Northwest
CELEBRATING LIFE AFTER 50
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
EE FR
Prime Time
May/Ju 2022 ne
Trailblazing Seattle Filmmaker Gets Her Due …by Robert Horton / Crosscut.com
I
f Jean Walkinshaw were making a documentary about herself, how might she begin the film? Perhaps she would start off with an introductory statement: Jean Walkinshaw is a pioneering, prolific, yet overlooked figure from Northwest filmmaking history, the producer of dozens of nonfiction films from the early 1960s to the present.
"Women weren't supposed to be interesting in those days..." Jean Walkinshaw, producer/editor/writer. All photos courtesy commons.wikimedia.org
Or might she begin with a grabby detail, a hook to keep you watching? Something, for instance, like the moment in 2013 when Walkinshaw got a phone call from someone at KCTS, Seattle’s public broadcasting station [and Crosscut’s sister organization], informing her that a Channel 9 employee had noticed some of her original tapes and films
stacked in a hallway. Thinking they were in danger of being thrown out, that employee had taken the tapes and hidden them in an electrical closet at the station until some sort of rescue mission could be made. As alarming as the phone call was, it led directly to Walkinshaw recovering a huge amount of her
material and, years later, to her work being celebrated and catalogued online by the prestigious American Archive of Public Broadcasting. The robust Jean Walkinshaw Collection was released online in 2021. The narrator of this imagined film profile might pause here to note that continued on page 16
2
Northwest Prime Time
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
May/June 2022
Out & About
Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience Art and technology seamlessly meld in the exhibition that runs through May …by Debbie Stone
My parents started taking me to the Art Institute of Chicago when I was a child. They wanted to impart their love of art and expose me to its various styles and movements, from Classicism and Impressionism to Expressionism and Surrealism. These forays into the world of art were some of my favorite memories as Photos by Debbie Stone I was growing up. And they planted the seeds for a lifelong appreciation of artists and their work. Of course, I have my favorites, Vincent Van Gogh being one of them. A PostImpressionist, the artist used all, however, he continued line and color with incredible painting. It was his lifeblood mastery, infusing his work and means of creativity with soul and intense passion. and self-expression. Sadly, Though Van Gogh he only Experience celebrates the committed sold one artist, his oeuvre and enduring suicide in 1870 painting in legacy in unique fashion. The at the age of all his years, exhibition, which has opened thirty-seven. the beloved in dozens of places across During his Dutch the country, is centered on a short lifetime, master 20,000 square-foot light and the artist became one sound spectacular, surrounding completed over of the most visitors with the artist’s greatest 2,000 works of recognized Photo by Debbie Stone paintings. art, including painters of Prior to entering the main such famed all time in venue, there are separate pieces as “Starry the century following his death. galleries that chronicle the Night,” “Bedroom in Arles,” Van Gogh led a tortured and “Sunflowers,” “Self-portrait with artist’s life, his discovery of deeply troubled life, suffering Bandaged Ear” and “The Potato- painting, style and technique, from bouts of mental illness and eaters.” subject matter, influences continued on page 15 great instability. Throughout it Van Gogh: The Immersive
May/June 2022
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
Who We Are Now
De-Stress for Less …by Margaret Larson
The last few years have felt like being shot out of a cannon. Social turmoil, a global pandemic, working from Margaret Larson home, school closures, and now an excruciating war in Ukraine have resulted in various levels of stress and loss in every household. Dr. David Johnson, retired CEO of Navos and current Seattle psychotherapist in private practice, reports: “There’s been a dramatic increase in anxiety and depression with the pandemic and increased polarity in the nation. Where we once saw a prevalence of one in five people in any given year suffering these symptoms, now it’s one in three.” For young people, the numbers are even more dire. The kids are not all right. And that’s not okay. For us as individuals, parents and grandparents, all of this can lead to feeling helpless and futile. How do we help friends and family when we need help ourselves? How do we go from distress to de-stress? Pondering that question sparked a memory for me. Many years ago, I attended a University of Washington talk with Dr. Robert Muller who spent forty years in service to the United Nations where he created the World Food Program among others, provided
philosophical underpinnings for peace and human development, and authored books including the heralded memoir Most of All, They Taught Me Happiness. He was a lawyer, economist and a diplomat who believed world leaders should also focus on human happiness. If the audience was expecting a dry bureaucratic recitation, it surely got the opposite. Dr. Muller was light and ebullient, funny. I wondered how a person who’d seen such global devastation could retain his relentless good cheer, even in the winter of life. I was about to find out. In the Q&A, a man stood up and went through a litany of the world’s woes and mournfully asked what we could do about it. Dr. Muller chuckled. “You could pick up the trash on your way to work tomorrow!” He meant it. Wow. His advice was to return to ourselves, find our core strengths and build from there. Simple, yet profound. We don’t need to be a genius or possess wealth that could be seen from space. We just need to do something. Do something. In today’s world, Dr. Johnson is onboard. “When someone is self-aware and accurate about their strengths, those strengths become highways to wellness. They help us feel confidence, remind us of who we are and assist in overcoming vulnerabilities.” What that involves is different
3
for each of us. But doing what we can do, with a tangible before and after, is a major de-stressor. And it’s a skill we can teach others. Maybe it’s taking a volunteer shift, gardening, exercising, donating. Quantifiable doing is the thing. And when it benefits others: bonus points. “Doing things that increase the beauty or function of our community gives one the sense of accomplishing something valuable,” Dr. Johnson says. “It can be a meditative practice that eases feelings of defeat.” I count myself quite lucky, but these shot-out-of-a-cannon times for me included an unexpected retirement to attend to urgent family issues, buying a house over the internet and moving temporarily to the other coast, mid-pandemic. But Dr. Muller and Dr. Johnson were with me in spirit when I bought my nine-dollar grabber tool, stuck garbage bags in my pockets and headed out to collect the litter along a busy street. As the bags got fuller, my anxiety dissipated. Highly recommend. We can’t control a virus or a war halfway around the world or the behavior of others, much as we might like. But we can invoke the AAA theory—Action Alleviates Anxiety. And if your back is better than mine, you can even skip the grabber tool and bring the grandkids with you. We all love a discount. Think of it as de-stress for less. ❖ Margaret Larson retired last year as host of KING‘s New Day Northwest. Her impressive 35-year career included stints as a London-based foreign correspondent for NBC News and as a news anchor for the Today show, as well as a reporter for Dateline NBC and anchor at KING 5.
4
Northwest Prime Time
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
May/June 2022
Life Perspectives
The Sandwich Generation …by Lisa Lickel
“Oh, good,” my mother exclaims as we pull into the parking lot. “No one is in our favorite spot.” Normally this would be a little spark of glee for us. But not when we arrive at the hospital for another urgent care visit. I was thrilled when my parents decided on their own to give up housekeeping and move closer to me instead of waiting for my sibling and me to broach that conversation. All of a sudden, it was time. House went on the market. House needed to be cleaned out. Belongings needed to be shifted, pronto. Papers needed to be signed, and their address updated everywhere. All this during the summer we were spending a lot of time with our young grandchildren. I would make pancakes for everyone in the morning, and sort through thousands of books and knickknacks 60 miles away in the afternoon, move boxes, arrange for a new bank or shut down utilities at one residence, arrive home to read a bedtime story to the grands, while kissing my husband hello and goodbye. I felt like a fried egg on my good days. Now that my parents are closer, I am able to spend more time with
them, trying to be a little mouse in the background while watching them adjust to their new lifestyle, ready to pounce on any problem that arises, yet allowing them freedom of discovery. I just know it’s going to be an interesting day when Mom calls to tell me that the regular medical checkup she had scheduled was not the day she thought, and, by the way, “we’re on our way to urgent care…” “I’ll be right there,” I say. The urgent care visit was not urgent. Wounds heal slooowly the older we get. I’m going to write that down so I don’t forget in 25 years when I’m doing the same thing to my son. Patience just doesn’t get any easier, and I try not to chuckle as I watch the doctor try desperately to find something to say that would appease my parents’ concern over a sore that needs more than two weeks to heal. Each of them privately blames the other for worrying about it. I feel like ham salad, ground and blended with pickles, as I negotiate healthcare by adding my name to their emergency contacts and make sure they can switch health care providers and know the pharmacist will step
in to help when they don’t want to bother me to handle their prescriptions. I remember when we left our children for a few days with one set of grandparents and an accident involving stitches that were removed during a visit with the other grandparents made me realize that too many things were out of my control. I had to put on my sweet side, purposefully acknowledge that stuff happens, trust my parents to care for my children just like they took care of me. That caring nature doesn’t change, now that I’ve stepped into the middle, like fluffy chocolate sandwich cookie filling. On the way home from urgent care, Dad driving, I negotiate a short battle about whether or not they can pick up their mail early after having it held for a few days. (They can’t.) I am roast beef with mustard on one side and mayo on the other. I no longer laugh at the thought of being the sandwich generation. Not because it’s traumatic, but because it’s true. The reality is that I’m fortunate to have family to pull me in different directions and the ability to rise to the occasion. I can choose how to direct my energy, choose to love, choose to find joy, or someone else to help when I can’t. If or when you get there, remember that sandwich filling comes in a variety of flavors, all delicious. ❖
May/June 2022
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
5
Library Corner
Authors! Authors! ...by Wendy Pender
of dementia looms over aging, I recently • May 2: but we have the tools to grow watched an online Gloria Burgess, beyond that fear. How do we author event Pass It On! create communities of joy, care featuring the As we age, and purpose, with and for each inimitable Dolly the concept of other, regardless of our cognitive Parton and James legacy becomes abilities? Susan will share Patterson. They paramount. Wendy Pender exuded such joy and inclusive strategies that enable What are Gloria Burgess people with all types of dementia, their willingness to we leaving as well as their care partners and share their artistic talents was a behind? Be inspired as the Jazz others, to live with meaning and real treat. The event, sponsored International Founder and joy. by AARP and moderated by CEO teaches lessons her father Louise Penny, made me feel learned from William Faulkner, • May grateful and lifted me up, at as well as from his own life, 23: Ashton a time when positivity is so about living a life of passion Applewhite, welcome for us all. so that we can Pass It On! This Chair We at KCLS are grateful to Rocks: A • May be able to offer similarly Manifesto 9: Maria inspiring author events, as Against Kliavkoff, well as an endless supply Ageism Healthy of uplifting books at the Ashton Applewhite Author Mourning, library. and activist Happy Loving To celebrate Older Ashton Applewhite describes what Most of us have Americans Month, we never been taught ageism is and how it impacts older are excited to host the adults. She proposes an alternative what to do with following PIONEERS to all the handwringing: Become grief or how IN AGING authors Maria Kliavkoff more aware of the cultural to mourn our on Mondays in May, at messages that frame two-thirds of losses. In today’s talk, Maria will noon. Through the magic of our lives. Cheer up and push back! shine a light on a topic that has technology, you can “attend” remained buried for too long, online without leaving home. Check out these providing clarity in the If you don’t own a computer, authors and many more chaos and hope for the you can use a computer at your at your local library. grief journey. public library, or simply dial in We’re here for you! ❖ by phone to listen. • May 16: Susan Register for each separately Wendy Pender, Older Adults McFadden, Dementiaand you will receive a Zoom Program Coordinator, King friendly Communities: link and phone number the day County Library System, Why We Need Them before the event. These sessions wgpender@kcls.org, and How We Can will not be recorded, so I hope 425.369.3285. Create Them The fear Susan McFadden you can join us!
6
Northwest Prime Time
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
May/June 2022
Jim Miller
The Newest Northwest Prime Time Columnist
Even before becoming an online-only Jim is frequently quoted in articles publication, Northwest Prime Time started about issues affecting senior citizens and carrying a new weekly column by Jim Miller has been featured in numerous national on our website. publications, including Time magazine, Jim Miller is the creator of Savvy USA Today and The New York Times. Senior, a syndicated information column for In addition, he has made multiple older Americans and their families that is appearances on CNBC, CNN, Retirement published in more than 300 U.S. newspapers Living Television and national public and magazines. Jim is also a contributor to television. Jim Miller NBC’s Today show and is the author of The Visit NorthwestPrimeTime.com each Savvy Senior, The Ultimate Guide to Health, week to see a new Savvy Senior column. One Family and Finances for Senior Citizens (Hyperion). of Jim’s recent columns appears below.
What to Do with Cremated Ashes …by Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior, A while back I saw an article on different ways to scatter a person’s ashes after they’re cremated, but I’ve misplaced it. Can you help me with this? I’m preplanning my funeral and would like to include instructions on what to do with my remains that my family will appreciate. --Planning Ahead Dear Planning, There’s no shortage of options when it comes to handling or disposing of your cremated remains after you’re gone. Your family can keep, bury or scatter them in a variety of imaginative ways that reflect your life and personality. Here are some different options to consider. • Scatter them: The most popular option is to have your ashes scattered at a location you loved
to be i.e., a favorite fishing spot, camping area, golf course, beach, park or at home. If you choose this route, keep in mind that some places, such as national parks, require a permit. And many public areas, like parks or sports stadiums may prohibit scattering. • Store them at home: Many families choose to keep their loved ones close, by storing them at home. If you and your family choose this option, you can purchase a decorative urn through your funeral provider or online at Amazon.com. Or you may want to use an old cookie jar or favorite container that reminds your family of you. • Bury/inter them: The burial option is good if you wish to have a special place for your family to visit. This is also the only option for cremated ashes sanctioned by the Catholic Church, which specifies that ashes of the dead
should be kept in sacred places like a cemetery or a columbarium and not kept at home or scattered. • Plant them: If you’re the environmental type, you can have your ashes planted with a tree. There are companies that offer living urns – like TheLivingUrn.com or UrnaBios.com – that mix your ashes with other nutrients that can be used to grow a plant or tree in your yard or a place of your choosing. • Scatter them at sea: If you love the water, there are many businesses that offer ash scattering services at sea, especially close to coastal areas, or your family could rent a boat and do it themselves. There are also companies like EternalReefs.com that offer reef memorials so your ashes can rest on the ocean floor. • Scatter them by air: This option will scatter your ashes into continued on page 19
May/June 2022
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
Healthy Aging Tips from the UW
Using a Chatbot to Support Caregivers …by Paige Bartlett, UW School of Nursing de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging
A 2020 report by the National Alliance for Caregiving and the AARP estimates that 19% of Americans are unpaid caregivers. In the same report, 23% of caregivers said caregiving has been detrimental to their own health. “The number one need for family caregivers is actually caring for themselves,” said Dr. Weichao Yuwen, an Assistant Professor at the University of Washington Tacoma’s School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership. Self-care and support are important for preventing burnout in caregivers. Not only does burnout hurt the caregivers’ health, it also can hurt their ability to provide care. However, often caregivers don’t have a lot of time or resources to dedicate to themselves. A smartphone software program, also known as an app, developed by Yuwen and her team hopes to support caregivers in taking care of themselves. The app is called Caring for Caregivers Online, or COCO. It helps caregivers access support, therapy and resources, even when
they have limited time. The app’s main feature is a chatbot, a smart computer program that delivers problemsolving therapy to caregivers through text messaging. Yuwen’s team designed the chatbot to respond empathetically to caregivers and help them identify symptoms, such as sadness or fatigue, and caregiving issues, as well as how to build skills that can improve difficulties they are having. If the chatbot gets stuck or the program can’t answer a caregiver’s question, there are health care providers on the app’s team who can step in and help out. Yuwen got the idea for COCO when she saw a presentation by researchers who used a chatbot to help people quit smoking. She immediately saw the potential for supporting caregivers. “It’s available on-demand,” said Yuwen. “Caregivers are always overwhelmed with all the caregiving responsibilities and their responsibilities in work and family and life. If they have five minutes to think about caring for themselves… these newer technologies have the potential to really support that.”
7
The COCO app is showing promise. The team tested the COCO app prototype with 40 caregivers. They found that a 20-to30-minute therapy session with the chatbot decreased caregivers’ feelings of guilt, sadness and fatigue, and increased their feeling of serenity. “We envision the first month or two, the caregivers are receiving relatively more intensive therapy to help them identify symptoms and problem-solve to relieve those symptoms,” Yuwen said. “After that, it would be more of the maintenance phase. We know caregiving is long term and there’s ups and downs, so we hope to be with caregivers whenever they need support.” Next, the COCO team plans to incorporate different cultural perspectives into the app. They are also preparing to introduce COCO to family caregivers at the University of Washington through the University’s Human Resources. Anyone interested in learning more about the app can visit https://coco.health. While COCO won’t be available to the public anytime soon, Yuwen had some advice for family caregivers. The first thing was to not let their own health fall by the wayside. “We’re here for the long haul, and we need to be well. Second, there are programs that support family caregivers. There are many resources at the state level… and they could be better utilized.” For anyone looking for caregiving resources, one place to start is King County’s Community Living Connections, which can provide information on resources and programs for older adults and caregivers. They can be reached at 1-844-348-5464 or at www. communitylivingconnections.org. ❖
8
Northwest Prime Time
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
May/June 2022
health benefits from hitting the links at your local golf course. Studies suggest that regularly golfing (at least once per month) lowers the risk of death, especially among older adults. Golfing can provide benefits such as stress reduction and regular exercise. Due to its social nature ...by John Schieszer and typically slower, controlled pace, people of all ages and physical fitness levels can play the sport. “The regular exercise, time spent outside enjoying nature, Prunes Pack Powerful social interaction and even the friendly competition Nutrient Punch of a round of golf are all elements that can foster A prune or six a day may help mental and physical wellbeing,” said Dr. Donald M. keep inflammation at bay, according Lloyd-Jones, who is the president of the American to a new study looking at daily Heart Association and a professor at Northwestern prune consumption. It found eating University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. nutrient-rich prunes every day may be He said the past couple of years have been hard beneficial to bone health and reduce inflammatory factors that contribute to and many adults picked up some unhealthy lifestyle John Schieszer behaviors, such as more eating and less physical osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a loss of bone strength caused by reduced activity. “I think golfing can offer a great opportunity to start venturing back out into an enjoyable activity that mineral density in the bones. Osteoporosis increases the can feed our hearts and our souls,” said Dr. Lloyd-Jones. risk of fracture, especially in older adults. Previous research For the study on golfing, researchers from the has shown that the polyphenol extracts in prunes promote University of Missouri in Columbia, analyzed data from lower levels of oxidative stress and inflammation in a type of bone cell called osteoclasts. In a new study, researchers at the Cardiovascular Health Study, a population-based Pennsylvania State University explored the effects of prunes observational study of risk factors for heart disease and stroke in adults 65 and older. Out of nearly 5,900 on bone health after menopause. participants (average age 72), researchers identified Postmenopausal women with a bone mineral density score that was defined as low were divided into three groups. nearly 400 regular golfers. During the 10-year follow-up period, death rates for golfers were significantly lower One group ate 50 grams of prunes (about six prunes) daily than for non-golfers. for 12 months. A second group ate 100 grams of prunes A comprehensive review of research published in (about 12 prunes) daily for 12 months. A control group the British Journal of Sports Medicine analyzed more than ate no prunes. The research team looked at blood samples 300 scientific studies, leading a panel of 25 public health taken from all volunteers before and after the trial and experts to issue an international consensus statement, found significant reductions in inflammatory markers in noting the health and social benefits of golf. “The both of the prune-eating groups compared to the control American Heart Association recommends most people group. get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a “Our findings suggest that consumption of six week. Golfing qualifies as a moderate-intensity exercise, to 12 prunes per day may reduce pro-inflammatory specifically if you are walking an 18-hole course, carrying mediators that may contribute to bone loss in your golf clubs,” said Dr. Lloyd-Jones. postmenopausal women. Thus, prunes might be a He said golfing can increase your heart rate and promising nutritional intervention to prevent the rise in inflammatory mediators often observed as part of the blood flow, enhancing brain stimulation. “Even if you are riding in a cart and playing a short course of only 9 holes, aging process,” said study first author Janhavi Damani you’re still being physically active, and we know any with Pennsylvania State University, University Park, movement is better than none,” said Dr. Lloyd-Jones. ❖ Pennsylvania. Hidden Health Benefits of Golfing John Schieszer is an award-winning national journalist and radio While golfing was once known as the game of and podcast broadcaster of The Medical Minute. He can be kings, the American Heart Association says you don’t reached at medicalminutes@gmail.com. have to be royalty or a professional player to reap
Health Matters
Medical Minutes
May/June 2022
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
9
The True-Life Adventures of a Senior Newspaper Publisher …by Michelle Roedell, Editor of Northwest Prime Time
Readers who visit Northwest Prime Time’s website may have read this first blog post by editor Michelle Roedell, which explores the origins of the longtime newspaper for seniors. The second post is already available on our website – visit NorthwestPrimeTime.com, scroll down and look for the editor’s blog under “Sharing Stories.”
When I first became publisher of Northwest Prime Time, a newspaper for people over age 50 in the greater Seattle area, I was not even Michelle Roedell old enough to qualify for our readership demographic. Oh, those naïve days of my early-40s... So young and I didn’t even know it. The year was 1999. It is now an entirely new millennium and so much has changed. A connection with the senior newspaper trade came when my long-time companion, Christopher Mitchell, started selling ads for the local publication, Senior Spectrum. Soon enough, Chris left that job to work for Neil Strother, owner of Northwest Prime Time Journal. Neil had a graduate degree in journalism from Northwestern and years of experience as an assignment editor and producer for KING TV, but he was itching to take on his own project. “Prime Time was on the market,” says Neil. “It had started as a publication with a travel and cruise angle, but it was floundering.” A newspaper for seniors was a comfortable fit for Neil. “Even as a younger person, I was familiar with the world of being older. I grew up with three sets of grandparents, including
step-grandparents.” He had a lot to learn, but “those life lessons were valuable.” He admits it was a lot of hard work to turn around the publication. “I knew the editorial side but had to learn the business side and was out of my league. It was like getting an MBA on the street, learning how to run the paper,” Neil sent this photo from a few years back when he and recalls Neil. Luckily, he his wife Jenny were hiking in Patagonia. "Jenny is the beautiful person on the right," he says. had the capable help of his wife, Jenny, who In 1997, Get Up & Go purchased was well-versed in the world of business. senior newspapers all across the “We hired ad salespeople, including country. It didn’t take too long before Chris,” says Neil. Chris came on board – as readers were fond of saying with in 1994, about three years after Neil a tut-tut and a knowing chuckle – took over the publication. “Get Up & Go got up and went.” Over time, with Neil and Jenny The company had expanded too at the helm, the publication became rapidly: senior newspapers across the successful and well-respected. Seniors loved having a newspaper nation closed en-masse and suddenly Chris was without a job, Perhaps that was designed just for them. The more importantly, local readers were paper had many popular features, without a senior newspaper. including a flourishing classifieds Chris may have been without a section that contained a place for singles, Companions Corner. “That was job, but he had an extensive database of advertisers at hand. I suggested a really popular way for people in the he try restarting on his own. As we older generation to meet back then,” knew then but had to relearn over the says Neil. years, the advertising end of things is Northwest Prime Time Journal was doing very well. Then along came Get Up & Go. continued on page 19
10
Northwest Prime Time
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
May/June 2022
the truth is I couldn’t sleep and was watching a Beverly Hillbillies marathon on television. And just when I was about to doze off, out pranced Granny wearing almost exactly the same flannel pajamas that I bought for my wife! At nine the next morning, I was racing around the department store trying to find an “age safe” gift. In my panicked state many of the potential gifts began to have ominous undertones. For example, foot and neck …by Sy Rosen massagers may imply arthritis which would then imply getting older. A basket of body and facial creams could suggest wrinkles. And candles might imply I I’m sure most men would only wanted to see her in soft light. agree that buying a birthday I went to the nightgown section and asked gift for your wife is fraught with the saleslady, a woman in her early thirties, to see danger. something in silk. She brought out a couple of choices First of all, the gift can’t and I said it had to be a lot sexier – something a be considered too practical. Dallas Cheerleader might wear. She looked at me Twenty years ago, I got my like I was some kind of a pervert, so I knew I was on wife a sewing machine and the right track. We finally found something, and she I’m still hearing about it. And then asked what my wife’s size was. Unfortunately, the gift can’t be interpreted as Sy Rosen being really for you. This comes the flannel pajamas were “one size fits all” so I didn’t know. under the heading of season I told the saleslady that my wife was like her football tickets or a big screen HDTV. Repeat gifts are also frowned on. If you’ve bought earrings six years in except taller and a little bigger around the breast area. I probably shouldn’t have cupped my hands around a row, you might want to move on to another body my chest when I said this because she again looked at area. me like I was some kind of a And now, as my wife and I pervert. Trying to convince are getting a little up there in the saleslady that I was only years, a new fear has emerged. thinking of my wife I said, A fear that supersedes all other “You see, my wife is very hot. fears! The gift must be “age She’s hot, hot.” I then made a safe.” slight grunting sound. The gift can in no way After she finished glaring suggest or imply that my wife at me the saleslady hurriedly is getting older. In other words, sold me the nightgown, trying any gift that has the word to get me out of the store bifocals in it would be drastically as quickly as possible. The wrong. Along those same lines, next morning was my wife’s a novel in large print would be a birthday, and I proudly gave blunder as would a CD with the her the silk nightgown. She description “oldie goldies” on it. said it was too revealing, too In the middle of the night, risqué, she was too old for it occurred to me that the gift I it, and she could never wear got for my wife, flannel pajamas, something like that. was not “age safe.” I wish I In other words, she loved could say that I was socially “Oh Charles! They’re perfect! I’ll think of you every time I wear them.” it. The gift was safe and so evolved enough to come to this was I. ❖ realization on my own. However,
The Funny Side of Life
A Birthday Gift Safety Manual
May/June 2022
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
11
Meet Rose and Dawn all over again! Every other month in this online version of our publication, we will be publishing Diana Couture’s popular column starting from the very beginning. Enjoy!
The ongoing life-affirming adventures of Rose and Dawn
Friday at the ChickaBoom-Boom …by Diana Couture
“Is today Friday? I can’t remember. Oh well, when you’re 80-something and in the ‘dinnertime’ of your life, you don’t have to remember these things,” Rose thought as she pushed her size 6 feet into her pink terry cloth slippers and shuffled to the kitchen to start the coffee. She thought about how long her husband John had been gone. It hardly seemed like ten years since she had made her midnight trip to Virginia Mason Hospital for the final good bye. No sad thoughts allowed today! She and her best friend Dawn were going for a ride in her new car. Nowhere in particular…. She picked up Dawn at her home in Wallingford, where she lived with her daughter and her family in a lovingly built, “tricked out” mother-in-law apartment. The two best friends started laughing for no reason as soon as they saw each other. They decided that the first stop would be for a latte…this is, after all Seattle. They spotted a local stand with a welcoming sign, Chicka-BoomBoom Latte. As they pulled up to order….EGADS!!! The girl barista hanging out of the window to take their order was wearing…well… not much. Her perky breasts were
dangling at just about eye level and seemed to be shaking a hello to them. Dawn was so busy looking at the menu that she failed to notice and Rose was speechless. The barista smiled and asked for the order. Rose poked Dawn and jerked her head to the left surreptitiously to indicate the direction her glance should go. Dawn reluctantly tore her eyes from the menu and gasped for air as she saw the offending view in the window. “What the…. (pause, gasp, cough)…I’ll.. ah .. I’ll have a double jug….I mean double tall non-fat latte with booby…I mean driving room.” “Smooooth” was the only thing Rose could say. She looked back at the young woman and ordered the same with an almost detectable choke in her voice. They were like a couple of shell-shocked veterans waiting for their latte order. They tried to be cool by looking around, looking anyplace but the coffee window. But they both knew that Rose was going to have to look again when she paid for the drinks. With shaky hands, and averted eyes, Rose handed money to the girl. Rose jammed the cups at Dawn, fought with the gear shift to get the car into drive and finally
pulled away from this den of inadequate clothing. They had to pull over just moments away from ChickaBoom-Boom to get themselves in order. “Did I just see what I thought I saw?” “Well, if I did, you did too.” Dawn replied. “Can they do that sort of thing without the permission of the City Council?” Rose asked. “Rose, I can’t believe it. You’re worried about the City Council approval?! Good heavens. All I could think about was the cruel trick that gravity plays on us over the years. I just couldn’t believe that breasts could be placed that high on a human body.” Silence. Obviously they were approaching this issue from two different perspectives. “Aren’t you worried about the corruption of our youth with shows of skin like this?” Rose asked. “Youth, schmouth.” Dawn replied. “I can’t believe our breasts used to be like that. The things I carry around on the front of my chest have not the slightest similarity to those we just saw. Not the slightest!!! I know they’re the same things, but….I mean ….well….” With lattes in trembling hands, the girls decided that another day might be better for joy riding. They’d had enough excitement for one day. ❖
12
Northwest Prime Time
Win $100
Can you identify the location of this photo? If so, you may win $100! For a hint, visit www.NorthwestPrimeTime. com and click the “Contest” box. The winner will be drawn at random from the correct answers sent to editor@northwestprimetime. com by June 27, 2022. If no correct answer is received, the $100 prize
Daily Crossword
Have you checked out NorthwestPrimeTime.com’s daily crossword yet?
THE EIGHTIES There’s little use primping, On makeup, I’m skimping. Stagnation, I’m foiling Though joints could use oiling. But I am still winning In the eighth inning. -- Pat D’Amico
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com will transfer to the following contest. This contest is available only to readers who sign up for Northwest Prime Time’s email newsletter. Joining is as easy as sending an email to editor@ northwestprimetime.com and asking to sign up. We anticipate emailing you about once a month. Northwest Prime Time will never share your information with any other person or organization.
May/June 2022
Where in Washington?
Congratulations to Don of Burien, winner of the last photo contest. It featured Waterworks Gardens, a public park next to King County's South Treatment Plant in Renton. Along with trails, public art, native plants and wildlife, the dozen or so ponds and marshes of Waterworks Gardens filter and clean stormwater. Waterworks Gardens is designed as a series of garden “rooms.” The Knoll is the entry to the path that passes through a series of leaf shaped ponds, wetlands and an inlaid mosaic Grotto. Washington Trails Association describes the location as “a place to soothe your frayed urban nerves amidst a whimsical blend of natural artistry and urban water management.” For directions and more information, visit Waterworks Garden - Washington Trails Association (wta.org)
In Honor of Mother’s Day ...by Len Elliott
Mum’s the Word… …to children in England. Each of the following clues leads to a title, name or phrase that includes a different synonym for the lady we honor this month. 1. Nobel Peace Prize winner for her work in Calcutta. 2. Marjorie Main film role. 3. 1932 Boris Karloff movie set in Egypt. 4. Christina Crawford memoir. 5. Stereotypical woman with kids and a van and pitch to drive to. answers on page 15
May/June 2022
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
13
Scenes from Childhood
Aling Gavina’s Carinderia …by Le Badiable
Le Badiable is a baby-boomer who was born in the Philippines in 1945. “I got here in Washington State, together with my wife and our three young kids, in 1987,” says Le. The first US landmark Le Badiable is leftmost, back row in his Grade 6 class picture. “I guess I he saw while airborne (courtesy of the pilot) always tended to be with the big guys,” says Le. was Mount Rainier, its snow-capped peak jutting But amid the explosion of food scents, a subtle majestically out of the October clouds. “We’ve since lived aroma pervaded the place. It was of the special under its shadow, in Lakewood. I worked as a Microbiologist Batangas coffee percolating in the kitchen. I paid 5 in the Washington State Lab for 25 years until I retired in centavos for a cup. On a small corner table, I split 2012.” Le says that their family of five when they arrived the sandwich, wrapping half for my lunch in school. has since grown with the arrival of eight grandchildren, “All Aling Gavina’s daughter, Priscilla, brought my cup of natural-born Americans. Of course, I expect their childhood coffee. As an 11-year old, I already knew my coffee, scenes to be starkly different from mine.” black and strong. I thought I knew pulchritude too. Fifth Grade turned out to be a game changer for me. Priscilla was it, even though I did not hear her say a Whereas school had only been a five-minute walk from word nor see her acknowledge my thank you with a home during my primary grades, now it was a 30-minute smile. jeepney ride plus 10-minute walk away. Classes were an I got used to the early morning ambience of the all-day affair, with a one-hour break between the morning dimly lit, smoke-filled and coffee-scented ‘pit-stop’ and afternoon sessions. Consequently, my mother had of drivers, whose arguments in politics and sports, to wake up early, Monday through Friday, to give me my accounts of family achievements and struggles, allowance while I rushed a breakfast of pan-de-sal which success and sob stories, anecdotes about their I liked to dip in my instant coffee before each bite. Some interactions with passengers and narrated affairs, days it was only coffee; other mornings, especially when I rumored, real or made-up, probably educated me was running late, nothing at all. more than what we were taught in the classrooms. Of the 50-centavo total coins with me, in 5’s and In time, they got used to this kid listening intently 10’s, 20 centavos were allocated for the fares, and the rest to, and who seemed amused at their tales, that I had for my lunch and snacks. But there were days when my a free ride whenever one of them happened to be parents had no cash, so I started saving coins for the gaps. driving the jeepney I boarded. I even skipped meals a few times and walked all the way One thing I noticed though, not a lot of folks to school, avoiding the jeepney route so as not to be seen from the interior, my mom and dad among them, by classmates. dared to drop by the place. I thought they were Until hunger led me into Aling Gavina’s streettrying to avoid the influence of Jehovah’s Witness, corner carinderia... For 10 centavos, I could have a the carinderia being within its kingdom. ❖ sizeable (half-foot) roll called pan-de-bomba with my choice of stuffing e.g. adobo, menudo, apritada, kaldereta, Do you have a Scene from Childhood you would like to share with Northwest Prime Time readers? Please contact Michelle or whatever else was sizzling on the buffet. Today I opted at editor@NorthwestPrimeTime.com for longganisa.
14
Northwest Prime Time
Writing Corner
Teaching …by Ariele M. Huff
All writing is teaching. We are moved to write when we have a message to share or are working on learning something ourselves. Every Ariele M. Huff piece teaches the writer. Every writer has at least one goal for every story, poem, article or script. Take the humble grocery list. What do I need to buy? What do I feel like eating? What household items are used or close to being used up? A lot of people in, “ahem,” our age group become ardent about leaving written work for families, friends and maybe for a wider audience. I’ve heard many different goals mentioned for doing this. For example: #1 Educating grandchildren and future generations about “how life was when I was growing up.” #2 Honoring one or more people who impressed us with at least one of their traits or skills. #3 Sharing about an important place…a home or business that still has a kind of magical hold on our memories. #4 Honoring an animal or animals—horse, dog, bird, cat, snake, rabbit, hamster, fish—that impacted our lives. Even a few moments with a butterfly perching gently on a hand or the quick view of porpoises bobbing next to your boat’s bow. Over the years with so many people and
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com their stories, I’ve heard tender pieces about mice, rats, dragon flies and one companionable fly. #5 Precious memories of celebrations, rituals and life-changing events like weddings and funerals. #6 Food…recipes, struggles with it, delight in it. Flavors, special dishes, significant traditional or cultural roles for certain foods like wedding and birthday cakes, holiday specialties, comfort foods, food gifts at tough times. #7 The love of music…singing, playing instruments, lullabies. #8 Savoring travels #9 Humor…the times things went wrong, the things children innocently say and do, the tricks and capers of pets or other animals. Mistakes. Jokes, pranks, escapades, practical jokes. #10 Possessions meaningful, inherited, special or taking a significant place in an important story. #11 Accomplishments of any kind. #12 Jobs we’ve held. #13 Love, romances, marriages. #14 Losses we suffered or saw others suffer.
Poetry Corner “Saved” I could have saved myself a ton of money, and years of heartache and therapy, if I hadn’t been too selfish to see that it wasn’t all about me. --L.E. Hertel Poetry may be excerpted, edited, or used in Sharing Stories on Northwest Prime Time’s website or in one of Ariele’s poetry anthology books. Send to ariele@comcast.net.
May/June 2022 #15 Insights we’ve had, especially life-altering ones. #16 Beliefs we hold …through reading or listening to others or attending a class, part of a religion or culture. #17 Epiphanies we’ve had… how and why. I’m sure you can see how each of these has lessons to impart. How to act, to think, to relate, to eat, to celebrate, to work, to relax, to live and love. My message to you…what I’d like to teach in this column: Be gentle and generous with your readers. Leave out unpleasantness that isn’t required, especially anything negative about your reader. Is your legacy to leave others with images or words that leave a lasting hurt? Don’t assume that how life was is the way it still “should be.” Don’t assume that your listeners haven’t already learned the lesson you are offering. Even young children can pick up some important messages…you know, like you did. Connect with me at ariele@ comcast.net. ❖
“Up in Smoke” How much time do I have to fight the enemies who reside in me, who entangle and encourage my lusty desires… but don’t put out the fires! --Charles N. Inge “To My Endless Love” We are a universe unto ourselves. Can you not see how it will end? As we fold ourselves within ourselves, and begin all over again. --Charles N. Inge
May/June 2022
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
LET’S GO!
A Calendar of Places to Go, Do or See…
See our full calendar at northwestprimetime.com/calendar
Senior & Health Events
The 2022 Aging Expo: Aging with Enthusiasm will be held both in-person and virtually on Saturday, May 7 from 8am to 3pm. The event is billed as “Join others to find encouragement and resources for a long and active life.” The expo will include activities, resources and consist of two breakout sessions including “5 Secrets to Improving your Amazing Brain” and “Tips to Keep Gardening as we Age.” Up to 100 guests may come in person to the event, which is located at the Pierce College Center Building in Puyallup. • To register to attend in person, click here to sign up. Those attending in-person at Pierce College need to be fully vaccinated and show vaccination proof at registration. Guests may also be asked to wear a facemask. • Guests may also attend the event virtually (click here to sign up for the online program). Sponsored by the City of Puyallup, Pierce County Human Services and other organizations PIONEERS IN AGING • May 9, May 16, May 23: “lunch ‘n’ learn” virtual author series to celebrate Older Americans Month at KCLS. All events are on Mondays, starting at noon and running approximately one hour, including time for Q&A. Register for each event separately via the links below. • May 9: Maria Kliavkoff, Healthy Mourning, Happy Loving May 16: Susan McFadden, Dementia-Friendly Communities: Why We Need Them, and How We Can Create Them • May 23: Ashton Applewhite, This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism End of Life Ready May 11, 10:30-11:30am; May 25, 6:307:30pm Zoom presentation on preparing Advance Directive, choosing a health care agent, your choices in Washington State, presented by End of Life Washington, Click here to learn more. Memory Loss: Guide to Next Steps Monthly on Thursdays, May 12, June 9 from 2-3:30pm, online intro session for those recently diagnosed with cognitive loss, get your questions answered by expert panel and receive copy of “Living with Memory Loss” handbook, Register two days before the program you would like to attend. Extended Reality for Health & Healing May 12, 2pm Dr. Nate Dreesmann provides overview of extended reality technologies that are being used in research, clinical practice and enterprise, free valet parking available, held at Aljoya Mercer Island, RSVP 206-230-0150 by May 10th
RetireMeet America 2022 May 14, 8am-3pm in-person at Meydenbauer Center or virtual, topics include speakers on retirement planning, Social Security, investing, Medicare, Estate Planning, housing and more, for schedule and tickets RetireMeet 2022. Memory Loss: A Guide to Next Steps May 12, June 9 from 2-3:30pm at the Memory Hub, 1021 Columbia Street, Seattle Register two days before the program you would like to attend AARP Washington Events Tues. May 17, from 10-11am and Thurs. May 19 from 7-9pm “Operation Protect Veterans” learn about top fraud and scams that target Veterans; May 20 from 10:30-11:15am “Prevent Cyber-Crime Fraud Greenwood Senior Center May 18, 1-2pm “After the Blast: Mount St. Helens 40 Years Later” email to register for this free talk. May 18, 2-3pm “High Tea Talk: Dementia 101”, 206-297-0875. Dementia 101 May 18, 2-3pm presented by NEST senior organization, 8008 35th Ave NE, Seattle 206525-6378. Aging Well Learning Community https://kcls.bibliocommons.com/ events/61c4b2e7e280b7290004769e This learning community dedicated to aging well with consciousness, courage and contribution meets every third Saturday. Enjoy nonfiction and fiction books, films and other arts as catalysts for reflection and conversation. New members always welcome. Please register by 12pm the day before the discussion. You will be sent information on the discussion topic as well as a Zoom link. If you do not see an email, check your Junk or Spam folder. May 21: “The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun” by Gretchen Rubin. Science Fridays July 15, Dec 2 noon-1pm, free virtual programs (rsvp) to learn the latest in immune system research including how our bodies respond to COVID-19, autoimmune diseases and more, presented by Benaroya Research Institute, to sign up visit www.benaroyaresearch.org/ sciencefriday Single Seniors Ongoing, fun and friendship after 60 for active seniors. Enjoy picnics, speed dating, potlucks, parties, social drinking, golf, fishing & more, Gig Harbor area and beyond. For info call Pati 253853-5046. Daily Arts Activities by Silver Kite! https://bit.ly/KCLS_SilverKite
15
Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience ...continued from page 2
and struggles through a series of informative panels and interactives. If you don’t know very much about Van Gogh, these displays will provide you with some good introductory background. Then you’ll walk into a massive, spacious area, where you’ll experience the 360-degree production, featuring twostory, floor-to-ceiling, digital projections of the artist’s work, utilizing cutting-edge, video mapping technology. It’s like stepping into one painting after another, as you take in Van Gogh’s masterpieces splashed on the walls in all their brilliant colors. Synced instrumental music accompanies the ever-changing scenes, allowing you to be completely mesmerized by this inspiring and vibrant sensory feast. ❖
More Information • The exhibition is scheduled to run through May. It is located in a SODO district warehouse in downtown Seattle. • For tickets and information, visit Van Gogh Seattle, WA Exhibit: The Immersive Experience Mum’s the Word Answers Answers to questions on page 12 1. Mother Teresa 2. Ma Kettle 3. “The Mummy” 4. “Mommie Dearest” 5. Soccer Mom
16
Northwest Prime Time
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
May/June 2022
Trailblazing Seattle Filmmaker Gets Her Due ...continued from page 1
Walkinshaw, having not worked at the station since 2003, was in her mid80s when that phone call came—a poignant detail in an already arresting story. But, in reality, few of Walkinshaw’s films rely on narrators. “My method,” she explains from her home in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, “is letting people tell their own stories in their own words.” It’s a technique she adopted early in her career. “I was of a philosophy then that you mustn’t have narrators because it was them telling you what to think from on high,” she says. “And I wanted to really dig what the person said.” We’ll try to honor that method and let Jean Walkinshaw tell most of her own story in her own words. But first, cue the narrator to supply a few biographical basics. Jean was born in 1926 in Tacoma, into a family with deep Northwest roots. After graduating from Stanford and traveling to Japan in 1951 to build houses in a still-devastated Hiroshima (a project led by the celebrated peace activist Floyd Schmoe, the subject of a later Walkinshaw documentary), she married a lawyer she had met at a Quaker meeting, Walt Walkinshaw. For the next six decades, they embodied a certain kind of Northwest progressive ideal, promoting causes and advancing the idea that Seattle might be a great city and not merely — as any longtime Seattleite can quote — a “cultural dustbin,” in the notorious phrase of conductor Sir Thomas Beecham. Walkinshaw’s career as a documentarian began through luck and proximity. (And here we would
Jean with her husband Walt at a San Juan Island retreat
bring in Walkinshaw’s voiceover, accompanied by archival images of early-1960s Seattle.) “I came into it through knowing the right people at the right time,” she remembers. “My husband was a good friend of Stim Bullitt, who was head of KING broadcasting company. This was when television was so young, and Stim didn’t have much respect for it, but he was put in charge of the station by his mother [the legendary Dorothy Bullitt], who was the first broadcaster here in the Northwest. He wanted to upgrade everything. “Stim came to my door one day and asked me to come to KING television—and Stim was way ahead of his time… he brought me to KING to do this little morning show once a week on interesting women. Women weren’t supposed to be interesting in those days; we were to cook and be nice and obey our husbands. “I was teaching school at Bellevue Junior High … we didn’t even have
a television set for our kids, [but] I thought this is an interesting thing to do. KING was wonderfully alive in those days—Stim brought a lot of movers and shakers, mostly [East Coast] elite. So you can imagine how popular I was. And I was never very good on camera. Oh dear heaven, the director of programming brought me in and gave me hell for my performance after a year, and I wrote a letter of protest and said, ‘How dare you treat me this way?’ “At that point, in a huff, I registered at the University of Washington to study television.” Walkinshaw took classes on TV production from Milo Ryan, another mighty figure from Seattle broadcasting history and the first director of programming at Seattle’s new public-TV station, KCTS. Ryan became another of her mentors, and Walkinshaw was soon working with him on a new project at the station.
May/June 2022
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
an idealist wanting to use the medium to get my ideas out. And it was Wayne, really, who taught me a huge amount. He had a Bolex [a Swiss motion picture camera], and he was ahead of his time in letting a woman put her hands on equipment. “My husband, Walt, was sitting up in bed, reading; he’d won a new book. The Seattle Times had a contest— anything free he’d try for—and it was one of Studs Terkel’s books.” At the time, the writer was becoming known Jean with audio gear in the early days of her career for his oral histories that allowed everyday people to speak “I am a person of causes,” in their own voices. Walkinshaw says, and by that point She took a look. “And I really she already had the idea that TV liked what I read. This was the might be used to investigate social extraordinary and the ordinary; Studs, issues. She contacted one of the I think, was the one who invented “interesting women” from her KING series, Roberta Byrd Barr—who would it. So I studied his interviewing technique. And I didn’t want my voice later become the first Black principal in there.” of a Seattle school—to host a series What came from this inspiration called Face to Face. Byrd’s cut-to-thewas Faces of the City, a series of chase style and telegenic charisma short profiles of mostly non-famous dovetailed neatly with Walkinshaw’s Seattleites. “We weren’t asking the crusading instincts. Face to Face head of the committee to come on, quickly moved from KCTS to KING, we were asking one of the gofers. We gaining national acclaim. “The had a garbageman and a woman who right thing at the right time,” says worked nights cleaning rooms. Most of Walkinshaw. them were people you wonder about: “Once I went to KCTS,” ‘What is their job like?’ They were Walkinshaw recalls, “I was put with the people who were striving, working a marvelous, funny photographer, folk.” Wayne Sourbeer. Wayne came to it Because audiotape was so much as a still photographer; I came at it as
17
cheaper than film, Walkinshaw would record her interviews and let that determine the narrative; then she and Sourbeer would put visuals to the story. “The interviewing was just so important. It was the bones of the show,” she says. “I just felt you should rivet them with your eyes, and don’t start looking at your notes to see what your next question was going to be. Let them take the lead. They’ll give you a bunch of stuff that, if you follow it, is much more interesting than what you preconceived. “And that’s been my philosophy of producing documentaries. I love this matter of discovery, of hanging loose. I’ve certainly had an outline, which I’ve written up to get my grant, but that’s in the background. When I get in the field I try not to impose what I want people to be. So many of them went in different ways than I anticipated. I never had a writer, I never had anybody to tell me what to do. I didn’t write—I wrote with their words, and I took my voice out completely. Wayne and I would decide on visual equivalents—if [the interviewee] got angry about something, maybe a rose bush with some thorns on it.” Walkinshaw’s program lands a National Endowment for the Arts grant for her 1976 documentary, Three Artists in the Northwest—a trio composed of Theodore Roethke, George Tsutakawa and Guy Anderson—which had multiple national airings and won a few regional Emmys. “It really took off. And we were showing off the beauty of our Northwest. It set me on my way,” she says. For most of the next three decades, Walkinshaw’s way was whatever rang her bell. Her influences included her husband’s environmentalism, her continued on page 18
18
Northwest Prime Time
Trailblazing Seattle Filmmaker Gets Her Due ...continued from page 17
interest in the Asian influence on Northwest culture, and her status as a self-described “peacenik.” “I had a lot I wanted to say, and I started out being quite didactic, and just wanting to tell people what to think,” she says. “I did one show, Trident: Supersub or Dinosaur? [1977] It was about the Trident supersub in Puget Sound, which is lurking there still. And [later] I was almost embarrassed by the show. It was so full of facts and figures, and I was trying to do too much and say too much, and I realized that just isn’t me. “So I went the other direction, and decided, well, if I make things beautiful, maybe I’ll get farther. Bringing human interest—that’s the way I can produce best. I was much better at people. I love people.” In these documentary portraits Walkinshaw chased a definition of something she identified as a Northwest Mystique. “Is it an imaginary idea on my part, or are we different? Why is the Northwest the way it is?” Highlights from this era include winning the Robert F. Kennedy Award for Journalism in 1991 for The Children of the Homeless, and making KCTS’s first high-definition program, the hourlong Rainier: The Mountain, from 2000. And while the Pacific Northwest has been her focus, she has nevertheless strayed enough to make films in places like Ghana and Russia and Japan. Over the course of her career, Walkinshaw changed her style, she admits—and even began using narrators. So we’ll return to thirdperson narrator here. When she parted ways with
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com KCTS during a turbulent station upheaval in 2003, it was a prelude to the dramatic scene 10 years later, when Walkinshaw got that phone call about the discovery of her old tapes. Among the many gems in that pile was an interview with Alan Hovhaness, one of the 20th century’s most prolific composers. “They didn’t want to have this archived stuff anymore,” she says, “It was just heartbreaking to me, but we did rescue it.” With Walkinshaw’s body of work facing obscurity, she coordinated with the enthusiastic staff of SCCtv, Seattle Colleges Cable Television, headquartered at North Seattle College. They brought cars to Channel 9, loaded up cans of film and boxes of VHS tapes, and stored them. “They sat with this material for three years until I could make an agreement with the University of Washington to archive them,” Walkinshaw recalls. In the meantime, she got a grant to digitize everything. “It just absolutely saved me.” Walkinshaw continued to produce for SCCtv (“They were some of the most interesting shows I did,” she asserts), including a series called Remarkable People, which featured profiles of writer Charles Johnson, gospel choir leader Patrinell Wright and community organizer Assunta Ng, among other locals. At age 80, she learned how to edit, tutored by SCCtv’s Dean Cuccia, who worked on digitizing her tapes. “Now I’m a one-man band,” she jokes. At some point, she heard about the American Archive of Public Broadcasting, an initiative between the Library of Congress and Boston’s public television station WGBH to “preserve and make accessible significant historical content created by public media.” And so the American Archive
May/June 2022
Jean Walkinshaw was inducted into the 2019 Gold Circle of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Northwest Chapter
heard about Jean Walkinshaw. “We immediately recognized the significance of this collection, not only in documenting the history, people, culture and environment of the Pacific Northwest, but also as a collection of programs produced by a female pioneer of public media,” says Casey Davis Kaufman, associate director of GBH [formerly WGBH] Archives and project manager at the American Archive of Public Broadcasting. Kaufman noted that Walkinshaw’s work ticked a number of essential boxes, including the preservation of voices of historically marginalized populations, “thanks to Jean’s career in elevating the lesser-known stories of people in underrepresented communities,” and the deep representation of the Northwest. “It has been our mission to fill regional gaps in the collection,” Kaufman adds. The American Archive of Public Broadcasting Jean Walkinshaw
May/June 2022 Collection now boasts 44 documentaries and 200 other items, including raw footage and unedited interviews. If it sounds like vindication and rediscovery for Jean Walkinshaw, that is certainly how the filmmaker herself sees it. “I’m so happy right now, at the age of 95,” she says. “I feel the full circle has come around. It’s the dream of any producer to have this happen.” “Walt died in 2010, so it’s all been in the last 10 years that this has happened to me. And here I am! I’m 95, and I’m still going! It just blows my mind. And I think it really has kept my mind alive, because I have gone ahead and continued to produce.” In recent years, Walkinshaw has produced a video memoir, which will remain sealed for 50 years. (“I guess I’m ‘Seattle nice,’ ” she explains. “I do not want to hurt anyone with my frank comments.”) She has also been working on a long-form documentary about her family history, which, if the first sections are any indication, contain a flabbergasting number of colorful characters and unlikely coincidences. “So you see why I’m just in awe,” Walkinshaw reflects. “I just stand back and think, well, what next is going to happen that’s lovely?” ❖ This profile of Jean Walkinshaw was conceived by journalist Tom Keogh, who conducted the initial interviews for it before he died suddenly on Sept. 28, 2021. He was a veteran Seattle writer whose work for Crosscut included an extraordinary 2020 piece about nursing homes, filtered through his own health experiences. Robert Horton would like to dedicate this story to the memory of his close friend, and thank Marni Wiebe-Keogh and Kevin Keogh for their help in completing it. Visit crosscut.com/donate to support nonprofit, freely distributed, local journalism.
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com What to Do with Cremated Ashes ...continued from page 6
the sky so the particles can be taken by the wind. To do this, they could hire a private plane, helicopter or hot air balloon service, or use a balloon scattering service like Mesoloft.com. Or they could even send your ashes into outer space with Celestis.com. • Turn them into a record: If you love music, a UK company called Vinlyly (Andvinyly.com) will turn your ashes into a vinyl record. You supply the music (or voice recording) and cover image, and the company creates a memorial that your family can listen to for years to come. • Turn them into jewelry or glass: If you love jewelry or glass trinkets, there are companies – like CloseByMeJewelry.com, SpiritPieces. com and ArtFromAshes.com – that will turn your ashes into wearable jewelry or glass art memorials. • Go out with a bang: If you’re a hunter or a gun lover, a company called Holy Smoke (MyHolySmoke.com) will create loaded ammunition out of cremated remains. Your family could store the ammo in the engraved wooden box it comes in, or they can send you off in a gun salute. • Turn them into art: If you love art, arrange for an artist or family member to paint your portrait, or a picture, with some of your ashes mixed into the paint. Or, if your family is into tattoos, many tattoo artists will mix some ashes with ink to create a memorial tattoo. ❖ Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org.
19
The True-Life Adventures of a Senior Newspaper Publisher ...continued from page 9
the most crucial element in running a successful free publication. After a few twists and turns, Northwest Prime Time was reborn. To say Chris and I were green and inexperienced is an understatement. We started the journey in late 1999, but it took some time before we were able to publish our first edition, which came in March 2000. Before Northwest Prime Time, I was a counselor and advisor through the Seattle College District. I hadn’t intended on switching careers, but Chris needed all the free help he could get. Before I knew it, I was delivering newspapers and, with Chris, trying to figure out how to run the business. Over the years, we’ve learned a lot and met a lot of great people along the way. By and by, my age caught up with our readership demographic. I was gratified to learn that, at 49-soon-tobe-50, I was leaving the old-age of youth and entering the youth of old age. Then, in 2021, I finally became eligible for Medicare and reported the exciting news to my oldest sister, Barbara. Barbara had been none-toothrilled when I came home from the hospital as a newborn baby on her 10th birthday. She wanted a bicycle instead. But she eventually forgave me and when I told her I had signed up for Medicare, she crooned affectionately, “Awww. You’re finally all grown up.” Grown up, true, but still learning. We’ve discovered so much from our contributors, the people and organizations serving seniors, and especially from our wonderful readers. With a new website to run, we have plenty left to learn. ❖
20
Northwest Prime Time
www.NorthwestPrimeTime.com
May/June 2022
The Great Outdoors
Make Foraging Your New Hobby …by Roger Urbaniak, www.rogersoutdoorchannel.com
Roger Urbaniak
Finding wild, edible food near where you live can be fun and challenging, plus add tasty interest to your evening meal. Learning where to look, when to look, and recognizing the foods that are tasty and safe to eat takes practice. Practice plus frequent use of reference materials until you develop your own
foraging skills. However, food that you harvest yourself will taste better because of its freshness and organic origins. Plan Your Outings: Deciding what might be ready to harvest on a given day and where you might find it takes some research. Fruits, berries, mushrooms or nuts all have an ideal, relatively short time to harvest them when they ripen. Use reference books or numerous internet sources to identify your chosen foraging target in an area you intend to search. References should identify when specific fruits or vegetables should be ripe, give you some tips on the habitat where they may be found, and provide photos or sketches to help you accurately identify your target. I like to bring Northwest Foraging written by David Benoliel with me, both because it’s helpful and that it is waterproof. Multiple Foraging Targets: Reference guides will alert you to numerous wild edibles that might ripen around the same time. Even if your primary target is wild asparagus, keep your eyes open for morel, wild onion, blue camas, salmonberry and others. As you learn to identify new edible plants and their locations, your outings become more productive and interesting. I have one favorite twomile wetland walk near home where I have identified 28 separate edibles that can be found there, many ripening at the same time. Foraging targets might later expand to gathering other edible food such as clams, oysters, etc. and/or you may decide to plant a garden to supplement foraging items you have difficulty locating.
Remember Safety: If your outing involves wetland or woodland walks, prepare accordingly. I will usually carry a backpack, a first aid kit, insect spray, sunscreen, water, snacks, compass, matches, knife, reference material and plastic bags. Share Your Bounty: I have found a variety of fruit trees that produce more than enough for my needs. Extra picking helps others that could use some too. Food banks are happy to receive contributions and even give you donation slips to help with your taxes. Occasionally we host a party featuring some special find that we have brought home fresh. Some of your friends might reciprocate with their own parties or may even ask to join you in future outings. Try Some New Recipes: Once you become proficient at locating a specific food source, preparing it with new recipes can provide more incentive to harvest. YouTube is a great source to research new preparation ideas, or just use cookbooks. When I harvest a quantity of morel mushrooms, I dry them for later use in side dishes, flavoring for soups, stews, pastas and omelets. Getting Outdoors: Foraging is simply a great excuse for getting outdoors. It will give your eyes a break from computer and television screens while you enjoy fresh air. Nature is better appreciated outside where a new wildflower might surprise you. Bird and animal sightings add excitement to your trip. The exercise is helpful, but it is that quest for, and savoring of, a basket full of fresh food that is likely to make you an avid forager. Go out there and give it a try. Let me know how you did. ❖ “Rogers Outdoor Channel” is the place to learn about the adventures of Northwest Outdoor Enthusiast Roger Urbaniak along with his lovely wife Linda and trusty pooch Sparky. Visit rogersoutdoorchannel.com/ for more information or email Roger at admin@rogersoutdoorchannel.com.