Join us to discuss Neither Wolf Nor Dog by Kent Nerburn. Kent Nerburn draws the reader deep into the heart of the Native American experience through the world of an Indian elder known only as Dan. It’s a world of Indian towns, white roadside cafes, and abandoned roads that swirl with the memories of the Ghost Dance and Sitting Bull. As the story unfolds, Dan speaks eloquently on the difference between land and property, the power of silence, and the selling of sacred ceremonies.

Registration is not required. The Zoom link can be found here in the program description after logging in.

Music is powerful. It has the ability to transport us to a specific time and place as well as influence our mood instantly. Music can enhance the function of neural networks, slow the heart rate, lower blood pressure, and reduce levels of stress hormones and inflammatory cytokines. In fact, scientists have found that music stimulates more parts of the brain than any other human function. Join us for an interesting evening as MacPhail Music for Life Teaching Artist Andrea Leap gives us a deeper look at the health benefits that music can provide. We will also learn about opportunities offered through the Music for Life program for adults 55+ at MacPhail Center for Music.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

It's caffeine and camaraderie for the male members of MCC and guests! This group meets every other Thursday and is hosted by various members who get the conversation going. Please register by the Monday prior to Men's Coffee and Conversation. MCC member Bill Casey is this week's conversation leader. In the early 1980s, Bill began traveling and visiting U.S. county seats and their courthouses. Each is unique, almost all are open to the public. The U.S. has 3,243 counties. How many has Bill visited and what has he learned?

Bill and Betty live in Uptown, not too far from the upheavals this past spring and summer. A new Casey “hobby”: recording every siren in the area from mid-October to mid-December. More than 300, including 13 on December 10 alone! What else? Find out on January 7 what Bill will pull out of his incredible basket of experiences.

MCC members sign up here; guests email MCC. The Zoom link can be found here in the program description after logging in.

Women Connect is doing something new! We’ve added an additional meeting on the first Thursday of each month. This is a less formal, shorter, more intimate group chat. We’ll catch up on fun topics and share ideas in 45 minutes to an hour.

Remember the days when take-out was a last resort for an easy meal on a busy day? We bet these restaurants are now in the top ten on your iPhone Favorites list. So let’s share our delicious eats, unique finds, and neighborhood gems. We’ll record and distribute the recommendations. Please be kind to your fellow connectors by first verifying the days that your favorite spot is open and available for take-out since they’re not all operating seven days a week. The helpful information you provide will go into the notes.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found here in the program description after logging in.

We can all use a good laugh these days. Join us for an evening of connection, humor and heart. Minnesota treasure, Kevin Kling, will share humorous and heart-touching stories that celebrate belonging, resiliency, connection, and moving forward through these challenging times together.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

Mindy Greiling was serving in Minnesota’s House of Representatives when her son Jim’s first psychotic episode manifested itself in a delusion demanding he kill her. Fix What You Can is Mindy’s first book and spans 20 years and covers new ground about raising a child with schizophrenia. Join us as Mindy shares her journey and how her son’s illness inspired her to “fix what she could” in state policies to ensure other families wouldn’t face the same challenges.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found here in the program description after logging in.

Through discussion we will explore ways of building a just community, equitably including all citizens.

This month: Do quick thinking and bias blind us? When we encounter an unfamiliar situation and our discomfort is triggered, can we slow down and consider alternate ways of responding? Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt offers suggestions here.

Where does bias originate?

Have you felt the hindrances of bias? What was the impact?

Can you recall a recent time when you jumped to conclusions?

How often do we treat people as members of an unnamed group, rather than as individuals?

Them versus us?

Bonus reference: “Let America Be America Again” a poem by Langston Hughes, read by Professor Willie Jenkins available here.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found here in the program description after logging in.

Schedule time with a tech support guru and have your nagging technology questions answered during our complimentary Help Desk. This is a virtual help desk and will take place on Zoom. Support for both Apple products and PCs is available. After you register, MCC will confirm the time of your 20-minute one-on-one session. Reminder: Installing or upgrading software and creating accounts cannot be included in the Help Desk session, as they exceed the allotted appointment time.

Registration is now closed. If you would like to be added to the waiting list in case of a cancellation, email Bethany Boom at bethanyboom@millcitycommons.org.

Are you new to meditation or have you been practicing a while? Either way, attending this class is a wonderful act of self-care. Enjoy an hour of guided meditation including body scans, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and heartfelt discussion/reflection. Give yourself time to pause on worries and the never-ending to-do list and enjoy the company of fellow MCC members who are seeking a more mindful and relaxed state of being. This course has been surprisingly impactful, even on Zoom. Leader: Terry Pearson will provide guided meditation via zoom.

Fee: An additional fee of $10.25 is required for this class to cover instructor costs. Please see the full description online for the attendance/cancellation policy.

MCC members sign up here. Registered members will receive the Zoom link in their confirmation email.

Kim Kane joins us to examine how living a life through the lens of gratitude allows us to be our best selves, even in the times we feel challenged. This uplifting and encouraging program is filled with humor, stories and positive takeaways; such as tips and strategies for living a grateful lifestyle, even in times when we may not feel as grateful as we would like (hello pandemic!). Highlights include a re-cap of 2020, the effects it had on many of us, and ways we can continue to move positively forward. Leave the program filled with encouragement and a sense of optimism.

Kim Kane has been in the educational field for the past 32 years; most recently as dean of students within a large, suburban high school. Kim is also a 35-year national trainer/presenter on a variety of topics including; education, chemical dependency, stress reduction, mindfulness practices, and most recently on women, aging and living in gratitude. She has entertained and informed many all around the country.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, MCC Member and retired physician Michael Brennan is keeping a close watch on all medical and health developments put forth by the CDC, NIH and MN Department of Public Health. Join us for this every-other-week meeting where Michael will share the most recent information available, his perspective of how to keep ourselves safe and healthy, and answer questions.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

During these strange times when we are more-or-less house-bound, many members are sorting through decades of photos. Others say they are writing about incidents that happened in their lives. Join us as three members - Mary Moos, Susan Plimpton and Ellen Breyer - share unique experiences in their lives that had some staying power with each of them over the years. It will be a time to ponder whether you can relate to their stories, or perhaps, be prompted to write one of your own.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

Click here for the Zoom link.

Drop in and join your friends and neighbors for a morning chat over Zoom. Click here for the Zoom link.

Click here for the Zoom link.

MCC member Peggy Lucas shares this video to start off the new year.

The Third Avenue bridge will be closed starting January 4 until November 2022. Motorists, transit riders, and people walking and bicycling will need to use alternate routes across the river during this time. Curious about the repair work that’s being done and the detour routes to get you around construction? Visit the project webpage to learn more about the schedule, impacts to your commute, rehabilitation and preservation efforts and what the bridge will look like when the work is done.

MCC member Patty Connelly shares this You Tube video of the Dayton’s Project. She notes that it responds to a lot of questions members have been asking about the future of downtown, return of vitality, etc.

MCC member Cheryl Coughlan wants members to know that MCC will be hosting a program called "French Like Moi: A Midwesterner in Paris" with author Scott Dominic Carpenter. Christina Selander Bouzouina, Executive Director of the Alliance Française Mpls/St.Paul, will interview Scott about his move from Minnesota to Paris and the unexpected dramas that awaited: scheming neighbors, police denunciations, surly demonstrators, cooking disasters, medical mishaps―not to mention all those lectures about cheese! You may want to read this hilarious new bestselling memoir ahead of time: French Like Moi: A Midwesterner in Paris, by Scott Dominic Carpenter. Books can be purchased at the local bookstore, Magers & Quinn or on Amazon.

If you are 50 years of age or older and generally inactive (less than 1.5 hours of physical activity per week), you may qualify for the Y-U Study which is testing two new online educational programs. There is no cost for taking part and YMCA members AND non-members are welcome. This study is a collaboration between the YMCA of the North and the University of Minnesota. Participant screenings will continue through January but spaces are limited so don't hesitate to reach out and see if you qualify. Interested in learning more? Visit www.csh.umn.edu/YUstudy, email y-u@umn.edu, or call (612) 626-2224.

Join the Integrative Psychiatry and Wellness Program at its free Mindful Moment webinars on Tuesday mornings from 8:45 to 9:00 am. These 15-min experiential mindfulness and positive psychology virtual sessions teach stress-reduction skills and are available to all. Click here for the Zoom link.

Spend an evening with the stars. Join a naturalist on a socially-distanced navigation of the night sky. Get familiar using binoculars for astronomy while searching out constellations, planets and other cosmic sights. In the event of overcast conditions, a nature walk will be provided. $3. For information and to register, click here.

Join the Loft for a special new online series: Poetry, Prose and Pastries. Featuring acclaimed authors, they'll dig into all things delicious, whether books, baked goods or both. What are our favorite well-known treats and what are hidden gems? What are the cultural intersections of the local, national and international? No better way to tie these questions, and more, together than to combine dessert with literature. Each hour-long session will begin with a chat about favorite treats and desserts, followed by discussion of emerging and under-the-radar literary artists, craft talk and a Q&A with the live online audience. This event will feature Monique Truong. Register here.

Navigate to an Adventure Hub for free fun this winter. Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board offers free supplies and materials for a range of self-guided activities: snowshoes, trekking poles, outdoor art, orienteering, birdwatching or animal tracking. All Adventure Hub items are free to borrow - no sign-up or registration needed. Just show up and see what's available or call ahead for information! Items rotate periodically among Adventure Hubs, so you can return to try new activities. The signs at the park show available items, which staff bring outside for you to use. Note: Items are available first-come/first-served and COVID-19 safety protocols must be observed. Learn more here.

Mill City Times is a local website devoted specifically to our neighborhood and a place to go to find out what's happening, whether it's a new restaurant opening, a local event, proposed construction, volunteer opportunities and more.

Elise Linehan, Executive Director, eliselinehan@millcitycommons.org

Mary Texidor, Business and Member Services Admin, marytexidor@millcitycommons.org

Bethany Boom, Program and Events Manager, bethanyboom@millcitycommons.org