The Meeting

Every Rotary meeting is so interesting.  I have had perfect attendance in the past -- but not lately.  I always seem to miss a meeting or two, but I don’t want to…because I learn something every time and they are fun.  Those of you that weren’t there, here is what happened.  Come back soon.  You are missing out. 

We had three potential new members.  Tom may or may not have brought two of them.  He brought Jim Stone and Shannon Magid.  I think he stole them from another Rotarian to take the credit.   He may be the Take Credit King of the Rotary.  The TCK he is so named.  Clair brought a City Council member Suzanne Fuentes.  She is Mayor Pro Tem of the City.

Joe bought the Bling and he fined Dean for Bar Hopping, he was seen at a number of bars (Joe must have been on the same tour); he fined Melissa for still pretending to be Rotary President;  he fined Shannon(A visitor) and she is not even in the club.  He got into the POWER thing and became a “man in full” and that “Hubris thing” came into play and THEN -- he fined the Bulletin Editor for sending out a nice Magazine to everyone in our club.  That’s what Bulletin Editors do. They send out written material.  Then he fined Shiela for not sending out a magazine.  I think he fined Ted too for something, but Ted handles the accounting so it is unlikely to be on his bill.  I think he might have fined himself as well but Tom had to take back control.  God help us if he ever becomes a Judge.  Judge Joe.  Frightening.

There were a number of other announcements that we will be receiving emails about in the near future.  Tom likes to send his own emails about these things.  It makes him feel important.

There is one date you need to write on your calendar right now and that is September 21, 2012 at 4 PM at Chef Hannes.  It is very important planning meeting that will help us determine the direction of the club for the next 3 years.  We are going to be talking a lot about finances so come prepared and bring your checkbook and your thoughts.  Bring your appetite too because we are going to have dinner ($25) afterwards for a little fellowship.  Maybe even an adult beverage.

The Program  (There is hope for us all).  Reiman vs. Reiman

Dave always comes up with something original.  Let’s talk a little about him first.  He has been a President of Rotary -- and a Great One.  He did so with humility and style.

Now, as a member and Past President -- he really shines.  That is one of the neat things about Rotary in general is that sometimes you lead, and sometimes you follow.  Both are necessary and important.  There are lots of leaders in the club, but they also don’t mind taking a back seat to others when needed.  I find that very interesting and uplifting.

Dave on the outside is a very interesting guy, and I am sure even more interesting on the inside.  He is always up, yet he has known his share of sorrow.   Every meeting the "Irish" comes out in him.  He’s a story teller. A weaver of tales.   He can make you laugh, and he can make you cry.  He is a leprechaun of sorts.  A leprechaun is mischievous by nature, but in a good way.   His stories from Dermot(sp) come from a deep well and I suspect we will be hearing more of these as the years go by.  He frequently is our Joke Teller and never lets us down, and never crosses the line into poor taste. 

Dave is a lawyer.  I bet the Judges enjoy him in the court room as he meticulously fights for his clients with his attention to detail, sense of decency and perhaps a story or an allegory to prove a point.  I bet he quotes Dermot when he can get away with it.  My guess is he doesn’t have to go to court very often having negotiated and settled most problems to his client’s satisfaction.  But when he goes I bet he wins. 

His Judgment seems impeccable at all times.   He is a model for Rotarians, and a model for his sons.  His 18 year old son Chris was the program for the day and is the new President of the Interact Club.  Of course he is, he is Dave’s son. 

Dave set the stage for his son coming on to a “TV Program Interview Show”.  He asked Chris had they “prepared” for this interview, and Chris said they had not.  It would ruin the fun of the unknown ahead.  That's Dave, and that's his son.  As Dave set the table for the skit you could see the smile on his face as prepared to engage in a lively repartee with his son.  The conversation or point counter-point was “What  is it like to be a Typical Teenager”?  They had a friendly competitiveness between them.  Their eyes twinkled.  They were fully engaged.  They talked.  Father to Son.

I wish Chris was a “Typical Teenager”.  If so the world would be fine…forever.  That is one neat kid (Teen Ager).  He is still a kid, but he is on the verge of adulthood.  What an attitude.  Everything was great to him.  He even learned to “like” long distance running, finding the Zen so to speak in the loneliness of a long distance runner.  He knows of Zen.

Chris likes all kinds of music.  He said he enjoys Mozart and sometimes offsets some of the lightness of Mozart with that of Bach.  Or was it Beethoven.  Perhaps it was Meatloaf.  What a “Kid”.  Kids don’t listen to Mozart.  Chris does.  Dad does too.

He talked (through the interviews) about life and the “yin and a yang” to it.  Tom thinks Yin and Yang are a couple of panda’s at the LA Zoo.  Joe wanted to fine Yin $10, and Yang $20.   Chris understands how these two ebb and flow through everyone’s life.

This “Kid”, displayed the wisdom spoke by Lao Tsu some 5000 years ago.  I don’t know if he read this in a book sometime, or channeled old “Lao Tsu”, but there he was making life simple for all of us.  His dad wore a grin on his face the whole time.  His dad tried to trap him with a few questions.  He asked “what does he like best about being a Teen Ager:  Ans:  “You don’t have to pay for anything”.  He laughed and we all laughed.  We wanted to return to those days ourselves.

Dave tried other questions trying to trip him up a bit, and Chris "let" him do it and ended with a little quip himself.  “Obedience is the key to manipulation”. Think about that.  Wow.  My guess he is obedient at all times, and Dave pays the bills, and Chris smiles.  Dave now knows he has been manipulated, and he likes it.

Thanks to you two for letting us see a father and son enjoy each other’s company and share in their love for each other.  It was great to watch.  Upon leaving I talked briefly with Sandy and she said “I have much more confidence in the future and feel better”.  So do I.

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