Go to the International Friends Webpages
All our meetings and classes are at GMT -5.
Hello, Friends.
Have you seen the full moon this week? It is one of the most glorious! The first full moon of the year is know as the Wolf Moon.
Time is Relative
Our world is changing and expanding. We can meet, socialize, work and learn with people in many locations online. We are not limited by space, but we have to pay attention to time. As we meet around the clock, how do we make sure we are together? GMT or Greenwich (pronounced GREN ich) Mean Time have people joining us across many time zones. Complicating factors for figuring out what time it is where is the practice of Daylight Savings Time. In Indiana (for the most part), we are on EST (Eastern Standard Time) and GMT -5:00 or five hours behind the world clock. Check out this site that helps you understand and gives gadgets to learn more.
Save the February Dates
February is Black History Month in the United States and Canada the recognizes the achievements of the race of people from the African diaspora.
Feb. 2 Two for One: Groundhog Day and Candlemas
- Groundhog Day: This is the day when we find out if we have six more weeks of winter or if we will have an early spring as predicted by the very large rodent called a groundhog. If the groundhog sees his shadow then we will have six more weeks of winter. FYI the first day of spring is March 20. Bill Murry has a delightful film about this legendary day called (a drumroll, please) Groundhog Day! You can find the movie on Amazon Prime.
- Candlemas: This isn't a typically celebrated day in the U.S. It is the day that Jesus was presented to the temple and Mary (his mother) was purified or cleared to participate in public gatherings. In Mexico, the person who got the piece of cake with the "baby" is responsible for hosting a tamale party.
Feb. 11 Butler University Elektronik Musik Fest
Feb.14 Valentine’s Day: Celebrate with all your sweeties! In the U.S. children give cards to their school friends. Families celebrate with chocolate, cake and small gifts.
Feb. 18 Look @ the skies at 6:45 p.m. the Moon and Mars will occupy the same location in the night sky. Meanwhile, at 3:55 p.m. NASA will attempt to land the rover that was launched in 2020 on Mars.
To Do
Try Your Hand at These 10 Winter Indiana Jigsaw Puzzles: Puzzle Friends, you will love this link. Take a mental break without leaving your tech (and we all know we hate to leave our tech) or cluttering up your kitchen table (where would we get to eat?).
Do Not Call Registry
Do you have a lot of SPAM calls? Do you screen all of your calls so you won't get stuck? Sign up for the Do Not Call Registry. You can report phone numbers that are calling.
COVID-19
Good news! The vaccines are out and people are getting vaccinated! There are many questions about the viability, efficacy and safety of the vaccines. The CDC has a nice explanation of the new mRNA vaccines. While some people have hesitated to get the new vaccine, there are vaccine chasers who are people that wait outside vaccination sites in the hopes of getting leftover or unused vaccinations that might be disposed of. Other vaccine chasers are traveling to states hoping to be able to be part of the demographic receiving a vaccination.
J&J announced vaccine success for the DNA based, one shot vaccine that has a longer shelf life as well as easier storage. This vaccine is preliminarily shown to be 66% effective. This vaccine is awaiting FDA approval. Read more in the Wall Street Journal.
Cleared for Travel: Many countries are trying to limit exposure to the new variants. To travel to the U.S. from other countries, people will need to have a negative PCR test or a letter from a physician affirming that they have had COVID and can not catch or give it to others. Meanwhile, the new variants have these rules changing. Stay tuned!
Stories and More: Monday, 10:30-11:30
We read the story about Johnny Lion who had are really bad cold. He has to take medicine to feel better.
February 1: We are starting a new month. Be sure to pick up your February and March packets from Carolyn's porch. Email if you need her address.
American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:30
We reviewed just about everything we learned. We have a new drop box folder that has all of our resources in it. Join us and learn a new language.
February 1: This week we are talking about careers.
International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30
We were talking about relationships and how they can change and need mending. In our reading we discovered that once again Jesus has the answer for our changing relationships. His disciples were eating and drinking instead of praying and fasting. When questioned, Jesus answered: "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? The time will come when he will be taken away. Then they will fast." Jesus points out that our relationships are fleeting, special and to be celebrated. Luke 5: 33-39
Jesus' answers were very helpful for us in considering all the changes in our lives. When we are confronted by new circumstances or need to mend our relationships, we can't apply the old methods or practices. People long for the old ways but sometimes the new doesn't mesh with our old, worn out way of living. We have seen some ups and downs lately. Complaining is normal. The old or previous way was always better. We learn to adjust and the past is over and done. Jesus advises that we will always long for the good old days when the new circumstances require completely new practices. This has never been any more evident than this past year.
February 2: We will talk about Luke 6: 1-11 where Jesus' disciples continue to flaunt the customs.
International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30-12:00
We had a great planning meeting and talked about our upcoming celebrations: Groundhog Day and Candlemas.
February 2: Click here to go to our ingredient list and cook along with us!
Afternoon Conversation: Wednesday, 4:30-6:00
We had a "mom" conversation. We talked about the new and old ways of caring for our children when they are very young. We talked about first foods. For a long time, we were advised not to introduce foods like peanuts before a certain age, but now the CDC advises that holding back on solid foods is not necessary unless someone in the family has an allergy. We also talked about how infants are supposed to sleep: current guidelines suggest they sleep on their backs. In Japan this heavy metal song Poison by Takashi Sorimachi is famed for putting babies to sleep.
English Classes: Thursdays, 9:30-12:00
We have space in our standard classes. If you have been missing our classes, come back. Join us as we improve our knowledge.
February 4: We have less than 15 sessions in the year! Time flies.
End of the Week Conversation: Friday, 10:30-12:00 (and more)
What a great end of the week. We started talking about schools in Hamilton County. The high schools are large and have wonderful opportunities for our children to explore and learn. There are so many opportunities for our children. One of our Friends has a child leaving Middle School and beginning at HSC. To get a taste of the mindset of the schools and leadership in our community, listen to this Pivot Podcast and our commitment to our children and understand the decision making by a master in the field.
February 5: Thank you for the conversation to close out the week. It is always a pleasure to meet with you and hear what is on your mind.
diaspora: the dispersion or movement of a group of people from their homeland
SPAM: unwanted or unsolicited calls sent to a large amount of people
viability: ability to work successfully
efficacy: ability to produce desired results
demographic: a specific population or group of people
J&J: Johnson and Johnson
one shot: this is a pun...one shot usually means able to achieve something in one try
delightful: pleasant
cleared: declared
fleeting: time that passes quickly
a certain age: not specific time, Usually this is used to talk about a woman's age...she is no longer young, but not old
solid foods: any food that is not liquid
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