Thanks to Mary Jane F.
This song was sung by 3000 people in Haifa a few days ago. Arabic, Jewish and other voices, brought together by the singer Matthew Paul Miller. They had to learn this song in their 3 languages in about an hour as a sign that they want peace. All one can see then, is the beauty of human beings, trying to bring good into this world… 💞🦋💞🦋 Let’s All stand United and Spread Peace and Harmony🙏
Below is a letter published today in the NYT’s Sunday edition. It relates to this article: “My Father Didn’t Want to Live if He Had Dementia. But Then He Had It,” by Sandeep Jauhar (Opinion guest essay, Oct. 28)
To the Editor:
Advance care planning is inherently problematic given that we cannot predict our future ailments and, importantly, cannot predict how we will feel about our quality of life when we’re afflicted with serious illness. Discussions with loved ones help, and the legal durable power of attorney is important. However, loving families may disagree about what your wishes are.
Dr. Barak Gaster has published a now widely used Advance Directive for Dementia, which addresses life-support choices in the various stages of dementia. Also, End of Life Washington has developed a more flexible and extensive set of Dementia Directives, allowing revocation and changes by the individual affected.
There ultimately comes a time to “let go” for all of us. Because advance directive documents are always nuanced, the deep discussions we have with our loved ones are critical to help them support our wishes at the end.
Jim deMaine
Seattle
The writer, a former pulmonary and critical care physician, is the author of “Facing Death: Finding Dignity, Hope and Healing at the End.”
Not a problem here. A big thanks to all the organizers of the Great Book Exchange!
Thanks to Mary Jane F.
Thanks to Mary Jane F.
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
| Today and every day we are inspired by those who have sacrificed to serve and protect others. On Veterans Day, we honor our veterans’ unwavering commitment to preserving our freedom. Your sacrifices, whether on the battlefield or on the home front, have been instrumental in safeguarding the liberties and opportunities we hold dear as Americans, and we are forever grateful. Your legacy, and the legacy of all veterans, is a testament to the strength, resilience and unity of our great country. |
| This Veterans Day we’re encouraging everyone to Go Beyond Thanks and reach out to a veteran they care about. Listen to their story to better understand their service and advocate for them. It’s important that all veterans feel respected, connected and supported. |
| At USAA, we’re uniquely aware of the challenges of the military community and acknowledge that some veterans have burdens and scars from their service that may not be visible but are their painful reality. Veterans die by suicide at a rate of 1.5 times that of the general population. |
| In June, USAA and founding partners Reach Resilience, an Endeavors Foundation, and the Humana Foundation launched Face the Fight, a coalition of like-minded companies and organizations focused on addressing the veteran suicide epidemic by raising awareness and finding solutions. Though we have much more work to do, one thing is for certain: connections matter. |
| To learn more about how you can Go Beyond Thanks, visit usaa.com/veteransday. And to find out how you can join the fight against veteran suicide, visit wefacethefight.org. |
| We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude – and more. Thank you for your service, and may you continue to be a source of inspiration to us all. |
 |
| Wayne Peacock |
| USAA President & CEO |
From Lifestyle team! A great volunteer activity.
| Thu 12/7 at 7:30 PM | $20-$25 | In-Person & Livestream Global Rhythms: The Klezmatics Hanukkah Dance Party Immerse yourself in the vibrant and eclectic sounds of the globally renowned Klezmer superstars, The Klezmatics. On the first night of Hanukkah, Town Hall Seattle will come alive with the soul-stirring melodies and foot-stomping rhythms that have earned The Klezmatics a Grammy award and a place in the hearts of music lovers worldwide. Originating from the cultural hotbed of New York City’s East Village, The Klezmatics have crafted a unique blend of Eastern European Jewish tradition, contemporary themes, and diverse musical influences. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind musical journey at Town Hall Seattle – an evening that promises to be reflective, illuminating, and unforgettably fun! Presented by Town Hall Seattle and SAMA: Seattle Sacred Music & Art. This event is supported by our media sponsor, KEXP. |
Thanks to Mary Jane F.
By Andy Borowitz in the New Yorker (Thanks to Pam P.)
By Andy Borowitz (thanks to Pam P.)
Note from our chaplain:
Mayo Clinic psychologist Matthew Schumann reminds us that expressing gratitude is brings a host of mental and physical benefits: feeling thankful can
– improve sleep,
– elevate mood and
– support immunity.
– decrease depression, anxiety, chronic pain, risk of disease.
That said, our brains are designed to problem-solve rather than appreciate. To create a habit of gratitude and to reap the benefits, we must intentionally override this focus on problem.
Your Fitness and Wellness Committee is here to help! We invite you to outward expressions of gratitude during the week of November 12-19. You will find blank apples and leaves and pens near a Gratitude Tree in three Skyline locations: Cascade Tower on 4th floor Glacier Lounge, Olympic Tower lobby, and Terraces 5th floor credenza near the Exercise Room. Please write what it is for which you are grateful and hang it on the tree. Geez, go ahead and write several! Then share your thoughts in conversation and ponder the buoyant neurological effect of giving thanks.
Thanks to Marilyn W.
Dim the lights, use a full screen and click on this link to see amazing pictures of the universe captured by the Webb telescope–challenging old views and providing new questions
An Update from Heather Cox Richardson
Since taking office, the Biden administration has focused on using diplomacy in foreign affairs and has used it to solve global issues by strengthening regional partnerships.
On Friday, President Biden hosted the first leaders’ summit for the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity (APEP). Biden announced the creation of APEP in June 2022 to establish a forum positioned to improve the economies of countries in the western hemisphere, with the idea that stronger economies will be able to address economic inequality, bolster supply chains, and “restore faith in democracy by delivering for working people across the region.”
APEP is also designed to strengthen the Los Angeles Declaration for Migration and Protection that established a responsibility-sharing approach to addressing this era’s historic migration flows. Rather than working solely on getting Congress to pass legislation to fix the border—as Biden has urged since the beginning of his term—the administration has focused on the prosperity and security of the countries from which migrants come, so that they feel less pressure to leave.
The administration has worked hard to develop that strategy. Vice President Kamala Harris took the lead in “diplomatic efforts to address root causes of migration from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras,” and in July 2021 she released a report on strategies to slow migration from the region. In June 2022, at the 9th Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, the administration helped to bring to reality a long-standing realization among many countries that migration must be addressed on a regional level rather than with patchwork attempts by individual nations. That’s when the U.S. got 21 governments to sign on to “a comprehensive response to irregular migration and forced displacement in the Western Hemisphere,” known as the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection.
The Biden administration has emphasized that it wants to work with the region, not dictate to it, and the leaders of APEP are working with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to fund improvements to infrastructure and train skilled workers and entrepreneurs. The IDB is an international financial institution, owned by 48 member states and headquartered in Washington, D.C., that provides development financing for Latin American and Caribbean countries.
A senior administration official on a background call on Friday noted that “the APEP countries are collectively hosting the majority of refugees and migrants in the Western Hemisphere” and that “each has been significantly impacted by the historic flows in recent years.” The official said that President Biden deeply appreciates how regional partners have offered new legal status to millions of people displaced in the western hemisphere, and noted that APEP is part of stepping up to support those countries and create incentives for other countries to do the same.
“The bottom line is that President Biden believes that targeted economic investment in top refugee and migrant host countries is critical to stabilizing migration flows,” the official said.Â
Please join us for this special presentation in the Mt. Baker Room sponsored by your Health Care Committee. Eric is a researcher, teacher and author widely recognized for his studies on aging and dementia, particularly the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) research project. This study is recognized worldwide as a unique look into aging–because of its size and long duration. Eric is now retired and beginning to change his personal outlook on aging–let’s hear more about that!
Following the talk there will be an optional opportunity to purchase a signed copy of Eric’s book for anyone who is interested–no obligation of course: Enlightened Aging: Building Resilience for a Long, Active Life–$20.
Thanks to Mike C.
Next Sunday, November 12, there will be a pop-up movie in OT Performance Hall at 3p. Movie With The Grands is a wonderful time to invite your kids and grandkids to come watch a film with you. Or you can invite a neighbor or friend. Or you can come by yourself. Just come and laugh with us!
The film will be Charlie Chaplin’s “Modern Times”, a film from 1936 and a silent film with title pages. It is a film that all ages love, and it makes everyone laugh. Seeing Charlie on a big screen is pure pleasure. What a great way to spend an hour and a half on Sunday afternoon!
Please join us at the Performance Hall on Sunday, November 12th.
Thanks to Marilyn W.
By David Brooks
We’re living in a brutalizing time: Scenes of mass savagery pervade the media. Americans have become vicious toward one another amid our disagreements. Everywhere I go, people are coping with an avalanche of negative emotions: shock, pain, contempt, anger, anxiety, fear.
The first thing to say is that we in America are the lucky ones. We’re not crouching in a cellar waiting for the next bomb to drop. We’re not currently the targets of terrorists who massacre families in their homes. We should still start every day with gratitude for the blessings we enjoy.
But we’re faced with a subtler set of challenges. How do you stay mentally healthy and spiritually whole in brutalizing times? How do you prevent yourself from becoming embittered, hate-filled, calloused over, suspicious and desensitized?
Ancient wisdom has a formula to help us, which you might call skepticism of the head and audacity of the heart.
The ancient Greeks knew about violent times. They lived with frequent wars between city-states, with massacres and mass rape. In response, they adopted a tragic sensibility. This sensibility begins with the awareness that the crust of civilization is thin. Breakdowns into barbarism are the historical norm. Don’t fool yourself into believing that you’re living in some modern age, too enlightened for hatred to take over.
In these circumstances, everybody has a choice. You can try to avoid thinking about the dark realities of life and naïvely wish that bad things won’t happen. Or you can confront these realities and develop a tragic mentality to help you thrive among them. As Ralph Waldo Emerson would write centuries later, “Great men, great nations have not been boasters and buffoons, but perceivers of the terror of life, and have manned themselves to face it.” And that goes for great women, too.
This tragic sensibility prepares you for the rigors of life in concrete ways. First, it teaches a sense of humility. The tragedies that populated Greek stages sent the message that our accomplishments were tenuous. They remind us that it’s easy to become proud and conceited in moments of peace. We begin to exaggerate our ability to control our own destinies. We begin to assume that the so-called justice of our cause guarantees our success. Humility is not thinking lowly of yourself; it’s an accurate perception of yourself. It is the ability to cast aside illusions and vanities and see life as it really is. (Continued)
Determined to keep America out of WWI, German saboteurs blew up a ship in Elliott Bay.
by Knute Berger from Crosscut
Years before the United States entered World War I, the war came to the U.S.
As conflict exploded in Europe, the German Empire commenced a widespread plan of espionage and sabotage to sway American public opinion against entering the war and to disrupt shipments of war materiel from the neutral United States to Germany’s enemies, like Britain, Canada, France and Russia.
So while America would eventually go to war “over there,” the fight over here began years earlier. And one night the sound of that explosive campaign was loudly heard across Puget Sound.
In early May 1915, German U-boats were sinking cargo ships and civilian vessels at sea. An attack that had a major impact was the sinking of the British passenger liner, the Lusitania, off the southern coast of Ireland. Nearly 1,200 passengers and crew lost their lives, including 128 Americans. International outrage exploded. There were even so-called “Lusitania riots” as public wrath focused on Germans abroad. In Victoria, B.C., the military was called in to quell a weekend of anti-German rioting.
The coasts were particular targets for sabotage and spying. Busy West Coast ports from San Diego to Seattle were tracked by agents — Americans and Germans — working under the supervision of Germany’s diplomats and military attaches. They tracked rail shipments and freighter cargoes and schemed to plant bombs. A particular focus was war supplies being sent to pre-revolution Russia. A railcar with vehicles destined for Vladivostok was torched in Tacoma. Bombs were ordered placed on outgoing ships. (Continued)
by Thomas Hood
Thanks (I think) to Frank C., but did we need a reminder?
| No sun — no moon! No morn — no noon — No dawn — no dusk — no proper time of day. No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease, No comfortable feel in any member — No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! — November! |
Thanks to Ann M.
Frye Gallery Guide Diana Caplow and her husband Mike are supporters of the Frye who have been visiting the museum since the early 2000s. The Caplows are art collectors drawn to works not just for their aesthetics, but for the narratives surrounding them. They say, “Every art piece we own carries a story.”
Diana and Mike began their journey as collectors during their college years, acquiring art by picking things out from thrift stores and country art fairs, with an interest in “contemporary tapestries, oriental rugs, paintings by North Carolina artists, and posters from Les Maitres de l’Affiche…” Another interest is folk pottery, specifically the work and mythos surrounding the North Carolina potter A.R. Cole. When they moved West, the Caplows donated a recorded interview Diana conducted with Cole along with some of his work to the North Carolina Museum of History.
When visiting their children in Seattle, Diana and Mike always made a point to come to the Frye: “Mike and I would step into the Frye and were always taken with the quiet quality of the exhibits as well as the old-fashioned Frye Salon with its floor-to-ceiling hangings.”
Since their move to Seattle in 2015, Diana and Mike have become frequent visitors to the Frye. “We remember Tschabalala Self’s larger-than-life, joyous, vibrating works, with bright colors and varied textures that had us immediately smiling, but on close examination her serious message is apparent. Similarly, at first glance Christina Quarles’s works beckon the viewer with bright colors and sweeping lines, but further consideration reveals a poignant message.”
Diana and Mike say the Frye is “one of the places we expect to view cutting-edge art, works that are expressions of contemporary society, while having an inherent aesthetic. This is true with the current exhibit of a well-known artist, Romare Bearden. The Frye is not only exhibiting his prized collages but also his profoundly interesting abstracts.”
In her role as a Gallery Guide, Diana contributes to the Frye’s commitment to artistic inquiry and a rich visitor experience. “Leading groups through the galleries, Gallery Guides are enriched by the disparate interpretations of the viewers,” she says. “As with the artists, who work from their vision of the world, those interpreting a piece see the value of artworks in the light of their own experience. Gallery Guides at the Frye support viewers’ varied interpretation with open dialogue that frequently discloses unexpected mysteries held in the work.”
As supporters, Diana and Mike contribute to the Frye Art Museum’s efforts to present meaningful contemporary and historical exhibitions highlighting local and global artists. Supporters also aid in the Frye’s ability to provide free admission and engaging educational programs to people of all ages and backgrounds.
