Dear CES Members and Friends,
You should know right up front that this is strictly--and I mean strictly---a very informal newsletter. There is absolutely nothing formal or approved about this and it is not designed or intended to take anything away from those of our sorority sisters who are working on developing the "real" and "formal" Chapter newsletter.
However, recognizing that not all of us could make it to all or even one of our three formation meetings, we thought it would be nice and in keeping with our intent to have a really inclusive and friendly Chapter, to get something out so that we can all be kept abreast of Chapter activities.
And as with all newsletters, please feel free to make suggestions or contributions (writing, not cash...altho I’ll take the latter if it is pushed on me). It is our newsletter!
Becky
CHAPTER CHARTER
Thanks to the very fine leadership skills and positive attitude of Grace and the total cooperation of everyone who participated, the Chapter managed to develop and approve a set of By-laws which Grace will now forward to Jane Ellen at Tri-Ess International for her review and comment so that we can meet our desired Charter date of July 1, 1998!
But let’s recapture why these By-laws are important to us and a little of what went into the writing of these By-Laws.
Why By-laws?
Essentially these By-laws will give us structure and a reference point for change as we move along. We all seem to want structure because that, in its own way, gives us that feeling of stability and these By-laws will do that. And, from a legal viewpoint, these By- laws will make us a part of Tri-Ess International with all of the benefits and rights pursuant thereto, to quote a legal scholar from someplace!
Wha’ Happened?
Grace asked for a group of volunteers at that first meeting in March and from that group she selected Yvonne, Paula, Emily, Linda, and Becky. They met with Grace on two separate occasions and with the help of the assembled Chapter members on April 25 and again on May 30, reviewed, argued, and then approved (on May 30) the By-laws.
So here we are! All ready to go and awaiting approval from Tri-Ess International for our formal Chartering Date of July 1, 1998. We should know by the time of the next meeting (June 27) what our actual status should be.
Your Copy?
If you were not able to be at the May 30 meeting, you can contact Grace for a copy of what the members (20 in number) present approved.
Post Office Box for Snail-Mail and an E-Mail Address
Just in case you were wondering how do you get in contact with Grace, well, here is the official US Postal Service address for "snail -mail:"
MD Tri-Ess
PO Box 505
Brooklynville, MD 21022-0505
And for those of us with modems and computers and all of that newfangled electronic jazz, Grace is at: Tri_ess@hotmail.com
And we have a web-page, thanks to Lucy and Joan, at the following address:
http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/
Stonewall/3432
So we have you covered! If you write or call (electronically), we will hear you and someone will be back in touch with you as soon as we can!
Marian...the
Librarian
Yes, ladies, we have a librarian (she isn’t really Marian, she’s Becky) but she is at least a part-time librarian who is willing to use her own books plus those offered by others as a start of a lending library.
And thanks to the generosity of Jo Ann Roberts (author of the Coping with Crossdressing) and the very original thoughty request by Linda, we also have three video tapes to start our collection.
An annotated bibliography will be available at the June 27 meeting and some simple form of accountability will be developed that will permit ease of borrowing but also assist us in tracking books and tapes down.
Among the books to be made available will be most of Deborah Tannen’s works, Brain Sex, and several of Peggy Roberts’ works. Contributions (i.e., making your own collection available on a lending basis) are always welcome.
Contact Becky at <beckyxd @ hotmail. com> for details.
Our Executive
Committee
Director: Grace
Vice-Dir: Vacant
Treasurer: Joan
Secretary: Emily
Past Dir: Becky
Web Site: Lucy and Joan
Events: Vickie
Location: Ann
Volunteers are always welcome! It’s our Chapter, girls!
Charter Members
(Tentative)
Grace, Robyn and Linda, Venessa and Marion, Vera Rae and Ann, Diane and Ann, Sherri and Joan, Yvonne and Linda, Lucy and June, Linda, June and Lizz, Paula and Shirley, Joan and Robin, Emily and Laurie, Lee, Claire, Terri, Victoria and Sheri, Becky and Anne, Terri, Kim
Summary of
Meetings
March 21, 1998
This was our very first organizational meeting, chaired and called by Grace. Some 26 interested people were present, one of---if not the--- very largest Tri-Ess organizational meetings in history. Grace set out the general vision and committees were established. A very, very good start!
April 25, 1998
Our second meeting saw us working our way through the very painful process of establishing the by-laws. Thanks to the good humor and cooperative spirit exhibited by virtually everyone, we made it!
May 30, 1998
One more reading of the By-laws followed by two separate enjoyable gab-fests and capped off by Heather’s beauty presentation!
"girl talk...."
[Editor comment: This is a column that is designed to bring a person’s perspective into print...everyone might not agree with what is said or with the view points that are presented...but what ever is said will always be in good taste and germane to our "second selves."]
Deborah Tannen literally has made a fortune over what most of us have observed and have just passed off as "being the way it is." In reality, though, there are differences in "boy talk" and "girl talk." Tannen describes the difference in two succinct terms...
Report talk and
Rapport talk.
Report talk is the male version...sort of a Jack Webb takeoff. "Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts." Keep feelings and emotions out of the conversation, don’t waste time, just give me the facts...ever notice how men always compare where they work and what they do for a living? And conversations focus on things like sports, cars, etc.? Pretty safe topics...
Rapport talk, though, focuses on "how" the other person is feeling, what emotions are surging through the individual at the time, "how do you feel about that?" ...where, as a boy, I had been told by the nuns in school that one "feels with his fingers" and not with his emotions... But "rapport talk" is designed to be inclusive and to share and to bring the other person into a friendship circle. By sharing...not by telling. And there is a difference! Isn’t there?
Becky
Mark Your Calendars, Ladies!
Please mark your calendars, girls, for the following events. We’re trying to give us all advance notice on our activities for two reasons...one, it helps us in our own personal lives (fewer surprises!) and two, it helps arrange for meeting places.
Right now, we’re looking at meeting monthly at the Comfort Suites at BWI, the same location we had for the May 30th meeting. They know who we are and have no problem with our "comings and goings."
The conference room is big enough to hold us all and there are two large bathrooms ...one in the suite next to the conference room ...the suite can be used for overnight accommodations at half price to assist the Chapter in making its bills.
Now for the Calendars!
(Meetings will start at 7:00 pm unless otherwise noted.)
June 27
July 25
August 29
September 26
October 31
December 12
January 23
The October meeting will be a Halloween Party (why aren’t you surprised?) and the December meeting will be a Christmas Party...more details to follow...
It is with great regret that the Chapter announces the death of Diane, a Charter Member,. Our sympathy and prayers go out to Ann and other members of the family.
Diane suffered a heart attack while vacationing at Rehobeth Beach the weekend of June 6-7.
Further information, to include Ann’s address, can be obtained from Grace.