RSD Voices

Lea’s Spring 2021 notes
June 8, 2021

“Dancing bears” captured young or bred to entertain people have a long history going back to the Middle Ages. Traveling circuses and petting zoos featuring exotic animals sprang up in the US in the 19^th and 20^th centuries to entice the traveling public to stop, spend a few dollars, have photos taken with the animals, etc. To this day private zoos, a great many of which do not care for the animals adequately, exist in this country, not to mention parks where hunters can shoot domestic and/or exotic animals. Also unmentioned are the appalling conditions in which many of these animals are kept.

That is where Alpine’s Lions, Tigers, and Bears sanctuary comes in. Their mission is to rescue these animals, keep them healthy, and let them live out their lives in as natural an environment as possible. They are provided with stimulating activities and objects, fed with a minimum of human contact, but trained to get into cages for food. This practice also makes it possible to do health checks or to move them to a different part of the sanctuary or in the event of a wildfire evacuation, for instance.

Ocearn Johnson, one of their knowledgeable staff members, with assistant Lindsey took our RSD class on virtual tours of the facility. First we visited Grizzly and Himalayan black bears and learned some of their individual histories. Then we visited with tigers. White tigers are interbred to develop the unnatural white coloring. We viewed a bobcat, mountain lion, and leopard as well. It was just in the news that LTB is adding two tigers rescued from a facility in the Midwest that was unable to care for them, and is working with others to place the rest of the tigers in sanctuaries and suitable care facilities. It’s refreshing to see the more humane attitude toward other species many in the younger generation are tuned in to.

Mike’s lessons on various electronic communications devices and providers continued. He discussed browsers and guided us through some of a computer’s settings and features including how to display more than one screen at a time, and demonstrated the usefulness of bookmarks on Apple products (favorites in Microsoft lingo). He also supplied us with some useful YouTube links for more info.

Class member Tom did presentations on railroad history and rail travel. Early rails were made of wood before iron was used, and early forms of propulsion included ropes, then horsepower, before the steam power that revolutionized this mode of transportation and led to the race to build a railroad that crossed the continent. We remember visiting the Golden Spike National Historic Park in Promontory, Utah, and seeing replicas of the Jupiter (Central Pacific) and 119 (Union Pacific) engines reenacting their May 10, 1869 face-off. The introduction of electric propulsion allowed for more streamlined rail travel.

Passenger traffic was at its height just after WWII. Later freight took ascendancy and well we remember seeing those 100-car long freight trains piled high with containers on some of our driving trips in the western states. Today commodity shipments account for a large percentage of railroad income. Amtrak is a quasi-public (i.e., partly subsidized) corporation created in 1970 to coordinate passenger rail traffic. One of the services it provides is assisting passengers with trip itineraries. Classmates Mary and Ken described an Amtrak rail trip they took from San Diego, through Seattle, to Glacier National Park, and back via Fresno. They visited with friends and family at several stops and were able to reboard the next day and continue on their way.

Other countries have turned to high speed rail like the famous Japanese bullet trains. So far this has not caught on in the US, one reason being that it requires a 100% protected right of way. Also, the US is not as densely populated as Europe or other areas that have efficient passenger rail systems and the distances between destinations are greater. We do, however, have many scenic and historic rail lines that provide land cruising adventures for tourists and railroad buffs. We’ve been on several of those including Campo’s ride to Tecate, Colorado’s trip from Durango to Silverton, and Antonito to Osier on the Cumbres and Toltec line, Renton, Washington’s wine train, Arizona’s Verde Valley line, and tourist trains in Alaska.

Passenger traffic was at its height just after WWII. Later freight took the ascendancy and well we remember seeing those 100-car long freight trains piled high with containers on some of our driving trips in the western states. Today commodity shipments account for a large percentage of railroad income. Amtrak is a quasi-public (i.e., partly subsidized) corporation created in 1970 to coordinate passenger rail traffic. One of the services it provides is assisting passengers with trip itineraries. Classmates Mary and Ken described an Amtrak rail trip they took from San Diego, through Seattle, to Glacier National Park, and back via Fresno. They visited with friends and family at several stops and were able to reboard the next day and continue on their way.

Other countries have turned to high-speed rail like the famous Japanese bullet trains. So far this has not caught on in the US, one reason being that it requires a 100% protected right of way. Also, the US is not as densely populated as Europe or other areas that have efficient passenger rail systems and the distances between destinations are greater. We do, however, have many scenic and historic rail lines that provide land cruising adventures for tourists and railroad buffs. We’ve been on several of those including Campo’s ride to Tecate, Colorado’s trip from Durango to Silverton, and Antonito to Osier on the Cumbres and Toltec line, Renton, Washington’s wine train, Arizona’s Verde Valley line, and tourist trains in Alaska.

Recent RSD programs included a PowerPoint on Washington’s Smithsonian Institution, its history and some of its museum collections. This led to a visual display and discussion of landmarks along the Washington Mall. Courtney Flanagan and Doug McMinimy, docents from the San Diego Museum of Art, did a program on the stunning photography in the Garner Collection that had a short run at the museum and will be returning later. A photographer himself, Doug told about some of the techniques used to adjust the lighting as photos are printed. His website has spectacular photographs of ballet dancers caught in mid-air. Between these presentations Mike reviewed Google search techniques, and demonstrated computer tips and tricks with Windows 10 and Zoom. Ron, a Life Stories class member, demonstrated how to insert a photo in a text document.

Lea (RSD-Tu-Th & Our Stories-Fri!)

Thanks, Lea!

Lea & Nancy's "San Diego Adventures"
6/4/21

We had a great time in North County—followed all your suggestions. Loved the crab cakes and Moscato sangria at Chart House. I loved the Seaside Market. The Nancys loved VG Donuts. Nancy N found a folksy basket at the Rancho Coastal Humane Society Thrift Shop, and we all got a glimpse of the Cardiff Kook. We ended our excursion at the carved red-tail hawk near Torrey Pines State Beach, the only place we took any photos. Thanks again for all the great tips.

Lea (RSD-Tu-Th & Our Stories-Fri!)

Thanks, Lea!

Note: Links to websites were added by Donna for your own "San Diego Aventures" as well. I recommended Ky's Restaurant in Cardiff as well.

Photos: The photo on the left below includes Lea (standing on the right side of her friend). The photo on the right below includes Nancy (standing on the right side) of their friend.

Lea's March RSD Notes

3/23/21

For a Tuesday class Shawn Fettel, a spokesperson for I Love a Clean San Diego, spoke about ways to reduce our waste footprint. The recommended steps include reducing the amount of what we acquire, reusing everything we can, repairing broken items, recycling when necessary, and donating when possible. She encouraged participation in local clean-up events in neighborhoods, at beaches, etc.

One fact that gives us pause is that San Diego city’s only landfill is nearing capacity and only has a few more years to operate. The Miramar Landfill observes many environmentally friendly practices. The landfill is lined to keep toxic materials from contaminating our water. They recycle greens and make mulch available to all who want it. They recapture methane gas produced by the landfill to power their facilities.

Then on Thursday Christen Kugener, co-owner with her husband Vincent of Le Caramel and the Basket Corner in El Cajon, told us about learning to make French-style caramels from Daniel Palix, one of France’s best confectioners. This starts by burning 60 pounds of beet sugar in a copper kettle, then adding the milk, cream, butter, flavorings, etc. Their regular caramel products include sea salt (vanilla), chocolate, and marble caramels supplemented by seasonally flavored specials such as maple or pumpkin. Most popular is their sea salt caramel cream that comes in a squeeze bottle—ideal for squirting into my hot chocolate!

For the Basket part of the business they couple some of their products with other related local products (cookies, popcorn, nuts, etc.) to make up custom gift packs. Their products are available from their El Cajon business address, but also may soon be found at some local outlets such as Trader Joe’s or Frazier Farms. Their gift boxes are also available at the San Diego airport. Pre-Covid they did walk-throughs of their business so customers could look through windows to see the caramel-making process. We plan to visit when they re-open for tours.

Chai-Hui Shih, a retired educator, is a docent at the San Diego Museum of Art. One week she presented an RSD program using paintings from the Museum’s collections. She compared and contrasted the portraiture styles, color choices, and composition of works from the European High Renaissance (chiefly Italian), the Chinese (Ming Dynasty), and the Indian (Mughal Empire) periods. The representational, very life-like European scenes often had a religious theme; the Chinese style was linear and flat but very detailed and landscapes always included man-made structures; the Mughal art was imaginative and colorful and often used folklore to illustrate a moral principle. The European art was generally large, meant to be displayed on a wall, whereas the Chinese and Indian art works were generally small so they could be gathered in an album.

Lea (RSD-Tu-Th & Our Stories-Fri!)

Thanks, Lea!

Lea’s February Notes

Mike’s recent presentation was on Amazon’s Alexa products. He talked about smart plugs and gave examples of many of the questions and services these products can help with. One of our classmates commented that this was a disservice as we’re so sedentary now, we don’t need more things to keep us from moving. This sentiment pretty much matched our own and further convinced us we do not want any of them. We’re happy enough with asking Google when we want to find a fact, define a term, or locate an address. Other tech programs clued us in to the world of YouTube and encouraged us to create our own YouTube submissions. (Not going to happen here.)

During the Lunar New Year week we had presentations by Lilly Cheng on the significance of parades with the colorful dragon (or lion), the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac, and life’s five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth). Air isn’t in there as it is not something one can see. I was curious as to why the dragon was included in the zodiac as all the other figures were real animals. Apparently this allows for the mythological or imaginative element and could be compared to figures such as the unicorn or the phoenix in other cultures.

Nian is a ferocious monster, but is afraid of the color red and of loud noises. People wear red to protect themselves and give others red envelopes with a little money in them to ensure the recipient will have prosperity. Firecrackers scare the beast away. (Not sure why the beast becomes a problem at this time of year in particular.) Another element of this celebration is good food. Chinese households have a Kitchen God (guardian angel) that links heaven with the household.

The Chinese lunar cycle is based on the movement of the moon (yang, black) and New Year’s Eve can actually fall anywhere between late January and late February, whereas the western calendar celebrates the movement of the sun (yin, white). Of the zodiac figures the dragon in the most auspicious. It embodies elements of several of the other animals. A dragon with five claws is a symbol for the emperor. Prof Cheng commented that every 60th year seems to be a disaster year, as 2020 was.

Lea (RSD-Tu-Th & Our Stories-Fri!)

Thanks, Lea!

Lea's January RSD Notes

1.22.21

Our Zoom classes have resumed. Class member Tom started us off with sessions on river cruising. He is a fan of the paddle-wheel tours on American Queen Steamboat Company and has cruised through many segments of the Mississippi and some of its tributaries. This brought back memories of the cruise we took with friends from the Quad Cities to Dubuque. He also enjoyed the excursion along the Columbia and Snake Rivers from Clarkston, WA, to Astoria and Portland, OR. It does sound like a leisurely way to travel. (Don’t know if I have the patience for it, tho.’) We’ve also resumed Mike’s sessions on computer-related subjects. He began with passwords (change them often and make them long and complicated) and password managers that will do the changing and remembering for you. Another class presented cloud storage options.

To finish off the semester with a flourish, scholar, teacher, and local gospel singer Rosalind Jackson gave talks on the evolution of gospel music. First developed in the southern slave culture spirituals became a subtle means of communication—embedded in ostensible Bible lessons were signals of where to go to escape from bondage for instance. Often folks were directed to go to the river, a place where dogs couldn’t track them. One point I hadn’t thought about was the fact that English was a second language for slaves brought over from Africa and unsurprisingly its cadences and pronunciations were often transformed into the slaves’ patois. Thus “come by here” could become “kumbaya.”

Gospel music really flourished in the 20^th century. It became a medium for expression of both religious sentiments and lessons, and cultural (social, psychological, emotional) elements. Gospel draws from three musical genres: blues, soul, and jazz. After the advent of recorded music it was popularized first by religious artists; later gospel music was brought to a wider audience by renowned performers such as Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles. During the Civil Rights Movement many gospel songs such as “We Shall Overcome” were adopted and adapted in support of the cause. Today we see a lot of crossover of this jubilant gospel-style music to other churches and religious traditions.

Lea (RSD-Tu-Th & Our Stories-Fri!)

Thanks, Lea!

Lea’s RSD December Notes

Mike was back at RSD telling us about streaming and streaming services. We already use Netflix and Amazon Prime, but who has time for all the options out there nowadays? The programs we record on the DVR (including a gazillion Christmas movies this month), Fareed, and the films noir on TCM are usually plenty for me. Nancy has all her veterinary and animal shows. We did avail ourselves of a new release on Netflix and watched J.D. Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy.” Powerful acting by Amy Adams. I’d read the book when it came out a few years ago.

We also learned plenty about Fallbrook, a place we’ve rarely been to. First Lila MacDonald, the head of the Chamber of Commerce, told the RSD class about the community’s history and places and events of interest. She assured a questioner that Fallbrook is no longer a haven for white supremacists, that it includes a diverse mix of cultures and has a strong artistic community. Then Fallbrook Art Center manager Lisa Ratnavira took us through the wonderful display of locally made artworks for sale in their gallery. This looked like a great place to get gifts, but we’re not going so far out of our neighborhood while the stay-at-home order is in place.

As you can see our classes address a variety of topics and local places, and on alternate weeks Mike gives presentations on computer topics, most recently making videos of family stories and on travel photography. Sometimes these are of interest to me, but to tell the truth I’m getting sick on all the computer stuff. There’s just too much of it all at once. Maybe if the schedule changed to have it once a month I’d be more adaptable to it. But I know it’s tough to schedule other programs with Covid going on.

Lea (RSD-Tu-Th & Our Stories-Fri!)

Thanks, Lea!

Lea’s November RSD Notes

Our computer classes with Mike are ever so slowly pushing us up the computer skills ladder. For the life stories class he reviewed the photo book process giving a detailed look at how to do our own photo books using Costco's service. When I contemplated doing a book I tried putting some photos in a file and quickly discovered that process can get 'way out of hand. My original idea was too broad and to accomplish anything useful I'll have to significantly narrow the focus. I do have a couple of ideas for smaller projects but have yet to try gathering the required photos for those.

The RSD sessions on Google Maps and Google Earth have been of even greater interest. After Mike's introduction on Maps, I looked up the two houses we lived in La Jolla. They're still looking good today. The image of our house on Harwell was photographed between March and December 2019 as the pine tree is down, but the juniper hedge is still in place. It was fun to see our solar panels and our two cars in the driveway. The yellow Soul really stands out. On Google Earth I checked out my grandmother's house in New Jersey. Now I'm ready to explore some of the more far out locales we've visited (the Serengeti in Kenya, Iguasu Falls in South America, etc.) plus some we'll never get to see (Katmandu in Nepal or Ayers Rock in Australia, for instance).

Between Mike's sessions we had a week featuring presenters from the local League of Women Voters. Jeanne Brown told us about some of the League's resources including their Voter's Edge California for up to date info on candidates and propositions. She also reviewed the essentials of all 15 of the state propositions on our ballots. We could have used this program a week earlier as we'd already turned in our ballots at the San Carlos Library by then and we might have come to a different conclusion on one or two of the propositions after hearing from her.

Anne Hoiberg gave us a history of women leaders in the struggle to promote women's causes (peace, equal rights, equal pay, child care, representation, ending violence against women). She highlighted the contributions of many highly accomplished women from Montana's Jeannette Rankin who voted against our entry into both the first and second world wars, Frances Perkins and Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem, and many more. In 1972 Shirley Chisholm was the first woman, let alone the first African American woman, in a major party to run for President. That year she visited San Diego State and I was lucky enough to see her. I suspect she came here because SDSU had recently established the first academic women's studies program in the nation.

For variety during election week we enjoyed talks by Wendy Hileman. First she discussed how food affects mood and then prepared some healthy mood-lifting dishes. Her second appearance included a demonstration of how to plant an herb garden in a pot.

Next Mike came back to tell us about podcasts and how to find and access them. Nancy went right out and downloaded one featuring the sounds of thunderstorms to use as background noise. For me, I’d rather have quiet.

Jeanne Brown returned another week to talk on ways to strengthen our democracy and options for changing the electoral college. A constitutional amendment hasn’t made it through Congress despite countless tries. On tap now is the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. This measure has already been accepted by many states but it must attract enough more states go over the 270 electoral college votes needed to win a national election. Signatories to the Compact have agreed that their electors will cast their votes to reflect whom the voters have voted for. No more winner takes all.

Lea (RSD-Tu-Th & Our Stories-Fri!)

Thanks, Lea!

Lea's Autumn RSD Notes

RSD Virtual Driving Tours Sparking RSD Students' Auto Tours

10.8.20

The emphasis in many of our summer RSD sessions was on learning to use Zoom fully and effectively plus introductions to other digital devices and apps. The latter emphasis is continuing in our Fall sessions. Mike has given more sessions on cell phone apps, photo books, and the like. Class member Tom gave us PowerPoint presentations on Balboa Park and how to get various relevant apps (Balboa Park, the Zoo, etc.). He is also an avid member of the House of Scotland and gave us some background on the House of Pacific Relations, the cottages and the programs they offer in normal years, and his Scottish (or is it Scots?) heritage.

Mike, who has had to evacuate his home in Carlsbad due to fires and smoky air, was back with a two-part program, Wildfire - Are You Ready to Evacuate?. with lots of practical tips on what to do in an evacuation. His first tip was to sign up all our communications devices with the County's emergency notifications center which we have done. He also recommended going through the house room by room to make lists identifying the things to take from each when evacuating, time permitting. He also listed the evacuation priorities as (1) people, (2) pets, and (3) possessions.

With Donna's encouragement we also signed up for her Friday afternoon class on ways to express your life story. I hadn't made any plans to do that but the class was a sufficient spur to get me started. I took a photo from a 1948 Thanksgiving gathering and wrote up things I remembered about the people sitting around the table. I think Matt and Patty might be interested in seeing it. I found it startling to realize I am probably the only person still alive who remembers who several of these people were and a little bit about them.

Since we can't do site visits like we used to as a class, Donna has come up with an alternative—virtual driving tours that we can also take ourselves on when we feel the need for an outing This week former state park ranger Dick Miller took us on a PowerPoint tour up highways 78/79 from Ramona to Santa Ysabel, and on through the backcountry to Julian. He pointed out several attractions, scenic byways, hiking trails, and points of interest that were new to us. We didn't know Ramona is becoming a city of murals and includes the one of Charles Lindbergh that used to grace the San Diego airport commuter terminal. Except for appointments, take-out food runs, or grocery shopping we don't get out much so Donna's prod might get us to do a little auto touring.

Lea (RSD-Tu-Th & Our Stories-Fri!)

Thanks, Lea!

Lea's RSD Notes

Aug. 30, 2020

One week our RSD classes had presentations by staffers of the National Marine Mammals Foundation. Rikki McDaniel discussed the hazards of plastics pollution in our oceans including the huge ocean garbage patches of marine debris. She spoke of things we can do to prevent this, especially being more attentive to what we do with waste, and urged us to reuse, recycle, or switch to non-plastic products. Brittany Novak discussed ocean mammals that use echolocation to find food, dodge obstacles, and communicate in the ocean, and pointed to the growing problem of ocean sound pollution (larger vessels, naval operations, etc.). She said sound travels 4 times faster in water than in air.

Another week was devoted to learning how to create a photo book. Mike took us through the steps of locating a vendor (he likes Costco) and using that company's templates and instructions to identify the layouts, fonts, and page sizes from the selections they offer. He cautioned you to choose more photos than you think you'll need as some pages use several photos. It's advisable to crop any photos ahead of time and put your selected photos into a discrete file. It's essential to upload the photos to the photo book program before doing any editing or captioning work. It's ironic to me that I recently spent months scanning photos into electronic form so I could dispose of our paper photos and albums. Now we're thinking of pulling our pet photos together to create a paper photo book of them!

To finish off our RSD summer sessions, our healthy eating chef Wendy Hileman assembled a couple of Asian-style cold vegetable dishes and told us how to make our own frozen yogurt. She also discussed how stress spurs people to eat or not eat, both of which can lead to unhealthy results. She offered tips on making healthy and economical food choices.

Lea (RSD-Tu-Th & Fri!)

Thanks, Lea!

King Wolf Animal Sanctuary

July 21, 2020

The virtual tour of the King Wolf Animal Sanctuary on July 21, 2020, made such an impression on me that I arranged with Lori (the co-owner) for another Zoom tour for my grandchildren just two weeks later.

I staggered the start of our tour 15 minutes ahead of Lori’s arrival so we could have a quick family reunion and the children could practice with Zoom, particularly with the virtual backgrounds.

Our tour for my 4 grandchildren, their parents, and my sister was successful. The international connections (for free!) made it very special as my 'extended family' included Wiesbaden, Germany, Ft. Myers, FL, Burlington, VT., and San Diego, CA. The international connections made it special. It felt like we were all together at the wolf sanctuary with Lori.

The children are 12, 9, 7 and 6 which were good ages since Lori’s “day job” is teaching middle school children. She fielded questions, such as why the 3 baby geese had to stay in the bathroom (They poop a lot) and why the horses wore masks (to keep the flies from laying eggs in their eyes).

The children were very attentive to the tour. Before it was over, they had changed their Zoom virtual background.

The cousins never see each other so this was a treat too. The aunts and uncles also enjoyed seeing each other and the children.

Seeing the rescued animals roaming in their 13 acres, and watching all of this with my extended family from Wiesbaden, Germany, Ft. Myers, FL, and Burlington, VT. was so much fun!

Marj (RSD-Tu-Th & Fri!)

Thanks, Marj!

“What was your “Take Away” with the presentation on Zoom?”

Zoom Essentials

Friday, July 10, 1:30-3:00

1. How to use Chromecast.

2. How to record a zoom meeting.

3. Mirroring, changing name and hopefully how to put my own photo in virtual background

4. Couple new "buttons" on Zoom.

5. The button to leave the meeting in the bottom right corner of your screen.

6. I earned a few new things you can do on Zoom that I did not previously know.

7. Good overview, but not too helpful re iPad.

8. I learned name change in zoom. I feel more proficient than before. I hope to be able to add a virtual photo in the future. I am not able to see what is available in zoom at this time for virtual photos

9. So many things I. have learned, so little time.

10. Good to know how to zoom to my TV screen.

11. Loved being able to practice everything you talked about. Excellent teaching of Zoom capabilities.

12. It was also nice to be able to practice everything as explained.

Celebrating the End of our 2020 Spring Semester

Cooking Demonstrations & Toast to the End of our 2020 Spring Semester

May 28 & June 2, 2020

Our RSD semester ended quite tastefully with two cooking demonstrations. First came Wendy Hileman's vegetarian/Mediterranean style menu featuring zoodle pasta (pasta + shredded zucchini) with a sauce of diced tomatoes, greens, and beans among other things. The accompaniment was a salad of cooked whole grains, beans, and chopped vegetables with an oil and lemon juice based dressing. The dessert was a fruit salad using a colorful variety of seasonal fruits mixed with yogurt, honey, and lemon zest and topped with almond slivers.

I later tried to make the zoodle dish but my version was a disappointment—too much spinach, not enough beans, and no “zing.” Guess I should have used the pepper flakes, but Nancy's palate is so sensitive to peppery/chili tastes that I omitted them. (A class on seasoning substitutes for pepper/chili (and salt) would be useful to me.) The blend of shredded zucchini and pasta was pleasing, though, so I'll remember to add the zucchini the next time I boil pasta. We happened to have the shredder for the zucchini because when I last visited Nancy's family in Casper a few years ago her great niece Ashley, who's really into healthy eating (and exercising), fixed a dish with shredded zucchini and encouraged us to buy a shredder.

The second presenter was Gary Parker and his wife Lori, Owners of the WineSellar-Brasserie in Sorrento Valley. I guess the business sells and then stores the wines for regular customers. They also have a restaurant that serves fancy fish and French dishes. We went there for lunch a year or so ago and found the food very good and even found a wine we all enjoyed with our meal. Today's menu featured salmon in both breakfast and lunch dishes. Of course, Gary made all the steps look easy. Ha! Just let me try flipping things in my Corningware pans on our Corningware stovetop!!!

RSD(Th) Student

Thank you!

"Safe Computing" & "Get Moving" (Chair Exercise, Qi Gong, & Tai Chi)

May 23, 2020

The RSD schedule resumed with a chair exercise session led by exercise guru Sharon Emerson. She has developed a vigorous 20-minute routine for seniors. In the Thursday session the music was really peppy and we had trouble keeping up, but at least we could hear her directions and follow what she and her husband were demonstrating. We tried again on Friday, but this time although the music was a little slower it was so loud we could not hear her directions so found ourselves trailing behind a bit. Still we think the exercises could be helpful to us and may try to enroll in her summer session.

Help with our electronic devices was next on the agenda. For several years Mike McMahon, has been giving classes on computer-related topics for seniors. He has broken down the various topics into sessions that are fairly easy to follow and understand. Our first session was on the need to back up your computer and protect it from hackers and other problems, and the importance of doing so. He stressed the need for 3 forms of backup that can include your computer, an attached backup device, dvds or thumb drives. One copy should be stored away from your home (maybe in the car?). He also recommended completely shutting down your computers at night and putting your cell phone on airplane mode to keep interlopers from corrupting those devices.

So often we hear of what needs to be done, but seldom do we hear enough detail (for me anyway) on HOW to do whatever it is. I really need the hand-holding, step by step guidance when it comes to this computer stuff. The second session was on taking photos with a smartphone. In this session Mike included many welcome tips for how to take sharp and well posed or framed shots. Recommendations include shooting in landscape format, keeping your elbows close to your sides or using a tripod for steady pictures, and a lot of the standard photography tips about lighting, framing, etc. Evidently info on where the photos are taken is embedded into the photo which you wouldn't want bad guys to be able to see (for example, where children live, that you're far from home, etc.). Mike said you can reset the program so it does not capture that info (tho' how one does this I'm not sure.)

Robert Nations returned to give us more in-depth information on the Chinese exercise modes he practices. He teaches both Tai Chi to which we've had a limited bit of exposure and Qi Gong which is completely new to us. I guess they both began as techniques for interpersonal combat. He emphasized that the movements in either mode are circular rather than linear, and are performed by slowly rotating the pertinent body part (joints, torso, head, etc.). Part of the exercise involves warming yourself by tapping on various parts of your body, rubbing fingers through your hair to stimulate your scalp, and other relaxation techniques. (Afraid I haven't the patience to apply these modalities on a regular basis. I'm much more likely to practice Sharon Emerson's exercises.)

For several months Nancy had been suggesting that Donna have Alex Mares of the San Diego Humane Society tell the group about all the wonderful animal-care activities that agency is involved with. As it turned out, via Zoom Alex was able to speak about their wide range of services (veterinary care including spay/neuter, humane law enforcement-rescuing endangered animals, kitten nursery-first 4 weeks of life, behavioral center-changing detrimental behaviors so animals can be adopted, Project Wildlife-wild animal rehabilitation, PAWS-free pet food). Interestingly, the local veterinarians also train 5^th year veterinary students from around the country in the special skills and requirements at animal care centers such as our Humane Society.

Alex also brought us up to date on some of the changes wrought by the Covid19 pandemic. For instance, normally they have about 10% of their charges in foster care. Today its 70%. Some services have been converted to drive-through operations such as supplying pet food to folks who need it. They do “virtual” adoptions. That is, they take care of all the pre-adoption visits and documentation electronically, then have the adopters come to the facility where the pet is brought to their car. Adoptions can't be finalized until the animal is spayed or neutered and those operations (“non-essential”) have been halted for a while to protect the veterinary personnel, but are about to resume in some form. The potential adopter will have to bring the pet back for the procedure and to finalize the adoption at a later date.

Donna had us submit favorite pet photos and scheduled a fun session to share our thoughts on the photos and the pets with the class. Mike McMahon was able to tune in for a while and analyze the photos for us—did we use the rule of thirds, was the lighting used effectively, was the composition eye-pleasing, etc. Best of all, Matt recently installed Chromecast on our tv. Its a device that displays what's on your iPad screen on your tv. We had to have him over twice to tutor us in how to do it, but on pet photo day we succeeded and saw our Allison, Cody, and Tori on the big screen.

RSD(Th) Classmate

Thank you!

What's in Your Neighborhood?

May 11, 2020

As a diversion from our stay-at-home routine, for the past two weeks Donna has had us taking pictures in our neighborhood and posting them to the weekly class photos site. We were able to send along photos of the Cowles Mountain waterfalls. The first week's program featured Eli, a very bright third grader, and his mother Jenny. He had been photographing neighborhood birds and had created an online presentation on how to identify birds. The second week featured photos of beautiful flower fields taken by class member Sumiko, and views taken by others in the San Carlos area. One of the presenters was Evelyn Roy Kooperman who retired from San Diego Public Library (SDPL) in 2002, the same year I retired from SDSU. (We both got out before computers took over everything.) In walking around her neighborhood she was noting the different housing styles and changes people had made to them on a detailed chart. She has also authored a couple of books on San Diego trivia.

In the bio info on Evelyn it said she had been raised in the Burlingame community in San Diego. So, for one of our car outings to escape the house for a while we ventured over there (between 30^th & 32^nd, Palm & Juniper). I think I read there are 7 different styles of houses. We recognized the adobe walled, Spanish tiled ones and the Craftsmans. The houses and landscaping are beautiful and well kept up. One of the things that makes Burlingame unique is the pink colored sidewalks.

-RSD(Th) Classmate

Thank you!

Grand Tradition Estate and Gardens

March 3, 2020

I loved the venue today - what an incredibly beautiful and special place.... thank you for finding such unique places for us to visit - it was worth the long drive.

Sondra and I went to Nessy’s Burgers and had a delicious lunch. When we got there, the two Barbara’s from our class were there so we sat together - as well as a lady alone who joined our table. We were happy to tell her all about RSD and one of the Barbara’s sent her information via email. My husband grew up in Scotland and enjoyed always stories of Nessy - so it was special to me today.

I saw Carol at Line dancing tonight and she said how much she enjoyed the lunch across the street at the Garden Center Café and that you were with them, too. I guess we’ll have to go another time to try it out."

– Bev (RSD-Tu)

Thanks, Bev!

Lendo Lake & Lakeside Community Center

Feb. 20, 2020

The last time we visited Lindo Lake in Lakeside the water level in the front of the lake was fairly low and the water was just about gone in the back side of the lake. After last year's heavier than normal rainfall the lakes filled up again apparently. The area teems with birdlife and squirrels. So next visit we'll be sure to bring binoculars. In its early days (1880's-1920's) Lakeside was a well known resort destination. The railroad that ran nearby, the fancy Inn built at one end of the lake, and the boating and other outdoor activities drew lots of the more affluent vacationers. A large oval race track was built around the lake that also drew folks to Lakeside.

Our RSD visit started in the Lakeside Community Center with a brief introduction to Tai Chi. Leader Ben walked and talked us through a few of the elements and several of his regular class members spoke about how Tai Chi had helped them. Following the exercise Dan Kohl, a county parks ranger, passed around samples of plants used locally by the Kumeyaay people and described their applications and benefits. He also toured us through the butterfly garden in the park designed to attract both pollinators and butterflies. This gave us some ideas of how we might redo of our back yard one of these days. Dan also told us about plans to clean out, deepen, and beautify the lake. To top off the visit Donna brought us doughnuts from her favorite local bakery and picked up tacos we ordered for lunch. It was a beautiful setting for a picnic and we plan to go back soon.

-RSD(Th) Classmate

Thank you!

Exhibits at Balboa Park

Feb. 13, 2020

(1) Dreamscape @ Museum of Photographic Art, (2)Illumination @ San Diego Art Institute, (3) LGBTQ + San Diego: Stories of Struggles & Triumphs @ SD History Center, & Letters from Santa Anita: Children's Thoughts on Internment @ SD History Center

Kevin at the Museum of Photographic Art in Balboa Park is a dynamic speaker who can make any image seem interesting. Our class revisited the museum to view Dreamscapes, a juried collection of images constructed by San Diego and Tijuana area young people. Its the sort of exhibit I generally get very little out of, but as Kevin pointed out some of the details and discussed some of the digital techniques involved the display got a little more interesting. But I still think of photography as a straightforward presentation of things the eye as well as the lens can see.

We had a little time to visit other nearby museums. The San Diego Art Institute had a special display of artists' interpretations of scientific and technological concepts. The San Diego History Center still has its display of San Diego LGBTQ history and heroes. The dates are what astounded me. It hadn't really registered before how recent all the social, educational, and political gains have been for LGBTQ folks in our community, and how recently demeaning and overtly hostile behaviors against community members were allowed to happen.

Another display of note, and another reminder of the danger of setting one segment of a community apart from the rest, featured Librarian Clara Breed and her friendship with Japanese American youth who were sent to internment camps in the 1940's. She wrote them, sent books to them, and visited them in the camps. The display included letters from the youths describing daily life in the camps. I'm still amazed at how many in this terribly mistreated group tried to make the best of the situation they were in rather than focussing anger on what had been done to them. Coincidentally, our Governor just issued an apology (but no reparations) to the Japanese American community for the mistreatment they endured then in California.

-RSD(Th) Classmate

Thank you!

Northgate Market

Feb. 11, 2020

We closed out our RSD classes for the Fall at a very posh Poway fire station. Its in a very upscale neighborhood and has a good sized meeting room for public or educational events like our class. A fire fighter named Mike spoke to us about some of his experiences and clearly conveyed his love of the work and the opportunity it provides him to help others. We were given a tour of the station and again saw the three refrigerators and cupboards, one for each shift, in the kitchen. The lounge had soft carpeting, a large screen tv, and enough reclining lounge chairs to accommodate a whole crew. We now know the difference between a fire truck (bigger; ladder for rescues) and a fire engine (smaller; hoses for fighting fires).

The rest of the program included a recap of advice we'd gotten in previous emergency preparedness talks about building an emergency kit, making an evacuation plan, and sources of information during emergencies. Presenter Susy Turnbull told us about the Poway Neighborhood Emergency Corps, a sort of neighborhood watch for emergency situations. Now we just have to go home and do what all these earnest presenters have been telling us to do this semester.

The Spring semester's RSD programs began with a tour and tasting event at the Barrio Logan Northgate Market. It's part of a small Mexican-owned grocery store chain in California started in 1980 by the Gonzalez family that came from Jalisco, Mexico. The mercado caters to the tastes and needs of Latinos. We were welcomed by assistant manager Carlos who was assisted by several members of his very attentive staff. Our tour began with a tasting of rosca de reyes, a ring cake that's usually part of the Day of Kings (Wise Men) or Epiphany celebration in early January. A small figure representing Jesus is baked into the cake and its a sign of good luck for the person who gets the slice with the figure in it. No one in our group got it.

We loved the ring cake, but that was just the beginning. Next we sampled a sweet corn bread that I liked even more, enough so that I purchased a pan of it. The bakery counter was filled with cakes beautifully decorated with fruit or frosting. I loved the cat cakes—cat faces in frosting with cardboard paws, ears, and tails. One of the cases had the traditional flour-based cakes; another had tres leches cakes (made with three forms of milk). Flan, rice pudding, and cake slices were also available as single servings and again we indulged in sweets to sample when we got home. All the sweets are made fresh daily.

Leaving the bakery we passed the produce section and noticed a few things we don't usually see. One was some sort of root that you pare and boil or fry as you would a potato. Of course there were tomatillos and a variety of chilis. In the meat department they had done up family packs of taco fillings that included seasoned beef, chicken, and pork. The flap meat (for carne asada, etc) was so tempting we took some of that home. There too we saw things we don't usually see such as lard, tripe, and squid.

Moving on to the food service area we were treated to samples of carnitas on freshly made corn tortillas, guacamole made on the spot (we took some home, made to our specifications), some sort of fish which I turned down, a refreshing cup of yogurt with strawberries and granola, and horchata, the sweet rice drink. We picked up chicharronnes (fried pork rind—decided later we weren't that fond of it) and corn chips. Before leaving we returned to the bakery area to pick up some cookies, sweet muffins, and bolillos. We were treated royally by the staff and it was a wonderful experience and opportunity to learn a little more about Latino culture. Donna is really going to have to work to top this one.

-RSD(Th) Classmate

Thank you!

Northgate Market

Feb. 11, 2020

Just want to take this opportunity to say Thank You for the "Great Culinary Experience" and tour of Northgate Gonzalez Market. It truly was one of my favorite and most enjoyable tours, which I have had the pleasure of attending, while enrolled in the Rediscover San Diego program!

The generosity and kindness of our tour guide was amazing and his staff was incredible too! Northgate Gonzalez Market has it All...Artisan Bakers making fabulous desserts, Butchers skilled in authentic cuts of meat not found in other markets, freshly made ceviche & guacamole, an in store Tortilleria, a Mexican Cocina Buffet with offerings that taste as if they came straight out of grandma's kitchen, plus everything your standard market has! I just can't say enough about how much I enjoyed the tour, the treats and the great staff at Northgate Market! It truly was a culinary experience, one I will not forget!!

So, Thank You again to all those who made this such a memorable day and please let Northgate Market know, they now have a new customer for life!

-Sondra (RSD-Tu)

Thank you, Sondra!

Oceanside Museum of Art

2019 Fall Semester

Returning to Oceanside's Museum of Art, our RSD class took in the displays of (finger)nail art and of unusual materials (trash, cardboard, etc.) used to create women's fashions. Imaginative illustrations by Brian Kesinger, formerly a Disney artist, were also on display. Following the class we picked up some essentials at the farmers market and had lunch once again at Petite Madeleine's.

A small group of us ventured back to Oceanside for a talk on Oceanside history. Our brief walking tour included a stop at a large tattoo parlor. When Oceanside was primarily a military town and before the days of cell phones, Uber, and such the service members' mobility and choice of activities was rather limited and tattooing was a significant part of the group culture. On display were cases of the devices used by the artists to embed the images into a person's skin. One tattooee allowed us to look in while her skin was being decorated. (I kept thinking, when she's over 70 I wonder if all the art work will still look good on her aging skin.)

We also visited Oceanside's Surfing Museum. Boards on display show the evolution of the surfboard including various tails, rails, stringers, and such. Photos highlighted people who made significant contributions to surfboard design and the most celebrated surfing competitors, and included a section on surfing for disabled individuals.

Another RSD program involved a walking tour of Balboa Park. We did part of the tour but I was having difficulty walking that day so we turned off early stopping for soup and a chance to sit down at the courtyard cafe.

December's RSD classes began with a return visit to the La Mesa Fire Station where we heard talks on legal services for seniors and on emergency preparation and what to put in kits. The group then repaired to Alforon on El Cajon Blvd for a Lebanese repast. The following week we visited the First Church of the Brethren complex that also houses other peace oriented groups. One of the featured areas is a Peace Garden planted with vegetables and fruit trees that troubled teenagers tend and then sell the produce to earn some money.

The Brethren provided sanctuary to Kitty Hawk sailors when they were resisting their deployment on the ship some years ago. Today they do what they can to help with the border crisis by providing housing, clothing, transportation, and food for families that are working out their immigration status issues. Pedro Rios of the American Friends Service Committee also has an office there and he discussed border and immigrant issues and position papers that his agency is working on.

The site also houses the Quakers' church, a green building constructed from bales of rice straw and lots of steel girders that are screwed together. Only four structural steel beams were required in its construction. The central meeting room is so well insulated the temperature inside varies little no matter what the weather is like outside. Windows around the top of the large cupola can be opened but seldom are. Its architect Drew Hubbell, son of artist James Hubbell, was there to discuss the building.

The final RSD of the year was a talk and tour of Coronado. Gerry and Nancy have run Coronado Touring for some forty years. They had lots of lore and gossip to share about the history, celebrities, and other characters that made Coronado what it is today. We began in the music room of the Glorietta Bay Inn, once the home of sugar magnate John D. Spreckles. He was a lover of organ music and you'll recall that it's the Spreckles Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. Luckily he took over completion of the Hotel del when the founders, Babcock and Story, ran out of funds. Spreckles realized the workers needed a nearby place to stay and encouraged the Tent City that sprang up at the turn of the century and remained adjacent to the Hotel del until 1939. To provide some entertainment for the early guests, noted polo players were brought in.

Babcock and Story came here from Indiana to shoot rabbits. Somehow they got the notion to build a fabulous hotel to attract the idle rich to this isolated spot. And there were lots of the idle rich—non-working heirs of the entrepreneurs who made those vast fortunes during the industrial revolution. Coronado had no beach sand, no breakwater, no channel deep enough for ships to enter. All these things had to change before the project could succeed financially. The only architect they knew was a builder of railroad trestles from Indiana. Drawing on his railroad building skills, he designed the large round rooms of the hotel.

Currently the Hotel del is undergoing a major renovation. The usual entrance is all fenced in; the temporary entrance is through the parking lot. The new entrance will be moved from Orange Ave, which will help alleviate traffic congestion in the area. Hotel services will be extended with a new conference center. Of course they'll preserve the old smokestack. After our walking tour we drove the few blocks to Clayton's diner for an old timey lunch. Unfortunately, the chocolate pie they served did not measure up to the Clayton's chocolate pie in our memory.

This is great, thank you!

Thank you!

Wow!

-RSD(Th) Classmate

Thank you!

San Diego History Center

2018 Fall Semester

I am so glad to have found your class “Rediscover San Diego" and that I was able to attend yesterday! As you know, I was referred to the class by Mary through her daughter Mitzi.

Mary, Carol, Marilyn and Emy welcomed me heartily and ensured I felt comfortable with the group. They were very enthusiastic about yesterday’s field trip class and eager to learn about the San Diego History Center. They showed great interest in the presentation "San Diego History to 1915" and the documentary film about Balboa Park. These ladies seem quite well informed and periodically mentioned something they had learned in another of your classes. They were all curious and open to what the Center had to offer and Marilyn made a special point of taking us to the exhibit on Japanese internment camps. I was pleased you showed us the video behind the exhibit “Blue Sky, White Stars” as it gave some perspective on the artwork of Kadir Nelson.

I was very impressed with the PowerPoint Presentation given by Samantha Alberts, Education Coordinator with the San Diego History Center. Samantha has an engaging and sparkling personality which lends itself to a pleasant presentation style. She has a full understanding and appreciation of her subject material and the history of San Diego seemed to come alive with her words. She was totally comfortable with her audience and we appreciated the humor she sprinkled throughout her talk.

Everyone also enjoyed the docent-led LGBTQ+ exhibit and many participants remarked they were grateful to learn more about a subject on which they had little knowledge or experience. The docent (whose name I did not learn) did an excellent job and showed compassion, concern and caring for the subject.

I had no knowledge of the San Diego History Center before this class even though I have visited Balboa Park many times. I am anxious to return in order to view the “Her Story: Pioneers of San Diego” exhibit as well as the Center’s fine art collection.

By the way, of all the club meetings, classes and activities I have attended since my retirement earlier this year I enjoyed this class the most! I look forward to attending the remaining classes of 2018.

Thanks so much for allowing me to join your Tuesday class!

-RSD(Tu) Classmate

Thank you!

RSD with Zoom & Traditional Chinese Medicine with Dr. Robert Nations

April 14, 2020

We used Zoom with our RSD class on Thursday. At first, we didn't do it right—we were supposed to mute ourselves and turn off our video during the presentation—but by Friday (a second chance to see our presenter) we'd figured that part out. Don't really know how to use Zoom, but all we need to get into our class is a session number Donna supplies us with.

Donna is continuing our education about traditional Chinese medicine and philosophy. This week's presenter, Dr Robert Nations, went through much of the same material covered by our previous presenter, but we found his explanations much clearer. Yin and yang are opposites that co-exist and make a whole (shadow/light, cold/warm, negative/positive, etc.). This made me think of the principles we've heard all our lives—that opposites attract (social theory), that an action causes an equal and opposite reaction (scientific theory), etc. He talked about the importance of water moving through the body—how the lungs draw it in, the bladder and kidneys use it to cleanse us, the skin and lower organs excrete it. He then discussed balance and harmony and led us in a relaxation exercise that had us concentrate on posture and conscious breathing (Donna calls this mindfulness). Other class materials explored techniques for self-healing (encircling ourselves with health, healing, and happiness).

-RSD(Th) Classmate

Thank you!

RSD Voices: 2020 Fall Semester

Lea (RSD-Tu-Th & Our Stories)

Jan. 22, 2021

Our Zoom classes have resumed. Class member Tom started us off with sessions on river cruising. He is a fan of the paddle-wheel tours on American Queen Steamboat Company and has cruised through many segments of the Mississippi and some of its tributaries. This brought back memories of the cruise we took with friends from the Quad Cities to Dubuque. He also enjoyed the excursion along the Columbia and Snake Rivers from Clarkston, WA, to Astoria and Portland, OR. It does sound like a leisurely way to travel. (Don’t know if I have the patience for it, tho.’) We’ve also resumed Mike’s sessions on computer-related subjects. He began with passwords (change them often and make them long and complicated) and password managers that will do the changing and remembering for you. Another class presented cloud storage options.

To finish off the semester with a flourish, scholar, teacher, and local gospel singer Rosalind Jackson gave talks on the evolution of gospel music. First developed in the southern slave culture spirituals became a subtle means of communication—embedded in ostensible Bible lessons were signals of where to go to escape from bondage for instance. Often folks were directed to go to the river, a place where dogs couldn’t track them. One point I hadn’t thought about was the fact that English was a second language for slaves brought over from Africa and unsurprisingly its cadences and pronunciations were often transformed into the slaves’ patois. Thus “come by here” could become “kumbaya.”

Thanks, Lea!

# # #

Emy (RSD-Tu-Th & Our Stories)

Nov. 3, 2020

Just want to let you know that Mary, Carol, Joan, and I went to Santa Ysabel, to Ramona and on to Julian, and then back to San Diego through Cuyamaca all day Monday. Oh, how it turned out to be a beautiful, pleasant day!

We took the route Ranger Miller suggested in his virtual tour, bought some Andoui sausages, and Dudley bread. We didn't have my favorite rhubarb pie from Don's market, but we had a wonderful chat with the director of the Art Gallery. We went to Santa Ysabel Mission to say a little prayer and saw some people caring and tending the cemetery for All Souls Day. We lunched at Julian Beer Company. Talking about good barbecue food, this is the best place to go! Dining in and out in the patio was ideal. Believe it or not, we didn't have any beer, honest!!!!

I thought I'd let you know that Ranger Miller surely did a great job on his virtual presentation. Thank you!

The trip was enjoyed by all of us especially at this time in the history of our country and the world at the same time.

Thanks, Emy!

# # #

Lea (RSD-Tu-Th & Our Stories)

Oct. 30, 2020

Our RSD classes with Mike are ever so slowly pushing us up the digital skills ladder. For the life stories class he reviewed the photobook process giving a detailed look at how to do our own photo books using Costco's service. When I contemplated doing a book I tried putting some photos in a file and quickly discovered that process can get 'way out of hand. My original idea was too broad and to accomplish anything useful I'll have to significantly narrow the focus. I do have a couple of ideas for smaller projects but have yet to try gathering the required photos for those.

The RSD classes Google Maps and Google Earth have been of even greater interest. After Mike's introduction on Maps, I looked up the two houses we lived in in La Jolla. They're still looking good today. The image of our house on Harwell was photographed between March and December 2019 as the pine tree is down, but the juniper hedge is still in place. It was fun to see our solar panels and our two cars in the driveway. The yellow Soul really stands out. On Google Earth I checked out my grandmother's house in New Jersey. Now I'm ready to explore some of the more far out locales we've visited (the Serengeti in Kenya, Iguasu Falls in South America, etc.) plus some we'll never get to see. (Katmandu in Nepal or Ayers Rock in Australia, for instance.)

Between Mike's sessions we had a week featuring presenters from the local League of Women Voters. Jeanne Brown told us about some of the League's resources including their Voter's Edge California for up to date info on candidates and propositions. She also reviewed the essentials of all 15 of the state propositions on our ballots. We could have used this program a week earlier as we'd already turned in our ballots at the San Carlos Library by then and we might have come to a different conclusion on one or two of the propositions after hearing from her.

Anne Hoiberg gave us a history of women leaders in the struggle to promote women's causes (peace, equal rights, equal pay, child care, representation, ending violence against women). She highlighted the contributions of many highly accomplished women from Montana's Jeannette Rankin who voted against our entry into both the first and second world wars, Frances Perkins and Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem, and many more. In 1972 Shirley Chisholm was the first woman, let alone the first African American woman, in a major party to run for President. That year she visited San Diego State and I was lucky enough to see her. I suspect she came here because SDSU had recently established the first academic women's studies program in the nation.

Thanks, Lea!

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