Blogs

Enter my obsession over books about Antarctica. I don't know that I'll ever get to visit there, but I do love to read about it, both in fiction and nonfiction. While there is a vast body of literature about Antarctic explorers such as Amundsen, Shackleton, and Scott, my reading about the cold continent tends to be about modern folks--scientists and other curious types--who have recorded their time there and are often studying the (few) animals that live there, along with other studies including climate change, the earth's history, and even the possibilities of life on Mars.

The presentation will be Sunday, March 3 at 2 p.m. at Schlessman.

Shaul Gabbay was born and raised in Tel Aviv. The son of Jewish Arab refugees, he was educated in Israel, received his Ph.D. from Columbia University, and completed his postdoctoral studies at the University of Chicago. Born in Haifa, Amin Kazak became a Palestinian refugee in 1948. Kazak completed advanced degrees from the American University in Beirut, Lebanon, and earned a Ph.D. from the University of Denver.

Hope you can join us for this special (and free) event: The DGMC has put together a set of music that is both secular and spiritual. The choir will be led by their guest Artistic Director, Dr. Tim Seelig from the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus.

Music Down In Our Souls: The Denver Gay Men’s Chorus

Saturday, March 2, 1-2 p.m.
McNichols Building at Civic Center Park, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver 80202

They, along with millions of other people, practice Pilates. 

German-born Joseph Pilates (1883-1967) was a bullied, sickly child who suffered from asthma, rickets, and rheumatic fever.  As he grew up, he devoted his life to developing a self-improvement system, drawn from Zen and the ancient Greek notion of a man ideal in body, mind and spirit.  He came to believe that bad posture and improper breathing were the causes of poor health. 

The folks from Painting Soiree will introduce you to Acrylic Painting on Friday, February 22, 2013 from 2-4 p.m. at the Bear Valley Branch. Bring home your first masterpiece! Please register: 720-865-0975 or fclmybranch@denverlibrary.org.

Lots of choices for Saturday, February 23 at 2 p.m.:

On New Years Eve of 1981, thirteen year old McGill was walking home with a friend, when he was struck by the bullet of an unknown assailant, leaving him a quadriplegic for life. This memoir is a personal letter to his unknown assailant, who McGill calls Marcus.

The data surrounding violence and youth is alarming.

Forbes Magazine reports that 2013 will be the year that this relatively new method of fundraising will consolidate, rather than expand -- it's time for the leaders with quality sites to prevail, much like Amazon, Ebay or Craigslist did.

Crowdfunding can be divided into these categories:

Unbounded: Breaking the Chains of Modern Day Slavery
Tuesday, February 19, 7-8 p.m.
Central Library, Level 7 Vida Ellison Gallery

Created by Marta Burton, this free concert is a multi-media performance which draws upon the music, historical narratives and images of Jewish and African American experiences of oppression and slavery, to raise awareness of those enslaved globally today. After the performance, meet with representatives of local organizations and individuals that work to end current day slavery.

In our fast-paced, hurried society it is difficult to avoid having stress in our lives. Some stress helps us aim high and reach our potential. Too much stress can cause us to become depressed and even sick.

Play is often thought as frivolous and only for children, but The National Institute for Play founded by Stuart Brown, M.D. recognizes that it is important for the productivity and health of all humans. There are thousands of ways to play both individually and with others.

Below find a few resources on play and stress reduction.

"Because you liked the intergenerational family connections in Robinson’s Gilead, you may enjoy The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Díaz. Spanning the entire 20th century, Díaz follows a family through a curse that’s passed from generation to generation. Really interesting characters, and though there are tragic aspects to the story, it is not a depressing read."