Dear Classmate,
Several of you approached us at the 50th Reunion to ask if we planned a supplement to Our Stories, the Reunion Class Book. The answer at the time was “maybe;” today it is “yes” – in conjunction with the 55th Reunion coming up next year. This means that if you intended to write an essay for the 50th Book – but never quite got around to it – you now have a second chance. It also gives those 600+ of you who did contribute both an essay and biographical information a chance to update your essays, bios, and photo(s).
So… what to do?
1. Start by logging on to the Class Book website.
2. You’ll need your unique, personal Class ID in order to create a Class Book account and to log on to the Class Book website. This class ID is listed in the email you personally received, and also on a postcard if your email is not on file with YAA. To locate your ID, look on the mailing label of your copy of the Yale Alumni Magazine for your unique 9-digit number.
3. If you want to navigate through the site unattended, by all means give it a try. If you want help, then open this attachment.
4. Provide or update your biographical data as called for. Include one or more new photos (to replace old photos). If nothing significant has changed, you needn’t do anything except to provide a fresh photo.
5. If you want to write an essay – and did not write one for the 50th Class Book – just add it to your website Essay page. We will do the editing. Try to keep your essay to less than 750 words. Keep in mind your great grandchildren may read it one day.
6. If you did write an essay for the 50th Class Book – and want to replace or update it – then add that new essay or update to your Essay page. Anything up to 750 words. One admonition: do NOT try to paste in and edit your old essay. It will be ignored.
7. Be sure to save all your changes. Only new photos will be automatically saved.
8. Complete by Monday, January 6 at latest. We’d like the book out at least a month before the reunion.
9. With questions about the process above, email me and John. With questions or problems with your website, contact Cary Bruestle at Reunion Press. But give it your best shot first.
That’s it.
The 55th Our Stories Continued will include names, photos, and bios (either original or updated) of all classmates, plus new and updated essays. Old essays will not be reprinted.
In Memoriam obits and tributes will continue to be handled through the Class Website and not in the 55th Reunion Book. We encourage you to go to the Class Website and add tributes to any classmates you knew (or wish you had). We will, however, include at the back of our 55th Book will be a list of (1) all Deceased Classmates, with those who have died since the 50th Reunion in boldface, and (2) a list of Surviving Spouses and Partners.
There will be no new Special Essays, Questionnaires, or other sections in the 55th Book.
Again, please get back to Ralph (rsp@bsgtv.com) or John (johncs@me.com) with any questions, or if you run into problems logging on or using the website (before you plague Cary).
Good to have you back.
Best wishes,
Ralph Protsik
John Schenck
P.S. Woodward will not be joining this time around. He’s hard at work on his next book, Taylor Swift and Big Oil: The Inside Story.