William Penn Life, 2011 (46. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2011-01-01 / 1. szám
(•*) Tibor's Take with Tibor Check, Jr. You know you are a good Magyar At e tcan if.... FROM THE PERSPECTIVE of my family, 2010 was not much fun. We hope the year 2011 will bring all of us better health, fortune and stability. For this month's column, I've decided to bring to you a bit of humor along with a smattering of thought provoking self-inventory. Last summer, I was invited by WPA National President Charles, Mr. Csornán and the Board of Directors to attend a Board meeting. In their honor, I composed a nonscientific, but none-the-less entertaining, survey entitled: "You Know You Are A Good Magyar American If...." New Chair of the Board Barbara House and several others found my survey of being a "good" Magyar-American quite amusing and entertaining. I got the idea for this survey/ inventory while sitting before a warm applewood fire roasting up some good old-fashioned Magyar kolbász and szalonna. Such an atmosphere sets the stage for great interpersonal dialogue. If you are surrounded by good friends, Magyar club chums or church colleagues, the problems of the world can be solved in an afternoon or evening of conversation and excellent gastronomy. Back in the fall of 2009, the Youngstown Hungarian American Club hosted St. Stephen of Hungary Holy Name Society's annual szalonna sütés extravaganza. On that glorious autumn afternoon, Sándor and Sonny Tollas, Frank Tobias, Ed Gabrick, John Dankovich, Steve Novak, my Dad, my brother and I discussed what makes a "good Magyar." A cavalcade of comments circulated the picnic grounds like the smoky smell of sizzling Magyar bacon. I kept a mental note of the more astute ideas. When I got home later that evening, I lay thinking about those "good Magyar" ideas and observations. (As always, I do my best thinking as I lie awake in the middle of the night.) I thought they would make for an entertaining and thought-provoking Tibor's Take, thus the birth of this month's survey. So, as we enter the cold, depressing and boring part of 2011, why not pour yourself a nice glass of Tokaji, grab that last piece of diós kalács left over from Karácsony and pencil in your answers to the Magyar-American Inventory. There are 25 questions. For each "yes" answer, give yourself one point. Upon completing the survey, tally your score and compare it to the results that I have compiled. Although this survey is for fun, it does offer a little insight into just how much you actually live life Hungarian- American Style. Ready? Begin. 1. Does your refrigerator have something attached to it pertaining to Hungary, such as the latest Magyar club news, a magnetic flag or coat of arms? 2. Does your vehicle have a flag, license plate frame or bumper sticker identifying you as Hungarian? 3. Do you have at least one William Penn Association calendar hanging up in either your home or workplace? 4. Do you own at least one garment that identifies you as a Hungarian? 5. When watching a television show or movie, do you read the credits for Magyar names? 6. Does your kitchen pantry have Hungarian paprika? 7. Do you still have your Hungarian dance costume or know the person whom you gave it to? 8. In your music collection, do you have at least one Hungarian recording? (Note: Classical does not count.) 9. Do you know when the feast day of St. Stephen is? (Give yourself one bonus point for each of the following feast days you know: St. Margaret, St. Elizabeth and St. Emeric) 10. Does your spirit/wine collection contain such types or brands as Tokaji, Furmint, Unicum, Bikavér or Kék Lány? 11. When traveling in your vehicle, do you look for Magyar bumper stickers or license plates? H Consider & Discuss Hungary will host and pay for all of the European Union meetings during the first half of the year 2011. The biggest concern about this undertaking is the huge expense involved in hosting these gala activities. With Hungary on such poor financial footing, there is concern there will not be enough money to pay for everything. Another concern is that the other European Union members are requesting that a steady stream of Magyar wine, in particular Tokaji, be on hand for liberal and unabated consumption. The wine purveyors of Hungary want cash for their precious bort. The Hungarian government wants to compensate them with credit and tax exemptions. What’s your take on this? 8 0 January 2011 0 William Penn Life
