Wrapping up February

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Meetings and classes are GMT-5 or Eastern Standard Time.

Hello, Friends,

When you consider weather here in Indiana you can always trust that it will change. The end of February brought us snow and ice and temperatures in the teens followed the next week with weather in the 40s and 50s and even the 60s (Fahrenheit that is)! The Sandhill Cranes are on their way North and so are many water fowl. 

We had some great news this week! Because of the lower COVID numbers in Indiana, CLC is opening the classrooms and meeting rooms. I will be asking your opinion about meeting in person. Please let me know if you are interested in this. Also, as we plan for the upcoming year, please be thinking about how you would like to meet in the future. Zoom is always a great tool for us to get together. It is particularly useful for our friends from out of state.

Wrapping up February and Marching into March! 

We love to try and predict our weather. The saying goes that if March comes in like a lion it will go out like a lamb but if March comes in like a lamb it will go out like a lion. Expect the weather to swing from warm to cold to warm and from blustery to gentle to blustery. Click for a page of poetry about March and lions and lambs. Poetry helps with pronunciation, cadence and rhythm of our language.

• March Madness: GO B-ball! The NCAA basketball 🏀 tournaments take place
• March 15: Daylight Savings Time 
• March17: St. Patrick’s Day
• March 20: First Day of Spring (equinox)
• March 24, 7:30 P.M.: Virtual Concert The Warrior Kings, Free!
• March 28: Palm Sunday (the beginning of Holy Week) and the first day of Passover 

Finger Names

We had a very interesting conversation about fingers. We have talked about how different cultures use their fingers differently when counting, pointing and gesturing. Some gestures that are ok in one language are extremely rude in another. 

• Thumb 
• Index finger or pointer
• Middle finger
• Ring finger
• Pinkie or little finger

English

Pronunciation or accent? This is a conundrum. We talk about how we run into trouble when we are trying to understand or being understood. Pronunciation refers to being able to say a word so it is understood by the listener--as you intended it to be understood. An accent refers to the stress or emphasis within a word. Sometimes our natural accent causes mispronunciation and misunderstanding. We enjoyed comparing words that have caused problems for us in the past. Long "e" is sometimes pronounced like short "i" causing some confusion: beach and sheet are two that are two that can cause people to give you a strange look. 

Don Quixote

The second most sold book ever is Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes (the first is the Bible). This book was originally written in Spanish, but has been translated into English and many other languages. 

• Here is the Ballet by the Russian Bolshoi which needs no language.
• Here is the opera sung in Spanish performed in Paris.
• Here is the movie from 1957 in Russian.
• Here is the preschool Donkey Hodie by Fred Rogers.
• Project Gutenberg has pdf versions to read in Spanish and English as well as other languages. 

Join us as we read and talk about this wonderful book that has captured the imagination. Stay tuned for the day and time we begin!

COVID-19

Indiana statewide COVID numbers dropped below 5%. Now people 60 years and older can schedule to get the vaccine. News about the Pfizer and Moderna vaccinations continue to be positive. Johnson & Johnson is waiting approval. 

Concerns about vaccines being wasted because the scheduled patient didn't show up for his or her appointment has become a hot topic. People eager to get the vaccines wait outside clinics to get leftover shots. Different facilities have wait lists for people to get these vaccines. You can get your name on a wait list if you meet current eligibility (for example: 60 or older, a health care professional, a first responder) and you can be called. If you can be at the site within the time specified (usually 30 minutes). People working the vaccination clinics can be offered the vaccinations first. Some sites were not following the guidelines by the state. The state has made these guidelines clear.

• This Article from the South Bend Tribune explains more: Want to Get on the Vaccine Standby List in Indiana? Here's How. 
• The standby lists help. How to Get on the Waitlist from WISH TV also explains the list. 
• Vaccine Hunters tells about the Facebook page that was started to help get vaccines in arms.
• Indiana Clamps Down on Covid-19 Eligibity, Clinics tells the story about how people outside the parameters were getting Indiana vaccines.
• This article from CNN tells more about booster shots, mask wearing, distancing, quarantining for 10 days, visiting out doors and washing your hands. 

Mental Health

Staying physically healthy is a priority. Disease and worry can take a toll on you mental wellbeing. This great page from Asbestosis.com has a great resource page about mental health and coping with mesothelioma both as the patient and the caregiver. Additionally, within the site, there are resources to help people with this disease all over the world.

Stories and More: Monday, 10:30-11:30 A.M. 
International Stories and More: Saturday, 7:00 P.M. EST or Sunday, 9:00 A.M>

We had fun with penguins! Check out these great stories and songs.

Count the penguins one to ten and ten to one with this song.

Penguins Make Bad Pirates story.

March 1: Wow! We start a new month. Get ready for St. Patrick's Day and other fun holidays. March's color is green!

American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:30

There are different communities and dialects of ASL. In the black community there is a distinct "accent" to the signing. There are particular words or signs in

Deaf U on Netflix follows the life of some students as they go through

Black ASL or BASL is a dialect of ASL. This YouTube explains What is Black ASL. 

Black, Deaf and Extremely Online is a great NY Times article that tracks the development of this language into the contemporary expression on line. Conceptually, BASL is a great a "family" language that helps people communicate with one another.

March 1: Join the conversation. Learn to talk with your hands!

International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30 A.M.

Luke 6:27-36 tells us Jesus' teaching about loving your enemies. This is such a difficult and counterintuitive lesson. There is a great deal to learn about this topic and to learn about ourselves:

It is easy to think abstractly about national enemies that we have little contact. We noted:

• Justice is the job of of the government and authorities. It is not our job to exact retribution.
• Life is more about things, it is about feelings. 
• Jesus teaches this for personal peace.
• Enemies are not far and distant; they can be neighbors and family.
• It is important to identify our enemies and not let them control our lives. By showing love we show control.
• This teaching keeps us from breaking laws both legal and moral. We can have no regrets when we act from a position of love.

As we talked we discovered the wisdom in not acting with revenge or anger. 

March 2: Join us as we read part two to this lesson Luke 6:37-42: Don't judge others!

International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30-12:00 A.M.

We shared life hacks. Great advice comes from our friends to simplify life and keep our house spic and span.

March 2: Let's talk about allergies. Do you have any? What remedies do you use?

Afternoon Conversation: Wednesday, 4:30-6:00

We delved a little deeper into Excel. This program had wonderful capabilities. Most people barely scratch the surface of what can be done. Excel (and other spread sheets) offer capabilities to automatically display your data in a variety of graphs. Pick the option that best displays what you want to convey.

March 3: We will open with conversation and then get back to learning Excel and pivot tables.

English Classes: Thursday, 9:30-12:00

 It is great to visit each of the class. Overhearing what is on everyone's mind is always helpful.

March 4: Join us on Zoom to learn about each other and to learn to us our English to be understood.

End of the Week Conversation: Friday, 10:30-12:00

Discussion around education, education history and practice in Indiana and the United States. It was interesting to talk about whether

additionally: and

barely scratch the surface: hardly touch, start to cover a topic

caregiver: someone who is responsible for the health and well being of another

comedy: funny

convey: show or tell

different/differently: not the same

out of state: not from the state 

spic and span: squeaky clean, spotless

take a toll, exact a toll: something that causes damage

talk with your hands: use gestures to make your point

that is: a phrase used to explain something

tragedy: sad event or story

water fowl: ducks, geese, etc.

I guess we can trust the groundhog!

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Hello, Friends.

It looks like our groundhog was very right with his predictions! The snow on Monday was one for the records. Meanwhile we can be sure spring is coming: This week marks the 100 days to the Indy 500! Watch the news clip and find out if we will have fans in the stand and see Takuma Sato get his face on the trophy!

Holidays Missed, But Don't Worry: There Are Fish Frys

February 16: Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras is the feast day before Lent for Christians. Break out your King Cakes! This time we celebrate Cajun Style. The city of New Orleans in Louisiana is best known for Mardi Gras Celebrations, but that doesn't mean that we have to be left out!

February 17: Ash Wednesday signals the beginning of Lent or the 40 days of repentance and fasting

Lenten Fish Dinners: During Lent Catholic (and other) churches host fish fries. This is a particularly favorite tradition in the Midwestern and Northeastern states.

• February 19, March 12, March 26: Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Click for the menu. Drive through only behind the parish hall.
• Every Friday 5:00-7:30 St. Elizabeth Seton: Click for the menu (more than fried fish and details) Eat in and curbside pickup is available.

Suggestions and Springtime!

Two Homes One Heart virtual performance February 20, 7:00-8:30, $20-30

Indiana Free Fishing Days: in order to fish in our parks, rivers and streams people need to have fishing licenses. You can get yours online. But if you just want to casually "wet a line" as my uncle used to say, Indiana Department of Natural Resources hosts some free fishing days. Mark you calendar: May 2, June 5-6 and September 25, 2021.

How Do I Find a Good Movie Or My Next Binge?

• IMBd is a great place to find out what other people think of a movie. Movies and programs are ranked up to 10 stars by viewers. Amazon Prime uses this 
• Rotten Tomatoes is named for the old style practice of throwing rotten fruit and vegetables at performers to show displeasure. Rather than ranking by stars, Rotten Tomatoes gives a percentile score.

STEM in the Kitchen

The Betty Lab by the Betty Crocker turns the kitchen into a laboratory. Cooking is science and physics. Betty Crocker has partnered with Barbie to create a program 

Pronouncing H...Not Really

One observation about English (both American and British) is that the letter "h" sometimes is not really pronounced or evident. There are words where "h" just is never said: herb (erb), heir (air), honest (AH ist), honor (AH ner). Then there are those times when people do not pronounce the "h" during conversation because the preceding word ends with a strong sound that obliterates the softer "h" sound. Some examples:

• "Let her in." sounds like "Letter in."
• "Give it to him." sounds like "Give i twim."
• "Put it here" sounds like "Puddid ear."

 To complicate the matter further, we may write A Historic Event or An Historic Event delves deeper into when we say "an" with a word beginning with the "silent h" (because it sounds better) as opposed to when we write "a" (because it looks better).

Pronunciation or Accent and Just How Do We Study

We talked about studying alone. There were a bunch of great tips shared. Here they are in question form for food for thought:

• Do you use flash cards?
• Do you use Post Its on the wall and label everything in your home?
• Do you write the sound an English word makes in your home language pronunciation or do you use English pronunciation?
• Do you create at least seven examples and sentences to help you use what you have learned in daily living?
• Do you review what you studied last week after giving yourself time to either forget or let the information settle in your mind?
• Do you talk to yourself? Do you carry on conversations and practice questions and answers?
• When you say a word in a way that sounds like a completely different word to American English ears is that an issue with accent or is that an issue with your pronunciation skill?

In, At and On

These three prepositions are often confused. This is because they can indicate place or time!

For Example: Meet me at the school on Main Street in room 110 at10:00 in the morning on May 15.

Exchanging Pleasantries

People in Indiana (and other places) often greet each other whether they know each other or not. They greet in a very casual or familiar way that may leave you wondering whether you have met them before (even though you know you haven't since we rarely get out these days!). Say you are pumping gas and someone pulls up to the other pump and hops out of their car. Or you are out on a walk and encounter another person. You make brief eye contact and the following conversation might happen. 

Him: Hey there!

You: Hey! Hi! How are you?

Him: Fine thanks. You?

You: Doing well!

No, he probably doesn't want to be friends. Yes, he is just acknowledging that you made eye contact.

Many years ago I was in the Indy 500 Parade in 2011 when a golf cart was going past. I recognized one of the men in the cart but couldn't remember where I knew him from. Do I say hello? I better because he might be offended and I will hear about it later when we meet. So, I yelled and waved:

Me: Hey! Hi! How are you?

Him: Hi! Doing well! You?

Me: Doing well! Great day for a parade!

Him: It sure is!

The golf cart sped on it's way. Meanwhile, I remembered the man's name...Anderson Cooper. Whew! Wait? ANDERSON COOPER! He was the parade grand marshal that year. Hmmm. I doubt if he  remembers me or our exchange of pleasantries. Regardless, it is always good to show hospitality. Sometimes that might be the nicest thing that will happen to that person that day. 

International Stories and More: Saturday, 7:00-7:30 P.M. EST/Sunday, 9:00-9:30 A.M. JST

We are continuing our pilot of Stories and More with our Japanese friends. We talked about Valentine's Day and how it is a day to show people how much we care. We counted to ten and learned how Americans count on our fingers. We discovered that it isn't easy to pronounce the word "heart". This word rhymes with art not out.

February 28: We meet again!

Stories and More: Monday, 10:30-11:00 A.M.

We told each other about our Valentine's Day. We counted to 16 because that is how many cards one of our friends gave to her friends at school. 

We Love You Clifford 

Since it it snowy and cold, we danced to the Christmas Freeze Dance. 

February 22: We will continue winter fun with penguins!

American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:30 P.M.

We had a great review and built on time like time of day, how to say the months. We had great discussion about using the words yes and no and right and wrong. When learning a new language we always fall back to yes and no when we really need to indicate right (or correct) and wrong (or incorrect).

International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30 A.M.

Jesus teaches about the ups and downs in life. We hope things always go well and we can be happy, but life does not always go that way. Jesus teaches in Luke 6:17-26 that when things are at their worst, you can find comfort and strength in him and from other people. Jesus further explains the teaching of Isaiah 5:20 where people confuse things in life...Not that riches, being full, or being admired is bad, but when you trust in yourself and your situation, that situation can change and you will be left wanting.

There were great words:

• weep: deep sadness when your eyes water
• woe: great sorrow or distress

February 23: Join us as we talk about Luke 6:21-36; Jesus teaches to love your enemies!

International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30-12:00

We didn't share life hacks. We did have a sharing just about everything else! 

February 24: Let's try again to share life hacks.

Afternoon Conversation: Wednesday, 4:30-6:00 P.M.

Once again we got sidetracked. We didn't get around to Excel in time. 

February 25: Join us to learn more about how to use Excel and other spreadsheets.

English Classes: Thursday, 9:30-12:00

Students trickled into our Zoom because of the snow day so we had a group discussion for a while. 

February 26: Join us! We miss you!

End of the Week Conversation: Friday, 10:30-12:00

Although we got a late start (and thank you for understanding), we certainly made up for it! We still managed to get our full time in and then some. 

February 27: Join the conversation. There is much to say to wrap up the week and get ready for the weekend.

and then some: even more than was required or expected

be left wanting: unfulfilled

fall back to/on: resort to

food for thought: consider or think about something

get out: leave home

get our full time in: use the complete time

just about everything else: we talked about a lot of stuff

make brief eye contact: see each other

made up for it: do something that compensates for a loss

news clip: short informational video

one for the records: a or an historic event; because of the unsaid "h" people say "an" but because

pilot: test

these days: recently

trickled into: arrived slowly

wrap up: conclude

International Friends End of the Week Conversation

 Hello, Friends.

End of the Week Conversation starts at 11:00 this week. 

Stay warm!

Happy Valentine's Day

Go to our webpages for more.

All our meetings are GMT -5 or Eastern Standard Time time

Happy Valentine's Day, Sweeties.

Valentine's Day is for everyone! In the U.S. Valentine's Day isn't just for sweethearts. It is for families and friends. Our children exchange Valentines in school with their classmates. High School students can show their affection for friends by buying carnations or Val-ograms (notes delivered to a class) as a booster or fund raiser. You may be surprised at how many people show affection for their friends and neighbors on this day with small gifts. Nothing goes better with Valentine's Day than some romantic music or outing.

• Here is a link to the Center for the Performing Arts Valentine's Day playlist.
• Lift your spirits and sing and move along to the classic romantic song Heart and Soul with American Senior Communities. Be sure to view and sing along to other romantic favorites.
• Ideas for celebrating Valentine’s Day in Hamilton County from the Hamilton County Reporter
• And more ideas from Visit Hamilton County

Presidents Day or Washington's Birthday

• Officially the holiday is named Washington's Birthday honoring our first president. George Washington. Be sure to visit the links within the article. There is some great history embedded the article. 
• Presidents Day has become the unofficial name of this holiday and often encompasses recognizing other presidents who have serve our country. This tradition came following the Civil War to honor Abraham Lincoln.
• February 12 is Abraham Lincoln's birthday. Some state and local governments officially recognize this day: Indiana, Illinois, Connecticut, Ohio, Texas, California and New York. 
• We split the difference between Washington's and Lincoln's and celebrate on the Monday that is between the two days and call that holiday Presidents Day. Other presidents
• Monday, February 15 is a Federal holiday, so expect official offices to be closed.
• Look for some great sales over the weekend!

Baseball Sign Ups

Youth recreation and travel baseball leagues are forming teams. Little League Baseball has been around since the 1930s. You can learn more about how to get involved nationally and locally. Because of the pandemic, many states and local governments may have restrictions, so be sure to check your local announcements. Closer to home: 

• Noblesville Baseball
• Carmel Dad's Club
• Mudsocks Youth Baseball League in Fishers
• Zionsville Little League

There are adult leagues for your kids at heart

• Indiana Baseball League: sign-ups closed January 31, but you can apply to play as openings occur for local teams 18+ to 30+.
• The National Adult Baseball League (NABL) can help you find a league to play in or manage. You can even see about starting a league of your own.

Madam C.J. Walker

What better way to celebrate Black History Month than to learn about a Hoosier Heroine. Madam C.J. Walker was the freeborn daughter of slaves who was orphaned when she was seven. She was married when she was 14. She became a widow when she was 20. She was the first American woman to become a millionaire and employed tens of thousands of women selling beauty products. 

Watch: 

Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker on Netflix: the biography of the first female self made millionaire in America. 

Listen: 

• This Headstrong episode gives you a quick (2:32 or two minutes and thirty-two seconds) overview of her life and story.
• This No Limits interview with A'lelia Bundles the author of On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker.
• Listen to the book: Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker by A'lelia Bundle; Kindle and Audible 

Read: 

• On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker by A'lelia Bundle
• Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker by A'lelia Bundle; Kindle and Audible, and Nook
• Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business (A Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls) by Salini Perera
• Or search the public library (for example from Carmel Clay Library) Search | Carmel Clay Public Library | BiblioCommons

Visit: 

The Madam Walker Legacy Center in the Madam Walker Theater. Go to the site and see the theatre by drone and learn more about Madam C.J. Walker and her impact on business and American culture and rights. Go to the physical building 617 Indiana Avenue, Indianapolis in person.

Study from Home

• During the Polio epidemic children in the United States had classes from home by radio. This interesting article from the Creative Commons talks about how 
• Jolly Phonics e-readers are available free of charge. Click on the links to download the books to enjoy on your computers, phones and tablets for on the go reading.
• Worksheet Fun has worksheets to print and try at home (or maybe even on your tablet: take a screen shot of the worksheet and save the sheet to photos. Use the edit tools to write your answers.)

More on Fraud Protection

Indiana Identify Theft Action Steps identifies the steps you can take when your identity is compromised or stolen. Proactive steps include checking your bank account balances weekly and Social Security accounts regularly. Be aware of your bank's policy protecting what appear to be legitimate withdrawals. Who is Responsible for Fraudulent Withdrawals from a Checking Account? reminds that you are ultimately responsible for money that is drawn from your accounts no matter how it is obtained.

There is a difference between automatic bill payments and automatic debt payments. In one you authorize your bank to pay your bill. In the other you authorize the company to withdraw money from your account. This article for 2015 from the consumerfinanace.gov can give you a starting point for understanding how to set up payments.

 

English Pronunciation and Vowel Sounds

Vowel pronunciation in American English can can influence how someone hears what is being said. There are 15 vowel sounds. Long vowels. Short vowels. Other vowels that seem to be less straightforward. Be careful.

English Certification

International Friends does not offer certification. As your progress in your fluency, your skills are evident. Fluency sometimes needs to be documented. The pandemic has opened the doors to new opportunities for on-line assessments. When you need to have an official document of your ability, be sure to ask what are acceptable tests or certifications. There are many options for testing and each organization has different requirements (you can see an example and explanation on this page from NYU). Generally, here is a list of the common tests

• World Education Services and Duolingo offers an explanation of on-line certification benefits (instigated by the pandemic, but not likely to go away any time soon) and an online option.
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System) offers 1600 testing sites in the U.S. and sites internationally.
• TOEFEL is from Educational Testing Service is one of the most established organizations for English certification for business and education.
• Pearson PTE is another established service for educational institutions.
• iTEP is another credible online testing service.
• Cambridge Assessment (University of Cambridge and publishing) offers a number of assessments. C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency 

If you are interested in discovering where you stand, the following online test can help.

• EF SET offers a free online and reliable (they say) English test.

If you need documentation or references, International Friends can assess you using the ESLOA and can write you a letter of reference.

Stories and More: Monday, 10:30 A.M.

We talked about Valentine's Day and how Pete the Cat thought Valentine's Day wasn't cool. Soon Pete discovers that telling people they are special is cool. Note Mrs. B's accent and pronunciation. 

February 15: 

International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30 A.M.

We only talked about Luke 6:12-16. In this story, Luke tells who Jesus chose to be his Apostles. What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle? Disciple follow and apostle (coming from the Greek language is "person sent") are the people who go and share. We tried to imagine why Jesus chose these very different people to serve in the role of teaching the good news.

Get to Know the 12 Apostles of Jesus provides an overview of each apostle and what we know about them. In some cases, all we know is his name! 

• Some of these men Jesus called "The Sons of Thunder!" What a great nickname. What must they have been like?
• Then there is Simon the Zealot. A zealot currently describes someone who is a ideological, political or religious fanatic. But Zealot (with a capital Z) was a member of a Jewish sect that resisted Roman authority and promoted Judaism as the world religion. The group ceased to exist around 70 A.D. Does this indicate Simon's work was successful?

February 16: Join us as we talk about Luke 6:17-26 and teaching called the beatitudes. In this clip Dr. Derwin Gray** talks about how we all desire happiness (Dr. Gray has a textbook, but we will stick to the 10 statements from Luke.). The U.S. Declaration of Independence states

We hold these truths to be self-evident that, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.*

Jesus once again turns over our concepts and teaches that how blessedness or happiness is pursued in adversity.

International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30-12:00 A.M.

We had a fabulous cook along. For anyone who had never prepared a more than a box of Jello, this complex gelatin (spelled gelatine on the packaging) dish will be delighted to know that this beautiful dish is easy! Look how beautiful they turned out:

February 16: Cleaning and organizing can be a problem or can be super fun. Bring your favorite cleaning life hacks to share and make housekeeping a breeze!

Afternoon Conversation: Wednesday 4:30-6:00

Monica led us in learning to use spreadsheets and particularly the Excel version. We discovered that Apple's Numbers spreadsheet application had all the functionality of Excel packaged in a slightly different way. 

February 17: Join us as we continue to learn advanced spreadsheet applications.

English Classes: Thursday, 9:30-12:00 

 Our classes met on this very cold and snowy day. A two-hour delay of the Carmel Clay Schools didn't cancel our classes as they have in the past, thanks to Zoom! Our preliminary discussions focused on the vaccine roll out in Indiana and the strategy of age-based distribution over other demographic distribution models.

February 18: We are continuing to meet in spite of the weather. Join us as we tweak our American English Language skills.

End of the Week Conversation: Friday, 10:30-12:00

 We talked about being a a good neighbor and welcoming new people into our neighborhood. We talked about our experiences in lending a helping hand to our neighbors. Because many people don't have close family to help during emergencies and celebrate our joys. 

When we talk about paying back or paying forward we are not talking about giving money, but we are talking about returning a favor or performing an act of kindness. 

We talked about the difference between reciprocation and retribution. 

• Retribution means to take revenge or to cause harm. Your neighbor's dog digs up your yard and so you dump trash in their driveway.
• Reciprocation means that you show friendship, gratitude or to return a favor "in kind". If you borrow your neighbor's snow shovel, you might shovel their walk. Be careful to use the correct word.

February 19: Which way will the conversation turn? Come and share your thoughts and ideas.

* This paragraph is a quote that is longer than a line or two of text. When this is the case, the quote is separated as a block of text and the quotation marks are removed. Notice in the direct quote that the rights listed are capitalized to draw attention to them. This is not a current grammar convention or practice in document legal or otherwise.

**Fun Fact: Derwin Gray played for the Indianapolis Colts!

a breeze: easy! easy breezy

adversity: difficulties

age-based: a grouping or decision that is driven by people's age 

beatitudes: blessings

booster: show support for a team or cause

closer to home: near where we live

demographic: people groupings

embedded: contained in

endowed: given, graced, provided with

functionality: capability, features

goes better with: complements; accompanies well

in some cases: some but now all of something 

kids at heart: adults that enjoy life 

life hacks: short cuts that make daily tasks easy and enjoyable

lift your spirits: feel happy 

quirks: oddities; particular behaviors or habits

reciprocate: respond to or do the same for

roll out: distribution

show affection: demonstrate that you like or care for someone

split the difference: find a common place in between two dates, times, or costs

stick to: continue or persist

sweeties: affectionate term or name

tweak: make minor adjustments

unalienable: not able to be purchased or sold or transferred to someone else

February is the Shortest...But this Update is the Longest

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All our classes and meetings meet on Zoom GMT -5:00

Happy February Friends! 

This may be the shortest month of the year, but it is a great month! Winter in Indiana can be unpredictable. This weekend we had a heavy wet snow that left inches of slush on the sidewalks and made shoveling difficult. But this snow was perfect for building snowmen and snow forts and making snow balls!

• Best Sledding in Indianapolis Area from Indy With Kids: February brings the snow that makes the nose and fingers glow! What better way to enjoy the weather than by sledding! Here is the list where to go.
• Koteewi Snow Run offers tubing in Noblesville.
• Toboggan Run at Pokagon State Park: Here is another fun for the family opportunity to take advantage of the icy weather.
• Paoli Peaks Check out skiing and tubing here in Indiana!
• Perfect North in Ohio offers another way to slide down on snow. 

And for fun off the slopes:

• Hogwarts Escape Room: This is online escape room is open until February 7. Can you solve the problems and get out?

Cold Weather Preparation

Arctic blast and a blast from the past! Check out our Archives and read about how to prepare and protect your home during extreme cold weather.

Spring is Just Around the Corner

Who do you rely on for your news and weather? We had to face this trust issue on Groundhog Day. Puxatony Phil in Pennsylvania predicts six more weeks of winter. The groundhogs in Toledo, OH agree with Phil's assessment. Meanwhile, Canadian groundhogs had varying predictions across the continent, many of which are predicting an early spring. Watch our local groundhog Willy from Silly Safaris on FOX 59 and see what we have in store for us. And then get ready for spring and summer because they are on their way sooner or later! Here are some more camp options for the kids.

• Fisher's Parks Summer Camp Line Up : Check out what Fishers Parks are offering for the summer and sign up!

Superbowl Sunday!

Get ready for the greatest day of sports in the U.S. Superbowl Sunday! If you don't care about the game, watch it for the commercials and delicious snacks.

The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL). It is the biggest unofficial Holiday in the U.S. with many parties and gatherings among friends and families. The Super Bowl is the second-largest day for U.S. food consumption, after Thanksgiving Day. It is also known as a showcase for America’s most creative advertising. In 2021, a 30 second television spot will cost $5.5 million. The Super Bowl is among the most-watched sporting events in the world, and is second only to the UEFA Champions League final as the most watched annual sporting event worldwide. The game was first held in 1967 as an AFL–NFL World Championship Game before the leagues merged to form the NFL.~Doug Willard

People are Saying

• Social Media There is a lot of discussion about social media in the news. What is your favorite platform? Many Americans were using Twitter and FaceBook to communicate with the world. FaceBook Messenger was another app that people message each other. The 20-Somethings are using Snap Chat to message. Other people widely use WeChat or Line. 
• Identity Theft is when people your personal information to impersonate and steal from you or from others. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the place to start to report and recover from identity theft. 

People Are Watching

Our cinebuffs recommend these Netflix:

• Penguin Bloom is a family drama about a family that takes in an injured magpie.
• Money Heist or Papel House which is a series about a perfect robbery in Spain
• Atypical which is a series about a boy on the autism spectrum
• Studio Ghibli: pick any of these great animations
• Ozark is a Golden Globe nominated series about gangsters and money laundering in the Ozarks
• Julie and Julia

...And elsewhere

• Maara on Amazon Prime is the story of a woman 
• Lucy Worsley on BBC or PBS for history buffs

COVID-19

Vaccinations are available for Hoosiers 65 and older, medical professionals and first responders. To register for the vaccine click here to be directed to the registration page. Governor Holcomb's weekly updates are streamed on Vimeo every Wednesday at 2:30 PM. As of the beginning of the week, the Current published: 

To date, 2,963,581 unique individuals have been tested in Indiana, up from 2,957,867 on Sunday. A total of 7,039,744 tests, including repeat tests for unique individuals, have been reported to the Indiana Dept. of Health since Feb. 26, 2020.* COVID vaccine now available to those 65 and older in Indiana • Current Publishing (youarecurrent.com)

International Stories and More: Sunday,  (GMT 12:00 AM)

We are excited to begin a pilot of our Stories and More for preschoolers in other countries. As we work out the kinks in the technology and communication, we will keep you posted with future opportunities to join us via Zoom. Meanwhile, we will share our links and activities so you can play along. We started by singing welcome songs and learning each other's names. We read a great counting book: Numbers at the Park. 

February 14: We will celebrate Valentine's Day

Stories and More: Monday, 10:30-11:30 AM (3:00 PM GMT)

Our Stories and More class started our Valentine's Day stories and crafts. We made cards, counted hearts, sorted by color and size. It was fun to get together again and share our own stories! Here are the YouTube links to the Olivia Valentine story book and movie. These are great stories for people of all ages!

Oliva Valentine Story

Olivia Valentine Movie

February 8: Join us as we continue to get ready for Valentine's Day with stories and more!

American Sign Language: Monday, 5:30-6:00 PM 

We had a great basics review. We talked about some tactics for incorporating signing during the day and since it is a watching and doing language, we talked about how it is important to practice in front of a mirror. Since we are adults, signing while grooming (tooth brushing, for example) may be a great time to engage many parts of our brain while creating the muscle memory to reflexively "talk".

February 8: We will review, have conversation and learn new vocabulary and then converse using that vocabulary. Check out Sign Savvy for the lists as well as our Dropbox.

International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30

We discussed a wonderful story where Jesus teaches the fine points of law in Luke 6: 1-11. Jesus, as God, is author of spiritual and physical law. The key to this story is that the Pharisees and teachers of the law have an ulterior motive and are looking to set Jesus up as referenced in verse 6 to bring him down in verse 11. These people ignore the spirit of the law (which guides how to love and care for one another). We talked about how laws are interpreted and applied or enacted or used. Jesus points out that it is always right to care for each other. 

We compared how compound words can mean something different when broken apart:

• troublesome: something that is concerning (Icy sidewalks are troublesome.)
• trouble some: to bother some people (Icy sidewalks trouble some people walking home.)
• bothersome: something that is irritating (My itchy mosquito bite is bothersome.)
• bother some: to irritate a few but not all (Mosquitos seem to bother some people and not others.)

February 9: Luke 6: 12-26 covers the beatitudes or blessings. This lesson from Jesus teaches how things that look to be trouble are really reason for joy.

International Friends: Tuesday, 10:30-12:00

We learned to make a tamale casserole. This is a great recipe for these cold winter evenings. The fact that it is created and baked in a pan.

February 9: Join us as we make a cathedral window jelly. You can find the complete ingredient list and preparation instructions in our February 2 Update. 

 Afternoon Conversation: Wednesday, 4:30-6:00

We talked about about many things including how it could be difficult to hear the difference between stomp and stump while stamp sounds completely different.

February 10: Monica is teaching us Excel. Log in to learn how to use this spreadsheet application.

End of the Week Conversation: Friday, 10:30-12:00+

Wrapping up the week is always a great time to spend together. We always share our favorite media and dig deep into what is on our mind. This week we spent time talking about how to validate our experiences. How do we prove that we have work experience or skills? Knowledge, skills and experience can be confirmed through 

• records: documentation or evidence from an organization
• certification: an organization can confirm completion of study or practice
• references: the word or testimony of people who can confirm your abilities and experience
• demonstration: you show what you know by your behaviors (you speak and write English well)
• trackable: the seminar or event can be confirmed through research
• on faith: they believe what you have to say 

Some of these are formal and others are informal. Proof of your experience or education can be confirmed by records of past employers, background checks, etc. Some companies will dig deep into your background and others will take your word. Regardless, it is easy to make a resume with links to webpages and events. Be sure to add all of your classes and activities, even if they do not seem relevant at this time. It is all a part of the story of how you have grown.

International Friends has been helping people learn American English and  asks you to register for our classes so that we have documentation of your participation in our classes and meetings. We can confidently vouch for your abilities and character if you need a letter of reference or wish to use us a reference. 

February 9 International Friends Cathedral Window Jelly Cook Along Ingredients and Preparation

Hello, Friends.

We are learning to make Cathedral Window Jelly on Tuesday, February 9 at International Friends. Here is the basic recipe and ingredients for you to cook along.

Ingredients:
3 water gelatin different flavor ( d’gari, jello ) I like more d’gari, See the a photo below

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 can evaporated  milk

1/2 cup whole milk 

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 packages unflavored clear gelatin 

1 cup cold water

1 mold

Oil ( just to grease)

Directions:

It’s necessary that the colored jellies are ready before making the milk mixture.

Simply follow the package instruction to make these. I suggest you make the jelly with less water, for example, if the instructions say 4 cups, you make it with 3 cups. This is so that the jelly cubes are firmer. Don’t forget to grease the molds where you pour the jellies.

In class:

For make your clear gelatin :

Combine the 4 packages of clear gelatin in 1 cup cold water and wait 10 minutes or more, doesn’t matter if you let it stand more than 10 minutes. Then you put it in the microwave and heat it for 30 seconds and check it. It has to be liquid.

While the 10 minutes pass, in a casserole, pour the condensed milk, evaporate milk, and 1/2 cup whole milk. Mix very well and pour the vanilla extract and continue mixing. When the clear gelatin is ready we pour into the casserole and mix. Finally turn off the stove and we wait for it to cool down. 

We cut the color jellies in cubes. Grease the mold and pour a small part of the milk mixture, then spread the jellies cubes and pour the whole milk mixture and refrigerate to completely cool and set, when firm, invert in a plate to serve.