Sunday, September 29, 2013

September 2013 Meeting Notes

Dear Book Clubbers,
Wednesday’s meeting to discuss Girls Like Us was a giant success.  After setting the mood with a multimedia presentation, Peggy did a great job of leading a cohesive, meaningful discussion despite the fact that not all of us were able to finish the book.  We gave the book a solid 3.0 with most people appreciating the exhaustive research that went into the writing, but also finding that the details got in the way of its readability.  We were pleased to welcome Tara’s sister, Nicole to our ranks.  Thank you to Barb for hosting, to Peggy for leading and also to everyone who brought snacks and wine.

For those of you thinking of reading the “long, classic” this year, we have arrived at Middlemarch by George Eliot as our choice.  Don Quixote was a close second in the voting.

At the request of the newer members, I have attached an amended copy of the schedule for the year ahead with last names included for hostesses so that everyone can easily find addresses using the Craneridge directory.

October’s meeting is scheduled for 7 PM on Wednesday, October 23rd at Shirley’s house.  The book is Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.  Karla informed me that this book is very visual with lots of interesting and important illustrations.  If you are reading on an e-book, you might want to do a little Internet search to check out these visuals at one of the many websites relating to the book.  We still need one Chardonnay and one red wine volunteer for this meeting.  Please let Shirley know if you plan on attending. 

I am fairly sure that Rob and I will be able to host the co-ed meeting to discuss Erik Larson’s In the Garden of Beasts on Wednesday, December 4th.  Since this is a “big food night”, there will be a sign up sheet at the next meeting.  Get your guys working on the book, show them our list of ideas and remind them that their suggestions are encouraged as well. 

With things pretty well in ship shape for our year ahead, I would like to make this newsletter my swan song for monthly updates.  As much as I have enjoyed fifteen years of reviewing the meetings and distributing the club’s business and social news, it is really no longer necessary with our schedule set and so much information on our amazing blog.  In our effort to make the club more self-sustaining, we should only have to determine snack volunteers on a monthly basis.  Whoever hosts or leads each meeting can pass the snack volunteers on to the next hostess.  The hostess will then have the volunteers’ names in her hands and can remind them if she chooses.  Of course I will continue to distribute important Craneridge news, member health updates and occasional organizational blurbs or changes of plans.  The rest of you are encouraged to do the same. 

You will probably still have more e-mails from me than you do reminding you to use your favorite store coupons, but I thank you all for putting up with my ramblings all these years and hope that this new approach can be efficient and effective for our group.

Jan

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