FRED AND CLARA-LOUISE RIGGS

3920 Lurline Drive, Honolulu, Hawaii 96816

808-732-5308; fredr@hawaii.edu; webdata.soc.hawaii.edu/fredr

SEASON'S GREETINGS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

December 2002

More than a year has passed since 9/11 and it has now become part of a dreadful routine, with talk of war against Saddam Hussein on the daily news. Since Muslim traditionalists view him as an enemy of the Faith, and attacking Iraq is likely to mobilize more traditionalists to join the ranks of the terrorists, I see the project as truly counter-productive. However, this is not the received wisdom and I could be wrong.

More importantly now, we are in the holiday season and thinking about our loved ones while we prepare for holiday festivities. We are also looking back at happenings during the past year. Among them one of special significance was Wendy's first trip to China, together with Kathy Inkinen, for whom she works. They really enjoyed a cool November week from Beijing to Xian to Soojou to Shanghai - with all the major sights and sounds. Wendy was keen to go because she has heard and felt so much of the China connection ever since she was little that it gave her - and me also - a lot of satisfaction. Since returning we have spent hours looking at her snap shots and souvenirs, and reviewing some of my own family albums and China books. It was a wonderful experience.

As for myself, I have cut back on travel, skipping APSA for the first time! However, I did make two conference trips In July I went to Brisbane, Australia, for the International Sociological Congress where I gave a paper and, again, met many old friends, especially Mattei Dogan and Henry Teune, with whom I spent a memorable day touring the city. Brisbane in Winter was crisply cool and gorgeous - a stunning city and most enjoyable.

Earlier, in March, I went to Phoenix for a quick presentation at the forum honoring Paul van Riper during ASPA's annual conference, and then on to New Orleans for the rest of that week to attend the International Studies Association's annual meeting. I had a wonderful time, gave a paper, and visited with many old friends. Barry Gills and I spent a day touring the old city - a most enjoyable experience and we discussed the future of UH and the Globalization Research Center. Since returning home we have continued these discussions, joined by Dong-Sook, his lovely wife. I've also spent a lot of time with Majid Tehranian, Barry, and others planning for a Department of Global Studies and other steps to enhance the international stature of UH. You can find a lot of personal and professional information on my Web Site. See: http://webdata.soc.hawaii.edu/fredr/welcome.htm.

Ciel and I enjoyed a trip to old haunts and visits with friends and relatives in September. We flew first to Montreal to visit with David Neville in Manoir Pierrefonds, with Alzheimers. He looked healthy though uncommunicative, and he seems to be doing well.. David's wife, Anna, picked us up and drove us to their lovely old home in St. Albans where we also visited with Jennifer, their daughter, and her lively children. It was a great reunion and Anna is a blessed soul.

Then Anna drove us to White River Junction where Ciel's old friend, Franny Hoke and her husband, Marshall, met us and we went to their lovely lake-side home in Elkins, NH. It brought back many memories. Then on to Thomaston for several days with Ciel's sister, Edith. She is more frail and needs help, but her mind is keen and we love her - also visited the cemetery where, in a lovely grove, we viewed Ciel's sister Amy's site - she died at 91 - we also viewed our own truncated pyramid tombstone where Ronnie's remains are buried.

From Thomaston we flew to North Carolina for a lovely visit with Wendy's close friend, Mary and her husband, Fernando Cruz. They have a most beautiful home in the woods - it is truly delightful. They drove us to Durham where Betsy and Bob Hankin continue to live in good health and it was wonderful to visit with them after a long absence. We also visited with their daughter, Martha and her daughter Raven (who spent a year in China) and her husband Dan Streib.

As for our home, it has been expanded and improved with the help of Chris Foreman who built a study for Ciel where we once had a sun-deck, a large pantry where there was barely space for our washer and dryer, a greatly improved front patio, a walkway around the house, a store house for my files, plus a gazebo for Ciel's pots and gardening. We are indebted to Wendy for many contributions, including creative gardening and many good suggestions. Now we are well decorated for Christmas and looking forward to the New Year - with many loving thoughts of relatives and friends scattered far and wide.

To you all, much love and aloha,

Ciel, Wendy, and Fred