My fellow MIT-ers, can you believe that our fifth year reunion is almost upon us? That’s right, prepare yourselves for the reunion of a lifetime (that is, until our tenth year reunion) during June 2-5, 2005. Save the date!  (And don’t tell me that you didn’t get enough advance warning.  And I better not hear about any weddings happening during that weekend, unless it is actually at the reunion.) If you would like to help out with any aspect of the reunion, please e-mail your non-scary class secretary (galaxie@alum.mit.edu). We have some great events planned, and sincerely hope that you can join us. Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming…

            It has been a busy year for Jen Frank. After leaving New Orleans last August, Jen has circumnavigated the globe, visiting countries in Asia, Africa, and North and South America. She smoked Cuban cigars in Cuba, went shark-diving in South Africa, visited a sex shop in Japan, and learned how to properly eat with her fingers in a rural village in southern India. Since then, she has ridden a bike adorned with a hula dancer in Boulder, Colorado with Tom Baker and had a second fabulous going-away party at Sacco’s Bowl Haven with Frank Dabek, Brandy Karl, Rodin Lyasoff ’02, Sarah McDougal ’01, Matt McGann, Eric Plosky ’99, Amrys Williams ’02, among others. Post-Sacco’s, Jen picked up the angel on her shoulder, Jen Warner, for a drive down to Durham, North Carolina. Currently, Jen is working on being the most-hated person at Duke University by controlling undergraduate housing assignments. Her life would be perfect if only Dan Collarini would answer her emails.

Lawrence Pak headed back home to Singapore to his “normal” work routine after leaving MIT. He writes: “Its been 4 years now since we all left the ‘safe’ enclosure of MIT into the ‘real’ world. I do hope all of you are doing well and getting on with life.” Lawrence is still working for the government at the Housing & Development Board, a public housing authority. In July 2003, they went through a re-structuring exercise, which Lawrence felt that he was fortunate to be part of. Presently, he is heading a R&D unit comprising of ten staff members. The R&D team handles the management of building resource, precast plants, and precast bulk contracts. His current project is to develop a precast logistics arm. Lawrence also developed a website for his R&D activities, which can be located at http://www.eptc.com.sg. If anyone is around Singapore, feel free to contact Lawrence at lp5@hdb.gov.sg.

And what’s class notes without some wedding news? On June 6, David Nadell ’98 and Katherine (Koch) Nadell got married in Fremont, California. They had a beautiful ceremony outdoors with Sneha Madhavan-Reese as a bridesmaid and Eric Empey ’99 as a groomsman. Katherine noted that it was nice to be able to catch up with many MIT alums who came to the wedding: Andy Chang, Heidi Chang ’98, Elaine Chen ’99, Richard Koch ’95, Yulan Liao ’96, Susan Loh ’98, John Madhavan-Reese ’98, Mausmi Mehta ’99, Eva Tsai ’96, Ai Quach, and Mingtang-Alex Zhang ’99.  On July 3, Phil Juang finally mustered up the courage and married college sweetheart Christine Chiou (Wellesley) at the historic Ralston Hall in sunny Belmont, CA. Best man Jon Chang ’99 gave a heartfelt speech at dinner while groomsman Jason Timpe ’99 celebrated by drinking copious amounts of scotch throughout the night. They were joined by guests Morris Tao, Spencer Behr ’99, Matthew Burnside, Warren Chow, Nick Homer ’01, Frank Johnston, Matthew Lahaie ’01, Caroline Lee ’02, Shuley Nakamura, Liz Neumann ’02, Rome Portlock ’01, Margaret Wang, and master of ceremonies Ken Shimizu ’95. Steve Paik ’97 commented that the lamb chops were a particularly tasty appetizer. Phil, always the lucky guy, also was surprised to see that his car was “detailed” during dinner. Have a great honeymoon, Phil and Christine! Chris McEniry and Rachel Gianfortune also have had an exciting couple of months. In addition to getting married on Memorial Day, Rachel graduated from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Then they moved (3 days later!), with their only child Smokie, a 1 1/2 year old German Shepard mix, to San Diego, where she began her Pediatrics residency at UCSD and he began working for Sony Computer Entertainment America (i.e., U.S. Play-stay-shon). They don’t recommend trying this at home. The wedding party included Dylan Birtolo, Pavan Gupta, Stacy O’Connor, Tree Raine ’98, and numerous other MIT alums in attendance, who sang a rousing version of the MIT drinking song, with some special lyrics for the occasion. Chris and Smokie enjoy the beautiful weather daily, and Rachel does when she gets to eventually leave the hospital. 

Donna Wrublewski noted that all her news had to do with weddings, but not hers, “thank god.” Donna was in Chicago in mid-May for SPE’s ANTEC conference and gave a talk. While she was there she caught up with the aforementioned, now-married couple of Rachel and Chris. Donna could not make the wedding, but since she was in town for this conference she took them out to dinner. They had a good time, reminiscing about MIT. They went to some stir-fry place somewhere in Chicago after Donna had already had a few tequila shots with her research group (the Boss bought!) in honor of not making an ass out of herself at her talk, “so it was a good time.” On June 20, 2004, Donna attended the wedding of Linda Kiley ’99 and Ara Knaian ’99, MEng ’00, in Watertown. Marketa Valterova was there with her hubby, Mike “Indy” Siverd ’02. Jocelyn Wiese-Nelson was also there with her husband, Eric Nelson ’98. Now for some straight-up Donna: “So my boyfriend was there with me and to his horror I caught the bride’s bouquet. Oh no, right? Wait, it gets better. Some 10-year-old kid catches the garter. So apparently someone has a picture of a 10-year-old kid putting this garter waaaaaay up my thigh. Do you think they would print that in the Tech Review?” Yes, Donna, I think they would print that in the Tech Review. Donna notes that she is still in graduate school, slaving away, watching her soul and her sanity slowly evaporate before her eyes. (Apparently she has never been to law school.) Donna hopes to escape next year and go back to the civilized world, which she defines as New York City. Yes, Donna, I miss the “civilized world,” too. — Mimi Yang, secretary, galaxie@alum.mit.edu, 284 Beverly St., #A, Laguna Beach, CA 92651.