Date: December 17, 2001

We are once again invited performers at the New Years Eve Show at St.-Anne's Veterans Hospital. The men who are there really appreciate our participation, and love the songs we sing for them.

The plan is to arrive at the Hospital at 10:30 AM. We will warm-up a bit and then go and sing on the wards for those that won't be able to get down for the show in the afternoon.

There will be a light lunch available for us (I think.), and then we will perform on the show in the afternoon. We have been one of the featured acts for many years now, and Frank Monroe, the Emcee and organiser of the show has even caught on to our name.

Be there, and help brighten a Vet's day.

The sale of the Christmas CD, "Noel," has been going well, according to Walter Mueller. He said that we are going to ask for additional CDs to sell, since our original allotment is nearly all sold.

This is great news, of course, since the profits will help to fund chapter activities. It also means that members who are currently holding on to CDs, should convert them to cash as quickly as possible.

THE 139th STREET QUARTET, 7-time International Medallist Quartet and only Barbershop Quartet to receive multiple Gold and Platinum Awards for their participation with Neil Diamond on his two Christmas CDs will appear with Neil Diamond on THE TONIGHT SHOW with Jay Leno, Monday, December 17, 2001!

The members of "139" are:

Doug Anderson - tenor;

Dan Jordan - lead;

Pete Neushul - baritone; and

Jim Kline - bass (Jim is also bass of Gotcha!)

The 139^th Street Quartet appeared several times at the Bolton Landing Barbershop Quartet Festival.

If you read this before you leave for rehearsal, set the VCR, and tape this for future viewing, or get home in time on Monday. You were warned last week.

Things have changed in the line-up for our next three years Annual Shows. In 2002, we will be featuring the 2001 sixth place quartet, Metropolis. They are a very entertaining and great singing quartet. Our audience will love them. For 2003, we are in negotiation with Gas House Gang, 1993 International Champions. They are one of the best show quartets ever, and in my humble opinion they continue to improve. For 2004, we are still expecting to have 4 Voices, the 1996 Collegiate Champs and 2001 third place quartet. By the time they appear on our show, they will very likely be International Champions.

But, it would be even more fun if there were the occasional contribution from someone else. Alan Kenley has been great at offering articles on the Music Team's activities and Rob Mance has provided a tidbit from time to time, but there doesn't appear to be another literate person in the Chapter. At least that is the impression I get from the thundering silence.

With the Holidays approaching you can send an article to run in 2002. It will be appreciated.

The price goes up at the end of December, 2001, and everyone is expected to be there on February 2, 2002. So why not save yourself some money and register with Steve Wheaton before Christmas.

Bring a cheque and your registration form with you to rehearsal on Monday, or arrange to get it to Steve before the end of the month.

Full tuition is $55.00 (includes lunch, chorus coaching, and 1/2 day program.) The guest quartet is Déjà Vu, which is Joker's Wild with a new tenor, so sign up tonight!

It has often been suggested that English should have male and female nouns, as do most other languages in the world. Here are a few candidates for consideration as useful male and female nouns:

SWISS ARMY KNIFE -- male, because even though it appears useful for a wide variety of work, it spends most of its time just opening bottles.

KIDNEYS -- female, because they always go to the bathroom in pairs.

PENLIGHT -- male, because it can be turned on very easily, but isn't very bright.

TIRE -- male, because it goes bald and often is over-inflated.

HOT AIR BALLOON: male, because to get it to go anywhere you have to light a fire under it... and, of course, there's the hot air part.

SPONGES -- female, because they are soft and squeezable and retain water.

WEB PAGE -- female, because it is always getting hit on.

SHOE -- male, because it is usually unpolished, with its tongue hanging out.

COPIER -- female, because once turned off, it takes a while to warm up. Also, because it is an effective reproductive device when the right buttons are pushed. Also, because it can wreak havoc when the wrong buttons are pushed.

ZIPLOC BAGS -- male, because they hold everything in, but you can always see right through them.

SUBWAY -- male, because it uses the same old lines to pick people up.

HOURGLASS -- female, because over time, the weight shifts to the bottom.

HAMMER -- male, because it hasn't evolved much over the last 5,000 years, but it's handy to have around and it's good for killing bugs.

There is no rehearsal next week (Christmas Eve) or the next (New Years Eve), but we will be getting back together on Monday, January 7, 2002.

Since you will be practising your music every day, we will be note-perfect for 2002. Right?

Practice is something we do at home, every day, between rehearsals!

Rehearsal is where we reinforce what we have been practising every day!