WP University

This week officially starts WP University. Those of you who joined the Eames Trip (WP Roadies 601) know how fun and interesting these classes can be. If you haven't signed up yet what are you waiting for. There are some really great courses starting this week with W+P Basics 101 with Professor (Dean) Jack Paddon. So, take a chance and sign up...you're guaranteed to learn something! (and have some fun along the way)

-Curriculum Committee

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Walmart and Design in the same sentence?

Has anyone seen the Wal-Mart in West Sac? I’m sure Wal-Mart isn’t known for its architectural ingenuity, but the West Sac store is quite out-of-the-box for a “Big Box” store.

The 237,000 square-foot West Sacramento Supercenter was artfully designed with a modern, unique exterior. Created from a combination of stainless steel and “wooden-look” concrete planks, the facade features towers, steel sculptures over entrance walkways and extensive landscaping with an abundance of newly planted trees.

- Liz

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There's a new Sheriff in Town

January 20th, 2009 was a historic day (as most presidential inaugurations are). But this one seemed different, there was a buzz in the air and in the office. Excitement was everywhere and it was energizing. It's estimated that 1.5 to 3 million attended live, 200 million nationwide and a billion watched worldwide. By comparison, 400,000 attended the inauguration of President Bush in 2005.

The crowd starts to assemble in the lobby

Standing room only by the time President Obama gave his speech

Liz showing some support.

- Brian L.

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Where has the W+P card been lately?

southeast of Fiddletown

Mary's card on Knights Ferry Plaque

Shenandoah Valley school house

Knights Ferry covered bridge

It’s been to Knights Ferry to see the covered bridge and mill. See link for more info. We went here on Friday with Jeff’s brother. http://www.pashnit.com/roads/cal/KnightsFerry.htm

On Saturday we took a meander around the foothills southeast of Plymouth, through the Shenandoah Valley, up through Fiddletown, Volcano, back to Sutter Creek and home.

The Shenandoah Valley School. This bell called the children of Shenandoah Valley to school since 1852. The school district was first named Williams after the family with the most children, then changed to Shenandoah in 1916. In 1952 with the creation of the Oro Madre School District children attended school in Plymouth. The schoolhouse became home to the community center.

- Mary

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Two-time Grammy Award winning musician performs for Williams + Paddon

group photo of class participants with Mary

Mary Youngblood performs

Terry and Jim take lessons from Mary

It all started with the silent auction and bidding of a beautifully handcrafted wooden flute created by Ed Easter, who generously donated the flute along with an autographed copy of Mary Youngblood’s latest CD Sacred Place, to the Sierra Adoption Boutique fundraiser. Of course, at the Silent Auction there was only one winning bidder for the flute, so when Ed discovered others were interested in his finely crafted instrument he made several more and sold additional flutes to Jim Williams and Terry Green and donated the additional proceeds to Sierra Adoption. I later learned that Stephen Kleinhans and Robert Wallis were also proud owners of an Ed Easter handmade flute.

Mary Youngblood who is a two-time Grammy Award winning Native American flutist and an accomplished and well respected musician is also a friend of Ed’s, so to inspire us to learn to play the artfully crafted flutes we purchased, he arranged to have Mary perform a mini concert for everyone’s enjoyment, which followed with a two hour flute lesson (taught by Mary) for anyone who was interested. Jim, Terry, and I participated in the class along with another friend of Ed’s. We really enjoyed Mary’s warmth and humor and appreciated her expertise in the art of flute playing. She truly makes it look easy.

According to her bio, Mary is classically trained on several instruments, and has been playing the flute for over 40 years. She is one of the premiere Native American flute players/musicians in the country. Winner of numerous awards, she received the 2002 GRAMMY for Beneath the Raven Moon. She twice received Flutist of the Year along with Best Female Artist from the Native American Music Awards for her other releases. You can also hear Youngblood on her 2004 Grammy Nominated- Feed the Fire, Heart of the World and The Offering. The album "Dance with the wind” was a 2006 Grammy Award Winner- Best Native American Music Album. In 2008, Mary was nominated for an EMMY Award for 'Composer,' for her work in the documentary The Spirit of Sacajawea. The film won two Emmy Awards, for Production and Editing!

Rose

To learn more about Mary Youngblood go to Website: www.maryoungblood.com

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Get out and walk

On October 2nd-4th, thousands of women and men will unite and walk 60 miles through San Francisco. The Breast Cancer 3-Day is a weekend of hope, as we honor lives lost, celebrate survivors, promote breast cancer research and help bring breast cancer care to those who so desperately need it.

In honor of my mother, who is a survivor of breast cancer, I have committed myself to walk and have agreed to raise a minimum of $2,300 to help fight breast cancer. Net proceeds from the Breast Cancer 3-Days benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure to fund breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment programs, as well as the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund, to provide an endowment for breast cancer initiatives. In order to reach my goal, I am asking for your support in the form of a monetary donation.

Unfortunately, breast cancer has become an all too common occurrence among women and men throughout the world. Now is the time to take action to help end this disease. The more funds that I raise, the sooner we can end this fight. More information about the Breast Cancer 3-Day can be found at www.The3Day.org or by calling 800.996.3DAY; I can be reached at 916-786-8178. Thank you for your support and consideration and please forward this to anyone that is interested.


Sincerely,
Anda Grenfell

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Here's some good funification

Below are the 25 best "Bushisms" as reported bt MSN's Slate Magazine. Enjoy the laugh.

1. "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."—Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004
2. "I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family."—Greater Nashua, N.H., Chamber of Commerce, Jan. 27, 2000
3. "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"—Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000
4. "Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across the country."—Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004
5. "Neither in French nor in English nor in Mexican."—declining to answer reporters' questions at the Summit of the Americas, Quebec City, Canada, April 21, 2001
6. "You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.''—Townsend, Tenn., Feb. 21, 2001
7. "I'm the decider, and I decide what is best. And what's best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the secretary of defense."—Washington, D.C., April 18, 2006
8. "See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda."—Greece, N.Y., May 24, 2005
9. "I've heard he's been called Bush's poodle. He's bigger than that."—discussing former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, as quoted by the Sun newspaper, June 27, 2007
10. "And so, General, I want to thank you for your service. And I appreciate the fact that you really snatched defeat out of the jaws of those who are trying to defeat us in Iraq."—meeting with Army Gen. Ray Odierno, Washington, D.C., March 3, 2008
11. "We ought to make the pie higher."—South Carolina Republican debate, Feb. 15, 2000
12. "There's an old saying in Tennessee—I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee—that says, fool me once, shame on—shame on you. Fool me—you can't get fooled again."—Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002
13. "And there is distrust in Washington. I am surprised, frankly, at the amount of distrust that exists in this town. And I'm sorry it's the case, and I'll work hard to try to elevate it."—speaking on National Public Radio, Jan. 29, 2007
14. "We'll let our friends be the peacekeepers and the great country called America will be the pacemakers."—Houston, Sept. 6, 2000
15. "It's important for us to explain to our nation that life is important. It's not only life of babies, but it's life of children living in, you know, the dark dungeons of the Internet."—Arlington Heights, Ill., Oct. 24, 2000
16. "One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures."—U.S. News & World Report, Jan. 3, 2000
17. "People say, 'How can I help on this war against terror? How can I fight evil?' You can do so by mentoring a child; by going into a shut-in's house and say I love you."—Washington, D.C., Sept. 19, 2002
18. "Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's trustworthiness."—CNN online chat, Aug. 30, 2000
19. "I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep on the soil of a friend."—on the prospect of visiting Denmark, Washington, D.C., June 29, 2005
20. "I think it's really important for this great state of baseball to reach out to people of all walks of life to make sure that the sport is inclusive. The best way to do it is to convince little kids how to—the beauty of playing baseball."—Washington, D.C., Feb. 13, 2006
21. "Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream."—LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000
22. "You know, when I campaigned here in 2000, I said, I want to be a war president. No president wants to be a war president, but I am one."—Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 26, 2006
23. "There's a huge trust. I see it all the time when people come up to me and say, 'I don't want you to let me down again.' "—Boston, Oct. 3, 2000
24. "They misunderestimated me."—Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000
25. "I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office."—Washington, D.C., May 12, 2008

-Brian L.

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Urban Art

So there I was, walking trough the alley's of Midtown late last Saturday and spotted this little piece of urban art. I am not affiliated with any particular party but find the buzz around the changing of the guard exciting. The image can be seen in the alley next to Old Soul Coffee...around 18th and Capital.

- Brian L.

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WP University

With the first classes starting in a few weeks, the all out marketing effort has commenced. We sat down and started thinking about our days as school children and the fond memories of the first day of school. And by "fond memories" I am of course referring to the knee shaking, cold sweat, minor anxiety attack feeling everyone gets as they walk into the classroom of unfamiliar faces. No worries though, these classes are intended to be fun and informative...with no homework! At your desks you'll find some grade school supplies...a folder for papers, a #2 pencil, a scantron sheet, and a brown bag with an apple. You'll also find a little WP University pennant. Be sure to flip it over, each one has a different quote...and when you've read yours go and read your neighbors and so on and so forth. All of this was intended to bring you back to your school days and remind people to go to HRconnection to sign up for classes...before they fill up!

Anda, Shannon, Brian L., Nora, Terry, Jack and Naaz

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Rose Bowl Parade, Roseville style

Believe in Music float

"floor plan" of Believe in Music float
Roseville's entry...

To kick off its Centennial year the City of Roseville entered a float in the Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena. I went on a bus trip with the City’s Parks & Recreation department led by one of my friends Jamie Carlson. Glad I did. Included in the trip was some quality time to decorate the float. Every inch of the float (including trap doors & handles) were covered with some type of natural material. For example, seaweed was used for the black part of the train on the Roseville float. I got to cut flower petals, put some roses into the base of the float. Fun and sort of relaxing at the same time!

- Naaz

[Note from the Editor] This would have been posted sooner but Naaz had to have the film developed...yes, i said film. As in the 35mm point and shoot disposable (with flash) darkroom required type of film.

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A Different Kind of Computer Screen

Arizona State University's Flexible Display Center and HP recently announced a prototype of a flexible lightweight computer screen that stands to revolutionize computers and electronic devices. These new computer screens are printed onto plastic sheets that are virtually indestructible, use less energy and are less costly to produce than conventional screens. These new displays could potentially use up to 90% less material by volume to produce as well. (info from Inhabitat.com)

- Brian L.

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Finally...some respect.

I hope this doesn't add more “air” to the men’s heads around here:) Just in case... I’ll keep a pin handy.

-Aerie

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Team High Score

Before the start optimism of a great round abounds

Optimism gone, replaced with awards for Highest Team Score.

Greg and I took top honors of High Team Score back on October 17th at the 2008 Interface Engineering California Client Golf Invitational. Proceeds from the tournament went to Feeding America, which provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, Feeding America’s network members supply food to more than 25 million Americans each year, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors.

For those not in the versed in golf lingo, "High Score" is not a good thing.

- Tom

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Tahoe Winter

I took these pictures (8 pictures combined into a panorama) on Jan 1st from the 6,400 foot elevation overlooking Lake Tahoe, just south of Tahoe City and above the area of Sunnyside.

- Beverly

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new ruler

Foot long hoagie used as a ruler. [note]... Accuracy of ruler changes depending on hunger.

-Liz

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