Merry May Greetings, Classmates !
Spring is bustin' out all over and it is more than welcome. The Grapevine has been humming, too, with lots of tidbits to share.
First, a word from Marsha Marshall Elliott:
My sister (Hayes High class of 1967) and I were talking just yesterday about the fact that Willis has the great alumni site (thanks Sondra) and Hayes has nothing. We also talked about how lucky I was to be able to graduate with people who, almost 50 years later, are still in touch with and care about each other. Today the newsletter came and just proved my point. Keep up the great work. If I ever have anything more exciting to report than flying across the Straits of Mackinac and snowmobiling for five hours to sell a house on Mackinac Island in March, I will let you know. Marsha
Good grief, Marsha, that is not exactly dull! You must be one dedicated salesperson.
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After the April issue was published I heard from Mary Beall, whose mother will be 90 this year. Many happy returns! Mary is still working and spends her leisure time camping, although the 1960's version of sleeping-bag-on-the-ground-in-a-pup-tent-while-eating-C-rations has been upgraded to a well-equipped travel trailer with all the modern conveniences. Summers in Phoenix almost demand a weekend getaway in the mountains.
I know Dennis Jackson has a cabin in the high country. Are there other campers in the class?
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Liz Amick Murtfeldt sent a note:
My biggest hobby right now is the grandkids. I'll attach our latest family photo which will soon need updating since our daughter is expecting her second in August.
I would say Liz is surrounded by a sea of happy faces. Keep us updated on the new arrival.
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In March, the Delaware Gazette conducted a poll. There were many various categories and readers voted online or by submitting paper ballots to the Gazette office. The results were tallied and presented on March 27 in a special edition, the "Best Of Delaware County." In the Shopping category, Robinson's Flower Shop, owned by classmates Don and Shirley Piper Robinson, was voted the Best Florist.
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On April 18, a magnitude-5.2 earthquake shook the midwest. Nick Firestone shared his experience:
We're in Columbus, IN, about 50 miles south of Indy. I was out walking (yes, at 5:37AM) and didn't feel or hear a thing. My wife, Marilyn, was at home in bed--about 2 miles away--and felt the house shaking. Our daughter and her family live in Bicknell, IN, which is about 15 miles northeast of Vincennes in southwestern Indiana. They felt the shaking and heard a loud boom, but didn't realize it had been an earthquake until we called them and told them the TV stations were reporting on it. Nothing like an earthquake to shake things up for spring!!!
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On the health front, Chuck Ellis is back on his feet following heart bypass surgery.
Mike Casey continues his fight but the chemo is taking a toll. We wish him all the best.
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Many people retire from their lifelong career and then decide to pursue an interest totally different. Roger Gledhill left many years of academia to manage a rock band! Here is how he tells it:
I am the manager for the rock group Cry Eloise. My role is to book them, to supply ideas, and to deal with conflict resolution. There is an annual "Vets Fest" which is a benefit for American Disabled Veterans. They have two stages for the bands: one is inside and one is outside with 26 bands playing one-hour slots from noon until 1:00 a.m. Cry Eloise was selected as the headliner band. We have had requests from as far away as Australia and Iraq for real time internet streaming of the event and to provide a video tape.
We have a presence on MySpace which allows us to have constant interaction with fans, other musicians, and people in the music industry.
We are currently nearing completion of our second CD. The band has always insisted upon playing totally original songs, but by popular request and by need to fill out a three-hour gig they have recently put together a few "covers" (classics written and played by other bands) like "Mustang Sally" and things of that era.
As far as rock genre goes, I think they fit in a slot like "Heart". All members of the band have a strong Christian ethic and have turned thumbs down on all of the kinds of ideas that make the group outrageous enough to be widely talked about. There is a certain model for becoming internationally famous that they won't succumb to. Recall Alice Cooper who used a live boa constrictor around his neck and whose very name was a gimmick. Recall Ozzie Osbourne who bit the heads off live rats. Recall The Who who busted up their guitars on stage. Recall "Bare Naked Ladies" who name was a gimmick. It seems that outrageousness is the secret to success in the rock world, perhaps because the more parents hate something about a group, the more teenagers seem to love them. The game seems to be style over musicianship. The band has been very creative about coming up with ideas, but all of them have been rejected due to strongly held principles.
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If you have six minutes to spare and would enjoy a good laugh, take the time to watch this video of a funny southern preacher.
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PONDERISMS -- ON AGING:
Old age is the most unexpected of all the things that happen to a man. --Leon Trotsky
The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been. --Madeleine L'Engle
Live your life and forget your age.
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MAY BIRTHDAYS:
Marsha Marshall Elliott
Mike Casey
Richard Baumgartner
Karen Baird Bollinger
Hope McLain Lynch
Vicki DeVries Mills
Mary Beall
These birthdays were listed in the class directory. If I have overlooked anyone, please let me know.
Do you have an interesting tidbit to share? A fun experience? A provocative opinion to discuss?
Let's put it before the class.
If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, what is the significance of a clean desk?
-Laurence J. Peter