The Meeting

I knew the day would come when my trusty Iphone Microphone would let me down.  Many of you know that I record the meetings on my phone and then when I do the bulletin I just put a head set on and let the words spill out of the headset -- and I put it to paper along with my comments.  Easy really.. Unless it didn’t work.  Well, today’s the day.  I started off just fine, but within a few minutes a loud Hum started and did not stop.  No doubt it was Len with some sort of Aerospace jamming device developed in a Top Secret laboratory to make sure that Rotary Secrets could not be recorded, kicked into action and left me with a blank slate.  I could probably do it from memory, but had a little nap during the meeting so my mind is a little blank.  So, this is mostly from memory.  The memory of one who’s past is much longer than his future.  I am no Carlos Danger you know, but that’s another story.

So here’s the deal.  I captured a bit of the meeting, and then we had Randy from Manhattan Beach to talk to us about an Orphanage Project in which he has dedicated about 3 years of his life to thus far, and needs help for completion.

After that I am going to add some writing that I did about Tom’s Demotion Party a few weeks ago that you may find interesting.

Eagle Scout Help

Boy Scouts Eagle project was Robert “Groman” (sp) looking for help.  He needs $3,200 total and was short about $1,000.  The project was about cleaning up a large area at the Richmond Street School that would include landscaping.  Martin Landscaping was again going to help.  Jim McLees introduced him and his mom and he talked and answered questions from the group.  The clip board was passed and I am sure we helped him with his goal.

Joe told another Good joke about shopping for a wife, and then a husband at a Department Store.  Another nice joke Joe.  A little sex in there, but then you didn’t bring your daughter today so that’s understandable, and I saved a little money. 

The Program

Randy from the Manhattan Beach Club and Director of International Service talked to us about an Orphanage that his club (and particularly himself) had adopted.  I guess you can adopt and orphanage along with a child. Both bring “opportunities” to help in a big way. 

He is a licensed Architect, a Building Contractor, and lots of other credentials.  He has a very successful career, a house on the Strand, a Porsche, but needed more.  More not in terms for money or recognition, but in terms for the thrill you get when you help others, and see the results. 

All Monies come from “donations”.  Most labor comes from “donations”.  He personally has made major donations.  In late 2008 when the economy started falling apart, the orphanage almost closed.  They needed help, big time.  When an orphanage closes what happens to the kids.  They become “street orphans”.  They don’t have a chance.  Rotary and Manhattan Beach stepped in and Randy has been there about 3 years and started with a big rundown head ache.  Now, at great sacrifice from himself (my words not his) there is a facility that is clean, with running water both hot and cold, and getting better every day.  Things we take for granted.  The kids now have a chance and need some more help. 

My guess is Randy, even with the Porsche and house on the strand, has recently found his proudest “possession” -- and that is helping possibly thousands of orphans as this “model” of his and others creation,  gets copied through Mexico for other impoverished areas.  Instead of helping hundreds, he can help thousands.  He needs more support in terms of money, or even volunteers.  You probably won’t need your cell phone, but it wouldn’t hurt.  That’s what Rotary is, that’s what Rotary does.  Help him if you can.

Back Story – Rotary Demotion Party

Meanderings about the Demotion Party

Melissa and Randy

This year’s Demotion wouldn’t have been what it was without these two Thespians.  (No Tom, that’s not what you think it is).  They are indeed modern day Renaissance people.  They sing, they act, they cook, and they’re smart.  They may dance, I don’t know.  They are well read, dedicated, and just plain fun.  Ask either of them about any music any time, and they know.  They sing at home.  When Tom and I are drinking, they are singing. When they are sleeping, Tom and I are singing.  And, they say yes to most everything.  True volunteers with talent they are.

Last year Melissa got demoted, and Randy helped.  We put on a musical.  I remember when I first said we would do a musical and everyone pretty much said “yea right”.  But, Rotary Past Presidents (being what they are said) later “why not”.   So, we sang.  From there on .. we had help.   Randy was asked if he would like to help “demote” his wife.  He grinned and said “hell yes”  and … “American Idol -- Rotary Style” was born.  When we opened with our fallen brother Joe Clark singing  “Row, Row, Row, Your Boat” Randy shook his head, and we went on anyway.   One of our Asian Rotarians said “you had me from heRow”. 

Randy was at Melissa’s side every step of the way during her reign as President -- from painting lime green houses in El Segundo, to her farewell song to us on her final day, and her last song as Rotary President at her Demotion…”You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” sung with Randy. They're quite a couple and the world is a much better place because of them, and so is the Demotion Party.

I asked Randy then and there would he like to help demote Tom the following year when the time came, and he said “hell yes”,  give me a call.  I did.  

The first Demotion meeting we have is always to come up with the general idea, the Theme, the setting, the tone etc.  We try to find things that we can exploit.  We find the peccadillo’s of a “soon to be past President”.  The odd things about a person are what we are looking for.   Tom was Christmas.

Tom was easy, we had him from Hello.  His opening day pronouncement that he was the “Supreme Commander”, and “he is from the South and speak s English differently”, was fodder.  I just started grinning.  The first few lines were written.   He also lacks a few follicles on his head and we realized we had found the mother lode.  On his first day -- the theme was born. 

When we started to meet seriously we decided we needed two settings and two acts:  The South; and Star Trek.  They go together… right?  How do we get to the hair thing and the southern twang…well, you saw the skit.  You take it to the toilet.  All young men heard about going blind when they were young, it didn’t take much to add losing your hair.  An outhouse was the perfect setting for the south;)

Melissa and Chris as Tom’s Mom and Dad were perfect.  I don’t think they rehearsed together at all, and never missed a line.  They added a few to those that Melissa wrote.   Both made their own costumes and kept it a secret until performance night.  Chris left his bottle of moonshine at home, but perhaps he drank it.   

Nancy as young Tom was our only Cross Dresser this year and she no doubt has done that before.  She can act, or was it acting.  Add Marsha and Julie as a couple of sluts and you have a play on your hands.  They are both great sluts and one sings.  I love singing sluts.  They were sexy and superb.  I hope they are Method Actors.  They never did call me to rehearse or anything.  Maybe it was because my name was Carlos Danger.  (God help New York if he becomes the Mayor.  Sometimes I write this stuff and think it is so outrageous that people know it is just too crazy, and along comes Anthony Weiner)

How do we deal with “The Supreme Commander”?   Kevin came up with the solution saying that he thinks that’s what they call the top guys in Star Trek -- and he was right.  Commander John Luc Picard was bald to boot.  Too good to be true.   Kevin loved the part and got a chance to beat up on his best buddy for a while that evening.  He wrote his own lines and the repartee between himself, the worst public space defender in the Universe (Julia), and “Tom Ass”  took on a life of its own and it was funny.  Kevin is a great actor, but then again that is what he does every day anyway. 

Kevin bought his own outfit as well.  There is a costume shop on Artesia called Aardvark.  I went there to check out a few odds and ends for the play and told them I was with the Rotary and mentioned the play.   They said “Oh yea, Kevin was in here last week buying some things for that play.  He always buys his costumes in here".  (My eyes got wide)  "We sold him a Fire Chief’s outfit here a number of years ago and he goes to quite a few “dress up” events throughout the year and buys or rents things from us all the time.   Say, if you see him would you have him return the cape and feathers.  There is another “fella” named Joe that wants to use those things.  Can’t imagine what they do with them and I am pretty sure you wouldn’t know. “   He’s right about that and I don’t want to know.

The pictures from Karly(sp) and Brenda were perfect for Elyse(Dr. Troy) to “analyze”  Tom’s fitness for Command.  He was not.  She was great and very funny.  She had studied her part, watched lots of footage of her character, and knew her lines.  She was and is a pro. 

Dave, the Vulcan Lawyer was great in guiding Elyse through her testimony picture by picture.  During rehearsal he told Elyse, “you tell me what you want to say, and I will guide you there via my line of questions”.  He also did the slide presentation and put some reference to himself scoring touchdowns a very long time ago.  That seems to be a recurring theme in Dave’s life.  Good old Cha Cha, you can count on him.

We tied the two acts together with the fumbling FedEx Man(Alex).  Tom has some history with FedEx and he had to be in there and Alex looked the part….for about 600 space years.  Alex made his own wardrobe and wrote his own lines.  He kept trying to deliver dirty magazines to Tom and Tom denied ordering them.  Jean Luc (Kevin) confiscated them for the court.  He still has them I think.

Notes on the Setting

We decided to have a trial and had to get everyone from the Enterprise at the far end of a distant galaxy in the year 2230.6, to Tom’s Demotion Party in El Segundo in June, 2013.  That’s a long way. We needed a way to do that.

Randy said he could build a Teleporter.  (Of course he could).   Oh, and by the way would you like the little Star Trek Federation Star fleet logo for your outfit.  Randy said he could make those.  (Of course he could).  By the way on the Transporter would you like smoke and some strobe lights?  (Of course.  Why not?)  "I thought the Teleporter came with that".  (I was getting into this). 

“I can do sound effects too said Randy”.  (Of course you can).  How about a toilet flushing .. yep.  Door Bell?  Yep.  Music?  Yep.   So, you get the picture.  He built the sets, he played the music, and he kept good cheer and never asked for even a thank you.  “Thank you so much Randy, how about next year?  We may need a Pope, can you make the Vatican?”  "I hear Len likes James Bond…just to get you thinking".

Finally the credit for this belongs to everyone.  It is easy for me when you have lots of very good people around you.  Pretty much everyone wrote their own parts and took it seriously.  They studied YouTube and visited costume shops, and practiced a bit as well.  We had some laughs and had a good sport in Tom.   The music, the lights, the actors, the audience and the alcohol helps as well. 

Teddy Roosevelt said “The Credit Belongs to the Man in the Arena” and that is the Past Presidents. 

Dave Rieman our great Prosecuting Attorney who was also a Vulcan,  put the slide show together and he was kind enough to give me lots of credit at the end which I did not know was coming.  I am grateful for his kind thoughts, but not worthy.   I am grateful to be a Rotarian with the finest people I know as my friends.

So, we start on next year’s demotion now.

Pictures

Tom received a very nice handbag in the drawings.  He was thrilled.  Prizes were donated by Julia from her garage full of old gifts that were not used...much.

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