In many ways we are what we remember. Mark Twain wrote, “Without memory we vanish – we cease to exist – our past is wiped out…”

It is scary: the fear of not being conscious of whom we are, starting with the gradual decline in remembering simple tasks – where did I park my car? We see the affects all around us – loved ones and friends who are just a shadow of their former selves and it tears at our hearts. And we ask ourselves, is that our future?
But Mark Twain continues, “…and yet we pay little attention to it except when it fails us- we do precious little to exercise it, to nurture it, to build it, to protect it.” Is there anything we can do to prevent or at least slow down the gradual deterioration of our memory? Or is it too late and as Satchel Paige once said, “If I knew I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself.” To find out, my wife and I attended an OHSU Brain Awareness lecture in Portland on “Aging Brain Plasticity: It’s Never Too Late to Learn or Improve” featuring Carl Cortman, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia at UC Irvine. (I really wonder how well my brain does function because I took her to this lecture instead of “Brain Chemistry for Lovers “Where the Art of Song meets the Science of Love”.)

I will skip the hippocampus and anti-amyloid therapies (I just mention those to give the impression I know what I am talking about.) and instead I will save you $25 and summarize in one word the main point of Dr. Cortman’s presentation: exercise. That’s it. Even though we live in a knowledge based society and our thinking skills are more important, we are less active which ironically contributes to our cognitive decline. One reason exercise is beneficial, particularly aerobic exercise, is because it increases the level of a chemical in the brain named BDNF – Dr. Cortman describes BDNF as brain fertilizer – which encourages neurons to form new synapses and strengthen existing ones. He described research that shows exercising three times a week can reduce the risk of dementia by 32% which rivals some medicines in their effectiveness. Exercise is good for your heart and there is now research to show it is also good for your brain.

If you want more information, go to the OHSU Brain Awareness web site at www.oregonbrains.org, or Sharp Brains at www.sharpbrains.com. They are both excellent resources on brain development and brain health. And in future columns I will address the three other pillars of brain health: balanced diet, stress management, and brain exercise.

There is an incredible amount of health information available on the Internet, but where can you find information that is accurate, understandable and easily accessible? The fine folks from the Planetree Health Resource Center will answer that question when they present “One Stop Shopping for Health Information on the Internet” on Monday March 2th at 1:00 in the Center’s basement computer lab. There is space for only ten people. You can sign up at the Center by calling 296-4788.

And for the final flourish, Jerry Tanquist will speak about Wasco County’s role in how the Union Pacific Railroad came to be this Saturday at 1:30 in the upstairs courtroom of the 1859 Courthouse behind the Chamber of Commerce; Jim Bishop and Mike Kilkenney will discuss the latest changes in Reverse Mortgages at the Center on Tuesday at 11:00 AM and tonight at 7:00 pm at the Center the Olde Tymers will be playing country western for your dancing and listening pleasure.

Well that is enough for my little brain to convey in one week. Until we meet again, keep smiling, keep thinking and keep moving.

“The more you use your brain, the more brain you will have to use.” George Dorsey – WWII veteran

The one thing in life that doesn’t change is change. And whether it is the price of gas or the space for this column, nothing remains the same. I am extremely fortunate – and the envy of many – to have the opportunity to write a weekly column sharing information that will help us all age well. But with the Chronicle making positive changes to meet the challenges in the newspaper business, I need to reduce the length of this column. So in the next several weeks I will rethink the column’s purpose and content to make the best of this opportunity. If you have any suggestions or thoughts you can call, write or e-mail me or just stop me in the store. And although as I am writing this column today it feels like I am trying to squeeze into an old pair of pants to look good for the forty year high school reunion, I will try to follow Thomas Jefferson’s advice “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”

The Next Chapter Lecture on the 24th at 11:00 will feature Duane Francis CEO and President of the Mid-Columbia Medical Center. Duane will discuss the exciting changes occurring at MCMC and the future of the health care industry. It is a changing landscape with many challenges ahead. One illustrative example: every year in the US, 33,000 doctors are retiring and only 8,000 are graduating from medical schools.
The Great Decision group will meet again on Wednesday February 25th to discuss “U.S. and the Rising Powers”. Great Decisions is a national program of the Foreign Policy Association to help the public better understand important foreign policy issues facing the U.S. Twenty-eight folks attended the first meeting which was used to get acquainted and organized. Thanks to Dorothy Rooper for urging me to reestablish the series and to Ken Farner for facilitating the first meeting. You can still sign up by calling the center or e-mailing me. With the changes in American leadership there seems to be an increased interest in global issues.
There is plenty of history in The Dalles and Wasco County to get your brain synapses snapping. A reservoir of local historical information can be found on the Internet at www.historicthedalles.org. You can find picture puzzles of historical sites and learn more about the Oregon Territorial Express Stagecoach Mail Run arriving in The Dalles in September.

The Theater Company of The Dalles presents the popular and entertaining comedy “The Odd Couple” starting Feb 19, at 7:30 at the CGCC Little Theater in Building 2. Adults $12, students and seniors $10. More information at www.thetheatrecompany.org.
In Hood River, the Cast presents another comedy “The Foreigner”, continuing through February 28th including a special 2:00 matinee on the 22nd. The setting is a rural fishing lodge in Georgia where Charlie – Froggy’s shy friend – is introduced as being from a foreign country unable to speak English. Charlie hears more than he should creating fun filled misadventures. Adults $15, seniors and students $12.
Thanks to Mill Creek Point, the Center’s lounge – or you could say living room – is more comfortable and inviting with the addition of four used but good condition stuffed chairs. Because of Mill Creek Point’s major expansion, the chairs were no longer needed, but were exactly what we have been searching for. The Center appreciates their generosity.

For the Center’s Tuesday Night Music and Dance on the 24th, the Olde Tymers will return to play “music from the days when gas was 22 cents a gallon”. Enjoy a night out on the town with fine music and good friends. The music starts at 7:00 and admission is free although donations are gladly accepted. Everybody is welcome.
And a last minute addition, The Center’s NU-2-U Shop is having a $1 a Bag Sale this Thursday from 10:00 – 2:00 to make room for spring items. Come by and check it out.

That’s another week. Until we meet again, “brevity is the soul of wit”.

As we age, we all gain different insights. Some we share: how the same things your kids did that made you so mad seem so cute when your grandkids do them; some we keep to ourselves: how many times we have to get up in the middle of the night – and it’s not to check whether the doors are locked.

Hugh Downs, TV personality, shared with Connie Goldman and Phillip Berman for their book “The Ageless Spirit” one of the most valuable insights he has learned: “he didn’t have to hate anybody”. “When I was very young, I had a lot of hatreds that came from fears. Now there’s nobody to fear, and therefore there’s nobody I hate. That’s a great freedom, because hate, as somebody said, is a weapon you wield by the blade, and it just cuts you up. But if you don’t fear, you don’t hate. There’s a great liberty in (that).”

For Hugh Downs hatred came from fear, but it can also grow from anger or feeling injured. And as with our fears, we can let go of our sense of injury or anger by forgiving. And it too can set us free.

Forgiving can free us from our self absorption with past injustices and because we are no longer shackled to the past, we can move forward to a brighter and more positive future. And the beauty of forgiving is that it is about you and not the other. It is within your power to forgive. It is within your power to just let go.

There is a time to forgive, to heal, to move on, but when and how is unique to each individual and may take time to travel the road towards forgiveness. It is a personal choice, a heartfelt choice to forgive and let go without any consideration of the forgiven. It is unconditional and without reciprocity. And as it is important, it is not easy. A Gallup poll found that 94% of the folks sampled said it was important to forgive, but 85% said they needed some outside help to be able to forgive.

Who has touched your soul like a hot iron that you have found so hard to forgive? A trusted friend, a loved one, a business partner, yourself, God?

As part of the Healthy Aging series, this coming Thursday at 1:00, Fern Wilcox from Wasco County Extension will discuss “To forgive or not to forgive: That is the Question”. You will learn that forgiveness is not forgetting, not condoning, not reconciliation nor self-sacrifice and not a clear-cut, one time decision, while gaining a better understanding of what forgiveness is. You will learn steps to forgiveness that may help you along this difficult personal journey. Maybe Thomas S. Szasz’s was on to something when he said “The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.”

This Saturday – which is Oregon’s 150th birthday – starting at 1:30 The Original Courthouse Regional History Forum features John Lundell celebrating the Oregon statehood sesquicentennial with a presentation on Wasco County’s “Three Courthouses: From Statehood to Oregon’s 150th Birthday” (And since Wasco County celebrated its own sesquicentennial five years ago, contrary to the rest of the state, we can all correctly pronounce “sesquicentennial”. Right?)

Providing another opportunity to get out and dance, Steve Hudson is offering Line Dancing at the Center on Friday nights from 6:00 – 8:30. One advantage of Line Dancing is you don’t have to have a partner. You can leave your stuck-in-the-sofa spouse – who can dance but won’t – at home and still have a good time. Or if you are unattached you don’t have to feel uncomfortable walking in the door alone. Come down by yourself or with a friend and dance the night away. The night is open to all ages and there is a suggested donation of $3 for a single, $5 for a couple and $6 for a family.
When Dave Warren and Gordon Macleod approached me about hosting a “Jam and Dance” at the Center on every fourth Sunday from 2 – 5 pm, I thought “why not?” Just bring your guitar, bass, accordion or bassoon and come join the sing around. In addition to the fourth Sundays, The Dallesport Jammers will be playing at the Center on the fifth Sundays. You can also find them playing around the area on the first, second and third Sundays and I’ve been told many times where, but at times I seem to resemble the quote, “Everyone has photographic memories. Some just don’t have any film.”
If you also like to perform solo or just like to listen, Jim Pryts, manager of Cherry Heights Retirement Community and guitar strummer is hosting an “Open Mic Showcase” every 2nd Saturday (the 14th of this month) where acoustic musicians, songwriters, singers, poets and bassoon players can showcase their talents. Call 541-296-6880 to sign up or to find more information.

And there has been a last minute music change. Tonight “The Jazz Generations” will be filling in for the originally scheduled Notecrackers and will also be playing next Tuesday the 17th. We hope to see the Notecrackers back next month. Admission is free but donations are appreciated. Dancing starts at 7:00 and everyone is invited.

Next Tuesday the 17th at 11:00 Dr. PK Swartz will share his story and pictures of his adventure to Antarctica “the coldest, highest, windiest, driest, and iciest continent on earth” in 1960-1961as part of the U. S. Navy’s Operation Deep Freeze. is a fascinating account of creating a livable environment under very difficult circumstances while doing valuable scientific research.

There is more, but there is neither time nor space. So until we meet again, to speak the truth you may need to hold your tongue.

“Forgiveness is the answer to the child’s dream of a miracle by which what is broken is made whole again, what is soiled is again made clean.” Dag Hammarskjöld
And a different perspective from the curmudgeon, Oscar Wilde “Always forgive your enemies – nothing annoys them so much.”

Wednesday (11) Taco Casserole
Thursday (12) Valentine Party – BBQ or Plain Pork Roast
Friday (13) Sweethearts Salisbury Steak with Hearty mashed potatoes
Monday (16) Beef Stroganoff over noodles
Tuesday (17) BIRTHDAY DINNER!! Turkey and Dressing

Senior Center Activity Schedule:
Wednesday (11): Seniorcise 9:15; Computer Basics 10:30; “Young at Heart” Serenaders 10:30; Pool 1:00; Strong Women 2:00
Thursday (12): Yoga 9:30; Tap and Clogging 10:00; Wii Bowling Practice 1:00 – 2:00; Pinochle 1:00 – 3:00; MOW Bingo 6:00
Friday (13): Seniorcise 9:15; Learn the Wii 10:00; Pool 1:00; Wii Bowling Practice 1:00 – 2:00; Bridge 1:00; AARP Tax Aide 3:00 – 6:00
Saturday (14): Coffee and Cribbage 9:00; AARP Tax Aide 9:00 – 1:00; MCSC Bingo 6:00 PM
Monday (16): AARP Driver Safety 9:00; Seniorcise 9:15; Quilters 10:00; Computer Basics 10:00; Strong Women 2:00; Wii Bowling Night 6:30
Tuesday (17): AARP Driver Safety 9:00; Yoga 9:30; Next Chapter Lecture Series “Operation Deep Freeze – Antarctica 1960-1961” 11:00; “Yes, You Can Draw!” 2:15; Music “Jazz Generations” 7:00

There are times when you have a thought to share or story to tell but the words just don’t ring right. This seems to be one of those times, but fortunately there is much to share from history to taxes to music.

History is all around us: Fort Dalles Museum, Celilo, Rock Fort, Balch Hotel, and the Rorick House are just a few of the many historic places in Wasco County. We are a county with a proud history to appreciate and celebrate. (What other local newspaper has a feature like Roger Nichol’s Sunday challenge to identify local historical photographs?) The Original Courthouse Regional History Forum Series is an opportunity to learn more about our colorful and rich history. The series starts Saturday February 7th at 1:30 pm in the upstairs courtroom of the 1859 Courthouse located at 410 W 2nd Street behind the Chamber of Commerce. The first topic will be the fascinating story of Orlando Humason, devoted pioneer and the “Father of Wasco County” presented by local art teacher Sonja Little who has created a fresh retelling of Orlando’s story.

I was close but not quite right on the times for the free AARP Tax Aide Program starting this Friday in the basement of the Center. The actual hours are 3:00 – 6:00 on Fridays and 9:00 – 1:00 on Saturdays. For the first several weeks, the lines are long (first come, first serve), but you will have plenty of time as the program continues through April 11th. Every year there are changes in the tax laws and the AARP volunteers are trained and tested to make sure they are up to speed. To help prepare you for your visit with the AARP tax aide volunteer or with your own tax preparer, here are three of Jim’s Tantalizing Tax Tips.

“1. When visiting your tax preparer, you should know the amount of the Stimulus Payment you received or were credited for in 2008. This figure may affect both your 2008 federal and state returns. 2. Persons who paid property taxes in 2008 should bring a record of the amount paid. This will be used in itemizing deductions or will be a calculated deduction in addition to the standard deduction. 3. Taxpayers over age 62 who may owe Oregon Tax should bring a record of their medical expenses for 2008. In many cases preparers can use the standard deduction for federal and itemize deductions for Oregon only.”

Next Tuesday, as part of the Center’s Next Chapter Lecture Series, Gregory Keilman local chiropractor will be discussing “How to Stay Young the First 100 Years”. I imagine none of us really want to live forever – forever is an awfully long time- but we do want to live a healthy and productive life as long as possible. Dr. Keilman will help us understand what we can do to make that happen. The lectures are every Tuesday and start at 11:00 AM.

At the Center on Tuesday February 10th the Notecrackers will be back performing vintage music for you dancing pleasure. They have been performing and entertaining folks at the Center for over four years and we really appreciate their support. And performing tonight will be the Cherry Park Band, formerly known as Harold and Friends, who always draw a good crowd. The music starts at 7:00; admission is free – there is never a cover charge – but donations are appreciated. All ages are welcome.

There are many opportunities to sway, glide or stumble to the music in the Gorge: square dancing, tango lessons, tap and clogging and belly dancing (which I think I will skip. It is hard enough to get my feet moving in the right direction, let alone my stomach). Every Friday the Cherry Park Grange, located at Lambert and Old Dufur Road, hosts an evening of line dancing. It is open to singles and couples of all ages. Lessons start at 6 pm, followed by open dancing until 9 p.m. Cost is $3 per person, $5 per couple or $6 for the whole family, but admission is free for first-time visitors. Call (541) 993-3540 for more information.

And remember, dancing is good for the body and soul. So don’t feel shy or embarrassed to get up and have a good time. As the Japanese Proverb states, “We’re fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance.”

The Center has been invited to participate in the national “Go Red for Women Day” this Friday February 6th. As part of this special day calling attention to heart disease among women, the Mid-Columbia Medical Center, Planetree Health Resources Center and Wasco-Sherman Public Health Department are sponsoring a Heart Walk at 1:00 and a free Health Expo at the Civic Auditorium from 11am till 2 pm. Besides free health screenings, heart healthy food samples and recipes, raffle drawings, an Oasis from Stress there will be interactive exhibits and that is where the Center will be involved. At the Center we have found Wii bowling and the other Wii games a great way to get out of your seat, get moving and have fun. Several of us from the Center will be at the Civic demonstrating and teaching you how to play this #1 video game. And we promise, guaranteed or your money back, you will be so good from our expert instruction; you will want to challenge – and beat – your grandkids. For more information contact Go Red coordinators Michelle Spatz and Linda Stahl at 298-8444.

Well there was much to share so I didn’t have time to ponder the imponderables. I will have to leave that heavy lifting for another day. But let me leave you with a few more words from Carl Kramer, the sage of the senior center, “To live long, take small steps and keep your eyes open”. So watch your step and if I don’t see you between now and then, we’ll meet again next week. Same time, same place.

“History is merely a list of surprises. It can only prepare us to be surprised yet again.” Kurt Vonnegut, author and Hoosier

Senior Living January 27th 2008

I found that birthdays sure generate mixed emotions when you have passed the magical age of sixty. It can be a nice excuse to take your wife out to Cousins for dinner (although I shouldn’t need an excuse) or buy that new technological gadget. But it is also a time when you look ahead and the horizon seems a little closer than the day before. You play the game of feigning non-interest and embarrassment while appreciating the well wishes from friends and acquaintances (and even a special voice message from a good friend singing happy birthday). But why? Is it again an expression of denial, trying to ignore the inevitable, a reminder that we aren’t built to be here on this earth forever.

I imagine my friends in their eighties and nineties are just smiling at my ambivalence and gyrations. I imagine they are thinking “these boomers need to just get over it” and appreciate what you do have (or as the Frenchman thought when an attractive young woman passed by “if only I was eighty again”). Carl Kramer about to celebrate his 101st birthday in March keeps it in perspective by saying as long you can get your boots on and your feet touch the floor it is a good day. Amen.

We are fortunate to live at a time when the average life expectancy in the U.S. is 78, up 30 years since 1900 and up 10 years since 1950, according to the Census Bureau. There is even new terminology used by the professionals on aging calling those younger than 80 the “young old,” and those younger than 65 as the “near old. But the real benefit of aging is “been there, done that and learned from it,” said David Reuben, head of geriatric medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles. And because of the experience that comes with age, some professionals such as orchestra conductors and diplomats peak in their 60s and 70s. A recent example is George Mitchell who was just appointed by President Obama to be his special envoy to the Middle East and was born in 1933 (I give you his year of birth so you have to do the mental math. And remember it is 2009!) One of the swimmers I coach asked me how old I was, but not wanting to scare her and say sixty-one, I just answered “Old enough to appreciate each day”. It is just as Mark Twain once said “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”

We are also fortunate to have the Transportation Network (formerly known as LINK) providing door to door rides in The Dalles area including Mosier. To reserve a ride you need to call 296-7595 and make your reservation by 3:00 for a ride the next business day, but you should try to make your request as early as possible. There is limited capacity so they cannot guarantee a ride every time, but they will do their best to accommodate every request. The fares range from $1.50 to $5.00 one way and you will need exact change. The Transportation Network service hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 – 5:00 PM excluding most holidays.

The Network also provides a weekly ride into Portland. Every Thursday morning the bus leaves the The Dalles Transportation Center at 7:30, stops at the Gateway Max Station at 9:10, OHSU at 9:45 and Clackamas Town Center at 10:30. For the return trip it retraces its steps and leaves Clackamas Town Center at 2:15, OHSU at 3:00, Gateway Max Station at 3:30 and arrives back in The Dalles at 5:10.Cost is $8 one way and there are no reservations so it is first come, first seat.

On February 3rd, Tuesday Night Music and Dance will host Harold and Friends starting at 7:00 pm. When I recently talked to Harold they were considering changing the name of the band to The Cherry Park Band. So whether it is Harold and Friends or the Cherry Park Band you will find gifted musicians playing great music for your listening and dancing pleasure. And playing tonight will be the Jazz Generations, which like a fine wine gets better with age. The music starts at 7:00 and admission is free although donations are gladly accepted. And not just anybody, but everybody is welcome.

The Next Chapter Lecture Series will present Thomas Koelker of Heart of Gold Caregivers to speak on the topic of “Selecting an In-home Caregiver”. Today there are many options for care and one many seniors choose is hiring an in-home caregiver. But what should you be looking for to make the right choice? Find out at the Center’s next lecture on Tuesday February 3rd at 11:00 AM.
Lyn and Jann Dalton wanted me to announce they have added some new games and larger payouts to the Saturday Night Bingo lineup. As the weather starts getting friendlier, we are seeing more new folks out experiencing this American pastime. And if you are busy on Saturday nights there is always Meals-on-Wheels Bingo on Thursday Night. Doors open by 4:30 and games start at 6:00.

When Fern Wilcox discussed this mode of expression that is good for the body, mind and spirit called laughter, she shared one fact suggesting we may be taking life a little too seriously: children laugh 400 times a day while adults laugh only 25 times a day. I know children don’t have all the responsibilities and commitments and their humor includes farting and belching, but we have late night comedians, the comic pages and ourselves. As adults we should set a goal of laughing at least 200 times a day, make up the difference with 200 smiles and count it good.

So until we meet again, put a grin on your face, a bounce in your step and a little love in your heart.

I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.
– Dr. Seuss

For the last several weeks I have focused on the Senior Center: past and future. But I have always wanted this column to be about more than just the Center. I am proud of all the activities the Center provides and will continue to share those with you, but I also want to share the many other opportunities available in the community plus information I have come across that will help us all age well. This third chapter of our lives is full of challenges (my knees, my eyes, my bladder) but also full of opportunities. There are many lessons we have learned – sometimes painfully – that prepares us for this next chapter. With the right attitude and perspective, we can still say “the best is yet to come”.

One such opportunity is available for low and moderate income homeowners in Wasco County, but to make it possible we we need your help. Columbia Cascade Housing is applying for a federal grant to expand the Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program into Wasco County. It is already available in Sherman County. The loan program enables low and moderate income homeowners to fund repairs and upgrades to their homes using local contractors. Eligible homeowners can receive up to a $30,000 no interest loan that is deferred until the sale or transfer of ownership by the last surviving borrower or when the property is no longer the primary residence of the borrower.
This grant program could particularly help seniors by addressing health and safety issues such as repairing a roof, painting, replacing windows and improving handicap accessibility so they can stay in their homes longer.
It is a competitive process and one of the requirements for the application is a list of potential residents who could qualify for this loan program. If you are interested in this rare opportunity and think you might qualify or would just like more information, contact John Hutchinson at the Mid-Columbia Housing Resource Center at 296-5462. The grant application needs to be completed by the end of February, so don’t hesitate. If the grant application is successful, the funding could be available by the beginning of this summer.

The Center is fortunate to have Corliss Marsh teaching the Tai Chi class on Tuesdays from 1:00 to 1:45 and also the Computer Help Lab from 1:45 – 3:00. But she would like her students to know she will be out of town for the first three weeks of February and will return for her classes on February 24th.

As we continue along life’s path, we will inevitably encounter deep personal pain from a loss. But there are many resources available to help us through those difficulties times. Heart of Hospice is sponsoring a bereavement seminar for anyone who has experienced grief. The seminar is based on the book, “Understanding Your Grief” by Alan Wolfelt and begins Wednesday, January 28th from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. The nine week seminar will meet in the lower level community room in the Commodore at 312 Court Street. There will be group discussions on the weekly readings, journaling, and group exercises. There is no charge for anyone who would like to attend and the class can accommodate up to 10 individuals so please call 541-993-3362 to pre-register.
Heart of Hospice also supports an informal bereavement day group that meets on Thursdays at 10:00 in the Commodore II lower level community room at 312 Court Street

Now that it’s a new year, many folks have been wondering, when is Ronelle Currie and her cadre of volunteers going to start the AARP Tax Aide program? Well, the answer is Friday, February 6th. The program will be available from 3:00 – 6:00 on Fridays and 9:00 – 12:00 through April 11th.
For the Next Chapter Lecture on Tuesday January 27th, Freda Wasson and Robin Fritts, Licensed Massage Therapists, will be presenting the “The Joy of Massage”. This presentation was scheduled for last month but was postponed because of the weather, which wasn’t my idea. I was hoping to be the only one to show up and enjoy a nice relaxing, stress reducing massage all by myself. But I was persuaded that it wasn’t all about me and that Freda’s and Robin’s skills should be shared with a larger audience. So here again is your chance to experience and learn more about the health benefits of massage.

Every Tuesday night is music night at the Center with good sounds and high stepping. Next Tuesday at 7:00 pm the Jazz Generations are playing and if you like to dance this night is for you. And don’t forget tonight. The Gorge Strings are playing fiddle, folk and gospel including some good dancing tunes, but you better hurry. For this night only the music starts at 6:00 pm. Admission is always free and all ages are welcome.

“Powerful Tools for Caregivers” is returning to the Center on Tuesday February 3rd from 2:00 – 3:30 for six consecutive Tuesdays. The class provides family caregivers with the skills and confidence to better care for themselves while caring for others. Many caregivers have found this class beneficial, including those caring for a spouse or partner and adult children caring for their parents. You can register for the class by calling the Center at 296-4788.

And finally I have to admit, this week I’m turning 61. Yes, I know I may look only 45 (or is it 55? or maybe 65?), but I guess I embody the classic quote “Inside every older person is a young person, wondering what the hell happened.” I continue to stay optimistic by avoiding mirrors, ladders and shoes with laces and am still looking forward to the next day.

So until we meet again, don’t take life to seriously because “Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional”. ~Chili Davis

For the last two weeks I have identified what I thought were the top 10 Senior Center highlights of 2008. But that is the past. It’s done, kaput, over. So what about the future? Will it be as John Sladek predicts “…exactly like the past, only far more expensive”? Or as Dan Quisenberry suggests”… much like the present, only longer”? As I look into my trusty Chrystal Ball I see many exciting opportunities for the Center to help folks explore, connect and contribute so they can live longer and healthier lives.

During 2009 I see a challenging but eventually successful community campaign to expand the Senior Center. The need is great: from the obvious, an indoor elevator, to the more visionary, leased medical office space to increase medical access for seniors.

I see the Center continuing to provide more opportunities for folks to explore their world while discovering new talents and interests. Those opportunities include:

New Creative Writing classes starting this spring. Just this Sunday I learned of two friends who are writing books. One has been working on his for about twenty five years and every year has been promising to finish it by next year. Well, we all have only so many next years, so he is working to fulfill his promise this year. The other friend, a local business person, is working on three books with one being more of a life story for his children and their children. Both instances remind me of the quote from Virginia Woolf:

“Each has his past to shut in him
like the leaves of a book
known to him by heart
and his friends can only read the title.”

Opportunities to learn about the brain and brain fitness. There is continuing research that shows that “aging does NOT always lead to a pronounced decline and loss of cognitive ability”. And there are steps you can take to keep your brain healthy and fit including eating well, volunteering, engaging in new activities, playing word games, exercising, journal writing and connecting with friends and family.

Expanding the Computer Lab by starting monthly presentations on specific topics such as how to use your computer to download and store pictures, video conference with your kids and grandkids and watch movies and TV shows.

Discussions about global issues. The Center is hosting a Great Decisions group that will start meeting monthly on January 28th. Great Decisions is “a nation-wide program of the Foreign Policy Association to broaden public involvement with the most important foreign policy topics facing the U.S” and provides accurate and unbiased analysis about eight different global issues from Cuba to the Global Food Production.

If any of these opportunities intrigue you or you would like more information call the Center at 296-4788 or email me at smckay1948@gmail.com.

On Tuesday the 20th the Gorge Strings will be performing. I had erroneously announced that it was the Gorge Winds, which I hoped did not panic too many of their members. The Gorge Strings is a little different than our regular fare, so it should be a real treat. And tonight our loyal second Tuesday performers, the Notecrackers, will be playing for your dancing pleasure. Admission is always free although donations are appreciated. Everybody is welcome.

Jerry Tanquist reminded me that the Next Chapter Lecture this coming Tuesday falls on Inauguration Day. He and I imagine many, many others will be watching this historical, once in a lifetime event. So we have decided to postpone Jerry’s presentation on the “The Deschutes River Railroad Race” until March 10th. Instead I will find some way to show the Inauguration at the Center in case you want to come over and watch. I believe the swearing in is at 8:30 our time.

And also on Tuesday starting on the 20^th at 2:15 is the second installment of the “Yes, You can Draw” class taught by Nancy Russell. Call the Center to sign up.

Last month’s AARP Driver Safety Class was canceled because the snow kept most everyone in doors and off the roads which was probably a good thing. But the January class will be next week on Monday and Tuesday from 9:00 – 1:00. Dennis Davis (I keep wanting to call him Dennis Day – I wonder what that says about my age.) has done an outstanding job replacing Dick Frost. If you feel January is a little anti-climatic and you need something to perk the month up, this class just might be the answer. Don’t hesitate to call the Center at 296-4788 to sign up.

Unfortunately, we missed last month’s Saturday Breakfast because of the white blanket of snow that covered everything. So we are looking forward for the pent up demand to explode this coming Saturday morning. This month’s menu includes pancakes, scrambled eggs, fruit and the regular beverages. It is a team effort that makes the breakfast possible. Bonnie is the head cook, with Edna planning, Sandy washing, Jerry pouring and the Boy Scout Troop #395 busing the tables. The breakfast is for the whole community and is open to all ages. And as we always say “Breakfast always tastes better when someone else cooks it!”

As with most all non-profits, volunteer help is critical to the success of the Center. One Center activity that provides over 15 % of our revenue is Saturday Night Bingo. Every Saturday, Lyn and Jann Dalton arrive around 4:00 and seldom leave before 9:30 to make sure the show goes on. Lyn is the Bingo caller and Jann has the critical job of selling the bingo cards. Together they work hard to make sure everyone has a good time playing this grand American pastime. So a big thanks for their contribution and loyal support of the Senior Center. And they would like to thank all the bingo players who show up every Saturday Night to play and support the Senior Center. Unfortunately they have yet to figure out a way to persuade the IRS to count your bingo expenses (donations?) as a tax deduction.

Well that is another week. Until the next time, keep looking ahead, because as George Burns once said “Look to the future, because that is where you’ll spend the rest of your life.”

2008 was a good year. And last week I was only able to get half way through my reflections on last year’s Top Ten Senior Center highlights. So with speed and haste, the rest of the story.

5. The Computer Lab – There is a vast range of computer literacy among older adults. Some seniors use the Internet to play bridge with partners all over the world or video conference with their kids, while other seniors have no idea what a mouse is. (It is not the furry little creature that scurries under your cupboards). You may be one of many seniors who had no desire to learn about computers, until that fateful conversation when your kids informed you they are going to do you a favor and start sending pictures of the grandkids by E-MAIL! “Mom it’s really easy! And it’s so convenient.” “Convenient for who?” you thought and immediately wondered where you could learn to use these evil alien devices that your children find so indispensible. Fortunately we have three excellent teachers who know all about computers and have the patience to work with beginners. The Help Lab is available on most Tuesdays from 1:45 – 3:00 and the Basic Computer classes will start again in February. And thanks again to Rhett Mullins, now a TDWHS sophomore, and Google for making the lab possible.

4. Network on Aging – Over the years we have enjoyed strong, collaborative relationships with many partners. As a result the Area Agency on Aging, Hospice of the Gorge, Columbia Basin Care Facility and the Senior Center worked together to establish the Network on Aging: an association of providers that meets monthly to network, educate and advocate in order to better support seniors. One immediate result of this network was the Center’s collaboration with Visiting Health Services expanding the Center’s Loan Closet. With their professional help and the Center’s ability to store and obtain used equipment, the Center is now able to lend more equipment including shower seats, commodes, safety rails for beds, and grab bars as well as wheelchairs and walkers.

3. The Community Campaign for the Center Expansion- The Center has been planning this effort for over a year and the preliminary work has been completed. With the help of Design Structures we have basic architectural plans with a realistic cost estimate, with the help of the City of The Dalles we have Planning Commission approval, with the help of Columbia Gorge Community College we have a business plan and with the help of the Mid-Columbia Medical Center we have the brochures for the capital campaign. Like the United Seniors 25 years ago we are committed and excited about completing the Senior Center Expansion. It will meet the needs for the future and fulfill the dreams of the past by providing more opportunities for older adults to explore their world, connect with friends and contribute to their communities, so they can live longer and healthier lives.

2. The volunteers – The strength of any organization is its volunteers. At the Center we have committed and caring volunteers who do all kinds of large and small tasks: managing the bookkeeping, running Bingo, operating the NU-2-U shop, serving on the board, moving tables, opening the building, shoveling snow, answering the phones, and correcting the mistakes in my column. Volunteers contribute over a hundred hours a week, equivalent to 2 1/2 full time employees to support the Center.

1. All the folks who walk through the doors of the Senior Center. Every year we see new faces come and unfortunately we also see some old faces go. When you first walk into the Center you may see worn carpet, old chairs and cracked tiles, but soon those images are replaced by the kindness, the humor and the wisdom (and at times pettiness and stubbornness) that is shared. The Center is more than a building. Ultimately, the Center is about the stories we share, the people we meet and the relationships we build

This Thursday at 1:00 the monthly Healthy Aging class will be held in the basement of the Senior Center. Fern Wilcox thought during the cold dreary month of January; after all the holiday mirth festivities, it might be appropriate to lighten things up and talk about laughter: the physical, mental and social benefits, how humor differs with age, and ways to find humor in your life. To prepare you for the class I want to share an April Fools’ puzzler I found in Reader’s Digest from several years back where you are challenged to connect the comedian – Steve Martin, Ellen DeGeneres, Jerry Seinfeld, Lily Tomlin, or Rodney Dangerfield – with the joke they have told. Make your best guesses but the answers will only be available at the class.

1. “First the doctor told me the good news: I was going to have a disease named after me.”
2. “My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She’s 97 now, and we don’t know where the hell she is.”
3. “I am so busy doing nothing…that the idea of doing anything – which as you know, always leads to something – cuts into the nothing and then forces me to have to drop everything.”
4. “I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.”
5. “I told my psychiatrist that everyone hates me. He said I was being ridiculous. Everyone hasn’t met me yet.”

Next Tuesday Night starting a 7:00, the Notecrackers will be performing for your dancing and listening pleasure. And tonight Harold and Friends will be playing good old country music. All ages are welcome and the music is free although donations are appreciated to help keep the musicians fed and the lights on.

The Next Chapter Lecture series is back in play. Tuesday the 13th at 11:00, Dana Schmidling will be at the Center to discuss The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce and all they do to promote area businesses and local tourism.

That is another page in the book of life. So until the next time, find something that makes you laugh because as that famous raconteur “anonymous” once said “He who laughs, lasts.”

It shows the kind of weather we have had when you are glad to see pouring rain and a temperature of 36 degrees. But the rain sure looks better than more snow. I hope your Christmas was all you had wanted. Several of the traditions of my family were interrupted by the snow: we weren’t able to drive about town to see houses decorated with Christmas lights and the Christmas Eve service was cancelled. But it was nice to have all the children home which is what really counts.

Last year I was able to take a break from the weekly column because both Christmas and New Years fell on Tuesdays. And I thought about doing the same this year. But I know a lot of readers would miss this column – not because of my fine writing or pithy insights – but because they want to know what Meals-on-Wheels is serving for lunch.

So besides including the lunch menu, I thought I would use this end-of-the-year column to follow the common practice of reviewing 2008 and announce the top ten highlights for the Senior Center. There is one problem: I haven’t been able to reduce the list to fit in this week’s column. So I am afraid you will have to endure two weeks of highlights or you can just skip down to the Meals-on-Wheels menu.

So for those who are still with me, a drum roll please for the first five Senior Center highlights for the year 2008.

10. Tuesday Night Music – I included the music program because of the quality of music that Boyd Jacobsen schedules every month including monthly performances by the “Notecrackers” and the “Jazz Generations”. Every week you will find couples in their fifties to centenarians dancing the night away. But this year we added a new twist. The Dallesport Jammers, who perform on Sunday afternoons throughout the Mid-Columbia area, are now performing at the Center on every fifth Sunday. A performance of the Jammers is like a musical potluck: you don’t know who’s bringing what but you know it’s going to be good.

9 “Tough Talk” with Lee Paton – From the “Let’s Talk” positive aging discussion series facilitated by Lucille Torgerson and Kathleen Flynn, evolved a half-day workshop called “Tough Talk” lead by Lee Paton. It focused on identifying the major stumbling blocks to having effective and loving conversations between parents and their adult children on how to cope with the challenges of aging. These conversations are difficult and seldom occur because of feelings of guilt, shame, and frustration. But these conversations are important and necessary, and we are hoping to sponsor another “Tough Talk” workshop in 2009.

8. The Next Chapter Lecture Series – In its second year, this series continues to provide excellent speakers discussing a whole array of subjects from proper nutrition to financial health, from the history of the Cherry Industry to the history of the Great Southern Railroad and from knees to hearts. We particularly appreciate Joyce Powell Morin at MCMC for providing a speaker a month to discuss important health related topics that affect older adults.

7. “Yes, You Can Draw! – We have several classes focusing on the performing arts including the “Young at Heart” Serenaders and the “Tap and Clogging” class, but over this last year I have learned more about the value of the creative arts in healthy aging. Consequently, I have been looking for the right opportunity to introduce at least one creative arts class where folks can stimulate their creative juices. That opportunity came along when Nancy Russell stepped forward to teach a drawing class for beginners called “Yes You can Draw!”. It was so successful we are going to repeat the class starting January 20th.

6. The Wii – In January last year, we acquired our first Nintendo Wii and we haven’t looked back. We now have a Monday Bowling Night starting at 6:30 and bowling practice before or after lunch on Thursdays and Fridays or when ever Earl sets it up. A group also meets every Friday at 10:00 in the basement to learn how to play the other Wii games including Tennis, Golf and Skiing. And they are always looking for more folks to join them.

2008 was a good year as the Center worked to fulfill its mission of “promoting healthy aging by sharing and caring”. It takes all kinds of folks to make it happen and we will talk more about that next week when I list the top five highlights.

Although it is another slow week for activities, the Center will get back into the swing of things by celebrating the New Year this coming Saturday with the “Beginning of the New Year” Bingo Party. Lyn and Jann Dalton have planned an evening of food, special prizes and an array of Bingo games for only a $20 buy-in. Everyone had a great time last year and we would like to invite you to join the fun starting at 6:00 pm and enjoy a special night of Bingo. All ages are welcome.

There is no music scheduled for tonight at the Center, but next Tuesday we will start off the new year with a crowd favorite: Harold and Friends. The music always starts at 7:00 PM and the evening is free but donations are always appreciated. To give you a heads up the musical card for the rest of the month includes the “Notecrackers” on the 10th, the “Gorge Winds” on the 17th and the “Jazz Generations” on the 24th.

One thing I am reminded from last week’s weather “event” is instead of wishing things were different or wishing we were somewhere else (like in Arizona with Pete and Eva), it is best to appreciate the benefits it provided: the opportunity to watch endless Portland weather and road reports, the time to read a good book or two or three, and the chance to eat the cupboard bare until you can finally get to the grocery store.

So until we meet again, embrace and relish the unexpected, because “Happiness often sneaks in through the door you didn’t know you left open.” John Barrymore

Enough is enough. I give! There is no longer any reason for all this snow. Kids are out of school – they don’t need any more snow days; families want to get together; and college kids need to get home. I have now had my full serving of this winter season; the novelty and excitement are over; and it is time to move on. Where art thou spring?

But thankfully it is also the Christmas Season: a time for memories that stir our senses: the smell of fresh bread and cookies baking in the oven, houses sparkling with Christmas Lights, and bells ringing at local supermarkets. And special memories of Christmas eve past when the family would drive around town “oohing” and “aahing” at the Christmas lights, knowing our children would soon fall asleep, tired from crying though the Christmas eve service. And then we would gently tuck them in bed, and quickly and quietly wrap and place the gifts under the Christmas tree just the way Santa would want. It is a special time.

It is also a time to remember we have been blessed with many gifts and even some we may not be aware of at our chronologically advantaged age. I would like to share with you “Star Thrower”, a story that touched me when I first heard it and illustrates such a gift. You may have heard it before. It is inspired by the writings of Loren Eiseley and this version is from Joel Barker’s best selling program “The Power of Vision.”

“Once upon a time, there was a wise man, much like Eiseley himself, who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had the habit of walking along the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore; as he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day, so he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn’t dancing, but instead, he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.

As he got closer he called out, ‘Good morning! What are you doing?’
The young man paused, looked up and replied, ‘Throwing Starfish into the ocean.’
‘I guess I should have asked; why are you throwing Starfish into the ocean?’
‘The sun is up and the tide is going out and if I don’t throw them in they’ll die.’
‘But young man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and Starfish all along it, you can’t possibly make a difference!’

The young man listened politely, then bent down, picked up another Starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves. ‘It made a difference for that one.’
His response surprised the man, he was upset, he didn’t know how to reply, so instead he turned away and walked back to the cottage to begin his writings.

All day long as he wrote, the image of that young man haunted him; he tried to ignore it, but the vision persisted. Finally, late in the afternoon, he realized that he the scientist, he the poet, had missed the essential nature of the young man’s actions. Because he realized that what the young man was doing was choosing not to be an observer in the universe and watch it pass by, but was choosing to be an actor in the universe and make a difference. He was embarrassed.

That night he went to bed, troubled. When morning came, he awoke knowing that he had to do something; so he got up, put on his clothes, went to the beach and found the young man; and with him spent the rest of the morning throwing Starfish into the ocean.

You see, what the young man’s actions represent is something that is special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. And if we can, like the young man, become aware of that gift, we gain through the strength of our vision the power to shape the future.”

We all have found ways to make a difference as we continue to discover new ways. Last Wednesday at the Center, several members of the Strong Women’s class and other wonderful volunteers made a difference by stuffing over 2000 brochures for the Building Expansion Campaign. They were so quick and nimble we ran out of inserts, but they wouldn’t quit and they wore me out.

Also a big thank-you to David Staehnke and Gary Patton for helping shovel the Center parking lot. And when it really gets bad and our snow shovels are no match for mother nature, a special thank-you to The Dalles City public works department for clearing the sidewalks around the building and to Tom Brace and friends for coming by unannounced and plowing the Center parking lot clear of snow.

We have decided to cancel tonight’s Christmas Party and Dance. It was postponed from last Tuesday hoping the weather would be better which turned out to be wishful thinking. Penny and the Small Change were eager to play, Hearts of Gold Caregiving was going to provide the food and Mill Creek Point (they were sponsoring the Christmas Saturday Breakfast before it was snowed out) was going to provide the gifts. But the weather is its own master and we are going to reschedule to a safer date – in March (it was suggested we save some snow in the freezer just to remind us of this wintry experience.)

The End of the Year Bingo Party is this coming Saturday at 6:00 PM which should be a lot of fun. But we may have to postpone it to the next week (for a Beginning of the Year Bingo Party), depending on the weather. So call the Center at 298-4788 before you come. There will be a message on the answering machine.

Well that’s it. I need to get out and shovel snow. So until we meet again, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.