MEMBERS PRESENT: Beverly Stanislawski, Diane Stratton, Amy Brailey, Bob Neuman, Judy Neuman, Sharon Palmeri, Shirley Hinman, Al Koch, Mike Musak, and Kathy Flotz.
MINUTES Read and Approved, Katherine Flotz, Shirley Hinman.
NEWS: AMY BRAILEY attended the 29TH Southern Illinois University Literary Festival, speaking on “Self-Publishing.” JUDY & BOB NEUMAN still working on their book, ZZZZZAPPed” for publication. New meeting dates given for rest of year, note changes.
READINGS:
JUDY NEUMAN shared two poems: “Clouds” left her wondering if God made them just for her, while “Tasty Thoughts of Childhood” reminded her of appetite-based memories from her childhood.
BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI presented three poems about mothers: “Motherly Love” showed the love of a mother for her baby; “Mom’s Not Right” gave several reasons why her mother wasn’t like other mother, but was right, anyway; and “The Family Quilt” explained how each loving patch on Grandma’s quilt was a family memory.
BOB NEUMAN gave us “Three Positive Words” based upon the three good words from a recent biopsy. They challenged him to think of other three-word statements as well as to challenge others to do likewise.
SHIRLEY HINMAN read her poem, “The Fence Was Gone.” This was a fiction narrative poem about Jack Russell’s frustration about his dog Scruffy and his fence being gone.
AL KOCH’s article, “Help Mom with the Dishes—One more Time” was a request to capture and to improve the quality of one’s character by employing core values to enhance and to enrich the gift of each day Helping Mom with the Dishes.
KATHY FLOTZ continues reading a part of The Journey. Michael, a former prison of a war camp, and Maria, who still did not know if her husband were alive or dead. They shared stories about their families, homes, and hardships. Maria gave Michael her husband’s coat, seeing the condition of his clothing, They both gave each other courage to go on.
MIKE MUSAK His story, “The New Fuel,” occurs in 1889, and electricity is the main fuel used in homes, before natural gas was discovered. The writing explores how introducing the “new” technology might have gone.
AMY BRAILEY’S “Cat Burglar” is another of her “finish-the-end” stories. A world-famous thief is foiled in his attempt to steal “La Peregrina,” a famous pearl. Did the cat play a part?
DIANE STRATTON offered “Garden Growing,” It reflected on how work and challenges of trying to grow and maintain flower beds are greatly eclipsed by the various surprises found in nature, along with the beauty and peacefulness also contained within them.
SHARON PALMERI continued her memoir with “Education Classes and More.” Sharon recounted this confusing time in her life where she had to juggle three totally opposite careers: teaching was managerial, the hospital was submissive, plus the freelance college newspaper and magazine role. Because of the multiple jobs, she once mistakenly wore hi-heels to work at the hospital, which led to comments on “the new dress code.”
MEETNG ADJOURNED at 7 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Beverly Stanislawski
