(28) October 5, 1983 A "SPECIAL" Year

1983: First Class Stamp $0.20 cents

Sally Ride First Female astronaut in Space

McDonald's introduces the "McNugget"

Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song Trilogy in NYC

"Koyaanisqatsi" released in Theaters
Toyko Disney Theme Park Opens

"Flashdance" made leg warmers cool

Microsoft WORD is first released

"Sweet Dreams (are made of this)" Eurythmics,

"Syncronicity" The Police,

and "1999" by Prince on the airwaves

The Centers for Disease and Prevention announce

the first case of AIDS transmission in heterosexual Sex

1,476 AIDS Deaths in the USA

Every university in the country has a student magazine, at E.T.S.U. it was called "The SPECIAL." (I wasn't there to name it, so don't blame me.) This was the year that I was asked to be the art director of this magazine on campus. I looked at the amazing group of illustrators, designers, and photographers available, then looked at what a terribly designed student magazine was being published, and it became my mission to change the entire format. I spent every waking moment working at this, convincing somewhat skeptical artists that this was a great vehicle to be published in, as color and black and white printing was available within it, four times a year. "Great for the Book" (meaning professional portfolio) was my mantra, and in a very short time we completely redesigned it. So much so the magazine printing costs increased, and the University decided to cut our budget, and not print two of the issues because of costs. I will never forget getting all the artists and photographers together on campus to discuss ways to get their work published. I learned from this never to piss off a group of committed artists, as all of the sudden there were flyers everywhere, parents calling the president's office, and editorial cartoons attacking the campus administration. I was never clear if these actions got the last two issues published and more money for the next year I was art director, or if it was finding out we had won second place in the nation for overall editorial excellence (over Yale, Harvard, etc.) in the newly created Gold Circle Awards at Columbia University. These awards were considered the university equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize, and over the two years I was art director we won 23 awards at Columbia, sometimes sweeping design, art, and photography areas. Funny how that motivates cash flow. :)

P.S. Hey Roger, as I was writing this I thought of Zita and her "asinine alliteration", and you. Pretty good for a couple of under achievers, thanks for sharing this time with me.

Also thinking of my friend Jani Blake today. Wherever you are, hope you are well and happy :)