SENIOR GOODBYES
The Michigan Daily - Friday, January 30, 2004 - 5
day want to be a part of The Daily consumed
my soul and snacked on my still-beating
heart. Fuck you, Daily. Fuck you.
Smeagol Todd: I never wanted to be a part
of The Daily, but thanks to the weezer.com
message board and fellow user Luke Smith, I
took one step in 420 Maynard and could
never leave. Partially because they wouldn't
let me, but mostly because I fell in love with
it. I love the past: Erin, Fogelj, Robin, Lyle,
Luke, Jeff, Andy, Matt, everyone else. And I
love the future: Jason, Alex, Adam, Zach,
Jason, Andrew, no one else. The present was-
n't so bad either...Berkley represent! And for
all my time here, this is all I've learned: "For
relaxing times, make it Sontori time."
That's that.
TODD WEISER
ManagingArts Editor
My college experience has consisted
almost entirely of me stumbling into exactly
the right places at exactly the right times. I
stumbled into the Daily, a wide-eyed fresh-
man, and I'm about to stumble out for good
- a wide-eyed senior.
Words are not enough for this place, this
fabulous dilapidated old building and the
people who pass through it.
I am grateful to the Daily for every piece
of hatemail, every irate phone call, every all-
nighter, every shouting match, every
headache it brought into my life. These things
have made me stronger.
And for the people I've met here, people
I've been honored to call my editors and
humbled to call my friends ...
Words don't cut it. Nope. Not even close.
AUBREY HENRETTY
Editorial Page Editor
"We were killers with the cold eyes of sailor"
--SM
Heght: 5' 11." Weight: 175. Articles writ-
ten: about 90. Deadlines missed: about 73.
Personal heroes insulted in print: 5. Times my
mother asked me to stop saying "shit" and
"damn" in articles: 56
Older kids who bought me beer the first
night they met me and gave me history to live
up to for the rest of my tenure: Lyle, Keith,
Luke, Jeff and Andy
People I never told that I was in awe of:
Todd, Jason, Joel, Aubrey and Zac (also see
above). Hours wasted: 1,026. Star ratings
changed without writers' knowledge -201
Friend who waited for a column way too
often: Charles and Rebecca
Free CDs: 91
Kids encouraged to keep shit real:
Andrew, Alex, Sean, and Sravya. People not
named but deserving thanks: 12
Girlfriends through all of it: I
SCOTT SERLA
Arts Editor
First off, I want to say good luck to
everyone on sports staff that will be here next
year or is leaving. I want to thank Courtney
and Kyle for everything this year, and I wish
you too the best of luck in the future. And
finally, to J. Brady and Burke, you guys really
made my time here worth it, so thanks for
everything.
To my best friends, I want to say thanks.
Sahil, good luck next year, I'll miss you
buddy, but I know we'll see each other. To
Aaron, we'll always have NHL 94, and even
when we're 70, I'll still own you. To Sumit,
thanks for always being there for me. You're
the man. To Rahul, you're my hero. Don't go
too far away, I'm going to miss you. Good
luck with SAAN this weekend you guys!!
To Avani, you're the greatest, and
you've made this year very special for me.
Thank you.
And finally, to Sharad and Nathan, good
luck next year. And Nathan and Susan, con-
grats on your engagement. I love you guys.
NAWEED SixoRA
Sports Editor
I'm saving my goodbyes for later, so I
offer all of you this advice: Do it because
you want to, have fun, be happy, and if you
want to find the meaning of life, call 989-
892-5557.
KYLE O'NELL
Sports Editor
Thanks for holding my hair while I chun-
ked off the balcony
SETH LOWER
Photo Editor
Who would have imagined that the Daily
would turn out to be a better experience than
studying in Rome? (Not that I can actually
vouch for this) Who needs art, real espressos
and Italian boyfriends when you have pages
that you put together, fifty-cent Diet Cokes
and Todd, Charles and Scott - you guys are
like my brothers!
Thanks to everyone who made my expe-
rience here amazing. I know I could get really
slap-happy and whiny, and I appreciate you
all for putting up with me. I seriously freak
out when I think about one day having differ-
ent co-workers. To those who helped me
understand what this was all about: you are
all appreciated. To my housemates: we will
now get to see each other! To the BHS crew
(Jon, Aubs and Todd - yeah, longest friend-
ship!): may we always dominate the Daily.
Good luck to the new editors. Ciao!
REBECCA RAMSEY
Weekend Editor
They've kept me locked away in the
basement since my sophomore year, made
me eat Magic Wok and forced me to write
news stories. Three years later, not only can I
say that I survived, but that I am also more
informed, extremely paranoid and infertile.
Thanks, Daily.
KYLENE KIANG
News Editor
As for me, the Daily had a relatively
small impact on my life other than wasting
more of my time watching movies. Two years
ago, a nameless friend of mine - we'll call
him T. Weiser, or Todd W for short - brought
me in because he needed a writer, so I wrote.
Then they let me become an editor because
there was nobody else, so I edited. Now my
time is up and they're kicking me out, but
with my hundreds of hours of free cinema-
going, thousands of dollars worth of free
DVDs and a person who thinks expressing
opinions means the castration of editorial
freedom, I fade away satisfied. So thank you
Todd, Scott, Chuck, Becks, Jeff, Luke, Katie,
Joel, other people and, most of all, myself.
Peace, we out!
RYAN LEWIs
Film Editor
I showed up at the Daily as a freshman
because I promised someone I'd check it out.
I wasn't sure I'd stick around, and I had no
idea that three-and-a-half years later, I'd be
able to say I went to a Rose Bowl and a
Frozen Four and I chatted with legends.
But the games and the stadiums will
fade. It's the remarkable people that will stay
with me. I'm grateful to everyone who has
pushed me to be better. To my seniors, it's
impossible to sum up everything Daily Sports
means to me, but what's important is that
you're my guys and you've made this unfor-
gettable.
COURTNEY LEWIS
Sports Editor
To the left wing of the Michigan Daily
- I bid you farewell, you real people of valor
- you who gave the finger to the Man, you
who wrote for good - not to see yourself in
print or to have a pulpit, not as a pundit or as
an impartial cynical outsider. This is a thank
you to those who wrote with purpose, who
believed in justice and someday will win. So
thank you to Mike Grass and Nick Woomer
and Dave Enders and John Honkala and Rob
Goodspeed and Ari Paul. You, and the few
others I've missed, are where the true spirit of
the Daily should forever reside. If our paper
once again wants a place in history as part of
a greater debate, it is your spirit we must
channel. To those of you, old and new, who
see the Michigan Daily not just as a newspa-
per but as a force for positive change, I salute
you and beg acceptance to your club.
JESS PISKOR
Editorial Page Associate Editor
This farewell letter is like most of the
other stuff that has happened to me athe
Daily in my four years: Only those at the
Daily truly understand the importance. For
four years here, I've just gone about my work
trying to do the best that I can. But now, as I
get prepared to bail out, it's beginning to sink
in that I'm about to go down as part of 113
years of history. I'd like to thank the sports
writers that I've spent the most time with:
Naweed Sikora, J. Bradyand Seth Klempner.
There are plenty of others that will definitely
be recalled in my (What happens at the Daily
stays in the Daily) memories.
Whenever I, as astudent at this University,
have wondered to myself what it is that I'm
accomplishing here, I always need look no fur-
ther than the Daily. It's been my outlet when
I'm bored in school, my release when I'm
frustrated with life. And the things that have
happened inside the walls of the Daily or on
road trips for the Daily, I couldn't possible
describe in this space. I wish those who come
after me in sports the best of luck: we've done
our best to make the place enjoyable, and I
hope that the level of entertainment translates
down. Heck, we've alienated ourselves from
every other section in the pursuit of fun. But
it's been worth it. I couldn't possibly attempt to
replace this place. Thank you to everyone, past
and present, who have made The Michigan
Daily what it was for me.
CHRIS BUNE
Sports Editor
The Daily was such an important part of
my college career. I had so much funmet a lot
of wonderful people, and learned so much. To
everyone last summer: Thanks for all of your
hard work. It was a great summer. To Andrew,
Victoria, and Sravya: Let's eat sushi. I love you
guys! To outgoing news editors and Louie: It
was great working with you. Good job! To
Karen and Min: Multicultural beat rules!
Thanks to all of the people who patiently
answered my phone calls and let me cover
their events. And lastly, thanks to all of the edi-
tors and writers that I worked with in the past
three years. I will miss you all.
SOOJUNG CHANG
News Staff
I may be the only person who became an
editor when he wasn't even working at the
paper, but I am truly greatful for the phone
call I received whileoverseas. I have had a
long sleepless and stressful year, but possibly
one of the most memorable. I have seen peo-
ple come and go, got sick, then got better,and
made some great friends along the way. A
short list of the people I owe thanks to
include t-dizzle, katz, jessie&louis, molopho-
to, BGO, triest,louiesmom, all the other pho-
togs, and Sarah who always believed in me
and didn't let me quit, numerous times. Hazel
will always be the daily dog, and photogs will
forever be respected, thanks for the fun.
BRETT MoUNTAN
Photo Editor
I can't imagine anyone with a last name
different than mine, or without intimate
knowledge of me reading this, but if there
exists some hapless soul out there, who is
bored beyond my comprehension of the
word, let me tell you the one thing you need
to know about the Daily: We do it for the
fans. Aside from all the money, cars and
women the Daily provides in abundance to its
editors, we publish this piece of glorious jour-
nalism five days a week for you. While you
may have casually or haphazardly cast it
aside in favor of thecrossword puzzle on
occasion, we, as editors, writers and photog-
raphers, still work diligently, giving up our
time, for you, to make sure you know, what
you need to know. So that's it, there's the big
secret of The Michigan Daily. It's been a blast
and we loved writing for you.
CHARLES PARADIs
Weekend Editor
For several years, The Michigan Daily
consumed my life and shaped me in amulti-
tude of wonderful ways. While I have
enjoyed my semi-retirement during the last
year, I will always relish the experiences and
people that-made this job so enjoyable. Some
of my best friends (Joe, Jon, Kern, Ben,
Horn, Frances, etc.) have already left to pur-
sue life in the real world, and many more
good friends are celebrating with me tonight.
The message I want to send to all the future
Daily leaders is a simple one. Put your pas-
sion into the pages everyday - then you can
leave this place with ahappy heart.
STEVE JACKSON
Sports Staff
Former Managing Sports Editor
"Behold, ye scoffers, be much amazed and
perish, for I work a work in your days."
-Acts 13:41
Three and a half years ago, many many
kegs ago, eight history classes ago, two girl-
friends ago, I stepped into 420 Maynard
timid and mild, afraid that my voice wouldn't
carry. And now, here I am, and I own you all.
Hey, you think I've been mean to ya'll? Well,
I was not put on this earth to play nicey-nice
with screw-heads like you.
To some people the Daily is like a nerv-
ous tick thumping in the brain. To me the
Daily is like a foreign chick jumping in the
rain. After all the debates, late night caffeine
binges and a brush with death involving a
barbeque beef sandwich while covering an
antiwar protest in Washington, I have to say it
was worth all the wooziness I got from the
ink fumes.
Of course, none of this was possible
without those that have since moved
onwards: Woomer, Grass, Honkala, Pais,
Livshiz, "Easy-E" Enders, Zahr, Raiji, Tay-
lor-Fabe, Nish, Syed, Hanink, and if I've for-
gotten you then you know who you are.
"Hey, Ari! Why don"'t you make 10
longer and have that be the last line?" asks
Louie Meizlish. Because this goodbye goes
to 11. Fin.
ARi PAUL
Opinion Columnist
Thanks to four sets of editors, Jane,
James, msprow, Jeremy and everyone else
who has filled this place with memories and
meaning. It has been a great adventure and an
experience that really shaped my time at the
University. I can't imagine it having gone any
other way. Thanks also to the people who
returned my calls, patiently answered my
questions and shared their stories with me
these past four years. I've learned so much.
It went by much faster than I'd ever imag-
ined it could, but it's been filled with good
conversation, the exhilaration of pushing
against deadlines and the excitement of
(mostly) meeting them. To current and
incoming writers - it's worth it. To the next
set of editors - good luck and you rock!
KAREN SCHWARTZ
News Staff
Contrary to popular belief, I do still work
at this paper. However, since I don't know the
names of half the current staffers, it's proba-
bly time for me to bow out. Real thanks go to
the people that dealt with the bureaucracy so
I could sit on the sidelines, be complacent
and take pictures.
Chief amoung them: Katz, AWood,
Molo, TDing, BMountain, and Triest. Well,
not Triest, he doesn't do much of
anything. He's barely even a
photographer. And if nothing else, I leamed
to always bring a good book on a Daily road-
trip because you never know what can hap-
pen. Right Moo?
BRENDAN O'DONNELL
Photo Staff
It all started when I walked in this
building August 2000. What an amazing
ride it has been over the years. I'll never
forget all I've learned because of the
Daily. Thanks to the helpful Mich Athletic
Office who was by my side as I worked
through my years pursuing a sports pho-
tography career. John Lowe, your support
has been invaluable! THANKS! I'd like to
give a "HEY how are ya!? It's been jucy,
its been tart, and someimtesbusted. Lev-
enthal Ice Slip, Ward 500 2.8, worthless-
daysider, sleeping on dressers, floors,
fetalposition-Naveed & Seth, Buffalo
LAK, "I'm sorry, Steve Jackson," MJM
WWF
Smackdown, Wooda! Talks with
Katz(Those truly life changing, thanks man!)
JLT Profile photos, BGO rolling the shocker,
S-Lower faster, and to BMountai I know you
and Sarah will set me up someday...I have
had my fair share of disagreements here and I
hold no grudges as deep down I am proud of
all of us to be able to work together, disagree,
yell at times, but in the -end put out the best
damn daily college newspaper in the country
working with all who I consider my freinds. I
wake up the next morning, sit in class and
watch as everyone reads the newspaper that
we all worked hard on together the night
before. I simle, "This is what college is all
about."
DANNY MOLOSHOK
Photo Staff
It's impossible for me to sum up, in a few
paragraphs, what the Daily has meant to my
college experience. It's cliche to say, but it's
hard for me to believe that this is it. I'll cer-
tainly miss the late nights and the road trips
and the laughs. I just want to thank everyone
who has helped make this place sospecial. To
the future sports staffers, keep at it, and learn
the pump buttons. It's worth it.
DAN ROSEN
Sports Staff
Four years at The Michigan Daily are
over, and it's been some good times. As Isit
here drinking my gin and tonic - I can't help
but feel satisfied. Having been cursed with no
athletic talent, I've been able to keep close to
my love of college wrestling by covering it
the past three seasons. Sitting in the press row
at the NCAA Championships as Cael
Sanderson made history was nothing less
than a dream for me. The 15-hour road trips,
Daily vs. State News footballgames, Motel
8s, and delicious, delicious pit stops at Steak
and Shake will be memories I'll always cher-
ish.
ERIC CHAN
Sports Staff
I applied to the Daily because Todd Weis-
er forced me to. So needless to say, I became
a Photojournalist. Hardly. Now that I'm leav-
ing, I must tell you that of the 212 people I
photographed these past few years, 207 of
theT were friends. And not like "I met you
once, can I take your picture?" friends, but
rather "I've known you my whole life, will
you please pretend you have herpes for this
picture?" friends. On a serious note, I would
really like to give a shout out to Brent and
Nancy. Without you guys I would never have
had the chance to take a picture. Much love!
JON TRlEsr
Photo Staff
I hate this school for a multitude of rea-
sons but when I randomly decided to try for
an edit column at this racist institution it was
easily the best thing I've done or found in
Ann Arbor. It's easy to stand on the side and
bitch it's another to actually do something
and join.
Doing this has honestly shown me a lot
about myself and I ended up doing a lot of
shit I'd never have imagined doing. But I
guess that's the ultimate goal of college, to
find something that engages and has any
meaning. I wish I could have started as a
peon freshman because I would have a shit-
load more of free stuff than I do now but it's
better to have found it now than never.
Thanks to all the knowledgeable editors who
ever helped my writing. Brooklyn bitches.
HUSSAIN RAHtI
Opinion Columnist, Arts Writer
I'm not leaving till next fall, unless they
kick me out early. But I should still say
thanks to the Daily. Thanks Daily. And thanks
Aubrey & Zac for column stuff, Joel for arts,
Scott for rescuing me at the Strokes concert. I
don't know why everyone makes these good-
byes so long. Maybe if I worked here longer
I'd understand. Oh by the way, this one time,
this guy from Newsweek wrote me and said,
"I like your stuff; can you write for me?" And
I said "Yeah," and he said "Oh, too late." It
sucked. But thanks Daily, for setting me up
for a big disappointment.
STEVE COTm
* Opinion Columnist
U U
The Naked Mile was the
Best Campus Tradition.
Is it still? You decide. You vote.
You go first.