JAN 16, 2020

 MEMBERS PRESENT:
 

Katherine Flotz, Beverly Stanislawski, Al Koch, Mike Ripley, Dennis Mclean, Amy Brailey, Pam Maud, Ruthann Graczek, Hardarshan Valia, Marlene Starcevich, Gail Galvan

GUESTS PRESENT:

Philip Wielgus, Diane Alicea 

OLD BUSINESS:

A vote of approval for the January 2, 2020 meeting was first given by Dennis Mclean and seconded by Katherine Flotz

READINGS:

AL KOCH read his essay entitled “Journey to a Degree” that displayed glimpses of his sojourn to becoming a teacher. It began at age of 23 bringing in life-changing events: socially, economically, and personally. Juggling his way through arduous journey, he was able to fulfill personal responsibilities, obligations, commitments, duties, and promises. However, after more than 50 years, the journey still continues per a stanza in Robert Frost’s poem “ Stopping by the Woods One Snowy Evening:” ‘The woods are lovely dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep. And miles to go before I sleep.’

Marlene Starcevich read a chapter from her book-in-progress entitled George Joseph, The Rescue Cat which deals with author’s journey coping with family illness, family death -- and a very special cat named George.  The author poignantly describes a daughter’s dilemma when her 90-year old mother wishes to return back to her own home after recuperating from illness. She reluctantly comes to terms with granting her mother’s wishes. However, dilemma arises when mother asked for one of the two cats that were author’s pet. After much discussion, mother agreed to adopt a rescue cat and proposed the name “George” after her father’s name. The continuity of connectivity to love through generations, and into the future, was movingly presented in this story..

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI read “The Puzzle Pro” narrating the story of Preston Crawford, a businessman, who has a “silent” battle over a crossword puzzle and the stranger who “stole” his newspaper. The tension builds as Preston is in a race to finish the crossword puzzle before the stranger completes the same puzzle. The desire of revenge overpowers Preston. At the end of the story, the stranger humbly explains his winning strategy to Preston. 

DENNIS MCLEAN read his four short free-verse poems. In his poem  “Directions”  the he laments about the human right abuses that come from all directions.  The next poem, “The Past, the Present, and the Future” describes how broken promises of hope have always been a constant factor in the vastness of time and space.  “More on Time (or Moron Time)” Dennis sheds light on how time creates its own elusive dreams about promises of a better future.  His last poem, “Strange Worlds” ponders upon the perpetual motion of the spirits with no place to call their home.

MIKE RIPLEY read his story entitled “Avoid the Night.” It narrates a mayfly’s flight to the west to avoid nightfall. As nightfall approaches, the mayfly finds beauty of life in the arms of a rose flower. Its end of life metaphor conveyed beautifully that is hard to find in today’s literature. 

Amy Brailey continued with Chapter 15 of her book  Joe Everett and the Hall of History. Marching towards Fort Duquesne, Jon notices Lieutenant Colonel Gage is looking for someone. When two spies return and Gage continues to search, Jon realizes someone has not returned. 

Pam Maud read from Chapter 1, Part 2 of her book-in-progress entitled God’s Fingernail. Linda puts the final touches on the preparation for the family’s last camping trip of the season. In the process, Linda empties a cash box and gives it to her friend without noticing the content of the cash box, which she figures her husband Dale will sort it out at a later date. After the friend leaves, Linda awaits for Dale’s return hoping he arrives early for the trip.

Gail Galvan before reading her two poems “Fiercely at Play” (Dedicated to Max Ehrmann) and “Afternoon Near the Tippecanoe,” She introduced attendees to the writings of Max Ehrmann, American writer, poet, and attorney from Terre Haute, Indiana. He is widely known for his 1927 prose poem “Desiderata” (Latin: “things desired”). In the first poem “Fiercely at Play,” Gail describes how Max Ehrmann’s poem inspired her to heed the simple remembrance of nature’s rewards and heartfelt deeds while taking blissful strides through pathways of her own life. In the second poem “Afternoon Near the Tippecanoe,” the she describes her gratefulness to “all creative life jackets thrown at her during her poetic travels both on land and when tried to walk on creative waters.”

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:30 P.M.

Respectfully submitted by:

Hardarshan Valia, Jan. 20, 2020

January 3, 2020

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Sharon Palmeri, Sharon Buckman, Katherine Flotz, Beverly Stanislawski, Al Koch, Mike Ripley, Bob Philpot, Dennis Mclean, Amy Brailey, Pam Maud, Diane Stratton, Ruthann Graczek, Hardarshan Valia, Marlene Starcevich, Gail Galvan

GUESTS PRESENT:

Philip Wielgus 

OLD BUSINESS:

A vote of approval for the November 21, 2019 meeting was first given by Al Koch and seconded by Ruthann Graczek

NEW BUSINESS:

Katherine Flotz reminded members about the membership dues for the year 2020

 LITERARY NEWS:

Beverly Stanislawski mentioned that her poem “Just the Sound of it” received Second Place Honorary Mention in the Florida State Poetry Contest. Her two other poems, entitled “Something Blue” and “Beach Buddies” received Third Place Honorary Mention in the Florida State Poetry Contest.  Dennis McClean has sent his manuscript to The Flying Turtle Publishers.  Hardarshan Valia mentioned about his trip to India where he was emptying his long-departed father’s trunk filled with books and to his surprise he found Hoosier Horizon Children’s Magazine circa 1998-1999 Volume 5 that contained his son’s poem.  Sharon Palmeri then explained the background about the W.O.H. Hoosier Horizon Children’s contest that published winning poems by elementary school students in participating schools of Lake, Porter, LaPorte counties in Indiana and Lake County in Illinois.  She also mentioned that there had been an average of 47 elementary schools who participated yearly from 1993 till year 2000 when W.OH. ceased the publication.

READINGS:

AL KOCH read his essay entitled “2020” that narrated passing of the year 2000 with an amusing look about dire predictions with Y2K ending after 20 years with nothing but a change about date on the calendar about a number 20. He elaborated how the number 20 historically equals a ‘score’ whereas the new year 2020 now can be called “double score.” On a personal level of his, he tied it to good eye vision of 20/20 and how it created hardships during his childhood and the ways he conquered it

MIKE RIPLEY read the opening chapter of “Lake Stories Part 2.” With the first edition of Lake Stories complete, the lake is again the star in the second book in the trilogy.  The familiar narrator opens the winter skating season with a mishap at an ice-fishing hole left to trip up an un-suspecting skater gliding across the ice. He is that skater. The hole traps his leg in the freezing water and has another surprise in store when something underneath the ice grabs his foot and tries to pull him through the narrow hole.

DIANE STRATTON reminded about real meaning of Christmas through her story entitled “Grace Goes Round and Around.” The narration begins with the Faith Formation Director at a church who is busy organizing the collection of gifts for needy. Problems arise when two more people want to donate but there are no more recipients available and also when a gift is provided that can’t be matched to a recipient. Unexpected turns provide solutions to all the problems and grace surrounds them all. 

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI brought her three beautiful poems that received honorable mention place in Florida Poetry Contest.  The first poem was a free verse entitled “Something Blue” that described how a bride prepared herself using some of her grandmother’s gifts that she herself had used on her own marriage. Getting support from old, something borrowed, how she is preparing to step into the new world filled with love. The second poem was a highly imaginative rhyming poem entitled “Just the Sound of It” that describes various sounds originating in the universe and what role they play while a poet is writing a poem, beautifully summarized in one line “Ears hear what eyes have seen.” The third poem was a free verse entitled “Beach Buddies” that took us through the memory lanes of fun-filled days of childhood spent on a beach. 

DENNIS MCLEAN read “Flatboat” telling of the boat journey along Sugar coast of Louisiana on the Mississippi river that Abe Lincoln took with Allen Gentry in the month of May in 1828. The story shows how Abe and Allen thwarted pirate attempt during the river journey but also describes Abe’s inner feelings and dismay about slavery.

HARDARSHAN VALIA read his free verse poem entitled “Wolves at the Chattisgarh Express” published in The Sikh Review, December 2019. It describes about how a Shakespearean phrase from Hamlet “And to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” was incorporated into his poem.  

BOB PHILPOT continued with Chapter 5 of his novel Strange Friends, Chapter 5 – Double Ranch.” Cob and Zeb on their patrol through the Arizona desert reach a homestead ranch called Hutchison where sheriff’s men were stationed. They were greeted with most of the deputies but with some sarcasm. One even made a crude joke for which both tangled in friendly manner. As the unspoken command held them back, Zeb and Cobb took Sheriff into the next room away from other deputies where each tried to weigh each other’s gestures.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:15 P.M.

Respectfully submitted by:

Hardarshan Valia, Jan. 8, 2020

NOVEMBER 21, 2019

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Sharon Palmeri, Beverly Stanislawski, Katherine Flotz, Sharon Buckman, Bob Philpot, Amy Brailey,  Ruthann Graczek, Dennis McLean, John Hunt, Gail Galvan, Pam Maud, Mike Ripley, Diane Stratton

GUESTS PRESENT:

Savannah Allen, Zoe Staples, Alexandrya Cox, Thomas Pagan, Olivia Carroll, Alisha Roberts, Shirley Hinman

OLD BUSINESS:

A vote of approval for the November 7, 2019 minutes was given by RUTHANN GRACZEK and DENNIS MCLEAN

NEW BUSINESS:

KATHERINE FLOTZ reminded the members that our Christmas Party this year would be at Pappas Island in Crown Point on December 12, 2019.  Members would pay for their own meals and bring a book for the book exchange if they wanted to be in it.

READINGS:

JOHN HUNT read the beginning of his short story, “Eventide,” a tale of a married couple on the cusp of senior adulthood.  As the introduction reveals, the wife, Phyllis, appears disproportionately concerned with the appearance of their home.  Walt, her husband, meanwhile, has become withdrawn and preoccupied with his iPad as well as a project in the garage, the content of which has yet to be revealed.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI read her eight-stanza poem entitled, “The Real Thanksgiving Feast.”  The poem tells the real story of how the original Thanksgiving meal should have been told by the colonists who lived by the sea.  Since their provisions were sparse, there was no pumpkin pie and since there were no turkeys by the sea, they ate fish.

MIKE RIPLEY read the start of the feature story of his book, Dreamrail; Connected Short Stories.  The story is also called “Dreamrail” and features the narrator starting his own story, which later will lead to the collection of five writers, each telling their own tales.  In this first story, Samuel tells of his heroic part in the lives of families who were taken from their homes and held until he saved them.  He also put in a shameless plug for the book, which is available at amazon.com for just 99 cents (E-Book version.)

BOB PHILPOT continued with his book, Strange Friends.  This part of the book, (Chapter 4), begins with Cob’s horse getting spooked by a rattlesnake and starts to buck.  Complicating matters, a helicopter begins to circle overhead drowning out the rattle of the snake, which would have given Cob advanced notice.

DENNIS MC LEAN read four pages of his book, The Eye of the Gift Horse.  This part of the story begins with Morris and his gang intending on avenging Pete, who has been punished for his role in introducing an illicit picture to the classroom.  Their target is Bob Johnson, the boy who turned the picture in to the teacher.  They persuade Sidney to lure Johnson to a vacant wooded lot where they will be lying in ambush.

GAIL GALVAN read her seven stanza poem, “ A Million Songs.”  This lovely poem describes the importance of dreaming.  “If you never wish, if you never dream, you’ll never truly let yourself be you.”

DIANE STRATTON continued with her true story entitled, “Follow That Hunch.”  On a rainy evening, she saw an old woman walking and had a strong hunch to offer her a ride since she didn’t even have an umbrella.  Once she was in the car Diane asked where she lived, it became evident that she might have dementia from the way she answered.  The woman was able to produce an envelope with her address on it .  The elderly woman was quite a long distance from where she lived and believed she had someone walking with her.

PAM MAUD read her two-page short story entitled, “God’s Fingernail.”  The story starts with the revamping of a woman’s kitchen and the mess it entails while she tells her husband that she intends to start on his office after it is finished.  

AMY BRAILEY read her two-page short story entitled, “Save the Planet.”  The story tells when the Government is taken over by a militant environmental group, three teenagers use art as a way to rebel.

THOMAS PAGAN, a student guest, read his one page short story, which did not yet have a title.  The science fiction story began with a woman desperately needing assistance from Charlie-Delta squadron.  The squadron arrived on time to set up a biohazard decontamination system.

SAVANNAH ALLEN, ZOE STAPLES, ALEXANDRA COX, OLIVIA CARROLL AND ALISHA ROBERTS all brought their very original and colorful art projects and displayed them to the members.  They are all students of AMY BRAILEY.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 P.M.

Respectfully submitted:

SHARON BUCKMAN