Last year I completed graduate school. In May I got a graduate certificate (that essentially means that I "majored" in something and the work was a bit more extensive than undergrad, but not enough to be a graduate degree. It's like recognized official extra credit) and in December I got a master's. I submitted these accomplishments to my undergraduate institution's magazine. See, in each issue there is a "Class Notes" section where the achievements of alumni are recognized. It didn't come in the Spring 2010 issue, which was the first one I received after submitting my awesome accomplishment but I was fine with this because they were probably already getting ready for publication and they held my note for the next issue. The next issue I received was Fall 2010, and that came a few weeks ago. I looked in the Class Notes section and there is no mention of me. Hmm. Being the investigator and unparalleled internet researcher that I am, I found the issue with my submission.
My note was published in Summer 2010. I know I would have looked in every subsequent magazine I received after my submission and I never saw it. I don't remember the cover (while this may not mean much to some, I have somewhat of a photographic memory so if I've seen something, I will usually remember it). I look in my stash of alumni magazines and I don't see the cover I don't recognize. In the six years after graduating from my undergraduate institution, I have never missed an issue of the alumni magazine.
Until something about me was in it.
If I was going to miss an issue at some point during the 6 years after graduation, why wouldn't it be the only one in which I'm mentioned? This will not get me down. I will remedy this.
I send an e-mail to the magazine and let them know what is up. I say:
Hello,
I never received the Summer 2010 issue of the *Alumni Magazine* and was hoping one could be sent to me. I had an entry in the class notes published in that issue and while I know that's available online, I would like to have it in print if possible. Can that issue be sent to me?"
In response I'm told, "Sure thing, we'll get one out to you" and the author of the e-mail requests my mailing address, which I promptly provide.
Yippee I'm getting the Summer 2010 issue of the Alumni Magazine where I can see my name and my accomplishments!
In the mail yesterday is an unusually heavy envelope from my undergraduate institution's publishing department. I'm intrigued. I can't wait to open it. I've seen it online, but I want it in print! I can show my as-yet-not-conceived-kids my name in a magazine, revealing the acquisition of degrees that are also hanging on my walls so they'd see them anyway, but this way they can see that my much-favored undergraduate institution talked about me! Yay!
Inside the envelope are three Fall 2010 issues.
The Fall 2010 issue I received on time is 20 steps away in my bedroom. I now have three additional copies of a magazine I already had. I asked for one copy of Summer 2010. I got three copies of Fall 2010. I went to school known for engineering, business, biology, geosciences, computer science, and other smart programs that require the ability to read and count. Fail.
I can't wait to see if I get Spring 2009 sometime next week.
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