JUNE 9, 2022

MEMBERS PRESENT: 

KATHERINE FLOTZ, BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI, SHARON BUCKMAN, BOB NEUMAN, JUDY NEUMAN,

SHIRLEY HINMAN, AL KOCH, DIANE STRATTON

NEW BUSINESS/LITERARY NEWS:

ON JUNE 21, 2022, KATHERINE FLOTZ WILL GIVE A TALK IN A PRIVATE HOME AND SHE WILL HAVE MORE TO REPORT LATER ON THIS PRESENTATION. 

SHE ALSO RECENTLY SPOKE TO A GROUP OF 30 PEOPLE IN PARK PLACE, ST. JOHN, INDIANA.

READINGS:

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI READ HER FICTION STORY, “BIRDS OF A FEATHER”.    

IT DESCRIBES A BIRD WHO GETS TEASED BY OTHER BIRDS FOR HIS ODD LOOKS.  AFTER DAYS OF TEASING, HE GOES OFF INTO THE WEEDS FOR MONTHS.  LATER, HE HAS A CONTEST TO FIND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BIRD.  IT TURNS OUT TO BE HIM.  HE WAS A BIRD OF PARADISE.  ALL THE OTHER BIRDS WERE NAKED, HAVING PLUCKED OUT THEIR FEATHERS TO TRY TO WIN THE “BEAUTIFUL BIRD CONTEST”.

SHARON BUCKMAN SHARED HER SHORT STORY, “LUCK”.  IT IS ABOUT A MAN WHO OVERHEARD A WOMAN IN A RESTAURANT COMPLAINING ABOUT ALL HER BAD LUCK.  AFTER LISTENING FOR AS LONG AS HE COULD, AND THEN HE TOLD HER WHAT REAL BAD LUCK WAS LIKE AND IT WAS A TRAGEDY THAT GREATLY AFFECTED HIS FAMILY.   THE STORY SO IMPACTED THE COMPLAINER’S FRIEND THAT IT RESULTED IN UNEXPECTED, POSITIVE  DEVELOPMENTS.

THE REFLECTION READ BY BOB NEUMAN WAS ENTITLED:   “ GASSY THOUGHTS."   GEORGE BAILEY’S BANK, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, RICHARD EDWARDES, AND ME.”  THIS DETAILED RANDOM THOUGHTS HE EXPERIENCED WHEN FILLING HIS CAR WITH GAS DURING THIS RECENT, SIGNIFICANT SPIKE IN GAS PRICES DURING THE LATE COVID ERA INFLATIONARY TIMES.

JUDY NEUMAN DESCRIBED A PERSONAL MEDICAL EXPERIENCE AND HER REFLECTIONS ON IT IN HER PAPER ENTITLED, “ZZZZZAPPED!”  SHE TOLD ABOUT RECEIVING HER FIRST RADIATION TREATMENT AND LEARNING THAT SHE COULDN’T WASH THAT AREA AS USUAL.  SHE THEN WENT ON TO COMPARE PHYSICAL CLEANING WITH SPIRITUAL CLEANING.  HUSBAND BOB, ADDED HIS FINAL THOUGHTS AT THE END OF HER PAPER TO CLOSE IT WITH A HUMOROUS TOUCH.

SHIRLEY HINMAN SHARED HER POEM ENTITLED, “THE WATER”.  IN IT, SHE EXPRESSES WHAT MAKES THE INDIANA DUNES ONE OF HER FAVORITE PLACES.  HER VERSES TELL HOW THE QUIET CALM MOTIVATES HER AND PRINGS PEACE TO HER SPIRIT!  SHE ALSO DESCRIBES ACTIONS THAT MAKE IT FEEL TO HER THAT THE WATER HAS ITS OWN PERSONALITY. 

AL KOCH GAVE US A VIEW OF SPECIAL YEARS IN HIS LIFE WITH HIS NON-FICTION STORY ENTITLED, “GRADUATION BLUES”.  IN IT, HE DESCRIBES REACHING THAT MOMENTOUS LIFE EVENT, FACING AN UNKNOWN FUTURE AND HOW LIFE’S JOURNEYS & EXPERIENCES  LED HIM ALONG TO VARIOUS PATHS  THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.  HE SHARED HIS REFLECTION THAT MILESTONES  ARE LIFE LESSONS THAT ARRIVE WITH UNCERTAINTIES, ANXIETIES, AND APPREHENSIONS THAT CHALLENGE ONE’S MIND, HEART, AND SPIRIT.   HE TOLD US THAT ONCE LEARNED, THEY ENGENDER FAITH, COURAGE, AND STRENTH, WITH FRINGE BENEFITS OF CREATIVITY AND FEELINGS OF PERSONAL TRIUMPH.  BE NOT AFRAID.  THEY BECOME TREASURES OF LIFE.

 

THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 6:42 PM.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,

DIANE STRATTON

 

 

May 26, 2022

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Katherine Flotz, Sharon Palmeri, Beverly Stanislawski, Amy Brailey, Gail Galvan, Diane Stratton, Cindy Horgash, Bob Neuman, Judy Neuman, Trent Pendley, Sharon Buckman, Al Koch, and Diane Stratton.

GUEST: James Westerfield

 

 

 

NEW BUSINESS/LITERARY NEWS:   

 

Katherine Flotz gave a speech about her book, Pebble in My Shoe, at Park Place, St. John; Trent Pendley spoke about his book, Toys in the Closet, at the Indiana Jewish Historical Society at Porter Library; Amy Brailey had a book signing at Lake County Library, for her book, Behind the Veil.  

Discussion on obtaining two possible speakers for WOH: The NWI Times reporter Joseph Pete, for Indiana historical facts and cultural information, and Pastor Mark Wilkins of Faith United Methodist Church, for his Haunted Indiana books.

 

OLD BUSINESS: May 12  minutes approved: Katherine Flotz and Bob Neuman, with Bob’s name corrected.

 

READINGS : 

 

BOB NEUMAN Presented “Author, Author,” reflections drawn from a Chinese fortune cookie by a writer wannabee. The article included a quiz of famous people's statements with the answers.

 

JUDY NEUMAN read “The Unknown Soldier” a work that related questions she pondered after purchasing a picture of a U.S. soldier at a thrift shop

 

CINDY HORGASH brought “Count Them One by One,” a true short story of a life-threatening accident that turned tragedy into a purpose of blessing others.

 

TRENT PENDLEY offered part of a sequel to his book, Toys in the Closet, called  “Lewry Lurie.”  This section chronicled a week in the lives of the Franklin brothers who leave their Chicago penthouse and travel to Indiana’s Dunes to raise money to save areas around the Dunes.

 

AL KOCH spoke about “Rain” being Heaven’s response when the earth thirsts. In addition to nourishing, renewing, and refreshing all things on earth, rain serves as baptism for body, mind, and spirit. Like baptism, the benefits of rain are decided by the recipients upon whom the droplets fall.

 

KATHERINE FLOTZ offered “Marin’s Prayer” relating to a time when her granddaughter was lost and prayed for God to find her. “The Protector,” a Fibonacci Diamond poem, described an eagle perched atop a lofty evergreen protecting hummingbirds in the tree from nature’s attacks.

 

 

SHIRLEY HINMAN Her poem, “Mr. Fog,” was a set of quatrains that showed fog and dreariness lasting two whole days. Finally, the sun came and was stronger to push the fog away.

 

GAIL GALVAN dedicated her free verse poem, “The Little Boy—Unbroken,” to Al Koch. Al had bemoaned school incidents involving strict, Catholic nuns. Her poem praised him because he always “fought back,” preserving his humorous bones, and his precious heart. Gail’s second offering was an excerpt from her first-place novel in Heath, Science, Nutrition category, Sneezing Seasons (2013). The book was about allergies told from the perspective of an antibody named Henry inside the body trying to teach fellow antibodies, not to overreact.

 

AMY BRAILEY presented one of her several “endless” short stories in which the reader is to create an ending for the tale. This one, “The Phone Call,” begins when a woman asks Mr. Thomas to borrow his phone, and it sets in motion a series of events that could have apocalyptic consequences.

 

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI brought two poems: One, a Shakespearian sonnet, “Creative Juices,” told of trying to be creative, or reinventive, not stagnant. The other, a free verse, “Bubblicious,” described a bubblegum blower who wanted to be the Bubble King, but ended up encased in his masterpiece.

 

SHARON PALMERI read an article she wrote for the IUN newsletter the year she graduated that was dedicated to incoming freshmen. In the article, “Making the Grade”, she related some of her college experiences including sly professors, extended studying hours, becoming a survivor, growing emotionally, and most importantly, learning about herself. Sharon stressed the importance of graduating from the university more than just “book smart.” She stated that through education, she gained an abundance of confidence, pride, and satisfaction, which made her feel more confident than any diploma could. 

 

 

Meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.  

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Beverly Stanislawski