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1

Plus, what does Dan know about fashion? Nada, if I may judge by his old-jeans and slogan-Ts uniform.

Posted by Amy Kate | October 12, 2006 5:00 PM
2

Yes, there is that.

Posted by Dan Savage | October 12, 2006 5:04 PM
3

I was wondering if you were simply the only gay man this Redmond HS could think of contacting? Even in HS I knew - while the fashion world is replete with gay men - gay does not necessarily equal fashion.

I have cousins my age that went to that school. If the author of that letter is male (for some reason I read it that way), and assuming that school is anything like it was 15 years ago, Godspeed with your fashion project young man, Godspeed.

Posted by Dougsf | October 12, 2006 5:13 PM
4

I was reading this just as I started with my recovery program and thought, gosh, I have some free time now. And wouldn't this be a fine way to make "amends" to the young people of the world.

So please, Dan, feel free to forward these inquiries on to me. I'd be happy to give the young fella some mentoring.

Posted by Mark Foley | October 12, 2006 7:04 PM
5

I just graduated from Nathan Hale HS in Lake City, & we had to do this kind of thing too - I think it's a WA state requirment - and I did kinda did the same thing. I cold-called (cold-wrote a snail-mail letter, actually, cause I'm old-fashioned like that) a high-falutin' station manager at a local radio station that I knew had an interest in my rather obscure topic (Hi Bob!), met with him once, got his signature on the paper, and due to inavoidable circumstances BSed the rest.

70% of my peers - overacheivers all - never even met with their "community advisors". Senior/Culminating/GR projects are just another hoop to jump through before you get to wear the silly hat; there's no reason to bug important people about it (except for the role modeling, academic assistance and career connections you make, to say nothing of the "prestige" that comes from saying "I know important person X", yaddayaddayadda ... i.e., all the reasons schools require a "community/field advisor" in the first place.)
Most people who actually did work closely with a FA had people they already knew, or asked a *lot* of people.

Posted by SeattleExile | October 12, 2006 7:11 PM
6

Like Seattleexile, I had to do the same thing, and I do think it is a requirement that a "senior project" has to be done by every Wash. high school senior.

I actually made an appointment to see the person I wanted, and asked graciously if they would have the time. I was lucky that the person I picked liked me and okayed the project. But becuase the person brought me on, he expected me to work for it. So in case the Stranger does ever take on a student Senior.....make them work. I sure as hell had to prove myself. Hell, my project had nothing to do with running an office, but I got to be the office bitch for whatever they needed done. Life just works that way.

Posted by dkstar | October 12, 2006 7:53 PM
7

You're Catholic? I thought you were Jewish.

Posted by cite | October 12, 2006 8:58 PM
8

No, Dan is Catholic. I was raised a Catholic myself. However, I lack a lot of the guilt that they like to saddle you with. Fuck em.

Posted by Gomez | October 12, 2006 10:14 PM
9

Funny...he doesn't look Catholic...

Posted by cite | October 13, 2006 5:39 AM
10

Many Catholics are opting for plastic surgery today to fix that "Catholic look"

Posted by Brian | October 13, 2006 8:54 AM
11

the guilt, not so easy to fix...

Posted by Brian | October 13, 2006 8:55 AM
12

Well... I've got about 650 students in my department. At least 20% of them do Independent Study work with faculty in addition to their regular classes.

Sponsoring students in Field Studies really depends on the amount of time that you have available and the dedication of the student. A self-directed and responsible student with clear ideas about what they want to do and a plan on how to achieve that goal usually only need to meet once a week for an hour or so. Most people are able to commit that kind of time. A less motivated student can totally turn an FS into a nightmare for themself and their FA. If the student is seeking an Internship with The Stranger under your supervision, that is an entirely different ballgame.

Posted by dewsterling | October 13, 2006 9:07 AM
13

Dan,

You fancy yourself a person whose words (editorial in support of Iraq war) and deeds (licking Republican doorknobs) are important to the community.

Traditionally, persons with such standing have mentored younger persons on occaision (either nominally or actively) as a way of building community (or creating influencial operatives in their field) by sharing experience directly .

I dont see anything strange about your being asked to be a mentor, and once a week seems like a small number to me given your national exposure. I think with once a week you could even email back a polite "no," and it would identify you as a reasonably nice person underneath it all. Who knows, someday you might get a mentoring proposal that sounds interesting to you.

Posted by Mirror | October 13, 2006 9:34 AM
14

If you think Catholic guilt is bad, try growing up in a mixed marriage with a Catholic and a Presbyterian. Calvinism AND the Pope. I went to Catholic churches until I was ten, Presbyterian one for a year after that, and then they "compromised" on Episcopalianism -- all the incense, none of the guilt. Except when you arrive with your family and are pressed into emergency service as an altar boy, whereupon you commence a series of approximately one hundred wrong turns while hoisting a gigantic halbard or whatever the fuck it was. Fifty-two consecutive Sunday Flus after that my folks got the idea. But the guilt lingers on. I have to occasionally blow on it to keep it burning, but that's the price one pays.

Posted by Fnarf | October 13, 2006 11:23 AM

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