1. but let’s make the best out of whatever situation that
we may end up with.
I have missed my Grandmere
for many, many years. We
had very elaborate Christ-
mas’ with me being spoiled
with lots of food, fun, toys, etc. Of course, I was a small
child and she passed away when I was nine, leaving ,
me with a parent who while not stingy with gifts, was
indifferent to the festiveness of holidays, so I never
again enjoyed those same moments that I did with my
Grandmere…I’m thankful for people that have come
and gone in my life, some are good and, some, not so
much, however they were all there for a reason and a
season which is true for all of us, so be thankful for eve-
ryone no matter the situation whether you see the
message or not-there is a message. Within all of us
there is a path on this journey that we call “Life” it is up
to us to make of us what we chose it to be I would en-
courage each of you to do an act of kindness for a per-
son less fortunate than yourself this holiday season, as I
look around myself and am blessed to be able to cele-
brate another year with all of my family, friends, and
wonderful co-workers I would like to wish each and
every one of you a very, Happy Thanksgiving and a
Merry Christmas!
What are you thankful and grateful for this holiday
season? Are you spending it with family and friends
or just enjoying some quiet time alone while the rest
of the family goes off on a holiday? Was there some-
one that you know that had a health scare that ended
up with a clean bill of health after all? How about a
new addition to the family? Did a relationship that
seemed sunk get thrown an anchor? How about the
end to that crisis in Washington (at least this
month!). Whatever it is you are grateful for why not
show it?
We live in a world where it is more convenient to be
arrogant and to look down upon others than to drop
our guards and put ourselves in another’s place and
perspective. Each day when you get up in the morn-
ing; shower, dress and perhaps enjoy a little break-
fast-even if it is only a doughnut- just be thankful for
having a bit of breakfast because when I am walking
over from Civic Center and I see the hungry, thirsty
people looking in trash cans for someone else’s
breakfast/last night’s dinner I say a little prayer
thanking my Higher Power about being grateful for
my daily doughnut and coffee or whatever and feel a
little guilty about the spread of my waist while look-
ing at the sunken cheekbones of another. I am grate-
ful for being able to take a hot shower or bath when
the lady outside of our building is changing her
sweater from one of the several bags that she is pull-
ing in a cart. I am thankful that I can walk when I see
the man on the 16th street mall guiding his wheel-
chair with one leg.
Some of us will be with people that we would like to
and some with people we would not like to be with,
B E I N G G R A T E F U L B Y D I A N E E V A N S
DENVER311
N O V E M B E R D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3
T H E 3 E L E V E N L O U N G E
T H E 3 E L E V E N L O U N G E
I N S I D E T H I S
I S S U E :
B E I N G G R A T E F U L 1
G E T T I N G T O
K N O W A L Y C E
G A M E
2
W H O ’ S N E W S
M A Y A A N G E L O U
3
C O O K ’ S C O R N E R 4
C O O K ’ S C O R N E R 5
T H E W H I S P E R S 6
T H E 3 E L E V E N
L O U N G E
Brought to you by:
Reporters:
Diane Evans
Melissa Maestas
Editor:
Marilyn Sanders
Pay no mind to those who talk behind your back. It
simply means that you are two steps ahead.
~Author Unknown

2. First impressions are lasting impressions, and the first impression you will get of Alyce Sneed is: class
This is a very classy lady and it is eluded from the from her stylishly coiffed way she wears her hair to the
very nicely put together outfits that she graces us with in the call center- and did I mention that bright
smile? Just a real breath of fresh air, Alyce is. I would expect nothing less from a real born and bred
Texas native ( Dallas, to be exact) although she grew up in Denver after she graduated George Washing-
ton High, Alyce continued her education in her native Texas at Prairie View A & M University majoring in
communication with a minor, in-here it comes-journalism (no pressure, here J) After graduation, Alyce
returned to Denver and worked for a time at Channel 9 news in the newsroom before going to work at
Pepsi in both Denver and North Carolina. Striking things about Alyce is that she is candid and open when
she talks. It is like talking to an old (rhetorically speaking!) friend. Alyce quoted a poem to me that she
wrote and it is really something to hear (look for it in the February newsletter), she told me about her life
as a debutante and her eyes sparkled with amusement; on the same token when she told about being a
widow these past 3 years they darkened with sadness. She is a proud mother of one son, Melvin, (yes, I
told her about my former poodle, I had to!) who works for New York MetLife on Wall Street (baller!) and
has one brother, James, a DPD officer and a sister, Sherry, former C & R employee. Alyce is a very wel-
comed addition to the call center and I would invite those of you who do not know this very unique per-
son to introduce yourself to a real lady who has character and grace-you are in for a real treat!
G E T T I N G T O K N O W : A L Y C E S N E E D B Y D I A N E E V A N S
W H A T I W A N T F O R C H R I S T M A S : W H O S A I D W H A T ? B Y D I A N E E V A N S
This month’s game is a bit different! There is a prize for whoever gets the most correct answers to what
each 311 employee says they would like to receive for Christmas! Give your numbered answers to Diane
no later then 12/20/2013
1) “A genie with unlimited wishes!”
2) “Jewelry, a trip to Vegas, and blessings for all”
3) “An old fashioned gangsta with his own job, money and
stuff and Adam Levine!”
4) “A new Nissan Armanda with room for me and my kids!”
5) “A million dollars!”
6) “Gloves!”
7) “A new condo!
8) “Nothing!”
9) “I like surprises!”
10) “Earrings”
11) “A house”
12) “A plane ticket to Bali”
13) “A “mamavacation”
14) “For people to be kinder to one another”
15) “A new phone”
16) “ A million dollar website up and running to help me make
enough money to retire and go back to Panama”
17) “Season 1, of Breaking Bad!”
18) “Good pens for my desk and better headphones!”
19) “A tree trimming service”
20) “A nice, scented candle”
21) “A beautiful jacket”
How to Avoid Negativity by Tyler Perry
Number 1: Stay true to what you believe, no matter what anyone says.
Number 2: Don't let anybody talk you out of your blessing. Stay your course!
Number 3: The voices of positivity will always prevail, and that should always be your focus.
Number 4: Hope floats. In order to reach it, you have to rise above negativity.

3. B I R T H D A Y T R I V I A & W H O ’ S W H O N E W S B Y M E L I S S A M A E S T A S
December Birthdays
December 3rd: Betty Martinez
This Day in History: 1910-The neon lamp was displayed for the first time at the Paris Motor Show. The lamp was developed by
French physicist Georges Claude.
December 22nd: Alyce Sneed
This Day in History: 1981-A rock ‘n’ roll auction in London brought in $2,000 for a letter of introduction from Buddy Holly to Decca
Records; John and Cynthia Lennon’s marriage certificate was sold for $850; and an autographed program from the world premiere of
the Beatles film “Help!” brought in $2,100.
Dr. Maya Angelou is a poet, historian,
educator and civil rights activist hailed as
one of the greatest voices of contemporary
literature. Within the elegance of her prose
and the rhythm of her poetry lies the unique
power to help readers of every orientation
span the lines of race, captivating audiences
through the sheer vigor and beauty of her
words and lyrics. The list of her published
verse, non-fiction, and fiction now includes
more than 30 bestselling titles, making her
the recipient of over 30 honorary degrees.
Maya Angelou (born April 4th, 1928) was raised
in St. Louis and Stamps, Arkansas, where she
experienced the brutality of racial
discrimination, while absorbing the unshakable
faith and the traditional values of family, culture
and community. As a teenager, her love for the
arts won her a scholarship to study dance and
drama at San Francisco’s Labor School. At 14, she dropped out to become San Francisco’s
first African-American female cable car conductor. Eventually, her passion for music, dance,
performance, and poetry took center stage.
In 1969, Angelou was challenged by fellow author James Baldwin to write a literary biography. Consequently, I Know Why the Caged Bird
Sings is the coming of age story chronicling the formative years of her life, from birth to young adulthood, and consists of a sequence of
lessons about resisting racial oppression. The metaphor of a caged bird struggling to break free is the underlying theme of the book, while
the emotional and psychological trauma of rape symbolizes the suffrage of her race.
Finally, these elements help young Maya cope with her tormented world by becoming a refuge, and transforming her into a self assured,
dignified young woman capable of responding to prejudice, and a “symbolic character for every black girl growing up in America.” It is a
clear illustration of how the power of words, the love of literature, and strength of character can triumph over racism and trauma while
learning to co-exist in a male-dominated society.
M A Y A A N G E L O U : G L O B A L R E N A I S S A N C E W O M A N B Y M E L I S S A
Musical Puns
You make my horn snap to
attention.
I’ve had to scale back.
Pitch the idea to me tomorrow.

4. T H A N K S G I V I N G D I N N E R : C O O K ’ S C O R N E R B Y D I A N E E V A N S
ROASTED TURKEY
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 F. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4
teaspoon black pepper inside turkey cavity. Place onion, garlic, herb
sprigs, and bay leaves insides cavity. Place turkey breast-side up on
rack in large roasting pan. brush with half of butter; sprinkle with
1/4 teaspoon pepper and remaining salt. Truss, if desired.
Tent turkey with foil, roast 2 hours, 30 minutes. Remove foil, brush
with remaining butter. Increase oven temperature to 425 F. Roast
turkey until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh
away from bone registers 180 F about 45 minutes, tenting with foil
during last 15 minutes of cooking time, if browning too quickly. Let
stand 15 minutes before carving.
Meanwhile, skim and discard fat from pan juices. Place roasting pan
with 1 1/2 cups juices over medium heat. Add broth, chopped thyme, and remaining pepper, stirring up
browned bits from bottom of the pan. Simmer 3 minutes.
Stir together cornstarch and 1/3 cup water. Strain gravy into small pot over low heat, gradually whisk
in cornstarch mixture. Simmer stirring, until thickened, 2 minutes.
P.S. you can also buy a mixture at local groceries called a “poultry blend”, which is fresh, thyme, sage and rosemary, instead of buying sepa-
rately. Also, stuff extra onions, carrots, celery, washed and cut in half up the turkey butt for flavor! I put extra minced garlic, fresh poultry
blends under the skin and keep basting with butter.
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon
pepper
1 turkey, 12-14 lbs, thawed if
frozen
1 onion, quartered
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
Several sprigs of fresh herbs,
such as thyme, parsley, rosemary,
and sage
2 bay leaves
2 cups unsalted butter, melted
1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup self-rising cornmeal
1/2 cup self-rising flour
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Cornbread, recipe ABOVE
7 slices oven-dried white bread
1 sleeve crackers (recommended:
Saltine)
8 tablespoons butter
2 cups chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped
7 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sage, optional
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning,
optional
CORNBREAD FOR CORNBREAD STUFFING
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into a greased shallow baking dish. Bake for
approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine crumbled cornbread, dried white bread
slices, and saltines; set aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery
and onion and cook until transparent, approximately 5 to 10
minutes. Pour the vegetable mixture over cornbread mixture. Add
the stock, mix well, taste, and add salt, pepper to taste, sage, and
poultry seasoning. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Pour mixture into
a greased pan and bake until dressing is cooked through, about 45
to 60 minutes.
SOUTHER CORNBREAD DRESSING
BUTTERMILK PIE
Mix everything together and pour into an unbaked 9" pie
shell. Sprinkle the top lightly with fresh nutmeg. Bake 15 minutes at
400 degrees. Reduce to 350 degrees and bake about 45 minutes
longer. Cool to allow the filling to set.
This pie is rich, you could use a little less sugar and add 1 T. more
flour
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
F.
!/2 C. buttermilk
1 3/4 C. sugar
2 large eggs
3 T. flour
pinch of salt
1 stick butter or margarine
melted
1 t. vanilla

5. Page 5
C H R I S T M A S D I N N E R : C O O K ’ S C O R N E R B Y D I A N E E V A N S
CHRISTMAS HAM
This is pretty simple, take a10 lb bone in ham, 2 tablespoons of cloves and 1 jar of orange marmalade and
about 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary. Make a mixture of the marmalade and ground cloves and spread over the
washed ham after crisscross slicing, place in lined baking dish. Strategically place sprigs of rosemary on ham,
tent foil cover, bake for 45 minutes (assuming it is fully cooked) then uncover and bake and additional 20
minutes for color! Remove, let stand and serve with the…
SWEET AND MASHED POTATOES SWIRLS
White potatoes and sweet potatoes mashed and then swirled together make a great side dish.
Place white potatoes in bottom of saucepan, then sweet potatoes on top.
Barely cover potatoes with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer
until potatoes are fork tender but not falling apart.
Drain potatoes. Remove sweet potatoes from the pan and place in another
bowl. Mash white potatoes your favorite way. I normally use a masher–
sometimes a portable mixer. Add 2 tablespoons (or more) butter and ⅓ cup
(+ more as necessary) milk until desired consistency. Season with salt and
pepper to taste.
Repeat step two with sweet potatoes. Start with about 2 tablespoons of
milk, adding until consistency matches white potatoes.
Plop mashed sweet potatoes back into pan with mashed white potatoes and
take a couple folds with a spoon to barely mix. Move to serving dish being
careful not to mix too much.
1½ pounds white potatoes, peeled
and diced in 2-inch pieces
1½ pound sweet potatoes, peeled
and diced in 2-inch pieces
4 Tablespoons butter (divided)
½ + cup warmed milk (divided)
Salt
Pepper (I use white pepper)
P O E T R Y C O R N E R B Y M E L I S S A M A E S T A S
A Friend (Unknown Author)
What is a friend? I will tell you. It is a person with whom you dare to be yourself. Your soul can be naked with him. He seems to ask you
to put on nothing-only to be who you are. He does not want you to be better or worse. When you are with him, you feel like a prisoner
who has been declared innocent. You do not have to be on your guard. You can say what you think, so long as it is genuinely you. He
understands those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge you. With him, you breathe freely. You can avow your little
vanities, envies, hates, and vicious sparks, your meanness and absurdities; and, in opening up to him, they are lost, dissolved on the white
ocean of his loyalty. He understands. You do not have to be careful. You can abuse him; neglect him; tolerate him. Best of all, you can still
keep him. It makes no matter-he likes you. He is like fire that plunges to the bone. He understands. You can weep with him; sin with him;
laugh with him. Through it all, all underneath, he sees, knows, and loves you. What is a friend? Just one I repeat: it is a person with whom
you dare to be yourself!

6. Formed in L.A. in 1963, the Whispers are one of the most beloved soul groups. Twin brothers Walter and Wallace (“Scotty”) Scott col-
laborated with Nicholas Caldwell, Marcus Hutson, and Gordy Harmon, synchronizing their smooth harmonies on the street corners in
the Watts section of Los Angeles, and in nightclubs in the San Francisco/Oakland Bay area. They began singing together as “The Eden
Trio,” and were later renamed “The Whispers,” growing in popularity while performing in a series of what was known as “The Battle of
the Bands,” where they competed against other local acts.
Over the next two decades, they emerged as one of the leading romantic groups of their generation, producing gold and platinum al-
bums, and charting numerous R&B hits throughout the seventies and eighties. Not surprisingly, they’ve maintained their vocal domi-
nance while belting out vintage classics, favoring songs that are reminiscent of a more genteel era of crooning, combining heartfelt
melodies with a stroke of genius. The single, “And The Beat Goes On,” was one of the most infectious songs of the disco era, and the
neoclassic, “Lady” is still a favorite at concerts.
The Whispers are undoubtedly the most celebrated balladeers of their generation, captivating the hearts and minds of women with the
silky tenors of twins, Walter and Scotty. They’re one of a few “old school” groups who can boast of having over 40 years in the industry
with a worldwide fan base. Consequently, “Toast to the Ladies,” released in 1995, featured a collection of love songs dedicated to
women all over the world. In 2003, they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
V I N T A G E S O U L : T H E W H I S P E R S B Y M E L I S S A M A E S T A S