New in November

Hello, Friends.

We wrap up October. This month has one of the best endings: Halloween! 👻🎃👺💀🍬🍬🍬🍬

We hope the beautiful weather holds out, but the trees are giving up their leaves here in the Midwest. Don't blink! The color will be gone. Meanwhile, enjoy the piles of leaves. Nothing is better than kicking and crunching through a pile of leaves.

November is a great month. We celebrate Thanksgiving near the end of the month. Indiana may see some of the first snow falls.

November 7: Elections 

November 16: International Friends "Friendsgiving" in person feast. Learn to prepare and bake a turkey and traditional side dishes. Bring your favorite feasting dish to share.

November 23: Thanksgiving: no meetings or classes this entire week!

November 24: Black Friday: Christmas shopping and the Christmas season officially begins 

Recommended Watching

The Chosen on Netflix or Angel Studios.

Fun At the Libraries

Libraries in America provide access to books, videos, and music (in hard copies and via apps on line). Libraries are a meeting place for clubs and interest groups.

Carmel Main Library: 425 E. Main Street, Carmel 

Annual Model Railroad Meet  November 4, 10:00 AM-3:00 PM, FREE

Puzzle and Board Game Exchange November 19, 1-5:00 PM, Bring a game or puzzle to trade.

Pronunciation Conundrum

Our American Sign Language class highlighted an oddity in voiced American English. Say:

• Black cat
• Black hat
• 
  
  

Black Cats, themselves, carry a lot of baggage. Read more about these super special animals.

Eclipse 2024 News

Stem Center in Westfield opens in time for the eclipse!

Once in a lifetime Eclipse and Hamilton County (and all of central Indiana) is in the direct path!

General Elections

Election season is upon us! The first Tuesday in November is a general election and many local government positions are up for grabs. Visit the Secretary of State website to learn about elections in Indiana. You can see how to register to vote, voting options (early voting, absentee voting, and day of voting) and how registered voters can participate. Candidates are listed as well as their filing dates. There is a great deal of information including opportunities to volunteer and maps of elected officials. Each county has a board of elections that is responsible conducting fair elections. Visit the Hamilton County Election board to see an example.

Voting terms:

• Ballot harvesting: when someone is designated to file a vote for someone else 
• Early voting: voting at a central location (not neighborhood polling place) prior to the election
• File a vote: turn a ballot in to a polling place
• Absentee voting: not voting in person
• Mail in ballots: ballots that are cast (made) by mail

Speaker of the House Elections

Historically, Speaker of the House votes can be contentious. This Wikipedia article is interesting in that it reflects not just the election of the speaker, but the evolution of the political parties in the United States. The House of Representatives elected Louisianan congressman Mike Johnson and the House is open for business.

Meetings and Classes Updates

Click to go to our Meetings and Classes page to learn more and register.

American Sign Language: Tuesday, 5:00-6:00 PM, Zoom

Halloween vocabulary and conversations stuck with us. This was because such conversation is fun and we have many great memories to attach to these words. It is easy to transform these words into stories and conversations. We enjoyed a list of new words including robber, alarms, steal, take to jail, arrest. We also learned about headaches, allergies, and sinuses. Small words like and, for, because that help to clarify our conversational directions.

October 31: No Class! Happy Halloween! 

International Bible Study: Tuesday, 8:45-9:45 PM, Zoom

We had a great conversation that focused on Luke 23:56. Luke tells us that after Jesus was crucified and died, the women went along to the tomb and watched at a distance. Since the day Jesus died was the "preparation day", the then observed the Sabbath (rather than prepare Jesus' body). Questions about whether the women were required to "keep the Sabbath" since Jesus was questioned for performing the "work" of healing on the Sabbath. In consideration: 

• Keeping the Sabbath holy is a commandment by God (Exodus 20:8) not just a custom  
• Jesus said that we should not think that he came to abolish the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17)
• Jesus taught that Sabbath was made for [man] and not the other way around. He told them that he was Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28)

So, were the women correct in keeping the Sabbath? Yes. While they loved Jesus and wanted to care for him, they also trusted that following God's commandments were in their best interest. Keeping the Sabbath as well as demonstrated their love and respect for Jesus as God as well as teacher. Did they have to keep the Sabbath? No. We have the choice to trust God and respect and follow God's commandments.

October 31: Join us as we continue our conversation in reading John.

American English and Culture: Thursday, 9:00-11:00 AM, Zoom

November is "Vague Language" month:

• What is vague language?
• When is it useful? When does it get in the way?
• Why do we use it? 

November 2: Meet and explore vague in American English, in American situations, in American Culture.

Kids's Conversation and More: Friday, 4:30-5:00 PM, Zoom

We had a nice meeting sharing Hot Wheels Cars across the world. We saw keyboards, but unfortunately could not hear (is Zoom filtering ambient sounds). It is early for some and late for others...we are working around the clock.

November 3: Tell me a scary story! Come on, guys! I want to be scared. Bring it on.

Words and Phrases

ambient: surrounding, in the environment
around the clock: at many times during a 24 hour day
bring it on: a challenge

carry a lot of baggage: psychological or social issues
contentious: displaying an eagerness to fight
get in the way: obstruct an action

hard copies: a book, a movie; something you can hold in your hands; tangible

highlighted: make something stand out

holds out: stays

oddity: something unusual or strange
open for business: operating, working

whether: indication of an investigation of multiple options