Like Dennis, I was thinking about dropping AIS again recently. I've been thinking about it for several years.
I get frustrated by certain things. I don't admire some of the AIS luminaries, and I have reason not to. I am bored by most of the Society's work. It looks to me like the poets and intellectuals get frogmarched out of the rainbow city, so that there is a chronic shortage of vision and creativity. I rarely agree with the decisions of the Board. I don't get a lot of encouragement in my work.
But then, I realized that AIS is a venerable institution which means a great deal to a lot of good people whom I admire and care about. For them, yes, I will renew. Hell, I'm poor as a churchmouse, but I will renew just to help keep the ball in motion for Keith Keppel, that he may continue to explore what is what in that amazing gene pool; or for the Lowes, down in Dinwiddie, Virginia, older than dirt the pair of them are, but keeping the Registrar's office open, beating back chaos at the international level and probably putting up with no end of ingratitude and meddling, and it can't be easy. I will renew for a friend in NY who loves her irises, and AIS, and works like a dog on it's behalf, and mine. I will renew for my old friend Rodney, always humble, always cheerful. I will renew to help keep all the Sections going, including SIGNA, because it is not just about me.
AMW
