M-ongst Ourselves: Members at a Glance |
--Knock knock.
--Who’s there?
--My name is Susie and I write the monthly Members at a Glance column for the Mensa Newsletter and blah blah blah....
--Blah blah blah who?
--Uh...what? Anyway, tell me about yourself.....
Yes, members, that could be YOU blah-blah-blahing with absolutely no warning if you become a victim of the MAAG Ambush. Better contact me first if that knock knock joke scares you. (If it doesn’t, maybe contact a therapist?)
Let’s see who lives in our chapter this month...
Who turned 83 this summer? Clyde Austin. Clyde is a life member of six organizations and has certainly served his time well in Mensa--he’s a former eight-year President of Minnesota Mensa and Treasurer before that. He’s also a retired paper-hanger and decorating contractor who moved to Arizona 16 years ago. His favorite thing about retirement? Living in Arizona, of course. I spoke with Clyde right around Mensa election time, and he told me that he has voted in every national and local Mensa election since he joined; he considers it a privilege to do so. He learned to read before he was four years old, and names as some of his favorite authors James Michener and, on the lighter side, John MacDonald. If you’ve never read a Michener before, Clyde recommends you start with either The Source, the story of Israel from prehistoric times, or Centennial. I asked him for some advice for those of us who have less than 83 years of experience to guide us ... he said to always put away for savings "10 percent off the top" and to live within your means. Feel free to contact Clyde at 983-1269.
After Bob Eaton retired from state service, he and his wife Es went on an extended vacation to England, Scotland, and Wales, something he has wanted to do since he could read Winnie the Pooh. While there he discovered the excellence of single malt Scotch, so he now has another expensive hobby to go along with books, pistol and rifle shooting, and playing with his computer. Recently he’s been reading Ann McCaffrey, Julian May, David Saylor, Lindsey Davis, Lois McMaster Bujold, and Harry Turtledove (and why, he asks, does he keep thinking of Percy Dovetonsils?). (Let me also add, for my own self-gratification, that Bob, a former MAAM editor, congratulated me on the Ambush Tactic. So there.) You can contact Bob and Es at moth28@infinet-is.com or 730-9035.
If you want to experience "Serious Italian Food," get yourself over to Ristorante Bouno in the 3300 block of East Indian School Road, according to Charles Hawley. Chef Giuseppe is a genius of the culinary arts, and his wife makes pastries you have to taste to believe. Charles dines there monthly as part of a regular dinner party and says Phoenix is lucky to have this place. Charles recently read Missing Links (by an author named Reilly, a Sports Illustrated writer) and calls it "the funniest damn golf book I’ve ever read." Charles on Golf: "Those who can, play; those who can’t, play anyway." Charles collects first edition books from Algonquin Round Table authors, preferably with dust jackets. And here’s a tip: If you’re going to collect editions of 20th century books, you really want that dust jacket--the value skyrockets if it’s in good condition.
Choo choo! Greg Payne is an avid collector of model railroads. In fact, he’s the membership chair for the National Model Railroad Association in Arizona. Collecting model railroads involves building and operating them, as well as collecting relevant photographs. He sees an important purpose of the group as education -- telling people what model railroads are all about--and he’s willing to do that for you personally! Interesting in getting started or joining the association? Contact Greg. Or might you be interested in participating in a model railroad SIG? Well, you can all contact Greg at NGPayne@aol.com or 937-6272.
Antoinette Marie Sherman is an accountant for Poore Brothers--the potato chip company. (Yes, she does sometimes--I asked.) Guess which flavor is the top seller...answer at the end of the Glance. She and her husband are very active in the American Legion; she’s the membership chair for the Auxiliary. She highly recommends the organization if you are looking for a way to help others. One major beneficiary of the local group is underprivileged elementary school children in poor areas of town. Get this -- it’s not unusual, Antoinette says, for a school nurse to call the office when he or she has got kids without shoes or even underwear at school ... all of which (and more) are promptly delivered by Antoinette and her associates. There are also great fish fries and dances for the large local membership to enjoy. If you are interested in getting involved, or might have something to donate to the group, contact Antoinette at ToniS@poorebrothers.com. By the way, the top-selling chip? It’s the Jalapeno flavor, though Antoinette’s favorite is the Original and she is often complimented on those irresistible Salt and Vinegars.
S Gail Skvarenina and Gary Maycroft traveled east to celebrate Gary’s father’s 75th birthday in Sullivan, IL, and to attend the Cincinnati AG (Gail’s 19th and Gary’s 14th AG). Neither remembers how many RG’s they’ve attended, but a conservative guess is more than 50 -- including HalloweeM II in Chicago in 1977, where they first met. Five months later -- on April Fool’s Day -- they were married! Both have worked for Motorola for more than 11 years, and they do not expect to be affected directly by the recently announced "10 percent headcount reduction." Their July Games Night marked the start of their 12th year hosting the monthly event. You can contact Gail and Gary at GARYSGAIL@aol.com--or better yet, they say, come to Games Night and meet them in person.
Fitness enthusiast Sue Widemark (whose living room is better equipped than some gyms!) is thinking of starting a bicycle-riding SIG, so if you have suggestions for good days and times or would like to get involved, call her at 266-7769. (If you read her recent MAAM column about a bad bike spill, you’ll be happy to know that she did indeed get back on.) She also coordinates a fitness and health-related Internet newsletter, including news, analysis and FDA developments. If you’d like to get on that mailing list, contact her at SWidema@aol.com.
Mary Zimmerman’s business life revolves around income taxes, so she is incredibly busy the first four months of the year. This was a great career for her when her kids were small because she could be more flexible the other eight months. However, the kids are grown now, and she has a lot of time to offer some worthy cause or some entertaining pursuit. She is open to suggestions from all of you, Mensa Members, about worthwhile hobbies, service or charitable work, lecture series, and other activities that promote the expansion of mind and soul. If you want to contact Mary and promote your activity or plea for your cause, you can call her at 820-7656.
That’ll do it for this month. More Glances to come in the October issue--be sure to contact me with a Glance of your own. You don’t want me to GET OUT MY DIRECTORY, do you?!?