Stress Busters Introductory Workshop Series – 5 Steps to Deal with Stress
Stress comes in many ways. It’s that uneasy feeling we get when we’re upset — whether it’s because we’re angry, worried, depressed or disturbed for other reasons. For many of us, it’s hard not to be stressed and anxious in the midst of challenging times.
In Stress Buster workshops, we’ll learn how stress starts and a simple effective method to handle your reaction to situations. You’ll learn a five step process to reduce stress and help you better respond to any situation in a helpful way, instead of getting upset. Stress Busters (also known as Ding Sum) has been serving seniors in San Francisco for over 30 years, reaching 900 people through monthly in person seminars, and now via Zoom!
This monthly workshop series starting on April 1st is fun and practical. Leave each session with new practical insights on how to better handle whatever life throws at you. This Introductory series will be held monthly on the first Thursday of the month at 10AM. It is intended for anyone who hasn’t done Stress Busters workshops before, or for anyone who would like a refresher on the Stress Busters technique. It’s OK if you aren’t able to attend every month. Dr. Lee will provide a review each month for people who miss workshops, so mark you calendar and join in when you can!
INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOPS
Learn the basics about the 5 steps and how to apply them (1. Stop, 2. Assess, 3. Decide, 4. Do, 5. Re-evaluate) in this 8 month series. OK if you need to miss some meetings in the series – join again when you can!
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Stress Busters INTERMEDIATE WORKSHOPS
In addition to the Introduction to Stress Busters workshop series, NEXT Village offers “Intermediate” level workshops and discussion groups to those who have already attended Stress Busters workshops and are familiar with the five steps. See the NEXT Village calendar for dates.
MONTHLY DISCUSSION GROUP – Informal discussion group to provide an interactive opportunity to share and discuss concepts from the workshops. Typically 1st Thursday of each month at 3PM
MONTHLY “INTERMEDIATE” WORKSHOPS – These workshops delve into more detail on Stress Busters techniques. Typically held 3rd Thursday of each month at 3PM.
_________
Speaker – Dr. David Lee is a pediatric dentist and Assistant Professor of Pediatric Dentistry. He has volunteered with Stress Busters for over 30 years, since the organization was founded. Dr. Lee is married with three grown children.
Benvenuti Italian Language Speakers and Learners!!!!
Join other Italians, Italian-Americans, and non-native Italian speakers who want to practice Italian in an informal and welcoming environment.
This is a casual gathering where people can use and practice their Italian. No judgement, no pressure!
Join us weekly as we help each other practice Italian with a fun group of fellow lovers of the language!
Logistical Notes:
Group meets weekly every Thursday at 11 AM — April 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2021.
Come to as many sessions as you can, but it’s OK to miss some! Join whenever you can.
This is a conversation group rather than a class.
Basic conversational abilities are requested as the group endeavors to speak in Italian the entire session (although if someone needs help with words or phrases, the group is always willing to help!) Most participants are not native speakers and want to practice Italian with others, so no need to be fluent … just willing to try!
Intermediate Stress Busters workshops or discussion groups alternate on Thursday every 2 weeks to help us get through the pandemic and beyond together! These Intermediate events are intended for people who have participated in some of our Introductory Workshops Series. (If you haven’t participated in Stress Busters workshops before, join our monthly Stress Busters Intro Workshops, held the 1st Thursday of the month at 10AM starting on April 1.)
In our monthly Intermediate Stress Busters workshops, Eileen and Gary provide lessons on simple steps you can use to reduce stress. Upcoming workshop date: 3 PM Thursday, April 15.
In addition to workshops, they also offer this monthly informal discussion group to provide a more interactive opportunity for us to share and discuss concepts from the workshops in more depth.
Discussion groups have become a wonderful monthly gathering for people to compare notes on what has been stressing us out, how we reacted, and learn how we might apply the Stress Busters techniques to future situations.
If you were not able to attend all of the Introductory series Stress Busters workshops or want a refresher on the 5 steps, visit http://www.123dingsum.org/how-to-ding-sum to familiarize you with the information we’ll be discussing during the Intermediate workshops and discussion groups.
Speakers – Eileen Chan and Gary Ow are native San Franciscans. Both have volunteered with Stress Busters since the organization was founded over 30 years ago. Eileen is trained as an optometrist and Gary Ow works in computer technology. They are married with three grown children.
NEXT Village Entertainment SWAP! Fridays 11:15-12:15
704 Filbert Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
Stop by the office and pick up a new puzzle or book. Barbara and Kim will be there to help you pick out something entertaining! No pre-registration required.
(PS: Sadly this is not a social visit, but a quick exchange. Please remember your mask and practice social distancing.)
Join our Weekly Spanish Conversation Group on Zoom!
Have you been learning Spanish during the pandemic and wish you could practice it? Or if you are a fluent speaker, do you wish there was a place you could converse in Spanish from a safe social distance?
Join us for our new NEXT Village Spanish Conversation group for conversation in an informal and welcoming environment.
This is a casual gathering where people can use, practice and help each other with their Spanish. No judgement, no pressure!
Please note that this is a conversation group, not a class. There is no instructor. Basic familiarity with Spanish is requested, however no need to be fluent, just willing to try!
3 PM every Monday (except holidays) – April 5, 12, 19 and 26
Did You Know: 90% of people believe talking with their loved ones about their medical wishes is important, but only 27% have done so. Let’s make it 100%. Join us for this important 2-part workshop to give yourself and your loved ones peace of mind.
WHAT MATTERS MOST…is a 2-part workshop offered by Redwing Keyssar, RN, Author and Director of Patient and Caregiver Education at the UCSF MERI Center for Education in Palliative Care, to assist people in creating meaningful and personalized Advance Directives for Healthcare.
Advance Care planning is critical for everyone! It is not just for people who have an illness. Every adult in our country should have this paperwork in place.
Many people have created documents of this type in the past, but then have forgotten where they are or what they wrote down. This workshop will give you an opportunity to review/revise what you have written in the past and/or create a new document that is specific and detailed regarding your wishes of how you would want to be cared for if you had a medical event or serious illness and could not speak for yourself.
These issues are particularly important to consider during this time of a global pandemic.
Please join the MERI Center and NEXT Village SF in our unique workshop model that we have perfected over many years. There will be plenty of time for conversation and questions.
Frequently asked questions include:
What IS an Advance Directive for Healthcare?
Why is it important and who needs one?
What is an “agent” and what are their responsibilities?
Do you need a lawyer to complete an Advance Directive?
When does an Advance Directive take effect?
What if I change my mind?
Please plan to attend both workshops on April 6 and 20th from 2:00 – 4:00 PM.
About our Presenter: Judith Redwing Keyssar, RN, is the Director of Patient and Caregiver Education at the MERI Center for Education in Palliative Care at UCSF/Mt Zion. She is an author, poet, teacher, national presenter and frequent contributor to the public debate about Palliative Care. One of her passions is ensuring that all people have meaningful advance directives for healthcare!
MERI Center for Education in Palliative Care at UCSF/Mt Zion https://MERI.ucsf.edu
Dans une ambiance détendue et conviviale, par Zoom, nous organisons un atelier de conversation pour pratiquer et améliorer notre français. Tous les niveaux de français sont bienvenus, mais nous allons converser principalement en français et vous inciter à faire de même. On se verra à très bientôt alors !
Hôtesse de groupe: Judy O’Shea, qui dirigera les premières sessions, a vécu à mi-temps en France rurale pendant 17 ans, en restaurant un ancien moulin à eau et en animant un programme d’artiste en résidence.
Translation: In a relaxed and friendly atmosphere on Zoom, we’ll gather for a conversation workshop to practice and improve our French. All levels of French are welcome, but we will mainly converse in French and encourage you to do the same. See you very soon!
Group Host: Judy O’Shea will lead the first sessions of the group. She lived part-time in rural France for 17 years, restoring an old water mill and hosting an artist-in-residence program.
Featuring Ace Volunteers Alex & Leslie Pellegrini Weekly on Wednesdays, 1 – 2 pm: April 7, 14, 21, & 28, 2021
Alex and Leslie continue their popular facilitated weekly women’s conversation group.
This has become a highlight of the week for women wanting to have a weekly anchor event to keep them laughing and connected (via a safe, socially distanced Zoom gathering!).
This is a special community for women who want to join a close knit and welcoming weekly group. You never know what questions will be asked as you learn more about each other’s interests, values, and lives.
Benvenuti Italian Language Speakers and Learners!!!!
Join other Italians, Italian-Americans, and non-native Italian speakers who want to practice Italian in an informal and welcoming environment.
This is a casual gathering where people can use and practice their Italian. No judgement, no pressure!
Join us weekly as we help each other practice Italian with a fun group of fellow lovers of the language!
Logistical Notes:
Group meets weekly every Thursday at 11 AM — April 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2021.
Come to as many sessions as you can, but it’s OK to miss some! Join whenever you can.
This is a conversation group rather than a class.
Basic conversational abilities are requested as the group endeavors to speak in Italian the entire session (although if someone needs help with words or phrases, the group is always willing to help!) Most participants are not native speakers and want to practice Italian with others, so no need to be fluent … just willing to try!
Join us to learn how to access free audiobooks, movies, e-books, and more right from your smartphone! For the first 15 minutes, Maya, a NEXT Village tech volunteer, will walk you through how to use Libby and Kanopy, two apps for accessing digital materials from your local library. The rest of the session is open to any tech questions you may have, whether it’s related to the topic presented or not! We’ll split into a couple of breakout rooms and volunteers will help answer your questions.
NEXT Village Entertainment SWAP! Fridays 11:15-12:15
704 Filbert Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
Stop by the office and pick up a new puzzle or book. Barbara and Kim will be there to help you pick out something entertaining! No pre-registration required.
(PS: Sadly this is not a social visit, but a quick exchange. Please remember your mask and practice social distancing.)
Join our Weekly Spanish Conversation Group on Zoom!
Have you been learning Spanish during the pandemic and wish you could practice it? Or if you are a fluent speaker, do you wish there was a place you could converse in Spanish from a safe social distance?
Join us for our new NEXT Village Spanish Conversation group for conversation in an informal and welcoming environment.
This is a casual gathering where people can use, practice and help each other with their Spanish. No judgement, no pressure!
Please note that this is a conversation group, not a class. There is no instructor. Basic familiarity with Spanish is requested, however no need to be fluent, just willing to try!
3 PM every Monday (except holidays) – April 5, 12, 19 and 26
NEXT Village’s twice monthly Men’s Conversation Group is a place to share ideas as well as discuss what’s going on in our lives and beyond.
This is an informal, casual gathering. Though our facilitator Gaetano may offer a topic to start the conversation, the direction the conversation goes is up to the group … local issues, current events, sports, or whatever interests the group.
Friends are welcome. Invite them to join us. The group is free. No NEXT Village membership required to attend.
Escape to World Heritage site Suzhou with its canals and classical gardens; enjoy I.M. Pei’s tribute to Suzhou; boat along the moat around the City walls; see little known water towns Xitang and Wuzhen; discover the serene classical garden hidden in booming Shanghai.
Our “Tour Guide”: Marilyn Clemens is a landscape architect who has visited China numerous times with her Chinese born husband, Wu Ma. Previously she worked as an urban designer in Maryland, taught landscape history and design, and wrote about urban design for Landscape Architecture Magazine as well as Chinese and French publications.
Dans une ambiance détendue et conviviale, par Zoom, nous organisons un atelier de conversation pour pratiquer et améliorer notre français. Tous les niveaux de français sont bienvenus, mais nous allons converser principalement en français et vous inciter à faire de même. On se verra à très bientôt alors !
Hôtesse de groupe: Judy O’Shea, qui dirigera les premières sessions, a vécu à mi-temps en France rurale pendant 17 ans, en restaurant un ancien moulin à eau et en animant un programme d’artiste en résidence.
Translation: In a relaxed and friendly atmosphere on Zoom, we’ll gather for a conversation workshop to practice and improve our French. All levels of French are welcome, but we will mainly converse in French and encourage you to do the same. See you very soon!
Group Host: Judy O’Shea will lead the first sessions of the group. She lived part-time in rural France for 17 years, restoring an old water mill and hosting an artist-in-residence program.
Join other vaccinated members for Lunch with The Bunch, Wednesday, April 14th, 11:30 am at Yarsa Nepalese on Grant Avenue. One of Grant’s newer establishments, they’ve quickly become a North Beach cult favorite by providing extremely tasty dishes like Mo Mos (Nepalese style dumplings), creative curries, and outstanding naan. Wednesday can’t come soon enough!
Please RSVP using the link below or call the NEXT Village Office at: 415-888-2868.
Featuring Ace Volunteers Alex & Leslie Pellegrini Weekly on Wednesdays, 1 – 2 pm: April 7, 14, 21, & 28, 2021
Alex and Leslie continue their popular facilitated weekly women’s conversation group.
This has become a highlight of the week for women wanting to have a weekly anchor event to keep them laughing and connected (via a safe, socially distanced Zoom gathering!).
This is a special community for women who want to join a close knit and welcoming weekly group. You never know what questions will be asked as you learn more about each other’s interests, values, and lives.
Dans une ambiance détendue et conviviale, par Zoom, nous organisons un atelier de conversation pour pratiquer et améliorer notre français. Tous les niveaux de français sont bienvenus, mais nous allons converser principalement en français et vous inciter à faire de même. On se verra à très bientôt alors !
Hôtesse de groupe: Judy O’Shea, qui dirigera les premières sessions, a vécu à mi-temps en France rurale pendant 17 ans, en restaurant un ancien moulin à eau et en animant un programme d’artiste en résidence.
Translation: In a relaxed and friendly atmosphere on Zoom, we’ll gather for a conversation workshop to practice and improve our French. All levels of French are welcome, but we will mainly converse in French and encourage you to do the same. See you very soon!
Group Host: Judy O’Shea will lead the first sessions of the group. She lived part-time in rural France for 17 years, restoring an old water mill and hosting an artist-in-residence program.
Join other vaccinated members for Lunch with The Bunch, Wednesday, April 14th, 11:30 am at Yarsa Nepalese on Grant Avenue. One of Grant’s newer establishments, they’ve quickly become a North Beach cult favorite by providing extremely tasty dishes like Mo Mos (Nepalese style dumplings), creative curries, and outstanding naan. Wednesday can’t come soon enough!
Please RSVP using the link below or call the NEXT Village Office at: 415-888-2868.
Featuring Ace Volunteers Alex & Leslie Pellegrini Weekly on Wednesdays, 1 – 2 pm: April 7, 14, 21, & 28, 2021
Alex and Leslie continue their popular facilitated weekly women’s conversation group.
This has become a highlight of the week for women wanting to have a weekly anchor event to keep them laughing and connected (via a safe, socially distanced Zoom gathering!).
This is a special community for women who want to join a close knit and welcoming weekly group. You never know what questions will be asked as you learn more about each other’s interests, values, and lives.
Benvenuti Italian Language Speakers and Learners!!!!
Join other Italians, Italian-Americans, and non-native Italian speakers who want to practice Italian in an informal and welcoming environment.
This is a casual gathering where people can use and practice their Italian. No judgement, no pressure!
Join us weekly as we help each other practice Italian with a fun group of fellow lovers of the language!
Logistical Notes:
Group meets weekly every Thursday at 11 AM — April 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2021.
Come to as many sessions as you can, but it’s OK to miss some! Join whenever you can.
This is a conversation group rather than a class.
Basic conversational abilities are requested as the group endeavors to speak in Italian the entire session (although if someone needs help with words or phrases, the group is always willing to help!) Most participants are not native speakers and want to practice Italian with others, so no need to be fluent … just willing to try!
Stress comes in many ways. It’s that uneasy feeling we get when we’re upset — whether it’s because we’re angry, worried, depressed or disturbed for other reasons. For many of us, it’s hard not to be stressed and anxious in the midst of challenging times.
In our ongoing Stress Busters workshops, we have been learning how stress starts and an effective method to reduce stress and help you better respond to any situation in a helpful way, instead of getting upset.
This “Intermediate” Workshop is targeted to people who have taken some of the Intro Stress Busters workshops previously and have familiarity with the five steps: 1. Stop, 2. Assess, 3. Decide, 4. Do, 5. Re-evaluate.
If you haven’t participated in Stress Busters workshops before, we invite you to join our monthly Stress Busters Intro Workshops, held the 1st Thursday of the month at 10AM starting on April 1.
Stress Busters Discussion Group: 3PM on the 1st Thursday of the month
Intermediate Workshops: 3PM on the 3rd Thursday of the month
Speakers – Eileen Chan and Gary Ow are native San Franciscans. Both have volunteered with Stress Busters since the organization was founded over 30 years ago. Eileen is trained as an optometrist and Gary Ow works in computer technology. They are married with three grown children.
In our quest to find ways to entertain ourselves while we wait for our vaccinations, we thought we would play a few rounds of Bingo! Send us a note if you’re interested and we’ll send you the Bingo cards. Thanks to Sophia Pinzon from Toasty, home of the best avocado toast in town, we’ll be calling out numbers twice a month for the next several months. Join us on Zoom or by phone for a chance to win a prize!
NEXT Village Entertainment SWAP! Fridays 11:15-12:15
704 Filbert Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
Stop by the office and pick up a new puzzle or book. Barbara and Kim will be there to help you pick out something entertaining! No pre-registration required.
(PS: Sadly this is not a social visit, but a quick exchange. Please remember your mask and practice social distancing.)
Join us for an Improv class made up of games, exercises and techniques to create monologues and scenes.
New members welcome!!! No prior experience is necessary. Have fun with others and draw on your own background and imagination!
If you’ve been wanting to try Improv, this is a great opportunity for you to exercise your creative muscles! Instructor Louise Vogel and her group create a very positive, non-judgmental atmosphere.
If you haven’t done it before, give Improvization Theatre a try. You might be surprised at what you can do and how much fun you can have!
Feeling shy, but want to check it out? You can let Louise know you just want to watch the group this round to decide if you want to participate in the fun later.
Presenter: Louise Vogel has been the Company Manager/Assistant Director and member of the Aquatic Park Players at the Aquatic Park Sr. Center in San Francisco since April 2016. Louise graduated with a BA in Speech and Theatre and has had experience in Children’s Theatre, Mime, Acting and Improvization. She studied Improvization with Sue Walden and Joya Cory in San Francisco for several years and has taught Improv Theatre at the Aquatic Park Sr. Center and is looking forward to continuing doing Zoom sessions with new and seasoned players.
Ever wonder what you should ask your primary care physician to get the most out of your brief appointment? What screening tests should you get and when? Nandini Joseph, MD, MPH, will provide some tips and go over what is covered by a Medicare Annual Wellness visit. Bring your questions!
Join our Weekly Spanish Conversation Group on Zoom!
Have you been learning Spanish during the pandemic and wish you could practice it? Or if you are a fluent speaker, do you wish there was a place you could converse in Spanish from a safe social distance?
Join us for our new NEXT Village Spanish Conversation group for conversation in an informal and welcoming environment.
This is a casual gathering where people can use, practice and help each other with their Spanish. No judgement, no pressure!
Please note that this is a conversation group, not a class. There is no instructor. Basic familiarity with Spanish is requested, however no need to be fluent, just willing to try!
3 PM every Monday (except holidays) – April 5, 12, 19 and 26
THIS IS PART 2 of a 2-part workshop series. Please plan to attend both workshops on April 6 and 20th from 2:00 – 4:00 PM.
Did You Know: 90% of people believe talking with their loved ones about their medical wishes is important, but only 27% have done so. Let’s make it 100%. Join us for this important 2-part workshop to give yourself and your loved ones peace of mind.
WHAT MATTERS MOST…is a 2-part workshop offered by Redwing Keyssar, RN, Author and Director of Patient and Caregiver Education at the UCSF MERI Center for Education in Palliative Care, to assist people in creating meaningful and personalized Advance Directives for Healthcare.
Advance Care planning is critical for everyone! It is not just for people who have an illness. Every adult in our country should have this paperwork in place.
Many people have created documents of this type in the past, but then have forgotten where they are or what they wrote down. This workshop will give you an opportunity to review/revise what you have written in the past and/or create a new document that is specific and detailed regarding your wishes of how you would want to be cared for if you had a medical event or serious illness and could not speak for yourself.
These issues are particularly important to consider during this time of a global pandemic.
Please join the MERI Center and NEXT Village SF in our unique workshop model that we have perfected over many years. There will be plenty of time for conversation and questions.
Frequently asked questions include:
What IS an Advance Directive for Healthcare?
Why is it important and who needs one?
What is an “agent” and what are their responsibilities?
Do you need a lawyer to complete an Advance Directive?
When does an Advance Directive take effect?
What if I change my mind?
About our Presenter: Judith Redwing Keyssar, RN, is the Director of Patient and Caregiver Education at the MERI Center for Education in Palliative Care at UCSF/Mt Zion. She is an author, poet, teacher, national presenter and frequent contributor to the public debate about Palliative Care. One of her passions is ensuring that all people have meaningful advance directives for healthcare!
MERI Center for Education in Palliative Care at UCSF/Mt Zion https://MERI.ucsf.edu
Dans une ambiance détendue et conviviale, par Zoom, nous organisons un atelier de conversation pour pratiquer et améliorer notre français. Tous les niveaux de français sont bienvenus, mais nous allons converser principalement en français et vous inciter à faire de même. On se verra à très bientôt alors !
Hôtesse de groupe: Judy O’Shea, qui dirigera les premières sessions, a vécu à mi-temps en France rurale pendant 17 ans, en restaurant un ancien moulin à eau et en animant un programme d’artiste en résidence.
Translation: In a relaxed and friendly atmosphere on Zoom, we’ll gather for a conversation workshop to practice and improve our French. All levels of French are welcome, but we will mainly converse in French and encourage you to do the same. See you very soon!
Group Host: Judy O’Shea will lead the first sessions of the group. She lived part-time in rural France for 17 years, restoring an old water mill and hosting an artist-in-residence program.
We’re always willing to tackle topics that people rarely discuss … but have lots of questions about and wish they could get answers from a real person instead of Googling!
Mary Soubirous is going to answer the many questions you have about both funeral and cemetery arrangements. While this is a serious topic, she will present it in a light-hearted and sometimes humorous manner. The advantages of planning ahead will be emphasized.
Whether you want to plan the guest list and music to ensure your going out party is up to your specs, or you simply want to spare your family the stress and financial burden of trying to decide what you would have wanted at a stressful time, Mary’s presentation will be a great chance for you to understand options and ask questions.
About our Presenter: Mary Soubirous recently retired from Skylawn Memorial Park after 22 years. She has helped families prepare for their arrangements and has been there to assist at the time of death. Skylawn is a non-sectarian combination cemetery, funeral home and crematory which has given her experience in handling all types of arrangements with many cultures.
Featuring Ace Volunteers Alex & Leslie Pellegrini Weekly on Wednesdays, 1 – 2 pm: April 7, 14, 21, & 28, 2021
Alex and Leslie continue their popular facilitated weekly women’s conversation group.
This has become a highlight of the week for women wanting to have a weekly anchor event to keep them laughing and connected (via a safe, socially distanced Zoom gathering!).
This is a special community for women who want to join a close knit and welcoming weekly group. You never know what questions will be asked as you learn more about each other’s interests, values, and lives.
Our apologies, but this event has been canceled for the month of April. We will reschedule it as soon as possible!
A unique opportunity to share what’s on your mind regarding this often-unspoken subject. It’s not morbid, we promise! If ever we needed a place to talk about death, this is it!
Death Café’s (http://deathcafe.com/what/) have been steadily gaining fans. At Death Cafe people, often strangers, gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss death. A Death Cafe is a group directed discussion of death with no agenda,
While we’re all excited about the thought of experiencing things that we used to take for granted like unmasked smiles, hugs, and movie theaters, we are not out of the woods yet. But this Zoom event is definitely not about gloom and doom.
Dr. Jay Levy returns to provide another reality check and a healthy dose of common sense so that together we can do our part to ensure Covid-19 does not continue to wreak havoc on our lives, even if it may still take awhile for us to feel comfortable going to large group gatherings or to take a cruise.
Dr. Levy will explain what is currently known and not known so that we can make our decisions based on knowledge, rather than fear. While the vaccines are still relatively new and we don’t have long term data on some basics like how long immunity will last, he will provide a candid explanation about what current scientific data shows, even if it will be awhile for longitudinal studies to be completed about immunity and whether or when you’ll need a booster shot. Notably he will emphasize the emergence of variants and whether they pose a future challenge in terms of a new surge and whether vaccinated people are immune to these new modified viruses.
Dr. Levy will also discuss why it’s not a bad thing to have a reaction to the vaccine and address the “long haulers” (people contending with myriad debilitating symptoms even after they no longer have Covid-19, such as chronic fatigue syndrome).
On a slightly more mundane note, but on everyone’s mind, until the planet reaches our goal of herd immunity to reduce the chance of spread and variants, how should we set our expectations?
When will vaccine be available to everyone who wants it (unfortunately it’s not a simple answer)?
When can we plan postponed vacations and should we set our sights on international destinations or enjoy all the USA has to offer?
When can we go to the symphony?
PRESENTER: Dr. Jay A. Levy is Professor of Medicine and Director of the Laboratory for Tumor and AIDS Virus Research at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He obtained his M.D. from Columbia University after graduating from Wesleyan University and joined the UCSF Department of Medicine and the Cancer Research Institute in 1972. Dr. Levy co-discovered HIV in 1983 and during the last 3 decades has dedicated his efforts to developing anti-HIV therapies, an AIDS vaccine, and potentially a cure. He also discovered a novel immune response that controls HIV infection through the production by CD8+ lymphocytes of an antiviral factor, CAF. Dr. Levy has published 14 books and over 600 articles in virology, immunology and infectious diseases.
This event is done in partnership with the Stanford Club of San Francisco.
Dans une ambiance détendue et conviviale, par Zoom, nous organisons un atelier de conversation pour pratiquer et améliorer notre français. Tous les niveaux de français sont bienvenus, mais nous allons converser principalement en français et vous inciter à faire de même. On se verra à très bientôt alors !
Hôtesse de groupe: Judy O’Shea, qui dirigera les premières sessions, a vécu à mi-temps en France rurale pendant 17 ans, en restaurant un ancien moulin à eau et en animant un programme d’artiste en résidence.
Translation: In a relaxed and friendly atmosphere on Zoom, we’ll gather for a conversation workshop to practice and improve our French. All levels of French are welcome, but we will mainly converse in French and encourage you to do the same. See you very soon!
Group Host: Judy O’Shea will lead the first sessions of the group. She lived part-time in rural France for 17 years, restoring an old water mill and hosting an artist-in-residence program.
We’re always willing to tackle topics that people rarely discuss … but have lots of questions about and wish they could get answers from a real person instead of Googling!
Mary Soubirous is going to answer the many questions you have about both funeral and cemetery arrangements. While this is a serious topic, she will present it in a light-hearted and sometimes humorous manner. The advantages of planning ahead will be emphasized.
Whether you want to plan the guest list and music to ensure your going out party is up to your specs, or you simply want to spare your family the stress and financial burden of trying to decide what you would have wanted at a stressful time, Mary’s presentation will be a great chance for you to understand options and ask questions.
About our Presenter: Mary Soubirous recently retired from Skylawn Memorial Park after 22 years. She has helped families prepare for their arrangements and has been there to assist at the time of death. Skylawn is a non-sectarian combination cemetery, funeral home and crematory which has given her experience in handling all types of arrangements with many cultures.
Featuring Ace Volunteers Alex & Leslie Pellegrini Weekly on Wednesdays, 1 – 2 pm: April 7, 14, 21, & 28, 2021
Alex and Leslie continue their popular facilitated weekly women’s conversation group.
This has become a highlight of the week for women wanting to have a weekly anchor event to keep them laughing and connected (via a safe, socially distanced Zoom gathering!).
This is a special community for women who want to join a close knit and welcoming weekly group. You never know what questions will be asked as you learn more about each other’s interests, values, and lives.
Our apologies, but this event has been canceled for the month of April. We will reschedule it as soon as possible!
A unique opportunity to share what’s on your mind regarding this often-unspoken subject. It’s not morbid, we promise! If ever we needed a place to talk about death, this is it!
Death Café’s (http://deathcafe.com/what/) have been steadily gaining fans. At Death Cafe people, often strangers, gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss death. A Death Cafe is a group directed discussion of death with no agenda,
While we’re all excited about the thought of experiencing things that we used to take for granted like unmasked smiles, hugs, and movie theaters, we are not out of the woods yet. But this Zoom event is definitely not about gloom and doom.
Dr. Jay Levy returns to provide another reality check and a healthy dose of common sense so that together we can do our part to ensure Covid-19 does not continue to wreak havoc on our lives, even if it may still take awhile for us to feel comfortable going to large group gatherings or to take a cruise.
Dr. Levy will explain what is currently known and not known so that we can make our decisions based on knowledge, rather than fear. While the vaccines are still relatively new and we don’t have long term data on some basics like how long immunity will last, he will provide a candid explanation about what current scientific data shows, even if it will be awhile for longitudinal studies to be completed about immunity and whether or when you’ll need a booster shot. Notably he will emphasize the emergence of variants and whether they pose a future challenge in terms of a new surge and whether vaccinated people are immune to these new modified viruses.
Dr. Levy will also discuss why it’s not a bad thing to have a reaction to the vaccine and address the “long haulers” (people contending with myriad debilitating symptoms even after they no longer have Covid-19, such as chronic fatigue syndrome).
On a slightly more mundane note, but on everyone’s mind, until the planet reaches our goal of herd immunity to reduce the chance of spread and variants, how should we set our expectations?
When will vaccine be available to everyone who wants it (unfortunately it’s not a simple answer)?
When can we plan postponed vacations and should we set our sights on international destinations or enjoy all the USA has to offer?
When can we go to the symphony?
PRESENTER: Dr. Jay A. Levy is Professor of Medicine and Director of the Laboratory for Tumor and AIDS Virus Research at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He obtained his M.D. from Columbia University after graduating from Wesleyan University and joined the UCSF Department of Medicine and the Cancer Research Institute in 1972. Dr. Levy co-discovered HIV in 1983 and during the last 3 decades has dedicated his efforts to developing anti-HIV therapies, an AIDS vaccine, and potentially a cure. He also discovered a novel immune response that controls HIV infection through the production by CD8+ lymphocytes of an antiviral factor, CAF. Dr. Levy has published 14 books and over 600 articles in virology, immunology and infectious diseases.
This event is done in partnership with the Stanford Club of San Francisco.
Benvenuti Italian Language Speakers and Learners!!!!
Join other Italians, Italian-Americans, and non-native Italian speakers who want to practice Italian in an informal and welcoming environment.
This is a casual gathering where people can use and practice their Italian. No judgement, no pressure!
Join us weekly as we help each other practice Italian with a fun group of fellow lovers of the language!
Logistical Notes:
Group meets weekly every Thursday at 11 AM — April 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2021.
Come to as many sessions as you can, but it’s OK to miss some! Join whenever you can.
This is a conversation group rather than a class.
Basic conversational abilities are requested as the group endeavors to speak in Italian the entire session (although if someone needs help with words or phrases, the group is always willing to help!) Most participants are not native speakers and want to practice Italian with others, so no need to be fluent … just willing to try!
On Earth Day in 1971, Phil Williams was a target of an Earth Day demonstration by Hopi and Navajo people on the Black Mesa plateau in Arizona. He was working for Bechtel to open a vast new coal strip mine on their Reservations.
Phil’s role as a hydraulics engineer specializing in sediment transport was focused on using water (a precious commodity in the desert) to transport coal from the Black Mesa mine via a slurry pipeline. The demonstration by the Hopi and Navajo opened his eyes to the potential impact of the mining operations, which author Peter Matthiessen later described as “the ugliest ecological disaster of our time.”
Fifty years later, on the anniversary of the Black Mesa demonstration, Phil will tell us how the events of that day changed his world view and how a piece of junk mail impacted his life. He’ll also explain how he eventually atoned for his environmental sins.
His story will take us from the environmental politics of the era of Edward Abbey and “Earth First!” to the policies of the Green New Deal.
Join us on Earth Day 2021 to hear how Phil became an environmentalist.
About our Presenter: Phil Williams is a retired civil engineer formerly founder and president of Philip Williams and Associates in San Francisco and of the International Rivers Network in Berkeley.
NEXT Village Entertainment SWAP! Fridays 11:15-12:15
704 Filbert Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
Stop by the office and pick up a new puzzle or book. Barbara and Kim will be there to help you pick out something entertaining! No pre-registration required.
(PS: Sadly this is not a social visit, but a quick exchange. Please remember your mask and practice social distancing.)
Join our Weekly Spanish Conversation Group on Zoom!
Have you been learning Spanish during the pandemic and wish you could practice it? Or if you are a fluent speaker, do you wish there was a place you could converse in Spanish from a safe social distance?
Join us for our new NEXT Village Spanish Conversation group for conversation in an informal and welcoming environment.
This is a casual gathering where people can use, practice and help each other with their Spanish. No judgement, no pressure!
Please note that this is a conversation group, not a class. There is no instructor. Basic familiarity with Spanish is requested, however no need to be fluent, just willing to try!
3 PM every Monday (except holidays) – April 5, 12, 19 and 26
Join Barbara Blake, NEXT Village SF board member and SFMOMA alumni guide for a “Spotlight Tour” of “Picasso and Francoise — Artists’ Love Affair in Paris and South of France (1943-1953).”
Pablo Picasso was the most dominant and influential artist of the first half of the 20th century. Marie Francoise Gilot is a French painter, best known for her long, stormy relationship with Pablo Picasso, with whom she had two children.
Theirs is a love (and betrayal) story about a Catalan artist and a French artist set in Paris and the South of France, their intense relationship with each other, and the paintings they both created while living together between 1943 and 1953.
Francoise Gilot (born 1921) was a young art student when she met the already famous and formidable Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) in Paris. Their liaison lasted ten years. During this time, both artists created paintings of each other and their two children, Paloma and Claude, as well as other paintings now exhibited in museums around the world.
NEXT Village’s twice monthly Men’s Conversation Group is a place to share ideas as well as discuss what’s going on in our lives and beyond.
This is an informal, casual gathering. Though our facilitator Gaetano may offer a topic to start the conversation, the direction the conversation goes is up to the group … local issues, current events, sports, or whatever interests the group.
Friends are welcome. Invite them to join us. The group is free. No NEXT Village membership required to attend.
Let Me See if I Get You, Building Connections with Nonviolent CommunicationDo you sometimes (maybe even a lot of times) get tangled and bogged down in conversations and arguments? This can be baffling and frustrating! We will discuss some of the tools and points of view that compassionate communication (sometimes called Nonviolent Communication) offers, and try out a few things together. The tools are easy to understand – though they may take some practice to work best for you.
The question “Let Me See if I Get You” is one great way to free up a stuck conversation. We’ll talk about why during our 90 minute gathering on Zoom, on Tuesday, April 27th from 3:00-4:30pm
To prepare, we encourage you to jot down something someone said to you that you did not like that you’d feel ok to have others hear about. We’ll be discussing them during the workshop with each other.
About our Presenter: Meganwind Eoyang has been a trainer with Bay Area Nonviolent Communication since 2001 and in 2002 co-founded the BayNVC Safer Communities Project, which takes NVC classes to people incarcerated in Bay Area prisons and jails. She also loves supporting people with private NVC coaching, offering couples support work and providing mediation for families, organizations and communities.
Meganwind speaking about examples of empathy with inmates at San Quentin and in her coaching sessions with couples (4 min): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fP0eksxjW_s
Dans une ambiance détendue et conviviale, par Zoom, nous organisons un atelier de conversation pour pratiquer et améliorer notre français. Tous les niveaux de français sont bienvenus, mais nous allons converser principalement en français et vous inciter à faire de même. On se verra à très bientôt alors !
Hôtesse de groupe: Judy O’Shea, qui dirigera les premières sessions, a vécu à mi-temps en France rurale pendant 17 ans, en restaurant un ancien moulin à eau et en animant un programme d’artiste en résidence.
Translation: In a relaxed and friendly atmosphere on Zoom, we’ll gather for a conversation workshop to practice and improve our French. All levels of French are welcome, but we will mainly converse in French and encourage you to do the same. See you very soon!
Group Host: Judy O’Shea will lead the first sessions of the group. She lived part-time in rural France for 17 years, restoring an old water mill and hosting an artist-in-residence program.
Featuring Ace Volunteers Alex & Leslie Pellegrini Weekly on Wednesdays, 1 – 2 pm: April 7, 14, 21, & 28, 2021
Alex and Leslie continue their popular facilitated weekly women’s conversation group.
This has become a highlight of the week for women wanting to have a weekly anchor event to keep them laughing and connected (via a safe, socially distanced Zoom gathering!).
This is a special community for women who want to join a close knit and welcoming weekly group. You never know what questions will be asked as you learn more about each other’s interests, values, and lives.
Do you enjoy stories about San Francisco? San Francisco: Legends, Heroes, & Heartthrobs offers unique and compelling anecdotes about the City by the Bay, told through its people. From the Gold Rush, to the 1906 earthquake, to the Summer of Love – there are distinct, eye-catching illustrations and short, easy-to-digest stories with intriguing twists. Miners, musicians, athletes, and writers – names you will recognize (like Mark Twain, Tony Bennett, and Willie Mays) and others you will appreciate getting to know. Sit back and enjoy while a local artist and an historian share stories about the people and places of historic San Francisco.
San Francisco author, Dale Fehringer, who is also an ace volunteer with NEXT Village SF, will present from his critically acclaimed book during our monthly Reading Circle, Wednesday, April 28th at 4pm
Please join us for the presentation and a chance to win a copy of Dale’s book.
Dans une ambiance détendue et conviviale, par Zoom, nous organisons un atelier de conversation pour pratiquer et améliorer notre français. Tous les niveaux de français sont bienvenus, mais nous allons converser principalement en français et vous inciter à faire de même. On se verra à très bientôt alors !
Hôtesse de groupe: Judy O’Shea, qui dirigera les premières sessions, a vécu à mi-temps en France rurale pendant 17 ans, en restaurant un ancien moulin à eau et en animant un programme d’artiste en résidence.
Translation: In a relaxed and friendly atmosphere on Zoom, we’ll gather for a conversation workshop to practice and improve our French. All levels of French are welcome, but we will mainly converse in French and encourage you to do the same. See you very soon!
Group Host: Judy O’Shea will lead the first sessions of the group. She lived part-time in rural France for 17 years, restoring an old water mill and hosting an artist-in-residence program.
Featuring Ace Volunteers Alex & Leslie Pellegrini Weekly on Wednesdays, 1 – 2 pm: April 7, 14, 21, & 28, 2021
Alex and Leslie continue their popular facilitated weekly women’s conversation group.
This has become a highlight of the week for women wanting to have a weekly anchor event to keep them laughing and connected (via a safe, socially distanced Zoom gathering!).
This is a special community for women who want to join a close knit and welcoming weekly group. You never know what questions will be asked as you learn more about each other’s interests, values, and lives.
Do you enjoy stories about San Francisco? San Francisco: Legends, Heroes, & Heartthrobs offers unique and compelling anecdotes about the City by the Bay, told through its people. From the Gold Rush, to the 1906 earthquake, to the Summer of Love – there are distinct, eye-catching illustrations and short, easy-to-digest stories with intriguing twists. Miners, musicians, athletes, and writers – names you will recognize (like Mark Twain, Tony Bennett, and Willie Mays) and others you will appreciate getting to know. Sit back and enjoy while a local artist and an historian share stories about the people and places of historic San Francisco.
San Francisco author, Dale Fehringer, who is also an ace volunteer with NEXT Village SF, will present from his critically acclaimed book during our monthly Reading Circle, Wednesday, April 28th at 4pm
Please join us for the presentation and a chance to win a copy of Dale’s book.
Benvenuti Italian Language Speakers and Learners!!!!
Join other Italians, Italian-Americans, and non-native Italian speakers who want to practice Italian in an informal and welcoming environment.
This is a casual gathering where people can use and practice their Italian. No judgement, no pressure!
Join us weekly as we help each other practice Italian with a fun group of fellow lovers of the language!
Logistical Notes:
Group meets weekly every Thursday at 11 AM — April 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2021.
Come to as many sessions as you can, but it’s OK to miss some! Join whenever you can.
This is a conversation group rather than a class.
Basic conversational abilities are requested as the group endeavors to speak in Italian the entire session (although if someone needs help with words or phrases, the group is always willing to help!) Most participants are not native speakers and want to practice Italian with others, so no need to be fluent … just willing to try!
In our quest to find ways to entertain ourselves while we wait for our vaccinations, we thought we would play a few rounds of Bingo! Send us a note if you’re interested and we’ll send you the Bingo cards. Thanks to Sophia Pinzon from Toasty, home of the best avocado toast in town, we’ll be calling out numbers twice a month for the next several months. Join us on Zoom or by phone for a chance to win a prize!
NEXT Village Entertainment SWAP! Fridays 11:15-12:15
704 Filbert Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
Stop by the office and pick up a new puzzle or book. Barbara and Kim will be there to help you pick out something entertaining! No pre-registration required.
(PS: Sadly this is not a social visit, but a quick exchange. Please remember your mask and practice social distancing.)
