Be aware, the "Message Forum" is NOT password protected.  Unlike profiles that are password protected, anybody who gets to this webpage can see what is written here.  Nobody can contact you directly based on this forum unless you reveal your personal contact information.  Use the "Message Center" for sharing personal contact information with another classmate.

This message forum is an ongoing discussion about anything and just about everything ... within reason.  One thing our class was good at was having opinions.  Almost 70 years of life experience certainly qualifies us as experts on most everything!   Ask a question ... give an opinion ... share some insights ... it's our web site, it's our forum.  That said, it's probably not a good idea to get into arguments about politics, religion, and the like.  While we're experts on everything, we also have a wide range of values and beliefs. This site belongs to all of us ... the whole range ... and we are not here to isolate, alienate, or subjugate anybody.  Of course insults, humiliation, sophomoric barraggadocio, and demented humor is expected behavior among some of us less mature people.
 

Garry Sellers

Here's a Christmas present to all courtesy of the Piano Guys:   (must watch in full screen):

Lauren Dieterich

Thanks, Gary

And,  Merry Christmas to all of the Class of '62.

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Thanks for the beautiful Christmas video, Garry. I wanted to let you all know that our classmate Jeanne (ZInser) Gottschalk could use some cheering up and prayers right now. She was on a river cruise in Germany and her husband Robert had to be hospitalized in Cologne with a serious infection. They had to leave the tour, and they are spending their holidays in the ICU. Was wonderfing if anyone has friends or family in the Cologne area that might be able to give her some support?  It is a miserable way to spend the holidays!

Jim Cejka

Terri,

Thanks for the note. The same thing happened to our neighbors down in San Diego when they were on a river cruise a couple years ago. She had a stroke. River cruises can be detrimental to your health?

Kenneth Pallaske

Happy New Year to all of my fellow classmates! Please be carefully if you are partying tonight and driver safely with a designated driver. Peace to all in the new year, 2016.

Jim Cejka

Happiness

 is when you realize 

your kids turned out to be 

genuinely good people.

And may that and all your other happinesses continue next year.

Jim Cejka

Taps . . .

R.I.P Trapper

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

I am writing this post with the sad news that Jeanne (Zinser) Gottschalk's husband Robert passed away in Cologne Germany this morning as a result of a systemic blood infection and pneumonia. They were on a river cruise when he was hospitalized just before Christmas, and the infection overwhelmed him. Jeanne now faces these end-of-life tasks alone; our prayers, messages and thoughts of support are needed and will be much appreciated. Her e-mail address is rgottschalk@wi.rr.com

Jim Cejka

Lauren Dieterich

Right knee bad, left knee worse. I have no cartilage left in any of my joints. I'm paying for a job that i had, 47 years ago.

Jim Cejka

Well, of course: (It's short and listen carefully.)

http://wkrn.com/2016/01/22/shirtless-wisconsin-man-walks-through-downtown-nashville-in-snow-storm/

Cecile Brice (Wudy)

Thought this message was worth the post:

From a Facebook post =

A teacher in New York was teaching her class about 'bullying' and gave them the following exercize to perform...

She had the children take a piece of paper, told them to crumple it, stomp on it and really mess it up -- but not to rip it.  Then she had them unfold the paper, smooth it out and look at how scarred and dirty it was. She then told them to tell it they're sorry.  Now, even though they said they were sorry and tried to fix the paper, she pointed out all the scars they left behind.  And explained that those scars will never go away, no matter how hard they tried to fix it.  --  That is what happens when a child bullies another child; they may say they're sorry, but the scars are there forever!

The looks on the faces of the children in the classroom told her the message hit home.

Garry Sellers

Well said Cecile.  Thanks for sharing.  In retrospect, these days I wonder how many of us crumpled up somebody's paper ... whether intentional or just through insesitivity.   I was pretty oblivious to that stuff back then.  But somehow they're getting even with me!  I'm wrinkled all over the place and no matter how hard I try, I can't smooth them out ... they just move to a new spot!!!  Now I know it's because I was bullied long ago.

William Nelson

I really liked your "parable" Cecile. I copied and shared it with my Facebook friends and at least six of them shared it with their friends.One thing I liked was that I didn't have to fact check it. If it was true, or not, the point it made was very valid and I think that would be a good lesson for anyone. Thanks for sharing it with us!

Lauren Dieterich

My first year at Custer there was a kid as tall asI was ( then ); but, maybe 30 pounds heavier. I was pretty skinny, then. Who thought that it was funny to pick on me. I took it for awhile. But, one afternoon as we were leaving, in the hallway that went past the parking lot, I reached my limit. He never physically touched me. But, I ripped him a new one and everyone in that hallway either saw it or heard it. I embrrrassed the hell out of him. That was better than beating up on him; or, at least trying to. He was super nice to me for the rest of the time there. 

Jim Cejka

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

Cecile, I really liked the lesson you shared about bullying. I copied it and will share it with my teacher friends. I don't know if they have this in other places, but here in Cupertino, CA we have a program in the schools called "Project Cornerstone" that is wonderful. It  is run completely by volunteers - mostly parents - who read a story related to bullying once a month to every class, starting in Kindergarten. Then they have the kids do an activity each time - similar to the crumpled paper exercise. They purposely want people from the community - not the regular teacher - to do it because then the kids are hearing a different voice; and the more different voices they hear telling the same message, the more effective it is. Bullying has been greatly reduced in our schools - I can see it when I go in to substitute. Usually now the only bullies are kids who have come from some other district, wanting to "establish themselves". But when these kids enter a school with a culture of not bullying, they turn around eventually. Okay, Jim - the groundhog is not a meteoroligist; but at least everybody knows what a groundhog is!

Lauren Dieterich

If a woodchuck could chuck wood, how much wood would a woodchuck, chuck. aka, groundhog.

Jim Cejka

Depends on if he has to take temperature, wind, barometric pressures, etc, or if he can concentrate on the woodchucking.

Lauren Dieterich

Actually, the woodchuck doesn't have to do any of that. All that he has to do is give the Weather Service room to set up a mini weather station with an automatic satellite feed.

Jim Cejka

Go Navy!

Great surprise of songs I even heard of.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/lXlHv1-YPxM?rel=0&autoplay=true

Jim Cejka

Or Garry, try these guys:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOJsczJTJk0

Garry Sellers

Not bad Jim!  I love jazz guitar.  And speaking to your previous posting, why not just go see "Jersey Boys"?  If you haven't, it's well worth seeing and certainly takes you back to those years. There's about 10 or so touring companies at any one time so they're never too far from where you are ... unless you live Milwaukee!.  I've seen it several times and although I think Frankie Valli is a punk, he's a very talented punk.  Have there been any oldies better than "I've Got You Under My Skin" or "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"?   Also, don't forget that the Piano Guys are in Milwaukee in a few weeks!  Bet you can't find tickets.

And speaking of Milwaukee, what was the high on Valentine's Day?  Anybody back there notice the weather for the Super Bowl or the Pebble Beach Pro Am?  May hit 80 here tomorrow ... much to our dismay.  WE NEED RAIN!

Lauren Dieterich

Garry, 

   We've had a couple of low 80 degree days and several high 70's in the last 2 weeks, here in Arizona. Phoenix is supposed to hit 90 on Thursday. Bullhead City is about 20 miles north of where Arizona, California, and Nevada meet; across the river from Laughlin, NV. We are always within a few degrees of whatever temoerature that Phoenix is. Back to Michigan in 3 months.

Jim Cejka

I wonder . . .

If we can save an average of $500 dollars by switching to Geico, 

and $550 by switching to Progressive,

and at least $396 if we defect to Allstate, 

plus 60% or more through AARP,

won't we eventually reach a point where we won't have to pay anything?