We're back....

High School reunions are a big deal in Corry, PA. It is a part of who we are.  It's fun.  Now with our 50th reunion fast approaching, I find myself wanting to encourage classmates near and far to come if at all possible.  The more who come, the more memories to be shared and all that sort of thing.  And speaking of memories... here is what I recall of a few moments in time now almost 50 years ago. 

The year was 1967.  The month was probably May.  I was, for some reason that I don't remember, the person in charge of the Class of '67 gift committee.  Back then I would have been referred to as the chairmen.  We were not so PC in those days.  Anyway -- as such it was my job to speak with the high school principal and to agree upon a gift that our class could give to our school -- something fitting like another flag for the auditorium or a new podium or something we could afford with the money left in our account.  But --- no.  Much to my chagrin, our usually kind principal who favored smiles and red socks, was not receptive and was not smiling.  In fact he told me in no uncertain terms that our school did not want to remember the class of 1967 and that any money remaining in our class account would be taken and donated to the General Fund -- whatever that was. He then went on to point out to me the twenty-some diplomas he had spread out all over his desk and to explain that they were being withheld until damages were paid and offences made right.  Now I know very well that there are those of you out there who will have a better memory of all of this because you were actually involved, but...  you are not writing this blog, I am.  So, forgive me if I do not have all the details correct.  You can tell me what I left out when I see you at the 50th.  

The event as I recall was this...  a caravan of station wagons (remember those?) had moved from one nearby community to another and "borrowed" school mascot signs which were then placed inside our school.  As they were very large and metal, their placement did cause some damage as did the illegal entry to the building itself.  I was told that the Bison and Dragon were especially rough around the edges.  It was a scandal indeed.  I was never party to all the details, but amends were made, a local company replaced counters and funds suddenly appeared to make repairs.  Diplomas were not withheld thus enabling young men to move on their way to their futures. In particular -- one young man moved on to wander about in a loin cloth once in a while and on at least one occasion to lasso moving cars on Main Street where he was arrested by a fellow classmate. 

(I heard that the cannon in the city park is now permanently attached somehow. Just so you know.)  But I digress....

Lots of memories -- some fun, some not so much.  Anyway -- soon many of us will gather to celebrate both kinds of memories and all those in between. It is my hope that those who are still with us will be able to come home again or to stop into one of the gatherings throughout the weekend.  We grew up together and shared a lot of years - a lot of our lives.  What a gift to spend time with those who understand who another is at the core. There is something about sharing experiences that creates a bond.  Our class knows what it is like when your school actually does burn down and when young men go off to war. We also shared the lighter side -- proms, musicals, plays, all sorts of activities.... We have a great deal to talk about.  At one point in time, we wrote an entry for "Twenty Years From Now" for the Corrian.  Well now it is 50 years later. Let's get together and see where we are.

Please feel free to send the link to this blog to any members of our class. It would be so great to have a good turnout.  I don't know about you, but I am looking forward to spending time and reminiscing with others of our class.  It always was a special group. Below is a Date Saver that I found on Facebook that was posted by Maddy Jawdy Johnson. It has all the important information.  

CORRY AREA HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1967
50TH REUNION WEEKEND
JUNE 16, 17 2017

Friday – 7:00 p.m. - Get Together at VFW Pavilion

Saturday 11:00 a.m. - Corry Fest Parade
Class of ’67 Pirate Ship Float Entry
Parade Theme Pirates of the Caribbean

Saturday Night 5:00 p.m. – Class Picture at CAHS

Saturday Night 6:00 p.m. - Alumni Dinner at CAHS
The Corry HS Alumni Association is one of the oldest continuously running in the entire USA. The Class of '67 committee plans to attend and proudly represent our class and hope you will come and join us for the Roll Call of Classes that night.
 Great food and good time to stand with over 500 other Corry Alumni!!

Order dinner tickets by sending check or money order for $13/per ticket to Lisa Eastman, 820 East South Street, Corry, PA 16407 no later than May 20, 2017

Saturday - Class of ‘67 Get Together at VFW Social Hall immediately following dinner. Age appropriate music, light refreshments, fun surprises also included at no additional cost.

Contact -Maddy maj707@verizon.net (814 664-4877) or Linda 814 664-5423 linda.vanderschaaff@yahoo.com
Find us on Facebook page -Corry High Class of ’67 Reunion. You are also welcome to visit corryalumni.com to see their posts

In order to move our 50th Reunion Alumni Weekend plans forward we could use your financial support. Accepting cash, checks, stocks, bonds, jewelry, leftovers from your kids college funds, lottery proceeds, etc. Make Checks Payable To: CAHS CLASS OF 1967. Mail to: Lisa Eastman, 820 E. South Street, Corry, PA 16407. Your donation and dinner ticket cost can be combined in one check.
HELP PUT A SMILE ON OUR FACES - LET US HEAR FROM YOU Plans brought to you by Mary Bosak Schill, Candy Chircuzio Frontera, Clancy and Kris Lawson Walsh, Ted Bauer, Ed and Donna Culbertson Malek, Bob and Mary Migliaccio Palmer, Cary Saxman, Sue Elmquist Jaquith, Dixie Swanson Anderson, Vonnie McIntyre Orton, Lisa Eastman, Linda Miscik Triscari, Charise Ohrn Loringer, Paul Kubich, Rex Messinger, Janet Auer Way, Larry and Jerry Harrington, Linda Wolcott Vanderschaaf, Maddy Jawdy Johnson.
Area Lodging:Cobblestone Inn, Route 6, Corry; Ottaway Inn - West Church Street, Corry 814-665-9301; Something Special Suites - North Center Street, Corry 814-664-9444 Victoria on Main - East Main Street, Corry 814-664-3823; Pennsylvania Gast-Haus - Mechanic Street, Spartansburg 814-654-7700 www.PaGast-Haus.com; Peek n' Peak Resort - www.pknpk.com; Holiday Inn Express - Findley Lake, NY; Holiday Inn, Warren Pa

So... all that being said -- A huge thank you from all of us on the fringes to those who are working so hard to bring us all together. To fellow classmates out there -- keep checking Facebook for details on the reunion.  For now -- pencil in the dates June 16th and 17th on your calendar.  Better yet use a pen.  

We're still here and "We're back" -- whether the school wanted to remember us or not.  Let's get together and share the memories.   

Happy New Year!

It is the eve.  Tomorrow is the day to begin writing 2017.  Translation – tomorrow is the day I should remember to start writing 2017 ...as well as the day I should take down the Christmas tree.  I would not bet the ranch on my success in doing either.  Needless to say I will be bringing the New Year in with all the traditions that I have established over the years – no resolutions and sleeping throughout the ball drop.  Oh – last year -- at some point near the end of 2015 -- I wrote down three dreams to work on in 2016… (Some of you may remember that I did this in lieu of the whole resolution "thing".  I encouraged you to do the same.  Did You?)  Anyway -- my dreams were:

                   Finish Views from the Porch (the book I am working on)

                   Submit it for publication

                   Work on the Pencilbox (this blog) …keep the focus…

So – the book is not finished, but about 30 chapters are at a publishing company in NYC waiting patiently to be read. They have been waiting now for 7 months.  I figure I should hear something by February - maybe. The blog is enjoying a hiatus of late… but I did finish a full 100 blogs over the past two years…so that is something.  

Think I will make a dream list this year as well.  Will give it some thought.  Becoming more mindful comes to mind immediately.  I, for example, have been trying to remember to listen to the sounds of morning when I wake up.  So far the only noticeable thing is the house reacting in various ways to the winds and cold of Northwest Pennsylvania snow country.  Then I try not to focus on my bones doing that same thing. 

The most important thing I have to say today though is that I wish you all a wonderful 2017... may you realize at least some of your dreams.  

100th From Pencilbox to Keyboard

Funny how looking back on time makes it seem like it has passed so quickly.  In the Fall of 2014 I took a course at the local Higher Ed because I wanted to know what a blog was.  My first blog was posted on October 30th of that year with the help of my most patient and knowledgeable instructor, Chelsea Oliver. Now in what seems like no time at all -- today is the 100th blog that I have written and posted on Google Blog Spot, and From Pencilbox to Keyboard has been viewed over 12,000 times. Blogging has been an amazing and positive experience... thanks to all of you who read it, and sometimes take time to react, comment and even to share.  

Developing a reader base has been a slow process but -- today I have readers all over the world -- popularity varies from day to day - country to country depending on some unknown and unidentifiable reason. Sometimes I have a bunch of readers in Romania or France and then at other times, it is in Mexico, China and Poland. Go figure. Interestingly -- although I have a lot of readers in almost thirty other countries in which English is not the native language, I have very few readers in the UK or Canada.  How do I know this? Google Blogger tracks it all -- not specifics on individual readers, just the country that is linking in. I have had individuals from faraway places comment on Blogger itself and have been able to have "conversations" with them. I had one message from a CEO of some logistics company in Sweden who enjoyed my writing about my grandchildren. It is reassuring to see that there are certain values that are shared by people all over the world. (We should concentrate more on these shared values and less on the differences, methinks.) Anyway - it has been a wonderful learning experience all the way around.  What I love the most, have to say, are the comments and "likes" on Facebook -- these are from people I know and especially care about. Thank you all for reading, commenting and sharing.  I appreciate you.  You have expanded my world. 

My intent from the beginning of this blog was to reach out to those I refer to as "Maturing" Baby Boomers. I, of course, include myself in this most special group.  There are a great many of us out there, yet we do not always remember that we are not alone in the particular challenges of our times.  I personally like to be quietly reminded once in a while that I am not alone -- that I am not standing on a cliff screaming into the wind. Plus -- it is reassuring to know that others also sometimes feel sort of "out of it".  The thing is -- ironically -- it doesn't really bother me to be "out of touch" in some ways.  I, for instance, wouldn't know Beyonce, Rihanna, or Britney Spears if I ran into them on the street, and... I don't care in the least. So -- that being said -- I know that, even if at times a bit out of touch with each other and with the outside world, we are a good bunch -- we have given a lot to the world and still have a great deal to offer.  Yet -- we need each other sometimes to reaffirm our worth, to commiserate about our difficulties and to join together in laughter... that last may be the most important of all. Laughter is a supportive and positive bonding for sure. 

Anyway -- at the end of this 100th post, I thank you all, most sincerely for reading, commenting and sharing.  I appreciate you. You "get it". Thanks for being there. I am proud to be one of you.  Go Boomers! "May the Force be with you."

As Summer comes to an end...

As Summer comes to an end and some of us begin to settle in for a long winter, I share with you the titles of some of my favorites books of late. I rarely recommend books, but for what it is worth...

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry    Gabrielle Zevin

The Mr. Mercedes trilogy    Stephen King

1. Mr. Mercedes
2. Finders Keepers
3. End of Watch

The Ice Limit and Beyond The Ice Limit   Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

The Girl on the Train   Paula Hawkins

Sarah's Keys    Tatiana de Rosnay

Hope you will consider sharing some of your favorite titles as well.  We all need to add to our list of "Must Read".  What is it that "they" say?  "So many good books; so little time."

A Wise Man Once Wrote

Many years ago when a dear friend of mine died most unexpectedly, someone forwarded to me a letter that he had written to one of his aunts and uncles following the death of their son.  The words of this letter have remained with me as some things do from time to time, and today I want to share his idea with you.  I know that people of a certain age have the loss of loved ones in common, and it is my hope that his words will be a help to you at some point as they continue to comfort me. 

In this letter -- my friend wrote that he always found it to be important to take some of what is the best of the person you have lost and to make those qualities a part of who you are or of who you wish to become. In that way -- each one of us lives on in another. It is a bond of love and respect. There is no higher tribute.

My family lost a most special person earlier this week.  I hope to be able to take even a little bit of her courage and strength and to make it a part of who I am. This is my tribute to her... my remarkable cousin... Kathy Buesink.  

I do so love a happy crowd....

Those of you who have been reading "From Pencilbox to Keyboard" for a while know that I am the kind of person who cries at parades...the kind of person who loves all things small-town America. This past weekend was the ultimate of that type of experience, and I have to say that I enjoyed every minute of it.  

My daughter was a vendor at the North East, PA Wine Fest and it was a happening. I was her helper.  Not only was her booth of LuLaRoe clothing a hot spot of activity, but...it provided me the opportunity to people watch Friday evening, all day Saturday and then again on Sunday afternoon.  The weather, although a little chilly, was sunny and dry. Perfect... People were not only celebrating the local and regional wines, but also the beginning of Autumn and the break from this past summer's heat.  Fun... fun... fun....

There were all kinds of unique and wonderful items for sale in North East's Gibson Park. I personally bought an outside metal bird that is taller than I am.  (It makes me smile.) There were pony rides, people walking around on stilts, young people boisterously stomping grapes, wine bars, horse drawn wagon rides, a continuous flow of live bands, and food... food... food. There were babies in buggies, seniors with walkers, little children skipping about -- the entire range of humanity (plus a large variety of dogs) -- and -- almost everyone had a smile on his or her face. My personal favorites were those who walked around with necklaces of pretzels to nibble as they walked through the park -- many with glasses of wine in hand or hanging in wine glass holder necklaces so that they could sip as they moved through the festival.  Amazing. Why have I never driven over the hills to North East to attend this before?  

The weekend was encouraging and comforting in these crazy times. It was a welcome return to the positive of the small town experience. I had heard that this Wine Fest draws a crowd of as many as 30,000 people, and I do believe that is so.  I personally met people who came from New Hampshire, Georgia, Florida and Wisconsin -- not to mention from a ton of places closer by in Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio.  They all had one thing in common -- they were having a wonderful time.  Nice, isn't it?  It's a most pleasant diversion from the current events of the national and international level. I do so love a happy crowd... especially if it is celebrating "things" of small-town America. 

Like Herding Cats

Musing of the day...

As I continue to work my way through this lifetime, I make a serious attempt to be mindful of my surroundings -- of people with whom I interact or meet in passing -- of the sounds, smells and movements of the world around me. The thing is -- it's easy to forget to remember to be mindful.  Today I am thinking about why that is. Here's what I am thinking -- there is sort of an internal dialog that goes on inside my head all day and that narrative sometimes distracts me from being aware...of being mindful.  Does this make sense?  I guess I am thinking about what I need to do, what I want to do, what I have to do.  It's a prioritizing...a multi-level organizing, and let us not forget the time spent in wondering what it is that you were going to do or where the car keys went. You know -- the experience of passing through a doorway and standing in the room wondering what it is that you came to get or to do?  The only comparison I can think of is that this "thinking" sometimes blocks awareness of the outside world much in the way that children playing and asking questions can make things so chaotic that you can't even string enough words together to make a complete sentence.  Sometimes life is so scattered that it is hard to focus on it...to be as mindful, aware, in tune... as you would like to be. Then again -- sometimes it isn't fun to focus and escaping into a world of meandering thoughts is pleasant.  I guess balance is the goal.  Then again again -- maybe even thinking about this escape is a type of "mindful" introspection.  What do you think? I think the whole concept is a bit confusing. Trying to sort it out is like herding cats.