safe place to buy provigil online The NYFS held its sixth meeting on September 17, 1988; it was the first anniversary of the society. John discussed the finances, plugged upcoming events, talked about a UFO sighting in Connecticut, and presented the first Falling Frog Award (to Phyllis Benjamin). He also delivered a talk on extraterrestrials (not included in these remarks…)
The fifth issue of the NYFS Newsletter was the anniversary issue. It sported a cartoon cover by Chris Gross and Phil Lord, a summary of the first year by Ron Rosenblatt, news of members, reviews, and announcements for upcoming events.
The fourth issue of the NYFS newsletter prints Mike Lindner’s account of the fourth meeting, a roundup of fortean activity, and John’s explanation of why it takes so long to produce a newsletter. The film, by the way, has survived; we’ve made a digital transfer, although we didn’t preserve the faded 8mm Bugs Bunny cartoon. (It was this one, if you’re in the mood for some Bugs.) Mark Chorvinsky was scheduled to appear, but apparently didn’t.
John Keel’s notes for the fourth meeting of the New York Fortean Society (March 26, 1988) are on four index cards. He introduces his film “Egypt — 1954,” preceded by a Bugs Bunny cartoon; gives some updates on members and gets in a dig at James Randi; and introduces Mark Chorvinsky.
In the third issue of the NYFS newsletter, Mike Lindner reports on the MIB talks offered in the third meeting, Ron Rosenblatt reports on the Chinese New Year gathering, and John Keel announces upcoming events. “Disgusting things with chickens”! You wouldn’t want to miss that, would you?
There don’t seem to be any notes for the second meeting; but I’ve found the index cards that John used for the third. It was held on January 23, 1988; and was devoted to those ever-popular Men In Black, with talks by Timothy Beckley, Peter Rojcewicz (spelled phonetically on the card, just for safety), and John Keel himself. I didn’t post this to coincide with the new release from the movie franchise, but I will note that John liked to mention where J and K got their names.
John also recorded meetings, and made cassettes available for members.
The second issue of the NYFS newsletter gives an account of the second meeting, reports on members’ activities, reviews a couple of books, and announces the next meeting. Not surprisingly, John also works in a gibe at Jim Moseley.
There were ten issues of the newsletter (ten and a half, counting # 4 1/2); they were usually one or two pages. Much of it was written by John himself; other contributors included Mike Lindner, Ron Rosenblatt, Pearl Gonzalez, and Jack Scaparro. Here’s the first one, which lists the charter members, and gives an account of the first meeting.
John Keel held the first meeting of the New York Fortean Society on September 19, 1987, at 2 pm, at 7 E. 30th St. in Manhattan. Attendees included Curtis Gibson and George Emerson Fox, members of the original Fortean Society, and a delegation from the International Fortean Organization in D.C.; there were talks by Mark Chorvinsky and Timothy Beckley. Officers were elected, and $58.63 was collected.
John kept the notes for his keynote address. Here they are, sometimes discolored by an antique rubber band.
The New York Fortean Society was one of John’s more quixotic projects. Having already written a booklet on “How to Start a Club,” he naturally followed his own instructions. He published a newsletter (10 issues), printed membership cards, and mailed out flyers for meetings. It lasted until 1994, but his health and money problems made it hard for him to keep it going; there were sometimes months between meetings and mailings. He seemed to have fun with it, though; I think he enjoyed the company.
Meetings were usually held on Saturday afternoons at the TRS Suite on E. 30th St. Afterwards, everyone went to a deli around the corner, Miss Kay’s, for food and talk. John also organized field trips (to the Nicholas Roerich Museum, for example), picnics, lunches, and holiday parties. The parties, to his perverse satisfaction, were usually somewhat of a fiasco.
Here, from the first newsletter, is a list of the “Executive Committee” and charter members.
Patrick Huyghe’s name is smeared by the poor printing; my excuses, Pat. Here, by the way, is what the membership cards looked like. Classy!
Many Fortean researchers were only too happy to speak to John’s group, and to unwind afterwards at Miss Kay’s. If anyone’s curious, I’ve listed all of the meetings here. (more…)