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email: info@wllovillage.org
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Note: if your email cuts off part of this newsletter, click the link at the very top that says, 'View this email in your browser'. Enjoy reading what's new and newsworthy with WLLO!
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This month's articles
(click on the title link to jump directly to the article):
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRIENDS!
September brought several fun birthday celebrations to our villagers.
  
RELAX! Relax, relax…Relax?
Such simple advice. Some take to it like ducks to water. Lists are made of what one finds relaxing, like gardening, reading, and cooking (although I can’t imagine why!) However, we live in a world of distractions – email notifications, even watches that talk back. Setting aside time for the chosen activity requires effort and can be a challenge. For some of us, it’s even a kind of stress in itself.
If you were asked what you would do given a day entirely to yourself, some would not hesitate to do little or nothing and detach from all outside stimuli. Others would find that empty day anxiety-producing, and as a result, fill each hour with something – anything, that may not be so calming.
However, we can learn to relax, let things go, and just be. Therapies and bookcases are full of suggestions. Who hasn’t tried deep breathing and meditation but found it doesn’t do what it’s prescribed to do - make us less stressed? Where does this difficulty of so-called “chilling” come from? The following are a few clues as to why it may be hard to let go, let be, unwind.
The very definition of relaxing can have multiple interpretations and associations. Even as children, before we could reason and make choices, we were influenced by our parents or caregivers. They were our models. Did you ever feel pressure to always be doing something useful, or taught that sitting and doing nothing was not okay? Was worthiness associated with productivity? Were the models always busy with tasks, or conversely, less so and more laid back? Verbal and nonverbal messages reflecting family and societal norms shape our understanding of how relaxation is managed, often without realizing it.
The makeup of our physiology can also influence how we cope with the notion of “stepping away.” Neurobiology suggests that while some brains seldom seem to get rattled, others are aroused more easily. For the latter types, this is called hypervigilance. This means we stay “on our toes” too much, resulting in more difficulty accessing the parasympathetic nervous system that switches the fight or flight reaction off, and thus calms us. As a result, when we are subject to environments that don’t give us a break (aka the “talking watch”), the response can be an increase in anxiety - sometimes to the point of becoming our “status quo.” For the hypervigilant, relaxing would be like a foreign country not to have to stay attentive; the strange feeling of a day without any demands would seem, well, strange.
In 1998, Martin Seligman suggested that positive thinking could lead to more positive health outcomes. This suggests the belief that if we could stay positive, say the affirmations, and read the right advice, we should be able to let things go. Positive psychology might suggest that to learn to relax, we should attempt to foster positive attitudes about relaxing and taking it easy. (It’s somewhat ironic that as I write this, the Pandora station is playing relaxing music! Wouldn’t that work if I only believed in it?)
A popular TED talk contributor and management consultant, Susan David, suggested that we can’t simply hold in our emotions. As she put it, the “tyranny of positivity” is not a sustainable approach. Looking on the bright side is not great advice when efforts to change things have not worked. Emotions that are pushed aside and suppressed will likely get stronger. Therefore, if we say we are trying to relax but not feeling it internally, we will focus on our shortcomings and thus be unable to make the change we want.
So, what can we do? For the hard-to-let-go, hypervigilant types, we need a way to understand our anxious thoughts about doing something – or even nothing. However, here is another thought to begin with: why not start with acceptance? If you’re not relaxed, okay, you’re not relaxed. Accept the full experience and reduce the resistance to be any way other than how you feel and what you are doing. Direct your attention to the present without judgment. Trying to eliminate the symptoms of unease can lead to further distress. So instead, take a helicopter view and assess what you value. Then, decrease your anxiety with just a degree of change.
It might help to think of volume on a radio. Try turning down the sound just a little at a time. Make this where you start. Guide yourself to what you are comfortable with. If the goal is to find yourself more relaxed than you already are, break this into smaller goals. (This view comes partly from the Acceptance and Commitment theory, which offers valuable advice for the restless and those with other concerns.)
Lastly, recognize that there are hurdles to letting go. If there were a club meeting for those who find it just too awkward to fill a day without doing something (even too many things), I bet the members would share their stories and tips on managing this experience. They have practiced, and you can too! All in all, we are in good company with each of us differing on what to do with and how to spend that free day. We may even learn from each other and spend some of that time together!!
Monica H. Schneider PsyD
Monica previously taught Psychology at PCC. She is retired and is a Counselor with William Temple House. Writing is becoming a positive mood manager for her!
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“Always Wondering What’s Next”
Meet Mark Leavitt
Engineer, Inventor, Doctor (MD and PhD), Computer Scientist, CEO, Health Policy Leader, Visionary, Futurist, Husband, Father, Hobbyist (Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker???) There is not enough room in this newsletter to tell you about Mark Leavitt!
A WLLO volunteer since 2019, Mark is our lead tech support for WLLO members and Governing Council. Not only does Mark help members with computer and electronic challenges - software and hardware both, but he is also the mastermind behind and inventor of The Village Pal, an electronic device that sends an alert if a vulnerable member is not up and about by noon. (It is currently being tested by a selection of volunteer members, with enormous success!)
While Mark’s ingenuity and problem solving for WLLO is impressive and appreciated, he also has a storied past...
Obsessed with radios at an early age, Mark spent hours learning how to become a licensed radio operator by age 10; at 13 he reached the highest amateur license level, and by 15, gained full FCC certification to serve as engineer at radio stations. While still in high school, Mark got his first job at a 100% Spanish-speaking radio station! (He even did a stint as a DJ!)
With Mark’s knowledge of electronics, becoming an electrical engineer was a “no brainer.” He earned his PhD and started his career in the Defense Industry, designing antenna systems for radio direction-finding systems on reconnaissance aircraft.
Eventually though, as a new father, the seeds of discontent were sown, and soon Mark embarked on a more satisfying career in medicine, taking advantage of a two-year compressed PhD-to-MD program.
Ever the inventor, Mark didn’t like the messiness of his paper medical charts, and with the advent of computers in 1980’s, he started creating software for Electronic Medical Records (EMR). When his system was wholeheartedly embraced by his fellow physicians, Mark made the tough decision to leave his medical practice and work fulltime on spreading EMR’s to the entire medical community. You can thank Mark - and others he insists, for your comprehensive medical history compilation across providers, and your aftercare reports from your doctor visits!
Mark’s contributions to medicine and the health industry are too numerous to include here. But you can read about his other inventions and activities at http://markleavitt.com. There you can also read in more detail about how Mark and Carolyn, married since 1999, share their life together. (Think farming and camping.)
Of course, there’s no shortage of inventions and efficiencies for Mark to tackle to make their lives easier and more interesting! One small(?) example is, as an opera singer and pianist, Carolyn had acquired a huge collection of sheet music - the enormity of which made it challenging to locate the correct piece let alone turn pages. So, Mark created a computerized system for her that indexes and displays sheet music, as well as recording and playing accompaniments. It’s controlled by a large touchscreen over their piano!
Dogs add to the excitement in their home. Penny, a Golden Retriever, is the mainstay. But as Foster Parents for Guide Dogs for the Blind, Mark and Carolyn often have a visitor -- presently, it's Jasper in the photo.
(Thank you to Becky Crew for this wonderful article about Mark! )
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Welcome new volunteers Karen, Ann, Kathy, Esther and Dan!
We love our volunteers! This month we want to recognize our Drop-By and Say-Hi coordinators, Lonnie, Susan, Meg and all, who organized, packed and delivered bags of goodies to our village last month. Thank you to volunteers such as Joyce who befriend and arrange outings for our members, and to Sally who organized our Pizza and Bingo afternoons. We appreciate you!
Pizza lunch and bingo party!!
Here are some volunteer opportunities:
Activities: We love volunteers who like to visit with people and arrange outings and events. Please let us know if this interests you!
Communications:
We are looking for volunteers who are interested in helping with communications – finding or writing monthly newsletter articles, interviewing and writing profiles of our members and volunteers, collecting info about community events, or helping with the formatting and distribution of the newsletter. Please call the office if you have these skills or would like to help write articles for us!
Gardening:
We have lots of requests for help in the yard! Please let us know if you would like to be a volunteer helping in someone’s garden!
Handyperson:
We would welcome some help fulfilling requests for little household projects and repairs.
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NO GUILT BOOK CLUB’S NEXT MEETING IS TUESDAY, OCT 8TH AT 10:30 AM
Thank you to May Travers who hosted our September bookclub meeting at her home. We had an interesting discussion about the book First Ladies by Marie Benedict.
Join us in October! Cathryn Olsen will be hosting and we’ll be discussing Table for Two by Amor Towles. We will also be discussing what books to add to our reading list.
Our upcoming reading list is:
Oct – Table for Two by Amor Towles
Nov – The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Dec – The Women by Kristin Hannah
Remember to call or email the office if you need a ride.
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MEMBER AND VOLUNTEER RECOMMENDATIONS
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New family-run Restaurant in Lake Oswego:
Thai Baan
450 Fifth St
(sideways to the Safeway)
Getting great reviews!
Understanding These Times Reading or Audible ideas:
Leadership: In Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin
A Pulitzer Prize-winning author's guide to leadership, drawing on the experiences of four US presidents who overcame dramatic reversals to become great leaders.
Democracy or Else: How to Save American in 10 Easy Steps
- Getting informed when you don’t know which influencer to trust (all of them!)
- Donating and volunteering where you can have the biggest impact
- Organizing, protesting, and even running for office yourself
- Staying engaged in politics without losing hope or your mind or all of your friends
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TERRY'S EARTH FRIENDLY TIPS
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 Emergency Preparedness: Water, Waste & Spider WebsTerence M. Shumaker
I hope some of you were able to attend the Lake Oswego Emergency Preparedness Fair on September 5. Some good information was dispensed, along with freebies and swag. Anyway, for those of you who could not attend, I thought it would be a good idea to offer up some tips on basic emergency preparedness. So, this month let’s look at emergency water supplies, and how to go potty when the bathroom no longer exists. And for good measure, we’ll toss in a bit of Halloween decoration taboos that can save you money and be good for the environment. So read on.
EMERGENCY WATER SUPPLY
The general rule of thumb is that a human can survive three to four minutes without oxygen, three to four days without water, and three to four weeks without food. This depends on the circumstances of course, and the variables of age, health and location. Since we don’t necessarily have to worry about running out of air to breathe – perish the thought – let’s focus this discussion on water.
 The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that you keep a minimum of a three-day supply of water on hand for emergencies. At one gallon per person per day, that’s three gallons of water. If you have the storage space, try to keep a two-week supply of water. We keep several gallons of Crystal Geyser water that comes in gallon jugs.
Those of you who attended the Emergency Preparedness Fair may have picked up the free, three-gallon water jug. If so, be sure to prepare the jug properly before filling with water.
The best water to stash for an emergency is unopened commercially bottled water. It may last for several years, but be sure to check the expiration date if it has one. Be sure to store your water in a cool, dark place where the temperature does not go above 70°.
The second best is to prepare your own water for storage. Should you do this, be sure to refresh the water every six months. Again, a good source of information on water preparation is the CDC site given previously. But in a real emergency the power may be off and you won’t be able to search the internet for instructions. That’s why it’s a good idea to print a few copies of the flyer for making water safe during an emergency and keep them in places where you store emergency supplies.
When stashing water for an emergency, be sure to calculate water for all living organisms in your home. Humans, dogs, cats, birds etc. They’ll thank you for it.
PEE AND POO IN A BUCKET
Yes, in an emergency we’ll still have to attend to all of our bodily functions. Unlike movies and TV shows where our heroes and villains can go days without eating, drinking or excreting anything. Must be nice.
Anyway, where to pee when the bathroom has slid down the hill? In a bucket. And the two-bucket system is your best bet. So, if you plan on eating and drinking after an emergency, then you should also plan on dealing with the waste products as a result of those important activities.
The two-bucket system is the easiest and most economical method of dealing with wastes. Five-gallon buckets are so ubiquitous that you’ve probably already got the basic components of the system. If not, you can buy five-gallon buckets in a variety of colors online, or get the orange “Homer” buckets at Home Depot for $4 each. Information on dealing with waste and hygiene can be found on the Oregon Department of Emergency Management website. Details of creating and using the two-bucket system can be found on the Neighbors Ready website.
In a nutshell, for this system, you’ll need two buckets, plastic bags or liners, bucket toilet seats and some organic matter such as leaves, sawdust, shredded paper, straw or grass. And guess what, toilet seats made for five-gallon buckets can be found on Amazon for $30! Who’d a thought! And as a passing thought, never pee and poo in the same bucket! Always use two buckets.
FORGET THE PLASTIC SPIDER WEB
Ok, let’s wrap this up and look at a type of Halloween decoration you want to avoid like the plague. Fake spider webs. This noxious stuff is made of polyester fibers and has the characteristics of woven fiberglass. It is dangerous to birds, insects and small animals. And once again, it’s plastic! Just don’t buy it and tell your neighbors not to use it. But don’t believe me, check out the Snopes article for yourself. So, if you care about the little critters in your yard, leave the plastic spider webs on the grocery shelf.
ITEMS FOR OUR NEXT COLLECTION
October 8 is our next pickup day, and we’ll collect furniture, kitchen utensils and household items. See below for details.
WLLO RECYCLING COLLECTION SCHEDULE
Remember, we pick up plastic film, (no crinkly plastic film), and all clean clear #1 PET and PETE plastics. Please, no black or colored #1 plastic. Thanks.
PLEASE REMEMBER: We can no longer accept #6 PS or Styrofoam plastics.
October 8: Furniture, linens, dishes (no chips or cracks or alcohol-themed items), kitchen utensils, mattresses/box springs, small appliances (in working condition), decorative items and artwork, rugs etc. Items are donated to the Community Warehouse. https://www.communitywarehouse.org/give-furniture/
November 19: Building materials, tools, plumbing and lighting fixtures, fasteners etc. The Rebuilding Center breathes new life into these items. https://www.rebuildingcenter.org/donations
December 10: Cleaners, pesticides, chemicals, light bulbs, smoke alarms, paint, batteries and other hazardous materials. Metro South Hazardous Waste site reclaims and recycles.
https://www.oregonmetro.gov/tools-living/garbage-and-recycling/garbage-recycling-hazardous-waste-disposal-oregon-city
January 14: Electronics and everything with a power cord. PLEASE: NO LIGHT BULBS OR SMOKE DETECTORS! But LED light bulbs are ok! Free Geek rehabilitates and recycles this stuff. Please wrap up cords and cables and secure with a twist tie or rubber band.
https://www.freegeek.org/take-action/donate-technology
Thanks so much for your cooperation, and as always, we greatly appreciate the thoughtful participation of our members. Cheers!
Review or re-reading Terry's articles by clicking on the link: https://tinyurl.com/Recycling-Articles
Return to Table of Contents
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A fun day at Mary S. Young Park with crafts, walks, and activities!
There are some interesting activities at the West Linn Library. Here are just a few examples. Check it out! https://westlinnoregon.gov/library/events-and-programs
T'ai Chi with Sharon Miller
Friday, October 4th at 10-11 | Active LINCC Library Card Required for Registration
Experience the transformational joy of T'ai Chi/Taiji! If you have ever wondered what Taiji is all about, or always thought you might like to take a class, now is your opportunity. Taiji has been proven to increase strength and flexibility, alleviate anxiety and depression, restore balance and vitality, relieve chronic pain and inflammation, strengthen your immune system, stimulate your brain, and more! This class will introduce you to the Movements of the ancient Chinese Yang-Style Taiji Form. The Movements are performed in a continuous sequence at slow speed—beneficial for any age or physical shape. This is a single introductory class, this is not a recurring class. This class is for adults (18 years and older).
Online Author Talk: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone with Lori Gottlieb
Tuesday, October 22nd at 11:00 AM | This is a live virtual author talk that will be recorded and accessible for future use.
Every year, nearly 30 million Americans sit on a therapist’s couch—and some of these patients are therapists. In her remarkable book Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, Lori Gottlieb tells us that despite her license and rigorous training, her most significant credential is that she’s a card-carrying member of the human race. “I know what it’s like to be a person,” she writes, as a crisis causes her world to come crashing down.
Thanks to JB for finding these events!
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WLLO & Villages Events
Check out our calendar on our website homepage. It's easier to read, you can change how information is displayed and the calendar is also printable.
- Also be sure to check your Week-At-A-Glance email. Members and Volunteers receive Week-At-A-Glance emails every Sunday with detailed information for the upcoming week.
- Summary of Regularly Scheduled Events:
- Ted Talk Discussion Group - Monday 11:00 AM
- Brisk Walk Wednesdays at 9:00 AM
- Chat and Stroll Wednesdays at 10:00 AM
- Article Discussion Group 1st Wednesday at 2:00
- Needlecraft Circle 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 10:30
- 2nd Thursday of the month - Happy Hour in person at 4 PM
- All Thursdays except the 2nd Thursday of each month, Happy Hour on Zoom at 4 PM
- The 3rd and Last Friday - Coffee's are in person at 10:00 AM
- All Fridays except the 3rd and last Friday of each moth Coffee Hour on Zoom at 9:00 AM.
- For registration, calendar questions, or log-in help, contact the WLLO office (503-308-8223). To get log in details to specific events, email info@WLLOvillage.org. (Many events are for members and volunteers only.)
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