A. Faber and R. Scott Blankenship, both EMP-25, at the Outback Bowl game
	Henry Johns EMP-25 and wife Cindy at the Outback Bowl game

It’s that time again, and I’ve been fortunate to hear from a few of our classmates. Geez, it only takes a minute to send me an e-mail update, you guys! Well anyway, as always, it is a very busy time for everyone, but remember, I still need to hear from you. Please take the time to e-mail me with some of your news/updates, striking it rich, winning the lottery or going on once-in-a-lifetime adventures.

So let me share what I know from the notes that I did receive. Erik E. Olson has been transferred back to the East Coast — the same company, just a new address. Reach him at Greenfield Consulting, 11 Fairfield Ave., Westport, CT 06880.

R. Scott Blankenship wrote me to share that his old study group had the chance to reunite at the Outback Bowl. Harry M. Johns and wife Cindy came down from Chicago and we had a great time just hanging out and going to the game with thousands of Northwestern fans. He writes: "Harry, Cindy, Cathy and I cheered the Cats on with thousands of other NU fans on New Year’s Day, but we were not able to pull off the win at the end. What a fantastic game and we had a great time. Lee J. Spruit and Benita happened to be visiting his mother near Tampa, Fla., and stopped by on Friday morning to have breakfast with us before we headed to the game. It was really good seeing Lee and Benita. We also had the chance to catch up with Sally A. Faber, who was also at the game. The study group has not changed a bit. Those football games are rough, I’m telling ya. Go Cats!"

Mike V. Schrock and I exchanged e-mails about the weather in Minneapolis. At the time, it was 18 degrees with 4 inches of snow on the ground and still snowing. In Dallas, it was 57 degrees and sunny. He he he.

Donald R. Misner moved from Salt Lake City back to Dallas. He and Sally, his wife of 45 years, are glad to be back in Texas. He has been fortunate to be able to commute regularly to Chicago and join Nicki L. Schuh, William R. Knab and J. Fred Brunk, who have all been working on a joint project to find out how molecular orbitals are obtained by combining atomic orbitals on the atoms in the molecule. This has been some project and the collaboration of the old study group and the eventual addition of long-lost team member Peter Krol has really been a great find, according to Nicki. Peter had been walking across America for the last 14 months to protest congressional activity in Washington D.C., and forgot his cell phone. But I digress. So why does the project team care and should the team also be considering the H2 molecule in their investigation?

One of the molecular orbitals in this particular molecule that they plan to review is constructed by adding the mathematical functions for the two 1s atomic orbitals that come together to form this particular molecule. Said differently, what algorithms should they be considering to help them understand how these two components fit? Bill said he saw an episode of "Numb3rs" that helped lay out the hypothesis. It’s funny because that’s exactly what Nicki wants to know too! For example, if another orbital is formed by subtracting one of these functions from the other, should they bring this up for clarification to the project oversight committee at their next annual meeting? Time will tell — Fred, please keep us all informed.

I think I also had notes from the following classmates, and if not, I’ll list them anyway. Thanks for possibly contacting me with your news: Scott S. Sarran, Thomas M. Prescott, Mary A. Gottenborg, William R Knab and Diana Walker have all returned from the "We’re Getting Up There" cruise from Jacksonville, Fla., to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Guess it was quite a trip. You will have to tell us more, you guys.

Brian L. Rucks, Mike J. Bauer and Greg A. Orlando used to provide updates on their old study group, but since they all took an extended vacation to hike in the Andes Mountains in South America and were rescued, they haven’t really had much to say. Did you guys ever find your guide after being stranded in that cave for weeks? I bet there is a good survival story there somewhere. Anyway, no one has ever really mentioned it again and I’m sure the class would love to know what happened to him. That was sure some hiking experience being lost for 38 days, huh guys?

Well, that’s it for now. Hope 2010 is a great year for everyone and maybe we will have a chance to say hello in person one of these days. For anyone who is on LinkedIn, let’s make sure we are connected, so make contact and get added to our networks, thanks. For those of you who do not e-mail me and keep me up to date on what you are doing, just remember, I hear from you or "the power of the pen" shall prevail. Who voted me into this job 20 years ago anyway?