"Chestnuts Roasting" KCNET NEWSLETTER 12/22/02 MIKE'S COMMENTARY THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE KCNET RENOVATION PROGRESS NEWS & NOTES BY SUE FOUST MIKE'S COMMENTARY: A couple of weeks ago I told you that Thanksgiving was my favorite holiday. Well, I gotta admit, as we get closer to Christmas, it gets harder to say that Christmas is my second favorite holiday. I guess I wasn't in the proper frame of mind, probably thinking more about my appetite than my need to share. Both of these holidays are family oriented. If we are careful we can keep the emphasis for Christmas on love and peace and family. Christmas! As I retrospect, my first thoughts are not on what I got or what I gave. I remember most what was shared. As a youngster I shared the excitement of a big tree, always beautiful blue lights and balls. Believe it or not, we still have some of those decorations. They are fragile but they mean a lot. There was listening to Santa on the radio each evening waiting for him to read our letter. Of course that built to the great anticipation of his arrival sometime Christmas eve or early Christmas morning. We always got one toy and then clothes. Somehow the toy was a good one though. Being the oldest I had the privilege of maintaining that excitement for my brothers and sister. That helped later with our own kids. Christmas day started early. Prior to my teen years we would always have family visit throughout the day and I do not remember a Christmas day back then without seeing some aunts and uncles and grandmas and grandpas. The meal was always as good as Thanksgiving. We did not travel and it was not until recently that I realized why. We were the only family that did not have a car. All my aunts and uncles did and most lived away from the hometown, so they traveled. Of course there was church including Christmas eve. I spent many years in church choir but fortunately I could not carry a tune so the only solo parts for me were soooo loooow, as in quietissimo. I was always in the back too, way back. However I had a good memory so I was cast in many Christmas plays and learned endless scripts as a Wiseman, Joseph, or a mean old King, etc. I basked in those oohs and aahs and the light chuckles expressed by the easy audience. When it was my turn to be Santa it was just like when Sue and I were kids. We did not have much money for Christmas. We added a twist, we took the kids to select and cut our tree. Sometimes it was so large that it would not fit in or on the car, even the stationwagon. Sue went along with all blue decorations and that gave me that fuzzy feeling. We always tried to get a lot of toys and clothes for the kids. During their early years we were fortunate to have friends that would give us really nice toys that their kids outgrew. It was fun to experience the anticipation and satisfaction reflected in our kids eyes, their smiles and their thanks as they opened the gifts from Santa and mother and dad. They were always grateful. Sue would urge them to be very careful with the wrapping paper so that we could reuse it, and we did. Our grown kids snd spouses tease us a bit about that now, but we are still careful. We started a tradition with Wendy and David when they were toddlers and continued it until their age eight or nine. Each Christmas eve, just before bed time, Sue and I would sit with the kids and I would read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" from a big book. It had great graphics to accompany the words. Dave would want to get to the "on Donder and Blitzen" page because of the picture of Santa and the reindeer flying about the sky and lining up the rooftops for a soft landing. The "Tearing open the sash" page was not that exciting to him. Wendy just digested every word. So great that innocence and all too soon that wonderful world of magic and make-believe disappears. I still unpack that book every year. Well, guess what? Something so simple, reading that book to two really great kids has become my favorite Christmas memory. Now for our Grandkids! Casse, Aubrey, Ryan, Lydia, Alyssa, and David Michael. And especially for you readers and your kids and grandkids. 'Twas the night before Christmas by Clement Clark Moore 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled down for a long winter's nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; "Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN! On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONDER and BLITZEN! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!" As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too. And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my hand, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, "HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!" Some of the above borrowed from "Not Just for Kids! Christmas Stories and Poems" Clement Clarke Moore A Brief Note about the Author and the Poem Clement Clarke Moore's famous poem, which he named "A Visit From St. Nicholas," was published for the first time on December 23, 1823 by a New York newspaper, the Sentinel. Since then, the poem has been reprinted, translated into innumerable languages and circulated throughout the world. Clement Clarke Moore was born in 1779 to a well-known New York family. His father, Reverend Benjamin Moore, was president of (what is now) Columbia University and was the Episcopal Bishop of New York. Moore's father also participated in George Washington's first inauguration and gave last rites to Alexander Hamilton after Hamilton was mortally wounded in an 1804 duel with Aaron Burr. Moore himself was an author, a noted Hebrew scholar, spoke five languages, and was an early real-estate owner and developer in Manhattan. Despite his accomplishments, Clement Clarke Moore is remembered only for "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," which legend says he wrote on Christmas Eve in 1822 during a sleigh ride home from Greenwich Village after buying a turkey for his family. Some say the inspiration for Moore's pot-bellied St. Nicholas was the chubby, bewhiskered Dutchman who drove Moore to Greenwich Village to buy his holiday turkey. Moore never copyrighted his poem, and only claimed as his own over a decade after it was first made public. Moore read the poem to his wife and six children the night he wrote it, and supposedly thought no more about it. But a family friend heard about it and submitted the poem to the Sentinel, a newspaper in upstate New York, which published it anonymously the following Christmas. Moore's poem immediately caught the attention and imagination of the state, then the nation, and then the world. Finally, in 1844, he included it in a book of his poetry. Moore died in 1863 and is buried in Trinity Church Cemetery in lower Manhattan, New York. Because of his "mere trifle," as he called it, 175 years ago Clement Clarke Moore almost single-handedly defined our now timeless image of Santa Claus. GRANDMA KNOWS I'm sure that most stories like this one are not true, never happened. Even knowing that, I still get the fuzzy feeling when I read some of them. I've decided that the authenticity of a story is not what is important. It is the thinking process that follows the story that is important. I know that a common comment to the ills in the world is "You can't help everyone in need." But what is wrong with helping just one? Usually helping one actually benefits at least two. Think about that. So it is a story like this one that encourages me and reconfirms my belief that it is OK to believe. I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!" My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true. Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted. "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad. Now, put on your coat, and let's go." "Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through it's doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's. I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. ! I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he had no coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that. "Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby." The nice lady smiled at me. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas. That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) and write, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it. Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially one of Santa's helpers. Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going." I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his doorbell and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby. Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were: ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team. I still have the Bible, with the tag tucked inside: $19.95. Suggested by Edythe Clark KCNET CLASSES (Keep Checking for Schedule) BEGINNERS: This is a very basic six session course in computer techniques for the internet. There is a per course charge of $12.00 for KCnet members and $15.00 for non KCnet members. The class size is limited. Pre registration is required. Call 8793-8111 or come in to KCnet to register before the next sessions. Skills taught in the beginner classes include mouse techniques like drag and drop, plus very beginner basics for email and browsing the Web. It is not necessary for attendees to have their own computers but it is very difficult to retain information without practice. You really would not try to learn to play the piano with out actual keyboard time. CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE COURSE CONTENT FOR BEGINNERS INTERMEDIATES: This is a six session course for those who have mastered beginner skills. There is a per course charge of $12.00 for KCnet members and $15.00 for non KCnet members. The class size is limited. Pre registration is required. Call (893-8111) or come in to KCnet now to register for the next sessions. A ton of info is packed into the six sessions. This course is designed for those who "think they know but don't" and especially for those who "want to know" more. CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE COURSE CONTENT FOR INTERMEDIATES ADVANCED: (used to be called "Senior Net Learners"). The cost for this class is $0.00 for members of KCnet and $2.00 per session for non KCnet members. There is no set format for the sessions. Occasionally we will take a specific subject and do a detailed study over a period of successive weeks. Don't be afraid to ask questions. The folks that have been attending for awhile are always happy for a review and in most cases new or better ways to do things will surface. Questions stimulate in-depth exploration with the usual result being an understanding of how and why. We welcome new attendees from the Intermediate sessions and our forever growing KCnet membership. This is an advanced group and we cover a lot of territory. We are kind of free flowing. You never know what will transpire. It is not necessary for attendees to have their own computers but it sure helps with the learning curve. Intermediate computer knowledge and Intermediate computer skills are necessary. OTHER CLASSES: CLICK HERE FOR ORIENTATION - BEGINNERS - INTERMEDIATE - ADVANCED CLICK HERE FOR SCANNING - MAC- GENEALOGY - WEB PAGE - EXCEL - WORD - DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - PHOTO MANIPULATION - OTHER SPECIALTIES THIS WEEK'S BEGINNER-ADVANCED CLASS SCHEDULE: We have geared down class offerings because of the extensive renovation project scheduled to begin in this month. KCnet Classes will be scheduled for other locations in January. (Keep Checking for Schedule) ADVANCED CLASS: We we are meeting temporarily at the Jersey Shore Public Library. Next Session is Wednesday 01/08/03 @ 9:30 AM Show up and be surprised. Bring questions and suggestions too. Last week was special. We had a Christmas Party. Folks made or brought many great snacks like sandwiches, candy, cookies, cake, salad and dip, and other fancy hors-d'oeuvres, all with no calories. Then Santa came, well actually Kitty was elected spokesperson and on behalf of the group she presented me with four restaurant gift certificates, a big stack of blank CD-R's, and gloves. Sue and I will enjoy the dinner dates. Thank you. I feel honored that you care. I got a couple of pictures of the happenings, mostly folks eating, but they are terrible. If anyone has some good shots of the party please send them to me. I'll use a couple in the next Newsletter. We did have some learning time. I promised some URLs for sites that we explored. The mouse eyes: http://users.chartertn.net/tonytemplin/FBI_eyes/index.html The site for webpage scriptrs like and including the eyes: http://www.btinternet.com/~kurt.grigg/javascript/ The new Google viewer project for expediating searches: http://labs.google.com/gviewer.html Our next session on January 8, 2003 will be at the Jersey Shore Public Library which is on the corner of Allegheny and Oliver Streets in Jersey Shore. The start time is 9:30. The library does not open until 9:00 and we will need some setup time each Wednesday so we will start at 9:30 and finish when we finish, just like at KCnet. The library is in a converted church and is well labeled as the Jersey Shore Public Library. We will enter through the backdoor and will meet in the basement level room. The entrance is just inside the backdoor from the parking lot. An elevator is also available for those that have difficulty with steps. The library folks have requested that we park on the street instead of the parking lot so that regular library patrons will not be inconvenienced. We may have our usual refreshments at break (hint, hint) and of course coffee during the sessions. All prior rules will be effective in the library location such as, suggest a subject or ask a question and we will explore. There is no advanced registration for this group. Attendance is free for KCnet members, however non KCnet attendees are charged $2.00 per session. Intermediate computer knowledge and Intermediate computer skills are necessary to SURVIVE in this class. WE COLLECTED SOME Just in case you missed this last week: The following email was sent to Jon Ahrens from the Assistant Librarian at the the Jersey Shore Library. Hi Jon, Would it be possible for you to make a plea to your SeniorNet group for donations of the AOL sample disks that come in the plastic DVD type boxes? Some of the DVDs we buy come in those half plastic/half cardboard boxes that are just not sturdy enough for circulation. Karen and I have each gotten the AOL type and they work fine. Certainly out there in cyberspace there must be bunches of them sitting around collecting dust. Would appreciate any help you can give us. Will save money for the library too. Thanks, Kathy Miller So bring them to class 01/08/03!! She is talking about the containers not the disks. Keep the disks for hot drink coasters, tree decorations, or mini frisbees. BEGINNER - INTERMEDIATE - ADVANCED COURSE DESCRIPTIONS The Beginner Group Course Content The first session is a demonstration of the various parts of the computer. We actually take a computer apart and show the various components. We describe the computer memory, mother, sound and video boards, hardware, software, connections, peripherals, keyboards, mice, speakers, modems, etc. Students do hands on in all six sessions starting with turning the blasted beast on. We learn about the desktop and mouse control. Following lessons get into the internet and how to use the browsers to find information. We learn about Web and email addresses, domains, sending and receiving mail, forwarding and replying to email, bookmarks, address books, and a touch of Hyper text Markup Language (HTML). There is always time for questions and general exploration. The pace is what the student makes. The Intermediate Group Course Content: We mess around with the desktop, rearrange icons, change backgrounds, create screen savers, learn to make shortcuts on the desktop, learn a bunch of ways to access the hard drive and discuss how our computers resemble a file cabinet in its organization. We learn a little bit about extensions like .gif, .wav, .mid, .txt, .doc, .jpeg, .exe, and dot de dot de dot... just to name a few. We discover what special programs are already installed on our computers to help us see these special extensions. We make folders and subfolders on the hard drive. We copy and paste files into these folders. We learn the difference between cut/paste and copy/paste. We learn how to copy/borrow graphic and midi files from the internet and save them to the new folders we make. Then we copy and paste files from floppies to the hard drive, we move files from the hard drive to a floppy disk. We take floppies home with graphics and midis on them to put on the hard drives to use with email. We investigate the difference between uninstall and delete for programs and files and when it is appropriate to do either. We learn how to do a "Thorough" Scandisk, Defrag. and Cleandisk. We become proficient with Bookmarks and Forwarding messages. The final week we will get into HTML in email. So look out because we will be terrorizing our friends with neat souped up emails. Yep!, we definitely learn enough to be verrrrry dangerous er creative. AND...WE HAVE FUN!!!. The Advanced Class Content: You name it, we'll discuss it. KCNET RENOVATION PROGRESS: Click on photo to enlarge KCnet decorated for the Holidays. Carolers visited KCnet. The red coated front row singer is our receptionist, Jennifer Loomis's son, Joel. Sara McCoy posts additional photos on the KCnet home page pertaining to the renovation project. Updates are posted as the project progresses. http://www.kcnet.org NEWS & NOTES BY SUE FOUST: Congratulations go out to Erin Simmons on landing a good job at Penn State. Erin started at KCnet about a year ago, during her second year of a 2-year technical program at South Hills. This internship at KCnet would be experience on-the-job, to be added to her resume. Erin is bright and personable; we expected she would find employment immediately after graduation in May. Well, you know the story. The economic picture is terrible. But, starting the first of the year, Erin will be a Penn State Technician AND be able to become a Penn State student, to boot! Our members who have brought computers in for repairs have probably seen and met Erin. She worked full time upstairs in the KCnet Repair Center. She also took many of your "tech calls." We will miss Erin; and we, along with the many members who now know she's leaving, wish her good luck in the new job and in the continuation of her education! About the remodeling of KCnet - We will finally close on the loan January 7! The pre-construction meeting will be that same day and the contractors, J&M Construction Specialty, can start the following day. Whew! That didn't take long! Look for closing of the front entrance and available entry from the rear. Oh, and you are all invited to the mortage burning, January 7, 2043. That's when the final payment on the mortgage is scheduled. You can expect a reeminder. Please RSVP by December 23, 2042. And, just another word. The Wireless Internet Service is going very well. Everyone wants "faster." But, who am I to question? On top of the Swissdale Mountain, where my home connection is 24.6Kbs maximum, I'd like a little faster, too. KCnet can now deliver faster service for those who need it and can "see" our transmission radios. (That's the kicker. The service depends on visual line-of-sight with one of our radios; and, currently we have 2 radios, one at the KCnet building and one at Susque-View. Plans for an increase in radios and their locations are in the works. Keep checking this Newsletter Section for announcements.) Wireless broadband delivers Internet service at speeds that compare favorably with cable modem. And for the big users, higher speeds are available. Prices start at $35 per month. The service is now available to businesses only, but early in 2003, we'll expand to residents, including ones that don't have the availability of cable modem. Return to top of this page. SENIOR NEWSLETTER HOME PAGE VIRUS AND OTHER STINKY STUFF TECHNICALLY SPEAKING INTERESTING SITES TRIVIA QUOTES CUTIES
MIKE'S COMMENTARY: A couple of weeks ago I told you that Thanksgiving was my favorite holiday. Well, I gotta admit, as we get closer to Christmas, it gets harder to say that Christmas is my second favorite holiday. I guess I wasn't in the proper frame of mind, probably thinking more about my appetite than my need to share. Both of these holidays are family oriented. If we are careful we can keep the emphasis for Christmas on love and peace and family.
Christmas! As I retrospect, my first thoughts are not on what I got or what I gave. I remember most what was shared. As a youngster I shared the excitement of a big tree, always beautiful blue lights and balls. Believe it or not, we still have some of those decorations. They are fragile but they mean a lot. There was listening to Santa on the radio each evening waiting for him to read our letter. Of course that built to the great anticipation of his arrival sometime Christmas eve or early Christmas morning. We always got one toy and then clothes. Somehow the toy was a good one though. Being the oldest I had the privilege of maintaining that excitement for my brothers and sister. That helped later with our own kids.
Christmas day started early. Prior to my teen years we would always have family visit throughout the day and I do not remember a Christmas day back then without seeing some aunts and uncles and grandmas and grandpas. The meal was always as good as Thanksgiving. We did not travel and it was not until recently that I realized why. We were the only family that did not have a car. All my aunts and uncles did and most lived away from the hometown, so they traveled.
Of course there was church including Christmas eve. I spent many years in church choir but fortunately I could not carry a tune so the only solo parts for me were soooo loooow, as in quietissimo. I was always in the back too, way back. However I had a good memory so I was cast in many Christmas plays and learned endless scripts as a Wiseman, Joseph, or a mean old King, etc. I basked in those oohs and aahs and the light chuckles expressed by the easy audience.
When it was my turn to be Santa it was just like when Sue and I were kids. We did not have much money for Christmas. We added a twist, we took the kids to select and cut our tree. Sometimes it was so large that it would not fit in or on the car, even the stationwagon. Sue went along with all blue decorations and that gave me that fuzzy feeling. We always tried to get a lot of toys and clothes for the kids. During their early years we were fortunate to have friends that would give us really nice toys that their kids outgrew. It was fun to experience the anticipation and satisfaction reflected in our kids eyes, their smiles and their thanks as they opened the gifts from Santa and mother and dad. They were always grateful. Sue would urge them to be very careful with the wrapping paper so that we could reuse it, and we did. Our grown kids snd spouses tease us a bit about that now, but we are still careful.
We started a tradition with Wendy and David when they were toddlers and continued it until their age eight or nine. Each Christmas eve, just before bed time, Sue and I would sit with the kids and I would read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" from a big book. It had great graphics to accompany the words. Dave would want to get to the "on Donder and Blitzen" page because of the picture of Santa and the reindeer flying about the sky and lining up the rooftops for a soft landing. The "Tearing open the sash" page was not that exciting to him. Wendy just digested every word. So great that innocence and all too soon that wonderful world of magic and make-believe disappears. I still unpack that book every year.
Well, guess what? Something so simple, reading that book to two really great kids has become my favorite Christmas memory.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, "HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!"
Some of the above borrowed from "Not Just for Kids! Christmas Stories and Poems"
Clement Clarke Moore
Clement Clarke Moore was born in 1779 to a well-known New York family. His father, Reverend Benjamin Moore, was president of (what is now) Columbia University and was the Episcopal Bishop of New York. Moore's father also participated in George Washington's first inauguration and gave last rites to Alexander Hamilton after Hamilton was mortally wounded in an 1804 duel with Aaron Burr. Moore himself was an author, a noted Hebrew scholar, spoke five languages, and was an early real-estate owner and developer in Manhattan.
Despite his accomplishments, Clement Clarke Moore is remembered only for "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," which legend says he wrote on Christmas Eve in 1822 during a sleigh ride home from Greenwich Village after buying a turkey for his family. Some say the inspiration for Moore's pot-bellied St. Nicholas was the chubby, bewhiskered Dutchman who drove Moore to Greenwich Village to buy his holiday turkey. Moore never copyrighted his poem, and only claimed as his own over a decade after it was first made public.
Moore read the poem to his wife and six children the night he wrote it, and supposedly thought no more about it. But a family friend heard about it and submitted the poem to the Sentinel, a newspaper in upstate New York, which published it anonymously the following Christmas. Moore's poem immediately caught the attention and imagination of the state, then the nation, and then the world. Finally, in 1844, he included it in a book of his poetry. Moore died in 1863 and is buried in Trinity Church Cemetery in lower Manhattan, New York.
Because of his "mere trifle," as he called it, 175 years ago Clement Clarke Moore almost single-handedly defined our now timeless image of Santa Claus.
GRANDMA KNOWS
I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid.
I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"
My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.
Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted. "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad. Now, put on your coat, and let's go."
"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun.
"Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through it's doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.
I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. !
I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class.
Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he had no coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.
"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down.
"Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby."
The nice lady smiled at me. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas.
That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) and write, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it. Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially one of Santa's helpers.
Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going." I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his doorbell and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma.
Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby. Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were: ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.
I still have the Bible, with the tag tucked inside: $19.95.
Suggested by Edythe Clark
KCNET CLASSES (Keep Checking for Schedule) BEGINNERS: This is a very basic six session course in computer techniques for the internet. There is a per course charge of $12.00 for KCnet members and $15.00 for non KCnet members. The class size is limited. Pre registration is required. Call 8793-8111 or come in to KCnet to register before the next sessions. Skills taught in the beginner classes include mouse techniques like drag and drop, plus very beginner basics for email and browsing the Web. It is not necessary for attendees to have their own computers but it is very difficult to retain information without practice. You really would not try to learn to play the piano with out actual keyboard time. CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE COURSE CONTENT FOR BEGINNERS
INTERMEDIATES: This is a six session course for those who have mastered beginner skills. There is a per course charge of $12.00 for KCnet members and $15.00 for non KCnet members. The class size is limited. Pre registration is required. Call (893-8111) or come in to KCnet now to register for the next sessions. A ton of info is packed into the six sessions. This course is designed for those who "think they know but don't" and especially for those who "want to know" more. CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE COURSE CONTENT FOR INTERMEDIATES
ADVANCED: (used to be called "Senior Net Learners"). The cost for this class is $0.00 for members of KCnet and $2.00 per session for non KCnet members. There is no set format for the sessions. Occasionally we will take a specific subject and do a detailed study over a period of successive weeks. Don't be afraid to ask questions. The folks that have been attending for awhile are always happy for a review and in most cases new or better ways to do things will surface. Questions stimulate in-depth exploration with the usual result being an understanding of how and why. We welcome new attendees from the Intermediate sessions and our forever growing KCnet membership. This is an advanced group and we cover a lot of territory. We are kind of free flowing. You never know what will transpire. It is not necessary for attendees to have their own computers but it sure helps with the learning curve. Intermediate computer knowledge and Intermediate computer skills are necessary.
OTHER CLASSES: CLICK HERE FOR ORIENTATION - BEGINNERS - INTERMEDIATE - ADVANCED CLICK HERE FOR SCANNING - MAC- GENEALOGY - WEB PAGE - EXCEL - WORD - DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - PHOTO MANIPULATION - OTHER SPECIALTIES
THIS WEEK'S BEGINNER-ADVANCED CLASS SCHEDULE:
ADVANCED CLASS: We we are meeting temporarily at the Jersey Shore Public Library. Next Session is Wednesday 01/08/03 @ 9:30 AM Show up and be surprised. Bring questions and suggestions too. Last week was special. We had a Christmas Party. Folks made or brought many great snacks like sandwiches, candy, cookies, cake, salad and dip, and other fancy hors-d'oeuvres, all with no calories. Then Santa came, well actually Kitty was elected spokesperson and on behalf of the group she presented me with four restaurant gift certificates, a big stack of blank CD-R's, and gloves. Sue and I will enjoy the dinner dates. Thank you. I feel honored that you care. I got a couple of pictures of the happenings, mostly folks eating, but they are terrible. If anyone has some good shots of the party please send them to me. I'll use a couple in the next Newsletter.
We did have some learning time. I promised some URLs for sites that we explored. The mouse eyes: http://users.chartertn.net/tonytemplin/FBI_eyes/index.html The site for webpage scriptrs like and including the eyes: http://www.btinternet.com/~kurt.grigg/javascript/ The new Google viewer project for expediating searches: http://labs.google.com/gviewer.html
Our next session on January 8, 2003 will be at the Jersey Shore Public Library which is on the corner of Allegheny and Oliver Streets in Jersey Shore. The start time is 9:30. The library does not open until 9:00 and we will need some setup time each Wednesday so we will start at 9:30 and finish when we finish, just like at KCnet. The library is in a converted church and is well labeled as the Jersey Shore Public Library. We will enter through the backdoor and will meet in the basement level room. The entrance is just inside the backdoor from the parking lot. An elevator is also available for those that have difficulty with steps. The library folks have requested that we park on the street instead of the parking lot so that regular library patrons will not be inconvenienced. We may have our usual refreshments at break (hint, hint) and of course coffee during the sessions. All prior rules will be effective in the library location such as, suggest a subject or ask a question and we will explore. There is no advanced registration for this group. Attendance is free for KCnet members, however non KCnet attendees are charged $2.00 per session. Intermediate computer knowledge and Intermediate computer skills are necessary to SURVIVE in this class.
WE COLLECTED SOME
So bring them to class 01/08/03!! She is talking about the containers not the disks. Keep the disks for hot drink coasters, tree decorations, or mini frisbees.
The Intermediate Group Course Content:
The Advanced Class Content:
KCNET RENOVATION PROGRESS:
Sara McCoy posts additional photos on the KCnet home page pertaining to the renovation project. Updates are posted as the project progresses. http://www.kcnet.org
NEWS & NOTES BY SUE FOUST:
Well, you know the story. The economic picture is terrible. But, starting the first of the year, Erin will be a Penn State Technician AND be able to become a Penn State student, to boot! Our members who have brought computers in for repairs have probably seen and met Erin. She worked full time upstairs in the KCnet Repair Center. She also took many of your "tech calls."
We will miss Erin; and we, along with the many members who now know she's leaving, wish her good luck in the new job and in the continuation of her education!
About the remodeling of KCnet - We will finally close on the loan January 7! The pre-construction meeting will be that same day and the contractors, J&M Construction Specialty, can start the following day. Whew! That didn't take long! Look for closing of the front entrance and available entry from the rear. Oh, and you are all invited to the mortage burning, January 7, 2043. That's when the final payment on the mortgage is scheduled. You can expect a reeminder. Please RSVP by December 23, 2042.
And, just another word. The Wireless Internet Service is going very well. Everyone wants "faster." But, who am I to question? On top of the Swissdale Mountain, where my home connection is 24.6Kbs maximum, I'd like a little faster, too.
KCnet can now deliver faster service for those who need it and can "see" our transmission radios. (That's the kicker. The service depends on visual line-of-sight with one of our radios; and, currently we have 2 radios, one at the KCnet building and one at Susque-View. Plans for an increase in radios and their locations are in the works. Keep checking this Newsletter Section for announcements.) Wireless broadband delivers Internet service at speeds that compare favorably with cable modem. And for the big users, higher speeds are available. Prices start at $35 per month. The service is now available to businesses only, but early in 2003, we'll expand to residents, including ones that don't have the availability of cable modem.
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