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The Retirees' Newsletter

The Faculty and Librarian Retirees' Association, University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada

Issue #19 -- October, 1996

A REGULAR FEATURE:

It was a "New York Day": cool, clear and exhilarating. I took the ferry from lower Manhattan to Staten Island -- a glorious ride with striking views of the skyline and the Statue of Liberty. By bus to Snug Harbor, once a retirement village for "ancient mariners", a perfect spot to explore on a perfect day. In one of its secluded squares Neptune's Fountain spouted streams of water high into the air. Seated nearby, an ordinary looking man writing assiduously on a single sheet of green paper suddenly stopped, looked up and snapped, "What time is it?"

"4.15". He jumped up, circled toward the opposite side of the fountain, waggled the green paper above his head. "I'm a writer and translator. French and German. Know any French playwrights?", he challenged.

"Molière!"

"Racine!", he flung over his shoulder.

"Giraudoux!", I shouted at his retreating back.

"Schiller!". He'd switched to the Germans.

"Brecht!". This seemed to stump him. I persisted, "You're a learned man".

"No I'm not. I'm a poet!"

"Walt Whitman!", I bellowed across the noisy fountain, but the game was over. My ordinary man had evaporated into thin air.

At sunset, going back on the ferry, Manhattan was a golden glow on the horizon and I swear Miss Liberty's torch had burst into flame.

WHAT A DAY!

The second meeting of the Computer Interest Group was held at my home on July 25th.

We had invited Sandy Tyndale, who does local consulting on computer matters and who had helped me hook up my machine to internet and updated some software for me. Sandy had just finished hooking up the Sociology Department's new computer room and came to offer advice and service to anyone in our group wanting his help (for a reasonable fee of course).

Our agenda was a bit loose, but everyone said they felt it was useful. Sandy said he would come and give us info as to how to do e-mail conferencing and some other tricks of use in the future if we invited him.

Anyone with suggestions for future meetings of the group should contact The Newsletter (the address is shown in this issue) or to anyone in the group. The group includes Bill Libby, Dave Booth, John LaGaipa, Bob Chandler, Bill Phillips, Bob Whitehurst, Ed Habib, Alan Brown, Joan Hackett, and maybe others I don't have on my list.

If interested in contacting Sandy Tyndale for assistance on computer problems, you can call him at 966-9101.

The plan announced in Newsletter #18 ­ to have cards ready for distribution to all paid-up members by year-end ­ is still on schedule. They should go out with the December issue.

Cards will be issued only to members whose dues for the year 1996-1997 have been paid by the end of November. Members are reminded that the Association's 1996-1997 year will begin with the upcoming Fall General Meeting on October 17^th and will end with the Fall Meeting of October 1997.

Dues for the 1996-1997 year become payable as of the October 17^th meeting, and must be paid before year-end.

UPDATED MEMBERSHIP LIST ALSO

SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER

IT HAS BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS since the last complete list of the membership, with addresses, etc. was published in The Newsletter. With the large number of current-year retirees, and the possibility of some widening of the membership base, there could be a further delay of two months before a complete and accurate list can be made. But we are aiming at a December target.

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