Tues. January 5:
9:15-12:00 By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
Weds. January 6:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 English As A Second Language
2:15-4:45 Open Lab
Thurs. January 7:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:00 Bob’s Photography Class – meet in the Community Room
2:00-4:45 Open Lab
Tues. January 12:
9:15-12:00 By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
Weds. January 13:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Typing Class
2:15-4:45 Open Lab
Thurs. January 14:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-3:15 Open Lab
3:15-4:45 Literati Challenge – If you like Scrabble then you’ll love Literati! Sign-up sheet on Bulletin Board outside the Computer Room.
Tues. January 19:
9:15-12:00 By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
Weds. January 20:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Home Users Club – Meet in the Community Room
2:15-4:45 Open Lab
Thurs. January 21: CLOSED
Fri. January 22: Deadline to submit photos
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Newsletter Class – Sign-up sheet on Bulletin Board outside the Computer Room.
2:15-4:45 Open Lab
Tues. January 26:
9:15-12:00 By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
Weds. January 27:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:30 Beginner’s Class Orientation – meet in the Community Room
2:30-4:45 Open Lab
Thurs. January 28:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
2:00 Photography Exhibit – Check the Bulletin Board on your floor for additional details.
____________________________________________________________
January One-on-One Appointment Dates
Tuesday: 1/5, 1/12, 1/19, 1/26
The sign-up sheet for one-on-one appointments is on the bulletin board outside the Computer Learning Center. Sign-up sheet for January will be posted on December 31st at 1:00 pm
____________________________________________________________
Photography Basics
Bob Napoli has graciously offered to teach us how to take a good picture! Come to his Photography class on Thursday January 7th at 1:15 in the Community Room. Whether you use a digital camera or a film camera this class will help you capture moments like never before!
____________________________________________________________
Photography Challenge
The deadline for photo submittals is Friday, January 22nd at 5:00pm. The categories are:
Family/Friends
Inspiration
Holiday Cheer
Winter
Night Scene
____________________________________________________________
Beginner’s Class!
Join us in the Community Room for a Beginners Class Orientation on Wednesday January 27th at 1:15. This session will help you to determine if the computer is something you’d like to learn.
NO PRESSURE – NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
50 Ways to Boost Your Brain
I found this fantastic article on the AARP website
One of the best ways to stay sharp is to exercise that muscle between your ears, research indicates. And discussions with some of the top scientists studying the brain reveal that you can work your noggin in many different ways, every day.
Here are 50 of them:
1. Snack on almonds and blueberries instead of a candy bar. As they lower blood sugar, healthy snacks can improve cognition. In this case, the omega-3s in the almonds and the antioxidants in the blueberries can keep your brain functioning correctly.
2. Ballroom dance like the stars. Dancing is a brain-power activity. How so? Learning new moves activates brain motor centers that form new neural connections. Dancing also calms the brain's stress response.
3. Love the crunch of croutons on your salad? Try walnuts instead. Omega-3s in walnuts have been found to improve mood and calm inflammation that may lead to brain-cell death. They also replace lost melatonin, which is necessary for healthy brain functioning.
4. Take your dog—or yourself—for a walk. Walking for just 20 minutes a day can lower blood sugar. That helps stoke blood flow to the brain, so you think more clearly.
5. Add Chinese club moss to your daily vitamin regimen. Taking less than 100 micrograms of the herb daily may protect your brain's neurotransmitters and keep synapses firing correctly, tests suggest. But this herb is powerful, so check with your doctor for drug interactions.
6. Volunteer to answer questions at the library, arboretum, museum, or hospital. Playing tour guide forces you to learn new facts and think on your feet, helping to form new neural pathways in your brain. What's more, interacting with others can ease stress that depletes memory.
7. Grab a video-game joystick. New video games, such as the Wii and Ninetendo DS, offer brain teasers that make you learn the computer's interface as you master the brain games. That's a double boost to the formation of new neural connections and to response time and memory.
8. Leave your comfort zone. Getting good at sudoku? Time to move on. Brain teasers don't form new neural connections once you've mastered them. So try something that's opposite your natural skills: If you like numbers, learn to draw. If you love language, try logic puzzles.
9. Get support for stressors. You may love your ailing family member, but the chronic stress of facing the situation alone can shrink your brain's memory center. Interacting with others activates many parts of the brain—and learning new ways of coping forms new neural connections.
10. When you look around, really look. Stare straight ahead, and now—without moving your eyes—see if you can make out what's at the periphery. Do this regularly and you'll stimulate the neural and spatial centers of the brain, which can atrophy as you age.
11. When you look forward, also look around. Walking down the street, don't just keep your eyes forward. Scan to the left and to the right. These actions can activate rarely used parts of the brain. That in turn can spur brain cell growth and new neural connections.
12. Show, don't tell. When you woke up this morning, how bright was the light in your room? What did the air smell like when you opened the window? How many colors could you discern in your garden? Notice and report these details to others to prompt cell growth in the visual, verbal, and memory parts of the brain.
13. Listen for details when a friend tells a story. Heed changes in the person's tone and register small facts you might otherwise gloss over. Conjure a mental image of the story. By doing this, you activate multiple areas in the brain and encourage memory formation.
14. Drink two cups of gotu kola tea daily. This ayurvedic herb, used for centuries in India, regulates dopamine. That's the brain chemical that helps protect brain cells from harmful free radicals, boosts pleasurable feelings, and improves focus and memory.
15. Try some new tea. Tulsi tea, made of an Indian herb called holy basil, and ginseng tea both contain herbs that can help reduce overproduction of the stress hormone cortisol, which can hamper memory. The herbs also help keep you alert.
16. Sit quietly, choose a word that calms you, and when your mind starts to wander, say the word silently. A form of meditation, this type of activity can reduce the stress hormone cortisol, which zaps memory. Meditation also helps mitigate focus-stealing feelings like depression and anxiety.
17. Get with the times—keep calendars in every room. Checking calendars keeps you focused and oriented, while creating a mental picture of the day in your head.
18. Get some class. Live near a college? Research shows that taking courses—even just auditing them—can stave off dementia at an early age. Don't go in for formal learning? Check out book readings, seminars, and other educational events.
19. Wear a helmet. Riding your bike is great for your health—until you fall and get a concussion. Even one serious concussion could increase your risk of developing dementia. So protect your physical brain as meticulously as you would protect its functioning by doing brain teasers.
20. Sip red wine, judiciously. Up to two glasses for women and up to three for men weekly delivers the powerful antioxidant resveratrol, which may prevent free radicals from damaging brain cells. But beware: Drinking more than that could leach thiamine, a brain-boosting nutrient.
21. Check your thyroid. It's a tiny little gland in your neck, but it could have a big effect on brain health: Thyroid hormones (T4 and T3) help nerve cells make connections. If you don't have enough of them you may be depressed, tired, and foggy-headed.
22. Choose lean pork loin crusted in peanuts and broccoli over fries and a burger. The pork and peanuts are high in thiamin, a nutrient that reduces inflammation that damages brain cells. The folate in broccoli is good for keeping synapses firing correctly.
23. Replace candy with a sweet pick-me-up of pears, apples, oranges, and cantaloupe. The combination prevents elevated blood sugar that could impede brain cells from firing correctly. It also provides fiber and antioxidants that help scrub plaque from brain arteries and mop up free radicals that inhibit clear thinking.
24. Top rolled oats with cinnamon for a brainy breakfast. The oats scrub plaques from your brain arteries, while a chemical in cinnamon is good for keeping your blood sugar in check—which can improve neurotransmission.
25. Turn up the tunes. TV may provide a lot of stimuli, but watching too much can dull brain transmission. Instead, spend an afternoon listening to your favorite music. Music can lower stress hormones that inhibit memory and increase feelings of well-being that improve focus.
26. Curry up. The active ingredient in Indian curry, turmeric, contains resveratrol, the same powerful antioxidant that makes red wine good for brain health. Eat curry once a week, or sprinkle it on salads, to protect brain cells from harmful free radicals.
27. Take a food break. Research shows that people who fast one day a week or month unlock a unique form of blood glucose that helps the brain more efficiently transmit information. Then break your fast with brain-healthy blueberries, walnuts, and maybe a glass of red wine.
28. Replace the olive oil in your favorite vinaigrette with walnut oil. Walnut oil, which is chock-full of brain-healthy omega-3s, cuts brain inflammation, a precursor to many cognitive problems. It also keeps oxygen-rich blood flowing to your brain by thinning the blood slightly.
29. Go wild with fish. While fish is generally good for you, the metals that accumulate in farmed fish like tilapia may contribute to cognitive impairments. So when you're shopping, check that the fish is from the wild, not domestically raised, and stick with heart- and brain-healthy fish like salmon and sardines.
30. Redecorate and redesign your environment. Plant new flowers in front of your house. Redecorate the kitchen. Rearrange your closets and drawers. Replace the candles in your living room with some that have a different scent. Making such changes can alter motor pathways in the brain and encourage new cell growth.
31. Choose a side. Talk sports, business, or politics. If you can do it without getting angry, which raises the memory-hindering hormone cortisol, engaging in a good debate can form new neural pathways and force you to think quickly and formulate your thoughts clearly.
32. Sleep. Shut-eye isn't a luxury. It's when your brain consolidates memories. Poor sleep, caused by medical conditions, worry, depression, or insomnia, can interfere with your rest. So treat yourself to relaxing scents like vanilla before bed. They raise the chemical dopamine and reduce cortisol, a stress hormone.
33. Check your neck. It may sound crazy, but a clot in your neck can stunt your memory by preventing enough blood and oxygen from getting to your brain. At your next checkup, ask your doctor to use the other side of his stethoscope to ensure that all's clear in your carotid artery—the main one in your neck.
34. Take a mental picture. Connect names with faces by creating mental images that trick your mind into remembering. For instance, remember Mr. Bender with the curly hair by imagining him bent over, with his curly hair facing you.
35. Read the news. Keeping up with the latest not only activates the memory part of the brain but also gives you something to talk about with friends and family. That kind of socializing can activate multiple parts of your brain and encourage cell growth.
36. Turn off the TV and pick up an instrument. Frequently tickling the ivories or blowing a horn—especially if you're trying to master it—is associated with lower dementia risks. What's more, it eliminates boredom, a brain state that can cause some thinking skills to atrophy.
37. Join a book club. Pick up a good book to cut down on brain-withering boredom. Frequent reading is associated with reduced risk of dementia. And meeting new people forces new neural connections. Besides, you might enjoy the book.
38. Play Yahtzee! Whether you choose Risk, Pictionary, Scrabble, or Boggle, board games are associated with a lower risk of developing dementia. They activate strategic, spatial, and memory parts of the brain, and require you to socialize, which can help form new neural pathways.
39. Parlez-vous brain health? You don't have to be a linguist to benefit from learning a new language. Adopting a foreign tongue boosts the verbal, language, and memory parts of the brain.
40. Savor a sensory experience. Those with the best memories take advantage of all their senses. That's because memorization is a cohesive brain effort. So head to the garden or the kitchen and take in the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and sensations.
41. Quick temper? Instead of yelling, take a few minutes to cool down. The stress of chronic anger can actually shrink the memory centers in the brain. Get to know the signs that you’re seething and address the problem before it erupts.
42. Replace your salt shaker with a sodium-free alternative. We all know that hypertension can lead to heart problems, but new evidence suggests that decreasing the salt in your diet can also improve blood flow to the brain and decrease dementia.
43. Have a chat. Instead of popping in another movie rental, pick up the phone. Talking with someone else not only gets you out of your rut—lack of activity can decrease brain-cell formation—but the socializing can also reduce potentially memory-sapping depression.
44. Check your meds. It may not be you having the memory problems; instead, it could be your medications impeding your memory. Older antidepressants, anti-diuretics and antihistamines—all block a critical brain chemical from doing its job. Ask your doctor for an alternative.
45. Bear some weight. Adding a little strength training to your daily walks can help protect brain cells from damage done by free radicals—and encourage new brain-cell growth. So strap some weights on your ankles or wrists as you walk, or practice gentle yoga.
46. Let yourself sleep in. Research shows that when you're chronically sleep-deprived, your body doesn't have the time to build proteins and other brain- boosting components. So instead of waking yourself early, sleep until you wake naturally.
47. Take an afternoon catnap. Most of sleep's boost to concentration and memory happens in the first stage, so even a snooze as short at 30 minutes can benefit your brain.
48. Switch hands. It may be uncomfortable, but writing with your nondominant hand or operating a computer mouse with that hand can activate parts of the brain that aren't easily triggered otherwise. Anything that requires the brain to pay close attention to a formerly automatic behavior will stimulate brain-cell growth.
49. Shake your body. Gentle bouncing of your knees and shaking out of your limbs reduces the brain-sapping stress hormone cortisol, research shows. It also triggers relaxation and alertness that keeps your brain sharp. Do it for a few minutes in the morning and at night.
50. Tour your neighborhood. If your neighborhood is growing, check it out. The exploration will change your mental map of the neighborhood. Along with learning new and better routes to your favorite stores or restaurants, you'll forge new neural pathways in your brain.
CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE
One of the best ways to stay sharp is to exercise that muscle between your ears, research indicates. And discussions with some of the top scientists studying the brain reveal that you can work your noggin in many different ways, every day.
Here are 50 of them:
1. Snack on almonds and blueberries instead of a candy bar. As they lower blood sugar, healthy snacks can improve cognition. In this case, the omega-3s in the almonds and the antioxidants in the blueberries can keep your brain functioning correctly.
2. Ballroom dance like the stars. Dancing is a brain-power activity. How so? Learning new moves activates brain motor centers that form new neural connections. Dancing also calms the brain's stress response.
3. Love the crunch of croutons on your salad? Try walnuts instead. Omega-3s in walnuts have been found to improve mood and calm inflammation that may lead to brain-cell death. They also replace lost melatonin, which is necessary for healthy brain functioning.
4. Take your dog—or yourself—for a walk. Walking for just 20 minutes a day can lower blood sugar. That helps stoke blood flow to the brain, so you think more clearly.
5. Add Chinese club moss to your daily vitamin regimen. Taking less than 100 micrograms of the herb daily may protect your brain's neurotransmitters and keep synapses firing correctly, tests suggest. But this herb is powerful, so check with your doctor for drug interactions.
6. Volunteer to answer questions at the library, arboretum, museum, or hospital. Playing tour guide forces you to learn new facts and think on your feet, helping to form new neural pathways in your brain. What's more, interacting with others can ease stress that depletes memory.
7. Grab a video-game joystick. New video games, such as the Wii and Ninetendo DS, offer brain teasers that make you learn the computer's interface as you master the brain games. That's a double boost to the formation of new neural connections and to response time and memory.
8. Leave your comfort zone. Getting good at sudoku? Time to move on. Brain teasers don't form new neural connections once you've mastered them. So try something that's opposite your natural skills: If you like numbers, learn to draw. If you love language, try logic puzzles.
9. Get support for stressors. You may love your ailing family member, but the chronic stress of facing the situation alone can shrink your brain's memory center. Interacting with others activates many parts of the brain—and learning new ways of coping forms new neural connections.
10. When you look around, really look. Stare straight ahead, and now—without moving your eyes—see if you can make out what's at the periphery. Do this regularly and you'll stimulate the neural and spatial centers of the brain, which can atrophy as you age.
11. When you look forward, also look around. Walking down the street, don't just keep your eyes forward. Scan to the left and to the right. These actions can activate rarely used parts of the brain. That in turn can spur brain cell growth and new neural connections.
12. Show, don't tell. When you woke up this morning, how bright was the light in your room? What did the air smell like when you opened the window? How many colors could you discern in your garden? Notice and report these details to others to prompt cell growth in the visual, verbal, and memory parts of the brain.
13. Listen for details when a friend tells a story. Heed changes in the person's tone and register small facts you might otherwise gloss over. Conjure a mental image of the story. By doing this, you activate multiple areas in the brain and encourage memory formation.
14. Drink two cups of gotu kola tea daily. This ayurvedic herb, used for centuries in India, regulates dopamine. That's the brain chemical that helps protect brain cells from harmful free radicals, boosts pleasurable feelings, and improves focus and memory.
15. Try some new tea. Tulsi tea, made of an Indian herb called holy basil, and ginseng tea both contain herbs that can help reduce overproduction of the stress hormone cortisol, which can hamper memory. The herbs also help keep you alert.
16. Sit quietly, choose a word that calms you, and when your mind starts to wander, say the word silently. A form of meditation, this type of activity can reduce the stress hormone cortisol, which zaps memory. Meditation also helps mitigate focus-stealing feelings like depression and anxiety.
17. Get with the times—keep calendars in every room. Checking calendars keeps you focused and oriented, while creating a mental picture of the day in your head.
18. Get some class. Live near a college? Research shows that taking courses—even just auditing them—can stave off dementia at an early age. Don't go in for formal learning? Check out book readings, seminars, and other educational events.
19. Wear a helmet. Riding your bike is great for your health—until you fall and get a concussion. Even one serious concussion could increase your risk of developing dementia. So protect your physical brain as meticulously as you would protect its functioning by doing brain teasers.
20. Sip red wine, judiciously. Up to two glasses for women and up to three for men weekly delivers the powerful antioxidant resveratrol, which may prevent free radicals from damaging brain cells. But beware: Drinking more than that could leach thiamine, a brain-boosting nutrient.
21. Check your thyroid. It's a tiny little gland in your neck, but it could have a big effect on brain health: Thyroid hormones (T4 and T3) help nerve cells make connections. If you don't have enough of them you may be depressed, tired, and foggy-headed.
22. Choose lean pork loin crusted in peanuts and broccoli over fries and a burger. The pork and peanuts are high in thiamin, a nutrient that reduces inflammation that damages brain cells. The folate in broccoli is good for keeping synapses firing correctly.
23. Replace candy with a sweet pick-me-up of pears, apples, oranges, and cantaloupe. The combination prevents elevated blood sugar that could impede brain cells from firing correctly. It also provides fiber and antioxidants that help scrub plaque from brain arteries and mop up free radicals that inhibit clear thinking.
24. Top rolled oats with cinnamon for a brainy breakfast. The oats scrub plaques from your brain arteries, while a chemical in cinnamon is good for keeping your blood sugar in check—which can improve neurotransmission.
25. Turn up the tunes. TV may provide a lot of stimuli, but watching too much can dull brain transmission. Instead, spend an afternoon listening to your favorite music. Music can lower stress hormones that inhibit memory and increase feelings of well-being that improve focus.
26. Curry up. The active ingredient in Indian curry, turmeric, contains resveratrol, the same powerful antioxidant that makes red wine good for brain health. Eat curry once a week, or sprinkle it on salads, to protect brain cells from harmful free radicals.
27. Take a food break. Research shows that people who fast one day a week or month unlock a unique form of blood glucose that helps the brain more efficiently transmit information. Then break your fast with brain-healthy blueberries, walnuts, and maybe a glass of red wine.
28. Replace the olive oil in your favorite vinaigrette with walnut oil. Walnut oil, which is chock-full of brain-healthy omega-3s, cuts brain inflammation, a precursor to many cognitive problems. It also keeps oxygen-rich blood flowing to your brain by thinning the blood slightly.
29. Go wild with fish. While fish is generally good for you, the metals that accumulate in farmed fish like tilapia may contribute to cognitive impairments. So when you're shopping, check that the fish is from the wild, not domestically raised, and stick with heart- and brain-healthy fish like salmon and sardines.
30. Redecorate and redesign your environment. Plant new flowers in front of your house. Redecorate the kitchen. Rearrange your closets and drawers. Replace the candles in your living room with some that have a different scent. Making such changes can alter motor pathways in the brain and encourage new cell growth.
31. Choose a side. Talk sports, business, or politics. If you can do it without getting angry, which raises the memory-hindering hormone cortisol, engaging in a good debate can form new neural pathways and force you to think quickly and formulate your thoughts clearly.
32. Sleep. Shut-eye isn't a luxury. It's when your brain consolidates memories. Poor sleep, caused by medical conditions, worry, depression, or insomnia, can interfere with your rest. So treat yourself to relaxing scents like vanilla before bed. They raise the chemical dopamine and reduce cortisol, a stress hormone.
33. Check your neck. It may sound crazy, but a clot in your neck can stunt your memory by preventing enough blood and oxygen from getting to your brain. At your next checkup, ask your doctor to use the other side of his stethoscope to ensure that all's clear in your carotid artery—the main one in your neck.
34. Take a mental picture. Connect names with faces by creating mental images that trick your mind into remembering. For instance, remember Mr. Bender with the curly hair by imagining him bent over, with his curly hair facing you.
35. Read the news. Keeping up with the latest not only activates the memory part of the brain but also gives you something to talk about with friends and family. That kind of socializing can activate multiple parts of your brain and encourage cell growth.
36. Turn off the TV and pick up an instrument. Frequently tickling the ivories or blowing a horn—especially if you're trying to master it—is associated with lower dementia risks. What's more, it eliminates boredom, a brain state that can cause some thinking skills to atrophy.
37. Join a book club. Pick up a good book to cut down on brain-withering boredom. Frequent reading is associated with reduced risk of dementia. And meeting new people forces new neural connections. Besides, you might enjoy the book.
38. Play Yahtzee! Whether you choose Risk, Pictionary, Scrabble, or Boggle, board games are associated with a lower risk of developing dementia. They activate strategic, spatial, and memory parts of the brain, and require you to socialize, which can help form new neural pathways.
39. Parlez-vous brain health? You don't have to be a linguist to benefit from learning a new language. Adopting a foreign tongue boosts the verbal, language, and memory parts of the brain.
40. Savor a sensory experience. Those with the best memories take advantage of all their senses. That's because memorization is a cohesive brain effort. So head to the garden or the kitchen and take in the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and sensations.
41. Quick temper? Instead of yelling, take a few minutes to cool down. The stress of chronic anger can actually shrink the memory centers in the brain. Get to know the signs that you’re seething and address the problem before it erupts.
42. Replace your salt shaker with a sodium-free alternative. We all know that hypertension can lead to heart problems, but new evidence suggests that decreasing the salt in your diet can also improve blood flow to the brain and decrease dementia.
43. Have a chat. Instead of popping in another movie rental, pick up the phone. Talking with someone else not only gets you out of your rut—lack of activity can decrease brain-cell formation—but the socializing can also reduce potentially memory-sapping depression.
44. Check your meds. It may not be you having the memory problems; instead, it could be your medications impeding your memory. Older antidepressants, anti-diuretics and antihistamines—all block a critical brain chemical from doing its job. Ask your doctor for an alternative.
45. Bear some weight. Adding a little strength training to your daily walks can help protect brain cells from damage done by free radicals—and encourage new brain-cell growth. So strap some weights on your ankles or wrists as you walk, or practice gentle yoga.
46. Let yourself sleep in. Research shows that when you're chronically sleep-deprived, your body doesn't have the time to build proteins and other brain- boosting components. So instead of waking yourself early, sleep until you wake naturally.
47. Take an afternoon catnap. Most of sleep's boost to concentration and memory happens in the first stage, so even a snooze as short at 30 minutes can benefit your brain.
48. Switch hands. It may be uncomfortable, but writing with your nondominant hand or operating a computer mouse with that hand can activate parts of the brain that aren't easily triggered otherwise. Anything that requires the brain to pay close attention to a formerly automatic behavior will stimulate brain-cell growth.
49. Shake your body. Gentle bouncing of your knees and shaking out of your limbs reduces the brain-sapping stress hormone cortisol, research shows. It also triggers relaxation and alertness that keeps your brain sharp. Do it for a few minutes in the morning and at night.
50. Tour your neighborhood. If your neighborhood is growing, check it out. The exploration will change your mental map of the neighborhood. Along with learning new and better routes to your favorite stores or restaurants, you'll forge new neural pathways in your brain.
CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Shirley Futch Rockettes
Today we had our monthly birthday party to celebrate all the residents who were born in December. Merry's Custom Cakes went above and beyond with this months' cake - which featured a Thomas Kinkade 'painting':
We served cake while donning our very festive head pieces:
Here I am laughing really hard after a reindeer game with Gail:
Then we put on a little show. Here we are performing our version of the Rockettes:
Our wonderful residents enjoying the show:
After all of our silliness we hunkered down and watched the real Rockettes Christmas Show. What a FUN time we all had. Thanks to everyone who joined us!
We served cake while donning our very festive head pieces:
Here I am laughing really hard after a reindeer game with Gail:
Then we put on a little show. Here we are performing our version of the Rockettes:
Our wonderful residents enjoying the show:
After all of our silliness we hunkered down and watched the real Rockettes Christmas Show. What a FUN time we all had. Thanks to everyone who joined us!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Congratulations Verna Overpeck!
Verna Overpeck WON 5 handmade Christmas cards from the Blog Give-Away! Congratulations Verna and ENJOY! ;)
Monday, December 7, 2009
Sensational Seniors in the Pocono Record
Check out this fantastic write-up about the calendar:
By CAROL O'NEILL
Sage Editor
Those Sensational Seniors of Shirley Futch Plaza are at it again.
Residents of the East Stroudsburg apartment building have combined their creative juices to cook up another sexy, funny calendar.
Under the leadership of Futch resident Beverly Barth, the first calendar, "Sensational Seniors at the Plaza" of 2003, came out in November 2002.
In fall 2004, the second version, "Sensational Seniors are Back" for 2005 appeared.
And at long last, the third calendar, "Sensational Seniors are Steaming it up Again," is available for 2010.
This latest edition features five Sensational Seniors — Billie Jean Bensley, Rosie Lionetti, Verna Overpeck, Mary Ann Armillei and Beverly Barth — posing bare-shouldered in a backyard hot tub.
Armillei, who has worked with Barth on all three calendars, said, "Some people think it's wonderful, and some people think it's obscene."
Barth, 75, assured that all are wearing bathing suits behind the calendar's name plate.
And the cover is just a teaser. Models on the inside pages are fully clothed. However, the monthly pictures and captions promise to bring a year's worth of fun.
Armillei, featured in April along with Tommy Labar and Stu Bailey in the kitchen, said this setting was appropriate for her because she cooks every Friday for the seniors at Shirley Futch Plaza.
"When he saw the picture, my brother said at least my legs still look pretty good," Armillei joked.
Barth, along with Armillei and several other tenants, created the first calendar as a fundraiser. Proceeds were divided among the East Stroudsburg Fire Department, Crime Watch of East Stroudsburg, and the Shirley Futch Plaza Tenants Association, which uses the money for such things as welcome wagon and flowers for hospitalized residents. All three groups will be beneficiaries of the 2010 calendar as well.
"The first one made a lot of money," Barth said. "I felt I'll never do another one, but I got so many requests, I did another one for 2005. It didn't do as well."
Between the 2003 and 2005 calendars, the Tenants Association put together a cookbook as a fundraiser. Because it's not dated, the cookbook can still be sold.
Earlier this year some tenants who had not been involved in earlier calendars wanted to give it another try.
One of those tenants, George Hoffman, appears in March, enjoying a massage; in June "getting married" to Ruth Murbach; and in October playing baseball. He's also the humor behind the May caption. In addition, Hoffman helped sell ads to pay for the calendar's printing and is now busy peddling the finished product.
The oldest model, Lucille Schmidt, 97, appears in February.
While the idea for the calendar eight years ago originated with Barth, it has always been a group effort. Several people helped Barth come up with captions for the photos. In the latest calendar, Steve Adams drove his ice cream truck over to Shirley Futch Plaza for the July shot. Keith Strunk showed up in his Stroud Area Regional Police cruiser for the August shot. And Daryl Thundercloud provided the colorful American Indian headdress for September.
Tony Colondo of T.C. Photography has taken the photos for all three calendars. A drummer in Barth's late husband Bill's band at Fernwood years ago, Colondo contributed his photography talents for free.
The project took more than six months to complete. Photos had to be taken and captions created.
"I was blessed with a sense of humor," Barth said. "I came up with the photos and most of the captions."
Armillei was responsible for negotiating with Kistler Printing to have 1,000 calendars ready by Nov. 1. This year Kistler added a background behind the calendar grids for a special touch.
Numerous advertisements — about $1,900 worth — had to be sold to pay for the printing costs. Tenants sold the ads to local businesses. Full-page ads sold for $100, smaller ads for $25. Some individuals bought gold and silver patron ads and in memoriam ads.
The new calendar costs $10, the same price as its original back in 2003.
"Sensational Seniors are Steaming it up Again" is available at several businesses on Crystal Street in East Stroudsburg, including Jay's News Stand, East Stroudsburg Hardware, Crystal Street Diner, ESSA Bank & Trust, and Healing by Hand and by Heart Chiropractic. The steamy calendar is also available at TK Computers in Marshalls Creek and at Shirley Futch Plaza on Kistler Street, East Stroudsburg.
For information, call Beverly Barth at (570) 424-6722 or Mary Ann Armillei at (570) 421-6915.
Click here to see the original article
By CAROL O'NEILL
Sage Editor
Those Sensational Seniors of Shirley Futch Plaza are at it again.
Residents of the East Stroudsburg apartment building have combined their creative juices to cook up another sexy, funny calendar.
Under the leadership of Futch resident Beverly Barth, the first calendar, "Sensational Seniors at the Plaza" of 2003, came out in November 2002.
In fall 2004, the second version, "Sensational Seniors are Back" for 2005 appeared.
And at long last, the third calendar, "Sensational Seniors are Steaming it up Again," is available for 2010.
This latest edition features five Sensational Seniors — Billie Jean Bensley, Rosie Lionetti, Verna Overpeck, Mary Ann Armillei and Beverly Barth — posing bare-shouldered in a backyard hot tub.
Armillei, who has worked with Barth on all three calendars, said, "Some people think it's wonderful, and some people think it's obscene."
Barth, 75, assured that all are wearing bathing suits behind the calendar's name plate.
And the cover is just a teaser. Models on the inside pages are fully clothed. However, the monthly pictures and captions promise to bring a year's worth of fun.
Armillei, featured in April along with Tommy Labar and Stu Bailey in the kitchen, said this setting was appropriate for her because she cooks every Friday for the seniors at Shirley Futch Plaza.
"When he saw the picture, my brother said at least my legs still look pretty good," Armillei joked.
Barth, along with Armillei and several other tenants, created the first calendar as a fundraiser. Proceeds were divided among the East Stroudsburg Fire Department, Crime Watch of East Stroudsburg, and the Shirley Futch Plaza Tenants Association, which uses the money for such things as welcome wagon and flowers for hospitalized residents. All three groups will be beneficiaries of the 2010 calendar as well.
"The first one made a lot of money," Barth said. "I felt I'll never do another one, but I got so many requests, I did another one for 2005. It didn't do as well."
Between the 2003 and 2005 calendars, the Tenants Association put together a cookbook as a fundraiser. Because it's not dated, the cookbook can still be sold.
Earlier this year some tenants who had not been involved in earlier calendars wanted to give it another try.
One of those tenants, George Hoffman, appears in March, enjoying a massage; in June "getting married" to Ruth Murbach; and in October playing baseball. He's also the humor behind the May caption. In addition, Hoffman helped sell ads to pay for the calendar's printing and is now busy peddling the finished product.
The oldest model, Lucille Schmidt, 97, appears in February.
While the idea for the calendar eight years ago originated with Barth, it has always been a group effort. Several people helped Barth come up with captions for the photos. In the latest calendar, Steve Adams drove his ice cream truck over to Shirley Futch Plaza for the July shot. Keith Strunk showed up in his Stroud Area Regional Police cruiser for the August shot. And Daryl Thundercloud provided the colorful American Indian headdress for September.
Tony Colondo of T.C. Photography has taken the photos for all three calendars. A drummer in Barth's late husband Bill's band at Fernwood years ago, Colondo contributed his photography talents for free.
The project took more than six months to complete. Photos had to be taken and captions created.
"I was blessed with a sense of humor," Barth said. "I came up with the photos and most of the captions."
Armillei was responsible for negotiating with Kistler Printing to have 1,000 calendars ready by Nov. 1. This year Kistler added a background behind the calendar grids for a special touch.
Numerous advertisements — about $1,900 worth — had to be sold to pay for the printing costs. Tenants sold the ads to local businesses. Full-page ads sold for $100, smaller ads for $25. Some individuals bought gold and silver patron ads and in memoriam ads.
The new calendar costs $10, the same price as its original back in 2003.
"Sensational Seniors are Steaming it up Again" is available at several businesses on Crystal Street in East Stroudsburg, including Jay's News Stand, East Stroudsburg Hardware, Crystal Street Diner, ESSA Bank & Trust, and Healing by Hand and by Heart Chiropractic. The steamy calendar is also available at TK Computers in Marshalls Creek and at Shirley Futch Plaza on Kistler Street, East Stroudsburg.
For information, call Beverly Barth at (570) 424-6722 or Mary Ann Armillei at (570) 421-6915.
Click here to see the original article
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Inspiration
My interpretation of an inspirational holiday photo (one of the categories for our Photo Challenge) is a stack of handmade holiday cards. These just make me SMILE!
You can win 5 of these cards by leaving me a comment! Click comments (below this post), type your message including your name then click post your comment. If you need help with this, PLEASE ask me! :)
Winner will be selected at random on Thursday December 10th at 4:30pm. The winner will be announced on the blog and their cards distributed before I leave for the day.
You can win 5 of these cards by leaving me a comment! Click comments (below this post), type your message including your name then click post your comment. If you need help with this, PLEASE ask me! :)
Winner will be selected at random on Thursday December 10th at 4:30pm. The winner will be announced on the blog and their cards distributed before I leave for the day.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
December Schedule
Please pay close attention to the schedule below – lots of changes to the December schedule.
Tues. December 1:
9:15-12:00 CLOSED
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
Weds. December 2:
9:15-12:00 By Appointment Only
1:15-2:15 Holiday Magnets - Sign-up sheet on Bulletin Board
3:15-4:15 Holiday Magnets - Sign-up sheet on Bulletin Board
Thurs. December 3:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
2:00 Home For the Holidays
Tues. December 8:
9:15-12:00 By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
Weds. December 9:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Typing Class
2:15-4:45 Open Lab
Thurs. December 10:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 English As A Second Language
2:15-4:45 Open Lab
Tues. December 15: CLOSED
Weds. December 16: CLOSED
Thurs. December 17:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
Fri. December 18:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Home Users Club – Meet in the Community Room
2:15-4:45 Open Lab
Mon. December 21:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Newsletter Class – Learn how to use MS Word or PrintMaster to help the office with the monthly newsletters! Sign-up sheet on Bulletin Board.
2:15-4:45 Open Lab
Tues. December 22:
9:15-12:00 By Appointment Only
2:00 Monthly Birthday Party
3:15-4:45 Literati Challenge – Sign-up sheet on Bulletin Board
Weds. December 23:
9:15-closing Open Lab
Thurs. December 24: CLOSED
Tues. December 29:
9:15-12:00 By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
Weds. December 30:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
Thurs. December 31:
9:15-12:00 By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
____________________________________________________________
December One-on-One Appointment Dates
Tuesday: 12/8, 12/22, 12/29
The sign-up sheet for one-on-one appointments is on the bulletin board outside the Computer Learning Center. Sign-up sheet for December will be posted on November 25th at 5:00 pm
____________________________________________________________
Blog Give-away
Post a comment on the Blog post “Inspiration” to enter for a chance to win 5 handmade Christmas cards. Winner will be selected at random, Thursday December 10th at 4:30pm. The winner will be announced on the Blog and their cards distributed immediately after.
____________________________________________________________
Holiday Magnets
We’re going to make magnets to include in your special holiday cards. Sign-up for December 2nd at 1:15 or 3:15 to make your magnets. We’ll put your name, phone number, email address and the blog address so your family can keep in touch with you easier and quicker. Signup sheet on bulletin board outside computer room – each participant will make 10 magnets to bring home.
___________________________________________________________
Come Home for the Holidays
Thursday, December 3rd at 2:00 pm in the Community Room
A unique opportunity to learn more about the area you now call home – The Pocono Mountains.
Slideshow presentation, snacks, refreshments and interesting discussion to be provided.
___________________________________________________________
Photo Challenge Part 2 -> coming in January 2010
Bring your camera everywhere you go during this holiday season.
Photo categories are:
Family/Friends
Inspiration
Holiday Cheer
Winter
Night Scene
Remember, you need 1 picture for each category. Stop by the Computer Learning Center with any questions.
__________________________________________________________
Beginners Class
Coming in January!!!!
The Computer Learning Center is offering a 4-week class that will teach you all the basics of a computer. Whether you are a new user looking for something to do or a basic user who feels they have missed something, come to this class and you’ll be graduating with honors.
Graduation ceremony to follow upon completion of the course.
__________________________________________________________
Monthly Newsletter
January is right around the corner and the office is busy with the New Year. Let’s help them out by working on the monthly newsletter.
Monday December 21st at 1:15pm
Sign-Up sheet on Bulletin Board outside the Computer Learning Center.
Tues. December 1:
9:15-12:00 CLOSED
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
Weds. December 2:
9:15-12:00 By Appointment Only
1:15-2:15 Holiday Magnets - Sign-up sheet on Bulletin Board
3:15-4:15 Holiday Magnets - Sign-up sheet on Bulletin Board
Thurs. December 3:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
2:00 Home For the Holidays
Tues. December 8:
9:15-12:00 By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
Weds. December 9:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Typing Class
2:15-4:45 Open Lab
Thurs. December 10:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 English As A Second Language
2:15-4:45 Open Lab
Tues. December 15: CLOSED
Weds. December 16: CLOSED
Thurs. December 17:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
Fri. December 18:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Home Users Club – Meet in the Community Room
2:15-4:45 Open Lab
Mon. December 21:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-2:15 Newsletter Class – Learn how to use MS Word or PrintMaster to help the office with the monthly newsletters! Sign-up sheet on Bulletin Board.
2:15-4:45 Open Lab
Tues. December 22:
9:15-12:00 By Appointment Only
2:00 Monthly Birthday Party
3:15-4:45 Literati Challenge – Sign-up sheet on Bulletin Board
Weds. December 23:
9:15-closing Open Lab
Thurs. December 24: CLOSED
Tues. December 29:
9:15-12:00 By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
Weds. December 30:
9:15-12:00 Open Lab
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
Thurs. December 31:
9:15-12:00 By Appointment Only
1:15-4:45 Open Lab
____________________________________________________________
December One-on-One Appointment Dates
Tuesday: 12/8, 12/22, 12/29
The sign-up sheet for one-on-one appointments is on the bulletin board outside the Computer Learning Center. Sign-up sheet for December will be posted on November 25th at 5:00 pm
____________________________________________________________
Blog Give-away
Post a comment on the Blog post “Inspiration” to enter for a chance to win 5 handmade Christmas cards. Winner will be selected at random, Thursday December 10th at 4:30pm. The winner will be announced on the Blog and their cards distributed immediately after.
____________________________________________________________
Holiday Magnets
We’re going to make magnets to include in your special holiday cards. Sign-up for December 2nd at 1:15 or 3:15 to make your magnets. We’ll put your name, phone number, email address and the blog address so your family can keep in touch with you easier and quicker. Signup sheet on bulletin board outside computer room – each participant will make 10 magnets to bring home.
___________________________________________________________
Come Home for the Holidays
Thursday, December 3rd at 2:00 pm in the Community Room
A unique opportunity to learn more about the area you now call home – The Pocono Mountains.
Slideshow presentation, snacks, refreshments and interesting discussion to be provided.
___________________________________________________________
Photo Challenge Part 2 -> coming in January 2010
Bring your camera everywhere you go during this holiday season.
Photo categories are:
Family/Friends
Inspiration
Holiday Cheer
Winter
Night Scene
Remember, you need 1 picture for each category. Stop by the Computer Learning Center with any questions.
__________________________________________________________
Beginners Class
Coming in January!!!!
The Computer Learning Center is offering a 4-week class that will teach you all the basics of a computer. Whether you are a new user looking for something to do or a basic user who feels they have missed something, come to this class and you’ll be graduating with honors.
Graduation ceremony to follow upon completion of the course.
__________________________________________________________
Monthly Newsletter
January is right around the corner and the office is busy with the New Year. Let’s help them out by working on the monthly newsletter.
Monday December 21st at 1:15pm
Sign-Up sheet on Bulletin Board outside the Computer Learning Center.
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