25 JUN 2008 -

Hello Greg...

I'm sure there are a lot of ARRL members who have rationalized the purchase
a life membership along similar lines and hope this will continue.

I was first licensed in 1977 when I was 38.  I joined the ARRL late that same year.  In my second year in amateur radio, I decided to buy an ARRL life membership in 8 quarterly installments.  I think I completed payment well before the deadline.  I never paid attention to the 25 x annual dues ratio. 
I come from a long-lived family on both sides and I just did not want to be bothered with paying annual dues.  ;-)

I used this same rationale when I bought a life membership in the Grey Eagles
(the American Airlines retired pilots' organization) and also AMSAT.

73 - Dick, W9GIG