2012 January

The place where I’m contracting forced all us contractors to take an unpaid leave between Christmas and New Years. I can’t say I like losing a week’s pay, but it was nice to have a week off, my first since the summer of 2010. I’m not good at vacations. It takes me a few days to stop catching up on projects, and actually start having fun. It was helpful having my son and daughter home from college: they remind me how to have fun. It was pleasant actually reading a book (Agatha Christie). It was great sleeping in later than 5:30 each morning. It was relaxing to go to the gym just to sit in the hot tub. About the fourth day, I could feel my batteries recharging. I needed that!
Happy New Year!

No change in numbers whatsoever from last month. We still think we know the whereabouts of 652 of our classmates, an amazing feat after 40 years. Please let me know any contact information, especially email addresses, that you have about any classmates.

Carol Myron is also remembering influential teachers at Cranston East: “Ruth Roseman (who I had for English) and Paul Mancini were definitely two big influences. Ruth demonstrated and taught me sensitivity in life. Paul got me started in singing and I haven't stopped yet!”

Linda Rozzero Ousterhout also remembers Miss Burns: “I also would classify Miss Burns as one of my favorite teachers! She was tremendous in senior year when I took one of her review courses in order to be more successful with my SATs.”

George Alford remembers Mr. Bishop, from Metal Shop: “He was strict, but fair. I learned to weld in his shop, and built a healthy respect for shop tools. I went on to stay in the mechanical fields, first in the Navy, and then in the private sectors, taking with me much of what Mr. Bishop taught me. He didn't just teach, he connected with all of us in some way.”

Alan Mittleman also remembers Mr. Horton: “Thank you for mentioning Mr. Horton! He was without doubt the most powerful influence on my intellectual formation (a phrase that would otherwise be ludicrous) at CHSE. Without Mr. Horton, I would not have taken the various intellectual and academic paths that I did. He helped me to learn how to write, to think of writing as a craft. I owe him a great deal. I'm glad that you feel the same way.”
By the way, Alan has just published his NINTH book! You can get it here:
http://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Jewish-Ethics-Character/dp/140518941X

Nancy Goldis (Iacono) was inspired by two of her classmates: “Besides a few special teachers, I admired Jacob Adler and Monika Szynkarski more than anyone else. I was always envious of the "smart kids", and they were not only smart, but were humble, nice kids who never looked down on the kids who didn't get the great grades. I learned later in life that I was a very typical ADD kid and that was why school was so hard for me. Fortunately, I "woke up" from my learning disability and have a great life. And now Monika is my favorite travel buddy! We traveled to Costa Rica, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and many other great places in the past few years. Next month we will go to New Orleans and from there board the cruise ship on a Mayan Mexican week adventure.
Thanks to Monika and Jacob, I always felt special in their company and will never be able to quite say thank you enough for their selfless friendship.”

A belated Reunion update from Donald Aquilante:
“Hi to all. Hope everyone out there is doing well!! Now this update: I have fully recovered from an accident I had a few days after the Reunion. I am O.K. and doing much better now!!
I enjoyed myself at the party and so did my wife of 36 years!!! She met a friend who married a classmate of ours (and a friend of mine), so we talked and had a great evening!
Now, at the Reunion I was talking to a fellow classmate. I told her of a secret that I kept all these years. Because of the accident, I cannot remember her name, or if we exchanged email addresses, or what. If she is reading this, please let’s contact each other (daquilante@cox.net). Thanks.
Nuff for now, planning for my better half’s reunion: 40 for her also. Yes, we are getting older, but better.
See you next time.”
Congratulations on your recovery!

Darlene Burdick Gnip just spotted herself in a photo someone posted on our Facebook page: “Just saw myself in 7th grade with one of the class photos.
Not in touch with anyone from high school. Have talked to a few over the years. Left R.I. soon after graduation and joined the Marine Corps. It was my way of running away from home. Met my husband in the USMC. We've been together since 1972 (married since 1974). We have 4 great kids: 2 girls, 32 and 28, and two boys, 23 and 18. Plus, two grandbabies 11 and 8. Done a lot of things since leaving the Marines. Lived in Florida for a while, then we moved to Maryland, where my husband is from. Worked at mostly state, county, and federal government jobs, except for a 10-year-career as a daycare mom after my last baby was born. Now I deliver mail for the USPS. Keeps me in shape with little time to worry about all the aches and pains that come at this age.”
Great to hear from you!

Debra Donnelly Cronin identified with the saga of dealing with a detached retina: “When I received your last email about your retina surgery, I was in the hospital also with an eye issue. I was diagnosed with retinal melanoma and the treatment is to have a radioactive plaque attached to the front of the eye. The plaque sits on your eye for five days and radiates the tumor. No one can come within 6 feet of you during this time. The plaque is then removed and hopefully after several months the tumor dies, the eyesight returns, and everything is hunky dory. Since I was in the hospital for Halloween, I dressed up like a pirate – Hey, I already had a patch on my eye! I teach 8th grade algebra – one must have a sense of humor to do that.
Well, this past weekend I suffered a retinal detachment in the same eye and on Monday had emergency retinal surgery! So here I sit, head down, typing on my iPad, looking like a monk in prayer, but I assure you it is not prayers I'm thinking.
I had to take a medical leave for the rest of the semester - can't take a chance getting jostled by several hundred 8th graders!
Tell your wife that students are researchers- they will get away with whatever they are allowed too. I started teaching at 51 years old and it took me about two years to figure that out.”
Good luck with your healings! Let us know how you’re doing.

We have lots of ways to keep in touch online, now. For example, we have a web site:
www.chse1971.com
(thanks to Ernie Sutcliffe for starting and maintaining)
and wiki:
https://chse1971.wikispaces.com/
(also thanks to Ernie)
and Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/group.php?gid=51722469479
and a Facebook event for the last Reunion:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=192240297471327
Check out one or more of these easy ways to see what people are up to.

That’s about it for me. What are your hopes for 2012? Let us know!

Have a \s/uper day!

Ed DeJesus
exdejesus@gmail.com