Kurt Levitan: Difference between revisions
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Also known as Michael Markowitz, his imaginary friend. ([https://www.sf4m.org/Historium/Timeline/1979-12-03%20Kurts%20Imaginary%20Friend%20Michael%20Markowitz.odt 1979-12-03]) | |||
<blockquote>Kurt | <blockquote>Kurt |
Latest revision as of 01:58, 5 May 2024
Also known as Michael Markowitz, his imaginary friend. (1979-12-03)
Kurt
Levitan 5/17/82 I have returned this last time to write my final entry. Final entries have been a long standing tradition for members who have graduated from this hell-hole of a University. Mostly this is a note for future historians who may wonder whatever became of me. But first I'd like to say goodbye to my good friends who remain here. You know who you are. I'll miss you very much.
To start off with all accusations of my being egotistical, self centered, obnoxious, and whatever else are all true. When I first joined the Forum 4 years ago we lived in the small room across the hall. It was overfilled with shelves and books and some beat up furniture. At my first meeting there were about four or five old members (average turnout for those days) and about 10 to 15 new members of which about 6 stayed. I was elected activities coordinator that day. Our budget was under $200. I knew nothing about the campus Polity, The Forum, running activities, or even much about SF. (I was and still am a Trekkie ) (Yes Lisa, I'm actually a 13 year old girl who loves Spock). Our meetings were loud, argumentative, not always productive. But they were always friendly and a hell of a lot of fun. The first film I organized was Doctor Strange Love and it was shown on the wall/ceiling of Roth cafeteria. These were the best of times in my memory. The only person I didn't like eventually became one of my closest friends and has been my roommate for 2 years. I quickly learned the ways of the university and I became ambitious. I thought that the SF could do wonderful things. If only we could get more money and more members. If I can be accused of having any part in the current status of the Forum (which in my opinion is very bad) it was due to my over ambitiousness.
I (with a little help from my friends - hell, I'm egotistical, remember - I was almost totally responsible) was successful. I remember our membership and funding continued to grow. In my second year I was appointed as Vice president. The position did not exist in the constitution although I believe that in the past people have held that position (such as Lee Burberry). I was running against Marla for the presidency. Everyone knew she would win (I only voted for myself because it would look silly not to). Her First Act was to appoint me VP and then to nearly rape me.
Those were very good days. I believe that it was doing it during this time that Louis Epstein came into our mists. He was a genius of a megalomaniac. Words cannot express him, you had to experience him. He tried to destroy the Forum. Everyone stood together to resist him without violence. We were successful. We continued to grow. I was elected president the following year. Our budgets (PSC) climbed to ~$500 per semester.
But as we grew so did our problems. There was a moronic quad office who wanted to change our lock without telling us. We also had Dana and Howard - the first as*h**es. Fortunately they were fairly harmless. (But Dana was totally a schm*k) Unfortunately tolerance for them was dropping. Arguments and more problems arose. Meetings were not always so much fun. It was during my third year that I arranged to move the Forum to its present location in Hendrix (as of this writing). We needed more space to fit the books and the people. (The membership had a choice of rooms. Either this one or the much larger one a few doors down - why they picked this one I'll never know) Still more people joined. Unfortunately the GPA's of many members started dropping. I don't know why. Maybe it was the new trend of Science Fiction that was making the scene. It was mostly "popcorn" stuff. Perhaps it attracted people with "popcorn" minds. Many members were very childish and still are. They believed that they were the only important people here and that they should do whatever they wanted. The main problem is that the more mature members became wimpy and let the others walk over them. The results are documented in their log books. After my term as president was over I decided not to be involved in Forum politics. But this was not to be. The "Lock-Change Scandal" (as I have heard it called) was a well thought out plan which I will take all credit for. (It was not my idea and it took a lot of urging from other members to get me to do it but I basically organized it and I take full responsibility). It was to serve several purposes. One was to divert anger from the elected offices which they did nothing wrong to deserve. I thought that a single common enemy (me) would help in uniting the Forum again. The second purpose was to place control of the Forum (ie: keys, etc) into the hands of people who cared. The results were mixed. My entries in the log stopped at that time and I have not read the log since. I did not leave the Forum though. I still attended meetings. What finally did cause me to leave the Forum with a total lack of concern for personal rights. This is too detailed to go into and I don't really care to. Perhaps the log can shed some light on this topic. All I could see is that hardly anyone cared about each other or the Library anymore. Oh sure you all went through the motions but for most of you it was empty. I had and still have no desire to be a part of such an unfeeling organization.
I hope that things will improve (I think they will). I wish all of you luck. Sorry about this being so long.
I'll end this with a brief summary of my accomplishments over the past four years (Remember: I'm egotistical) I've run the student blood drive for 3 years with donations increasing from 350 pints per semester to 600!! (allright: 599). I consider this my most important accomplishment.
I was technical advisor and Vice President of the Astronomy Club for a year (at each position)
I have been published in the Stony Brook engineer (Spring 82) and have two more papers in the works.
I was awarded the Sydney Gelber Senior Research Grant, and the Senior Student Leader Award. (hot sh*t!!) vI'm now going to Georgia Institute of Technology where I'll be making big bucks as a Grad Student working my way toward a PhD. (not bad for 4 years at Stony Brook U)
Take care and I'll see you on the dark side of the moon.
Live long + prosper Kurt Harlan Levitan
(from Log 18, 1982-05-17)
Preceded by Marla Tanzman |
President
? - 8/81 |
Succeeded by Perrianne Lurie |