  Stellar astronomy, fueled by massive capital investments, advances in
numerical modeling and theory, is resurgent and arguably is on the verge of a
magnificent renaissance. Powerful time domain optical surveys, both on ground
and in space, are producing data on variable stars on an unprecedented
industrial scale. Those with deep knowledge of variable stars will stand to
benefit from this resurgence. Notwithstanding these developments, in some
astronomical communities, classical stellar astronomy has been in the doldrums.
I offer a modest proposal to establish a basic level of familiarity with
variable stellar phenomenology and an attractive scheme to make research in
variable star astronomy visible, alluring and fashionable.

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics