TSO Events
October – December, 2018
Reservations are required. See our Calendar of Events and Contact Us pages for information on event time, room number, and reservations. You have a reservation only after you get a confirmation reply. Please request a reservation before the last 24 hours. Please let us know as soon as possible, and before the last 48 hours, if you must cancel.
TELOS Readers Theater presents:
The Dining Room by A.R. Gurney
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Pull up a finely-upholstered chair, sit at the polished oak table, and meet a dozen different families – all in an hour and a half, and always in the dining room. “You can learn a lot about a culture from how it eats,” says one of the characters, and this play is a colorful parade of young & old, proper & unruly, self-satisfied & searching. The only thing they have in common is the privileged society of White Anglo-Saxon Protestants on the East coast in the 20th century.
Gurney, whose other plays include The Cocktail Hour and Sylvia, spent most of his career gently satirizing these so-called “WASPs” – a world he knew well, having grown up in such a family himself. Come and enjoy your fellow Telosians in this delightful performance!
Trails and Rails at TELOS
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Experience being on a long-distance AMTRAK train with commentary provided by National Park Service guides!
Daily, between mid-April and mid-September each year, National Park Service guides travel on the Coast Starlight (leaving Seattle for Portland, OR) and the Empire Builder (leaving Seattle for Chicago) trains, providing commentaries and information about the countryside, history, geography, animals, flora and fauna, etc., to passengers from across the USA and around the world.
The service is a partnership between AMTRAK and the National Park Service, provided free to passengers as part of a national program called ‘Trails and Rails’.
A team of experienced National Park Service guides invite you to join them at this TSO event.
Sit back and relax as the experienced volunteers guide you through outstanding countryside, weaving stories and information into views from Puget Sound to Portland and Seattle to the Montana Hi-line.
Bellevue Traffic Engineering
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
The primary goal of traffic engineers is moving traffic in the most efficient yet in a safe manner. Traffic engineers can use analytical products to reconfigure hot spots such as channelization, traffic signal synchronization, traffic signal phasing, adaptive traffic signal control of the Flashing Yellow Arrow (FYA) and modifying the placement of signs & pavement markings. The presentation will provide several examples of engineering solutions to reduce traffic collisions specifically related to traffic signals.
About the Speaker:
Raid Tirhi, PE, is a Senior Intelligent Transportation Systems Engineer. He has been working for the City of Bellevue for about 10 years. He is a University of Washington graduate. He has 26 years of experience in transportation engineering, planning, modeling, design, and traffic operations. Raid currently deals with cutting edge technologies such as the adaptive traffic signal system, traffic camera management, and preparing Bellevue for autonomous and connected vehicles. He regularly staffs Bellevue’s Traffic Management Center during weekday commutes and special events.
Introduction to Virtual Reality
(with Live Demos)
Thursday, November 29, 2018
What is Virtual Reality all about? And what’s Augmented Reality? And what’s the difference? Eric Zocher will talk about these exciting new technologies that are already available on your phone or tablet. He will demonstrate shopping for virtual furniture, visiting Tasmania, finding Saturn in the night sky, and a coloring book that comes to life. You will see why there’s a buzz about VR and how it will impact the future.
About the Speaker:
Eric Zocher is a former software executive and developer with forty years of experience. He led the development of dozens of products including Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat / PDF, and Microsoft FrontPage. Eric has been tracking the emergence of VR over the past couple of years and is excited to introduce it to others. As a new TELOS instructor, Eric will be teaching a complete hands-on course (“Try Virtual Reality!”) in January and February 2019.
The Queens and Women of Ancient Egypt
Friday, November 30, 2018
Although their social position was determined principally by the status of their fathers and husbands, women enjoyed a higher profile in Egyptian society than was possible in many other civilizations of the ancient world. They were equal with men before the law and, although only men were permitted to hold government office, the wife, mother or daughter of a king or prominent official could wield considerable influence. In the event of a king’s minority, his mother might rule as regent. On rare occasions, as in the case of Hatshepsut, the stepmother of Thutmose III, a woman might even assume the full mantle of royal power and rule as king.
We will examine how women are depicted in art and in the archaeological record: women’s role in literary compositions; in property and contract law; in public and private life; and in religion and mythology.
About the Speaker:
Ancient Egypt has been a passion for most of Cynthia Smith’s life. She pursued a master’s degree in Egyptian Archaeology from University College London specializing in New Kingdom tomb stelae (grave stones).
Since relocating to the Pacific Northwest she has taught the series Egyptian Voices from the Past at TELOS since 2008 and taught Temples, Tombs and Tut at Bellevue College Fall Quarter 2012. She is the Vice President of the Northwest Chapter of the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) and was a member of the Pacific Science Center Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs exhibit Advisory Board (2011 – 2012).
King County Property Tax Information Session
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
John Wilson, King County Assessor, and Andy Nicholas, Washington State Budget & Policy Center, will share information regarding the current tax policy and some options which may be pursued to help seniors manage their property tax bills.
In mid-February, King County home owners received their property-tax bills. Countywide, this year’s bills are at least 17 percent higher than last year’s – a result of the state legislature’s solution to the McCleary school funding plan as well as rising property values and voter approved transportation taxes.
This combination of state mandated tax increases to fully fund schools and passage of several recent regional and local ballot measures has resulted in what the assessor’s office has called the “largest property tax increase in King County in modern history.” The tax significantly affects seniors, especially those on a fixed income. The talk will explain this year’s increase and the available property exemptions for low income seniors, and will also discuss concerns about potential fraud directed at seniors as a result of the increased tax. There will also be a question and answer portion.
TSO Semi-Annual Meeting and Holiday Party
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Come celebrate the holiday season, interact with fellow students outside of a classroom, and participate in the TELOS Student Organization. We’ll conduct business of concern to all TSO/TELOS students, including updating by-laws, and allowing students to meet club officers, council and committee members, and make suggestions to improve the organization.
Information about the Party: TSO Semi-Annual Meeting and Holiday Party (click here for poster)
Location: VFW POST 2995, 4330 148th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052
Date: Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
RSVP before November 30
Ursula’s Story
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Chaitania, performance artist, therapist and teacher, engaged her German mother-in-law in many conversations about Ursula’s life growing up in Nazi Germany, where she became a member of Hitler Youth at age 15 in 1933. The results of the discussions are an original screenplay and the recent stage adaptation.
The story traverses the rocky landscape of Ursula’s early certainty in the illusory Nazi propaganda machine. At war’s end in 1945, having learned what her country had done, she realized her existence had been based on lies. For the rest of her life, she experienced a paralyzing fear and deep shame.
About the Speaker:
Chaitania holds a Master’s degree in Psychology, with a concentration in propaganda and brainwashing and its effect on society and individuals, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Depth Psychology and Art as a Way to Heal. She was on the Dance faculty of Cornish College of the Arts, and Academic Dean and faculty member at WuHsing Tao School, where she taught psychology. Currently, she is writing the book Ursula and Our Conversations, screenplay and staged reading, as well as giving lectures on the subject.
Safeguarding and Empowering Your Health Data
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Don’t let your personal health data get out of control.
- Understand who exactly has access to it.
- What they do with it.
- How to protect it.
- How to make it work for you.
About the Speaker:
Our speaker, Nathanael Nienaber, is a technologist and co-founder of eraofhealth.com. He and his team are on the forefront of solving fragmented health data and communications. He and his team have been in the healthcare industry for 12+ years educating, selling to and building software for practitioners.
New Nordic Museum
Thursday, December 13, 2018
Located in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood since its founding in 1979, the Nordic Museum completed construction of a new $50 million building on Ballard’s working waterfront earlier this year. Opening with international attention on May 5, 2018, the new Nordic has been completely reinvented and tells an expanded story of 12,000 years of Nordic History building on our region’s own story of Nordic immigration beginning in the late 19th century. The Nordic Museum serves a community of more than 800,000 Washington residents who self-identify as having Nordic ancestry. However, the new Museum seeks to reach, engage and inspire a broader audience around Nordic values of Openness, Social Justice, Innovation and Respect for Nature. Erik Pihl, who leads the Museum’s community engagement will speak about the transformation of the new Nordic and the Museum’s new special exhibition, The Vikings Begin.
About the Speaker:
Erik Pihl heads Community Engagement at the Nordic Museum. Erik joined the staff in 2016 in preparation for the Museum’s Grand Opening in 2018. With 20 years of experience leading external relations programs for Museums in California and Washington, Erik has an extensive background in connecting museums to their communities. Erik is the grandson of Swedish and Ålandic immigrants who moved to Seattle in the first quarter of the 20th century. He travels regularly to the Nordic region and recently returned from two weeks in Norway and Sweden.
Historic Naval Ships
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
The Historic Naval Ships Association (HNSA), ton for ton and with nearly 200 ships around the world, is the third largest navy.
Nine of these historic ships reside in the Pacific Northwest. Several are afloat in the Puget Sound, in the Seattle area.
This two-hour presentation will introduce these ships. Descriptions are included with information on why they are of historic importance. In addition, a select few other ships of both historic significance and interest will be described.
The presentation will include pictures of the ships described and give their physical information. Information about location of the local ships and how to visit them is included.
About the Speaker:
Henry Bohne is a Navy veteran with interest in all things military, especially things about the Navy, both ships and personnel. His seminar Destroyers A to Z has been presented at TELOS.
He is active with the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Tin Can Sailors, HNSA and more.
From 2001 to 2013, Henry served at the Veterans Service Office for Douglas County Colorado. He retired from this position on his 83rd birthday. From 2006 to 20013, he promoted and managed the creation of a Veterans Monument for Douglas County.
Henry facilitates TSO’s Memoir Writing Club on the first Friday of each month.
Do More and Have More Fun with Your Smart Phone
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
5 Things You Want to Know:
- The Cloud – What is It? How to get the most from it!
- Cell data & WiFi – More, faster data . . . free!
- Security and Privacy – Sleep tight!
- Painless password management
- Tips and Tricks that will help you enjoy your technology even more.
About your Trainer:
In 6 years at Apple, Paul Schmid taught 1000s to get the most from their smart phones while having fun. Before Apple, Paul had a career in training and marketing. Currently, Paul teaches marketing part-time at Sea-Tac high school.
Testimonials:
“(Paul is a) kind, patient teacher. I am 76 and was so afraid of my iPhone. Still 76 not afraid anymore.”
“Paul was excellent! He used stories to help us remember.”
“I thought of myself as a pretty adept (smart phone) user, but after one short session I learned I do have still a lot to learn.
Special Request:
From the instructor(s): So that we can help more, it’d be helpful to have a Samsung smart phone. Our expertise is with iPhone, so if we can get our hands on an old, unwanted, no longer loved Samsung, we can help more people at TELOS.
If you’d like to donate one, please reply to this message, or write to info.telosso@gmail.com.
Ingredients of Science Fiction:
Themes, Ideas, Settings, Social Motivations
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Love Science Fiction – talk about the definition and then the most common themes in the books, movies and short stories. There are also recurring themes, ideas and settings. And finally, what are some of the social implications we find in the genre of science fiction?
About the Speaker:
Sandi Medendorp – I am a retired construction insurance professional of 35 years who started out as high school English teacher. Along the way I taught college level insurance classes and earned an MBA. I fell in love with science fiction at the age of about 8 (maybe earlier – hard to tell) when I finally understood what the solar system was and how much emptiness there is out beyond it. My interest continued after college as an English major discovering the many styles of writing and expression found in science fiction. Now, at this age, I really enjoy science fiction that includes all of the new technologies and I have had the opportunity to see my youthful science fiction become reality.
Alessandro and Darina Regio Share Life in DC
Thursday, December 27, 2018
Alessandro and Darina are back to talk about Russia.
Come join Darina and Alessandro Regio for a conversation surrounding the question: is Russia the biggest threat to the U.S. right now? Over the last few months, Russia and the United States have faced an increased tension over the U.S. election meddling, INF Treaty, Ukraine, Syria, Venezuela, and many others. We will examine these key tension areas, as well as possible outcomes. In addition, we will study the policymaking cycle in Washington, D.C.
Reservations are required. See our Calendar of Events and Contact Us pages for information on event time, room number, and reservations. You have a reservation only after you get a confirmation reply. Please request a reservation before the last 24 hours. Please let us know as soon as possible, and before the last 48 hours, if you must cancel.