TALK

• By-Laws, Policy & Procedures, and Board of Directors
• Special Event Spring 2012
• Courses Spring 2012
• Philosophers' Cafés Spring 2012
• Membership Application and Course Registration
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Newsletters
• Contact Us
• Calendar
• Thank you from TALK!

Courses Spring 2012

- Campus Locations and Maps -

Kwantlen Polytechnic University has recently changed to Building Names (instead of letters) at Surrey Campus.

Pictures of the buildings and information on the names can be found at the following link:
http://www.kwantlen.ca/about/campus_info/surrey_campus/buildingnames.html

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Hypnosis

Sessions: 2
Date: Fri Feb 3 & 10
Time: 10 – 11:50 am
Course Fee: $15
Location: Surrey Campus, Fir Building, Room 1364
Facilitator: Linda Coyle, Cell: 604.220.6856, linda.coyle@kwantlen.ca
Please Register By: Thu Jan 26
Guest Speaker: Jeannie Martin, MH, CHt, CBh

Understanding the Human Mind and the Power of Hypnosis

Back by popular demand! These sessions will be of interest to those who took the fall course as well as to new registrants.

Fri Feb 3

• Understanding Suggestibility: Personal and Sexual
• What is Hypnosis? Deeper into the Mind
• Theory of the Mind: Overview—Considering the Superconscious
• How Hypnosis Works – Age Regression and Parts Therapy

Fri Feb 10

• Where the mind goes – case studies
• Guided Relaxation
• Your thoughts and questions
• Learn Self Hypnosis for Life
• Q & A

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Clio in a Canoe: Canadian History for Tourists

Sessions: 3
Date: Tue Feb 7, 14, 21
Time: 1 – 2:50 pm
Course Fee: $22.50
Location: Richmond Campus, Room 2550A (Conference Centre)
Facilitator: Trevor Phillips, Tel: 604.536.1627, Cell: 604.760.1627, tphilli@shaw.ca
Please Register By: Tue Jan 31
Guest Speaker: Frank Abbott, History Department, Kwantlen Polytechnic University


Frank Abbott teaches a variety of courses at Kwantlen. This will be his fourth for TALK. Having chosen Quebec, China and Europe for his previous topics, he comes home to Canada for the latest. We are delighted to welcome him once again to our roster of stimulating speakers.
Canadians generally seem to think that we do not have a very long or very interesting history compared to many other countries, but this virtual bus tour to the many historically significant places across Canada will vigorously challenge that belief. This series will hopefully give participants an idea of our unique history with some thoughts on how to enjoy these sites as actual tourists today. 
 
Tue Feb 7 The Beginnings
The first destination will be Eastern Canada and several places associated with the French or the native peoples between 1600 and 1760. Our bus will stop at the well-known sites of Port Royal and Louisbourg in Acadia, and then journey on to the St. Lawrence Valley where we will visit Quebec City, the capital of New France, as well as some lesser known but interesting places such as Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons.

Tue Feb 14 The Abundant Blessings of British Rule
This week we will travel to the origins of English Canada’s democratic, economic and military history. Among the many places the bus lets us off, we will visit an early English colony in Newfoundland, an African Canadian settlement in Nova Scotia, the place where democracy began for the people of Quebec and sites in southern Ontario associated with the War of 1812.

Tue Feb 21 “A mari usque ad mare”
One hundred forty-five years of nationhood has given us a number of places from the Atlantic to the Pacific associated with Canada’s development as a nation since 1867. This is particularly true for Western Canada, as we will see when we cross the country from sea to sea, paying particular attention to the Prairie Provinces and British Columbia.

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Transformation for Success 

Sessions: 1
Date: Mon Feb 13
Time: 1 – 2:50 pm
Course Fee: $10
Location: Langley Campus, Room 2580
Facilitator: Ellie Halcrow, Tel: 604.532.7899, Cell: 604.315.1236
Please Register By: Mon Feb 6
Guest Speaker: Carol Lefevre, www.soulalchemyhealing.com 

The Secret to Changing Your Future
 
Mystics, shamans and some quantum physicists know that we create our reality by our thoughts, beliefs and perceptions. We are actually more powerful than we can even imagine. For most of us though, our experience tells us something entirely different. We feel that we are at the mercy of an outward reality, the victims of circumstances beyond our control. We try to change and control the circumstances and people around us in order to feel empowered.

This workshop is designed to take you through an intense process of manifestation and the basics of creation. You will receive tools that will assist you in becoming clear, focused and in touch with your desires. Learn how to make you desires a reality through several universal principles and techniques.

Carol Lefevre has her BA in Metaphysical Science and is an ordained Minister, Medical Intuitive, Applied Kinesiologist, Reiki Master, Feng Shui Specialist and a Business Advisor for a non-profit Entrepreneur Program. Carol specializes in using the subconscious mind to remove barriers and assist clients through major life challenges and transitions, assisting individuals to clarify, refine and attain their dreams or goals. She believes that we are actually more powerful than we can even imagine, that we all have the brilliance and power within to achieve our greatest dreams in life.

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BCIT Aerospace Tour

Sessions: 1
Date: Wed Feb 15
Time: 9:30 am—noon
Course Fee: $10
Location: BCIT Aerospace Technology Campus, 3800 Cessna Drive, Richmond
Facilitator: Al Sabey, Tel: 604.538.3209, alsabey@shaw.ca
Please Register By: Wed Feb 8
Guest Speaker: Jack Baryluk, Acting Associate Dean,BCIT Aerospace Programs

Back by popular demand!

There was a large waitlist when we ran this tour in the fall of 2011, so the BCIT campus has kindly agreed to welcome us again.
The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) 285,000 square foot Aerospace Technology Campus includes a 40,000 square foot hangar housing over 35 aircraft and training aids, and an air traffic control tower simulator.

This course will feature an introduction to how aspiring aviation technicians are trained in the extremely fast-changing and complex world of aviation technology, including electrical, mechanical and engine maintenance procedures. There will be guided tours of the BCIT classroom facilities and the hangar, with a look at aircraft in various stages of maintenance. All our questions will be answered by our guide, Jack Baryluk. Jack is an active instructor on all aspects of Aircraft Maintenance. 

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Global Water Scarcity

Sessions: 1
Date: Fri Feb 17
Time: 10 – 11: 50 am
Course Fee: $10
Location: Richmond Campus, Room 2530
Facilitator: Jean Garnett, Tel: 604.277.1130, jeangarnett@shaw.ca
Please Register By: Thu Feb 9
Guest Speaker: Dr. Ross Pink

Global Water Scarcity: Health, Human Rights and Environmental Challenges
 
Global population just reached seven billion. By 2050 it will reach nine billion. Yet only 2% of global water is drinkable and this amount is threatened every year by pollution and evaporation. Today, one billion people have no access to clean water and millions die each year from water borne disease.

The challenges in the developing world around clean and accessible water will be explored in this seminar that examines the current crisis and future trends.

Dr. Pink teaches International Relations and Comparative Government at Kwantlen. He holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of Leicester in England with a focus upon child rights.

Dr. Pink designed and taught a course on water rights at Corpus Christi College in Vancouver and organized two ‘Rights Now’ global development conferences that included symposiums on water and development. He has conducted field work on human rights in India and Thailand and was a 2003 keynote speaker for UNICEF Vancouver at the Annual Development Seminar.

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Ballet

Sessions: 2
Date: Tue Feb 28 & Mar 6
Time: 11:30 am – 1:20 pm
Course Fee: $15
Location: Surrey Campus, Fir Building, Room 128
Facilitator: Joanne Cunningham, Tel: 604.541.2432, joannecu@telus.net
Please Register By: Tue Feb 21
Guest Speaker: Margot McDermott

Margot McDermott presented a very popular ballet course, “En Pointe,” several years ago and has agreed once again to invite us into her world of ballet. Margot is a dancer, choreographer and ‘teacher extraordinaire’.

Tue Feb 28 Behind the Scenes at the Ballet

From the studio to the stage, learn how the dancer transforms himself/herself from the student in the classroom to the professional in performance (not unlike the transformation of the butterfly). We will look through the mirror to see the dedication, discipline, heartaches and triumphs in the daily life of a dancer. You will see how the body becomes the instrument that gives voice to the dancer’s soul.
The evolution of the art of ballet from the simplistic beginnings to today’s limitless capacity of innovative movement is an exciting journey through the advancement of anatomical knowledge to the freedom of artistic expression.

Ballet dancers are spiritual Olympians! --Jean Grand Maitre, Artistic Director of the Alberta Ballet

Tue Mar 6 The Rise, the Fall and the Rebirth of Ballet BC
 
In this session we will learn:

• How the seed for Vancouver to have its own professional ballet company was planted.
• How a professional arts organization can create its own demise.
• How Ballet BC has been “born again” and has become Canada’s most innovative dance company.
• How, with traditional ballet technique as its foundation, the new Ballet BC has broken all barriers of how the body can express its soul.
• You will meet members of the company, see video footage of the dancers in performance and experience the excitement of having this “tour de force” in dance at your doorstep!

Ballet BC is a jewel in our country’s cultural mosaic!!!

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A New Vision of Aging

Sessions: 2
Date: Wed Feb 29 & Mar 7
Time: 10 – 11:50 am
Course Fee: $15
Location: Surrey Campus, Fir Building, Room 124
Facilitator: Linda Coyle, Cell: 604.220.6856, linda.coyle@kwantlen.ca
Please Register By: Wed Feb 22
Guest Speaker: April Lewis, MSW, RSW

Wed Feb 29 Call us Zoomers, please!

We were important when we were young and we are still important; we’re simply older.--Moses Znaimer

Zoomers are baby boomers (and older) with zip and zest! This moniker is a rebranding of the 14.5 million Canadians over the age of 45, a graying tsunami which represents the largest demographic shift this country has ever seen.

For those of us who are Zoomers, we want to overturn society’s verdict that “old is irrelevant” and we want to show the world that Zoomers are vibrant and vital. Age isn’t a barrier to leading productive, meaningful and inspiring lives. Although we are often in transition, facing many losses and changes, baby boomers and seniors are remaining engaged and enthusiastic.

Learn about this new vision of aging; a vision that emphasizes engagement – a passion for living – for new experiences – for learning – for reinventing yourself.

We’ve come a long way baby … and we’re not done yet!

Wed Mar 7 The Joys and Perils of Living Alone

When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way.--Wayne Dyer

As Zoomers, over the age of 50, we may find that many of our relationships change. We may find ourselves alone after separation, divorce or widowhood. Our kids may have grown and left home. Our pets may have died. We may be retired by choice or not. Our friends may have moved away. Our previous roles may no longer exist. We may experience health problems.

During this time of transition, one is faced with grief and loss. Life as a Zoomer alone can prove challenging but it can also offer endless possibilities. Learn about the joys and perils of living alone and explore the importance of staying physically and socially active as well as forging new relationships during this time of our lives. Sex after sixty … you bet!

You are not leaving … you are arriving.--David Whyte, Poet

Our Speaker: After a career in health care spanning over 30 years, April Lewis suddenly found herself prematurely retired! Her long term marriage also ended, she sold her house, her cat died and her kids moved away!

She decided to reinvent herself as a self-employed speech and presentation coach and writer. She has a monthly Zoomer column in the Peace Arch News and teaches in the Leadership program at Douglas College. She is the volunteer Communications Director for the White Rock/Surrey chapter of CARP - A New Vision of Aging for Canada as well as the BC Representative.

April Lewis will share with humour and insight her story about her new life as a single Zoomer!

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Scams and Frauds

Sessions: 1
Date: Fri Mar 2
Time: 10 – 11:50 am
Course Fee: $10
Location: Richmond Campus, Room 2530
Facilitator: Priscilla Bollo, priscil@telus.net
Please Register By: Thu Feb 23
Guest Speaker: BC Securities Commission and Better Business Bureau

Many British Columbians have lost their life savings to risky or dangerous investments because they didn’t understand the risks, ask the right questions, do some research or get a second opinion.

If you encounter a sales pitch that sounds too good to be true -– STOP!

It’s a red flag that the investment might be a scam. These kinds of sales pitches are designed to push your buttons to appeal to your desires or fears that can lead to an impulsive, emotional or irrational investment decision. Everyone would like to find a great investment that provides guaranteed financial security but, unfortunately, some offers are just too good to be true.

The BC Securities Commission’s InvestRight seminar provides a wide range of tools to help investors develop critical thinking skills they need to protect themselves—information such as how to spot a fraud warning sign, types of scams and where to call to report a scam.
Sometimes the best investment you can make is the one you don’t make
.
The Better Business Bureau will talk about their Top 10 scams such as identity theft, business scams, lottery scams, social media scams, etc.

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Bicycle Touring in Europe

Sessions: 1
Date: Mon Mar 5
Time: 10 – 11:50 am
Course Fee: $10
Location: Richmond Campus, Room 2530
Facilitator: Judy Kennedy, Tel: 604.274.2408, j-l-kennedy@shaw.ca
Please Register By: Mon Feb 27
Guest Speaker: Keith Lang

Do you remember the wonderful sense of freedom when you rode your first bike? You can feel that again as you pedal your way to adventure on the bike paths of Europe.

Since 2004, Keith Lang has planned two-month tours of Europe on his bike. He is happy to share what he has learned about how to cycle tour and have a wonderful vacation. Keith will show you what training is needed, what equipment to take and where to find information on guide books and maps. Just about anybody can have fun touring on a bike, whether it is fully supported, via canal boat or independent.

You will meet many others of all ages enjoying this best way to see Europe. Why is it the best? It is the best because the next village is only a few kilometres down the road, where you can fuel up on great food, visit sights and museums and have a chance to meet interesting people. All without the hassle of driving a car or sitting on a bus.

Europe has thousands of kilometres of safe bicycle paths. All governments in Europe from the EU to the small town have for many years developed the best routes in the world. Currently the French are well on their way to developing the Loire system to rival the German/Austrian Danube path.
Keith has spent a collective total of 5½ years in Europe, and he is not done yet. London, Paris, Geneva, Berlin, Stockholm and Warsaw are a few of the cities he has toured on two wheels.

The course will consist of Keith’s sharing of information, a handout, a digital slide show and a question and answer session. If you have bicycle toured in the past or are looking for a new fun way to travel, this is for you.

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An Introduction to Music Appreciation

Sessions: 3
Date: Fri Mar 9, 16 & 23
Time: 10 – 11 :50 am
Course Fee: $22.50
Location: Richmond Campus, Room 2530
Facilitator: Margaret Edmonds, Tel: 604.272.8100, Cell: 604.644.0307, margedmonds@shaw.ca
Please Register By: Thu Mar 1
Guest Speaker: Patricia Smith, BA (Music), BEd, DEDU

Music, as a universal language, allows us to tap into the social, cultural and aesthetic traditions of different cultures and historical eras.
We become more aware of our shared humanity and the wisdom and vision of others.--Robert Greenberg, PhD

Are you curious about classical music? This course samples some of the “greatest hits” of selected Western composers from the 9th Century to the modern day, presented in a relaxed atmosphere with lots of great listening. From the simplicity of plainchant to the splendour of a polyphonic choral work; from the virtuosity of a solo performance to the magnificence of oratorio, symphony and opera, all supported by historical background and interesting anecdotes about the period and the composers.

Questions and suggestions are welcome.

Patricia Smith has always been passionate about music. At the age of forty-five she decided to live her dream of studying classical music. As well as music history and theory, she studied voice and has sung with choirs at the University of BC, Capilano University and the University of Victoria. Patricia has also played with the Balinese Gamelan Ensemble in the Ethnomusicology department at UBC’s School of Music.

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How to Blog

Sessions: 1
Date: Mon Mar 19
Time: 1 – 2:50 pm
Course Fee: $10
Location: Cloverdale Campus, Room 2113
Facilitator: Ellie Halcrow, Tel: 604.532.7899, Cell: 604.315.1236
Please Register By: Mon Mar 12
Guest Speaker: Lynne Robson, www.CrazyChameleon.ca

For over 13 years, Lynne Robson has been providing small businesses around the world with the tools to create and develop their virtual locations.
Everybody and their dog seem to be blogging these days. So what is it all about? Why do you blog? How do you blog? This workshop will strive to answer these questions and more.

Some of the Topics Covered:

• What platform is best
• Text, video, and audio blogging
• What to blog about
• Finding your target
• Scheduling your blogs
• Finding inspiration
• Finding content and images legally
• RSS Feeds, subscriptions, and monetizing your blog
• Incorporating Social Media

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The Psychology of Persuasion

Sessions: 1
Date: Mon May 7
Time: 10 – 11:50 am
Course Fee: $10
Location: Langley Campus, Room 2135
Facilitator: Linda Coyle, Cell: 604.220.6856, linda.coyle@kwantlen.ca
Please Register By: Wed May 2
Guest Speaker: Allan Thain

In this communication session, we will look at how Public Relations practitioners, using various tools and techniques, create campaigns that mold and shape our thinking. Some of these tools include media relations, media tours, newsletters, special events, speaking engagements, lobbying, sponsorships, employee relations and community involvement.

We’ll also take a look at how much you are being manipulated by media advertising and promotions. During the discussion part of the seminar we’ll explore the “psychology of persuasion” and how it might be used to assist your organization or business.

Allan Thain is a seasoned Communications Consultant with a successful career in radio, television, public relations, government and advertising. He’s been a Government Advertising and Communications Director and continues to advise senior level politicians on media strategies and issues management.

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Search Savvy -- Richmond

Sessions: 1
Date: Fri Mar 30
Time: 12:30 – 3:30 pm
Course Fee: $10
Location: Richmond Campus, Library Lab, Room 1206
Facilitator: Jean Garnett, Tel: 604.277.1130, Cell: 604.880.1343, jeangarnett@shaw.ca
Please Register By: Thu Mar 22
Guest Speaker: Alison Richardson and Sigrid Kargut, Kwantlen Librarians
Class Limit: 15 Participants

This hands-on workshop will get you diving into the world of 21st century research! Ever wanted to know a bit about how Google works behind the scenes? Learn some fun Google shortcuts and harness Google’s power with several advanced features like phrase, date and domain searching. Also learn about Google’s competitor Bing and its search features. Finally, is the library still relevant in the age of the Internet? Know when it is more efficient to start with a book and when it’s better to go online. Learn how to evaluate online information for trustworthiness and accuracy.

Basic computer and internet skills required. Having fun is also required!

Allison Richardson is the Trades and Electronic Resources Librarian at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She regularly teaches classes on online search skills and Internet resources.

Sigrid Kargut is the AV Collection Librarian and current Chair of the Librarians at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She regularly teaches library research sessions.

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Mythology in the Social World

Sessions: 4
Date: Tue Apr 3, 10, 17, 24
Time: 2 – 3:50 pm
Course Fee: $30
Location: Richmond Campus, Room 2520
Facilitator: Jean Garnett, Tel: 604.277.1130, Cell: 604.880.1343, jeangarnett@shaw.ca
Please Register By: Tue Mar 27
Guest Speaker: Ariadne Bursewicz

Humans are social beings who live in invisible webs of social values, expectations, and responsibilities. The social world always involves the conflict between individual and group. Through symbolic scenarios, myths provide guidelines and choices for every culture.

These four sessions will investigate different aspects of mythology in our social lives.

Tue Apr 03 Stories, the materials of myth, legend and folktale, are expressions of society and social structure transmitted through metaphor and symbol.

Tue Apr 10 How myths support and validate existing cultural systems of society.

Tue Apr 17 What happens when the completely selfish individual does exactly what he wants? Trickster stories provide hilarious answers.

Tue Apr 24 Who gets blamed for the crime that has no obvious criminal? Mythology provides scapegoats and monsters.
 
Ariadne Bursewicz is an anthropologist and writer. She taught anthropology at Langara College for over 36 years and developed a course on mythology. Her upbringing and education in Britain and Canada stimulated a lifelong fascination with mythology and symbolism. She is currently writing a book on mythology.

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Options for Care as We Age

Sessions: 1
Date: Fri Apr 20
Time: Noon to 1:50 pm
Course Fee: $10
Location: Surrey Campus, Fir Building, Room 124
Facilitator: Trevor Phillips, Tel: 604.536.1627, Cell: 604.760.1627, tphilli@shaw.ca
Please Register By: Thu Apr 12
Guest Speaker: Bonny Amor, BSN, RN

How do you know if you are getting ready to move into a facility? What are the questions a person and their family have to ask to determine when is the right time to make that move? What support systems are there out in the community to assist the elderly or infirm to enable them to stay longer in their own home? Who do you call to get the ball rolling if you want to make a change? What are the levels of care and how do we know where we fit? What is an assessment and who does this? These are a few questions that will be answered in this course.

We are the sandwich generation: parenting our parents. There will be a large number of us ‘baby boomers’ all wanting a finite number of assisted living places or intermediate to extended care beds in the future. What happens when there are more people than beds? Contact information for various community assistance programs and for Long Term Care itself will be handed out. Come and get your questions answered and have an in depth discussion about the inevitable!!

Bonny Amor has been nursing for over 35 years. She graduated from Ottawa Civic Hospital and has had a varied nursing career working for Home Care, Burnaby Hospital in ICU and ER, Fraser Health Professional Practice and Integration and Long Term Care. Bonny always wanted to go back to school to get her nursing degree and did so in 2003. She graduated with honors from Kwantlen with a BSN degree. She has been accepted into grad school.

Bonny retired from nursing a year ago, but missed the ‘hands-on’ nursing challenges so she is now working casually with the ‘Nurse Next Door’. The challenges families have with negotiating the Long Term Care system are formidable but she has been down that road, not only with her own mother and mother-in-law, neighbours and friends’ parents, but has also dealt with the system as her position as Director of Care warranted.

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Bard on the Beach

Sessions: 1
Date: Mon Apr 23
Time: 10 – 11:50 am
Course Fee: $10
Location: Surrey Campus, Fir Building, Room 128
Facilitator: Elizabeth Bordeaux, Tel: 604.538.1477, ebordeaux@shaw.ca
Please Register By: Mon Apr 16
Guest Speaker: Mary Hartman, Director of Education and Training, Bard on the Beach

This year’s Bard Workshop will cover Macbeth and King John. Our dynamic speaker, Mary Hartman, will give us details about these plays and the 2012 productions, information that greatly enhances our enjoyment of the performances. We expect to qualify once again for a student rate, allowing us a huge discount on the cost of tickets. Both performances will be matinees in June. You will be notified prior to the workshop what the ticket price will be and which performance dates we have reserved.

Sign up for the play(s) at the workshop on Apr 23. Please pay for your tickets by cheque made out to TALK; this greatly simplifies the bookkeeping for the facilitator. Two seats per person can be reserved at the front for anyone with disabilities, including hearing impairment.

King John,  Directed by: Dean Paul Gibson

Shakespeare’s history plays are a thrilling panorama of epic battles, political gamesmanship and larger-than-life heroes and villains and King John continues the great tradition.
 
Thirteenth century England and France are the backdrops to the story of John, younger brother of Richard the Lionheart. His questionable ascension to the English throne at the expense of the legitimate heir, his own nephew Arthur, is at the centre of this compelling tale. John’s relentless ambition drives him to betray his moral values and religious faith, as he plots to stay one move ahead in a high-stakes chess game where the winner takes the crown.

Macbeth, Directed by: Miles Potter

Seductive prophecy and devastating ambition are the forces that drive this dark and powerful tragedy. When three witches foretell that Macbeth will be King, the warrior lord and his ruthless wife decide to act on the prediction by murdering the rightful King Duncan in his bed.
Reality and fantasy blur and blood begets blood, until Macbeth is finally undone by the very prophecies that tempted him to seek ultimate power. 

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Prisons

Sessions: 1
Date: Wed Apr 25
Time: 1 – 2:50 pm
Course Fee: $10
Location: Cloverdale Campus, Room 2114
Facilitator: Ellie Halcrow, Tel: 604.532.7899, Cell: 604.315.1236
Please Register By: Wed Apr 18
Guest Speaker: Rodger Brock

Rodger Brock’s career spanned over 36 years with the Correctional Service of Canada, including 20 years as Penitentiary Warden and Assistant Deputy Commissioner. He has first hand experience managing the introduction of procedural fairness, women staff and various approaches to the management and treatment of offenders. He has a BA (Psychology) and a Masters of Social Work from the University of British Columbia.

Roger will share some reflections on the appropriate use of prisons and why you should care.

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Tips for Active Senior Backpackers

Sessions: 1
Date: Wed May 2
Time: 1 – 2:50 pm
Course Fee: $10
Location: Cloverdale Campus, Room 2114
Facilitator: Ellie Halcrow, Tel: 604.532.7899, Cell: 604.315.1236
Please Register By: Wed Apr 25
Guest Speaker: Rodger and Pamela Brock

Backpacking in Southeast Asia for Fit Seniors

Come and share Pamela and Rodger’s experiences backpacking around Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar and Indonesia. As independent travelers, these two active mid-60’s seniors travel light and cheap. They will share with you some of the practical tips and rules of the road they have learned and the ups and downs of extended trips.

This is not a travelogue, but a down-to-earth discussion of the practicalities of what to take, getting rooms as you go, dealing with money and language. You can follow their current trip on www.thegeripackers.com.

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Search Savvy -- Cloverdale

Sessions: 1
Date: Fri May 4
Time: 12:30 – 3:30 pm
Course Fee: $10
Location: Cloverdale Campus, Library Lab, Room 1330
Facilitator: Joanne Cunningham, Tel: 604.541.2432, joannecu@telus.net
Please Register By: Thu Apr 26 –
Guest Speaker: Alison Richardson and Sigrid Kargut, Kwantlen Librarians
Class Limit: 15 participants.

This hands-on workshop will get you diving into the world of 21st century research! Ever wanted to know a bit about how Google works behind the scenes? Learn some fun Google shortcuts and harness Google’s power with several advanced features like phrase, date and domain searching. Also learn about Google’s competitor Bing and its search features. Finally, is the library still relevant in the age of the Internet? Know when it is more efficient to start with a book and when it’s better to go online. Learn how to evaluate online information for trustworthiness and accuracy.

Basic computer and internet skills required. Having fun is also required!

Allison Richardson is the Trades and Electronic Resources Librarian at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She regularly teaches classes on online search skills and Internet resources.

Sigrid Kargut is the AV Collection Librarian and current Chair of the Librarians at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She regularly teaches library research sessions.

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The Other Birds

Sessions: 2
Date: Wed May 9 & 16
Time: 10 – 11:50 am
Course Fee: $15
Location: Richmond Campus, Room 2530 (May 9th) and Terra Nova Park (May 16th)
Facilitator: Mary Phillips, Tel: 604.271.8794, mmphillips52@telus.net
Please Register By: Wed May 2
Guest Speaker: Hugh Griffiths

The Other Birds: Beyond Chickadees, Sparrows, Pigeons and Crows

How many native species of birds can you name? How many can you identify by sight? If more than a dozen, then you yourself are a rare bird.

In any given year, more than 400 species of birds can be seen in British Columbia. A majority of these are present at one time or another somewhere in the Lower Mainland. However, even if you are an experienced, moderately active bird-watcher, you are likely to see only a small fraction of these species in a twelve-month period. This is because of the other birds—those that are seen so infrequently that they tend to slip below our collective radar. In a pair of sessions, we will learn about these lesser-known, yet not necessarily rare species. Some are difficult to detect because of their behaviour or preferred habitat. Others are migrants, providing only brief windows of opportunity to be encountered.

Wed May 9 The Talk

The first session will be a classroom presentation of local birds, including accounts of when and where to find them, starting with common fare and progressing to lesser known species. We will cover songbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl and birds of prey. The roles of licensed bird banders and other professional ornithologists in assessing the populations of seldom seen species will be discussed, as will the contributions to our knowledge of avifauna by those truly obsessed birders, the so-called “listers.”

Wed May 16 The Walk

The second week, near the height of spring migration, we will visit the Terra Nova Natural Area for a two-hour bird walk — one of the best locales in Richmond to see birds.

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History of American Art

Sessions: 2 in one day
Date: Fri May 11
Time: 10 am – noon and 1 – 3 pm
Course Fee: $15
Location: Surrey Campus, Cedar Building, Room 1205C (Conference Center Side C)
Facilitator: Phillip Warren, Tel: 604.946.4919, phillip_warren@telus.net
Please Register By: Thu May 3
Guest Speaker: Tom Siebold

Back by popular demand! Tom Siebold is a writer, consultant and educator who taught Advanced Placement Art History. Tom gave a great presentation in May 2011 on ‘How to Read a Painting’. He was so popular, we asked him to return.

In this course, participants will survey America’s rich and colorful history of painting from 1700 to World War II. The overview will focus on six developmental periods. For each period participants will first explore a dominant idea or philosophy that worked to shape the arts. This gives the art a historical basis and ties it to an emerging culture. Then, using selected slides, participants will view and discuss key works of art. Participants will gain an understanding of the connection between America’s intellectual history and its artistic tradition.

Note: You will need a full day parking permit.

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TALK Special Event

A Tour of the New VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre
5251 Oak Street at West 37th Avenue, Vancouver (free parking off 37th Avenue)

Date: Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Time: Please meet outside the centre at 9:45 am
Cost: TALK members free, Non-members $10
Facilitator: Joanne Cunningham, Tel: 604.541.2432, joannecu@telus.net
Please Register By: Tuesday, May 8

Join us for a guided tour of this new facility. The stunning $21.9 million visitor centre features advanced technology, a green roof and a beautiful orchid-inspired design.

The VanDusen Botanical Garden’s new visitor centre is one of North America’s first buildings to be certified under the ‘Cascadia Living Building Challenge’ (an internationally recognized certification for sustainability) and is destined to become one of Vancouver’s great landmarks and a premier community resource.

After the tour, enjoy a stroll in the gardens and lunch (at your expense) in the restaurant.

See more information at www.vandusengarden.org

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If you have any questions regarding the programs, please contact
Jean Garnett, Program Chair
Tel: 604.277.1130

 

Life-long Learning - TALK provides those over 50
with creative and stimulating educational activities.