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.

…a Health Club for Your Mind. Body and Spirit!

Even more Next Chapters opportunities…

Wisdom Works! MetroHealth System–Cleveland, Ohio–

MetroHealth’s Wisdom Works! program is designed to help retain mature, experienced nurses in paid and volunteer positions to maintain access to care for vulnerable members of the community. In addition to identifying nursing roles appropriate for older nurses, the program identifies workplace modifications needed to keep older nurses and share best practices in retaining an older nursing workforce. This project is being expanded through a grant from the Elder Engagement component of The Cleveland Foundation’s Successful Aging Initiative.

Allegheny County Library Association–Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania–

The Allegheny County Library Association has organized partnerships to expand the educational options for older adults. Through the Third Age Learning Community, the University of Pittsburgh brings non-credit university-level classes to local libraries. The Senior Center Library Connection works with fifteen Pittsburgh-area senior resource centers to offer book discussion groups held alternative months at the centers and libraries. One Book One Community, in which residents read and discuss the same book at the same time, has worked well to engage older adults in learning and libraries.

OASIS Without Walls–Parma, Ohio–

OASIS is a national education organization aimed at enriching the lives of adults 50 and over. It offers creative lifelong learning classes in arts and humanities, wellness, life coaching, technology and other subjects. Through support from The Cleveland Foundation’s Successful Aging Initiative, programming at its Parma Center in Cleveland has been expanded through OASIS Without Walls, which takes lifelong learning activities into the community – everywhere from community and recreation centers to churches and libraries.

Tempe Connections–Tempe, Arizona-

Tempe Connections is part of the Maricopa County Next Chapter Initiative. It was developed under the leadership of the City of Tempe’s Public Library and Social Services Division. It creates a new physical space within the library that houses a café and program space. The café, called Connections Café, acts as a focal point for Next Chapter activities. Connected to the café are meeting rooms reserved specifically for Tempe Connections participants. A concierge is available to assist with questions and information referral.

Boomerang, Chandler Public Library-Chandler, Arizona–

Chandler’s Boomerang project is part of the Maricopa County Next Chapter Initiative. It was developed under the leadership of the Chandler Public Library and is a community project, not a single physical center. It is implemented through multiple points of entry, including community forums, six centers based at libraries and community colleges and a web site. It’s web site is the primary information source and a resource navigation tool, with links to project partners, available programs and services, and other relevant information sources not only within the local community, but also on a regional, state and national level.

Lehigh Valley Alliance on Aging, United Way of the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania-

The Lehigh Valley Alliance on Aging’s web site provides a comprehensive one-stop vehicle for information for the region’s older adults and the professionals who serve them. The web site incorporates Benefits Check-Up, a benefits-finder tool, life planning information and resources for financial planning, lifelong learning, volunteering and social connections, a directory of local services, rights and benefits; and resources and a list-serve for professionals serving older adults.

Mather Café Plus, Chicago, Illinois–

Mather Café Plus was conceived of as a Starbucks for seniors. It combines a restaurant, a gathering place, and an educational center under one roof. The three Chicago-area Mather Cafés primarily serve active, independent older adults in their neighborhoods. Programs and classes on exercise, computers, and art supplement the restaurant. Day trips, monthly parties, and community events encourage new relationships and social interaction. Social workers and health care professionals are available to provide individual consultations and referrals. Connections with other senior groups and health care providers ensure strong support networks for those involved. The Mather Cafés are operated by the nonprofit Mather Lifeways Foundation.

For more information on the far-reaching and innovative work of Civic Ventures be sure to visit their web site at http://www.civicventures.org/.

THURSDAY’S THOUGHT…

What could be better in our retirement years then finding a source of enriched learning experiences among satisfying friendships. This is the philosophy of the Next Chapter initiative.

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…

Monday's Munchies

There is no love sincerer than the love of food. ~ George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950), Man and Superman (1903) act 1.

Fine Food and Interesting Tales from Afar

"Food, like a loving touch or a glimpse of divine power, has that ability to comfort."~ Norman Kolpas

The Internet provides us with so many wonderful opportunities to connect with people all over the world. I am particularly interested in bloggers who are age 55 to 100. I'm in that age group and so are my students at the community college where I teach.

For some time, I have heard from a very special friend in Canada. Her comments about our blog have been encouraging to me and fun to read in class. It occured to me that I had not posted an address for her excellent blog before. And as I was prowling around her blog, I found two others that you don't want to miss!

First, try Rita's charmer: http://sagecuisine.blogspot.com/

She says on her blog, "Food is my passion and instead of a novel I much prefer reading a cook book, recipe book anything to do with food. I post once a week about things that make me Happy. I am a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and a friend to a few special people.

Family, memories, food, recipes, gadgets, chefs, cooking, restaurants, herbs, markets, travel etc. will be my focus. Rita"

"If the divine creator has taken pains to give us delicious and exquisite things to eat, the least we can do is prepare them well and serve them with ceremony."~ Fernand Point

Followed by this marvelous blog http://allourfingersinthepie.blogspot.com/

Sarah Galvin from Swift Current, SK, Canada, says, "By education, I am a home economist and by interest, I am an avid cook."

The header for her blog says, "For the love of food...the love of creating...the love of eating...with friends"

And cook great things up she does! Today's feature is fresh peas and homemade linguini. The images are as delicious as the food!

"Food, like a loving touch or a glimpse of divine power, has that ability to comfort."~ Norman Kolpas

And last but surely not least http://canyouallhearmeattheback.blogspot.com/

Angie lives not far from Lincoln : North Lincolnshire : United Kingdom. Her interests are cooking, cake decorating, sugarcraft and making sugar flowers, reading and daytime telly.

She also writes a fascinating blog that you will enjoy about life and cooking "across the pond".


"Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurements."~ Marcel Boulestin

What a fabulous job these women do! Applause, applause!

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.

…a Health Club for Your Mind. Body and Spirit!

Continuing our discussion of Next Chapters opportunities…

In more than 20 communities throughout America, this concept is being turned into tangible programs. Here are some examples.

Chicago Life Opportunities Initiative, Council for the Jewish Elderly – Chicago, Illinois –

As part of the Chicago Life Opportunities Initiative, the Council for Jewish Elderly in conjunction with Loyola University School of Social Work, created an assessment tool called “Mapping Your Future Your Way.” The tool can be used online or in a printed version. Mapping Your Future helps people understand the need for planning and begin to explore their interests in five areas–health, work and leisure, finances, housing and relationships. For each topic, the tool provides a framework of issues to think about and the online version links to other web sites with related information.

Pathways to Vital Living: A Curriculum for Midlife and Beyond, Senior Resources Alliance-Winter Park, Florida -

The Pathways to Vital Living curriculum was developed by the Senior Resource Alliance, the Area Agency on Aging of Central Florida, in collaboration with the Winter Park Health Foundation. It provides a planning and program kit for conducting twelve workshops on varied topics such as: relationship transitions, intentional recreation, meaningful service, mental vitality, and spiritual development. It uses interactive, experiential learning to help older adults assess and explore nine key areas to help them make important life choices.

What’s Next!, Fairhill Center for Aging – Cleveland, Ohio–

As part of the Cleveland Foundation’s Successful Aging Initiative, the What’s Next! Program at Fairhill Center for Aging offers a seminar series where older adults meet in two-hour, weekly sessions to dream, discover, share, and plan for the years ahead, and to develop a lifelong learning plan that encompasses wellness, creativity, values, and spirituality. Facilitators assist with taking stock of personal resources and guidance to a vast array of course offerings and learning opportunities.

Cleveland Metroparks Emerald Neckland O.W.L.S.-Cleveland, Ohio–

The Emerald Necklace O.W.L.S. (Older Workers Leading Success) offers intergenerational opportunities and increased participation of adults 50 years and older as employees, volunteers and participants in public park programs and facilities. It includes three components: 1) older adult volunteer mentors and tutors working with students as part of a park intern program; 2) a volunteer corps to monitor trails; and 3) older adult employment, including recruitment and job-sharing. This project is supported through the Elder Engagement component of The Cleveland Foundation’s Successful Aging Initiative.

Retired Social Workers – An Untapped Resource, National Association of Social Workers Illinois Chapter–Chicago, Illinois-

The Retired Social Workers is sponsored by the National Association of Social Workers and encourage retired social workers to return to social work to serve older adults as paid professionals. The program includes two key components: 1) professional development to re-orient retired social workers to current conditions, agency changes, and present senior issues and attitudes; and 2) placement into positions – as part-time, intermittent or full-time workers – to provide services and support for older adults. As one of its many programs, the Retired Social Workers received a grant from the Chicago Community Trust to place and pay retired social workers for the Chicago Life Opportunities Initiative.

THURSDAY’S THOUGHT…

I believe strongly that our members find personal growth from the social aspects of our program as well as from the academic, says one lifelong learner. The programs discussed here are perfect examples of what she says.

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…

Special Effects

Today we have more Special Effects and Collaging from one of my community college students here in Dallas.

Express Yourself!

Ray Bolton is one of my favorite students. He was truly ambivilent about learning an image editing program when he first came to class. But he dug in, was patient and learned the ins and outs of Photoshop Elements and what you see below is the result of his hard work.

Ray's neighbor, Vicki Agee, is actually the one responsible for Ray ending up in our Photoshop Elements classes. A little bit of nagging can be a wonderful thing--she kept after him, he relented and now he's guuuuud! Here is a collage he did of Vicki in her wonderful rose Garden with her charming little dogs!

This protrait was taken from one of the images in the collage. He cropped it out of the collage and used the Artistic Brush Strokes filter to create a painting effect. Then he added a vignette and manufactured a picture frame.

Here is birthday card for a friend of his from his gym, Kailee, who is studying to be a nurse. Florence Nightengale never had it so good!



The blue daylily on Richard's birthday card below was intended to be a joke for Ray's friend. Richard is a daylily grower in Connecticut. And guess what-blue daylilies do not exist! You can fool a lot of people in Photoshop but not this guy!

Great ideas coming from a creative mind who learned how to express himself through images.

“Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successfull personality to duplicate.” ~Bruce Lee

Thanks so much Ray for letting me share your images on the blog!

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.

…a Health Club for Your Mind. Body and Spirit!

Up to this point we have discussed programs and opportunities for engaging in lifelong learning that are already in existence; they’ve been up and running for some time. Now we’re going to take a quick peek at some of the new and innovative ideas that are being developed and put in place for the 21st century.

The goal of these next few blogs is to help you realize that many new options to enhance and enrich your Third Age will be presenting themselves to you in the coming decades. With 76+ million adults reaching 50 and beyond in the next 20-30 years, new opportunities will be almost limitless. So keep your ears and eyes open for ways to ensure a vibrant, alert mind, no matter what your age. You will be pleasantly surprised. As Bob Dylan said, “The times they are a-changin.”

Already there are exciting new opportunities on the horizon. Here is the first of them.

The Next Chapter TM
Earlier, we talked in-depth about Civic Ventures, ® the San Francisco based organization that serves as a catalyst and incubator of both ideas and programs that help America achieve an “experience dividend.”

They have now developed The Next Chapter Initiative ™ to help communities create places and programs that provide older adults with direction and connection as they begin the next chapter of their lives.

The Next Chapter concept is based on the premise that access to meaningful choices for work, service, learning and social connections play a crucial role in the vitality of older adults and will enrich the life of the community.

The Next Chapter program envisions community places or programs that offer older adults:

1. Life Planning Programs – to help assess current status and strengths, explore and envision future possibilities and make choices by setting goals and plans.
   
2. Meaningful Engagement Through Work and Service – to encourage and help navigate opportunities to take on public service roles, through paid work and volunteer service.
   
3. Continued Learning for New Directions – to provide a broad range of learning options that enrich lives and retool for new careers.
   
4. Peer and Community Connections – places and programs that foster connections to people of all ages in the community.

THURSDAY’S THOUGHT…

Samuel Ullman, the community activist said, “Whether 60 or 16, there is in every human heart the lure of wonder, the unfailing childlike appetite of what’s next and the joy of the game of living…” So very true!

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…

Make it Happen People

All over the USA, Seniors and Boomers are doing interesting things because they are waaay to young to retire! Our blog is privileged to share the stories and inspirational thoughts of some of these remarkable "make it happen" people.

Retiring in Style

Larry Genender says, "Retiring from something isn't nearly as great as retiring to something."

Larry is a surgeon who worked 14 hour days for many years. He retired at 65 and was looking for something to do. One day his wife saw a garden bench she liked and Larry thought, “I can make one of those.”

That thought eventually morphed into building a woodshop where creating with wood became a passion! He got a lathe and learned how to use it. He took a lot of instruction, including going to seminars around the country. One of those seminars was taught by David Ellsworth, who is one of the most famous wood turners in the country. He spent three days in Pennsylvania learning from this master.

I have seen his work, and it reminds me a lot of Dale Chihuly’s glass—only in wood! The first image you see below is a bowl (unlighted), which is beautiful. In the second image, the lights around the same bowl have been turned off and a single spot light is shining inside. This piece is translucent because it has been soaked in Danish oil. It takes three months to make one of these. The lighted version is called a “vessel of fire”.

Larry won first place in the State Fair with this piece. He found an old piece of wood that had been lying in someone’s barn for years. It was 22 inches in diameter. A lot of the bark had come off, so he had to learn how to recreate it. He used super glue and mesquite bark fragments to replace the missing edges.

When he started out with this creation he had to work around a defect in the wood. The piece evolved into a flat tray with a footed stand.

This piece has an interesting history. It was very thin and he was buffing on a high speed buffer. It flew out of his hands and broke into 4 pieces and he thought it was lost. Then one day he was shopping with his wife and she was looking at a Coach purse that had lacing. He bought a book on lacing and what you see below is the result!

Larry never sells his work, but sometimes he does give it to family and friends. Now there is a precious gift! To see more of his work go to:

http://www.dallaswoodturners.com/Album/pix_genender.html

He told me that, "The wood leads you, the piece evolves and the art appears!"

A special thank you to Larry Gerender for sharing with our blog!

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.

…a Health Club for Your Mind. Body and Spirit!

To sum of our discussion about meaningful community service…

If you have already left the full-time workforce why not investigate the many community service options available in your community? You will soon find one or more that fit your experience and interests.

If you are still working, and free time is at a premium, tuck this information away until you are ready to leave the world of full-time work. Then, bring it back out and begin to think about how to continue to be involved in lifelong learning through community service.

If you see a need that isn’t being met, think about how you can meet that need. If necessary, think big. Start a new organization if that’s what it takes to fill the gap.

Let your imagination guide you. There’s always a need for meaningful community service. It only takes one person to get the ball rolling. That person can be you!

THURSDAY’S THOUGHT…

In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.

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…

Tuesday's Treasures

On Tuesday's we often take a trip down memory lane with some "remember when" photos and stories. It could be photos from a high school prom; a nostalgic look at a 1950's TV program or a collage of family photos that were just taken last week.

A Great Idea!

Maya Angelou said, "The idea is to write it so that people hear it and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart." I'll bet that happened with the charming image we are featuring today.

This gem turned up in one of my Photoshop Elements classes the other day. Dana Kimbrough went to see Little House On the Prairie with her family and recorded the event in a collage. A special event for a special birthday girl!

The play was at Fair Park in Dallas, and is part of a summer series of musicals that they put on every year. My family and I just went to see Wicked and it was really well done as well.

Dana's delightful grandchildren have read the "Little House" books and loved the play. They chose bonnets (a fine idea in my book) instead of t-shirts for a treat to remind of them of the day.

This image was printed on a 16 x 20 sheet at Walgreen's. The paper is thick enough that you can actually hang it on a wall with out framing.

John Steinbeck said, "Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen." How fun would it be to have several of these on one wall, each depicting an event together?

A special thank you to Dana Kimbrough for letting me share her great idea on the blog!

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.

…a Health Club for Your Mind. Body and Spirit!

So, with all the great examples given last week, how do you find the right opportunity?

There are literally millions of ways to volunteer. But how do you harness them into the right opportunity for you? How do you find the opportunity that fits your lifestyle? Here are some suggestions:

· Look for causes and groups that work with issues about which you feel strongly.

· Make a list of your skills. You can then go right to work with a minimum of training. The skills you’ve learned in your career or at work can be applied for the benefit of others.

· Or, take the opportunity to learn something new through community service.

· Look for opportunities that will help you combine your other goals in life.

· Review your schedule so you don’t over-commit. No one wins if that happens. Take into account your other life commitments.

· Look at opportunities you can take on as a team with your spouse.

· “Virtual volunteer” if you love working on a computer. There are more than 100 organizations that use on-line volunteers.

· Think about new and different venues where volunteers might be useful.

· Find out how much time is required, how much, if any, of your own funds will be used and if expenses are reimbursed.

What are some of the benefits of meaningful community service?

There are multiple, life-enriching benefits to be gained from community service. Here are just a few.

· Community service produces what is called the “halo effect.” By helping out you not only help make the world a better place, but also enrich your own life too.

· Community service gives you the opportunity to fulfill your dreams. Perhaps our career paths took us in a different direction than that which we secretly dream about. So instead of finding a project that is a continuation of that career, find one that fulfills the “inner you.” Engage in that fantasy!

· Most people can physically, mentally and emotionally benefit from a moderate amount of service work.

· Being a volunteer enhances the control you feel over your own life.

· A measure of status and identity is conferred by contributing and working in a volunteer capacity.

· You feel fulfilled with a new sense of purpose.

· Community service boosts character, builds strong minds that can reason, think critically, negotiate and solve problems.

· You will be intellectually challenged.

· Giving back promises greater meaning, stimulation and the chance to make a difference in others’ lives.

· People who have found a valued role in life live longer.

· You develop a new perspective on life making material things less important.

· You will come away feeling valued and needed.

· You make new contacts, which might lead to a second career, full-time or part-time.

· Social interaction increases as you meet new people.

· Finally, community service enables you to leave a legacy. Erik Erikson’s idea that “we are what survives of us,” speaks to how we can leave society a better place than how we found it. And, that’s what we’ll be remembered for!

THURSDAY’S THOUGHT…

Dr. Dorothy I. Height, president and CEO of the NCNW says, Without community service, we would not have a strong quality of life. It's important to the person who serves as well as the recipient. It's the way in which we ourselves grow and develop. And, growing and developing, even into later age, is what lifelong learning is all about.

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…

Special Effects With Filters

This week we will be doing a series on Special Effects. These images were all created by my students at the community college where I teach. I continue to be charmed and inspired by the creativity of the people in my Emeritus classes!

Simply...Working With Filters

I love the diversity my students bring to the classroom. We are all between the age of 50 and 90, so the life experience and talent simmering around the room is almost tangible!

Valerie Jagiello, one of our talented resident artists, has been kind enough to contribute to our blog before, and does again today, with some helpful hints about using Photoshop Elements filters.

She says, "Photoshop has a wealth of filters and image altering effects. As your confidence level grows using this program with its filters ...so will the level of your results.

Since I started working in Photoshop several years ago, after losing some 'spectacular' effects to my memory, I write EVERYTHING DOWN. I now keep a journal of all filter combinations with appropriate level amounts noted.

Two things to remember when working with filters....write down the EXACT ORDER you have used to create your masterpiece as any deviation from that order will definitely alter the final effect you are expecting. The second is to create a working base. This will act as a constant and I use this method all the time. The base should include any cropping or cloning or whatever and give you a clean image or base photo to work with.

Photo one (below) is a typical "brag" picture taken by my friend and fellow artist Donna Kerness of her youngest granddaughter Avi taking a bath. I cropped out the back and cloned the bubbles closer to the face. This picture became my base.

The second picture shows the use of the distort filter (with black over white) and then the pastel filter added.

The third picture shows the use of the distort filter again with the watercolor filter added. Use the preview window (when in the filter) to see the settings and change the defaults to ones that you like.

The fourth picture is another simple shot of adorable Avi in the backyard.

Don't be afraid to crop parts of a picture to create a knockout final image. This one used the distort filter then I switched to the sharpen with line and lastly added the sharpen again. Note that using the sharpen filters can change the image in many really cool ways. The white on the hair is from a combination of all three working together.

Now go ahead and release your inner artist!!! Go forth and create and don't be limited by the original image...I NEVER HAVE!!!"

Valerie Jagiello is available for individual creative services and can be reached through this blog. Just add a comment below and we will get your message to her. She will be happy to contact you to talk art!

A special thank you to Valerie Jagiello for her lovely images and great advice for using filters!

Inspirational Sunday

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

Preparation for Memorial Day

I received the following in email from a friend. It is so true!

It is
the
VETERAN,
not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.

It is
the
VETERAN,
not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.

It is
the
VETERAN,
not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is
the
VETERAN,
not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is
the
VETERAN,
not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is
the
VETERAN,
not the politician, Who has given us the right to vote.

It is
the
VETERAN
who salutes the Flag,

It is
the
VETERAN
who serves under the Flag

They make us proud to be Americans.

God bless them all!

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.

…a Health Club for Your Mind. Body and Spirit!

Here are some facts About Community Service.

· All of us, at one time or another, have been a volunteer. Helping out at your child’s school, or your place of worship, or a community event, all that was volunteer work.

· President Jimmy Carter’s mother was 83 when she joined the Peace Corps.

· Mature Americans are the most active and well-informed when it comes to both politics and current affairs so they are the ones who are often seen as the community leaders and activists.

· A recent study indicated that 40% of Americans between the ages of 50 and 75 said they were “very interested” or “fairly interested” in half-time community service roles after they no longer worked full-time.

· More than 12,000 older volunteer executives offer advice and assistance to more than 300,000 small businesses through S.C.O.R.E.

· The experiential knowledge of mature adults is of tremendous value to our society.
· Mature volunteers are making more contributions in terms of dollar value to our society than what older Americans are getting back in support.

· An estimated 24 million adults over the age of 55 are serving as volunteers in our society and more would, if asked.

· Despite the multitude of people who share their time and talents, the needs of our communities far outweigh the work that is already being done.

Community Service Venues

Where in their communities are all these people volunteering? Here’s a short list.

· Day care centers
· Neighborhood Watches
· Public schools and colleges
· Halfway houses
· Community theaters
· Drug rehabilitation centers
· Fraternal organizations and civic clubs
· Retirement centers and homes for the elderly
· Meals on Wheels
· Church or community-sponsored soup kitchens or food pantries
· Museums, art galleries and monuments
· Community choirs, bands and orchestras
· Prisons
· Neighborhood parks
· Youth organizations, sports teams and after-school programs.
· Shelters for battered women and children
· Historical sites, battlefields and national parks

THURSDAY’S THOUGHT…

In the words of Margaret Mead, If we look carefully, we cannot help realizing that virtually all the activities that make a town or part of a city into a community depend in one way or another on volunteers. I’ve given you some examples of ways you can help.

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…

Wednesday Aging in Place

On Wednesdays, Laurie Orlov, tech industry veteran, writer, speaker and elder care advocate will be sharing her insightful research on how seniors can safely and successfully live independent lives in the home of their choice.

With Video Chatting --
It's a Small World Afterall

There are a lot of video chat alternatives. Here are just a couple of them from the Mossberg Solution that shows how we can keep in touch with our family and friends around the block or around the world.

Skype Worth the Hype

Skype is a free program that must be downloaded onto your Windows PC or Mac. Users can create accounts with profile details about themselves including a photo and biographical information; these data can be set as visible to anyone or just authorized friends. Skype works for text chatting and voice-only chatting, as well as video chatting. One of the best features in Skype is its ability to let you share whatever is displayed on your computer screen with someone else by selecting a Share option. This comes in handy as a substitute for uploading numerous large files to a third-party service to share them with friends and family, especially if one party is traveling and has a slow connection. My sister and I use this remote access to share photos with each other, narrating as we share slide shows from our computers. Though some images appear a bit pixelated because of her weaker Internet connection, I get the point.

With Skype, users can put one video chat on hold to answer another one, like call waiting. This comes in handy for people who have several friends trying to talk to them at the same time when they're online.

Video Chat via Google

Google Video Chat can be downloaded if someone has a Gmail account. This video-chatting capability is an add-on for the Google Chat instant-messaging program, which runs in the Gmail home page or in iGoogle, so a Web browser must be opened to access this. Friends who are capable of video chatting (because they have a Webcam) are indicated with a small video-camera icon beside their names, and video chats can be initiated by opening options in the Video and More menu of a chat window.

Google Chat users who have AIM accounts can sign into AIM within the Google Chat program, combining all their friends into one neat list. I started using this feature the first time it was offered and can't remember the last time I opened AIM as a standalone program.

Special Effects Tuesday

This week we will be doing a series on Special Effects. These images were all created by my students at the community college where I teach. I continue to be charmed and inspired by the creativity of the people in my Emeritus classes!

Talent

"The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work." ~Emile Zola

We all strive to find the strong suit for ourselves and our children, and then follow the path where that leads.

Betty Levy has always painted, but put her brushes aside to raise her family. When she came back to the easel it was with great strength, life experience and creativity. And guess what? Her talent was waiting for her--better than ever. And now she is using a digital brush to create along with her paint brush.

Just look at the marvelous collages she has been generous enough to share with us on the blog:

"God doesn't give people talents that he doesn't want people to use." ~Iron Eagle

Add filters and you have another delicious look for the same image.

“Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck -- but, most of all, endurance.” ~James Arthur Baldwin

A special thank you to Betty Levy for sharing her delicious collages with us!

Special Effects Projects Monday

This week we will be doing a series on Special Effects. These images were all created by my students at the community college where I teach. I continue to be charmed and inspired by the creativity of the people in my Emeritus classes!

Natalie's Art And Photography

We have a series of lesson plans in our Special Effects class where we copy the techniques of famous artists using Photoshop. The image below is of an easel in front of a window, reminiscent of images created by the wonderful Surrealist Renee Magritte.

Steve Caplin, author of Art & Design in Photoshop, says, “The Belgian painter Rene Magritte (1898-1967) was one of the foremost surrealist artists. He may not have had the technical skill of a Dali, but he more than made up for this with a fervent imagination that had the ability to delve deep into our collective psyche. More than any other surrealist, Magritte’s work strikes a chord with the viewer.

La Condition Humaine is a theme that he returned to again and again, painting numerous variations on this theme: a canvas in front of a window or an open doorway. At what point does the view through the window become the view as depicted on the canvas? It’s often hard to spot the join – and that’s deliberate. The view through the window is itself, of course, just another painting of the scene.

We’ll reproduce Magritte’s technique in a photographic manner, while staying true to the style of the original.”

It is such fun seeing what people come up with to fill that easel and window! Here is a perfect example put together by one of my talented and creative students, Natalie Harris.



And speaking of art, her much loved grandchildren often turn up in her work in unique, artistic ways. Here are two of them peeking out of a Barbara Hepworth sculpture that can be found at the Nasher Sculpture Garden here in Dallas.



In the next image the kids are collaged into an image of a sculpture called Boolean Valley by Adam Silverman, also found in the Nasher Sculpture Garden. Each of the children was added separately and arranged so that they look like they're holding hands, dancing on the water.

Speaking of the Nasher Sculpture Garden, every third Friday all summer long the museum will be presenting an event called 'til Midnight at the Nasher which features the wonderful sculpture garden of course, along with movies, moonlight and music. People spread blankets out in the garden or relax in chairs on the patio and enjoy the evening. We went this last weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it!

A special thanks to Natalie Harris for allowing us to use her charming images!

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.

…a Health Club for Your Mind. Body and Spirit!

Now let’s look at other volunteer options.

Older Peace Corps Volunteers

The link between lifelong learning and the Peace Corps is very strong. Put simply, the primary job of Peace Corp volunteers is to teach. What’s especially nice is that older Americans are contributing to Peace Corps programs all over the globe and, in the process, find their age to be an asset. The organization recognizes that no group has more to offer in terms of experience, maturity, and demonstrated ability. There is no upper age limit to join the Peace Corps. In fact, volunteers who are well into their 80s have served and continue to serve.

Support for Older Adult Volunteer Projects
Nothing speaks more to the viability of a project than the willingness of an organization or foundation to provide the necessary funds. Here are some examples from Civic Ventures ® of volunteer projects for older adults that have been recently funded. Each of these projects has a

• In Arizona, the Piper Foundation announced $1.6 million in grants to support the development of four Next Chapter centers in Maricopa County. The centers are designed to help older adults to explore opportunities for volunteer and paid service, as well as options related to health, wellness and education. In Ohio, the Cleveland Foundation provided $360,000 in grants to support projects that will expand paid employment and unpaid service opportunities for older adults in that community.
• The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) inaugurated a project called “Civic Engagement in an Older America” that will promote research on programs and public policies likely to increase civic participation among older adults.
  
• The National Council on the Aging launched RespectAbility, an initiative designed to help community organizations and decision-makers enhance civic participation of older Americans. The project include research with leaders of nonprofit organizations to identify barriers to engaging older adults, a national public awareness campaign, and preparation of news articles on engagement by older adults by a group of veteran journalists.
  
• The Harvard School of Public Health-MetLife Foundation Initiative on Retirement and Civic Engagement released its report on issue a new report on “Reinventing Aging: Baby Boomers and Civic Engagement.” Last fall, the Initiative announced the launching of its second phase which will include a number of activities intended to expand public awareness of the value of older adults as a social resource.
  
• Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions published research based on the Experience Corps program that showed that older adults who volunteer in troubled urban schools not only improve the educational experience of children, but realize meaningful improvements in their own mental and physical health.

Lifelong learning and community service go hand-in-hand. If you truly desire to make your later life more complete then community service in tandem with lifelong learning should be a part of that plan as well. There are too many benefits to be gained and given from engaging in community service for it to be ignored. Take the opportunity to use your hard-earned wisdom and life experience for the benefit of younger generations. You’ll make a lasting impact on them for years to come. It’s a great feeling.

THURSDAY’S THOUGHT…

The British author, Ellis Peters says, Nothing is more pleasing and engaging than the sense of having conferred benefits, not even the gratification of receiving them. She is so right.

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…

Age in Place Wednesday

On Wednesdays, Laurie Orlov, tech industry veteran, writer, speaker and elder care advocate will be sharing her insightful research on how seniors can safely and successfully live independent lives in the home of their choice.

What's in a name --
Older Americans Month and other changes

Submitted by Laurie Orlov on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 13:55

caregiving
Learning, working, contribution and legacy
Seniors

May is Older Americans (not Senior Citizens) Month. The Administration on Aging notes that this 'acknowledgement of the contribution of older Americans' was launched in 1963. Prior to 1980, it was known as Senior Citizen Month, but was renamed and became a 'tradition' during the Carter Administration. Looking through the list of themes, some seem to be efforts to acknowledge the forgotten: "America, a Community for All Ages" and "Honor the Past, Imagine the Future: Towards a Society for All Ages". But today the term "senior citizen" has been erased by the AoA and the theme "Age Strong, Live Long," reflecte lengthening life span and unprecedented multiple generations of 'older Americans'. Assuming that 'senior' is 65+, there will be 71.5 million by 2030 -- life span and baby boomer encroachment are driving other changes as well...

...'Senior Centers' may be renamed or closed by budget cuts. From Activity Center to Boomer Cafes to Recreation and Senior Centers to XYZ Center (drop the Senior), the senior center moniker may be gone in just a few years, one location at a time. Already faced with an expanding longevity age spread, from the heel-kicking 60-somethings to 90-somethings, activity planning and events will become ever more challenging over time. At budget risk in their current form, I can imagine new combined centers that recognize a side effect of longevity: Those who can no longer come in the door might appreciate the availability of telephone programs, or welcome television variants like this one in Iowa City or the Microsoft-enabled 'virtual' senior center, or centers that partner with SeniorNet or community colleges that offer online learning programs.

Special Effects Projects

This week we will be doing a series on Special Effects. These images were all created by my students at the community college where I teach. I continue to be charmed and inspired by the creativity of the people in my Emeritus classes!

Janice and Bud

"The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart." ~Elisabeth Foley

Over the years I have met a lot of special people in my classes. Age 50 to 90 years is in my esitmation the perfect student! They are there to learn...bright and experienced...they are also there to create and have a good time.

Janice and Bud are perfect examples of the best students in my group and two people I call friend. Janice has been with me nearly as long has I have been teaching, Bud for the last couple of years.

They both enter their work at the county fair here in Dallas and always place or win. We have featured their work on this blog before, and here is more!

A hot dog with a glow around it, hand made smoke and hot text! What could be better!

It's a bird, no it's a plane, no it's a bird-plane! What a great image! Talk about creative! Definitely one you give a double-take!!

"Friends are those rare people who ask how you are and then wait for the answer." ~Author Unknown

A special thank you to Janice and Bud Roden for letting me share their exceptional work!

The Art of Collage

This week we will be doing a series on Photo Collages. These images were all created by my students at the community college where I teach. I continue to be charmed and inspired by the creativity of the people in my Emeritus classes!


In Your Own Back Yard

"I like to sit in my backyard. I go out on the hammock and sit in silence and kind of meditate. Nature is calming, and it's nice to go out there and clear my head." ~Devon Werkheiser

Sometimes cool images are right outside your back door! As Dave Berry says, "The best camera is the one you have with you!"

Roger Slover lives near Duck Creek. He takes great close-ups and has been featured on our blog before. I love the two "head shots" of the geese!



In the next image, Ray Bolton put a lovely collage together of his neighbor's yard. She is the one responsible for him ending up in my Photoshop Elements classes. At first he resisted her suggestion to come to school and finally gave in. I'm sure glad she spread the word--look at what he can do now!

I am so proud of the work and creativity of my students. Boomers and Seniors are unbeatable, if I do say so myself (and I will say so if you open the door even a crack!).

Whether your backyard behind your house, in your city, or in your country, caring for it well benefits everybody who comes close to it--including yourself! "I feel a responsibility to my backyard. I want it to be taken care of and protected." ~Anne Liebovitz

Inspirational Sunday

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

Be a Peacemaker

All of us at some time in our life have dealt with difficult times and difficult people. In fact, many of the difficult times were caused by difficult people. We have all faced hurt feelings, rejection, insults, rude behavior and sometimes downright nastiness.

These conflicts may have led to broken relationships. And some of these relationships have been close relationships. We may have had a disagreement with a family member or close friend or business relationship. Unkind words were spoken and a split occurred. We're hurt. They're hurt. Everyone is unhappy, maybe even angry. What does God want us to do about restoring a broken fellowship.

In Day 20 or my 40 day journey with Rick Warren and his book The Purpose Driven Life, I found out...

"Relationships are always worth restoring.

Because life is all about learning how to love, God wants us to value relationships and make the effort to maintian them instead of discarding them whenever there is a rift, a hurt, or a conflict. In fact, the Bible tells us that God has given us the ministry of restoring relationships. For this reason a significant anount of the New Testament is devoted to teaching us how to get along with one another. Paul wrote, 'If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spriit means anything to you,...Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.' Paul taught athat our ability to get along with others is a mark of spiritual maturing."

"If you want God's blessing on your life and you want to be known as a child of God, you must learn to be a peacemaker. Jesus said, 'God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.' Notice Jesus didn't say, 'Blessed are the peace lovers,' because everyone loves peace. Neither did he say, 'Blessed are the peacable,' who are never disturbed by anything. Jesus said, 'Blessed are those who work for peace'--those who actively seek to resolve conflict. Peacemakers are rare because peacemaking is hard work.'"