Internet Magic Friday

Jane Booras is the Editor of numerous newsletters including our Campus Times. She will be sharing how you can find whatever you need - photos, clipart, information, maps, phone numbers - on the Internet.


As you read this, my sister Mary is attending her 50th high school class reunion in Rock Rapids, Iowa. In fact, I am joining her in our old home town to visit with her, her husband Gary, and many dear “old” friends. My son, David and his wife Grace and Stephanie, my granddaughter, are all joining us there for a couple of days to get a narrated tour of our old home and haunts. David has always been very interested in genealogy, so he sees this trip as adding another nostalgic piece to the family puzzle he has worked so hard to put together over the years. Tracking your family history has been made much easier because of the Internet, and I plan to blog about that in the weeks to come.

Mary spent February in Texas with us because she wanted to get away from the cold weather in Wisconsin. Much the same reason I visit her and Gary in July! While she was here, we worked on her high school reunion Memory Book together. We had a wonderful time doing it. It’s the type of thing that you, too, can do on your computer. Of course there are many types of “books” you can do – recipe books, legacy books, scrapbooks, or just plain “write a book.” Let me show you our handiwork!

The book was produced in MS Publisher. We did the cover design using clip art for the lion (commemorating the Rock Rapids lions athletic teams), and designing the stylized border with simple lines drawn with the line tool.

The inside front cover was also designed using clip art and lines. Of course, we inserted a photo of our old school which was torn down a few years ago.

Some of the fun pages in the front of the book were produced using:

• Scanned pictures from the 1959 high school annual
• Word Art (the word “Royalty”)

• Clip Art, and
• Fill Effects (in MS Publisher)

It’s really very easy, and as you can see, the result looks great.

For the body of the book, each class member’s original annual picture was scanned and included on a separate page. Mary and Dave (Van Leeuwen, the class president) contacted each class member by mail and email late last year to request a current picture with their spouse or family and an update about their lives for the 50 years since graduation. Out of a class of just under 50, there were a few deceased members and less than 10 that didn’t respond!

Most printers that are sold today contain both a scan and a fax option, making it easy to scan a photograph. And you don’t have to buy an expensive printer to scan. Mine cost only about $50. Once scanned, photos can be cropped and color corrected in “MS Picture Manager,” which comes with MS Office 2003 and 2007. So you really don’t even need Photoshop to do these simple corrections.

Once we had the pictures scanned, and the stories edited and keyboarded, we added graphics from clip art that related to the classmates’ interests or hobbies, and voila! You can see the result. I’m sure the class members will be delighted with this keepsake for their children and grandchildren.

But Mary didn’t stop there. She also produced a PowerPoint® presentation using the same pictures that will run on a loop during the actual event. She dressed it up with color and graphics (clip art again) as well. Classmates were sent an order form for either the Memory Book, a CD of the PowerPoint® presentation or both.

The books were printed (8-1/2 x 11 paper, two-sided in color) and bound with plastic combs.
There is a very simple mechanical machine that punches the pages and does the binding, or you can have it done at a business center or printing place like Office Depot, Staples, or Kinko’s. It gives your book a more finished look than a plain notebook and is easier to handle and store. The orders for the books from classmates should be priced so they cover these costs.

All in all, it was a labor of love – for Mary and me, and for her classmates. I know they will be thrilled this week when they see it!

This was a great sister project with a wonderful sister!


Jane Booras is Editor of the Campus Times Newsletter for Computer School for Seniors (http://www.cs4seniors.com/)

Lifelong Learning Thursday

Nancy Merz Nordstrom, author of Learning Later, Living Greater: The Secret of Making the Most of Your After 50 Years will share the benefits of Lifelong Learning on Thursdays.

LEARNING LATER, LIVING GREATER: 

The Secret for Making the Most of Your After-50 Years.

Lifelong Learning in Your Later Years… 

A Health Club for Your Mind, Body, and Spirit!

Now it’s time for us to take a look at the Mind/Body Connection. No, we won’t be studying any hocus-pocus, but rather some sound scientific research. Being aware of the Mind/Body Connection is very important, especially as we age.

The belief that our thoughts and actions can influence our health–the Mind/Body Connection–is not a new concept. Over the years, in certain circles, this notion was an accepted fact. Research in the latter half of the 20th century, however, has shown that this long-held belief is actually true.

But what does this belief really mean? It’s probably safe to say that wishing for a gold Rolls Royce won’t suddenly make one appear in your driveway. But there is significant evidence to suggest that coordinating the interaction between our minds and bodies can result in amazing things. Lifelong learning plays a major role in this because it helps balance both your mind and body. And when things are in balance, you feel better and have the ability and desire to create a rich and satisfying life.

Technically, the study of the Mind/Body Connection goes by several intimidating labels certain to demolish anyone playing Scrabble with you. Among these names are such polysyllabic nightmares as psychoneuroimmunology, psychophysiology, neuropsychology, and psychoneuroimmunology. We’ll opt for a much shorter abbreviation of the last one: PNI.

In the 1960’s, one of the early pioneers in the study of modern day PNI was psychiatrist George Solomon. He observed that depression seemed to make rheumatoid arthritis worse. He then began investigating the impact of emotions on immune function in general. His research was responsible for the development of the new field of PNI.

Then in the late 1960s and early 1970s, cardiologist Dr. Herbert Benson began studying the effects of meditation on blood pressure. He developed the term “the relaxation response,” which today is recognized far and wide. Finally in the mid 1970s, psychologist Dr. Robert Adler’s studies demonstrated that cognitive and emotional cues could affect immune response. Thanks to his research PNI was finally recognized as a legitimate medical specialty.

Since these early discoveries researchers everywhere have been studying PNI. Over the ensuing years, PNI has demonstrated its value in three different research areas – physiological research, epidemiological research and clinical research.

More on this very interesting subject next week…

THURSDAY’S THOUGHT…

John C. Lilly, American physician, psychoanalyst, philosopher and writer said, “In the province of the mind, what one believes to be true either is true or becomes true.” Well, if that’s the case, then we all have the ability to create meaningful later lives for ourselves – lives that are enriched and far more exciting than we ever thought possible. Lifelong learning is one important tool that can help us create that life.

For more information on Learning Later, Living Greater visit www.learninglater.com

You can purchase Learning Later, Living Greater at www.amazon.com

Till Next Time…

Nancy Merz Nordstrom is Director of the Lifelong Learning Department at Computer School for Seniors (www.cs4seniors.com)

Aging in Place Wednesday

Each Wednesday, Laurie Orlov, tech industry veteran, writer, speaker, elder care advocate and Faculty Advisor for the Aging in Place Technology Department at Computer School for Seniors will be sharing her insightful research on how seniors can safely and successfully live independent lives in the home of their choice.

Children are growing up with modern technology. A two year old sits in his car seat playing games on his Mom’s IPhone as she drives him to pick up his sister from kindergarten. When they arrive back home they both head to the TV to play video games. But there is a new video game that is sweeping the country and is being embraced as much by seniors as it is by the kids and teens. It’s Wii time!

Wii Fitness: It's not just for teens
BY DANA THIMONS

Linda Kirby had never played a Wii before she picked up a controller at SHARE Club North, a local senior center for residents.

COURTESY PHOTOS Seniors at SHARE Club North Center recently participated in a bowling tournament using the Nintendo Wii gaming system.

"I love it," she said, swinging her arm and simultaneously releasing the trigger on the remote to virtually knock down some pins. Unlike traditional video game systems controlled by a player's thumbs and fingers, Wii games respond to a player's body movements.

Kirby used to actively play sports before her bad hip forced her to give them up. Wii Bowling enables her to continue one of her favorite pastimes without the pain a "real" game of bowling could incite. "I can do this like I used to bowl. It keeps me up on my feet and gives me some exercise," she said.

Bowling and other sports games from Nintendo's Wii gaming system arrived at the SHARE Club North location in March, and the software — perhaps better known for getting tech-loving kids and their parents off the couch — is quickly gaining traction with seniors in Southwest Florida.

Nntendo's Wii gaming system.

Even Nintendo has taken note of the appeal to baby boomers and older users. Though the demographic breakdown is not available at this time, said Denise Kaigler, vice president of corporate affairs for Nintendo of America. "We know a lot of senior communities are having fun with Wii."

Sue Maxwell, MSW, system director of gerontology for Lee Memorial Health System, agreed that Wii is just plain fun.

"We really feel that senior centers need to offer different opportunities for sports and physical activity other than just the usual swimming pool and pool table. Wii fills that need for something different," she said. "Besides exercise, it provides lots of opportunities for socialization and team building."

Gaming systems could mean added years to your life.

Wii is one way to get 30 minutes of exercise per day, as recommended by the American Heart Association.

"If unable to do other exercises or get to the gym, this type of individualized computer program is a great way to do something physical," said Dr. Lacagnina. "Anything that gets people off the couch and moving is a step in the right direction."

Wii is also useful for maintaining memory.

"Anything that gets your attention is better than something you get bored with. Research has shown that video and computer games interest people," said Dr. Michael Raab, a local geriatrician who works with Lee Memory Care.

The new Wii Fit program rolled out about a year ago and involves a pressure sensitive balance board and comes with 40 exercise-oriented games, including yoga, soccer and ski-jumping.

"Wii Fit will tell you how long it's been since you logged in last and gives you computerized encouragement. So Wii has the interest factor and the record keeping ability," Dr. Raab said.

"Regular exercise can help with balance, cardiovascular health and strength," Dr. Raab said. "In addition, people who participate in regular physical activity experience less memory loss over time."

Information about the Wii:

Nintendo released the Wii gaming system in November 2006. . About 19.6 million consoles have been sold in the U.S. . Among the Wii sports available are tennis, baseball, golf, bowling and boxing. . Wii Fit, launched in May 2008, involves a pressure-sensitive balance board and comes with 40 exercise oriented games, including yoga, ski jumping and hula-hooping.

For more information, visit Laurie at http://www.ageinplacetech.com// and at the Aging in Place Technology Department at http://http://www.cs4seniors.com//

Tuesday's Treasures

On Tuesdays we provide our Faculty an opportunity to feature the talented work of some of our students and friends. You may see a display of creative PhotoShop work, their beautiful photographs or an interesting story about an individual’s meaningful contribution to his or her community, country or the world.If you have memories, old or new, you would like to share, send them to me at mxw8110@yahoo.com.

Preserving Those Old Sweethearts

Most of us are fortunate enough to have family pictures, many of them that go way back. Some may need restoring, but they all need protecting.

Not everyone can restore damaged images, but we can all keep them safe for future generations. At the end of this post, I will provide you with some websites with good information about storing your images.

You will, from time to time, see restoration work that my students do. Most of it is done with Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. This is one of the projects we work on in class. When I first saw the picture you see below of my Great Grandmother Nini, I really thought it was gone for good. But look at what was left!

Look at the difference in this one with my mother and her cousin in a goatcart:



This wonderful old photo could be repaired because it was preserved in the first place.

Chadds Ford Historical Society has an interesting website that is fun to visit. There was one article I liked in particular. It is by Karen Smith from the Historical Society who has written about how best to preserve old images. You may not be able to do everything she suggests, but some of her recommendations are not complicated and make sense, such as why you shouldn't put your pictures in the attic or the basement.

She says, “How many of us have found boxes of old photographs or family documents stored in the attic or basement? Upon inspection, the photos or papers inside are stuck together, stained or discolored, or crumble when touched. Those irreplaceable records of family history will not survive the adverse conditions of attics and basements, the worst places to store old documents.

Sharp changes in temperature and humidity alternately swell and shrink delicate paper. Dampness permits mold to flourish. Dryness and heat cause brittleness, so that the paper breaks or splits with handling.

You can protect your valuable papers and photos by storing them in an air-conditioned room where temperature and humidity levels are kept fairly uniform…” to read the rest of her article, click here:

http://www.chaddsfordhistory.org/history/care.htm

In an article from About.com, Pamela Wiggins says, "Learn to make old photographs last for generations through proper storage." On this webpage she discusses the use of plastic sheeting, albums and other photographic storage methods.

http://antiques.about.com/cs/photographs1/ht/

StoringPhotos.htm is another resource is the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute where they "help others learn about their historical objects and how to take care of them."

http://www.si.edu/mci/

The Northwest Document Conservation Center tells you about themselves on their web site where they state that, "The NEDCC is a non-profit, regional conservation center specializing in the preservation of paper-based materials. NEDCC serves libraries, archives, museums, historical societies. "

They provide disaster assistance, which is a good thing to know about if you are ever involved in this type of difficulty.

http://www.nedcc.org/home.php

And last, but certainly not least, is from the website of Collin Robinson, artist and photographer. He provides interesting information on Care of Old Photos and Restoration. I enjoyed reading about his take on old images in general. At one point he recommends the use of Photoshop Elements to repair damage. I agree with that.

http://colinrobinson.com/restore.html

As Patrick Garry once said, “A person is neither whole nor healthy without the memories of photo albums. They are the storybook of our lives. They provide a nostalgic escape from the tormented days of the present.”

So take care of those old sweethearts!

Mimi

Capture the Moment Monday

Dave Berry, Director of the Photography Department at Computer School for Seniors will be sharing his insightful Photo Tips with you every Monday for Capture the Moment Mondays.

4 DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex)
Questions you were afraid to ask--Part 2

I am a believer that the more you understand about Photography the more fun you will have taking your favorite pictures. It is also important that before you go out and buy a new piece of equipment that you know as much about your purchase as possible. So often I see sales people not always giving the proper advice. As a result the person will not buy the right lens or camera. It's important to always get a second opinion or better yet give me a call or send me an e-mail so I can assist you in your purchase. Today is Part 2 in answering your most burning photo queries, once and for all..here we go !

1.) What makes one lens "faster" than another?

A fast lens (or bright) lens admits lots of light through a big maximum aperture. This allows you to use a faster shutter speed than you can with a small-aperture (slow or dim) lens.The f-number designation on a lens tells you the biggest aperture you can set, with lower numbers signifying wider apertures: an f/1.4 lens is very fast, f/2.8 is pretty fast, and f/5.6 is slow. The lower the number the faster the lens.

2.) So is it better to use a full-frame lens on a DSLR that has a smaller sensor?

No. Since the smaller sensor records only the central "sweet spot" of the image circle, full frame lenses theoretically should give you images that are sharper around the edge's than digital-only lenses do-but there's scant evidence of that in the real world. Full-framers have some benefits: Retaining their utility if you upgrade to a full-frame DSLR with the same mount, for instance. But the crop factor means they can't give you an ultrawide angle of view--that a 17mm lens becomes a 25mm equivalent on a camera with an APS-C size sensor.

3.) So, what does a range such as f/3.5-5.6 on a lens mean?

On less-expensive zooms, the lens gets slower as you move to longer focal lengths. On an 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 lens, for instance, you can set an aperture as big as f/3.5 at 18mm, but at 55mm the widest you can set is f5.6. At an intermediate focal length---say, 35mm--the maximum aperture will be around f/4.5.

4.) Why should I buy a telephoto lens when I can just put a teleconverter on my kit zoom ?

That will make your already slow lens even slower. A2x converter will make a f/3.5-5.6 lens, for example, effectively f/7-11, dim enough to prevent autofocus. And the teleconverters available for kit lenses tend to be of so-so optical quality. Better to put your money toward an inexpensive kit telezoom.

5.) I love shooting sunsets, but when I expose for the sky, the foreground is too dark. What can I do?

Use a split neutral-density filter. The color, a neutral gray that won't affect the colors in your photo, goes from dark to clear either abruptly (hard edge) or little-by-little (graduated filters). A split ND is the perfect solution for situations where the foreground and background are under vastly different light. The filter allows you to expose properly for the dark foreground without blowing out the highlights of the lighter sky.

Dave Berry shares his Photography Tips at Computer School for Seniors (http://www.cs4seniors.com/).

Inspirational Sunday

Bill Witcher, co-founder of Computer School for Seniors will be sharing words of encouragement, inspiration and hope with you each Sunday.

Maxims With Meaning

Max Lucado is one of my favorite Christian authors. He is a minister, author and the daily speaker of the radio program UpWords.

He has a special writing style that captures your heart and your head. He's got a great imagination, a keen wit and a gift for communicating the Word of God.

In his book When God Whispers Your Name, he talks about his writing style and shares some "Maxims"...

We learn brievity from Jesus. His greatest sermon can be read in eight minutes (Matthew 5-7). His best known story can be read in ninety seconds (Luke 15:11-32). He summarized prayer in five phrases (Matthew 6:9-13). He silenced accusers with one challenge (John 8:7). He rescued a soul with one sentence (Luke 23:43). He summarized the Law in three verses (Mark 12:29-31), and he reduced all his teachings to one command (John 15.12).



I love the short sentence. Big-time game it is. Hiding in the junlgle of circular construction and six-syllable canyonms. As I write, I hunt. And when I find, I shoot. Then I drag the treasure out of the trees and marvel.

Not all of my prey make their way into chapters. So what becomes of them? I save them. But I can't keep them to myself. So, may I invite you to see my trophy case? What follows are cuts from this book and a couple of others. Keep the ones you like. Forgive the ones you don't. Share them when you can. But if you do, keep it brief.

Pray all the time. If necessary, use words.

Sacrilege is to feel guilt for sins forgiven.

God forgets the past. Imitate him.

Greed I've often regretted. Generosity-never.

Never miss a chance to read a child a story.

Pursue forgiveness, not innocence.

Be doubly kind to the people who bring your food or park your car.

Don't ask God to do what you want. Ask God to do what is right.

Nails didn't hold God to a cross. Love did.

You'll give up on your self before God will.

Know answered prayer when you see it, and don't give up when you don't.

Faith in the future begets power in the present.

No one is useless to God. No one.

Succeed in what matters.

You'll regret opening your mouth. You'll rarely regret keeping it shut.

As much as you can, give thanks. He's already given us more than we deserve.

Bill Witcher is co-founder of Computer School for Seniors (http://www.cs4seniors.com/)

Saturday's with Dr. Roffman

Each Saturday, Joel Roffman, MD, a prominent Dallas cardiologist and author will share meaningful experiences he has had with patients who are dealing with a variety of physical and emotional issues. You will find the manner in which they deal with life’s problems to be practical, inspirational and uplifting.




A Parent’s Love

I commonly have patients in the office tell me that they have been asked to help their grown children – either by caring for their grandchildren while the parents work or, in more dire circumstances, by taking the child (and grandchildren) into their home, usually because of financial difficulties.

The attitudes of these parents and grandparents run the gamut – some are more than willing to help, while others are resentful. Certainly, such an added responsibility late in life creates a usually unexpected burden.

Last week a patient of mine told me of just such a request by her daughter. The circumstances regarding this situation are irrelevant. What struck me was the good nature this patient had – a combination of love, responsibility, charity and gratitude that she was in a position where she could help her child.

The Talmud teaches that when a parent shows love to a child, the child then allows that love to flow through them, right on to their own children, as water flows through a vessel. And when a child shows love and respect to a parent, that supply of love is replenished by the child’s own children.

There is a blessing that is told in the form of a story. A sage sees kindness shown by a child to an elderly parent. “With what shall I bless you,” says the sage. “With learning? You are already very learned. With riches? You already have sufficient wealth. So here is my blessing. May it be God’s will that your children shall be just like you.”

May the love we show our children flow through them to their own children, and in turn, may their own children replenish the love our children show us.

If you have a comment or question about this blog entry, email Dr. Roffman at drroffman@cs4seniors.com.

Dr. Joel Roffman has spoken to many church, synagogue and support groups. His book, Coping with Adversity: Judaism’s response to illness and other life struggles is enjoyable, uplifting and informative. It is meant for people of all faiths and can be viewed at http://www.copingwithadversity.com/. It is available at Barnes and Noble, Borders, and Amazon.com.

Internet Magic Fridays

Jane Booras is the Editor of numerous newsletters including our Campus Times. She will be sharing how you can find whatever you need - photos, clipart, information, maps, phone numbers - on the Internet.

You Can Go Home Again

I’ve been thinking a lot about Northwest Iowa this week. That’s because I will be going there next week – to my old home town. I can hardly wait!

I have been known to say that I had a “Leave it to Beaver” childhood. By the way, when you click on the link below, you’ll see that Jerry Mathers, child star of that old TV show, is listed by Wikipedia as a “Notable Resident” of Rock Rapids, Iowa.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Rapids,_Iowa

Jerry’s dad, Norm Mathers, was a coach at the local high school in the early 1950’s before moving the family to California.

I did have an ideal childhood in Rock Rapids. My mother went there to teach high school in the early ‘30’s . When she first went to interview for the position, she was invited to the home of the then school board president, Alpheus Hezekiah Lockwood. She was sitting for the interview in his living room when “Alphy’s” son Dewitt came bounding down the stairs in tennis attire ready for a game. The rest is history, as they say. My dad, Dewitt, used to say he later sat behind my mother in church and admired the long brown braids wrapped around her head, wondering what it would be like to unbraid her hair…well, you get the idea. He asked her for a date and Dewitt and “Tucky” were married in 1934 – smack in the middle of the depression.

But by the late 40’s and early to mid 50’s, when I was at my most impressionable age, life was good. We never locked our doors, we played outside all over town and came home at night when the 6:00 whistle blew, we walked on the railroad tracks downtown to the local movie (10 cents up to age 12, then 25 cents age 12 and up). We “goofed around” (as opposed to “hanging out” which kids do today).

My dad was the local undertaker. Well, actually my grandfather (Alphy) was a licensed mortician. My dad was the “funeral director.” They had a furniture store and funeral home on Main Street.

So, what’s all this got to do with the Internet, and what would interest YOU about this story? Well, everything has something to do with the Internet sooner or later. In preparing for my trip, gathering information, and connecting with my friends, I have used the Internet many times:

1. Travel arrangements. To book my airline ticket. I am flying to Des Moines to stay one night with Rosemary, my dear friend since 3rd grade (when her dad moved their family to Rock Rapids from Milwaukee, Wisconsin). From the first day I met Rosemary at school, we became fast friends. She was the Homecoming Queen, and I will love her forever. The next day, Rosemary and I will drive to Rock Rapids for Heritage Days (the all-high school reunion).

2. Information. I keep up with Heritage Days activities at the Rock Rapids website.

http://75.125.252.100/~rockra1/site/

For the Heritage Days Events Schedule, click on the link on the left hand side.

In Rock Rapids, we will stay with Alice Marie, another lifelong friend. Alice Marie’s mother and my mother taught together in Rock Rapids, married our dads, and had to resign their positions because married teachers could not teach! Alice Marie and I were born a few years later, and have been friends ever since. She married her high school sweetheart, Arnold, and they have lived and farmed near Rock Rapids all these years. She are Arnold are the best hosts in the world. They open their hearts and their home every year for returning high school alumni.

3. Connections. Through email. Of course we all keep up with each other’s travel schedules (and lives, for that matter) through email – the ultimate Internet activity. My sister is celebrating her 50th high school class reunion this year, and she and her husband will be “camping” down from Wisconsin for that celebration. She and I worked on her high school memory book together – you guessed it, by email!

And Facebook! By keeping track of each other’s posts and pictures, we “see” the activities of family and friends on a routine basis.

So you see? You can go home again, and you need the Internet to get the trip together.

Wherever you are from, you can go home again by keeping in touch through the Internet. Just Google your local newspaper and catch up on the “news.”

http://www.smalltownpapers.com/ShowImage.htm?images/LYC.gif/p01.gif

Come back next Friday, and I’ll tell you more about my trip!

Jane Booras is Editor of the Campus Times Newsletter for Computer School for Seniors (http://www.cs4seniors.com/)

Lifelong Learning Thursday

Nancy Merz Nordstrom, author of Learning Later, Living Greater: The Secret of Making the Most of Your After 50 Years will share the benefits of Lifelong Learning on Thursdays.

LEARNING LATER, LIVING GREATER:

The Secret for Making the Most of Your After-50 Years.

Lifelong Learning in Your Later Years…

A Health Club for Your Mind, Body, and Spirit

As promised last week, here are some final thoughts on research that proves your brain can continue to grow and change for the better – at any age – as long as you continue to challenge it.

At Columbia University, Dr. Yaakov Stern, a clinical neuropsychologist found that people who had less than an eighth-grade education had twice the risk of getting Alzheimer’s as those who went beyond the eighth grade. And when people with low education levels also worked at mentally un-stimulating occupations, they had three times the risk of becoming demented.

Charles Gilbert and other researchers at Rockefeller University discovered that the brain can repair itself and construct memory, and in so doing can change thought-patterns and learn new skills. Both repair and memory depend on stimulation or mental activity, something that as a society we have tended to ignore. Dr. Gilbert says, “We need to recognize the importance of challenging our minds as a vital component of health, and of mental health.”

What happens to people’s intellectual abilities as they age was the subject of the Seattle Longitudinal Study started in 1956 by K. Warner Schaie. Dr. Schaie, the director of the Gerontology Center at Pennsylvania State University, studied more than 5,000 people aged twenty to ninety and older. He found that intellectual ability varies widely, but as he said,

“There are very few toddling, senile millionaires. It takes education and resources to make and keep that kind of money. Couch potatoes, on the other hand, are the quickest to slip into intellectual limbo. The danger starts when people retire, decide to take things easy and say they don’t have to keep up with the world anymore.”

Dr. Schaie found that in mental testing, bridge players did very well while bingo players did not. Crossword puzzle workers did better on verbal skills, and jigsaw puzzle players tend to maintain their spatial skills. There are many ways to exercise the brain, but you have to do something. “Inactive people tend to show the most decline. The people who are almost too busy to be studied are the ones who do very well.”


Lastly, according to Michael Merzenich, a pioneering neuroscientist at the University of California at San Francisco, science is finally awakening to the fact that the brain reorganizes itself during learning. “It’s something that people don’t realize. They don’t think about the power that they have within themselves to change their brains.”

These studies point out the value of incorporating later-life learning into our lives. And age is not a barrier. Albert Einstein, Claude Monet, Arturo Toscaninni, Claude Pepper, Hume Cronyn and Pablo Casals, among others were all productive and vibrant well into old age.

Studies aside, these individuals certainly prove that creativity does not end at a certain age. We now know, thanks to the new research, that creativity can grow and thrive, well into our later years.

In the words of Dr. Paul Nussbaum, director of the Aging Research and Education Center in Pittsburgh, PA, “…every time your heart beats, 25% of that blood goes right to the brain. But while exercise is critical, it may be education that is more important. In the 21st century, education and information may become for the brain what exercise is for the heart.”

Learning in later life is certainly too valuable to ignore!

THURSDAY’S THOUGHT…

Lifelong Learning is perfect for keeping our minds sharp. The interaction we take part in, the challenges we conquer, and the skills we use, are priceless. Being involved in later-life learning is a powerful tool in our quest to stay productive, contributing members of society.

For more information on Learning Later, Living Greater visit http://www.learninglater.com/ You can purchase Learning Later, Living Greater at http://www.amazon.com/

Till Next Time…

Nancy Merz Nordstrom is Director of the Lifelong Learning Department at Computer School for Seniors (http://www.cs4seniors.com/)

Special Event Post for Tuesday and Wednesday

On Tuesdays we provide our Faculty an opportunity to feature the talented work of some of our students and friends. You may see a display of creative PhotoShop work, their beautiful photographs or an interesting story about an individual’s meaningful contribution to his or her community, country or the world.If you have memories, old or new, you would like to share, send them to me at mxw8110@yahoo.com.

The Hanna Walker Art Show

On May 4th, 2009 I posted a story about a cooperative endeavor being lead by Bill Cardwell, one of my most remarkable students. That event took place May 9th when the Hanna Walker Art Show arrived in Luling, Texas!



For one day, 70 oil paintings were exhibited at the Church of the Annunciation Parish Hall from 20 collectors located in these Texas towns: Luling, Austin, Lakeway, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Houston, Shelby, Dallas, Lewisville, and Diana. Eleven of these collectors are related to Hanna Walker.

Our friend, Kevin Rush and his wife Linda went to Luling to help Bill. Kevin said, "Bill did a great job of succeeding under pressure with little sleep and with max decorum. Linda and I had a blast seeing Lockhart and Luling for the first time and sampling some great barbecue as well as home style cooking at a local cafe. All right out of a movie set only it was all real." Below you see Bill right in the thick of it all!




The three folks in front of the figure painting below are, from left to right, David M. Cochran (Bill’s brother in law), Maryanne Cardwell Cochran (his sister), and Wanda Bassett Carter (a family friend from Luling who is a collector who displayed her own Hanna Walker paintings at the art show).

David was nine years old when Miss Hanna painted this picture of him in 1934. His mother, Cleo Cochran, was a contemporary of Miss Hanna, and we think that Miss Hanna did this painting as a favor to her friend. So, there is David at age 85 in this photograph in front of the painting of him at age nine!




Below is Marie Muenster Galloway who is 97 years old. She came to the art show and brought several of Miss Hanna’s paintings with her. Bill says, “Marie is undoubtedly one of the most amazing people I have ever met.”




Dr. Michaele Haynes, Curator of Witte Museum, attended the art show in Luling.




Dr. Haynes said that this painting, called Camp Site, is the most accomplished of all that were on display at the art show.”

Called Natures Gift, this painting was entered in several competitions in San Antonio in the late 1920s.

Some mind-boggling facts about how this was done:

• Displayed in room 50 feet by 24 feet on walls, doors, floor easels, table top easels, and table tops.
• A total of about 50 easels were borrowed from five sources.
• Sixteen paintings delivered to Parish Hall by Luling collectors and hung on walls the evening before show. About 55 paintings transported to Parish Hall by out of town collectors the morning of show and processed and set up the morning of show.
• An identifying sign placed by the display location of each painting.
• Printed program contains color photo of each of about 55 of the paintings on display and text information about Hanna Walker, her career, and her substantial contributions to this Church and to the construction in about 1951 of this Parish Hall.
• Kevin Rush and Todd Carlson took many photos of paintings on display and of collectors and others attending show. Will Cardwell took video pictures.
• Guest book was signed by 201 persons. Actual attendance was probably about 225.
• Students in high school and junior high school art classes who attended received extra credit (high school classes) and were exempt from final exam (junior high school classes).

All of this resulting in:

• Considerable attention being brought to the talent of Hanna Walker and to her memory.
• Much surprise and enjoyment by those attending.
• The displaying collectors who are related to her were given the chance to renew relations and compare collections—almost a Walker family reunion type dynamic.
• The city of Luling benefitted by being the site of an event of this nature.
• The outcome of the event made the planning aggravations and anxieties seem trivial.

Isn't it amazing what we seniors can do once we set our mind to it? Congratulations for a job well done at the Hanna Walker Art Show!

Thanks so much, Bill, for sharing this extraordinary story with us!

Mimi

Capture the Moment Monday

Dave Berry, Director of the Photography Department at Computer School for Seniors will be sharing his insightful Photo Tips with you every Monday for Capture the Moment Mondays.

4 DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) Questions you were afraid to ask

For many of us Digital Photography is a brand new language to use and understand..Over the course of the next few weeks I will be doing a 5 part series to answer your most burning photographic queries, once and for all...Here we go!!!

1.) Sensor Size or number of megapixels--which matters more?
Neither. The most important variable is the size of the individual pixels. A pixel is like a light sponge--the bigger it is, the more light it absorbs. Greater sensitivity lets you shoot at higher ISO's with less noise, better detail, and finer color gradation. Of course, bigger pixels require a bigger sensor to hold the same number.

2.) So that's the reason you get better pictures from a DSLR than a compact that has the same number of megapixels?
That's just one reason. DSLR's also tend to do better at image processing. They give you more control and of course, a range of lenses. Other pluses: speedier startup time, lack of shutter lag, faster and more sensitive autofocus, clear and accurate viewfinder, faster burst rates, more powerful flash, many accessories, longer battery life, and typically greater ruggedness.

3.) Whats better, digital or optical stabilization?
Digital stabilization is basically bogus--it simply boosts the ISO and shutter speed, and sometimes uses software to sharpen blurry area's of the image. Optical image stabilization is the real deal: Either the imaging sensor or an element in the lens moves to counteract you motion when handholding at slower shutter speeds.

4.) What's the difference between Automatic and Program mode?
Automatic is pure point and shoot--the camera sets aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, autofocusing mode, flash. I much prefer Program Mode, which sets the aperture and shutter, but leaves the rest up to you. You can set some or all of the other parameters, apply exposure compensation, and decide when you want flash.

I hope this answers some of the questions you may have thought about from time to time when your out enjoying your camera...Stay tuned for Part 2 of my series next week..Until than go out and have FUN WITH YOUR CAMERA !!!

Dave Berry shares his Photography Tips at Computer School for Seniors (www.cs4seniors.com).

Inspirational Sunday

Bill Witcher, co-founder of Computer School for Seniors will be sharing words of encouragement, inspiration and hope with you each Sunday.

Enjoy your time with them,
they are so precious
and they grow up so fast!

A woman I work with walked into my office last week proudly showing off her one year old granddaughter. They were both all smiles. Mable was a very proud Grandmother with a pricious gift in her arms. Whenever this happens, I find myself making the usual comments, “How cute.” “What a great smile.” “Beautiful eyes” etc. and then I usually say what has become so evident to me, “Enjoy your time with her, she is so precious and they grow up very fast.

Mimi and I cherish the time we have with our three wonderful grandchildren. They are very special little people. They mean a lot to us and we value the time we spend with them.

As we grow older we have come to realize time is our most precious commodity.

Your priorities determine how you spend your time, and time is precious.

The following statements shared by John Maxwell may help put time in perspective:

To know the value of one year...ask the student who failed the final exam.

To know the value of one week...ask the editor of a weekly newsmagazine.

To know thevalue of one day...ask the wage earner who has six children.

To know the value of one hour...ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To know the value of one minute...ask the person who missed the plane.

To know the value of one second...ask the person who survived the accident.

To know the value of one millisecond...ask the Olympic silver medalist.

Your time is priceless. As Ralph Waldo Emerson advised, "Guard well your spare moments.They are like uncut diamonds. discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life."

Bill Witcher is co-founder of Computer School for Seniors (http://www.cs4seniors.com/)

Internet Magic Fridays

Jane Booras is the Editor of numerous newsletters including our Campus Times. She will be sharing how you can find whatever you need - photos, clipart, information, maps, phone numbers - on the Internet.

Along with Clip Art to dress up your documents and publications, there are many other places on the Internet to capture images – including graphics, cartoons, photographs, drawings, lettering etc. Just follow me.

First, Google “free clip art” or “clip art.” Many sites pop up, and lots of images are free to download. However, I have never found them too compelling. Besides that, sooner or later most of these sites want your email address to advance to better images and often you will run into a subscription that costs money to access more options. So I’ve largely found the free sites to be a waste of time.

There are good clip art sites that you can “join” (for a monthly or annual fee) that are better. One is http://clipart.com/. A one-week subscription is $14.95 (if your needs are temporary). The annual rate is about $160.00. You can then both download both clip art and photos in hundreds of categories. There are many other sites to explore as well.

For photographs, the selections are also endless. A few of my favorites are http://istockphotos.com/, http://bigstockphoto.com/, and http://shutterstock.com/. They are all subscription, but you can also download just one photo for a small fee (sometimes as low as $7.00). istockphotos also gives “credits” each time you download a photo toward future photos.

Of course you can also insert your own photos from your “My Pictures” file into your documents.

But follow me to one of my very favorite resources for clip art and photos, which is usually free.


“Google” the subject you are looking for. Since it’s a patriotic season of the year, let’s say we’re looking for “American Flag.” If you click the Google search, it will bring up a list of web sites. But instead of clicking “Search,” look up toward the top of the screen and find “Images.” Then click that. You’ll see a myriad of pictures before your eyes. These are images from the web sites that you first saw when you clicked “search” and got the list of web sites.


Next, double click on the first flag image. Note that this takes you directly to the web site where this image is hosted. At the top of the screen, you’ll see the picture you selected alongside the words “See full size image.”


Double click and the image will fill the screen. Depending on the resolution, the image may be large or small. Photo resolution has to do with the number of pixels in a photo which affects the appearance (crispness and clarity) of an image when printed to the screen or in a document. The higher the resolution, the more pixels per inch, and the better clarity and crispness you will get.


For print, your image should be a minimum resolution of 300 x 300 to show up well in a document at a small size. The resolution is given in green type below each image. Large images (over 1000 x 1000) may need to be downsized in your Picture Manager or Photoshop software, or cropped. Large images take up a lot of space on your computer’s hard drive, but look great in your documents (i.e. not “fuzzy” like small ones sometimes do). To go back to the Google images page to look at more, click on the “back” arrow twice at the top left hand corner of the screen.
If you go to the bottom of the page, you’ll see that you can advance the pictures by the page and see over 13,000,000 images if you want to!

Once you have selected an image you like, BE SURE you double click to “see image full size” before you download. Once the full size image is on the screen, just right click and select “save picture as.” Your browser then lets you select where you want to save the image (default is the “My Pictures” folder on your hard drive.) See? It’s very easy. But mind these admonitions:

· Many of the images are copyrighted. If they are, you either should not use them or should email the web site for permission to use them. Give attribution to the web site or copyright holder in your document just to be sure you are not in violation.

· Many times you will see and like a photo or clip art that is from one of the subscription photo stock sites and it will have a “watermark” over the image. Obviously, you are prohibited from using these without going to the web site and purchasing the image or subscribing to the service.

· Finally, remember, when you click on one of the images, you are being taken directly to the web site. Depending upon the type of image you are looking for, this can lead to some “dicy” places on the Internet. So look at the name of the web site and be sure you really want to go there. And be sure to delete the browsing history from your computer daily (using “Tools” and “Internet Options” – see Internet Magic BLOG dated April 24, 2009 about cleaning your computer). When you are Googling to look for images, you can really clutter up your computer.

Jane Booras is Editor of the Campus Times Newsletter for Computer School for Seniors (http://www.cs4seniors.com/)

Lifelong Learning Thursday

Nancy Merz Nordstrom, author of Learning Later, Living Greater: The Secret of Making the Most of Your After 50 Years will share the benefits of Lifelong Learning on Thursdays.

LEARNING LATER, LIVING GREATER: 

The Secret for Making the Most of Your After-50 Years.

Lifelong Learning in Your Later Years… 

A Health Club for Your Mind, Body, and Spirit!

Still need convincing that challenging your mind keeps it in tip-top shape? Here are some of the highpoints of recent research that has to do with keeping your mind sharp.

Doctors Fred H. Gage of the Salk Institute in San Diego and Peter S. Eriksson of the Goteborg University Institute of Clinical Neuroscience have collected data that shows that the brain of adult humans - even older adults - regularly regenerate neurons in the hippocampus (the section of the brain responsible for learning).

The research of Doctor Marion Diamond, University of California, Berkeley, with rats shows the positive relationship between an enriched environment (cages with toys and other rats) and brain development in rats. “The enriched rats had a thicker cerebral cortex (responsible for higher nervous functions), than the rats (in impoverished environments).”

Doctor Paul Nussbaum, a clinical neuropsychologist, professor at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School and the Director of the Aging Research and Education Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania says that based on the new knowledge about the brain he recommends that habits of mental stimulation be maintained throughout life.

His vision for learning in later life - which he views as an excellent way to keep older adults fully integrated in society – is that lifelong learning can be used to keep Third Age adults, with their capacity to continue learning, useful to society. Those of us over 50 represent a vast resource for teaching, civic involvement and meaningful service.

Ron Kotulak, author of Inside the Brain: Revolutionary Discoveries of How the Mind Works, which is based on his Pulitzer-prize winning series for the Chicago Tribune says “Education has both a biological and behavioral positive effect. Biologically, it works by laying down significantly more connections between brain cells. Behaviorally, it works by providing knowledge that empowers one to articulate needs and overcome potential barriers.”

In a study of more than 1,000 people, ages seventy to eighty, Dr. Marilyn Albert, associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at Harvard and director of gerontology research at Massachusetts General Hospital found the higher the education level, the more likely people were to engage in mentally stimulating activities.

Her study also uncovered four main factors that seemed to help older adults maintain their cognitive abilities. They are:
1. Education, which appears to increase the number and strength of connections between brain cells.
2. Strenuous activity, which improves blood flow to the brain.
3. Lung function, which makes sure the blood is adequately oxygenated.
4. The feeling that what you do makes a difference in your life.

More on all this next week…

THURSDAY’S THOUGHT…

In the words of Deanna Baxter Eversoll, Ph.D., “What we once thought was inevitable – significant memory loss with age – is not inevitable. A significant portion of our loss is the result of lack of brain exercise through significant problem-solving, activities and the lack of interest in continuing to learn and be curious about the world around us.” So keep questioning life and looking for answers. Your mind will thank you for it.

For more information on Learning Later, Living Greater visit www.learninglater.com

You can purchase Learning Later, Living Greater at www.amazon.com

Till Next Time…

Nancy Merz Nordstrom is Director of the Lifelong Learning Department at Computer School for Seniors (www.cs4seniors.com)

Aging In Place Wednesday

Each Wednesday, Laurie Orlov, tech industry veteran, writer, speaker, elder care advocate and Faculty Advisor for the Aging in Place Technology Department at Computer School for Seniors will be sharing her insightful research on how seniors can safely and successfully live independent lives in the home of their choice.

Tech Gadgets for Aging in Place a Reality Now

By Mark Miller, syndicated newspaper columnist, blogger at RetirementRevised.com

Laurie Orlov grew up in the corporate high-tech world, working for 30 years as an information technology executive and later as an analyst for Forrester Research, the respected technology research company. More recently, she has been applying her knowledge to a pressing questions facing baby boomers and seniors: how to age in place safely and successfully.

Last year, Orlov started her own market research firm, Aging in Place Technology Watch, as a way to spotlight technologies and services that can help people live independently as long as possible. She also is studying to become certified in geriatric care management.

Surveys show that most people would prefer to stay where they are as they age. And with residential real estate markets in a deep slump, many people will have no choice but to age in place.

What's more, the coming age wave likely will make aging in place a key component of efforts to contain exploding medical costs at a time when health care delivery systems already are severely strained. Orlov notes that 70 percent of Americans over age 65 will need some form of long-term care in their lifetimes. Assisted living facilities cost an average of $36,000 per year, according to AARP, and most costs are paid out-of-pocket. And an acute increase in demand for care is expected to open a gap in the system's ability to provide services.

Age-related living decisions are urgent not only for today's seniors, but also for baby boomers who are helping their own aging parents manage and make decisions, Orlov says. "Boomers are the first Internet-connected generation, and they will take their tech literacy with them as they consider the issues of aging in place."

In a recent research report, Orlov described a series of technologies that can improve communication and reduce isolation for seniors, and also improve safety through electronic monitoring.

As the market develops, we'll start to see as commonplace products like motion sensors that interact with security systems and alert caregivers when activity isn't detected according to schedule. Automated phone systems will remind people to take their medications -- and family members or caregivers will be able to help seniors manage their care long-distance over video-enabled web connections.

Much of the technology Orlov envisions already is available -- but the market is "largely unexplored and poorly understood" by consumers, she notes. "It's not really visible as a technology category, and it's not well marketed. She also concedes that some technologies are still immature and too complicated for most consumers to use.

For more information, visit Laurie at http://www.ageinplacetech.com/ and at the Aging in Place Technology Department at http://www.cs4seniors.com/