April 2016 - ftlprimetimers.org

Volume 13 No. 4
April 2016
A social club of mature men and those who enjoy their company
President's Message by Henry Penas
We are a full time growing membership organization with over 560 members currently. As
we grow larger it is imperative that we look to create efficiencies in our practices to smoothly
service this growing base of members. One of the efficiencies that we will put in place is
replacing the way we handle our membership renewals. We have always ended the membership
year in June and everyone renewed in July. This resulted in having to create the half-year
membership. We therefore had half year and full year members.
Beginning next month we will have everyone renew their yearly membership in the month of
their birth. The first year of this new method will be a little lopsided, by necessity. It took me a
while to understand how this will work, so please bear with me.
If your birthday is in April you will have to renew your membership by the end of April. You
might be thinking, “Dang, I had 3 months left to go with last year’s $30. What a gyp!” And you
would be right. So you will only have to send in the prorated amount of $22.50 to cover you until
April of next year. If your birthday is in May or June, you also have credit and will only have to pay
a prorated amount - $25 for May birthday boys and $27.50 for June birthday boys. For members
born in those three months, we will only accept checks. There are too many variables to set up
payments through PayPal.
People born in August through next March will have the membership extended to their
birthday, same rate $30 for the year. That’s the lopsided part. After the first year everything will
even out. This will probably make more sense once we begin the process.
“What about partners?”, you ask. Since there is no discount for partners and each member of
the pair gets his own renewal form anyway, each will get his renewal form in the month of his
birthday.
(Continued on Next Page)
Fort Lauderdale Prime Timers Inc. PO Box 100666, Ft. Lauderdale FL 33310
[email protected]
www.ftlprimetimers.org © 2003 Page 1
Mr. April 2016
by Doug Kent
This is an amazing story of how a young boy from a tiny
village in the middle of nowhere, landed a position of prestige
with the largest airline in the world. This journey had many
twists and turns and involved many cities throughout the world.
It all began when Mr. April (Mr. A) was born on January 20, 1947
in the small port town of Vale De Prazeres in Portugal. He had
two older sisters and a younger brother. Life was good, his father
was a builder of homes and had three farms to manage. At the
age of 7, Mr. A was playing with his friends and someone threw a
stone at a passing train and the stone then hit another child. Mr.
A was blamed for that mishap and was taken to court with his father. A fine was paid by his father and this made him very angry.
As a result Mr. A was mistreated by his father so he was taken
from his home and placed in a school in Lisbon at the age of 10.
Here he attended school and naval training and in 1961 at the age
of 14 took his first job on a passenger ship that made an 8 day trip
from Lisbon to the Madiera Island in the Azores. He spent four years on this ship, was promoted
and had his first male encounter with a member of the Portugese Royal Family.
Mr. A had a dream of flying. At the tender age of 18 he wanted to get to the United States, and
he felt his best opportunity lie with the Merchant Marine. He found a ship going to Antwerp,
Belgium. He jumped that ship and this led to many problems with his passport and he found
himself working on ships, sailing to many countries trying to avoid going back to Portugal. His
journey took him to Spain, Holland, France, Norway, Australia, Germany, and many other ports
of call. Eventually, he did go back to Portugal, paid a hefty fine, and received his legitimate passport
so he could legally travel anywhere in the world. He was now 22 years old.
He flew to Norway and requested a ship based in the United States. The Norwegian Company
flew Mr. A to New York from Oslo. Here he became the helmsmen of a Norwegian ship that
sailed from New York to Africa. He was given this opportunity to be helmsman only because he
was Portugese, and his Captain knew that Portugese men knew how to sail. Mr. A also knew that
he was based in the United States now and he needed to take English lessons. He enrolled at
Temple University in evening classes. He continued for the next three years taking classes and
sailing back and forth from the United States to Africa. What a life for someone who was not yet
25 years of age. He purchased his car and studio apartment.
(Continued on Next Page)
President’s Message (Continued)
This will probably make more sense once we begin the process. You won’t
have to remember when you need to renew. We already send you a birthday card
in the month of your birthday. Now you will get a birthday card and a renewal form
in that month. You will just have to remember to send in your renewal form and
check by the end of your birthday month and to blow out your candles.
Fort Lauderdale Prime Timers Inc. PO Box 100666, Ft. Lauderdale FL 33310
[email protected]
www.ftlprimetimers.org © 2003 Page 2
Mr. April (Continued)
This is where the story takes a fantastic turn. A gay friend told Mr. A that Pan
American Air Lines was hiring. After a bitter lawsuite, Pan Am was forced to hire men as
Stewards on their planes. Mr. A went and applied with thousands of other men for a
position. Dejected by the sheer numbers and knowing his English was not up to speed he
thought he had little chance of landing a position. About two months later he got a call
from Pan Am, had a second interview and was hired as one of the first male Stewards. He
trained for 6 weeks in Miami and requested New York as his base of operation. His dream
had been fulfilled at the tender age of 25. This is how someone from a small village in
Portugal gets a job with Pan Am. What a story, but it does not end here.
From 1972 to 1992, Mr. A flew for Pan Am. He flew to many countries and enjoyed
every second of his career. He purchased his home in New Jersey and met his partner of 32
years, who was a banker, in 1977. Together they shared a wonderful life. In 1992 Pan Am
ceased being an airline, so Mr. A took a position with American Airlines. He worked with
American until he retired in 2007. Unfortunately his partner passed in 2009. Mr. A
traveled to Florida from his home in New Jersey many times. In 2011 he purchase his
condo in Florida. In 2013 while at the doctors office he met his current partner.
Mr. A is a Prime Timer who still enjoys traveling (First Class now), enjoys gardening and
of course he enjoys life and golf. You now have the information, who is Mr. A?
(Answer on Page 5)
Prime Timer Deric Bownds in Concert
A Review of the Concert by John Siegfried is on Page 5
Fort Lauderdale Prime Timers Inc. PO Box 100666, Ft. Lauderdale FL 33310
[email protected]
www.ftlprimetimers.org © 2003 Page 3
WHAT ARE WE? WHAT ARE YOU? WHAT AM I? WHAT ARE WE?
By John Bourassa
Naturally, in Fort Lauderdale we can proudly answer that with: “I’m gay!” But,
technically, by proper definition is: we are homosexuals. How did the word ‘gay’ (French for
joyeux) eventually became the iconic synonym for homosexual? Last week I was at a happyhour in a straight bar environment (I hate it when that happens, especially when the
straights flaunt themselves…and they did that night). Though I was with a straight couple,
we witnessed an argument at the table next to us when one guy became loudly noticeable
telling his congenial audience some story involving, well, ‘homos’. To make it short, the words
“those homos” came up twice and they were loudly emphasized and followed by cacophonic
gang laugh. While in conversation with my friends, I perceived that the tone and the word
[homo] was used in a profound mocking, condescending way. My friends know I am gay, so, I
digressed our conversation and I quipped: “Us homos are at it again. I’m glad that guy is
bent out of shape over us.”
Later after I left the place and drove home, I pondered over our “labels”, and I came
up with this: Why is it OK to use nick-names, usually shortened from their length, like Bob
from Robert, Jenny from Jennifer, or so on. But ‘homo’ from homosexual is somehow
degrading, not endearing. When asked in a proper instance, say at the doctor’s office, we
will answer “I am a homosexual” instead of “I’m gay”; or, “My penis is sore” instead of “My
dick hurts”; or, “My vagina is chaffed” Instead of “My cunt is raw” and so on. Moreover,
we gays now live in a time when we can publicly further sub-categorize or identify our
proclivities of our homosexual label, which categories are still largely considered sick
anomalies by mainstream ‘heteros’ (somehow calling them ‘heteros’ does not have the same
condescending tone as “homos”. Does it?).
So, what are you? Do you identify yourself among the following: a sissy, a fag, a
limp-wristed, a poof, a fairy, a pansy, a queer, a flamer or many, many other slur
designations? Those are only mild teasers, though. But now, there are more complex atypical
definitions which identify our inner-self for what turns us on, like: transgender,
transsexual, cross-dresser, drag-queen, pansexual (those who can have sex with anyone
regardless of age or gender), pedophile (come on guys, we all know that it is going on),
gerontophile which is the opposite of pedophile (one who is attracted to seniors) and there
are more definitions. But do they make us less decent human beings? Of course, not… they
make us more interesting individuals.
What am I? I am an Earthling by planet, right; I am a homosapien by archeological
species identification; I am a homo by birth; I admit that I am many of those colorful
social slur definitions described above by the straight world, and I am a gerontophile by
desire (thanks to all of you, handsome silver seniors).
Make Your Reservations Early for the Prime Timer Dinners
Fort Lauderdale Prime Timers Inc. PO Box 100666, Ft. Lauderdale FL 33310
[email protected]
www.ftlprimetimers.org © 2003 Page 4
Mr. April 2016
Frank Pires
Deric Bownds in Concert
by John Siegfried
One of the delightful aspects of a Deric Bownds piano concert is the
informality he projects from the keyboard. At the SAGE PRESENTS concert at the
Pride Center on Sunday afternoon, February 21, 2016, Deric gave a bit of interesting
history for each of the pieces he played. Then, making sure he had the right set of
glasses perched on his nose, he proceeded to wow the hundred or so attendees
with his musicianship. Rather than play with sheet music, or a piano score in front
of him, Deric tapes sheets of music together and casually discards them onto a pile
on the floor as he proceeds. This may be a carry-over from his first experiences
with the piano. As a six year old wanting to learn to play the piano, but growing up
at a time when his parents could ill afford the luxury of such an instrument, Deric
drew a keyboard on four pieces of paper, taped them together and proceeded to
play on his paper keyboard laid out on the floor while his parents read the evening
paper.
His Sunday program of short, lively works by Chopin, Brahms, Debussy,
Poulenc and Rachmaninoff offered ample proof that Deric, actually Dr. Bownds,
retired Chairman of the Zoology Department at the University of Wisconsin in
Madison, has come a long way. Deric continues his lifelong avocation of
giving concerts recognizing the benefits he gets personally out of the discipline
required by hours of practice.
This was the fifth concert Deric has done under the sponsor ship of SAGE, but
Deric, like many members of the audience, carries dual citizenship in SAGE and
Prime Timers. Over the few years as he's given concerts at the Pride Center his
renown has grown. Eighty-five chairs were set up prior to the concert, but, as
curtain time approached, volunteers were carrying in additional seating. Deric says,
“I've crafted the programs to not challenge the attention span of senior audiences.”
And he's succeeded. I didn't see any heads nodding or eyelids closing. We all left
grateful that Dr. Bownds continues to enrich our lives with beautiful music.
(See Page 3 for pictures.)
Fort Lauderdale Prime Timers Inc. PO Box 100666, Ft. Lauderdale FL 33310
[email protected]
www.ftlprimetimers.org © 2003 Page 5
The Yellow Dot Program In broward County
The Yellow Dot program is designed to assist Broward County residents
and first responders in the event of an automobile crash or other medical
emergency involving the participant's vehicle.The program can help save
lives by improving communication at a time when accident victims may be
unable to communicate for themselves. A Yellow Dot decal displayed on a
car's rear windshield or in a clearly visible location on a motorcycle, alerts
emergency responders to look for the Yellow Dot pamphlet in the vehicle's
glove compartment.The information you provide on the pamphlet will help
emergency responders decide how to treat you if you are unable to communicate effectively following an accident.
Yellow Dot decals and pamphlets are available at Broward County Fire
Rescue Stations, Broward County Regional Libraries, Wilton Manors City
Hall, and Hagen Park. For more information visit http://www.broward.org/
yellowdot/Pages/default.aspx. You can download a pamphlet and decal from
this site.Think about getting more than one and keeping one in your home.
You can affix the Yellow Dot to your front door to alert responders to an
emergency in the home.
Some Photos from the February Dinner at J. Marks
Fort Lauderdale Prime Timers Inc. PO Box 100666, Ft. Lauderdale FL 33310
[email protected]
www.ftlprimetimers.org © 2003 Page 6
April Luncheon by Doug Kent
Our April 28, 2016 luncheon will be a
special treat. We will be returning to one of
our favorite restaurants. The Sea Watch On
the Ocean, located at 6002 North Ocean Blvd.,
in Fort Lauderdale will be our destination. We
will meet there at 1 pm.
Occupying a majestic site on a bluff just
fifty yards from the Atlantic Ocean, the
Sea Watch On the Ocean, since 1974, offers incomparable views of the shore
framed by scores of swaying coconut palms and sand dunes spotted with natural
sea grasses. During the past several decades, almost ten million guests have
thronged through the solid core oak door, complete with port hole and heavy
brass hinges, to enjoy the an outstanding dinner or lunch.
The Sea Watch On the Ocean remains a magical, almost surreal experience.
Come with your fellow Prime Timers to enjoy a relaxing afternoon filled with great
food, conversation and camaraderie. We will enjoy the three acres of unspoiled
Atlantic beach and confirm to ourselves why we enjoy the Sea Watch On the
Ocean, Fort Lauderdale’s most popular seafood restaurant.
Book your reservation now by e-mailing Doug Kent at [email protected] or
call him at 305-495-2978. You will not be disappointed.
Lest We Forget-Memorial for Melvin Epstein
Doug Kent, John Siegfried and Garland Warren have been working on arranging
a celebration for anyone interested in sharing in a memorial for Melvin Epstein. On
April 6th, there will be a gathering of Melvin’s friends at the Café Vico, located at
1125 North Federal Highway, in Fort Lauderdale at 6pm, with dinner at 7pm. The
arrangements are very simple; there will be a cash bar from 6 to 7pm, where we will
be able to talk and exchange stories about our friend, and then we will all order
from the menu and pay for our own dinner.
Please call Doug Kent at 305-495-2978 or send him an e-mail at
[email protected] to let him know if you will be attending. Anyone who has a
special picture or story to share please bring it with you to the celebration.
Fort Lauderdale Prime Timers Inc. PO Box 100666, Ft. Lauderdale FL 33310
[email protected]
www.ftlprimetimers.org © 2003 Page 7
April prime Timer’s, inc. Dinner
Will be held at
Zuckerello’s
3017 East Commercial Blvd.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Cash Bar @ 5 PM —
—Dinner @ 6 pm —
——Max Seating 50
Choice of Minestrone or Pasta Fagioli Soup or Caesar Salad
Entrée Choices:
1. Chicken Breast-stuffed with mushrooms. Prosciotti, roasted peppers, ,rosemary,
Marsala mushroom sauce, creamy mashed potatoes, and mixed vegetables
2. Chicken Parmesan– topped with pomodoro sauce & mozarell cheese, oven baked
served with linguini pomodoro and mixed vegetables
3. Shrimp Scampi-served with angel hair pasta, capers, garlic, cherry tomatoes & wine
lemon butter sauce
4. Spinach & Cheese Ravioli-toppd with pomodoro sauce & basil
5. Italian Sampler Plate-Chicken Parmesan, Eggplant Rolatini. Meatballs in
pomodoro sauce with vegetable medley
Desserts include your choice of:
1. key lime pie
2. Tiramisu
Coffee, iced tea & soft drinks(bottomless) included
Cash Bar is available (Full Liquor License)
$24 per member /$29 for Guests
(includes appetizer, meal, dessert, tax & tip)
Member Name _____________________ Entrée______ Dessert________
Member Name _____________________ Entrée______ Dessert________
Guest Name _______________________Entrée______ Dessert________
Please complete the above information and send the bottom half with your payment to Fort Lauderdale
Prime Timers, Inc., P.O. Box 10666, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33310 OR go to the web page (ftlprimetimers.org)
& click on the Reservations Link to pay with credit card.
If you must cancel, let Richard Lefebvre(401) 474-9242) or Eddie Green (954-557-5485) know at least 3
hours before the event or you will NOT receive a refund.
Cut off Date for Reservations is April 16 !!!!!
Fort Lauderdale Prime Timers Inc. PO Box 100666, Ft. Lauderdale FL 33310
[email protected]
www.ftlprimetimers.org © 2003 Page 8
April Special Event
Prime Timers, Inc.
Museum Of Art, Ft. Lauderdale
Located at 1 East Las Olas Blvd
On Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Admission is $10 per person/$12 per Guest
A Guided Tour has been arranged to start at 2:00 PM
Suggested arrival time is no later than 1:45 PM
WILLIAM J. GLACKENS: A MODERNIST IN THE MAKING
An extremely courteous & helpful staff will assist while viewing the 6,000 plus artworks on display.
The following "common sense" rules during the visit:
No food is allowed in the galleries
No photography is allowed in the galleries
Member Name_____________________________________
Member Name_____________________________________
Guest Name________________________________________
Please complete the above information & send the bottom half with your payment to
Fort Lauderdale Prime Timers, Inc. P. O. Box #100666, Fort Lauderdale 33310 or go to our
web page (ftlprimetimers.org) and click on the Reservations Link to pay with a credit card.
t
If you have to cancel notify Richard Lefebvre (401-472-9242) or Eddie Green (954-557-5485) no later
than3 hours hours before the event or you will NOT get a refund.
Please try to arrive at least 15 minutes before the guided tour is scheduled to begin.
Cut Off date for reservations to be received is April 21
Fort Lauderdale Prime Timers Inc. PO Box 100666, Ft. Lauderdale FL 33310
[email protected]
www.ftlprimetimers.org © 2003 Page 9
Birthdays, Anniversaries & New Members
Birthdays
Wayne Kitchin
Ralph Escudero
Jules Gaines
Thomas Moran
Lamond Smith
Rick Hurd
Bruce Williams
Ted Singer
Edward Kunofsky
Alex Dunn
Joe DiMartino
Stanley Lou
Gary Miller
James Futch
Rick Kirby
George Houck
Donald Lehrman
Eliot Cohen
Carl Hill
Allen Willey
Gibson Smith
Gerald Dean
Luiz Ramos
4/1
4/2
4/1
4/1
4/2
4/2
4/2
4/2
4/4
4/4
4/5
4/5
4/7
4/8
4/10
4/11
4/13
4/14
4/14
4/15
4/15
4/16
4/17
Robert Hess
Ted Verdone
Kaz Takahashi
Norman Okroy
Bill Farrington
Michael Keller
Alex Zapata
Tom Pence
Edward Buanham
James Restrick
Richard Mariano
Gregg Bennett
Bobby Lashley
Michael Cochran
Emile Dufour
Jerry Moss
Edward Green
Jack Coonrod
Eddy Linton
Jerry Kasden
Mathew Liegey
Anniversaries
4/18
4/18
4/20
4/21
4/21
4/21
4/22
4/23
4/23
4/23
4/24
4/25
4/26
4/27
4/27
4/28
4/28
4/29
4/29
4/30
4/30
Peter Gavigan & Thomas Mack
4/19/1979
37 years
Bill Sandrik & Henry Smith
4/30/1983
33 years
Mel Beluscak & Gar Warren
4/19/1984
32 years
Mike Freeman & Jim Gaffney
4/18/2003
3 years
Jorge Hernandez & Danny Oberg
4/17/2010
6 years
John Sorrell & Alex Zapata
4/22/2014
2 years
Steve Farrell & Dan Gibbons
4/5/2015
April Birthday Boys
1 year
New Members
Neill Hirst
Charles Hughes
Thomas Moran
Don Rice
That brings
our total
membership
to 555*
*As of
3/15/16
Fort Lauderdale Prime Timers Inc. PO Box 100666, Ft. Lauderdale FL 33310
[email protected]
www.ftlprimetimers.org © 2003 Page
Prime Timer Monthly Events — April 2016
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
2
7
Bowling
8
Bocce
9
Collectors’ Group
11:00 am
Stonewall
Library
History Group
2:00 pm
Stonewall
Bocce
3
Card Games
4
Tennis
General Meeting
2:00 pm
Pride Center
Mixer
10
Card Games
11
Tennis
Ballet Group
12:30 pm
Pride Center
Mixer
5
Card Games
6
Bowling
Library
12
Card Games
13
Bowling
14
Bowling
15
Bocce
16
18
Tennis
19
Card Games
20
Bowling
21
Bowling
22
Bocce
23
Mixer
Board
Meeting
4:00 pm
Pride
Center
Collectors’ Group
11:00 am
Stonewall
Library
History Group
2:00 pm
Stonewall
Library
“Silence of the
Clams”
4:00 pm
Empire Stage
Theatre
17
Card Games
24
Haulover Beach
10:00 am
Card Games
Opera Group
12:30 pm
Pride Center
25
Tennis
Mixer
26
Card Games
Dinner
6:00 pm
Zuckerello’s
27
Bowling
Museum of
Art
2:00 pm
28
Bowling
29
Bocce
30
Luncheon
1:00 pm
Sea Watch
Weekly Events
Card Games - Sundays at Noon and Tuesdays at 11:30am - Pride Center
Tennis - Mondays at 10:00am - Palm Aire
Mixer - Mondays at 5:30pm - Tropics
Bowling - Wednesdays at 11:00 am - Manor Lanes; Thursday 11:00 am Brunswick /Margate Lanes
Bocce - Fridays at 10:00am - Palm Aire
After - Mixer Informal Dinner - Mondays at 7:00pm - See weekly email for restaurant
Fort Lauderdale Prime Timers Inc. PO Box 100666, Ft. Lauderdale FL 33310
[email protected]
www.ftlprimetimers.org © 2003 Page
March General Membership Meeting
Our Guest Speaker,Detective Frank Pilewski
Our Kitchen Volunteers
Prime Timers at LIPS in February
Don't See Your Picture? Go to ftlprimetimers.org
Fort Lauderdale Prime Timers Inc. PO Box 100666, Ft. Lauderdale FL 33310
[email protected]
www.ftlprimetimers.org © 2003 Page