Reunion 1999: Class Notes from Georgina Chessmore Kraus (January 2001)

LOAN* APPLICATION

Name: Georgina Chessmore Kraus

Age: Looking at 54, which, incidentally is my husband’s birth year, He, in turn, is looking at 47, my birth year. AND we are both looking at 25 years of marriage. Our silver anniversary is Jan. 29. 2001. (This isn’t romance, just harsh reality.)

Spouse: Rudi ( No way this guy and I are “soulmates.” I think it is the fact that we are complete opposites that keeps our dynamo running.)

Dependent children: 0. Independent children; 2—Katya (31) and Sibylla (28), Living in Tulsa and Spokane, respectively.

Health: good Olympic events for which you qualify: Involuntary Luge

Internal organs to which you have bid adieu: gall bladder

Addictions: Sewing, oil painting, buying greeting cards

Greatest Accomplishment: Reestablishing myself and my family in the US after living in Germany for ten years, a process that began in 1979 and is only now reaching fruition.

Biggest reality check: My parents were tied up and robbed at gunpoint in their home in Stillwater by a man who had killed twice.

Favorite painters: Klee, Hundertwasser

Favorite poets: Dickinson, Feela

Favorite folk singer: Jean Ritchie

Favorite movie: “Secrets and Lies”

Pet peeves: mass culture, gentile fascism

Book you have recently read: AWARENESS by de Mello

European influences: % of lifestyle; % of genes; better % of marriage, % of house guests (%=half)

Languages you are learning at this time: Swedish—to better understand old Ingmar Bergman movies
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Guru: Joseph Campbell

Religious belief: Jesus is the best teacher of the Tao.

Things that are against your religion: Taking money for my quilts, dieting, stepping on a scale, cleaning base boards

Recurring thought on a “bad hair day”: Mankind is a disease of which the Earth will heal itself.

Recurring thought on a day when you are so happy you don’t care what your hair looks like: We are made of stardust.

Things you are doing to help world peace: A. Corresponding “in my own handwrite” with friends in Japan, Africa, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, England ,Denmark and Australia. B. Trying to promote good will in my own community.

Basic philosophy: All people are equal before God. All people should be equal before the law. Everybody is different.

Favorite caveat: Beware of people who know all of the answers, but none of the questions.

Social status: Lumpenproletariat mit Bildung

Employment: MCHS chaingang

What do you want to be when you grow up? Housewife

If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be? I would have curly eyelashes.

Your greatest attribute: bossy

Your spouse’s greatest attribute: ethnically challenged

Combined assets: one station wagon, one Jeep, one ancient truck, one prehistoric tractor, one three-legged cat, one shack on a bit of ground that provides partial habitat to deer, mountain lion, foxes, eagles, ducks, coons, prairie dogs that carry the plague, and a plethora of bullsnakes.

How long at current residence? 16 years

Reason for loan* : Matthew 12:34
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*“loan” in the sense of “lend”—“Julius Caesar” Act III, sc. ii 79