Update 6-10-03


Hi,

Gee, you mention that you can track some people's e-mail, and suddenly they get very concerned.

From Emily Kleinman Schreiber:  You wrote that AOL tells you who deletes their e-mails unread.  Do you mean to tell me that AOL knows what e-mails we open, and which get deleted?  Do they read our messages?  I sure hope not!!!!  ~~~:O)-<------<l

(AOL doesn't read everyone's e-mail.  Considering the millions of pieces of spam sent daily, that would be kind of expensive.  Besides, then there'd be no spam, because AOL would know what to delete.  Though we're constantly being told that e-mail is not secure communication, and that's a good thing to remember.
      Also, I don't check every week to see who deletes their updates unread.  I happened to be looking once, to see if a newsletter was sent to someone whose e-mail address had recently changed, and I was surprised to see the number of update deletions.  That's why I sent that note around, asking if people wanted their names taken off the mailing list.)

On a less concerned note, Emily adds:  I especially got a kick out of the comment at the beginning of the shrimp recipe!

And Ray Staley writes:  Wow!  That Scampi recipe from Eric sounds awesome!  I have one question, Eric.  Do you use a Chardonnay or a Sauvignon Blanc, or doesn't it matter?

A related food item, from Mark Perlman:  Reading the last message from Barbara Blitfield Pech about the economy candy store, made me think of a website that sells the "Food of our childhood" -- I think it's been mentioned in the updates before.  In any case, a couple of us at work were talking about candy bars a few months ago.  Only one other guy besides me -- he grew up somewhere near Far Rockaway -- ever heard of Skybars.  Anybody remember those?  Anyway, I got to thinking, "Do they still make them?"  And lo and behold, after a little searching on the web, I found:  www.hometownfavorites.com.  They sell Skybars, as well as many other items that I thought were long gone.  They also have an extensive list of things that are not available anymore.

Notes unrelated to food:  

From Audrey Olsen:  Hi.  Sometimes, I may have deleted the updates as I only have three hours of AOL a month.  I was working for United in the City Ticket Office here in San Francisco, but, sadly, they closed them all.  Also, I'm trying to get into the 21st Century computer-wise.  I used United's computers, but they were old VDUs, not personal computers, so I truly have a lot to learn.  I have a friend's computer now, which is better than the old Mac I had, but I'm still figuring out little things, like accessing attachments.  I am taking a free, weekend Word class starting Friday, so wish me luck.

From Monsieur D. Phineas Faber:  Just for your records, there may be a number of people who delete the updates each week; however, I, for one, remain a SECRET reader every week -- and who knows how many others there may be like me?  (Of course, from an egocentric point of view, I like to think I remain alone in this guilty pleasure.  And from a more realistic perspective, how many of our classmates would want to be associated with yours truly's behavioral quirks?)
      Feel free to add me to your demographic updates -- and I'll remain an eager,
if passive, participant in all activities.  All best.

From Marsha Churnin Soroka:  I know I don't contribute to the newsletters, but I do want you to know how much I enjoy reading them.  Have a wonderful summer, and I hope to have one, too, if it ever stops raining in New York.  Love to all.

From Peggy Cooper Schwartz:  Hope you have a marvelous summer.  This wonderful correspondence has been responsible for a lot of happy closure on my childhood days in Valley Stream.  Moving away in 11th grade -- and not graduating with the kids I grew up with -- was very traumatic.  But now, after attending our wonderful reunion and getting all our e-mail updates, I have my old Valley Stream family back in my life forever!

From Booker Gibson:  Hello everybody.  I read all of the '65 updates and file them in their class folder.  Of all the classes, this class has the largest, and most interesting, serious and funny folder.  Quite often, I've re-read updates.  Wow!  What a group!

From Gayle Ulrich:  I was in Oceanside recently visiting with Robin Feit.  It was a wonderful escape for me, and just as wonderful, also, to see Dennis Shapiro, Paul DeMartino, Barbara Endy, and Jerry Clamp again.  During that time, my mailbox became full, so maybe my update got returned to you.  The backlog's all cleared up now.  My address is:  gayler@infionline.net.  Robin had to forward the last update to me, as I missed not seeing it there on Tuesday!  Thank you and be well.

From Lynn Nudelman Villagran:  Reading about Eric Hilton's friend's blind date reminded me of a time I was taking a Regents' exam at South.  When I opened the exam, I looked at it and thought I couldn't answer any of the questions.  I sat there for a while, praying hard that I would faint so that I could be carried out without having to take the exam.  I didn't faint, but I did pass the exam.  And congratulations to Janice Williams on passing her exam.

From Tom Calise:  Hope you are happy and healthy.  It's been a while since I have written.  I am doing well.  Single again ... and forever.  Anyway, I'd just like to let you know that I still enjoy reading the updates.  See ya.

From Marc Jonas:  All is fine.  Showing how my life is on its own timeline, my daughter was bat mitzvah this past weekend.

From Barbara Blitfield Pech (1):  before i have another unplanned senior moment... let me "remind" you...both bob fiveson and ellen epstein will celebrate their 56th birthdays on june 15th......and while we're at it..add me to that list of "i look forward to tues. updates"....any chance that they could be sent with an "open me first  tag"...to justify ignoring everything else of importance.. [ie: work related] also in the mailbox.....not that i have any "guilt"..although i should..as i read..re-read..and read a third time just to make sure i've got it all..then kinda  zone out and drift back to the reunion or green tile hallowed halls of falcon land....forward some southpeople e-mails..coffee...lunch....home..wait a n.y. minute, that's a really cool work day...... ummm......how about 2x's a week...just askin!...

From Barbara Blitfield Pech (2):  in your next reunion page spare moment...[is that laughter i hear as you eyes roll in your head]....could you please include an update of all current e-mail addresses...as so many have changed...been added and ... subtracted.  as we say in miami "mucho thanks"  hugs..  ps..ever wonder what they say in.....nebraska...nah...me either  

(Actually, all the e-mail addresses we have for the class are always available online, on the home page under Contact Information & Quick Biographies.  I've been trying to keep them current, though I fell behind over the winter.  By tomorrow night, though, they should be accurate again.)

Steve Gootzeit's annual pledge challenge:  I always read the updates and enjoy them.  My only comment is that you do not distribute verbatim messages that are complimentary to you for all the effort you put in to keep us all in touch.  I know this is a lot of work, and you should know that we are aware of this, and appreciate it.  Make me a liar and print this message in its entirety.

On the same topic, Ray Staley also wrote:  And by the way, this update thingy is the best thing since the PC was invented!

And Marc Jonas added:  You're a good man.

(Which I told him made me feel like Charlie Brown.  And, yeah, yeah, thanks for the compliments.  But enough.  At least, Steve didn't dare me to streak through Hollywood.)

Speaking of that city, from Barnet Kellman:  Green Acres -- the second generation.
      A couple of years ago, my agent's assistant tentatively broke formal protocol by informing me that he was Steven Ross, Sam Ross' son!  He is a delightful and talented young man, and we soon became even better friends than we were already. Knowing Steve lead me to my own reunion with Sam and his lovely wife Judi, prior to our 37th.  Steven left my agent's office to become a writers' assistant (junior writer) on last season's comedy series Do Over.
      Over the years, I've been in touch with Elliott Weinger's oldest, Scott Weinger, who some will remember as a teenage actor on Full House, and others will know as the voice of Aladdin in the Disney animated film of the same name.  Scott has since grown up to be a writer.  This pilot season, I asked Scott to be my assistant on three projects, one of which was written by the writers of Do Over and included Steven Ross.  Scott and Steven have become friends.  That project will become next season's WB series Like Family, and Scott (who got a writers' assistant job on the show), Steven, and I will all be working together again.
      Steven, by the way, went to college with one of Peggy Galinger's girls.  Small world.


Finally, a series of notes between Jerry Bittman and me:

Jerry:  Nice to know that so many people aspire to receive the updates.  But the funny thing is that almost all of the people that contacted you very rarely send in tidbits of information.  It would be a lot nicer if some more people wrote in.  As Barnett Zinger said to me -- he read all of the past updates recently -- it seems as if the same few people contribute.  Also, it would be great if some more of our teachers contribute.
      And Eric, if I can be of some assistance, let me know.  My cousin Mark has sold more copies of his cookbooks in the past five years than any other food author.  His number one book -- he has written many -- is titled How To Cook Everything, and many food critics proclaim it as the greatest cookbook ever written
      And Zelda, yes, unfortunately, some of us have to live in Nebraska.  It can an isolated place to live.  Still, the biggest crime here happened in 1989, when enough hot fudge was stolen out of a warehouse to make 22,000 hot fudge sundaes.  Our police chief, Captain Lynch, was quoted -- it even made page 2 of The New York Post -- as saying that they were looking for a suspect with either chocolate on his face or a very bad case of acne.  I have been fortunate to have been to all 48 continental states.  And if you can show me any place in the country where the family values and friendliness exceed the Midwest, please do.

Rich:  Nice to know Mark Bittman's your cousin.  We have at least one of his books in the house, and we use it regularly.  When I first saw the name, I wondered if you were related, but that's often such a dumb question, I didn't ask.
      But I was about to tell you that Buddy Hackett's only Broadway musical, I Had A Ball, from the early 60s, has just been issued on CD, I think for the first time.  I know musicals aren't everyone's taste, but I saw the show in high school, and it's cute.  Of course, you miss the belly dancer on the CD.

Jerry:  If you don't have How To Cook Everything, get it.  Also, on Wednesdays, if you look in The New York Times under Dining and Wining, Mark has a regular column called "The Minimalist."  You can also read it on the computer.  Mark is currently traveling around the world in order to write a world wide cookbook.
      Buddy had another show on Broadway, called Lunatics and Lovers.  I saw it several times.  Do you know the name of the TV show he had back in the 50s?  It made a star out of his TV girlfriend.
      Do you think I was wrong in telling other people that they should also contribute to the updates?

Rich:  Buddy Hackett's 1956 TV series was called Stanley.  He played a hotel newspaper stand owner.  His girlfriend was played by Carol Burnett.  And the hotel owner was played by Paul Lynde, only you never actually saw Lynde.  You only heard his voice.
      Also, it turns out that Lunatics and Lovers was also on Broadway in the 50s, a bit before I was going to see plays.  The title was familiar, but I just couldn't remember it.  The show ran for two years.

Jerry:  Tell me you actually knew that -- or did you research it?  Nobody has ever gotten that answer.  But if I remember correctly -- probably not -- I thought Stanley was an elevator operator.  I could be wrong.

Rich:  Nah, I could've told you about I Had A Ball, because I'd seen that in high school and always kind of liked it in an off-beat way.  But I had to do an Internet search to find out about Stanley -- the series name, Burnett, Lynde, and what it was about.
      And Stanley might have operated the newsstand and the elevator.

Jerry:  Maybe he was the elevator operator and a newsstand attendant and a janitor. LOL.

Happy birthday, Ellen and Robert.  And congratulations on your daughter's bat mitzvah, Marc.

The home page:  http://hometown.aol.com/falcons1965a


Rich