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News From CALL Mid‑February 2023
Sketch by Sharyn Harker, a member of the Sketch Club Interest Group
February Events
Treks and Travels
In Search of the Exotic
Wednesday, February 15, 7:30–9:00pm Varsity Acres Presbyterian Church,
4612 Varsity Drive NW
Presenter: Reg Brehaut
Reg has been a traveller for most of his adult life, and has always wanted to do it himself, alone if necessary, to see what others might not see: the way people live their daily lives in other cultures, how they behave, what they believe in, what their living conditions are. To this end he has not only visited many foreign places, but actually lived there, most recently for three years in China.
To enter into someone else’s culture and way of living is not without ethical difficulties if one is attempting to learn and to record, particularly when entranced by the exotic aspects of totally foreign settings and traditions. It is easy to slip into objectification of the spectacle (in our eyes and minds) we so much want to see and to enjoy.
Reg’s presentation touches on his many experiences in travelling and living around the world, centering on his most recent travels in China, and asks the question “What do we, as tourists, do in our own Search for the Exotic?”
CALL Café Online
Cyberthugs: Yes, They Are Out to Get You!
Monday, February 27, 7:00pm to 8:30pm Online with Zoom
The speaker at the next CALL Café will be the well-known cybersecurity expert Tom Keenan. Tom taught Canada’s first computer security course in 1977, was involved in the creation of the country’s first computer crime laws and continues to share his digital security expertise in a variety of media. In his presentation, he will explain how the bad guys try to target you and what steps you can take to protect yourself.
You must be a CALL member to register but the registration process allows you to bring 1 to 4 guests.
To register and for more information, go to the CALL Café page.
March Events
Science and Environment
Greenhouse Gases from Ruminant Livestock
Tuesday, March 7, 7:30-9:30pm Online with Zoom
Speaker: Dr. Karen Beauchemin
It is estimated that approximately 3.6% of Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions are due to enteric fermentation in domestic livestock. Dr. Beauchemin and her colleagues at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada have established methods to measure these emissions from cattle, with a goal to develop strategies to reduce enteric methane produced as a by-product of digesting fibre. Reduced methane produced during feed digestion improves the efficiency by which dairy cows and beef cattle convert plant material into food for people.
Dr. Beauchemin was honoured as 2022’s Woman of Impact in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, by the Government of Canada.
For more information and to register, go to the Science and Environment page.
Intergenerational Speaker Series – Event 4
Framing our Memories
Wednesday, March 8, 11:00am–1:00pm
Lincoln Park Room (J301) Mount Royal University
In the final event of this four-part series we will create a space for participants to creatively express themselves, learn from other generations, discover models of storytelling and explore the beauty of leaving a meaningful legacy. Our guest speaker will be Doreen Vanderstoop, a Calgary based storyteller, musician, and writer who is Past President of Storytelling Alberta. She will describe their StoryShare program and will screen some of the recordings the organization has made to preserve the stories and memories of Calgary seniors. You do not need to have attended the other events in this series and all are welcome. Registration is not being done through the CALL website but by MRU.
To register for this event, go to their Events page.
CALL Café: Alberta Votes 2023
Monday, March 13, 7:00pm–8:30pm Online with Zoom
The March CALL Café speakers, Lisa Young and Graham Thomson, have decades of experience observing and analyzing Alberta politics. In her presentation, Head to Head: Comparing the Policy Approach of the UCP and NDP, Lisa will identify the differences and the similarities of those policy positions. In his presentation, Stranger than Fiction: Alberta Politics in 2023, Graham will explain how we got to the present state of Alberta politics and where we are going. What are the choices voters will be offered in the forthcoming provincial election? Why does Graham think that Alberta politics is stranger than fiction? Register for the March CALL Café and find out.
You must be a CALL member to register but the registration process allows you to bring 1 to 4 guests.
To register and for more information, go to the CALL Café: page.
CALL Open House
Based on the success of our December Open House we are planning another. It will be held on March 17, between 1 and 3 pm at Scott Hall, Varsity Presbyterian Church. It will be open to members and guests. Stay tuned for further details in the next few weeks!
Interest Groups Welcoming New Members
Preparing to Vote
Would you like to become better informed about the issues in the upcoming provincial election? Be better able to state your views and the reasoning behind them? Then join with other CALL members as we examine the issues and ideas that inform the platforms of Alberta’s pollical parties.
Check out the Preparing to Vote page for more details and to register.
An Imperfect Well-Lived Life
Facilitator: Wall Houn, retired high school English teacher.
The theme of the group is an exploration of oneself and one's place in the universe. We will examine the ideas about the life of philosophers and social commentators past and present. Each member will receive material which makes reference to Zen, Taoism, Buddhism, D.T. Suzuki, R.H. Blyth, Alan Watts, Lao Tsu, Krishnamurti, Bach, Thoreau, Emerson and others. The material will allow members to prepare to engage and contribute to the session's discussions.
The group will meet the 1st and 3rd Mondays April 3 – June 19 in Room 310 at cSpace 1721 29 St SW. Drop-ins are welcome. For more information and to register, go to the Imperfect Well-Lived Life page
Immediate Volunteer Needs
CALL Café Team
Do you often wish that CALL Café would invite a speaker to address a certain topic but you are unsure of how to make this happen? Would you be willing to contact a potential speaker who is on your wish list? The CALL Café Committee is seeking volunteers who will work as part of a team that generates ideas about speakers and topics CALL Café should explore. Zoom expertise is not required. For more information, contact Adrienne Kertzer.
Cultural Appreciation Interest Group
Many CALL members are attracted to cultural events such as theatre, art shows and concerts and enjoy exploring different culinary experiences. For example, CALL currently offers “CPO Rehearsals” in which members register, attend selected open rehearsals of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and then participate in a discussion led by the CALL facilitator.
Would you be interested in organizing a new series? By creating a new Interest Group under the Cultural Appreciation umbrella, you will share your passion with other CALL members.
If you have an idea to discuss, contact Julia Melnyk, Coordinator Cultural Appreciation.
CALL Members Respond
Dear CALL directors and other volunteers,
Thank you for organizing CALL events. It has a wonderful variety of events.
Also compassionate people explain the intricacies of computers. Your event advice about updating, I don't know how to do that, except every now and then my Mac tells "something" is being installed.
I am also glad you are continuing talks on Zoom as it allows attendance when the weather is not conducive to venturing out. Thank you for all your work and ideas. Also thank you for sending reminders. Despite being on my calendar I recently missed a Zoom talk. SO annoying.
Your appreciative member
Helen Perry
We welcome all your responses to CALL happenings. Send your letters to newsletter@calgarylifelonglearners.ca
Your CALL Newsletter
The CALL Newsletter is our way to communicate what is going on in our community. It's a way to highlight events of interest, ‘peek behind the curtain of CALL’ and to give some general information about CALL groups and members.
You are invited to send your ideas and suggestions for future issues to newsletter@calgarylifelonglearners.ca. We reserve the right to edit submissions and to determine when submissions will be published.
CALL Newsletter dates for posting:
- February 24
- Mar 17, 31
- April 14, 28
- May 12, 26
- June 16, 30
Meanwhile, be well, stay well in every sense of the word.