Past Masters Volume I
Apr. 16th, 2008 05:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penfield"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
- F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Great Gatsby
One of the recurring themes in my life is the struggle to move forward instead of looking backward. I have surely spent too many years second-guessing decisions, missing former lovers and watching re-runs. I have such an overdeveloped sense of nostalgia that I always browse the toy aisle in department stores, as if it will transport me back to a time when my only concern was which outfit the Han Solo action figure was wearing.
Maybe I am not alone. Hollywood has made a fortune out of glossy RetroPorn such as the new Transformers movie and the new, less hirsute Knight Rider. They even have in the works a re-boot of Beverly Hills 90210, the lukewarm corpse of a show that has been unofficially cloned dozens of times already. I suppose, and the market confirms, everyone wants to be transported back to a familiar and carefree state of mind.
But pop culture is one thing; I take it to a personal level. I have always gone to great lengths to stay in contact with old friends from high school (and earlier, in some cases), being on at least an annual-phone-call-basis with at least ten of my closest pals from the Webster High School class of 1999. My ten-year reunion, the one I was so conflicted about attending, was so warm and comfortable it felt like Thanksgiving dinner.
There's a Web page out there now that serves as a directory of all Webster High School graduates, dating back as far as 1938. My entry there is old but not yet outdated, and I stop by every now and then to see if anything interesting has happened to anybody, hoping against hope that a certain person has contracted elephantitis of the nuts, perhaps via an ill-advised tryst with a sack of monkey dung.
Where was I? Oh yeah. The Webster Alumni Page is pretty cool (especially since it was originally the brainchild of one of those aforementioned pals). So I was sort of excited to receive in the mail an announcement -- on Webster Central School District letterhead -- that there was a brand-new publication in the works for Webster High School alumni, including contact information and "highlights" from various graduating classes.
When I called to update my listing as requested in the letter, the operator launched into one of those aggressive sales pitches where they don't ask if you're interested in purchasing the book, they just ask you how many you'd like -- without even mentioning how much it costs. I was so offended by the approach that I declined to purchase something I might have otherwise been inclined to buy.
[Post Script, in media: the book is available for purchase in "two easy installments of $44.95. As soon as I heard "two easy installments..." I knew it was going to be overpriced.]
So now I wonder if maybe I was too hasty. Maybe this is like that 1995 Graduation Video that I declined to purchase, then regretted my decision when I found out there was a segment featuring me in an extended Senior Prom dance break.
Or maybe the Webster Alumni Page gives me everything I need, with the additional benefit of photos, easy updates and cost-effectiveness.
If they want to give me my own page, though, we can definitely talk.
- F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Great Gatsby
One of the recurring themes in my life is the struggle to move forward instead of looking backward. I have surely spent too many years second-guessing decisions, missing former lovers and watching re-runs. I have such an overdeveloped sense of nostalgia that I always browse the toy aisle in department stores, as if it will transport me back to a time when my only concern was which outfit the Han Solo action figure was wearing.
Maybe I am not alone. Hollywood has made a fortune out of glossy RetroPorn such as the new Transformers movie and the new, less hirsute Knight Rider. They even have in the works a re-boot of Beverly Hills 90210, the lukewarm corpse of a show that has been unofficially cloned dozens of times already. I suppose, and the market confirms, everyone wants to be transported back to a familiar and carefree state of mind.
But pop culture is one thing; I take it to a personal level. I have always gone to great lengths to stay in contact with old friends from high school (and earlier, in some cases), being on at least an annual-phone-call-basis with at least ten of my closest pals from the Webster High School class of 1999. My ten-year reunion, the one I was so conflicted about attending, was so warm and comfortable it felt like Thanksgiving dinner.
There's a Web page out there now that serves as a directory of all Webster High School graduates, dating back as far as 1938. My entry there is old but not yet outdated, and I stop by every now and then to see if anything interesting has happened to anybody, hoping against hope that a certain person has contracted elephantitis of the nuts, perhaps via an ill-advised tryst with a sack of monkey dung.
Where was I? Oh yeah. The Webster Alumni Page is pretty cool (especially since it was originally the brainchild of one of those aforementioned pals). So I was sort of excited to receive in the mail an announcement -- on Webster Central School District letterhead -- that there was a brand-new publication in the works for Webster High School alumni, including contact information and "highlights" from various graduating classes.
When I called to update my listing as requested in the letter, the operator launched into one of those aggressive sales pitches where they don't ask if you're interested in purchasing the book, they just ask you how many you'd like -- without even mentioning how much it costs. I was so offended by the approach that I declined to purchase something I might have otherwise been inclined to buy.
[Post Script, in media: the book is available for purchase in "two easy installments of $44.95. As soon as I heard "two easy installments..." I knew it was going to be overpriced.]
So now I wonder if maybe I was too hasty. Maybe this is like that 1995 Graduation Video that I declined to purchase, then regretted my decision when I found out there was a segment featuring me in an extended Senior Prom dance break.
Or maybe the Webster Alumni Page gives me everything I need, with the additional benefit of photos, easy updates and cost-effectiveness.
If they want to give me my own page, though, we can definitely talk.
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no subject
Date: 2008-04-17 02:21 am (UTC)-GDM
no subject
Date: 2008-04-17 01:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-04-18 01:32 pm (UTC)(By the way, hi there!)
So anyway, reading about your experience with calling the "Alumni Hotline" makes me thankful that I didn't call it. Instead, I wrote an e-mail to Ann expressing my bewilderment that the mailing didn't offer any online method of confirming my information, nor did it mention anything about how to *BUY* this book (although that would have become obvious had I called the number).
The whole thing just looks too shady now. I wonder if Ann really even has any knowledge of it. I can't believe she would approve such a deceptive letter going out trying to trick alumni into buying this thing we know nothing about. (Especially with her name misspelled twice as you noted!)
no subject
Date: 2008-04-18 03:06 pm (UTC)I also wrote an e-mail to Ms Carmody sharing these misgivings. Her reply was apologetic, although she didn't seem particularly sympathetic. She explained that they simply contracted with Harris Connect to do the dirty work of tracking all these people down in exchange for a list of possible "consumers." I get the sense that it has been pretty hands-off for the district.
Upon further research, I did learn that the book at least offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, although that doesn't keep it from being overpriced.
Webster Alumni Info Whoring
Date: 2008-04-24 05:36 pm (UTC)Lame, is what I say.
Re: Webster Alumni Info Whoring
Date: 2008-04-24 06:05 pm (UTC)As I mentioned to Dan above, Ms Carmody (Webster's communications director) explained that this is a mutually beneficial relationship with Harris Connect in which the school gets the benefit of Harris' data collection and Harris gets the benefit of a ready-made consumer pool. I wouldn't say it's dirty, but it's certainly not as generous as they're making it sound.