Active Lifelong Learning
Lifelong Learning - Lifelong Doing - Lifelong Friends
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WELCOME TO CLUB NEWS & NOTES – April 2021
Editor: Ellen Breazeale – breazeales@comcast.net
A word of appreciation to Kevin Colgate, ESCOM's tech and Zoom guru, who keeps all of us connected.
Kevin did all the behind-the-scenes work on getting last month's Club News & Notes published.
Thank you, Kevin, for all you do for ESCOM Clubs!
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CLUB NEWS
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Calling All Thespians...
'The Play's theThing' and Gary Gonser wants to prove this true by
starting a new Play Reading ESCOM Club.
On the third Tuesday of the month from 1:30 to 3:30 pm, this club will
gather via Zoom. Here's how Gary describes what club members will do:
You'll be reading a play to release the magic to reveal the
author's main objective -- storytelling.
. There is no memorization, no accents, no ego and no stress...
just the joy of bringing the play alive!!!
If you'd like to become a member of this club, please contact Gary
via e-mail...ggonser3@gmail.com.
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Connecting the Sacred...
Welcome back to Ken Kaprelian, the club leader for 'Exploring the
Relationship Between Theology & Society', which has been on hiatus
for six months. Check out his club description.
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Challenging Concepts About Wellness and Food...
'The Alternative Health and Nutrition Club is ending its seven-year ESCOM run. This popular group drew
over 50 members from areas all over the United States and a few foreign countries.
The club leader, Sushama Gokhale, is widely recognized for her extensive knowledge of food,
food remedies, and good health practices.
The ESCOM Council thanks her for sharing her expertise and for creating a community where ideas
could be freely shared.
Photo Caption: Historic French woodblock Queen of Clubs
playing card c 1750.
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CLUB LEADER NOTES
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No matter what your interest, there’s an ESCOM club that’s ‘right’ for you.
Review the list below. See what’s being offered and contact a club leader to join the group
With the onslaught of COVID, the ESCOM Centers at Kentfield and IVC have been closed for the last 11 months. Consequently, most of the clubs are meeting via ZOOM. Some are on hiatus but will return once these Centers open again.
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Arlene Stark Philosophy of the Mind Club – Zoom
1st & 3rd Monday 10:00 am - noon
The Great Minds of Western Philosophy club has been meeting for many years. We watch and discuss DVDs on this subject from the Great Courses Company.
Dr. Steven Gimbel, Professor of Philosophy at Gettysburg College, describes our upcoming course,
Redefining Reality this way:
“In the series of 36 lectures, we examine the ways in
which scientific and technological
advances in the 20th and 21st centuries have forced us
to re-envision what we believe to be real.”
We continue our presentation and discussion of Redefining Reality.
This course is available on Kanopy, free through your local library.
If this kind of discussion is of interest to you, please feel free to join us.
We are not necessarily professional philosophers but, rather, a compatible group of people who are interested in such questions as: Has technology eliminated our humanity? Is there anything left of the way we thought
reality was shaped?
Photo Caption: Cartoon, The unstructor, from 'The Philosophy Comic'.
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Astronomy Club – Zoom
2nd Monday 10:00 am - Noon
The Astronomy Club is engaged in learning and discussing about the (non-mathematical) current knowledge of the structure of the universe and its components. This includes the different kinds and lives of stars, planets and planetary systems, asteroids and comets, galaxies and galaxy clusters.
In addition, we follow the contemporary discoveries of numerous active spacecraft and earth-based and space-based telescopes which use the range of the electro-magnetic spectrum.
We learn and discuss the hunt for exo-planets and the conditions for and against the possibility of life existing elsewhere, black holes, white dwarfs, neutron stars, dark matter and dark energy, the expansion of the universe, the cycles of our Sun and how life on Earth might be affected.
Our format is roughly an hour of discussion and presentations of book reviews, contemporary space exploration events, and what to look for in the current night sky.
This is followed by a lecture from the Great Courses Series on Astronomy fundamentals and eventually on Cosmology, after which we discuss the material covered and any contemporary discoveries that provide insights to the lecture.
Contact: Michel Patrick mdpatric@pacbell.net 415-456-2778
Photo Caption: One of the most famous images taken from the Hubble Space Telescope, ' Pillars of Creation’, shows stars forming in the Eagle Nebula. Hubble was launched into low earth orbit in 1990.
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Book Banter Book Club – Zoom
2nd Wednesday 1.00 - 3:00 pm
Biographies, Autobiographies and semi-fictional biographies of lives
before and after WWI
Apr 14: Life and works of Frida Kahlo. (Choose any bio that you like.)
May 14: Typhoid Mary. (Suggested novel - Fever by Mary Beth Keane)
Photo Caption: ‘Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving’, an exhibit
of apparel, accessories, and other items is at San Francisco’s
de Young Museum until May 2nd.
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Book Club Forum – Zoom
4th Monday 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Photo Caption: It is estimated there are more than five million book club members in the U.S.
Not all wear glasses.
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Book Club Marin County – Zoom
4th Tuesday 1.30 - 3:00 pm
Note: While all meetings are scheduled to end at 3:00 pm,
the ending time is somewhat flexible.
Planned reading - always subject to change!
If anyone wishes to attend and purchase any of the selected books, they should feel free to contact Julio Burroughs to obtain the book(s) via Book Passage (to avoid shipping cost).
Of course, if you prefer not to purchase, try the Marin Library (they have curbside service). If you are a library member, you also have access to Hoopla which has many audio books.
Apr 27: Two readings from Great Books Foundation Collection:
Citizens of the World – Rivonia Trial-Second Court Statement/Mandela (Selection)
Two poems from the Great Books Foundation Anthology:
Modern American Poetry: H.D. (Hilda Doolittle): The Helmsman and Lethe. All to be e-mailed to the group.
May 25: J.M. Coetzee’s novella: Disgrace (Penguin Paperback – Estimated cost - $6.19.).
Jun 22: Shakespeare: Hamlet (Edition to be announced.)
As in the past, we welcome suggestions for future readings!
Julio Burroughs Julioburroughs@gmail.com 415-927-1488
Photo Caption: Benedict Cumberbatch in the role of Hamlet in the National Theater's 2015 production.
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Chess Club - Online play on Chess.Com
Every Friday - 2:00 pm
All levels of players welcome.
Contact: Bob Phillips bob.phillips3@gmail 415-301-1906
Photo Caption: Since 1851, compiled statistics support the view that white,
who makes the first move, consistently wins over black 52 to 56 % of the time.
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Current Events and Issues – Zoom
2nd & 4th Thursday 10:00 am - noon
After more than twenty years, we are still actively engaged in discussing current events.
Through participation, ESCOM club members experience teaching and learning opportunities.
We welcome new participants and topics that interest you.
Come, join us. Sit in on one session, no obligation - you may like
the experience. Many have! Hope to see you soon.
Photo Caption: Before TV or the internet, you learned what was happening in the world by buying a paper from 'newsboys'. On average, they made 26 cents per day for their work!
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Digital Camera Club – Zoom
1st Monday - Field Outings
April 5: Hamilton Ammo Hill @ 10:30 am
Contact Harvey Abernathy
3rd Monday Virtual Club Meeting 1.00 - 3:00 pm
Theme: Macro Photography to anyone who would like to expand their photographic
learning from others on how to capture images.
Open to anyone who would like to expand their photographic capabilities by
learning from others on how to capture images.
Our monthly camera club photo outings are currently scheduled outdoors with social distancing
protocols and our virtual meetings are held via the ESCOM Zoom account.
Photo Caption: March 1st Outing Group at Samuel P. Taylor Park
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Exploring the Relationship Between
Theology & Society – Zoom
2nd Friday 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
The relationship between theology and society includes how people deal with this topic in both their personal and professional life.
For some people their place of worship is a primary source of theological information.
As a part of our discussion, we will be sharing different life experiences of worship both positive and negative and how these experiences have affected our perspective.
We will also discuss the impact that education, at the primary and university level, and the media
has had on individuals and then by extension their families.
Contact: Ken Kaprelian (415) 819-7180
Photo Caption: The photo cover of 'The Challenges Facing Biblical Teachings in Our Modern Society: Third Edition' by Ken Kaprelian. The club will be using this book at meetings.
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Food Glorious Food! – Zoom
4th Tuesday 1.00 - 3:00 pm
Apr 27: One-pan, one-pot recipes. Share and give ideas.
May 25: The 2014 movie, Chef, about a man who quits
his L.A. restaurant job to launch a food-truck business.
Photo Caption: Olive oil on spoon beside sprig of tarragon.
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Great Courses Group – Zoom
Every Thursday 1:00 - 2:00 pm
We ‘re nearing the end of a fabulous 36-lecture series,
Dutch Masters: The Age of Rembrandt.
This course explores The Netherlands in the 17th century which was home to the most remarkable concentration of artistic talent and accomplishment in modern history. From this tiny land came the great masters Vermeer, Frans Hals, Jan Steen,
Pieter de Hooch, and Rembrandt, as well as an assembly of memorable artists.
You can 'drop in' at any point of this series. Each lecture is a mini-course in itself, so there’s no need to have attended other lectures to have an understanding of this wonderful art.
We'll begin a new course on May 6:
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Our meetings are filled with lively discussions and are a lot of fun. Join us.
Photo Caption: Self Portrait - Rembrandt van Rijn 1659. He was 53 years old.
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Moral and Ethical, Legal Roundtable – Zoom
1st and 3rd Tuesday 10:00 am – noon
The Roundtable is a long running ESCOM Club for discussions, explorations, and issues in our contemporary world.
Stimulating discussions among and between the attendees and the facilitator are the primary mode of participation.
Join us with your ideas and opinions.
Photo Caption: King Arthur and his knights met at a Round Table, a symbol of the equality of all of its members, from sovereign royals to minor nobles.
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Opera and Beyond Club – Zoom
2nd Tuesday 1:00 - 4:00 pm
This session presents full opera recording
Last Wednesday 1.00 - 3:00 pm
This session is a gathering to share the glories of opera.
You do not have to know a lot about opera.
Your enthusiasm and desire to participate is what counts.
Everyone may contribute by selecting their favorite opera aria,
The club leader will access it on YouTube and talk about it during the session.
Also, you can share an article about opera, music, composer, an anecdote, your life experiences, etc.
We are all enthusiasts!
* If you would like to suggest an opera or have access to any operas, please contact the club leader.Contact: Michael Sachs michahsachs@gmail.com 415-298-1939
Photo Caption: The great soprano, Leontyne Price, playing the lead role in Giuseppe Verdi's 'Aida'.
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Spanish Club – Zoom
Every Friday 1:00 - 2.30 pm
Club Leader: Lucy Wait
Intermediate level conversation in Spanish on various topics,
including the Netflix 60-episode series, Bolívar, which is done in the telenovela style.
Contact: Roberta Schwarz, reschwarz@sbcglobal.net 415-435-3540
or
Paula Hammons paulahammons@yahoo.com 415-948-8451
Photo Caption: Simon Bolivar was a Venezuelan military and
political leader who helped free several Latin American countries from Spain.is from Spain.
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Trivia Quiz - Calling All Smarty Pants - Zoom
4th Sunday - 7.00 p.m.
Hosted by Janis Luft, longtime Mistress of Trivia for the Belvedere-Tiburon Library.
General knowledge questions.
Interactive team contest (teams assigned).
April 25th - Hope to see you
for another round of Bear with Me Trivia.
As always, you’ll get 4 rounds of 5 questions, many with multiple answers.
You’ll jot down your own answers and at the end of each round of questions,
the club leader will randomly sort you into Zoom rooms where you will decide on a
team name (funny, punny names encouraged) and
confer with your teammates before presenting your group’s answers.
The winning team gets bragging rights for a whole month!!!
Photo Caption: What is a light bulb moment? When you suddenly realize something or have
a good trivia answer!
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"Who Done It?" Book Club – Zoom
3rd Wednesday 1.00 - 3:00 pm
We’re a Mystery Book Club.
April 21: "The Penguin Who Knew Too Much"
by Donna Andrews
May 19: A Rule Against Murder"
by Louise Penny
June 16: "The Wives of Malabar"
by Sujita Massey
Please contact the club leader for a list of books selected for 2021.
415-897-4844
Photo Caption: Reverend Green did it in the kitchen with a wrench! The board game, Clue.
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ESCOM | Telephone: 415-485-9652 | email: escom@marin.edu
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