great to see everyone together!

Much love to all - 

Beth

[Sarah Kaplan]

Hey everyone!!!!!

It's so awesome to hear from everyone and to see how much has changed and how everyone is doing! I already penciled in reunion (June 5-7th, 2015) into my calendar.... so hopefully we can work it out and get together!

 My turn for an update! Let's see...... the start up, B Positive, is doing great. We've hired new management and are looking towards building our next collection center in the near future. I'm now officially the "Quality Assurance Director" so that's fun and challenging, and I'm the CDO, so I'll get to design and execute the layout of future centers. We've undergone a number of audits... from the FDA to other regulatory and accreditation organizations, to potential clients. Just this past weekend there was a large conference of our industry and it happened to be in Philadelphia, so it was great to see people and to continue to network and plan. I never knew I'd be where I am today, but I'm definitely working my way into this industry and becoming a known player, and it's really cool. There's no other way to describe it.

Oh... and another little detail.....I'm getting MARRIED in 18 days!!!!!! The planning has been fun, stressful, exciting, overwhelming, and a million other things. I can't believe it's so soon!! Jason is amazing and supportive and caring and of those other gagworthy things. He is moving into my townhouse and in the coming couple of years we'll find an 'us' place and move I suspect. Simultaneously my sister is engaged and getting married a year and a week after us. Go figure. :-)

Keep the updates coming and plan to be in Boston in June (I volunteered for the reunion committee... because that's what I need right now, another commitment in my life) and I can't wait to see anyone and everyone who's there!!!!!!

~SMK

[Michelle Greenfield]

Wow!  I think one of the best parts of being a grown-up is getting to have friends who do interesting and important work in the world!  It's so much fun to read these updates and see what everybody is up to!

I have been living in Philly for seven years now and love the community I have here.  I am basically a free-lance rabbi, which means that I get to focus on what I want to focus on.  I do a lot of teaching and tutoring for kids with special needs and I love watching those kids learn and grow.  Right now I'm doing Bat Mitzvah tutoring for a kid I've known since she was in Kindgergarten.  It's amazing!  I also get to do some chaplaincy, visiting some really horrible residential facilities, mostly for adults with mental health issues.  It's really hard work, but I love that as well.

I have a small house on the outskirts of Philly (well, it still seems giant to me after small apartments) and am always happy to have guests.

I am planning to be at the reunion, assuming some of you are too!

Michelle

[Jason A. Cohen]

It's great to hear from everyone.  We've got some really awesome updates, and I guess it's my turn:

Life has been great, but busy.  I'm in my last year of a Neurology residency at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx, and am currently one of the Chief Residents.  Basically, that means I get to spend most of my free time doing paperwork and harassing people / being harassed (depending on the day).  I'm spending my non-free time running one of the inpatient teams or exploring various areas of neurology.  Next year (my year starts July 1) I will be starting a fellowship in cognitive and geriatric neurology -- dementia, normal aging, and the consequences to the brain of all of the health problems (neurologic and medical) that come with aging.  I applied to all three programs in NYC (overall it is not nearly as popular a fellowship as, say, stroke or epilepsy), was offered all three spots, and decided to stay at Montefiore.  It will be an interesting year.

I don't know if I can make it up to reunion, but I have a better excuse than being at work -- I will hopefully have a new, shiny* baby.  So far Alissa is doing well.  She got a part time job working on the 2014 midterm elections, and will be taking a break from democratic politics to finish her PhD and give birth (some break?).  She is expecting to dive back into the political swamp in time for the 2016 primary season.

Hope everyone is doing well.  Happy Channukah, merry Christmas, I don't think anyone on this list celebrates Kwanzaa but why pass up an excuse for a celebration, and a Festivus for the rest of us.  As always, let us know if you're passing through NY

--Jason

*Note: babies are not, nor should they be, shiny.  If you have a shiny baby, please call your doctor.