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JANUARY

January 1998 — It’s January 1998, and I Don’t Feel Almost 19…

See I promised a ledger in the near future and hear it is! Yes, it’s 4am and Seth is so not tired that he figures he should finally send out a ledger updating all of his friends on his life! (I know you’re all devastated that it took so long…)

It’s IAP here at MIT!! That means I have an entire month to relax, enjoy Boston, and be totally busy w/ TONS of activities! I’m taking Intro to Astrophysics and Astronomy for 9 credits, and hopefully for fun… we have problem sets due twice a week, but we’re behind so the one due tomorrow got pushed back to Monday which gave me some time to relax b/c I have an entire weekend to do it! (the usual procrastinations…) So anyway, it starts at 1:30 so I can sleep until 1, go to bed at 5 and still get 8 hours of sleep a night! Isn’t that great? I think it is…

In other news, I’m am in the Fantasticks and having tons of fun dying! (I play the guy who dies…) We have started rehearsals and I basically have them every night… the director’s really cool so I think it’ll look really great…

The best thing I have managed to do so far over IAP of course, is to get my webpage up!!!! YAY!!! Check it out!!! And of course these ledgers willl be preserved there for years to come… if any of you have older ledgers (pre-MIT) somewhere, could you forward them to me? I don’t know if you guys are as anal about saving e-mail as me, but unfortunately all the other ones b/f MIT are in NJ…

Winter vacation was superb!!! I managed to see tons of people and play Trivial Pursuit a billion times!!! I saw 1776 and Triumph of Love bringing the total of BWay shows I’ve seen up to 30. I will list them on my webpage eventually I hope, but that list is sitting on my desk in NJ. I got Betty Buckley, Susan Egan!!!!, Brent Spiner and a bunch of others’ autographes after those shows too!! That just made my break! But I intend to see as many shows as possible over spring break to catch up…

In any case, I’m still having the time of my life!! OOOHHH!!! I got to call prefrosh today!!! They had a telethon and had us call the people considering to come here! I met some really, really cool people and told them to e-mail me and check out my webpage (of course…)!!!

Btw, if anyone has any good ideas as to what to add to my webpage, don’t hesitate to tell me! It’s a work in progress! I can’t wait to get pictures on it as soon as my friend is free to scan them and ftp them…

I hope everyone is doing superbly!!! Write back soon!!!

Always–
Seth

FEBRUARY

February 26, 1998 — In My Free 10 Minutes…

Hey everyone!!!

In my only 10 minutes free today, I felt I should send out a ledger to say
hi to everyone… How is everything?

Life here is busy. Busy. Busy… I spent 5 hours last night verifying
signatures for UA candidates since I’m running the election (it’s for
student gov’t)… it’ll all be over in 2 weeks though- just hafta make it
thorugh 2 study breaks, campaigning (making sure no one breaks the elaborate
rules), ballot boxes, computer program, couting, etc… but I love my
commission!

Kimmy’s coming to visit this weekend for my bday party! (to which I invited
over 100 people- even more than my graduation party…) It’ll be so much fun!

In any case, DROOD looks fabulous! I’m having the time fo my life and
FINALLY get to sing an awful lot. And I get to be voted on. So if you can
make it to Boston- come and vote for me as the murderer!! (the audience
picks the ending) It’s quite a thrill to be in, and we sound great…

I joined Choir (that’s where I’m off to in 5 minutes, but I have to put up
the Hillel bulletin board for March b/f it so I’m leaving early, and of
course then I have rehearsal for Drood after it and will be back here around
10 to finish off what little left of my last pset I have… it’s been a LONG
week…) and we’re doing Beethoven’s 9th on March 14th… and we’re doing
Carrina Burana on May 1st… or something like that- but we sound great!
And the conductor is fab of course and made us lie down on the floor for
breathing…

I’ve been binging on Oreo’s b/c they’re delicious.

I’m seeing RAGTIME on Bway!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN’T WAIT! It’s going to win the
Tony this year- this’ll be my first time actually seeing a show BEFORE it
wins the Tony…

It’s windy out today. Quite windy.

These are just random thoughts that come to me as I sit here and use up this
extra time I managed to have… I get to write a paper! It’s awful, but I’m
actually looking forward to writing something as opposed to math for once…
it’s on the Merchant of Venice and I’ve already prewritten it (during class
today b/c it’s SOO boring- the class is Shakespeare if you didn’t recognize
the play) and I’m psyched!

I got an 80 on the first Differential Equations test- with class avg at 60
and standard deviation at 12, that gives me a solid A! YAY!

Eric came to visit a few weeks ago, I don’t think I mentioned that in a
ledger. It was quite fun and he fixed my MIDI so now I can play into the
computer! Fun, fun fun… and I took him up on the dome (see what you
missed Dan? btw the bad taste concert is the 14th of march (yes I know
you’ll be in London))…

Ok, there goes all the time I had…

There’s only 7 Seinfeld’s left. 🙁 I’ll miss him…

Gotta go! WRITE BACK SOON!!!!!!

Always–
Seth

APRIL

April 28, 1998 — Wow, Seth Actually Has Time to Write a Ledger!

Hi everyone!! It’s been ages and decades and months since last I wrote you
guys… so how is everyone?? I’ve been really, really, really busy, but I
actually have a night off, so I figured I’d try to update everyone on how
life at MIT is going!

My show, The Mystery of Edwin Drood went extremely well… I only won the
dectective once (thanks to stacking the audience with my soon mute family,
advisor, friends, etc) and lovers once (due to the fact that my sister (in
the show) was elected first and audiences tend to like to see incense)…
and of course, no one would ever vote for Neville as the murderer b/c he’s
too obvious. But it was lots of fun and I lvoed the cast and made some more
close friends! YAY!

I have one more event left this semester- a Choir concert on Friday. We’re
doing Carmina Burrana (otherwise knownw as that song that is played on all
of the HBO commercials). It sounds AWESOME… the conductor is PHENOMINAL.
So I get to wear my tux again.

I get to wear my tux a third time this year at the EBHS Prom. Note that I
am missing Bill Clinton speak at MIT’s graduation to go to it, so if I don’t
have a good time, we all know what I’ll be saying… but I’m sure it’ll be a
blast b/c then we’re going into NYC for the weekend.

I have a feeling I’m going to end up spending half of my summer in NYC b/c I
have so many friends from here that’ll be in NJ/ NY and friends who haven’t
seen Bway shows, and we’ll have to change that. And hopefully some will
come visit me too.

Speaking of summer, for those of you who haven’t heard, the one person who
said he’d never go back to NJ is actually goign back this summer. Yes, it’s
true. After trying desperately to squeeze all of my friends into spring
break, I have come to the realization that I miss too many people to not
come home. That and Aviva will be married next summer and this is our last
summer together, so I couldn’t miss that.

I hope to work at this new camp where Aviva’s working so that we can have
the same kids again! Otherwise, yes I do have an application into SUmmer
Theatre right now, so that’s a possibility.

Other summer plans include a show at night hopefully. I wanted to do
Plays-in-the-Park again so I e-mailed Gary and he let me audition by audio
cassette. However, the results were theoretically out today and I didn’t
get a call or e-mail so I’m just assuming I probably didn’t get in, and will
write an e-mail to ask him to confirm it in a week or so. So maybe there’s
a theatre somehwere that has auditions in June for a show in August. We’ll see.

I’ll be coming back to MIT at the earliest possible moment which’ll likely
by Monday August 24th so that I can help out w/ rush for all of my
activities and my dorm, hall, etc. It’ll be AWESOME I’m sure!

In other news, this weekend was one of the best ones ever!!

Friday night, Dave and I saw Thea’s touring production of Rugrats which was
really cute… then we got a backstage tour and went out to Bennigen’s
(there aren’t many diners in Mass.) and it was really cool to hang w/ Thea
again.

After that I went to a kickass wonderful party in the lounge until 3 and
then watched a movie on my hall w/ a bunch of people.

Saturday I woke up extra early to go to the East Campus Spring WEekend
Carnival/ Picnic or whatever it’s called and participated in the Oddball
Olympics (different teams from different halls compete), ate lots of free
food and lost in the Foosball tournament to this really, really, really good
player who I unfortunately had to play first. If I had had a few bad ones,
I probably would have advanced a round or 2… oh well…

Then I dressed in my friend, Monica’s slinky, stretchy green dress, did my
makeup and nails and participated in the Mr. Spring Weekend contest which
was a Miss America talent show but mocking it and funny and for guys… I
won Mr. Short Answer for my wonderful short answer (since this ledger is
rated PG, ask me to hear it afterwards if you want) and got a lot of gift
certificates and such. It was REALLY fun… my entire cast came to support
me too so that was awesome!

Then I went to a cross dressing party (perfect timing) and then I finally
lost my virginity! My Rocky Horror Picture Show virginity that is. I had
this nice big V on my forehead, but unfortunately didn’t get my cherry
popped b/c this other guy was in a dress too and had a blue wig and the
audience applauded more for him (I came in 2/6 though)…

Then Sunday we had elections for MTG (musical theatre guild). I am no
longer pub. director b/c I won’t be here this summer, but I’m still a member
at large on the board (which has less responsibility so it’s probably good
for my first term on grades). And we’re doing Fiddler on the Roof and She
Loves Me next year. We’ll pick the spring show at the end of the summer, I
think.

Other than that, only 3 more weeks of classes (yes I know most people are
almost done already), 2 of which (including this one) having psets due. So
that’s 2 more 6.001 (comp sci) psets, 2 more 18.03 (diff equ) (easy ones
though!!), 2 more 8.02 (e&m) quizzes and one more play (a winter tale) and
paper to read/ write… and then 4 finals.

Then I’m going to another fabulous leadership program called Leadershape for
a week. And then I’ll be back for the summer on June 1st (after loading
everything I have in my room into a U-Haul van and driving back to NJ w/ my
daddy) and will be in NJ until August 24th.

Hopefully I can see everyone in NJ this summer and we can hang, play trivial
pursuit, do murder mysteries, watch Disney (etc) movies and SLEEP a lot
during what will in most probability be my last time in NJ for more than 2
weeks (we’ll see)…

So I think that’s about catching everyone up. I hope everyone’s doing well-
please respond and say hi b/c I havne’t been getting much e-mail from
non-MIT-activities related persons (except for a few, dedicated writers who
I appreciate and love!)

Good luck on finals, my friends, and I shall see you in NJ this summer as we
rekindle our youths!

Ok, I’m going to go do some work now, really… =)

PS. only 16 more days until the last Seinfeld! AH!!! I don’t know how I
can live w/o it…

PPS. please tell me of your summer plans if you have them so we can make
plans and hang, etc!

PPPS. I’m ending this now- talk to you soon! I love you all!!!!!

Always–
Seth

SEPTEMBER

September 8, 1998 — As the Semester Begins…

Well, here it is the day b/f classes start, and I said to myself, “Seth, I
really miss all my friends at home. I should send them a ledger so they
know I’m alive.” So here’s the ledger!

PLEASE WRITE BACK. YES YOU. YOU WHO ARE READING THIS NOW. I know this
isn’t the most personal form of communication, but I always PROMISE to write
back to anyone who writes back to a ledger… yes it’s good to write back
b/c I wanna know how everyone’s doing!

So here I am. I’ve been in Boston for 2 weeks having a fun, exciting time
hanging out w/o having classes… unfortunately they begin tomorrow…
AHHH!!! I’m taking Circuits, Discrete Math for CS, Intro Bio, Harm &
Countpt 2 and a Theatre Production Seminar… it promises to be a fun filled
semester!

I only have 40 freshmen on my list of MIT students so far… I’m getting
them INVOLVED in EVERYTHING!!!

Rumor has it that I might end up DIRECTING Fiddler on the Roof this term…
I’ve already quit one club (but picked up 3 more) in anticipation… =)

I think I’m going to end up applying to run orientation next year and stay
the summer and get $6,000 b/c it looks like a lot of fun and it really needs
energetic people like me…. BUT I did have a FABULOUS time this summer and
will miss the friends I’ve become closer to. But I will visit. And you
should ALL come up to Boston!!! =)

In other news, I’m an associate advisor! I get a group of freshmen that I
get to advise and get together with… it’s really cool. I’ve been made the
social associate advisor (there are 3 of us) so I get to be “social
director”… not that I didn’t get enough of that this summer…

I finally got my room together! I love having a SINGLE… I don’t know how
anyone lives w/ roommates…

I’m meeting SOOO many new people! WOOHOO!!! It’s really great. So I hope
you are all doing really well too… I have to be off to an MTG (Musical
Theatre Guild) board meeting… I’ll try and keep in touch as much as I
can!! Talk to you soon!

Always–
Seth

OCTOBER

October 3, 1998 — I WON!!!!!!

So last night I performed in the biggest talent show at MIT, Late Night… I
performed my 2 Tom Lehrer songs from this summer, and WON first place for
solo/duet act!!!! Yippee!!! Nothing like singing Tom’s wonderful songs to
1,500 MIT students!!!!

In other news, I’m directing Fiddler on the Roof for MTG (musical theatre
guild) and having a BLAST! It’s so cool having absolute control, you know?
I blocked 3 scenes in like 2 hours… I go SOO fast! it’s really cool. I’m
sure the show’ll be fabulous! (see signature for dates)

Other than that, there’s just my 5 classes and tons of work… but I’ve
conviently given myself off rehearsal on days I have psets due the next day.

In awful news, there was a fire on a hall in my dorm last night at 4.
Fortunately, it was in the other parallel so I didn’t have to evacuate.
UNfortunately, the fire chief people went hall to hall at 8am waking
everyone up and telling them to remove stuff left and right since we’re such
a fire hazard here. Rumor has it they might come door to door later. And
we have a meeting at 3 about “fire safety”. sheesh. At least they’ll be
free ice cream.

So I think that’s about it. It’s nice to have NEW tv shows to watch
nowadays to take breaks from grueling psets… and LABS. They said this
first lab would take 1 hour and it took 3… and that’s just b/c I’m smart
enough to work w/ the people on my hall as partners.

Oh well… I hope everyone’s doing well! I miss you guys!! Oh btw, only
147 days til I turn 20… Talk to you soon!

Always–
Seth

NOVEMBER

November 14, 1998 — Oh My God, I’m a Director!

Well my show opened tonight. It was FABULOUS. I can’t believe that I
actually directed a show. Wow! I’m in shock…

So I realized after a few “are you still alive?” e-mails that I had been
neglecting my public by not sending out a ledger sooner, and I do apologize.
I’ve been quite busy w/ the show and trying to not fail a few classes that I
haven’t had much time for e-mail. But now that the show has opened, I
foresee much more free time, so e-mails are welcome!

In other news, my parents bought me a new tv since my old one broke! Gotta
love having parents. They came tonight and brought me lots of food too!

If anyone has superfluous free time, they should go the tech webpage
(the-tech.mit.edu) and find my last column. It was in last Friday’s paper
(11/6).

Um… so I just partied after the show and am a little bushed and really
can’t think of anything else new that has happened besides the show.

But do write back and I promise to come up w/ more interesting things to
talk about… =)

Always–
Seth

DECEMBER

December 10, 1998 — No More Lectures Until February!!!!!!!!

Well, the semester is FINALLY almost over… actually it went really quickly
as usual. Only 62.5% of my undergraduate career left… well after I finish
taking finals. I have THREE. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and then I’ll be
back in EB for 2 weeks until January 3rd when I come back up here for IAP
(Independent Activities Period)!!!!

So how is everyone doing? I feel like it’s been ages… I do realize I
haven’t sent out a ledger since October, so I do apologize for all of you
who anxiously await the next installment of my life… =)

So basically I think I wrote after my show which was a HUGE success. Then
came Thanksgiving where I squeezed a whole bunch of people into a weekend
(it was SOOOOOOOO much fun! Can’t wait for winter break!) and thent he term
just sort of kept going and today was the LAST day of classes!!!!

I cannot wait for IAP at all. I got a wonderful comedic role in the IAP
show, She Loves Me. I play Arpad, the delivery boy, and I have a song at
the beginning of Act 2 that’s bound to steal the show!! Show dates are in
my sig.

Other plans include a possible UROP which has to deal w/ the hyperinstrument
group of the media lab which is doing music on the web and stuff… I have
an interview on Tuesday… I actually made up a semi-professional looking
resume. I feel so old.

Speaking of age, only 80 days left until I turn 20…

In other wonderful news, I’m seeing BERNADETTE again (2 years ago yesterday
I saw her live at Carnegie Hall, sigh…) in Annie Get Your Gun on March
26th!!!!!!!

And I’m going to see Anthony Rapp and Kristen Chenoweth in You’re A Good
Man, Charlie Brown which comes here BEFORE Bway! =) It’s cheaper up here,
too…

Tonight I be going paintballing. I intend to kick some butt! Also the new
Star Trek movie comes out tomorrow night and I hope to go see it…

Next semester we’ll be doing FORUM and I’ll be in only FOUR classes!!
6.003, 6.046, 21M.303 and 21M.262! I also foresee myself rejoining choir
for the semester. For those nonMITers (most of you) those translate to:
Signals and Systems, Intro to Algorithms, Harmony and Counterpoint 3 and
20th-Century Music.

So I think that’s about it… I hope everyone’s doing well! It’s been
MONTHS!!!!! So write back and say hi and procrastinate for studying for
finals too…. =)

Always–
Seth