I WAS JUST THINKING. I have been misled. Life is not box of chocolates. It s a tin of mixed nuts at best.

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1 V 41 E: 8 D : D 24, 2014 E : Scott Brisbin I WAS JUST THINKING. I have been misled. Life is not box of chocolates. It s a tin of mixed nuts at best. What s Inside: Editor s Rant Last Meeting Future Meetings Health and Welfare Meanwhile in Canada Snickers and Guffaws Animal Instinks The Last Word The Club s Grand Poobahs: President: Ray Davis; Vice President: Bill Aus n Past President: Lawrence Zalasky Treasurer: Erik Braun Secretary: John Williams Registrar: Dorne Hunt Directors: Rick Craddock, Art Merrick, Peter Sachatsky, Gordon Stewart EDITOR S RANT Christmas Bah! Humbug! Those words are fresh in my ears again this year as Calli and I attended our 6 th performance of A Christmas Carol at Edmonton s premier professional theatre, the Citadel. We aren t obsessed. We don t worship the words of Dickens. What we do have is a grandson who, for the second year in a row, is Tiny Tim. By bringing friends to see the show, we support Will s work. Having almost memorized the script ourselves, this show delivers. There is something new & different each time we go. From subtle audience reactions between matinee and evening performances to a view of the stage from seats with fresh sightlines, to being mesmerized by a riveting portrayal of Mr. Scrooge by two actors with equal skill sets, yet very unique interpretations. All this brings a fresh dimension to the undeniable enjoyment of seeing our nine year old grandson, on stage. By the way, He does not have an understudy for the performances and his 10

2 to 12 hour days could be worrisome. As we were coming home this week, I kept running the play s theme through my head... Change. It is as much a part of our lives as breathing, yet like Scrooge, we can all too often believe we have had too many birthdays or have become so set in our ways that we feel helpless to initiate change. One of the first things our parents did for us was to change us. One of the final assaults on our dignity will likely occur when someone, a relative or hired stranger tries to change us again. We lurch along between Pampers and Depends. In between those two bookends of life, we own the ability and responsibility to change ourselves. We can hold tight to the course we have set for ourselves because often, that is how we mapped our ultimate success. Sadly, steadfast can also turn into stubborn and that can land us squarely on the rocks. Can anyone look back and find a different path we might have taken that could have avoided discomfort, extra work or even a tragedy? I, for one, believe that even the mistakes I have made over the years have ultimately lead me in as good or better directions, painful as the journey might have been. Can we ever reach the point where we are too far down life s path to adapt and change? That would mean there are no choices left to make. Life without choices is a script. It is not a life. Even Scrooge changed. God bless us everyone. Dear Santa, All I want this really cool remote. I keep various ones I year is a universal losing the have now.

3 LAST MEETING: President s Christmas Party The Evening was full of highlights and lowlights. The low came early as our hostess Lynn Davis took ill and ended up getting a ride in an ambulance to the hospital, much to everyone s concern. Trooper that she is, she gave a touching grace before succumbing to her discomfort. We are pleased to report that she is home and on the mend. The meal was, as it is each year, a fine inauguration to the holiday season unless you are a turkey. Few exercised the self restraint that might befit our age group but all survived. The highlight of the evening followed desert when a new member was inducted. Paul and Maryanne West were welcomed to the Gyro family after Don Greig did the formal installation work. WELCOME WESTS!

4 NEXT MEETING: DARTS NIGHT January 7th, 2015 Start the new year right by drinking in the basement and throwing miniature missles at the wall. It all takes place at the GCCC at the usual time. You can take a break and soak up the booze upstairs where, as always, the club is treated to fine gastronomic treats from the German Club kitchen. Hen it will be back downstairs to have at that wall again. There will be prizes or trophies or something at stake. Please make sure that Herb Zmurchuk or Don Greig know you re coming. Contact them TODAY. AND THE MEETING AFTER THAT: BILLIARDS Jan. 21st The location is still a mystery, but after shooting darts in the basement on the 2nd it is bound to be a step up. It occurs to me that we will also be graduating from using small pointy metal and feather weapons to long pointy wooden ones. We need to remember the signature line of a famous TV cop show from the 80 s Let s be careful out there. Jeff Malott is the guy to contact with news of your intentions. Ever notice that the people who tell you to calm down are the same people who got you upset in the first place? HEALTH AND WELFARE: We are relieved and tickled pink that Lynn Davis is home and feeling much better after her dramatic attempt to hijack an ambulance just before dinner on the evening of the 14th. You missed a fine meal, Lynn, but we missed you even more.. Do you ever go on You Tube thinking you will just be on to watch a quick music video, then five hours later you find yourself watching a tutorial on how to talk to a giraffe?

5 Tis the Season

6 Cool stuff Dept. :

7 What says Merry Christmas be er than a unicycle and flaming bagpipes?!..or Angels playing Foosball

8 even christmas angels retire eventually

9 MEANWHILE IN CANADA Dept. And in Umurka.

10 SNICKERS AND GUFFAWS You can learn a lot about a person if you take the time to inject them with Sodium Pentothal

11 a

12 ANIMAL INSTINKS:

13 In a train from London to Manchester, an American was berating the Englishman sitting across from him in the compartment. "The trouble with you English is that you are too stuffy. You set yourselves apart too much. You think your stiff upper lip makes you above the rest of us. Look at me... I'm me! I have Italian blood, Greek blood, a little Irish blood and some Spanish blood. What do you say to that?" The Englishman lowered his newspaper and replied, "How very sporting of your mother.. ************** NORAD INSISTED ON IT.

14 And the last word: JOYEUX ABCDEFGHIJKMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ! (Yup.. No L) SB