RETIREMENT

WHAT TO DO WITH ALL OF THOSE EXTRA HOURS IN THE DAY WHEN I FINALLY DECIDE TO RETIRE. THAT IS THE GENERAL TOPIC WHENEVER WE GATHER WITH FRIENDS AND I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER. WE COULD VOLUNTEER, TRAVEL, SIT AT THE COMPUTER AND TYPE THESE CATHARTIC BLOGS OR GET A PART TIME JOB AT WAL-MART (PLUMBING FIXTURES IN AISLE 7A SIR). I MIGHT BE WORKING NEXT TO STEVEN SPIELBERG AFTER THAT MADOFF-PONZI SCAM. HOW ABOUT MOVING TO AN EXOTIC ISLAND (NO MEDICAL CARE), OR A CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRY LIKE COSTA RICA. MAYBE JUST ANYWHERE WARM WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT TRAFFIC IN SNOW STORMS OR SNOWBLOW THE DRIVEWAY.
LET'S HERE SOME IDEAS FROM YOU ABOUT YOUR CHOICE OF ACTIVITIES AFTER RETIREMENT. JUST CLICK ON COMMENT AND WRITE AWAY. KEITH

I HATE NEGATIVISM

I READ IN MY SOON TO BE DISCONTINUED DAILY NEWSPAPER THE WORST OF OUR SOCIETAL PROBLEMS.WE ARE TOO FAT, TOO VIOLENT, TOO SELFISH, TOO GREEDY, TOO UNCARING AND THE LIST GOES ON. WHEN I VISIT WITH PEOPLE WHETHER IT IS ON THE PHONE, ONLINE OR IN PERSON I FIND THAT WE AREN'T ALL THAT BAD. UNEMPLOYMENT IS UP A BIT BUT SHOULD THAT BRING DOWN THE GREAT MAJORITY OF US STILL WORKING. GRANTED MOST OF OUR CLASS IS EITHER RETIRED OR HEADING TOWARD RETIREMENT BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IS AFFECTING US ALL. SPREAD GOOD NEWS AND IT CAN BE AS INFECTIOUS AS BAD NEWS. I WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THE GOOD OCCURRING IN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO INHERIT OUR LEFTOVERS.
ANOTHER THOUGHT, I WATCHED "IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME" LAST NIGHT. VAN JOHNSON, JUDY GARLAND AND SPRING BYINGTON STARRED IN THIS UPLIFTING STORY. EVERYTHING WAS SIMPLER BACK THEN AND YES IT HAS A HAPPY ENDING.
IN CREATIVE WRITING, WHICH I CLAIM THIS IS, THE MOST IMPORTANT SENTENCE IS THE LAST ONE, THE 2ND MOST IMPORTANT IS THE FIRST AND THE THIRD MOST IMPORTANT IS THE SENTENCE THE READER IS READING NEXT. IF I HAVEN'T LOST ANYONE YET THEN I HAD BETTER THINK OF SOMETHING GOOD TO END WITH. I LOVE HOT FUDGE SUNDAES WITH NUTS AND A CHERRY ON TOP, THERE. KEITH

MOMBAI ATTACK

IF ANYONE HAD A DOUBT ABOUT TERRORIST COMMITMENTS TO CAUSING CHAOS AND KILLING INDISCRIMINATELY THIS PAST FEW DAYS IS QUITE CONVINCING. IF THIS CONTINUES WE WILL BECOME ISOLATED IN OUR COUNTRY UNABLE TO TRAVEL SAFELY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. I CAN'T IMAGINE THE MINDSET THAT TEACHES TERRORISM TO YOUNG PEOPLE TURNING THEM INTO PSYCHOPATHOLGICAL KILLERS. WE HAVE PSYCHOPATHS HERE IN OUR COUNTRY BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN INTENTIONALLY TAUGHT TO BE THAT WAY. WHATEVER THE CAUSES FOR THIS HATRED FOR US, WHETHER IT IS OIL, RELIGION OR IMPERIALISM, WE HAD BETTER DO SOMETHING SOON OR THIS CANCER WILL GROW WAY OUT OF CONTROL.
SORRY, DIDN'T MEAN TO GET SO HEAVY BUT WE CAN LOOK AT THINGS AT A DISTANCE AND AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T IMMEDIATELY AFFECT US WE FEEL SAFE.
MARVIN FEINBERG IS DOING WELL, LIVING IN BUFFALO GROVE AND ENJOYING A SECOND CAREER AFTER RUNNING THE PARK RIDGE SCHOOLS. LARRY DALLIA IS NEAR MADISON, WISC. WORKING FOR THE STATE. MORE LATER, KEITH

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING

ANOTHER THANKSGIVING IS HERE. AS A KID I LOOKED FORWARD TO THANKSGIVING GIVING THANKS FOR A 3 DAY SCHOOL WEEK. NOW I ENJOY A 3 DAY WORK WEEK. WE WOULD GO FROM OUR HOME AT 4100 BLOCK OF CHRISTIANA IN CHICAGO TO 5900 VIRGINIA AVE. TO ENJOY MY GRANDMOTHERS MASTERPIECES OF FOOD. I WAS A RATHER ACTIVE CHILD AND USUALLY ENDED UP PINNED ON THE COUCH BY TWO OF MY AUNTS. IT WAS SO NICE TO GATHER WITH MY RELATIVES, WHICH WE DID QUITE OFTEN, AND I COULDN'T WAIT TO HEAR MY GRANDFATHER'S STORIES ABOUT LIFE IN SWEDEN AND EARLY CHICAGO. MANY OF OUR CLASS ARE GOING TO ENJOY A NICE DINNER TODAY GIVING THANKS FOR FAMILY, HEALTH A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS. THERE ARE SOME OF US WHO DON'T ENJOY THOSE THINGS AND WILL SPEND THE DAY ALONE. WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO CALL JUST ONE OF THOSE MATES AND SHARE EXPERIENCES OVER THE PAST 47 YEARS. I FIND THIS CAMPAIGN OF MINE TO BRING TOGETHER AS MANY OF US AS I CAN VERY REWARDING. IHAVE TALKED TO PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND NONE OF THEM HUNG UP ON ME. THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO TO FILL OUT THE LIST OF CLASSMATES AND YOUR HELP IS VERY IMPORTANT. MORE LATER, KEITH

San Diego Visit

Dolores and I are visiting relatives in southern California in January. We will fly to San Diego, then drive to Anaheim, then on to Palm Desert and finally back to San Diego where we will have dinner with Rochelle Laskov Zuniga and Bev Duffey Altes and their husbands. I hope more of you can join us. Contact either me or Rochelle or Bev if you are interested. I called Marvin Feinberg and Jim Dahlquist today. Call Rod Bartels and cheer him up, he has the stock market blues. Did you know that since 1981 all of our presidents have been left handed except "W".I'm not sure which hand Barack uses.

CONGRATULATIONS TO US

HEY, WE MADE IT TO 65. MANAGING TO AVOID GETTING HIT BY A BUS OR FALLING OFF A CLIFF OR ANY OTHER FATE THAT DESTINY HAD WAITING FOR US NOW THE REST IS EASY. OUR BODIES WERE GENERALLY MADE TO LAST UP TO 100 IF TREATED PROPERLY. I RECENTLY GAVE UP HAVING A SWEET ROLL AT OUR MORNING BREAK. I ALSO PASS ON THE COFFEE BECAUSE IT CRIES OUT FOR THE SWEET ROLL. NOW I HAVE GREEN TEA AND IT CRIES FOR A GRANOLA BAR. SOMETIMES I THINK THAT IT WAS BETTER NOT TO KNOW SOME THINGS (LIKE PSA) LIKE MY DAD. HE LIVED TO BE 85 AND NEVER KNEW WHAT PSA WAS. NOW THEY WANT TO TAKE A SLICE OF MY PROSTATE BECAUSE OF A LOUSY NUMBER. I THINK THAT I JUST MIGHT ROLL THE DICE. WE WERE AT A SMALL CONCERT LAST NIGHT. THE SINGER WAS MARGARET STEWART. THE TRIO BEHIND HER WAS THE BOBBY SCHIFF TRIO (HMMM WONDER IF HE IS RELATED TO OUR ROSANNE SCHIFF). MARGARET STARTED SINGING PROFESSIONALLY 6 YEARS AGO AFTER A SUCESSFUL CORPORATE CAREER AND SINCE THEN SHE HAS TRAVELLED THE WORLD ENTERTAINNG. SHE DID SONGS WITH A JAZZ,BLUES STYLE LIKE PEGGY LEE OR JULIE LONDON. HER RENDITION OF "THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE" BY ROBERTA FLACK WAS WONDERFUL. IF YOU GET A CHACE TO SEE HER I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. BYE FOR NOW, KEITH

CHEER UP, THINGS COULD BE WORSE

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I TALKED TO BOB BLACKSTONE ON SUNDAY AND HE WAS CONVINCED THAT HE STAYED THE REMAINING 3 YEARS AT NILES WEST AND GRADUATED FROM THERE. I REMEMBER THAT WE GRADUATED IN THE NILES WEST AUDITORIUM BUT I KNOW THAT I WENT TO EAST JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS. BOB LIVED ON THE SOUTHERN END OF GLENVIEW AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE WERE SOME STUDENTS WHO DID ATTEND WEST AND GRADUATED IN 1961. ANYBODY, ANYBODY.

GOOD MORNING CLASS OF 61

I can't believe I just deleted my whole entry by hitting the wrong button.
Anyway I made a drink for breakfast this morning. I blended carrots, frozen fruit, broccoli, bazil leaf, yogurt and orange juice in my magic bullet blender. Tasted good, tomorrow I'll try nuts also. I've decided to change the name of this section from BLOG to DIARY since I seem to be the only one reading it. Today I will build some shelves in my closet. After 25 years in this house it is about time(comment from my wife, Dolores). After 65 years on this earth we have seen plenty. Nothing that happens should be much of a surprise. The young people today haven't experience much adversity until the past year culminating to a peak in the last few weeks. We know that all things pass and move back to normalcy.
My father-in-law married Coach Basrak's widow. She is still living in an assisted living facility in Niles, IL. I'll talk to myself again soon. Say good-bye Keith

SNOWBALL EFFECT

I DON'T THINK THAT I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTS TO TALK TO AND SEE MY OLD FRIENDS FROM NILEHI. WITH THE VOLATILE WORLD WE LIVE IN IT IS NICE TO THINK BACK TO SIMPLER TIMES WHERE WE ONLY HAD 1 OR 2 WORLD ENEMIES. OUR PARENTS WEREN'T WORRIED ABOUT THEIR 401K'S AND EVERYBODY KNEW THEIR NEIGHBORS. I KNOW THAT IT WASN'T ALL THAT ROSY BUT I LIKE TO THINK THAT WAY. RECENTLY I HAVE TALKED TO A FEW MORE CLASSMATES. STEW ROPER IS IN LAKE HAVASU, ARIZONA AFTER A LONG CAREER IN THE MARINES WHERE HE SERVED IN 4 WARS. BOB ZENDER IS WITH MERRILL LYNCH IN CHICAGO AND STILL PLAYS GOLF WITH TOM RAKOWSKI AND MITCH MELAMED. I TRIED TO TALK TO PETER MUELLER (SAN DIEGO) AND BOB SARNOFF (CHICAGO) BUT I COULDN'T GET PAST THEIR SECRETARIES. I SPOKE TO LINDA JOHNSON (DES PLAINES) AND SHARON KUESTER (MORTON GROVE). THEY WERE BOTH VERY SURPRISED TO HEAR FROM AN OLD CLASSMATE. I ALSO SPOKE WITH STEVE ELKINS (HIGHLAND PARK) AND HE MENTIONED THAT ONE OF HIS CLIENTS WAS CAROL VIRGILIO. WE RECEIVED A NOTE FROM BRONSON DAVIS AND HE MENTIONED THAT HE WOULD FORWARD THIS WEBSITE TO BILL FISHER AND TOD WISE WHO BOTH LIVE IN MEXICO. I THINK STEW ROPER MENTIONED THAT THEY WERE IN LAREDO. IF WE ALL CONTINUE TO CONTACT A FEW FORMER FRIENDS FROM OUR CLASS WE SHOULD HAVE THE LINK TO MOST OF OUR OVER 900 MEMBERS. THEN THE REUNION WOULD REALLY BE A BLAST.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN INTERESTING WEBSITE ABOUT THE END OF NILES EAST CLICK HERE. http://nileseast64reunion.org/Being_There/being_there.html

LIFE AT NTHS

The 50 year celebration for Niles West was fun. There were over 400 people there from all the classes and we found several old friends there. I ran into Bob Zender's sister and she told me Bob is working for Merrill Lynch in Chicago. I will call him today. I will also call Peter Mueller in San Diego. More to follow. Our class was represented by Rod Bartels, Ron Hauser, Dick Rehwaldt, Marshall Claassen, Walt Olson, Bruce Mau and me. It was loud at the dinner with all of the chatter buzzing and the "The Buckinghams" causing me to lose my voice. The next day we met at my house for a BBQ and Bob Feinberg also came. We broke out the yearbook and laughed at seeing ourselves as kids.
I plan on working a few more years since my 401K turned into a 301K. I really don't mind since I enjoy the work (I build plastic injection molds for the plumbing parts industry) and my co-workers are fun to be around. Dolores, my wife, works for Trustmark Insurance as a case manager. I work out every other day walking to Bally's, weight lifting and then walking back managing to stop at Starbucks for a Frapacino. managing my shape has become more and more difficult as I age. Having an addiction to peanut donuts doesn't help.
Keep looking for missing classmates on the directory. Keith

LIFE AT NTHS

For the most part I enjoyed my high school experiences at NTHS. I was very shy for most of my four years. It was difficult (no impossible) for me to call a girl on the phone for a date. It didn't help having our only phone sitting in the family room where my parents and sister generally congregated. I remember an incident when Nancy Overton was passing me in the hallway and playfully poked me in the stomach, unfortunately her spiral notebook caught in my sweater and I turned several shades of red as it seemed the whole student body noticed. Well I'm not shy any more. Chuck Worthington, one of my best friends, may he rest in peace, and Emil Lazar, my other best friend, were instrumental in helping me cope with everyday school life. Senior year we formed the India Plaid Society. It was a small group, the 3 of us and Bruce Hirte, and for a while an unnamed photographer for the Nilehilite until we found out that he couldn't get us in the paper. In looking back teenagers could be mean and I hope I didn't cause anyone to feel bad. If I did I am sorry. I am making it a mission to contact as many of you as possible, either by phone or e-mail. So far I have talked to Fred Denkman, Ira Berger, Mike Rothholtz, Harvey Brown, Rod Bartels, Bob Feinberg, Ron Hauser, Marshall Claassen, Walt Olson, Bruce Mau, Dick Rehwaldt, Bev Duffey, Steve Elkins, Gari-Sue Greene and several others through e-mail conversations. After browsing through the directory if you know of anyone please contact them and let them know about this website so that we can continue to add e-mail addresses. This will be your part in helping to bring us all together again. Keith