Lafayette Today, September 2012

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September 2012

Serving the Lafayette Community Come Take a Hike

Lafayette Art & Wine Festival The 17th Annual Lafayette Art & Wine Festival, featuring art, wine, beer, music, and shopping, is scheduled for Saturday, September 15th from 10am to 7pm, and Sunday, September 16th, from 10am to 6pm, in downtown Lafayette. Free parking is available at the Lafayette BART station. There will be a free event shuttle to and from the BART parking lots and free valet bicycle parking (located at 81 Lafayette Circle, just behind the Art Stage).

With more than 275 arts and crafts booths, the fair offers a unique variety of gifts and display pieces created by local and regional artists.

Look for ceramics, photography, prints, paintings, blown glass, sculpture, jewelry, and much more.

The “Local Artists Alley” features Lamorinda artists that are members of the Lafayette Gallery and the Lamorinda Arts Alliance. The Gallery and Art Room (next to the Art Stage) will be open throughout the event. At the Premium Wine Pavilion, you’ll find a selection of high end wines. There will be a KidZone as well as bands playing a continuous mix of jazz, blues, zydeco, bluegrass, and ROCK on three stages. New this year will be Craft Beer Land and Food Truck Land.

For more information, visit www.lafayettefestival.com.

Did you know that one can hike from the Lafayette Reservoir over Quail Ridge to Happy Valley School, then up Panoramic to Briones Park?

This trail, named for former trails activist and mayor Walter Costa, is just one of many to be blazed by members of the Lafayette Hiking Club.

Founded 30 years ago by avid hiker and trails advocate Kathryn Peterson of Lafayette (the bridge from the Lafayette Community Center to the Lafayette Community Park is named in her honor), the Lafayette Hiking Club boasts a roster of 180 hikers. Ten to 12 usually take part in the organized hikes.

See Hike continued on page 17

Seventeen Point Two Million

Aging Successfully in our Community

By Ashley Hagin

Few things in life are certain, but there is one thing everyone can count on – aging. All of us will one day be faced with issues related to growing older, whether it is taking care of our aging parents or an older relative, or growing older ourselves. In spite of the many mental and physical challenges associated with aging, we can educate ourselves about the process and hopefully make the experience less stressful and even enjoyable.

Helping senior citizens, their loved ones, and caregivers navigate the challenges of aging is the focus of the 4th Annual Symposium for Seniors sponsored by the Lafayette Community Foundation (LCF), Saturday, October 13th at 8:30am at the Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian Church. A full agenda will include guest speakers, resource providers, refreshments, and door Volume V I- Number 9 prizes. Event sponsors include BrightStar, 3000F DANVILLE BLVD #117 ResCare, and the Stratford.

ALAMO, CA 94507 Marechal Duncan, Co-chair of the Telephone (925) 405-6397 LCF’s Liaison Committee for Seniors, Fax (925) 406-0547 Carol Federighi, Mayor of Lafayette, and editor@yourmonthlypaper.com Teresa Gerringer, Chair of the LCF, will Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher greet attendees. Dr. Alan Brast, Ph.D will The opinions expressed herein belong to the and do not necessarily reflect that of Laspeak about “Aging Gracefully with the writers, fayette Today. Lafayette Today is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein, Mind/Body Connection.”

Seventeen point two million.

This is the number of households in 2011 that faced food insecurity, an ungainly term that the United States Department of Agriculture uses to describe hunger. Seventeen point two million families, or one out of every six Americans, have inconsistent access to adequate food; families depending on food assistance programs are typically limited to poor food options. So what can be done?

The Urban Farmers, a Lafayette, CA-based non-profit organization that uses fruit trees to highlight the plight of the unsustainable industrial food system, is tackling the problem of hunger head on. Siamack Sioshansi, executive director of The Urban Farmers, explains that the organization’s goal is “to feed the poor the good food we want to eat: fresh, healthy, local.”

The process is simple. Local residents register backyard fruit trees with

See Glean continued on page 19 Local Postal Customer

By Fran Miller

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit 21 Lafayette, CA

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By Aaron Miller

See Symposium continued on page 20

nor does publication imply endorsement.

Page 2 - September 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

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Walk n’ Roll Please join Las Trampas, Inc. at the 3rd Annual Walk n' Roll family-friendly fundraiser on Saturday, September 22nd! Enjoy a fun one mile or 5K walk/run/roll on the Lafayette-Moraga trail. The trail is wheelchair friendly. Registration begins at 8:30AM, the Walk/Roll/Run begins at 9AM, and from 11AMNoon there will be post-walk/run entertainment. A registration fee of $25 includes a T-shirt, gift, raffle, food, and music. There is no fee for children under 5 years of age.

Proceeds support adults with developmental disabilities. Our mission is to help people with developmental disabilities to discover their capabilities and lead full lives in their homes, at work, and in the community. We provide Residential, Vocational, and Day Programs. With drastic budget cuts we need your help more than ever.

The event starts at Las Trampas, Inc., located at 3460 Lana Lane in Lafayette. General parking is available on Moraga Blvd. For more information, visit www.lastrampas.org or call 925-284-1462 ext. 239.

Lafayette Reservoir Run – October 28th

Walnut Creek Restaurant Walk

“The fastest 5K and the toughest 10K in the land”

On Tuesday, October 9th from 6PM to 9PM, enjoy a delightful evening stroll while sampling delicious foods at some of the best restaurants in Walnut Creek.

You will be tasting world class cuisine at 24 restaurants such as alla crostini at Cypress, ceviche with spicy yucca chips at Havana, mostaccioli con pollo at Salavatore’s, pomegranate chicken at the Silk Road, and Kalua sliders at Tiki Tom’s. Come hungry!

The Orinda/Moraga/Lafayette (OML) branch of AAUW (American Association of University Women) will use proceeds from the restaurant walk to send girls to Tech Trek camp next year. This is a science and math camp for young girls dedicated to encouraging girls to enter science and math careers. In 2012, AAUW OML sent six girls to the Grace Hopper Tech Trek camp on the Stanford University campus.

Tickets, which include a map of all 24 participating restaurants, are $30 per person. Mail checks (made out to AAUW-OML) to AAUW-OML, 2914 Fyne Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94598. If you have any questions, call Sandy Fox-Sohner at (925) 631-0668. Tickets will also be sold at the Pear Festival in Moraga on September 29th.

The Lafayette Reservoir Run is the city’s most popular “family affair,” involving kids, parents, grandparents, and hundreds of serious runners from all over the Bay Area. Over 2,500 participants compete in a 10K, 5K or 2 mile race through the heart of downtown Lafayette, around the reservoir, and back. Sprinters, walkers, the “stroller brigade” and many of Lafayette’s top four legged residents share the streets on the last Sunday morning in October. Race times begin at 8am and “day of” registration begins at 6:30am.

Enjoy music provided by Stanley Middle School and a pancake breakfast provided by the Lafayette Rotary Club. This event is presented by the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce and the City of Lafayette.

Parking is available at the BART parking lot. Walk down to Plaza Center (Mt. Diablo Blvd. at Moraga Rd.) where all the fun is taking place.

Pre-registration can be done by visiting the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce website, www.lafayettechamber.org or www.active.com.

Beneficiaries of the event are the local schools and the services and programs of the Chamber. There are division awards for all top participants in the 5K and 10K. The two mile fun run is a non-timed event.

Get Involved and Make a Difference with Leadership Contra Costa The Walnut Creek Chamber is now accepting applications for enrollment in Leadership Contra Costa, a program designed to motivate and identify potential leaders and prepare them for community leadership. The 26th year of this outstanding program will kick off at the end of September.

Participants meet once a month by means of workshops, presentations from community leaders, and group exercises to develop their understanding of leadership roles and prevailing issues with the community. With an alumni roster of over 600 individuals this program has proven to be an asset to the community and society.

Leadership Contra Costa accepts 28 to 32 individuals from throughout the county with diverse backgrounds to participate in the program. To request an application for the Leadership Contra Costa, 2012 - 2013 season, please contact Marcie Hochhauser at (925) 934-2007 or email mhoch@walnut-creek.com.

AAUW Kick Off Meeting On Tuesday, September 18th, the Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette Branch of the American Association of University Women kicks off the 2012-2013 year with “SHOWCASE,” its annual “get to know us” meeting, held at the Holy Trinity Cultural Center, 1700 School Street, Moraga, starting at 9:15PM. Ain’t No Stopping Us Now!, the theme for the morning, begins with complementary beverages and refreshments and the opportunity to learn more about our women and young girls support groups and branch priorities that connect us to the community and our government. There will also be tables with information about the branch special interest groups designed to bring our membership together as well as MarketPlace, handmade items crafted by our own members, which will be for sale.

Guests are welcome! Come find out what this longtime national association is all about and how you can get involved with issues that focus on women of today and the future of our daughters both locally and globally. For more information, log onto the OML website at www.aauwoml.org.

Save the Dates!

On Saturday and Sunday, September 15th and 16th, the 17th Annual Art & Wine Festival will be held in downtown Lafayette. Enjoy music, food, drinks, and handmade crafts. For information, contact the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce at info@lafayettechamber.org or call 925-284-7404.

The Big Band Dance/Concert continues on Friday, September 14th at the Rheem Theater, and Friday, October 19th at the Veterans Memorial Building. For information, visit www.thebigbandofrossmoor.org.

On Sunday, October 28th, the 20th Annual Reservoir Run will be held in downtown Lafayette.

For information, contact the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce at info@lafayettechamber.org or call 925-284-7404.

Share Your News and Events With Us! Contact us at 925.405.6397 editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

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Lafayette Today ~ September 2012 - Page 3

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Boulevard View

By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor A few weeks ago I got a call from my sister inviting me to a Luau celebration at the Los Altos Historical Society in the South Bay. My sister was taking our 95-year-old grandmother to the event and had an extra ticket. To add to the excitement, it was Grandma’s actual birth day and she was born in Hawaii so a luau was a most fitting party!

A week before, our entire family had celebrated Grandma’s birthday by bringing the Islands to her (You know... if you can’t bring Mohammed to the mountain, the mountain must come to Mohammed!). We decked out the yard in tiki torches, hibiscus plants, and we brought in a small inflatable wading pool filled with some sand, plastic fish, and seashells so she could dip her toes in the water. She loved having the backyard beach.

At the Historical Society celebration, they presented Grandma with a lei fresh from the Islands, and we were seated at the VIP table as Grandma was a guest of honor. Our table was rounded out by the mayor and members of the Historical Society.

The woman seated next to me was from the Historical Society. I shared with her that my four sisters and I had grown up in Los Altos. I also noted that my father-in-law had been a Lieutenant with the Los Altos Police Department where he had worked for 25 years. I mentioned to her how I had pictures and documents from the 1950’s through the 1980’s when he had worked on the force. I don’t know why it hadn’t “clicked” before, but the woman noted that the Historical Society would love to see and duplicate the pictures in my collection.

As I have noted before, I am a big believer in memorabilia not being shoved in a drawer or hidden in a closet to rarely be seen again. Personally,

I love going to museums and seeing pictures and artifacts from days gone by. I look at the picture of my father-inlaw typing his reports on his typewriter, the rotary dial phone and teletype machine at his side, and he is surrounded by a wall of metal filing cabinets. I feel the need to contribute photos like these when I have the resources to do so so others can see how the times have changed as well.

Over the years I have become the historian for my husband’s family and the keeper of most of the photos, mementos, and family paperwork. I have personally scanned a lot of these items, but the pile of material is large.

I started emailing the president of the Los Altos Historical Society about the items I had and how to get them to her. I offered to let them have the originals of the items so long as I got high resolution digital copies of everything. I figured they have the resources to do the job right and having the material digitally fulfills my needs.

The President of the Historical Society invited us to visit, and hand-off of the material, and in addition she contacted the Police Department and put me in touch with their historian.

Alyssa at the Police Department was thrilled to hear of what I had and noted she’d like to add historical photos to their lobby.

Upon hearing this, my husband reflected on the hours he had spent in that very lobby waiting for his father to get off work or to visit him during the business day. He hadn’t been in the building in over 30 years, but our visit brought him back in time.

Do you have photos or memorabilia shoved in a closet or piled in a drawer? I am sure a Historical Society or archivist would love to share your memories of the past with the rest of the world.

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Page 4 - September 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

America’s Boating Course Diablo Sail & Power Squadron is holding two day boating courses on September 15 th and 22 nd and on October 6 th and 13 th at Bridge Marina Yacht Club located at 20 Fleming Lane in Antioch. The course meets educational requirements of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. Classes are open to the public and designed for all boaters.

Covered in the course will be boat handling and elementary seamanship, regulations, equipment, safe operation, navigation rules and aids to navigation, adverse conditions, marine radio operation, and communications.

For more information on America’s Boating Course and the Diablo Sail and Power Squadron, call (925) 377-BOAT. Online registration is available at www.diablosquadron.org.

Lafayette Recreation Now Registering for Fall!

The Lafayette Recreation Fall Brochure is now available online at www.

LafayetteRec.org. We had an AWESOME summer, and now we are looking forward to seeing you back at the Lafayette Community Center for more fun programs this fall. There are so many exciting new classes being offered such as Kung Fu as a Performing Art, Botanical Illustration, Pretzel Kids Yoga, Friendship Bracelet Making, Blues & Jazz Guitar Boot Camp and more!

Monday Jazzercise classes are free for the entire month of September.

There are three classes on Mondays. Early risers can wake up and get steppin’ at 6am, morning movers can stop by the Community Center at 9:10am, and if you prefer to get fit in the evening you can come at 5:45pm.

The center offers Jazzercise classes seven days a week so if you decide you like the class there are a lot of workout options.

Lafayette Fall Ball!

Lafayette Recreation & Lafayette Little League are teaming up with reputed pitching coach Jeff Pick of The Baseball Academy and his well-trained team of coaches to offer a fall baseball program designed to improve the abilities of players at ALL skill levels. Learn the mechanics, get the repetitions, and see improvements that will make the game more fun. From the basics of catching, hitting, and fielding to the complexities of team defense base running, this program will break it down to simple steps that can be worked on at home.

Hard work in the fall will pay dividends in the spring season.This program is for kids 5-14 years and runs for two sessions, September through November. Last year’s program proved to be a home run with players and parents alike. Don’t strike out and miss your chance to grab up one of the last slots. Visit www.LafayetteRec.org or call 925-284-2232 for schedule details and to register for this exciting new program and more this fall.

Pint for a Pint Blood Drive Powell’s Sweet Shoppe will be hosting a community blood drive. To encourage giving blood they are rewarding donors with a special treat.

Come join the “Pint for a Pint” blood drive on Saturday, September 29th from 11am to 5pm at 3591 Mt. Diablo Boulevard in Lafayette.

Donate a pint of blood and receive a free pint of bulk candy of your choice. The American Red Cross will have their donor bus parked in front of Powell’s. Donors must be 17 or older to participate. (Please bring your ID.) Every three seconds someone needs blood. Help Powell’s Sweet Shoppe and the American Red Cross meet these important community needs. We hope to see you there!

For priority registration sign-up online at www.redcrossblood. org. Click on “Enter a sponsor code” and enter “powellslaf” or contact the American Red Cross at 1-800-REDCROSS. Walk-ins are welcome!

For further information, please contact us at 925-299-YUMM.

Junior Achievement Needs You Junior Achievement, a non-profit funded by foundations and businesses, offers an exciting opportunity for you and your office to partner with local schools to educate students about business and financial literacy. By volunteering in the schools or hosting a Job Shadow, companies can increase outreach. Programs are offered to the schools at no cost. For more information, please contact Shaun Rundle at 465-1082, email srundle@janorcal.org, or visit www. janorcal.org.

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SonRise Equestrian Foundation Holds Fundraiser On Saturday, October 20th at Round Hill Country Club in Alamo SonRise Equestrian Foundation will hold its 6th Annual Wine and Equine Fundraiser. Enjoy estate grown wines, dinner, dancing, and entertainment. SonRise will also be offering a wine cellar raffle of premium wines and exciting live and silent auctions. SonRise continues to seek donors and sponsors for this event. All proceeds will provide support to children who are facing social, emotional, and physical challenges as well as help rehabilitate horses in need. Tickets cost $125. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 925-838-RIDE (7433) or visit www.sonriseequestrianfoundation.org.

Lafayette Today ~ September 2012 - Page 5 Saturday, Sept. 15th 10-7 PM Sunday, Sept. 16th 10-6 PM Downtown Lafayette

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About SonRise SonRise Equestrian Foundation is a volunteer-based non-profit organization making a positive difference for children ages 6 to 18 living with social, emotional, or physical challenges including life limiting illnesses. Participating children develop confidence, integrity, and responsibility through mentoring and peer relationships centered around the care and enjoyment of horses.

Sports Events Support Sentinels of Freedom Whether you prefer golf, cycling, or congenial company in a formal dinner setting with a world-renowned speaker or a picnic with casual acquaintances and friends, you can support the Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship Fund while having lots of FUN! Sentinels of Freedom invests in the future of our nation by offering highly motivated, but severely injured, members of the American Armed Forces mentoring, financial aid, and community support to achieve their goals in civilian life.

5th Annual Golf and Dinner September 16-17 Visit www.sentinelsoffreedom.org for multiple golfing options and/or dinner with guest speaker Col. Danny McKnight, author of Streets of Mogadishu and combatant in the incident upon which both the book and movie Blackhawk Down were based.

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Veterans Victory Velo Bike Ride September 22 Olympic cyclist Christine Thorburn is coming to lend her support. Participant in both the 2004 and 2008 games, she is a Rheumatologist at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Registration for cycling and all race routes begins at 2678 Bishop Drive on September 22nd starting at 6am. Lunch tickets are provided for cyclists and available for supporters for $5.

100 Mile Century Ride - $50 Begins at 7am 60 Mile Ride - $50 Begins at 9am 30 Mile Ride - $50 Begins at 10am 15 Mile Family Fun Ride -$50 Begins at 11am To encourage your favorite cyclist, simply contribute to the cause, or get additional information, contact Carla Goulart at carlagoulart@sentinelsoffreedom.org.

Lamorinda Peace and Justice The Lamorinda Peace and Justice Group meets the fourth Tuesday of each month from 7 – 9PM in the fireside room of Lafayette Methodist Church, 955 Moraga Road, Lafayette. We are committed to working to support a healthy planet, a thriving local community, and a safe, equitable world for all. For information, call 925-946-0563.

San Ramon Valley Genealogical Meetings The San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society meets at 10am the third Tuesday of every month, except August and December, at the Danville Family History Center, 2949 Stone Valley Road, Alamo. A speaker is at every meeting. Everyone is welcome.

For information, call Ed at (925) 299-0881, or visit http://srvgensoc.org.

Lost Dog!

$50 REWARD If you find him and your name is drawn!

He is very small, so you will have to look hard if you want to find him.

Lafayette Luther is Missing He has become lost in this paper.

Send a letter telling us where you found him, along with your name and address to:

Lost Dog! Lafayette Today, 3000F Danville Blvd #117, Alamo, CA 94507

Kyle Bones is our winner!

Luther was hiding on page 10 last month.

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APARTMENTS

Minuteman Press Lafayette

For further information, please visit our Website: www.lafayettefestival.com Also look for us on: &

How Much are my Coins and Collectables Really Worth?

Many coins and collectables are worth more today. But how much more are they worth? The 16th annual Contra Costa Coin and Collectables Show is the perfect place to get informal, free appraisals from over 30 West Coast dealers. The show will be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 13th and 14th, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel located at 45 John Glenn Drive in Concord. Doors open to the general public at 10AM each day.

In addition to free appraisals, the show dealers will buy, sell, and trade a variety of items including coins, tokens, medals, paper money, estate jewelry, and watches.

“The general public can really benefit,” said Bill Green, treasurer for the Diablo Numismatic Society, the non-profit coin club hosting this annual show. “There’s no better way to make sure you get fair value for your coins and collectables than at a show like ours, and our safe, secure venue offers a fun, fascinating, and educational experience for the entire family.”

Admission to the show is $3 and good for both days. Children under twelve are admitted free. A portion of the admission fees are donated to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano counties.

There will be drawings for valuable coins and other prizes. Also, Boy Scout Troop # 465 will host a youth exhibit that includes free coins for children.

The Crowne Plaza has a special rate of $89 for those requiring overnight accommodations. Call (877) 276-4600 and ask for the “coin show rate.”

Contact Bill Green of the Diablo Numismatic Society for more information at (925) 351 – 7605 or visit the club’s website at diablocionclub.org. The show also maintains a Facebook page.

AARP Tax-Aide Call for Volunteers Do you like working with people? Are you good with numbers? Contra Costa County AARP Tax-Aide is looking for volunteers to become members of a team providing free tax preparation for individuals of all ages. Volunteer positions include Tax Counselors who are trained by Tax-Aide and certified by IRS and Client Facilitators who schedule appointment and assist clients at tax sites. If interested, call LaVerne Gordon, District Coordinator, at (925) 726-3199 for information and to apply. Orientation is in November 2012, and classes for tax counselors start in January 2013.

Page 6 - September 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

The Bookworm

By Joan Stevenson It was 280 years ago that Ben Franklin convinced a group of 50 subscribers to invest 40 shillings each to start a lending library in Philadelphia. Members promised to invest ten shillings more every year to buy additional books and to help maintain the library. They chose as their motto a Latin phrase which translates as, “To support the common good is divine.”

Well, Ben, your idea is alive and well in Lafayette. Let me give you just a few examples of how we support the common good. WOW (Wonders of the World) will begin next month as the Friends celebrate the return of the Museum Docent Program. One afternoon a month at 2PM, a docent from one of the myriad of Bay Area cultural museums will give a presentation on their current exhibits. And, to present at the kickoff event for September, who is better than a docent from the renowned Ruth Bancroft Garden, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year? The first Wonders of the World takes place Thursday, September 13th at 2PM. If there is a heart murmur in your life or in your family, you will want to take advantage of a special opportunity to get information about treatment options and resources. Noted author Adam Pick will describe his experience with heart valve surgery, and renowned cardiac surgeon, Junaid Khan, MD, will discuss treatment options for these conditions. This presentation, Find A Healthy Beat, is brought to you

by Alta Bates Summit Medical Center on Thursday, September 18th from 6:30 – 9PM. On Tuesday, September 25th, John Muir Health presents: No Two Knees are Alike-New Treatment Options for YOUR Knee Pain. John M. Knight MD will discuss non-surgical and surgical treatment options for knee pain, including new advances in “custom-fit” surgery. Dr. Knight is a leader in the medical community and is one of the few Bay Area surgeons currently performing the latest technologically advanced procedures in orthopedics. His free presentation will be held from 6– 7:30PM. The Friends sponsored A Writer’s Place program is thriving. Last year they started writer’s feedback groups at the Lafayette Library as part of the program.

They have four active groups that meet either once or twice a month to share

www.yourmonthlypaper.com support and feedback. Each group has eight to 10 active members who are writing young adult works, historical fiction, memoirs, and more. Because of the demand for these groups, we are planning to start additional writer’s groups this fall. For more information, please contact www.awritersplace.com.

Guess Who Is Coming To Dinner on November 3rd? Twenty-four critically acclaimed authors, one at every table are gathering for an amazing A Literary Feast, catered by SpringLoaf Catering. And you can join them! Tickets are now on sale for $225, and table sponsorships are available. So you ask, “How is such an incredible event possible?” It takes a community willing to support, sponsor, and underwrite the initial cost of such an extraordinary evening. Special thanks to those generous neighbors and a shout from the rooftops about the wonderful and generous, great FRIENDS for their $10,000 sponsorship of the Author Event.

By the 1740’s, Ben Franklin’s idea had spawned libraries in fledgling communities across colonial America. Today the average American borrows seven books from the public library each year. September is Library Card Signup Month, so this is a reminder to check your wallet or your backpack for your library card, and don’t leave home without it! Wow, Ben, just see what you started!

Openings on LLLCF Board The Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation (LLLCF) invites community members to apply for a position on the Board of Trustees.

The Library Foundation Board of Trustees: • Have fiduciary responsibility for managing Foundation assets • Develop/implement a major fundraising plan and grant program • Oversee non-County library budget, operations, and staff • Coordinate activities of the Glenn Seaborg Learning Consortium • Manage collaborative relations with the County, City, schools and other community partners The Governance Committee will: • Manage an open, broadly focused recruitment process • Select up to four candidates to serve as Trustees Applications are available at LLLCF.org, or a print copy is available in the LLLCF office on the mezzanine floor of the library. The final deadline to apply is September 30, and interviews will be conducted through October 22. Please return applications to LLLCF, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Suite 214, Lafayette, CA 94549.

For further information, call (925) 283-6513 x.104.

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Lafayette Today ~ September 2012 - Page 7

Sunday, October 14th 1/2 Marathon • 5K Race • 5K Fun Run/Walk (Both races certified by USA Track & Field)

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www.primosrun.com 4th Street Weir

By Amanda Brand, Lafayette Historical Society An inquiring Lafayette resident recently dropped into the historical society with the closest we’ve ever gotten to an aquatic engineering question: “When was the weir at the end of 4th Street built and why?”

Luckily for our curious visitor, the weir at 4th Street not only has a story, it has a partner at Victoria Court. Weirs, which are a variety of dam, are built to alter or regulate the flow of rivers and creeks.

In this case, the two weirs in Lafayette came into being after two very wet winters in 1938 and 1939. Log jams caused by tumbling black walnut trees widened the course of the creek, and land on both sides was reclaimed by water. Something had to be done!

The flooding got so bad that the bridge at Moraga Blvd and 4th Street had to be rebuilt by the city in order to prevent its demise. With water rising the county quickly realized a weir at 4th Street would be a good solution to moderating the creek in the long term.

Some local residents that lived in the Lafayette Manor Tract just down the creek near Victoria Avenue got wind of this and formed the Las Trampas Dam Club in 1940 to advocate for a second weir near Victoria Court. The Dam Club was motivated with good reason, rising water had encroached on several owners properties, sometimes even coming up onto the back porch of hapless residents.

Meeting in Earl Wise’s garage, the club had five members: Geo. Williams, Mr. Van Es, Bud Blamy, George Gelhaus and of course, the owner of the ‘clubhouse,’ Earl Wise. Each member donated $300 to make the second weir, and they solicited nearby residents for donations and pledges for the betterment of the community.

With money under their belt, the group shopped for materials, hired

government engineer surveyors to make plans, and petitioned the county. By winter 1941 the two weirs were under construction, with the county graciously furnishing the labor for the Victoria Court weir. Interestingly, most of the materials of the weir were local, with rock purchased from Clayton and cement from Burt & Lloyd in Lafayette.

The impressive structures were built and completed by the next wet winter, where they proved their merit in protecting life and property in the area. Both weirs still stand, regulating the creek and preventing any residents from getting a backyard swimming pool they had not counted on!

For those citizens who would like to take an even closer look at the 4th Street weir and help out a great cause at the same time, the Lafayette Creeks Committee and Lafayette Parks and Recreation Department are sponsoring a Creek Cleanup and Education day on Sunday, September 23rd from 10am until 2pm at Leigh Creekside Park in Lafayette. Help clean up the creeks, and enjoy presentations relating to our beautiful creeks. Questions can be directed to the Creeks Committee at Lafayette.creeks@gmail.com.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

Page 8 - September 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

Contra Costa County Supervisor, District 2 Are You Ready For Disasters – Get Connected!

By Candace Andersen

Lic# 1100014354; Bay Area Entertainment

Cinema Classics and Musical Notes Pride and Prejudice

By Peggy Horn This month’s movie, Pride and Prejudice, is one of my favorite movies and is based upon the book of the same name, written by Jane Austen and published in 1813. There are those who suggest that Pride and Prejudice, the book, is among the finest English literature ever written!

The book, Pride and Prejudice, has been converted to film several times including one version from 1940, starring Greer Garson and Sir Laurence Olivier, in which Aldous Huxley (He wrote the book, Brave New World) was one of the screenwriters! This movie differs from the book, however, in ways that are somewhat disappointing.

Another adaptation was the tremendously popular 1995 British production for television starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. This version, in six episodes, is very nice indeed, but the finest of them all, in my opinion, is the 2005 movie, Pride and Prejudice, starring Keira Knightly as Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew MacFadyen as Mr. Darcy. What makes this version so outstanding? In the first place, director Joe Wright has an extraordinary, artistic eye that he used throughout the movie to create scenes that have the beauty and structure of moving oil paintings, portraying with realism and accuracy the feelings and personalities of the characters.

Ms. Knightley and Mr. MacFayden are both excellent in their roles, as are the other members of the entire cast. The segments of English life as depicted by the country and private dances, the meals, and the gorgeous countryside make this movie rich in detail and warmth and extremely enjoyable viewing.

After reading the book several times and seeing all the Pride and Prejudice film versions at least once, I asked myself, “What is it about this particular love story that withstands retelling, that continues to tantalize us for nearly 200 years, and that makes us love it so? After all, even knowing how the story ends doesn’t prevent repeated viewings with zeal! Perhaps it reminds and comforts us that forgiveness enables people to start fresh like Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth did – even after bitter fighting. Whatever the reason, this is a truly enduring love story, written by a woman who died at the youthful age of 41 and never married, but who, nevertheless, understood human relationships.

Musical Notes Jane Austen (1775-1817) was a devout Christian and the daughter of the rector of an Anglican parish. She may very well have heard my ‘Musical Notes’ selection, Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cantata, No. 78, “Jesu Du Meine Seele” (“Jesus, Thou who my soul”), in church because it was composed to accompany the religious service, specifically the 14th Sunday after Trinity.

It was first performed September 10, 1724. My favorite part, Part 2, “Wir Eilen Mit Schwachen Doch Emsigen Schritten,” (We hasten with weak yet eager steps), is a duet for soprano and alto. This exquisite music is available inexpensively for downloading into your collection.

In light of the recent fire at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, I thought it would be timely to provide information about disaster preparedness and emergency warning systems in Contra Costa County. Even if you don’t live or work near a refinery, it is important to be informed about other disasters that could impact your neighborhood such as wildfires, gas line ruptures, earthquakes, or floods. I have also included other relevant emergency and disaster preparedness events and resources in our area.

The Contra Costa County Community Warning System (CWS) issues alerts about situations in the County that pose an imminent threat to life or health. The CWS is operated by the Office of the Sheriff in partnership with the county’s Department of Health Services and its business and industry partners. Visit their website at www. cws.cccounty.us/register to enroll your cell phone number in the service. There is no charge from the County for these alerts, however your service provider may charge you depending upon your individual plan. If you are social media savvy, you can receive alerts in your Twitter feed and get text messages on your phone. Go to Twitter and follow @CoCoCWS, and set your cell phone to receive a text alert.

Lamorinda Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) offers free emergency response training to interested community members. CERT is a community based disaster response team for the cities of Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, and the surrounding unincorporated areas in Contra Costa County. They train volunteer emergency responders and plan for emergency and disaster response including preparedness, search and rescue, small fire suppression, and medical response.

There are three levels of CERT membership: Level I is a Basic Training level where members are trained to respond for their families and neighborhoods, Level II includes Red Cross training where members are available for deployment throughout the local area, and Level III is for medically trained members who are available for deployment through Mutual Aid throughout the state. For more information or to register for a class, visit www.lamorindacert.org.

Save the date of October 18th at 10:18am for the 2012 Great California ShakeOut. Over 5.3 million Californians, wherever they are at the time, will take part in the largest earthquake preparedness activity in U.S. history! The Shake Out is a chance to practice drop, cover, and hold on so that we will be ready to protect ourselves in earthquakes. Check their website at www.shakeout.org to see if your Lamorinda area school or organization is participating.

If you are looking for a fun family event to help get you better prepared for disasters, you are welcome to come visit the other end of Supervisorial District 2 for the September 15th San Ramon Valley Emergency Preparedness Fair. The City of San Ramon, Town of Danville, San Ramon Valley Fire, and the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, along with various community, county, state and federal agencies will be showcasing their response resources and programs for preparedness on Saturday, September 15th from 9am to 2pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 655 Old Orchard Road in Danville. Event attendees will enjoy viewing a Jaws of Life demonstration, a tour of a Red Cross Shelter, the Second Military Medical Brigade from Camp Parks, a presentation by the San Ramon Police canine team, and a display from the National Guard Civil Support Team. There will be a free BBQ lunch, free emergency supply kits for the first 500 guests, and many activities geared toward kids and pet safety. Find more information at www.bereadysrv.org.

If you have any issues of concern or questions about Contra Costa County or would like to sign up for my monthly e-Newsletter, please don’t hesitate to contact my staff or me at 925.957.8860, or Dist2@bos.ccccounty.us. We are here to serve you.

Weekly Dance Social Dance for joy at weekly Social, or just come to chat; all are welcome. Twirl, chat, and tap your feet to the beat. The Social is for all-level and all-style dancers, music lovers, and observers. The Social is held Wednesdays from 12:30 to 2:50PM at the Lafayette Community Center located at 500 St. Mary’s Road. The longtime event, with continuous, professionally recorded music, is held in the big, bright Live Oak Room. The Social specializes in ballroom, but any style dance adds to the charm.

For more information visit sites.google.com/site/lafayetteteadance. Fees for the event are $2 for members of the Senior Center, and $4 for non-members.

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Lafayette Today ~ September 2012 - Page 9

Sustainable Lafayette – Tip of the Month You’ve probably heard the term GMOs – which stands for “genetically modified organisms,” but you may not understand what they’re all about. Since there is a proposition on the ballot this Fall (Proposition 37) which would require products that include GMOs to indicate that on the label, we thought it might be the Purveyors of classic, exotic, and perfect time to shed a little light on the subject. high-performance cars for more than 30 years.

So what are GMOs? GMOs are plants or animals California’s #1 Classic Car Dealer created through the gene splicing techniques of Over 200 vehicles in inventory! biotechnology. DNA is merged from different species, creating combinations of plant, animal, bacterial, and viral genes that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.

GMOs on the market today are engineered to withstand direct application of herbicides, to be resistant to insect damage, or to be resistant to viral infections. Our highest volume commodity crops like corn, soybeans, canola, cotton, and sugar beets are almost all genetically modified. Corn, for instance, can now survive huge doses of Monsanto’s pesticide Roundup Showrooms in Pleasanton, Benicia, and Fairfield.

– because of genes from other organisms. Since these www.SpecialtySales.com | 800.600.2262 crops are also consumed by livestock, GMOs also show up in meat, milk, eggs, and other animal products.

Are GMOs safe? The safety of GMOs has been actively debated, but a growing body of evidence connects GMOs with health problems, environmental damage, and violation of farmers’ and consumers’ rights. Most other developed nations do not consider GMOs to be safe. In nearly 50 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs. In the U.S., the government has approved GMOs based on studies conducted by the same corporations that created them and profit from their sale.

How do GMOs impact the environment? Since toxic herbicides like Roundup go hand-in-hand with GMO crops, their use has increased 15 times since GMOs were introduced. GMO crops are also responsible for the emergence of “super weeds” and “super bugs” which can only be killed with ever more toxic poisons. All of these chemicals create lifeless soil and are poisonous to the creeks, rivers, and oceans that receive the runoff. Also, once these genetically modified organisms are released into the environment, they cannot be recalled and often drift into neighboring fields and take root. There is no way to contain them.

Can you tell what products have GMOs? No, but in the U.S. GMOs are in as much as 80% of conventional processed food. Even though a 2008 CBS News Poll found that 87% of consumers wanted GMOs labeled, so far the powerful biotech lobby has succeeded in keeping the information from the public.

What is Proposition 37? After years of feeling hopeless, a grandmother from Chico named Pamm Larry, with no money or experience, decided she was going to do whatever she could to get a Proposition on the ballot. She considered it a basic right to know what’s in her food. She and other volunteers gathered about 1 million signatures so that WE could decide! Prop 37 simply asks for a truthful label. If people still want to buy products with GMOs, they can.

The stakes couldn’t be larger. What happens here will affect the whole country. At least seven other states are watching to see what happens and are poised to do initiatives or legislative efforts if the proposition passes. But the opposition has already contributed over $25 million to defeat it so they can continue to keep food buyers in the dark.

More Information Learn more about the “California Right to Know” campaign at www.carighttoknow.org/ The Non-GMO Project has a very informative website: www.nongmoproject.org/ The Human Genome Project lists the benefits and controversies surrounding GMOs. Visit www.ornl.gov/sci/ techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml The Institute for Responsible Technology is looking for volunteers to help get Prop 37 passed. See http:// action.responsibletechnology.org/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=7223 See who is trying to defeat Prop 37 at www.noprop37.com/donors/ Non-GMO shopping guide for your iPhone: http://itunes.apple.com/app/shopnogmo/id393454798?mt=8

Community Garden and Outdoor Learning Center

International Film Showcase

Join members of the Lafayette Community Garden and Outdoor Learning Center for classes offered at the new Garden across from the Reservoir.

Classes are intergenerational, interactive, informative, and fun, so bring your kids or grandkids and prepare to get your hands dirty!

Winter Gardens ~ September 29 • 3 – 5PM Join Nanette Heffernan in a lively discussion on how to prepare your garden for winter to ensure you have a healthy spring. We will also be discussing winter edibles that do well in Contra Costa County: Swiss chard, broccoli, collard greens...the list goes on and on. You will even take home some seedlings to plant!

Classes are free, although donations are gladly accepted. To register for a class visit www.Lafayettecommunitygarden.org, and click on “classes.”

The International Film Showcase is proud to present the USA premiere of Serbia’s Oscar submission film, Montevideo: Taste of a Dream. It is based on the true story of the formation of the Serbian national soccer team in 1930 to compete in the first World Cup in Montevideo, Uruguay. The initial doubt that surrounded the players’ personal and professional lives is transformed into a shared ambition to prove themselves in Montevideo.

It is a story of friendship, competition, persistence, and love for the game of soccer. It runs from September 14-20th with daily screenings at 1:00PM, 3:45PM, 6:30PM with additional shows on Friday and Saturday at 9:10PM. The film includes adult content. For more information, go to www.lfef.org or www.lamorindatheatres.com.

To view the trailer, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLbLP-exO6c.

Page 10 - September 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

Solar Currents 6,616 and Counting

By Mark Becker, GoSimpleSolar Lest we forget: there’s a war going on, and it’s in Afghanistan. What does this have to do with solar or energy matters? We’ll get to that. America is losing, on average, one Marine, airman, soldier, or sailor per day. It’s upsetting that during election time it seems the politicians aren’t even acknowledging the war.

Perhaps it’s convenient and easy to ignore the war and its challenges unless political gain can be achieved. The lesson from the Vietnam War, which took America many years to learn, was to never forget those who served. “Support Our Troops” should run deeper than a bumper sticker.

Last month I mentioned I’d continue the discussion on how to achieve the highest level of success in any contracting project. Remember to perform a contractor insurance and license check at www.cslb.ca.gov. Also, check the contractor’s record at the Better Business Bureau; a references check is of the greatest importance. After deciding on a contractor, a DETAILED contract with all the necessary verbiage as outlined on the CSLB website will be the only reference needed should scope of work or pricing disagreements arise between you and the contractor.

The U.S. Constitution requires the Armed Forces of the United States of America to follow the orders of our elected civilian leadership. The military leadership has a responsibility to its members to minimize loss of life while accomplishing the assigned mission. On strategic levels and tactical levels, the Pentagon has prioritized finding alternative sources of energy; the military has recognized that long-term reliance on fossil fuels is a security threat to its members and our nation. Many in our elected civilian leadership are trying to put a stop to this forward vision of the Pentagon. Coal state Democrats and oil state Republicans are equally responsible. In this election year, the loss of American jobs is politically more important than the loss of American lives.

California Senate Bill 843 proposes that California consumers can buy a portion of a solar energy system and be credited their portion of the savings to their own electric costs. SB 843 will be advantageous to urban consumers who don’t have the opportunity to benefit from their own solar system. Per-

Let it Breathe

www.yourmonthlypaper.com haps suburbanites can also benefit; if a neighbor has some land they would like to dedicate to a solar array, multiple investors can share in the savings.

At forward operating bases in Afghanistan, it’s encouraging to be able to say that solar energy is playing a part in protecting and saving the lives our servicemen. The concept is a very simple one: Production of one’s own energy reduces the reliance of others to provide it. In PG&E territory, this saves the homeowner or business owner money. In Afghanistan, this principle saves service members’ lives.

The facts: Tanker truck convoys ship the fuel required to supply forward bases. One out of every 24 convoy resupply missions is attacked by the enemy, and in half of those attacks a casualty results. Many forward operating bases in Afghanistan now generate a significant amount of power with solar energy.

Fewer tanker convoys mean fewer posthumous purple hearts. In America, greater energy independence achieved through a combination of domestic sources (oil, natural gas and renewables) will improve our national security.

PG&E Business Electric Rates: Come November, all PG&E commercial electric rates will change to a “time of use” rate. If your business is utilizing most of its power during the day, and consumes more electricity in the summer months than in the winter months, this will probably result in higher monthly electric costs for your business. PG&E hopes to achieve electric usage reductions by making usage more expensive during the peak hours. If the business has a solar array, all electricity generated during these times and sent back to the grid will be credited at bonus rates.

Forward Thinking: Contrary to popular belief, the U.S. Military has been on the “progressive side” of many social issues. Women officers were promoted and put in leadership positions much sooner than were their private sector counterparts. The military racially integrated its ranks before America became desegregated. Recently an Army General had her new rank “pinned on” by her same sex spouse. The Pentagon is now taking the lead on alternative energy deployment for national security reasons.

As one drives along Highway 24, a stark visual reminder of our recent war losses looms on the northern hillside, 6,616 and counting.

Mark Becker is the President of GoSimpleSolar, by Semper Fidelis Construction, a Danville based Solar Installation Firm. Mark can be reached at 925.915.9252.

Come visit GoSimpleSolar’s new showroom at 114 West Prospect Ave. in Danville to see, touch, and discuss solar and energy efficiency products. For more details, see www.GoSimpleSolar.com or email Mark@GoSimpleSolar.com.

Advertorial

By Monica Chappell

Does wine really breathe? The term breathing usually refers to the process of aerating the wine or simply maximizing the wine’s exposure to the surrounding air. Wine needs to come in contact with at least a little air to release its bouquet. Technically, the air causes the esters - fragrant liquids - in wine to evaporate or volatilize. In addition, the wine will typically warm up causing the wine’s aromas to open up and the overall flavor characteristics to improve. That’s why you swirl a wine in your glass before you smell it.

Which Wines Need to Breathe?

In general, most red wines but only a few white wines and dessert wines can benefit from aeration. Many young, concentrated red wines, like an expensive Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux that can age for several years, undergo a sort of micro-aging process by getting lots of air into them. The same goes for a young and concentrated or especially astringent white wine, such as a white Burgundy. The reason is that forced exposure to air starts the oxidation of a wine, causing subtle chemical changes that affect both the flavors and the texture.

How to Let Your Wine Breathe Just popping the cork isn’t going to get you there. Pulling the cork out of the bottle and letting the bottle sit there has little perceptible effect on aerating the wine. Under these circumstances, only a small amount of the wine in the bottle has contact with air. The little space in the neck of the bottle is way too small to allow your wine to breathe very much. The best and most entertaining way to accomplish real aeration is to pour the wine into another vessel. If you really want to aerate your wine, do one or both of the following: Decant - A decanter can be defined as any large liquid container with a wide opening at the top which is able to hold the whole bottle of wine. This can be an orange juice pitcher, glass jar, or clean flower vase you have on hand. The idea is to splash the wine as much as possible while pouring to maximize the wine’s contact with air. The increased surface area is the key to allowing more air to make contact with the wine.

Wine Glasses - The wine will do a lot more breathing in your glass than it ever would have while still cooped up in the bottle. Pour your wine into large wine glasses, and let it aerate about 10 minutes before you plan to drink it. This is certainly the low-maintenance method, and typically it works quite well.

In general, the Aeration Rule of Thumb: the more tannins a wine has, the more time it will need to aerate. Lighter-bodied red wines, Pinot Noir for example, that have lower tannin levels, will need little if any time to breathe.

Monica Chappell, Wine Writer and Educator, offers wine appreciation classes. For a list, visit www.wineappreciation101.blogspot.com.

Mini-Van Needed The Bay Area Alliance for Youth and Family Services (BAAYFS) is a residential program providing for teenage girls in Contra Costa and Bay Area communities.

BAAYFS was founded in 2001 with the purpose of providing support services and residential care to teenage girls, between the ages of 10 and 17 who have been removed by court action from their biological family due to negg Lookin ligence and/ or physical for a abuse, vioin Needle lence, and/ a or substance abuse. Resick Haysta dential and support serVAN donation will be vices (e.g Your MINI: serving a vital need!

Mini-Van Essentials mentoring, For 10 YEARS now we have been lts adu 8 or 7 ts  Sea successfully achieving our vision social work, “instill of 0 ing a sense of meaning, signifi  Less than 100,00 and coun- cance, purpose and vision” with each s mile child we serve. seling) are One  In Good working of the essential needs e provided to is transportation for activitweies,provid condition appointments, school, family visits and girls whose the  Clear title like. family is in need of help in order to reunify children with their biological family or with a relative or foster parent. BAAYFS also works with the girls toward independent responsible living in the community.

At this time BAAYFS is looking for a donation of a used mini van to be used for transporting the girls to school and to after school activities, as well as to their doctor, therapy, and court appointments.

To donate, help, or learn more, visit www.baayfs.org, or call (925) 325-4449 or 925-609-6990.

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Reinventing Education

By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO When I was in college I studied the processes and mechanisms by which goods moved through the manufacturing process. I learned how to balance raw inputs into a production line to ensure the right stuff got to the right place, at the right time, so a product could be created. Personal computers were still in their infancy, and we used programs on larger computers running “MRP” software (Materials Requirements Planning) that helped manage the flow of materials. We also studied Japanese manufacturing methods, because under the tutelage of the great American Edward Deming they had completely revolutionized their means of production in the Post WW2 era. One of the concepts that came out of this era was of “Just In Time (JIT)” manufacturing.

The JIT concept was pioneered at the Toyota Motor Company, and it was the philosophy of having a tightly integrated chain of suppliers in the manufacturing process for a given product. If everything was working correctly and everyone was doing their part, inventory levels at the factory could be kept at a minimum, while component parts of the manufacturing process arrived “just in time” at the point in the process where they were required. This process dramatically increased the efficiency of the manufacturing line and decreased holding costs of expensive and space-consuming raw materials.

Now that you’ve had a lesson in 1970’s Japanese manufacturing philosophy, I’ll get to the point of this article. I think education is beginning to adopt this philosophy, and the internet is the reason why. Let me give you some examples.

In our profession we are expected to be experts in countless technologies. Unlike the human body that a doctor must master, the technologies we must master are constantly evolving. For example, the muscles of the human shoulder haven’t changed in millennia, but the technology used in computer networking has been completely revamped over the last two decades. To stay up with the constantly evolving landscape, we need access to education and peer experiences. The modern search engines (Bing, Google) have revolutionized our ability to access this education. We don’t have to know everything: we just have to know where to look.

The second example is application specific. If you’ve ever used Adobe

Lafayette Today ~ September 2012 - Page 11 Photoshop, you are aware of how complicated a program it is. If you don’t have the time to read the entire manual, you can use a service like www.Lynda.com to identify the specific task you want to learn and watch a short video that explains how it works. For $25/month you gain access to thousands of instructional videos covering 1,430 separate technical and business topics. If you don’t need that much, just peruse www.YouTube.com and find a video someone has already made on the topic you want to learn. You can find almost anything on that site.

There are many free courses online that have been made available by prestigious private and public universities. One (www.khanacademy.org) was designed from the start to be an internet-only university and has no official “campus.” They offer over 3,000 instructional videos covering a full range of high-school and college-level curriculum. Many universities including Stanford, MIT, and Harvard offer large parts of their world-class curriculum to the public over the internet, free of charge, including streaming recorded lectures and downloadable PDF’s of the course notes.

MIT (http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/) seemed the best organized and easiest to access of the three. With very little effort I found Stanford engineering curriculum at http://see. stanford.edu/see/courses.aspx. One of Harvard’s public portals can be accessed at www.extension.harvard.edu/open-learning-initiative. I found these by typing in the following search: “free <name of the school> courses.” Not too tricky!

You can get any education you want “Just In Time,” when and where you need it, and you no longer have to suffer through the expense or the obligation of a semester of coursework to get the kernel of wisdom you’re looking for. There’s more coursework available to the prospective student than anyone could possibly take advantage of in a lifetime, and it’s just getting better every day. Does it take the place of an instructor and a butt-in-seat education? Not yet. But it fills a huge gap in information delivery and individual enablement.

If I could wish one thing for you, it would be that you take a moment out of your busy schedule to think of something you want to learn a bit more about, and go use one of these resources to expand your horizons or reignite your interest in some long buried passion. It’s all out there waiting for you. Go take a 30 minute class in a topic you love, and re-light your fire!

Portable CIO is a local computer consulting firm, specializing in business technology and medical infrastructure management, and who brings this passion and knowledge to the residential arena. Contact us via phone or email, helpdesk@theportablecio.com or 925-552-7953.

Advertorial

Serving the Bay Area with honesty and integrity since 1973

Since 1973

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2395 Monument Blvd., Suite J Concord (925) 680-4433 (Across from Costco Gas Station, next to Harvest House)

Page 12 - September 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

Shop Talk from Urban Suburban AKA “The Mechanic” Understanding Who is Working on your Vehicle

By René Aguirré I think it is safe to say, that summer vacations are over for 2012. Don’t be sad summer is over because the wonderful fall festivals are here! It almost seems as if there is more to do in less time. While we had almost four months of summer to take road trips and vacations, now we only have about two months to pack in fall sports, festivals, and René Aguirré other fun before the rainy season arrives. Don’t worry, though, because we are here to take care of every automotive need to enjoy the fall as much as possible!

Not a new topic - More than once, we have guided you to help in finding the right mechanic to take care of your vehicle. It is important that you establish a trusting relationship with the people working on your car. Without that solid foundation, repairs can, and will always be, stressful. As the automotive industry continues to morph and reshape itself in this new century, we continually find ourselves driving more technologically advanced vehicles. Mechanics are no longer called mechanics, they are called automotive technicians. These automotive technicians are plugging your vehicle into computers to see what is failing. The new technologies definitely make your life as a driver easier, but they also provide additional challenges to the mechanics. Understand your vehicle is still primarily mechanical. This means a mechanic needs to diagnose the failed part, take it apart, replace it, put it back together, and test it. Unfortunately, we are seeing an alarming trend of automotive technicians able to understand the computer technology side of the vehicle, but they fail to understand the literal nuts and bolts. The assumption is that the technology part of the vehicle must be broken, not the mechanical part.

Unfortunately, the many computers in your vehicle are some of the most expensive parts to fix. You need to choose people who are current in training on new technology and staying fresh on the hardware part of it all. If you get to know your mechanic or your automotive technician, you will learn what their experiences are and if they are truly a good fit to repair your vehicle without breaking your bank.

Come into Urban Suburban, “The Mechanic for ALL of your auto repairs needs,”

It’s That Time of Year!

By Art Lehman, Village Associates Realtors I got tired of writing about the market and the state of the market this past year. So, how about discussing something practical for a change? The weather is good, so now is the time to take care of your last minute home repair projects.

Unfortunately, many of our projects get put on the back burner and simply arise to the forefront when a big problem shows up. In many cases, the resulting problem is greater than if it had been taken care of early on. This is the time of the year to take care of your home.

Do you need roof and chimney repairs? Have you cleaned your gutters and downspouts, trimmed back your trees, completed that drainage work, repaired a damaged portion of a driveway, and cleaned drainage ditches or creek debris? The list goes on and on.

I always feel better knowing my gutters and downspouts are clean now rather than finding out when the first big rain storms come creating a flood cascading off of the roof.

Some homeowners live for maintaining their homes, but many call and ask why the “new” gutters are not working (Of course “new” means three years ago, and they have not cleaned them in those three years).

We have a few months before more incliment weather kicks in. I hope reading this article will call forth my readers to take ACTION and get those items that should have been fixed a while ago, and those that need to get fixed, get taken care of because you know the issue will not survive another winter.

A little preventative maintenance will probably even help you sleep better!

Just one thought about the market! In spite of all the financial ups and downs this year, in August in Lafayette there has been far less inventory then we are accustomed to. If you have a plan for moving and you price your home aggressively, it will sell.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com during the month of September for 10% off of front and/or rear brake service.

What has “The Mechanic” been up to? As a long time car buff, I am bringing more of my passion into the shop. Our new venture, Triple Nickel Resto/Race/Fab, has officially taken off. We now offer fabrication and restoration services on all the classics or anything you want to modify! We have added two talented team members to our family.

Eric Dove, a former race car driver, is very talented in building engines and working with suspension, fabrication, and more. Joe Thompson, known for his work and racing with King of the Hammers, specializes in off-road suspension services, fabrication, and design. We are very lucky to have these two join our team with their fantastic abilities. Eric, Joe, and I have been working on the 1964 Ford Galaxie, a few Dodge Darts, a rat rod, and a few other projects. If you are interested in any of these services, please call me at the shop at 925-283-5212.

In the next month, we will be launching a new website for Triple Nickel Resto/ Race/Fab. Until then, you can look at our Facebook page for all of our current projects, www.facebook.com/TripleNickelRacing555.

News around town - The Lafayette Art & Wine Festival is right around the corner!

We will be there pouring beer so be sure to drop by and say hi! As always, Jay Lifson and his team have brought together an excellent mix of fabulous arts and entertainment.

We look forward to seeing everyone there! Don’t forget, the following weekend is the Orinda Classic Car Show. Chip Herman and his team do a fantastic job of bringing together a wonderful collection of vehicles for your viewing pleasure each year.

Urban Suburban is available as a free small event venue. If you are looking for a place to showcase a local musician, hold a fundraising event, or have a celebration, we are available. Our shop is the cleanest in the Bay! Krysten has hosted many different kinds of events from Chamber mixers to major fundraisers in our shop, providing a unique background for people to enjoy. Contact us if you are interested in having your event with us. “Like” our page on Facebook to keep up with our events, car tips, and special offers.

If you have any questions about this or any other Shop Talk issues, call US today at 925-283-5212 or visit our website www.urbansuburban.com. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 7:30am - 5pm. We provide free shuttle service to the local area. Urban Suburban is “The Mechanic” to take care of all Advertorial of your auto repair and servicing needs.

Please feel free to email a topic for my next article. If you’d like a free automatic email update of current listings and sales, visit my website to sign up www.artlehman.com or call.

For those who are considering selling their home or would simply like more in-depth information, I can provide a customized home value report and a strategy for how to make a home worth more. The detailed information I provide helps homeowners better understand the value of the investment they have made in their home by detailing key factors such as a home’s value based on current market conditions and amenities, recent home sales in Lafayette and listing prices of other homes that home buyers may be considering in the neighborhood. You can call me at (925) 200-2591 or email me at art@artlehman.com.

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Lafayette Garden Club The Lafayette Garden Club meets at 9:30AM on the second Thursday of each month at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church located at 1035 Carol Lane in Lafayette.

The program for September 13th is called “Ask Buzz.” Have you got questions about your garden? At our September meeting, there will be answers! Buzz Bertolero, Executive Vice President of Navlet’s chain of lawn and garden centers, will be our guest speaker.

The “Dirt Gardener,” as many of us know him, appears weekly on the KRON TV gardening show, Henry’s Garden and writes a weekly syndicated gardening column. Buzz will discuss what to do in your garden in the fall, share some unique and special garden items (“show and tell”), and answer your gardening questions.

For more information, e-mail petersonb4@aol.com.

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Lafayette Today ~ September 2012 - Page 13

Life in the Lafayette Garden California Casual!

By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect

beautiful inside and out

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Over the past 20 years, the introduction of drought tolerant, Mediterranean-based plant material has infiltrated the main-stream landscape design styles.

The days of junipers, oleanders, Monterey pines, ivy, and oh yes, agapanthus are long gone. When I interview my clients one of the questions I ask is, “What plants do you absolutely hate?” The above list always contains the unmentionable plants of the 60’s drought genre.

With California’s sensitive water issues, our firm has always integrated water conserving measures into our design styles as a general practice. As a result of this approach, our landscapes are being planted with a much more diverse plant palette. Nursery growers are cultivating a broader spectrum of plant species as well as sub-species and cultivars. What that means in common terms is we have a better selection of plants to be creative with. These new selections are not only showing up in boutique nurseries like Orchard Nursery in Lafayette, but they are also showing up at warehouse stores.

The result is a landscape style that I call “California Casual” which enhances the home environment with color, texture, and fragrance. The overall look is a mix of mildly manicured plants and structure in the background, an open sprawling look in the foreground, and interesting focal points for directed interest. “California Casual” is a much more relaxed landscape style in comparison to the landscapes of the East Coast, Europe, and landscapes of the 50’s and 60’s.

While looking beautiful they conserve our precious water resources.

Background planting is so important because it is what shows off the color, texture, and focal interest.

Some good water conserving examples of background plantings are Abelia x grandiflora ‘Sherwoodii,’ Choisya ternata ‘Aztec Beauty’ – Mexican Orange, and Rhamnus californica ‘Mound San Bruno’- Coffeeberry to name a few.

Creating a focal point of interest is very important to creating landscape style. You’ve seen those landscapes that you can’t put your finger on why you don’t quite like it. Well it’s because what you are seeing is a mix of one of these, and one of those, and two of these, and three of those. Everything is homogeneous...boring! Create a focal point by bringing your attention to a beautiful multi-trunk tree like Olea europa ‘Swan Hill’ – fruitless olive, Vitex agnus-castus – Chaste Tree, Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo’ – Ninebark, a gloriously blooming shrub, or a change of texture. You don’t need just one focal point, turn a corner and there, another surprise! Make it fun!

What really brings the “California Casual” style together is the color, texture, and fragrance. Use lots of perennials for color, grasses for texture, and shrubs and vines for smelly stuff. Lavender, catmint, germander, hardy geraniums, hellebores, and day lilies add vivid color in an open-sprawling manner when set off by that structured background. Ornamental grasses can add the dramatic texture that will set any landscape apart from the homogeneous one. With a wide selection of Phormiums – New Zealand flax, Carex - sedge, Festuca - fescues, Iris and sub-tropical grasses like Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum Dwarf’ – red fountain grass, a planting design can have drama from spring to late winter with arching blades in various color schemes to whimsical movement of the seed heads.

Bring on the fragrance - daphne, lilac, gardenia, Mexican orange, citrus, lavender, and jasmine can delight your senses from winter to fall. Fragrance adds pleasure to your landscape experience.

A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: Deadhead (clip off the dying flowers) as the blooms begin to fade to encourage plants to produce more flowers. Also, tell your gardener to leave the power hedge trimmers at home. A “California Casual” landscape requires less watering, pruning,

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Gardening Quote of the Month: “If a person cannot love a plant after he has pruned it, then he has either done a poor job or is devoid of emotion.” ~ Liberty Hyde Bailey If you would like me to write on any particular subject, email your ideas to jmontgomery@jm-la.com or for design ideas visit www.jm-la.com. Advertorial

Page 14 - September 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

The Incense-Cedar

By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb The incense-cedar graces many Bay Area gardens with its shade, beauty, and intriguing fragrance. Calocedrus decurrens, its Latin name, means beautiful cedar. The striking contrast between the vibrant greens of its leaves and the trunk’s rich reds creates a pleasing aesthetic further enhanced by the relaxed elegance of the weeping foliage. The beauty of this tree is not confined to the realm of the visual. The incense-cedar gives off a distinctive fragrance that fills the air with a pungent aroma strongly reminiscent of grade-school classrooms and the unforgettable smell of the pencil sharpener. In my youth, and still largely today, pencils were made from the soft, and distinctively fragrant wood of Calocedrus decurrens.

The incense-cedar is not a true cedar (thus the hyphen). The so-called “true cedars” are native to the Mediterranean and the Himalayas, and are members of the genus Cedrus. These include the majestic Deodora and Atlas cedars, as well as the famous Cedar of Lebanon.

The incense-cedar, which may live a thousand years and attain a height of 150 feet, is a true California native. It evolved in North America, and its current range extends from the Cascade Mountains in northern Oregon, through the Sierra Nevadas, down to the Sierra San Pedro Matir of Baja California. Throughout its range it has been important in the lives of Native Americans. The Klamath tribe of Oregon wove its bark into baskets. The California Paiutes made infusions of its leaves for colds. The Round Valley tribe of Mendocino Country used leaflets as flavoring when leaching acorn meal. This species has provided Native Americans with food, shelter, clothing, and music.

The incense-cedar’s natural resistance to rot made it very useful both in antiquity and in modern times. Homebuilders use it for siding, decking, moulding, and interior paneling. Landscapers use its chips and bark for mulch. Its wood is made into furniture, shingles, and railway ties. Sawdust and wood scraps help fuel cogeneration of electricity.

The softness of the wood and its resistance to splintering make the incense-cedar

Gardening with Kate

By Kathleen Guillaume Summer is full on in my garden. The raccoons and other creatures are getting more of my pears than I am. I have had the worst fire blight this year with one of my favorite dwarf pears. One side of the tree has been decimated, and if it keeps going this way, I may lose the entire tree. Pears and crabapple seem to be more susceptible to fire blight, which is a horrid fungus. The branch looks like someone has taken a blowtorch to the tips. The only thing you can do is clean your pruner with alcohol, sever the branch or branchlet below the infected area, and put the cutting in your regular garbage, NOT your recycle can. Your pruner must be sterilized after each cut to make sure that you do not spread the infection further. My Bosch pear tree has almost no problem though, thank goodness.

To soothe me, the rest of my garden is re-blooming and wonderful to see. Today I pulled up my favorite website, Brushwood Nursery’s www. gardenvines.com, and placed my order for the Clematis that they will ship to me in early October. Over 200 varieties of Clematis are available, all of which get ordered between now and early winter. This nursery provides some of the healthiest stock I have every received. If you follow their planting and care instructions, you will have the most spectacular blooms next spring and summer. This is a very low maintenance garden stunner.

Clematis can be allowed to ramble up trees or climbing roses, or they can be trellised They like to be planted high and have their bases in the shade, but they don’t like to be moved or transplanted.

Most people wait until Clematis appear in nurseries in two gallon cans and pay a fortune for them because they are in bloom. Get together with a friend, as Brushwood fits seven plants in a box, and split an order. The average price is $14.95, and the varieties are stunning. They also have great Passiflorias, from the showy to edible Passion fruit types. These vines are definitely something you want as additions to your garden; vines take up

www.yourmonthlypaper.com ideal for encasing pencil lead. However, these qualities also make the wood fragile and brittle, and potentially somewhat problematic as an urban landscape tree. When it grows as one trunk from a thick base to a single pyramid-shaped crown, the incensecedar is relatively stable; it requires little work other than the periodic removal of deadwood. But if the trunk of the tree divides into multiple columns, or has large branches which turn up and rise parallel to the trunk, the tree has structural problems that make it vulnerable to column failure. After some recent winter storms, Brende & Lamb looked at many incense-cedars that had shed branches and sometimes entire columns. Most of the failed trees suffered from a malady of tree anatomy called included bark. This structural defect occurs when the bark at the crotch folds inward, and interrupts the continuity of the fibers supporting the columns.

Good pruning can ameliorate many structural problems. Co-dominant stems (more than one column of roughly the same diameter) are more likely to fail than trees with a single leading column. Sometimes reducing one of the competing leaders can minimize the hazard. If column removal is not advisable for aesthetic or functional reasons, it is often possible to cable the multiple stems together.

However, individual trees are so unstable that removal is the safest alternative.

Whatever you do, do not top these trees. Topping a cedar will eventually produce many unstable columns multiplying the risk and, ultimately, the expense of keeping the tree. Preventative medicine is almost always less expensive and more effective than later surgery. If you plant an incense-cedar, choose nursery stock with only one trunk and no crotches with included bark. Remember that a seedling cedar can grow to over a hundred feet and that tall trees may cause view concerns for yourself and your neighbors.

Calocedrus has graced the California landscape for almost 200 million years.

With a little forethought and good pruning, it can continue to bless Bay Area gardens with the subtle fragrance of childhood. It takes a little effort to live at peace with this large California native, but its bounty of colors, shapes, and scents make that effort worthwhile.

If your trees need a little TLC, please call 510-486-TREE (8733) or email us at bl@brendelamb.com for a free estimate. Additionally, go to our website www. brendelamb.com to see before and after pictures, client testimonials, and work in your neighborhood.

Advertorial little space and give so much glory. This year I ordered three new Clematis, Dr. Ruppel, which is more shade tolerant, has deep hot pink with lavender petals and blooms in spring and again in late summer with very large flowers.

I also added Belle of Woking with 4” silvery mauve blooms. It is a garden classic which is late-summer blooming. Clematis Wisley, which is a deep purple tinged blue and more abundant than Jackmanii, will look perfect near my front porch. I am excited.

My Fuji apples are coming in very early this year. I usually harvest them after my pears are done. A friend picked one from my tree the other day and told me it was near perfect. This crazy weather is driving me off my typical harvest schedule. I like my pears crisp and not quite ripe, sliced, and drizzled with lemon or lime juice and a slight sprinkle of salt....a perfect appetizer. This year I will have to settle for just-ripe pears, as they are a bit early, and I’ll settle for a lot of pear tarts rather than crunchy appetizers. If you garden, you just have to surrender to what is and leave it at that.

This coming week I am having my irrigation tuned up, some parts updated, and a whole new timing schedule set up. I have a feeling that our rains may come late. Since fall is always a busy time for me, I don’t want to be doing much hand watering now is time to get my automatic irrigation taken care of.

There was a time that I would do this myself, but now I let the experts handle it. It is a good idea to walk around your garden after the system has run to see it you have any dry areas that are not getting watered or areas that look a little too wet which could indicate a small leak. I try to do this every few months as shrubs grow, animals knock down and damage spray heads, and the plan that was once perfect doesn’t apply to the garden with the new system in place.

Happy Gardening.

Montelindo Garden Club Montelindo Garden Club will hold thir next meeting Friday, September 21st at 9:30am at the Orinda Community Church, 10 Irwin Way, Orinda.

Kathy Courtright of Orchard Nursery will speak on spring blooming bulbs, deer and gopher resistant bulbs, tried and true bulb plantings, as well as less popular but wonderful varieties of bulbs.

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Protecting a Child’s Inheritance

By Robert J. Silverman, Attorney at Law

Lafayette Today ~ September 2012 - Page 15

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People spend a considerable amount of time thinking (and stressing) about how to best protect their minor children - from themselves and others. Of course, Serving Bay Area businesses and residents since 2002 neither the protection instinct nor the need goes away How Can We Help You? when a child reaches 18.

Prudent parents of minors and/or young adults ask themselves, or are asked by their estate planning attorney, when and how they want their children to inherit their assets. If any children are then minors or young adults, the parents face the disturbing, yet important, hypothetical question – “What would happen if we died prematurely?”

Depending on many personal and familial factors, many related questions may be asked, but these are among the most common: i) what is an appropriate age, or ages, to distribute assets to a child: ii) what might happen if the child marries, and then divorces; iii) and how might the inheritance be vulnerable to the child’s creditors.

The first question - an appropriate asset distribution age - has no “one size fits all” answer. When children are very young, and even during and after adolescence, parents can’t be sure how responsible and financially capable their children will be as young adults. In my experience, the most common reaction to an appropriate PC / Mac/ Laptops/ Desktops/ Tablets/ Smartphones/ iPads|Repairs age for outright inheritance (i.e. “no strings attached”) is 21 or 25.

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Given the foregoing, and to be safer and more conservative, it’s rational to gravitate toward waiting until a child is a bit older to distribute substantial amounts of principal.

If a trust is structured properly, it usually provides that a young adult is to receive as much income and principal as necessary to cover the child’s basic needs – without necessarily distributing any additional principal outright until the child reaches an age(s) at which he or she is anticipated to be able to manage it properly.

Another sensible precaution is to provide for multiple distributions, so that a certain percentage is distributed outright upon the child reaching a particular age, with the remaining principal to be distributed at one or more later ages. Thus, if the child happens to mishandle the inherited funds after receiving the first distribution, he has a chance to mature and get it right before receiving the next distribution.

With divorce rates high, many people are concerned about the possibility that their child might inherit assets, commingle the assets with the child’s spouse (the potential in-law, or sometimes facetiously referred to as the “outlaw”!), get divorced, and lose half or more of the inherited assets in the divorce. How does a parent help a child avoid that predicament?

A similar question arises in connection with a child’s potential creditors. For example, a child may be in an accident or failed business transaction that results in a creditor obtaining a large judgment against him. In such an event, most parents would prefer to shelter the child’s inheritance from that creditor, if possible.

A number of alternatives should be explored. One that has become more and more popular in recent years is to create a trust under which the child’s inheritance is never distributed outright, but rather kept in trust for the child’s entire lifetime. Distribution by the trustee - the “manager” of the trust (who can even ultimately become the child herself) for the child’s needs is usually permitted. Most importantly, whatever amounts are not distributed to the child for such needs generally remain well protected from a child’s creditors (and spouse) inside the trust.

Another option in terms of “outlaw” protection is to include a specific trust provision, stating that it’s the parent’s strong desire that the inheriting child (and/or any other loved one inheriting from the trust) keep any and all inheritance distributions in a separate property account (i.e. not titled jointly with the child’s spouse).

Without handcuffing the child, he or she is empowered to withstand possible spousal pressure by insisting on keeping these inherited assets segregated to honor his or parents’ express wishes.

Mr. Silverman is an attorney with Buchman Provine Brothers Smith LLP, 1333 N. California Street, Suite 350, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 944-9700; rsilverman@sbllp.com. His practice emphasizes Estate Planning, Trust Administration & Probate, Real Estate, and Business. Mr. Silverman offers a free introductory consultation.

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This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and should not be relied upon as legal, tax, financial and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain and rely upon specific advice only from their own qualified professional advisors. This communication is not intended or written to be used, for the purpose of: i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code; or ii) promoting, marketing, or recommending to another party any matters addressed herein.

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Page 16 - September 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

History and Baseball Link Three Generations

By Daniel A Barnes, CFA Last month my son and I returned from our third trip Back East. For each of the last three years, my father has joined my son Jonathan and me to tour our nation’s ballparks, partaking in the great American pastime, and taking in some additional sights along the way.

We kicked off our tri-generational pilgrimage in 2010. My father met us in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and we headed for Gettysburg. Gettysburg is well worth seeing. We especially enjoyed our tour through the site of the Civil War battle.

After leaving Gettysburg, it was on to the Big Apple. We saw a pitcher’s duel at the new Yankee Stadium. The fans were fantastic, they are so into baseball.

There are no beach balls, just baseball. Mark Teixeira busted open the game in the 8th, hitting a monster blast 30 feet over our heads into right field.

The next day it was on to the Mets’ ballpark, Citi Field, where Jonathan got his first ball. From New York, we headed to Philly, then to our nation’s capital.

We toured via city bus and had a great time despite the oppressive heat. The DC monuments are truly impressive, and Jonathan’s interest in history was sparked.

The highlight of the trip, however, was a fan on our third base line, who razzed the National’s star third baseman, Ryan Zimmerman, the entire game yelling “Zimmerman, Zimmerman, you’re no fun…no fun, Zimmerman, no fun.” Perhaps you had to be there, but it was an impressive performance!

In 2011, we had kicked off our trip in Cincinnati by looking for Kentucky Fried Chicken, in Kentucky! You see, it appeals to all our senses of humor to eat fried chicken in Kentucky. The Cincinnati airport is located in Covington, Kentucky, and after much searching we miserably failed to find a chicken place, KFC, or anything else, in Covington.

The next day it was on to Cleveland, with a longish, diagonal drive across the great state of Ohio. We arrived in time to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. What a neat place! Jonathan wasn’t quite ready to take it all in, having missed living through most of that rock and roll history. I loved it, as did my dad, who was 12 when Bill Haley and the Comets came out with “Rock around the Clock.”

The game at Cleveland was a great match-up, but we’d just settled into the game when the rain came. It was a serious set of showers. The colors of the storm were magical, but we gave up and left and headed for Chi-town. On our way, we visited my alma mater, the University of Notre Dame. Jonathan and I walked the campus, which has changed a lot since the late 1980s.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com We picked up my Dad’s longtime friend Fred and headed to Wrigley Field.

Chicago’s great, and Wrigley’s even better! The bleacher bums and the dog at Murphy’s outside Wrigley are not to be missed. You’ve got to love the Cubbies!

As Fred (a Cubs fan since 1950) always says, “Anybody can have a bad century!”

That day we loved visiting the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower and Chicago’s Miracle Mile, and we hung out under an giant statue of Marilyn Monroe and her iconic blowing skirt.

The next day we took the “L” to see the White Sox in their horrible new stadium. Despite the ugly colors and ugly stadium, the chili dog was out of this world. My dad, at 68, took on two twenty-somethings to get a foul ball, and he nearly came up victorious, if not for his arthritic hands.

We went on to Milwaukee. The skies threatened, but it was no problem, as the Brewers play in a retractable stadium. We got to see a pitcher’s duel with the home team coming out on top 1-0. The most memorable moment was a gargantuan baked potato that fed all three of us and only cost $6.50. Now that’s Ballpark Value!

Overall, those first two years of trips inspired us to do it again this year, and we had even more interesting experiences, which I will share in an upcoming column.

Barnes Capital LLC is a Registered Investment Advisor. We manage trusts and retirement income portfolios. Financial planning is an integral part of our process. We protect client capital using municipal bonds and high-quality companies which raise their dividend every year. We add Gold to portfolios for diversification. Call Daniel at (925) 284-3503 and visit www.barnescapital.com Advertorial

Lafayette Hiking Group Meet in the parking lot out from Lafayette BART’s main entrance at 8:30am. We form carpools to the trailhead. Bring lunch or snacks, water, layered clothing, good walking shoes, sun protection and money to contribute toward gas, bridge tolls and parking. ($3 local, more if further).

September 22 - Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve followed by optional winery tour and tasting.

Hike the “ecological jewel” of the Huckleberry Preserve. Access trails, via entrance from Pinehurst Rd beyond Moraga. Winery tour and tasting with cheese plate at Vincenza Ranch, 500 Rheem Blvd. There is a $10 fee for the wine tasting. Reservations are required by September 17th. A minimum of ten participants are needed for wine tasting. For questions and reservations email georgedenney01@comcast.net or call 925-787-9437.

Carpools must be formed as there is limited parking at the trailhead.

The hike is moderate, mostly shaded, and four miles long. The hike leader is George Denney.

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World War II POW, 1936 U.S. Olympian Headlines Event Louis Zamperini, a 95-year-old best selling author and motivational speaker, will share his extraordinary life story and his message of forgiveness and hope when the Lazarex Cancer Foundation holds its annual fundraiser gala on the U.S.S. Hornet on September 29th at 707 Hornet Dr., Pier 3 in Alameda.

Zamperini is one of the last surviving members of the 1936 U.S. Olympic team for the Berlin games. He finished eighth in the 5,000 meter run, but his last quarter-mile split of 56 seconds caught the attention of Adolph Hitler, who insisted upon meeting Zamperini.

A few years later Zamperini was serving as a fighter pilot in the Army Air Corps when his plane crashed into the Pacific.

He became a Japanese POW and was tortured for three years.

The United States listed him as missing in action, and a year later as dead, before his liberation at the end of the war.

The gala will be much more than a sumptuous meal and a unique and memorable speaker. Guests will be entertained during the cocktail hour by singers and bands. After dinner JamFunkShus will regale guests with danceable numbers.

Casino games will be available throughout the evening along with both a live and silent auction. Tickets are $350 per person and can be purchased at https://lazarex.ejoinme.org/ USSHornetGala. Dress is cocktail attire.

Lafayette Today ~ September 2012 - Page 17

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Your Personal Nutritionist

By Linda Michaelis, RD. MS. Simply Lowering High Blood Pressure Lately I am seeing clients that wish to get off of their blood pressure medication because of side effects.

Many feel that they have to resort to eating a bland diet.

I am thrilled to be able to show them that dining can be enjoyable, especially when they are well educated.

Let me tell you about my client John and his wife Adelle who were referred by a local physician.The doctor was inclined to increase John’s medication because his blood pressure numbers were not in the normal range but said, “If you see Linda, we’ll wait two months (before starting medication).”

John and Adelle are retired, and their kids have moved out. Adelle wanted a break from cooking, and they felt that this was finally the time to enjoy more restaurants and travel but John expressed some nervousness in going to restaurants because of a realistic fear the food could raise his blood pressure.

After seeing John’s food diary, I decided our basic strategy was to limit his salt intake to 2,000mg of sodium per day which is equal to a teaspoon of salt. I saw that his choice of foods – breads, bacon, soups, chips, deli meats - included heavy doses of salt, so we first focused on how to read food labels, pointing out that in spite of claims on packages, a low sodium product is 140mg per serving.

As I always do in my counseling, I strive to take what my clients enjoy and set up plans based on favorite foods. I introduced John to breakfast options that have no salt such as oatmeal or even a slice of salt-free bread with unsalted almond or peanut butter. I also recommended that John enjoy an omelet made with unsalted butter, Swiss cheese (that is naturally low in salt at 60mg/slice), spinach and mushrooms, along with fresh salsa that has very little salt. I also introduced him to Kashi Go Lean cereal as the best cold cereal with 80mg of sodium per cup.

I told Adelle that although I appreciate her desire to go out, there is a short list of foods that must be prepared at home to avoid salt traps. The foods to prepare at home include homemade soups (where you can easily can substitute wonderful fresh herbs and spices for salt), baked turkey breast, chicken with BBQ sauce, vinaigrette salad dressings, and marinara and cheese sauces that John loves. I introduced Adelle to salt free chicken stock as well as vinegars that provide a terrific flavor when splashed onto cooked veggies.

Adelle now cooks a great sauce for John’s beloved spaghetti consisting of chopped tomatoes along with fresh basil, oregano, and garlic, adding some aged Parmesan cheese which only has 75mg of sodium per tablespoon. Adelle also loves to make beans soups, and I told her she can buy salt free beans or dried beans and soak them overnight to cook them the next day.

Adelle and John did not realize that all breads have an average of 150mg of sodium per slice, so I suggested using salt-free bread for their sandwiches and adding yellow mustard (55mg of sodium per teaspoon) for a spread.

In addition, John was happy to learn he could still enjoy his snacks such as unsalted baked chips, unsalted nuts, or even dry cereal that is low in salt.

I told Adelle and John that it would be my job to make sure they will enjoy their glorious retirement in restaurants and become more comfortable travelling.

We have discussed the advantages of ordering fish, beef, or chicken that is freshly cooked without salt, instead using olive oil, lemon, pepper, and herbs which are now very popular. Though salt is a favorite addition of many cooks to veggies, we discussed the need to be firm with the waiter that you cannot have salt. A side salad is great to order, and many restaurants will bring you a decanter of oil and vinegar.

I emphasized to John that he can still enjoy a restaurant meal with salt if he keeps the other meals of the day relatively salt free in order to meet the 2,000mg sodium goal. We also discussed the advantages of staying in condos with kitchens which will allow for eating breakfast and some lunches in and then going out for dinner. I also advised John that he must begin drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water each day to help get rid of salt intake as well as begin a 30 minute per day walking program. These two changes in itself can easily bring his blood pressure down.

I am glad to inform you that after working with John for a month his blood pressure is the best it has been in years, and he has lost 10 pounds. John and Adelle have decided to go visit their kids in Texas, and John says he is not scared of eating in restaurants anymore.

I will continue to follow John thru phone and e-mail, even in Texas, and assist him with eating while at his daughter’s home.

The good news is that John’s visits were covered by his Aetna PPO insurance with a small copay. Please feel free to call me at (925) 855-0150 or e-mail me at Lifeweight1@yahoo.com and tell me about your nutritional concerns. Refer to my website www.LindaRD.com for past articles, recipes and nutrition tips in my blog section.

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Hike continued from front page A quarterly schedule, emailed to registered members, lists organized hikes in Lafayette and other East Bay areas, and as far as Marin County, Point Reyes, and the Peninsula. The group also occasionally meanders the streets of San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley.

Anyone can participate and all are welcome. There are no membership requirements; interested hikers merely show up at the meeting place to join a hike. Approximate length and difficulty of each hike are always listed, and the only necessities are water, sunscreen, and good hiking shoes.

Leaders of the group have traditionally been members of the Lafayette Park, Trails and Recreation Commission, such as current leader Alison Hill, who is also a board member with sustainable Lafayette and the Open Space group. Hill started hiking with the Club when Peterson was the leader.

“As it is not always wise to hike alone, it is great to have a group of people to hike with,” says Hill. “The Hiking Club is a great way for people to learn about new trails and hiking areas, and friendships have certainly been made through this shared interest.”

Club member Linda On enjoys that each hike has a manageable number of people. “The size of each hiking group is not so big that we can’t develop friendships and talk and bond,” says On. “We really get to know each other, and

See Hike continued on page 18

Page 18 - September 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

Mommy Makeover

By Barbara Persons, MD, Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc. As a mother of three and a Plastic Surgeon, I am acutely sensitive to how pregnancy effects our bodies.

The experience of having three children has given me a unique perspective regarding how we view ourselves as women and mothers. I understand what it is to be a busy mother and what it is to want my body to look and feel like it did before I had children.

I understand the work of trying diet and exercise and the limitations of the abdominal muscles that are simply in need of a little work that even a million sit-ups will not provide.

A Mommy Makeover surgery at Persons Plastic Surgery takes place at our certified surgery center, the Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery Center in Lafayette, over the course of a morning or afternoon. It is performed under a light sleep anesthesia. After surgery, you will be able to go home or to a recovery suite in town with a private nurse. A patient is required to take two weeks off from work and other duties in order to recover. I stay in close contact with each patient.

A Mommy Makeover is not just one procedure, but it’s a combination of individualized procedures (outlined below) that lift, tighten, and shape your body to help reverse the rapid changes that occur during and following pregnancy and breast feeding.

Mastopexy (Breast Lift) and Augmentation Breast surgery can be considered as early as six months following the completion of breast feeding. A mastopexy, or breast lift, restores the shape of the breast and also the size and location of the nipple. Although a breast lift without implant may be just right for many women, some women may want a mastopexy augmentation for additional size and projection. The augmentation can be achieved with a silicone or saline implant, or with autologous fat grafting.

Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) An abdominoplasty, commonly called a “tummy tuck,” is a plastic surgery procedure which flattens the abdomen by tightening the muscles of the

Brainwaves by Betsy Streeter

www.yourmonthlypaper.com abdominal wall, and it involves removing excess skin, fat, and stretch marks.

The abdomen tends to take on a rounded appearance as we age, as our weight fluctuates, and after such events as childbirth. The muscle and tissues of the abdomen are weakened, and the skin becomes stretched, so no amount of situps or leg raises can remove this shape. A Tummy Tuck can re-contour and reposition these tissues with the added benefit of removing any pre-existing scars from the lower abdomen.

Reshaping of Buttocks and Flanks (Vaser, Laser and Traditional Liposuction) A trained plastic surgeon with the right tools is able to use liposuction techniques to alter the shape of the body through the removal and transfer of fat. An alternative to traditional liposuction, Vaser Liposuction uses advanced ultrasound technology designed to gently reshape the body. Sound energy is transmitted through small probes that diffuse the ultrasound waves and liquefy the fat for easy removal. I combine Vaser Liposuction with Laser Liposuction to achieve a result which is natural appearing and with less skin laxity.

One more thing…the natural childbirth experience or just genetics can weaken and alter the shape and aesthetics of the female pelvic floor. When these structures are weakened vaginal rejuvenation surgery is an option. This can be used to improve the aesthetic appearance of the labia and can also rejuvenate to improve sexual function. There is also a G spot shot and a C spot shot of natural filler.

These are the not often talked about, but they are highly satisfying procedures.

Motherhood is wonderful and my children are the joy of my life. I am passionate about helping my patients achieve realistic goals through plastic surgery. My patients tell me every day that they are thankful for the changes we accomplished together. They tell me they wish they had done it sooner. I would be happy to consult with you about your desires and goals concerning the rejuvenation of your body.

Barbara L. Persons, MD is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and owns Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc. located at 911 Moraga Rd, Suite 205 in Lafayette. She may be reached at 925.283.4012 or drbarb@personsplasticsurgery.com.

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Hike continued from page 17 many of us have developed friendships outside of the club.” She also enjoys the diversity, and is inspired by the energy of the older hikers. “The group is varied in age, from about 40 to pushing 80,” says On. “It is inspiring to see the older people being active, enjoying life, and having a positive attitude. They have become my role models.”

Elizabeth Jung has been hiking with the Club for nearly ten years. She credits the Club for exposing her to the variety and beauty of the area. “From cemeteries to water falls; I previously had no idea of all the wonderful areas that we have so close by,” says Jung. “We are very lucky here.” She also cherishes the friendships she has made. “Through these incredible sites and experiences, we meet people from our community who we might otherwise not know.”

Printed hike schedules and trail maps are available at the Lafayette Parks, Trails & Recreation office at 500 St. Mary’s Road and can also be found online at the City website www.ci.lafayette.ca.us. The next scheduled hike is September 22nd at Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve followed by an optional winery tour and tasting ($10 fee). Reservations for wine tasting are required by September 12th. For questions and reservations, email leader georgedenney01@comcast.net.

For further information on the Club, email LafayetteHiking@comcast.net.

Benefit for Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s Research Please join us at the Rossmoor Rotary Foundation’s 27th annual gala event which will benefit Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s research. The event begins at 5PM on October 13th and will be held in the Sierra Room of the Del Valle Clubhouse within Rossmoor.

Featured will be a French-themed cocktail hour with music by The Baguette Quartette and a headline show with International Cabaret Star Lua Hadar and her four-piece backup band. A formal, elegant dinner will be presented by Susan Foord Catering.

Tickets cost $125 per person, and black tie is optional. For tickets or more info, contact Debbie Williams (925) 942-0545.

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editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

New School Jitters

By Susan Bray, Ph.D. Children’s Counseling and Assessment I remember the day I started third grade. I was going to a new school, and I didn't know anyone (except my big brother, who told me how horrible things would be). I couldn’t sleep the night before, and when it was time to walk into the classroom, my feet felt like lead bricks. Everyone around me seemed to know exactly what they were doing, and I felt horribly out of place and very conspicuous. So, I stared at the ground all day and tried to be invisible. I didn’t make any friends that day and went home crying to my mother about how much I hated school.

Every child gets at least a little anxious in a new situation like the start of the school year. But, what if your child feels overwhelmed, like I did, or it doesn’t seem to get better with time? There are a few things we can do as parents to help them through it. First of all, reassure your child that it’s normal to feel nervous about any new or unfamiliar situation. This is actually our brain’s way of getting us ready for handle whatever may come up.

Encourage them to talk about any worries or fears they’re having. Just putting it into words can help, and you may find that they have some misconceptions you can help clear up.

Another great tool, particularly for younger kids, is a comfort object. This can be anything from a small stuffed animal to a little smooth pebble in their pocket that they can rub. The idea is to find some object that they like, and to talk a bit about it as a symbol of having you there with them. Then, when they’re feeling nervous or unsure, they can touch or look at their comfort object and remember your love and the security that comes from home and family.

You can also help your kids plan specific actions to be prepared for the situation. If they’re going to be with people they don’t know, help them come up with some good opening lines - things like “What did you do over the summer?” or “Who was your teacher last year?”or even as simple as

Glean continued from front page the organization, and volunteers visit the homes to harvest excess fruit for donation to hunger relief agencies such as Loaves and Fishes and Monument Crisis Center. Imperfect pieces of fruit are donated to animal hospitals such as Walnut Creek’s Lindsay Wildlife Museum.

“We are developing a new social production framework to address the issue of hunger. The framework is designed to lower the barriers to entry and enable many communities to harvest backyard fruit for donation,” says Sioshansi.

The project welcomes individual volunteers as well as larger groups.

John White, a teacher from Piedmont Middle School, joined in on a harvest three weeks ago where over 500 pounds of fruit were harvested from three separate trees. “I had a great time [at the harvest], and I feel hopeful that this is the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership,” he says.

The strength of the project is in its support for self-organizing teams from a variety of organizations. Any group, such as students, members of garden clubs, civic organizations, local charities, houses of worship, scouts, or local businesses, looking to serve the community can organize a harvest.

Along with another teacher, White and 200 students from Piedmont Middle School will join The Urban Farmers for a day of service. “We want two hundred 13 year-olds, and their adult dependents, to wake up to their place and potential in a community food system, and to the value of spending a precious school day to do that work,” he says. “That is no small task, and it will take some sacrifice, humility, and dedication.”

“When working with groups, we provide the ‘common resources’ that any backyard harvest team needs, such as a truck, ladders, harvest equipment, registration software and, most importantly, the insurance coverage. In turn, each team provides the ‘community resources’ such as volunteers to work and an outreach effort to identify fruit trees to harvest,” says Jeffrey Goodfriend, a member of the Urban Farmers board of directors.

Local community groups extend the reach of the project and amount of food that can be harvested. “We are partnering with The Urban Farmers to

See Glean continued on page 24

Lafayette Today ~ September 2012 - Page 19 “I’m Joey. What’s your name?” Remind them of the importance of a smile and making eye contact when they talk to someone. Talk about how to join in with other kids on the playground.

And finally, it can really help to remind your child of past successes. Bring up last school year, or a time they met a new friend in the neighborhood, or when they joined a new class or sports team. This helps kids remember that the nervous feeling is just temporary, and that they can and will get through it and on to the fun of new friends and new experiences.

If you’ve tried everything and your child’s still struggling, it may be time to get help. Start by asking your pediatrician; they see hundreds of kids and have a good sense of what's normal. And assess the four “D’s”: is your child’s response disproportionate to the situation; is it disruptive to your child or family; is the feeling distressing to your child; and is the duration more than would be expected. Just as we teach our kids skills for studying, for time management, and for healthy eating, we can teach them skills for healthy management of emotions. And let them get back to enjoying a new school year!

Susan Bray, Ph.D. is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in private practice in Danville. She specializes in the treatment of childhood anxiety and behavioral issues. You can contact her at (925) 322-3767 or via email at drbray@ccaeastbay.com.

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Ask Dr. Happy

By Bob Nozik, MD Dear Dr. Happy, I am a 60-year-old widow of modest means.

Over the past three years I have been buying lottery tickets on a weekly basis. Well, last year I actually won more than $100,000. I was overjoyed. But since winning I’ve been inundated by people, my family included, wanting handouts or insisting I give them my money for all sorts of cockamamie schemes. Dr. Happy, why won’t they leave me alone? It’s gotten to where I’m almost sorry I won the money. All I want is to be left alone to enjoy my winnings, but they just won’t leave me alone. ~At Wits’ End

Dear Wits’ End What you are experiencing is pretty common for lottery winners. You think: “Oh, great! I won, now I’ll be happy.” But that happiness is shortlived, and soon your life and its problems return, plus those related to everyone trying to get at your new-found money. There are many, many studies that show that the happiness that comes from suddenly coming into lots of money doesn’t last, as you’ve discovered. You are going to have to learn to give a firm and clear “No!” to those trying to separate you from your money. Once you develop the ability to do this, you will have a much easier time of it, and you’ll finally be able to enjoy your winnings.

Happiness Tip The relationship between money and happiness is complex, reflecting the poor understanding most of us have concerning the true nature of happiness itself. Coming into a large amount of money creates, in most of us, an immediate, and large burst of happiness. But, as “Wits’ End” discovered, it brings some problems along with it--like our having to deal with all those people wanting to make off with pieces of our windfall. And, after the relatively brief joy of wining the money fades, many of the accompanying problems persist. Still, having enough money to meet our basic needs, plus some extra, can give us a deeper, more lasting comfort that we didn’t have before. This quiet but lasting solace is a form of happiness, and it came to us from the money.

Please send questions/comments for Dr. Happy to Pollyannan@aol.com.

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Page 20 - September 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

What to do with Debbie Downer?

By Michael Anne Conley, MFT The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change, the realist adjusts the sails. ~ William Arthur Ward The other day I was at the Credit Union, and after learning that I help people with habit changes, the teller asked me, “What do you think is the most common problem habit?”

What came up was “negative self-talk” -- maybe because I’ve been pondering a question asked by a Lafayette Today reader: “What can I do with someone who is always a ‘Debbie Downer?’ I have to interact with this person who walks around with a cloud over her head on a daily basis!”

It can be quite a drag being around someone who has nothing good to say about anything, can’t it? Here’s my response to our reader: 1. Trying to counter Debbie’s down with your up could backfire.

Researcher at the University of Waterloo looked at the effects of positive affirmations. They discovered that affirmations work for people who have high self-esteem already. People with low self-esteem are more likely to feel worse when they say things like, “I am lovable” or “My life is improving.”

Another study I read about a while ago discovered that if you tell a pessimist she’ll have a difficult time hitting the center of a bull’s-eye, she’ll hit the bull’s-eye better than chance. But tell a pessimist that hitting that bull’s-eye will be a breeze, and she’ll do worse.

This should tell you that trying to cheer up Debbie Downer is likely to backfire.

It’s better to acknowledge her challenges by saying,“I can tell you’re having a hard time right now.” Time frame is key, so I often encourage people in Debbie’s place to say things like, “I’m preparing myself to feel more lovable.” It’s not exactly in the frame of a positive affirmation, but it’s a start in that direction.

2. If you have been feeling resentment or guilt, maybe resourceful compassion will help.

Debbie’s negativity might be a symptom of something physical that she’s not aware of. You might be a resource.

Symposium continued from front page

www.yourmonthlypaper.com Dan Stradford, founder of Safe Harbor, says, “Most people who suffer from physically induced depression and anxiety, conditions that commonly bring about negative self-talk, have no or little idea that it stems from a physical condition.

This is because the negative self-talk may have originally formed because of psychological reasons (an oppressive father, for example).

“They manage to rise above many of these bad feelings as they get older, but a low thyroid, chronic fatigue, hypoglycemia, food allergies, etc. can weaken them, causing these old feelings to once again seem real.”

By the way, Safe Harbor supports people who want non-pharmaceutical options and support for mental illness. Visit their site at www.alternativementalhealth.com.

You can also encourage Debbie Downer to consider Functional Medicine, an emerging hybrid between conventional and alternative care that is nutrient-based.

At Stillpoint, our integrative health center in Lafayette, Nathalie Bera-Miller, MD, helps people deal with conditions that can be helped by Functional Medicine. Ask for more at info@wellnesslafayette.com.

In these cases, of course, you can’t make Debbie get the help she needs, but you can ask if it’s okay to offer suggestions. You can ask, “Is it okay to share some resources I’ve learned about?”

3. When all else fails, you can support Debbie – and yourself – by making boundaries, even if you can’t physically make yourself scarce.

• Let Debbie know, “I don’t like hearing this. I’m stepping away.”

• Separate yourself with a headset, if necessary, or non-intrusive soothing background music if your work or home environment allows.

• Get support for your individual situation, as you may be making the situation worse without intending to. A professional can help you get perspective and develop your options.

Michael Anne Conley, MFT, supports people in transforming old habits into new behaviors. She is a health educator, licensed marriage and family therapist and director of Stillpoint integrative health center in Lafayette (http:// wellnesslafayette.com).You can listen to her weekly podcast, Habits Into Health, at www.habitsintohealth.com. To schedule a strategy session, contact her at Advertorial maconley@wellnesslafayette.com or 925-262-4848.

4th Annual ‘Walk n’ Roll’ plus Mobility Matters Faire to Benefit Ataxia Research

Lafayette’s curvy roads can provide problems for many seniors; addressing senior transportation will be Mary Bruns, Spirit Van Coordinator Northern California Ataxia Support Group invites anyone with with Lafayette Senior Services, and Elaine Welch, Executive Director of Parkinson’s, MS, Ataxia, or other CNS disorders to participate in the Walk Senior Helpline Services. n’ Roll and Olympic Games on September 29th from 11:30-3pm at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church which is located at 1035 Carol Lane in Lafayette.

Ruth McCahan, Lafayette Senior Services Commissioner, will discuss Learn tips from professionals who work with individuals with ‘Movement the Lamorinda Senior Village concept – a local community based non-profit Disorders.’ An entry donation of $25 includes lunch. Special guest Dr. membership program providing members with practical means to remain in Thomas Clouse, who has Ataxia, will be demonstrating his mobility their own homes as they age. and exercise techniques to help stabilize your feet. You can learn about With a presentation titled, “Mom! We need to talk,” local estate planning Quantum Neurology from Chiropractor Dr. Robert Schick, and Chair Yoga attorney Stefanie West will discuss the nine issues that adult children and from Carol Fisher who teaches Parkinson’s clients in the East Bay. parents should share regarding estate planning. West’s expertise includes Parking will be in the upper church parking lot, and the event will be wills, trusts, probate and Medi-Cal planning, and as a senior services in the Fellowship Hall and Lower Parking Lot. Proceeds from the event commissioner she works to prevent elder fraud and abuse. benefit the National Ataxia Foundation and research. Pre-register at www.

In between speakers, a variety of door prizes from favorite local businesses ataxia.org or e-mail joanneloveland@gmail.com for more information. will be awarded, and refreshments will be provided. In addition, local senior resource providers will be available on site to offer expertise and answer questions regarding a variety of senior services available locally.

Lafayette Today is delivered exclusively to Lafayette.

Whether we like it or not, we and everyone we know is going to grow old, Reach out to over 11,000 LOCAL homes and businesses. and we have to embrace that fact. With the right tools, growing older can be 925.405.6397 | www.yourmonthlypaper.com an enjoyable journey. Find some of those tools on Saturday, October 13th, at am th 8:30 at the 4 Annual Symposium. The event Our mission is to provide personalized care, help will be held at the Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian maintain independence and enhance our Church located at 49 Knox Drive in Lafayette. client’s quality of life on a daily basis.

Special thanks to event community partners, • Free in-home assessments • Regular home visits Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian Church and the ensure the right care plan • Hourly care Heartfelt & Senior Services Commission. Please call 925for you • Live-in care Supportive • Fully bonded and insured • Geriatric care mgmt.

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• Elder referral and placement lcf@comcast.net. We hope to see you there.

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High Functioning Autism & Asperger’s Syndrome

By William Shryer, LCSW, DCSW Clinical Director, Diablo Behavioral Healthcare Asperger’s disorder or “syndrome” is not a new diagnosis. In fact it was described in the 1940’s. Asperger’s Syndrome was first identified in 1944, but it was only officially recognized as a diagnostic category in the Fourth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1994. As a result, many children were misdiagnosed over the years as having Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism, Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD), or even Schizophrenia. While Hans Asperger was describing this disorder in Austria, Leo Kanner was describing something else a half a world away. Kanner described Autism at almost the same time. The two disorders share some symptoms, but the degree of disability can vary widely.

What is Asperger’s Syndrome?

Asperger’s Syndrome is a neurobiological disorder that is classified as one of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). It is characterized by impairment in social interaction, as well as the development of repetitive and restricted fields of interest and activities. Those with Asperger’s can often look like children with OCD, however they really have more of a type of stuck thinking and don’t seem as anxious about their special thoughts. The difference is really very simple. OCD children are anxious about their thoughts while those with Asperger’s are having a good time inside their head and just become angry when you ask them to stop.

The complete immersion into video games, anime, bugs, and vacuum cleaners are but a few of the fascinations that have been seen in these children and teens.

While there are some similarities with Autism, people with Asperger’s usually have average to above average IQ, and they do not demonstrate clinically significant delays in language or self-help skills. Their use of eye contact is frequently impaired, and they often seem to look to the right or left of the person or down at the floor.

While they may have an extremely good command of language and have a very rich vocabulary, those with Asperger’s are unable to use language appropriately in a social context and often speak in a monotone with little nuance and inflection in their voice. They also frequently fly into rages if they feel misunderstood or at times seem to believe that if they understand something, you should understand it exactly the same way. This is called “Mind Blindness.”

Children with Asperger’s may or may not seek out social interaction, but they always have difficulty in interpreting and learning the skills of social and emotional interaction with others, leading to significant impairment in relationships and peer interaction. They are often bullied at school and sometimes don’t even realize it, believing that the other children like them. They often have few friends and are not asked to attend parties and so forth.

Although parents often notice problems at an early age, diagnosis is usually made during preschool age or later. While both boys and girls can have Asperger’s, the syndrome is more common in boys. The likelihood of proper diagnosis, even in this area, is rare.

For more information on Asperger’s or any other developmental concern, simply call our office at (925) 648-4800, and we will take the time to talk with you. To learn more about behavioral disorders, visit www.behaviorquest.com. Advertorial

Grief Support Group Helps People Cope with the Death of a Pet When you lose your pet, you often feel like a part of you is lost. The death of your beloved animal companion is one of the most difficult losses you may ever feel. This loss is sometimes made more painful by society’s seeming lack of support for pet grief.

Hospice of the East Bay and the Tony La Russa Animal Rescue Foundation is offering a support group where participants can share memories and feelings and talk to others who truly understand and care. Meetings will be held the first Tuesday of each month from noon - 1:30PM at the Tony La Russa Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek.

For further information and/or to register, please call Bereavement Services at Hospice of the East Bay (925) 887-5681. Pre-registration is required.

Hospice of the East Bay Bereavement Services are provided free of charge to all community members in need. However, donations are greatly appreciated.

Lafayette Today ~ September 2012 - Page 21

Learn, Listen, Act.... For Women

By Gigi Chen, MD September is Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, and the Foundation for Women’s Cancer reminds everyone that it is important to LEARN about risk factors and symptoms of gynecologic cancers, LISTEN to your body for symptoms, and ACT to reduce your risk and take preventive steps. Steady medical progress has been made in the field of gynecologic cancers. Of particular promise is better understanding of the risks, symptoms, and prevention of the three most prevalent gynecologic cancers: cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer.

Cervical cancer is preventable and most often caused by HPV (Human Papilloma Virus). Most often there are no symptoms. Watch for bleeding after intercourse or excessive discharge or bleeding between periods. It is recommended to get vaccinated for the HPV virus before you become sexually active, to get pap tests regularly when recommended, and stop smoking.

Uterine/Endometrial Cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer. It usually occurs around the time of menopause, but younger women are also at risk.

The pap test does not screen for uterine cancer, so knowing one’s family history of endometrial or colon cancer is important information to share with your primary care physician. The use of estrogen alone or tamoxifen have proven to be possible risk factors as well. Listen to your body for these symptoms: bleeding after menopause and abnormal, irregular, or very heavy vaginal bleeding in younger women. If you have these symptoms, you should receive an endometrial biopsy.

You can also reduce your risk by managing your weight and keeping your blood pressure and blood sugar under control.

One in 71 women will develop ovarian cancer. There is no screening for ovarian cancer, and only 15% are detected at the earliest most curable stage. Knowing one’s family history of ovarian and breast cancer is important. Infertility and not bearing children are risk factors while pregnancy and the use of birth control pills decrease risk. If you have bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, urinary urgency or frequency symptoms almost daily for more than a few weeks, and they are persistent and unusual for you, it is important to report these symptoms to your primary care physician.

Help the women in your life understand and reduce the risks for these cancers.

It is through symptom recognition that the earliest possible diagnosis can be made.

Gigi Chen, MD is a Medical Oncologist and Hematologist with Diablo Valley Oncology. Dr. Chen focuses on treating patients with gynecologic cancer, lung cancers, and blood disorders. Diablo Valley Oncology’s comprehensive cancer center is located at the California Cancer and Research Institute in Pleasant Hill. For more information, call (925) 677-5041.

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Cancer Support Community The following classes are held at the Cancer Support Community, located at 3276 McNutt Avenue in Walnut Creek. Classes are free, but reservations are required. For information, call (925) 933-0107.

Update on Ovarian Cancer Treatment Thursday, September 20th ~ Noon – 2PM (light lunch provided) Learn about the latest treatment options for women dealing with ovarian cancer. Novel therapies and promising clinical trials will be discussed. With Giuseppe Ciarvino, MD, a gynecologic oncologist with Kaiser Permanente.

For ovarian cancer patients, their families, and friends.

Update on Prostate Cancer Thursday, September 27 ~ Noon – 2PM (light lunch provided) An overview of advances in prostate cancer treatment with plenty of time for questions. With Patrick Swift, MD, Director Radiation Oncology at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center. For prostate cancer patients and their caregivers.

Frankly Speaking About Cancer: New Discoveries Tuesday, October 9th ~ 6PM – 8PM Learn the latest information on cancer treatment, side-effect management, and the psychosocial aspects of living with cancer, including personalized cancer care, cancer prevention innovation, and targeted therapies. With Michael Sherman, MD, medical oncologist with Contra Costa Oncology. For cancer patients, caregivers, and friends.

Page 22 - September 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

Barnacles of Aging

By Kelly Hood This month I am calling attention to benign and malignant skin tumors. Each week I see new patients with life threatening malignancies that can be diagnosed and treated in the office. Self checking is the first step in diagnosis. The next step is to see a professional so that the tumor is properly handled. My office is available to serve new and established patients.

One of the most comDr. Kelly Hood, Lafayette mon lesions encountered are brown age spots or liver spots. These are flat brown areas called lentigines. They have nothing to do with the liver, they are caused by sun exposure over the years. Common locations are the face, hands, back and legs. These are generally harmless. They may look like melanoma and therefore require evaluation. Proper treatment done in a dermatology office can help these lesions disappear.

Seborrheic keratosis: These brown or black spots or wart-like growths look like they are stuck on the skin surface. They are common in older people and are not caused by the sun. If annoying, these can easily be removed by a dermatologist.

Cherry angiomas: These are harmless, small, bright red, raised bumps created by dilated blood vessels. They occur more commonly in women and elderly people, usually on the trunk. Electrocautery, laser, or other surgical therapies remove these spots.

Actinic keratosis are among the most common barnacles of aging. These are red or brown spots that become crusty and tender. If ignored, these may become skin cancers. In the early stages they can be removed by freezing with liquid nitrogen, applying chemotherapy cream, or by skin resurfacing.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com Squamous cell carcinoma typically develops on the rim of the ear, the face, the lips, or the back of hands.

These skin cancers can be aggressive and occasionally spread to internal organs.

It is important that these be removed in the early stages.

The most common form of skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma. It usually appears as a small shiny bump or pinpoint red bleeding lesion. These Dr. Shanny Baughman, Alamo occur commonly on the face or chest. They are more common in older, fair-skinned people with blond or red hair and blue or green eyes. Untreated these lesions grow locally and slowly and rarely spread to other parts of the body. When treated early, squamous cell carcinomas and basal cell carcinomas have a 95% cure rate.

Malignant melanoma is a less common, but more serious, form of skin cancer.

This skin cancer usually appears as a dark brown or black spot with irregular borders and variable colors.

Men over 50 are at the highest risk for melanoma, but it can affect anyone of any age. Melanomas are more common in frequent tanning bed users and those who had severe sunburn as children. The most common location is the back in men and the legs in women.

Any change in an existing mole or the rapid appearance of a new mole could be a sign of melanoma and should be examined immediately. Melanoma can spread to other organs and can be fatal.

We are accepting new Medicare and commercial insurance patients. To schedule a consultation with one of us, contact Dr. Kelly Hood, 970 Dewing, Suite 301, Lafayette, 925-283-5500, khoodderm@yahoo.com or Dr. Shanny Baughman at Alamo Oaks Dermatology, 3189 Danville Blvd, suite 130, Alamo, 925-362-0992, shanny.derm@gmail.com.

Advertorial

Events for Lafayette Seniors All classes are held at the Lafayette Senior Center (LSC) located at 500 Saint Mary’s Rd in Lafayette unless otherwise noted. Space is limited. Please call 925-284-5050 to reserve a spot. Annual Membership fee: $10 per person. General Event fee: Members $1; Non-Member $3. Special Concerts fee: Members $3; Non-Members $5. Ongoing Caregiver Support Group: Members: no charge; Non-members $1.

Bi-Monthly Caregiver Support Group Mondays, 9/24 1:30–2:30PM LSC If you are a family member helping to care for an older adult, join our support group led by Carol Shenson, MA, Certified Geriatric Care Manager to find balance and joy as you manage your responsibilities. Drop-ins are welcome.

Self-Discovery and Aging, Creative Writing Workshop Alternate Mondays • 9/13, 9/27 Noon – 2PM Elderberry Room, LSC Join Judith Rathbone, Creative Writing and English Instructor to write about and explore issues around aging, emotion, and perception–or get support to write on any topic! Workshop sessions include writing prompts, feedback, encouragement, and information about the world of writers, writing, and publishing.

Lamorinda Dance Social Every Wednesday • 12:30 – 3PM • Live Oak Room, LSC Enjoy afternoon dancing every Wednesday, and learn some great new dance moves. On the first Wednesday monthly, professional dancers Karen and Michael will provide a dance lesson and live DJ services, playing your favorites and taking requests. $2 Members/ $4 non-members.

Positive Living Forum (a.k.a “Happiness Club”) Thursday, 9/13 • 10:30AM – Noon • Elderberry Room LSC Brighten your day and take part in this interactive gathering which features speakers on a wide range of topics that encourage and guide participants towards a more ideal and positive life experience. Drop-ins welcome! Moderated by Dr. Bob Nozik, MD. Lafayette Senior Services Commission 4th Thursday of the month from 3:30 – 5:30PM at the Lafayette Senior Center.

View agendas at the City of Lafayette office or at www.ci.lafayette.ca.us.

Senior Nature Walk and Bird-Watching Every Wednesday • 10AM - Noon • Outside the Alder Room at LSC Experience nature at its finest along our local trails. Delight in the beauty that unfolds around each bend, all the while learning to identify a variety of birds. Trail maps will be distributed. Bring a water bottle; binoculars will be helpful if you have them. Paths are accessible to wheelchairs and scooters. Join us every Wednesday or whenever you are able. This free event is led by Ben Pettersson, long-time Lafayette resident, hiker, and bird-watcher.

Anne Randolph Workshop Friday 9/28 • 11:30AM – 12:30PM • Sequoia Room, LSC • Avoiding Falls - If you are worried about falling or are at risk of falling, you should know about activities that improve balance. Learn how to improve your balance and avoid the risk of falling. Anne provides outpatient therapy in Lafayette and specializes in the care of those 55 and over.

Words of Wisdom…From the Philosophical to the Lighthearted 9/18 10:30 –Noon • Elderberry Room, LSC Join long-time Lafayette resident Paul Fillinger and take part in this free-wheeling exchange of inspiration, information, and humor. Topics – from soup to nuts will be explored, examined, and discussed. Paul’s stories and photographs will stimulate humorous discoveries regarding the benefits of becoming the ‘elders of our tribe.’

‘Common Threads’ Stitching Group Every Wednesday starting 9/12 (SKIP 11/21, 12/26) • 2 – 3:30PM • Elderberry Room, LSC You will be amazed at the works of art Ben Pettersson, AKA Stitcher Extraordinaire, has created with needle, embroidery floss, and cross-stitch fabric. Whether you are a seasoned cross-stitcher or newbie beginner, join this ongoing, drop-in group for instruction, guidance, or simply a relaxing afternoon spent with fellow stitchers.

Allow Ben to guide you regarding supplies and designs for a new cross-stitch project, or bring your own (needlepoint, knitting, crochet, etc. are welcome, too!)

Come Play Dominoes! Wednesdays 1:30-3pm • Cedar Room, LSC Join us every Wednesday for a rousing game of dominoes, refreshments, and socializing. Come out and challenge your brain, meet friends – old and new, or just spend an enjoyable afternoon over the game table. Feel free to drop in any time.

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

A New Lease on Life

By Mary Bruns, Program Coordinator Lamorinda Senior Transportation, an Alliance of Transportation Providers If you saw the movie, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, you remember how each retiree responded to their new situation differently – some with joy and a sense of adventure and one with bitterness and regret.

The young hotel manager responds to each complaint with “Everything will be OK in the end, and if it’s not OK, then it’s not the end.” From one point of view, this is very simplistic thinking, and from another point of view, it’s very complex.

Some life experiences make us upset or sad. How are you coping with these experiences?

As you look at the stage of life you are currently in with its positive and painful experiences, do you have a story or anecdote to share about some event that affected your life in a positive or transformative way?

Dispatcher Doreen Pasco invites you to share your story by mailing it to Lamorinda Senior Transportation Program, 500 Saint Mary’s Road, Lafayette, CA 94549 or emailing it to dispatch@lovelafayette.org.

If your story is published in our monthly passenger newsletter or in this column, we will send you a gift certificate for a free ride on the Lamorinda Spirit Van. In an online newsletter The Transformer, Alan Seale probes further into these Marigold Hotel characters. “Those who choose to be curious, to explore, and be open to discover what this new life might bring for them, find their lives transformed. They break out of old beliefs and patterns and discover a new sense of aliveness and joy beyond what they could ever have imagined. On the other hand, the character who adamantly refuses to find any new opportunity in her new surroundings becomes more bitter and angry with each passing day. Her attachment to the life she had expected in her retirement years keeps her from finding joy or delight in anything.”

Transformational Coach, Alan Seale is inviting us to embrace our life circumstances and be open to something new. I would suggest we ask ourselves the question, “What am I learning through the experiences I’m having and the circumstances in which I find myself? Out of this knowledge, how can I contribute something valuable to my family, friends, and community?”

Dispatcher and volunteer driver, Mauna Wagner, interviewed Dave Cummins for our monthly passenger letter and wrote, “Dave Cummins has been a Lamorinda Spirit Van driver for about 18 months...originally from London, he and his wife Christine have lived in Moraga since 1979 and are the proud parents of two and grandparents of six…When asked

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ARCHITECT JOHN ROLF HATTAM - ARCHITECT Specializes in modest budget, new and remodeled residences. Over 200 completed projects. AUTHOR: Houses on Hills and Other Irregular Places. Also, National Parks from an Architect’s Sketchbook Call for a brochure: 510-841-5933. 737 Dwight Way, Berkeley.

Lafayette Today ~ September 2012 - Page 23 why he volunteered with the Spirit Van Program, Dave said, ‘My mother used a similar service in England, which we all appreciated. I like working with the other drivers and volunteers, but mostly, it’s because I love the passengers I meet and I enjoy hearing their stories.’ Dave’s family experience helped him decide to contribute his valuable time and energy to driving for the Lamorinda Spirit Van Program, making a significant contribution to our community.”

As you think about your own life situation, consider whether you would like to become a volunteer driver for Senior Helpline Services Rides for Seniors, Orinda Seniors Around Town, or the Lamorinda Spirit Van. These valuable programs help seniors who no longer drive to get out and about to medical appointments, shopping, the C.C. Café, and social opportunities. Each program operates with a slightly different focus, but Dave Cummins all provide transportation to help seniors maintain their independence and quality of life while living in their own homes.

What adventure would you still like to have? Remember, “Everything will be OK in the end, and if it’s not OK, then it’s not the end.”

Lamorinda Senior Transportation An Alliance of Transportation Providers Call each program for opportunities to become a volunteer driver or volunteer, transportation information, and/or to make tax-deductible donations.

Lamorinda Spirit Van

283-3534

Taking Lamorinda Seniors to medical appointments, grocery shopping, special events, and lunch at C.C. Café. $10 round trip; rides to lunch are free.

Reserve your seat two business days ahead of time by 1PM.

Contra Costa Yellow Cab and DeSoto Company 284-1234 20% discount for Lamorinda seniors. A taxi is often an economical alternative to owning, insuring, and maintaining a car. Call 283-3534 for a discount card.

Volunteer Driver Program Volunteers driving their own cars provide free rides for seniors.

Orinda Seniors Around Town

402-4506

Serving Orinda seniors with rides for appointments and errands.

Senior Helpline Services Rides for Seniors

284-6161

Serving Contra Costa seniors with rides to medical appointments during the week and grocery shopping on Saturdays.

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Page 24 - September 2012 ~ Lafayette Today

Glean continued from page 19 get the fresh fruits and vegetables from backyards to where it's needed,â&#x20AC;? says Deva Rajan, manager of the Moraga Gardens Farm. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are converting one of our greenhouses to a gleaning shed, where residents and gardeners can deposit their excess food for pickup by the The Urban Farmers truck. We hope this will be an efficient way of recovering a lot of food that might otherwise go to waste.â&#x20AC;?

Aleenah Mehta, a recent Saint Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College graduate, says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The model is working. For example, in the past four weekends we have harvested 1,010, 938, 790, and 630 pounds of fruit respectively, working only four hours per shift. Our average operating cost of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;producingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and delivering this food is around 12 cents per pound.â&#x20AC;?

Mehta helped develop the framework and continues to help with the project.

There are many organizations that are helping The Urban Farmers achieve its goal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are fortunate that one of the most efficient and respected backyard harvest operations in the country is in ADDITIONAL San Jose. Craig Diserens, the founder of Village Harvest, has helped us streamline our plans and operations. Currently, the number one area of improvement for our project is to increase fruit tree registration density,â&#x20AC;? Sioshansi says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to see that when we have a lot on all Telescope of trees in close proximity to each other, Furniture we can â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;produceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; more goods in less Good thru 9/30/12 time and with less cost.â&#x20AC;?

In addition to providing fresh fruit to local hunger relief agencies, The Urban Farmers organizes a group purchase of +HU]PSSL antique, heirloom fruit trees each fall.

Seven hundred and fifty fruit trees have *HTPUV ;HZZHQHYH been planted in the past three years.

The organization also provides (SHTV hands-on workshops to help Open Tues thru Sat 10 to 6 homeowners succeed in growing local +HU]PSSL )V\SL]HYK :\UKH` [V Â&#x2039; *SVZLK 4VUKH` fruit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Planting fruit trees is good for people and the planet,â&#x20AC;? Urban Farmers co-founder Cameron Sioshansi points out. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It provides homeowners with zero-mile food, a tool to teach children where food comes from, and many environmental benefits including carbon sequestration.â&#x20AC;?

This is a full circle project: Share what you can, and plant trees so there will be fruit to share in the future.

So how can you get involved? Residents can register a backyard fruit tree by visiting The Urban Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; website (www.theurbanfarmers. org) and clicking the registration button on the front page. The process is quick and simple.

Of course, no harvest can be complete without the help of volunteers.

Individuals and groups can register via the webpage to join in on a harvest.

Want friends to get involved? Use the â&#x20AC;&#x153;tell a friendâ&#x20AC;? button on the front page of the website. Downloadable black-and-white flyers can also be printed and dropped off to neighbors, and color PDF files are available to e-mail.

You can keep up to date with the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s developments by â&#x20AC;&#x153;likingâ&#x20AC;? The Urban Farmers Facebook page. The Urban Farmers can also be reached via telephone at (415) 806-7005.

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