Choosing a Different Life: Slowing Down off the Grid
This Meeting's HighlightsProgram: Choosing a Different Life: Slowing Down off the GridSpeaker: Karen FasimpaurMeeting for the week of February 29th to March 6th, 2016* * *
Is this your first time to visit us? If so, welcome to our meeting!Each Monday our week’s meeting is posted early in the morning, U.S. Pacific Time. These meetings are designed so that you can read and watch what we post anytime during the week. The entire meeting takes about 45 minutes to complete, with the video conference recording of the program being the bulk of the time.Note that you can easily read this meeting with your favorite device, so feel free to take our meeting on the go with you; read it while on public transit, waiting in line for coffee, or even at the park! Please also make sure to complete the attendance form at the bottom and leave a comment. Enjoy!
Note for Visiting Rotarians seeking makeup credit: We only provide makeup credit for those attending our current week’s meeting! If you scroll to the very bottom of this page and the attendance survey is already closed, this you will not receive makeup credit for this meeting!
Greetings
Message from our Club President
Welcome to the eclub based in the world capital of technology's possibilities: Silicon Valley!Are there little annoyances, inconveniences, or inefficiencies you deal with on a regular basis? How have you tried to address them, if at all? If you did and nothing came of it, do you simply live with them?One element of being in Silicon Valley is being around people all the time who look for creative ways to bring people on board to novel ways of improving the world.Rotary, at its best, has for decades done this with problems which have vexed communities for generations. We have found ways to help communities pull themselves out of poverty, to inspire young people to see their possibilities as leaders and ambassadors, to nearly eradicate a disease that has disfigured and killed millions, and much more.You may be here simply to get your weekly requirement in, but we hope you finish with the palpable spirit of what's possible when you join with others around the globe to make a difference.Welcome to a club that is a proud part of Rotary - an organization dedicated to possibilities of improvement everywhere!Rotarian guests, we ask that you contribute something - whatever for you is the regular cost of a Rotary meal, perhaps - to the efforts of our club. Please choose one of the options below:
Send via our secure Happy Dollars form.
Send via Google Wallet to: ecsv.rotary@gmail.com
Send via PayPal to: ecsv.rotary@gmail.com
Send a check via snail mail (see below for instructions)
To pay via Google Wallet or PayPal, you'll need to log in to your account with those companies.Those of you who prefer a more traditional approach can mail a check made out to the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley to our treasurer: ℅ Allen Thompson, 13500 Cascade Ct., Bakersfield CA 93314.Non-Rotarian guests, there is no need for a donation from you. As we see it, your job is to simply enjoy what you read and watch, though at the end we do ask that you let us know you were here and also leave a comment letting us know what you think. This club is loaded with folks who love sharing ideas, and we look forward to your sharing yours!
Yours in service,
Rushton Hurley,
Club President
Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley
The Power of Images
They say a picture says a thousand words. Every week we try to bring you a picture that we think will inspire you a thousand times.
This week's photo is from our club's "Camera Czar" Keith Marsh:"Here is a photo I took several years ago in New York back in the days of film. It is one of my favorite graphic images taken below the Statue of Liberty. Converting it from color to black and white increased the drama and impact of the image. I recently sold a print of the image on a website called FineArtAmerica.com and I thought I would share it with the club." -KeithKeith, your dedication to finding new perspectives on the world inspire us!
The Power of Ideas
A good idea is one that catches our attention, and then catches our breath. We try to share quotes that live up to that each week in this section.
What do you imagine for yourself? For your family? Your Rotary club? Your company? Your community? Taking time to brainstorm about possibilities is a key piece of our becoming the kind of people who will solve the vexing problems that face us today.There are no dreams too large, no innovation unimaginable, and no frontiers beyond our reach.- John Herrington
Imagining the Future
This video is for an educational project designed to get kids imagining what would need to be invented to build a city on another planet.
When we think of building a Rotary club online, let's bring the same level of enthusiasm to new possibilities!
Special Event: Rotary District Conference
The district conference is getting closer! Will you join in?
The 2016 District Conference will be held Friday, April 29th through Sunday, May 1, 2016 in San Ramon. The conference opens with lunch on Friday at the BlackHawk Automotive Museum and then moves to the San Ramon Marriott for the duration of the weekend.Many of our members are quite new to Rotary, and might wonder why to attend. First, it's a chance to meet, connect with, and be inspired by hundreds of other Rotarians from around the Bay Area. You can learn about the many projects our district's clubs are doing, and hear from interesting speakers.The cost varies depending on which meals and events you will attend, but you can register just for the Saturday breakout sessions for free. One can do so in a couple of minutes, or a few more if you peruse the pages in detail. Here is a good starter, as it also provides a map to the conference site.President Rushton will lead a session on social media from 9:45 to 10:30 on Saturday morning, and would welcome having a few members help him with that one, if available.If this would be your first Rotary conference, we suggest you at least register and attend some sessions, perhaps adding lunch on Saturday. You'd only be out a little travel time and a few hours of learning about plenty of cool activities of colleagues from around the district. Join in!
Our Events & Projects
This section of our meeting is where you learn about both recent and upcoming events and projects our club is leading or supporting. We welcome guests to all of our events and service projects listed here.
Recent Events Recap:
Bird Habitat Restoration Service Project at San Francisco Golden Gate Park this past Saturday:
From our Club Service Chair Andrew Taw, "At Golden Gate Park, Gene, Karen (Gene's friend), Yvonne, Catherine, Nathan (Catherine's son), and I spread a couple mountains of mulch for recently planted bushes that would provide cover for local birds. There, we met Stephanie the gardener and Ed, the volunteer who does this every Saturday for the past nineteen years. We also got to meet some high school students from Fremont. The weather was perfect and we got one heck of a workout!"
Here are some photos of our five club members at the service project:
Upcoming Events:
Did you miss our past events? Come join us for any of our upcoming events! Guests, you are welcome too!All times are in Pacific Time (San Francisco, CA, USA time!)
Tech Mini-Workshop for Rotarians on Wednesday, Mar 16th, 7:00p:
We are providing an opportunity for Rotarians around the district to learn about various technologies which are free and useful to clubs. The gig will be at the Krause Center for Innovation at Foothill College, and you can learn about the details on this page.
If you can help with setup and coordination (tech skills welcome but not required!), please email Rushton (president@siliconvalleyrotary.com) to let him know you can be there.
Oakland Ed Fund’s Run for Schools 5K on Sunday, Mar 20th, 6:30a:
Join us in raising money for Oakland public schools by running or walking a brisk 5K with the Oakland Public Education Fund team at the Oakland Running Festival. The Ed Fund team tent will have tea for early morning runners, sunglasses, T-shirts, a photo booth, and other giveaways throughout the day. There will also be lots of great booths to explore, showcasing food vendors and other local businesses. We’ll be meeting at 6:30am at Snow Park on Harrison and 19th Street on March 20th. The race will then start at 7:30am. The Ed Fund would like folks to sign up by the end of February by clicking here. If you have any questions or you’re interested in going, please let Andrew know at service@siliconvalleyrotary.com.
Nightlife Exploration at the California Science Academy on Thursday, Mar 24th, 7p:
Come to San Francisco with our club to explore the amazing exhibits and experiences at the planetarium during the evening for California Science Academy’s Nightlife program! We will be meeting at the California Science Academy in San Francisco on Thursday, March 24th, at 7p for an exciting night of science adventures! Open to all members and guests. Tickets will be available for purchase. More details coming in early March.
Justin’s House Chili Cookoff on Sunday, Apr 24th, 9:30a-3p:
Do you think you have the best chili in town? We’re putting together a team (maximum 4 people) for the first Justin’s House Chili Cookoff, to be held Sunday, April 24th, in Santa Clara, from 9:30 to 3:00. We’re helping raise money for a great cause during a fun day of ‘competition’ and food. We could win, too! If you’re interested, find out more about the Justin’s House Chili Cookoff day here. Here’s a link to the official rules. To learn how you can get involved, please email Gene Tognetti (gene.tognetti@gmail.com).
The World of Rotary
We are part of the Rotary International family, with over 1.2 million members in over 180 countries around the world. Rotary’s reach is global. Here we tell our members and guests about Rotary’s initiatives and events.
The Four-Way Test
A friend in the club once joked, "I don't know the secret handshake!" The eclub is his first experience as a member of Rotary, and he was talking about something we all experience as we get to know an organization, which is, what are the little things we should all know to properly belong?
One of those things is a guiding principle called The Four Way Test of the things we think, say, or do:
Is it the TRUTH?Is it FAIR to all concerned?Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
It may not be a handshake, but it's a clue as to what we mean when we shake the hands of others - we're honest, fair, and dedicated to building positive possibilities for everyone.
Not a bad one to memorize, and not a bad way to see the world, is it?
Doing Good in Ghana
Rotary International has six areas of focus. Along with promoting peace, fighting disease, saving mothers and children, supporting education, and growing local economies, we work to help communities around the world have clean water. As I'm sure you notice immediately, clean water can be the foundation for all the other areas of focus!
In this video, you'll learn about Rotary's work in a village and Ghana. Watch the faces, and know that your contributions to the Rotary Foundation make these kinds of moments possible.
For Members: Service Survey
We at the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley work hard to make the world a better place. This happens via big projects and little acts of kindness, and we tell each other about it. Why? To brag? Certainly not! Instead, we believe that sharing cool stories of helping others can inspire us to find new ways to do good in our communities.
Members, if you haven't posted something in our Service Survey this month, now's a good time, as next week, we'll report on what folks did in February. Help inspire the women and men of this club with something you did, whether small and simple or full-on epic!
The Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley Service Survey
Happy Dollars
Happy Dollars is the segment of our meeting where anyone can choose to make a voluntary donation to tell us a short story about something good that has happened to them this past week. Maybe someone paid for your coffee, gave you a ride somewhere, or you got a job promotion. This is your chance to brag about it or give a shout-out to someone deserving, while giving some of that karma back to our community.
Here are happy dollars from last week:
From member Rushton Hurley ($5):
Gotta take a moment to celebrate a great week with the good folks at Serra High School in San Mateo, California, last week. Amazing teachers and students!
From guest Linda Diekman ($20):
Thanks for the inspiring speakers!
From member Brian Liddicoat ($15):
When hinges creak in doorless chambers and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls.Wherever candlelights flicker where the air is deathly still.That is the time when ghosts are present.Practicing their terror with GHOULISH delight!
[A further check-in with Brian reveals that he had a CD of Disneyland ride soundtracks on in the background while working recently, and he was scrambling to come up with something to put in the comments. He added, "The Haunted Mansion and I go way back." - great stuff, Brian!]
Your Turn!
Something good happen to you this week? If so, let us know about it, and while doing so, add a little donation to the Happy Dollars pot! Any amount is fine, of course.
Birthdays
After a bit of a dry spell, we have two birthdays to celebrate this week! "And there was great rejoicing." (Movie reference - feel free to identify it in your comment at the end of the meeting.)Thursday, March 3rd, is Tzviatko Chiderov's birthday. Tzviatko, in the year 724, Emperor Shomu ascended to the throne in Japan. One of the things he is known for is the establishment of Todaiji Temple in Nara, which today is the largest wooden building in the world, housing the largest bronze statue of the Buddha in Japan. So, think big about the coming year!
Todaiji Temple by Juha Uitto from Flickr (CC by-nc-sa 2.0)
Saturday, March 5th, is Andrew Knaack's birthday. Andrew, in 1975 here in the Silicon Valley, the Homebrew Computer Club held its first meeting. A number of programmers and hackers attended, including Steve Wozniak (one of the founders of Apple) and Adam Osborne (of Osborne Computer, which launched the first commercially viable portable computer in 1981). The Osborne 1's introductory price was US $1,795 and weighed in at just over 23 lb (10.7 kg). Now is a good moment to celebrate lighter machines with far larger screens!
Osborne 1 open by Bilby from Wikimedia Commons (CC by 3.0)
The Tidbit
Every week, we feature a new tech tidbit or life hack to make something easier, more convenient, or more fun!
This month's Tidbit comes all the way across the Pacific from Japan, where member Nate Gildart created a piece to explain the Screencastify extension for Chrome. This tool allows you to record yourself explaining how to use something on your computer - the visuals are from the screen, and the narration is the maker's voice."That sounds like most of these Tidbit videos," you say.Correct. And if you were wondering about tools that allow you to do it, then here's one to try out!
Nice work, Nate!
A Little Humor
We think a chuckle and a smile is a good way to spend a moment. Well, friends, here are our attempts to bring on both!
We look for ways each week to make you smile. In honor of the international membership of our club and of Rotary broadly, we offer up this gem shared by Jim Gibson, the District 5170 Vocational Services Chair.An Englishman, a Scotsman, an Irishman, a Welshman, a Latvian, a Turk, a German, an Indian, several Americans (including a Hawaiian and an Alaskan), an Argentinean, a Dane, an Australian, a Slovak, an Egyptian, a Japanese, a Moroccan, a Frenchman, a New Zealander, a Spaniard, a Russian, a Guatemalan, a Colombian, a Pakistani, a Malaysian, a Croatian, an Uzbek, a Cypriot, a Pole, a Lithuanian, a Chinese, a Tibetan, a Sri Lankan, a Lebanese, a Cayman Islander, a Ugandan, a Vietnamese, a Korean, a Kenyan, a Uruguayan, a Czech, an Icelander, a Mexican, a Finn, a Honduran, a Panamanian, an Andorran, a Moroccan, an Israeli, a Palestinian, a Venezuelan, an Iranian, a Fijian, a Peruvian, an Estonian, a Syrian, a Brazilian, a Portuguese, a Liechtensteiner, a Mongolian, a Hungarian, a Canadian, a Moldovan, a Haitian, a Norfolk Islander, a Macedonian, a Bolivian, a Cook Islander, a Tajikistani, a Samoan, an Armenian, an Aruban, an Albanian, a Greenlander, a Micronesian, a Virgin Islander, a Georgian, a Bahamian, a Belarusian, a Cuban, a Tongan, a Cambodian, a Manxman, a Qatari, an Azerbaijani, a Romanian, a Chilean, a Jamaican, a Filipino, a Ukrainian, a Dutchman, an Ecuadorian, a Costa Rican, a Bulgarian, a Serb, a Swiss, a Greek, a Belgian, a Singaporean, an Italian, and a Norwegian all walk into a very fine restaurant."I'm sorry," says the maître d' after scrutinizing the group. "You can't come in here without a Thai."That was one Swede joke! Ha ha ha.
Selected Comments from Last Week
We in the eclub enjoy learning each other's thoughts regarding what we experience together. Since we don't see each other face to face, each week we and our guests add comments to the Disqus section at the bottom of the meeting, where we can read and even reply to what other members have posted, and enjoy learning more about how this amazing group of people sees the world.Here are several comments from last week's meeting with the very cool program from Steven Lease about giving and cookies. As you'll see, it inspired an outburst of media additions! We hope you'll enjoy them, and that we'll all have the chance to read what you add to this week's meeting.
Member Keith Marsh (California, USA)Steve, thanks for the program. I have been baking 20 dozen cookies for family, friends and grandkids for at least 15 years. Always a big hit. Keep up the good work, but I know how much work goes into it.
Member Shags Shagrin (California, USA)I was the only grandchild of 6 that stood by (mom's side) Grandma's side to learn how to make the family's favorite of hers, Pinwheel Cookies. She got the recipe from the Newark, NJ, newspaper when she first married (in the 1920s) and Papa loved them. They're not easy to make, as it was very labor intensive, but I streamlined the process and have taught the generations after me to make them, with this very story! Mmmmmm.... And my wife the the only one who learned how to make her Toll House Chocolate Cookie Mini Cupcakes. Another palate orgasm! (An internet photo - mine start out with vanilla base, then chocolate on top, but they look the same. Very delicate, fast baking butter cookies!) [See last week's meeting for a cool recipe from Shags, as well!]
Member Andrew Taw (California, USA)What a delicious idea Steven! Also, great to hear from fellow Aggie!guest Sandy Stabile (California, USA)Another great meeting. I love the diversity of your speakers.
Member Brian Liddicoat (California, USA)This was great! It reinforces the timeless wisdom of Seinfeld: look to the cookie, Elaine!
Member Rushton Hurley (California, USA)Steven, you're an inspiration - keep up the giving and the encouragement to others to experience the joy of giving! Mitty, Stephen, Hardeep, Yvonne, AndrewT, Linda, and Deepali - it was great to see you Sunday.Finally, congratulations to Stephen, Allen, and Yvonne! Your willingness to help the club go makes us an ever-better group!
Guest Marty Cull (Rotary Club of San Jose) (California, USA)It sure is great to take the advantage of technology to gain knowledge. I really enjoyed the program.member Yvonne Kwan (California, USA)This is a super sweet idea, Steven! Thank you for sharing this amazing story. And one more photo to add to the batch. [This is from the social in Livermore - see last week's meeting for more pictures.]
The Program
Each week we work to bring programs to our members and guests from interesting people somewhere in the world with messages that inspire people everywhere else!
This week, you'll meet Karen Fasimpaur, who several years ago, left her fast-paced career in Los Angeles in hopes of changing up and slowing down her life. She and her husband ended up building an off-the-grid house in the desert southwest and finding quite a different lifestyle. In this talk, she will explore why she made this choice, how it worked out, and what her life is like now.Karen has worked in technology and marketing for over twenty years, with a focus on education and nonprofit organizations. She has provided strategy consulting, professional development, curriculum development, and technology planning to organizations across the country. Karen is the founder and organizer of the P2PU School of Ed, has co-facilitated MOOCs, and manages several online community spaces.A noted speaker and writer on various technologies and their ability to connect communities with common interests, she has presented at many national events and been published extensively. Karen has run an international technology integration company, worked in software development and textbook publishing, and taught elementary and adult education.Members and guests, welcome Karen Fasimpaur!
Links:If you'd like to take a longer look at the images, the slideshow Karen used is here and you can also find pictures here.Karen and Brad also keep a journal (in which you can find some detailed solar specs), and an article about Karen in The Daily Yonder here.
Upcoming Programs
Now that you have completed watching this week’s program and meeting, here are some programs that you can expect in the coming weeks.
Week of Mar 7th: Leveraging Youth Entrepreneurship to Solve Africa's Development Challenges
Week of Mar 14th: Universal Access to All Knowledge
You’re Almost Done! One last thing: The Attendance Survey..
Thanks for reading and watching this week’s meeting. You have two last things to do before you’re done. First, we have a very short attendance survey below for you to fill out to record your attendance.
Visiting Rotarians, this is how you can get an email receipt to pass along to your club’s secretary as proof that you’ve attended our meeting if you need it for makeups.Non-Rotarian Guests, we would love to see who is dropping by our meetings! This part is optional for you though.More importantly, for all members and guests — we strongly recommend and ask that you leave a comment below in our comments area below. Tell us how you enjoyed the program. Ask this week’s speaker any questions you might have. Or just stop by and say hello and tell us where you’re from!
