Students of history often think of 1492 as the year that Columbus sailed the Ocean Blue.  However, for observers living in 1492, Columbus’ first voyage did not even make the evening news.  The major event of that year was the defeat of Muslim Granada by the Kingdom of Castile and the culmination of the Reconquista of the Iberian Peninsula by Christian Polities.  This lecture will outline the history of the Iberian Peninsula from the Kingdom of the Visigoths, through the Muslim Caliphate, to the Reconquista, and finally to the ascent of Castile as the dominant polity, culture, and linguistic group in Iberia.   The Reconquista provided the Castilians with the military experience to dominate the New World Empires, and the social experience in their relationships with Muslims and Jews as ‘the Other’ to set the stage for the Castilians’ treatment of the indigenous peoples of the New World.   The marital diplomacy in Europe during this period was also instrumental in determining the directions that the Iberian and other European Polities would follow in the decades following 1492.

We annually celebrate October 12 as Columbus’ discovery of the New World.  However, this event in 1492 was more than the European Contact with the New World.   In effect, this event launched a re-creation of the New World as well as the transformation of the Old World as the exchange of flora, fauna, minerals, culture, and technology between the continents served to change the world as we knew it.  This is known as The Columbian Exchange.   Can you imagine Italian Food without tomatoes, or the Industrial Revolution without the potato, or not having corn as a staple throughout the world?   In this lecture, we will explore the changes in the New World brought on by European Contact and the transformative effects of that contact in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

When incapacity or death strikes it’s too late for your kids / heirs to ask questions. It’s also too late to see if there are errors or gaps in your planning.  In this class I will be guiding you through the process for setting up a 1-page instruction sheet for your heirs.  You will also be creating a binder that contains the essential items your heirs will need.  As you are guided through the worksheet, we will be talking about the tax and financial repercussions that your heirs will be dealing with. I am particularly passionate about this exercise after my own father passed way.   He had a tax practice, my brother is a CPA, I am a CFP, and the trust planning was in place. And yet, there were a few areas that we overlooked and that sent us to probate and triggered unnecessary taxes.  I want to help you avoid this and that’s why I created this process.  This will be a hands-on working and learning environment. Please register early so materials can be sent to you beforehand. You will need to either print them out or ask for a mailed copy. Barbara Norman, CFP®, ChFC® CDFA® is the CEO of Sage Path Solutions,  the Founder of The Women’s Financial Academy – a CA non-profit organization dedicated to education, and a member of Ed Slott’s Master Elite IRA Advisor program.    Barbara has a tax background and has served in the financial services industry since 1986.

Calling all guitars, banjos, autoharps, ukuleles, percussionists, music lovers, and others who enjoy singing great tunes! These four 45-minute classes will focus on folk songs in easy keys (C, D, E, G) and easy-to-play chords (C, D, Dm, E, Em, etc.) to provide a great musical-social experience. Songs will include many tunes you already know and love. (And maybe a few you wished you had in your stack of great tunes.) We will ZOOM together as we celebrate Americana and such classics as “A Frog Went A-Courtin’,” “Skip To My Lou,” “There’s a Yellow Rose of Texas,” and many more! Perfect for beginners and intermediate players who enjoy playing great melodies.

This class is for students who have completed Spanish Intermediate I and II classes or equivalent and who have experience using the present tense. The focus is on learning reflexive verbs, subjunctive, past tenses, conversation and expressions while mixing in grammar and vocabulary. There is no textbook for this class. However, if you would like an optional referance guide, you can purchase Advanced Spanish STEP-BY-STEP by Barbara Bregstein, published by McGraw-Hill.

This class is for students who have completed Spanish Intermediate I and II classes or equivalent and who have experience using the present tense. The focus is on learning reflexive verbs, subjunctive, past tenses, conversation and expressions while mixing in grammar and vocabulary. There is no textbook for this class. However, if you would like an optional referance guide, you can purchase Advanced Spanish STEP-BY-STEP by Barbara Bregstein, published by McGraw-Hill.

Learn how to get more out of your Android phone. Install apps, increase the text size, browse the internet, use email, text, and more.

Learn how to get even more out of your Android phone. Access maps to get around, use Uber and Lyft, share photos, see how much your phone can do to make your life easier.

Growing older is inevitable but many of the physical and mental challenges that seniors face are not. More than twenty such topics that range from decreased energy to liver spots, irregular sleep to poor memory can be postponed or even avoided completely. Learn how this is possible.

Come join us in exploring ways to create lasting happiness and happiness habits. Create new ways to expand your happiness and learn to appreciate what you have that increases your happiness. Looking at ways you can be happy is very important during dark times, such as the current coronavirus pandemic and social unrest. Happiness gives you the resilience to move forward. In this workshop you will look at your habits, beliefs, resources and learn how to cultivate nourishing relationships that add to your happiness. Mark Twain said, “Whoever is happy will make others happy, too.

This class is for students who have no background in Spanish. We will focus on learning vocabulary, the uses of SER and ESTAR (to be), dates, numbers, and interrogative words. The textbook for this class is Easy Spanish STEP-BY-STEP by Barbara Bregstein, published by McGraw-Hill.

This class is for students who have no background in Spanish. We will focus on learning vocabulary, the uses of SER and ESTAR (to be), dates, numbers, and interrogative words. The textbook for this class is Easy Spanish STEP-BY-STEP by Barbara Bregstein, published by McGraw-Hill. The text book for this class is "Easy Spanish STEP - BY - STEP" by Barbara Bregstein. The book is published by McGraw Hill. You are responsible for purchasing the book.

This class is for students who have taken a basic Spanish class. We will continue with the present tense using irregular verbs. We will practice grammar, reading, and introduce new vocabulary. The textbook for this class is Easy Spanish STEP-BY-STEP by Barbara Bregstein, published by McGraw-Hill. The text book for this class is "Easy Spanish STEP - BY - STEP" by Barbara Bregstein. The book is published by McGraw Hill. You are responsible for purchasing the book.

Because beliefs play such a central role in human behavior, it is important to know where beliefs come from and how they influence our actions. In this lecture, we will look at the source of beliefs, how they are passed on from generation to generation, how they function as a filtering system to our awareness and how they may be changed. The special case of “false” beliefs will be examined as well as the tragic consequences that they have produced. Finally, we will look at what happens when beliefs are disconfirmed and how the mind handles that.

Are you a caregiver? Might you become one soon? This workshop will provide you with helpful tips and techniques to assist you in caring for those with Alzheimer’s, or other forms of dementia. This is a practical hands-on workshop that can give us some real help. The instructor will share from her educational background in psychology as well as her personal experiences.

Prior to the Covid19 outbreak, local brick and mortar commerce was suffering. The global economy rendered online shopping as desirable, economically viable and offered a greater array of products. Corporate mergers, a preponderance of low wage workers in retail and production widened an economic wedge between fulfillment center shopping and in-perrson purchasing. This has been exacerbated prodigiously by the Covid lockdown. Obstacles in global supply chains and production-on-demand models precluded access to basic necessities. The ‘fear’ of shopping pushed the global population to purchasing and delivery apps. Small and large business models failed to prepare for the vagaries of an instantaneous global shutdown. While disaster capitalism works for natural disasters, global shutdowns have no prior example. This class outlines which changes will become permanent and who the winners and losers will be.

This class is the second of the series in your journey to understanding and using the many capabilities of your Apple iPhone. This class will review settings, contacts, voice calls, email, texting, and Siri, and then focus on using your iPhone as a GPS for navigation, and as a camera. Also covered will be photo management and advanced uses for hands-free operation with Siri. Please bring your charged iPhone with you to class. You will also need your Apple ID and password.

This course is for people with a very advanced level of Spanish who wish to deepen and perfect their knowledge of the language. Students will debate in Spanish, accurately and fluently, on a variety of topics. Learning is achieved through the use of group dynamics, in addition to role playing and representation.

This course is for people with a very advanced level of Spanish who wish to deepen and perfect their knowledge of the language. Students will debate in Spanish, accurately and fluently, on a variety of topics. Learning is achieved through the use of group dynamics, in addition to role playing and representation.

In order to counter the transmission of COVID-19, we are being asked to social-distance and self-quarantine. But then, people wind up feeling isolated and lonely. To counteract these feelings, people are choosing from three alternative strategies: (1) turning to faith and religion for comfort; (2) simple denial and defiance, which has psychophysical roots in ”psychic numbing”; and (3) a cautious compliance. Some of these have positive consequences, but some may have unanticipated negative consequences. We will explore this range of responses from a mental health perspective,

Facilitator Rick LeVine will cover topics based on what's in the news (elections, court cases, law reform, tax cuts, foreign affairs, etc.). Each monthly meeting includes lecture, dialogue, questions, and answers. Rick LeVine is an attorney and a former newscaster. Participants appreciate his wealth of knowledge and ability to present the news without bias.

Facilitator Rick LeVine will cover topics based on what's in the news (elections, court cases, law reform, tax cuts, foreign affairs, etc.). Each monthly meeting includes lecture, dialogue, questions, and answers. Rick LeVine is an attorney and a former newscaster. Participants appreciate his wealth of knowledge and ability to present the news without bias.

Cybersecurity is a developing field of software compliance and innovation. As technology evolves, security must be a core component of each new software system because "security transcends technology." Learn the importance of security and how it is applied to secure technology.

What is the cloud?  Are you on the cloud?  And how do we get off the cloud?  This class will introduce you to the cloud, that mysterious place where all the files are stored.  You will learn about services which are available and accessible through the cloud.  We will also learn about some entertainment options available through the cloud.  And we will talk about being safe on the cloud.  Something for everyone!   Prerequisite:  None

Learn how to become a power user of the main Facebook features and keep your personal information private. We'll walk through Facebook Groups, Etiquette, Sharing, Security & Privacy, Facebook Live, and other Facebook functions.

Learn how to safely back up all your files to external drives and cloud storage, and be able to access them on your other devices. You'll also learn how to easily organize your files, delete multiple files at a time, and other file management functions that make your experience easier and faster.