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Oct.1,
2000; Issue #10; Mail Address:PMB 309
4038 Factoria Blvd. SE, Bellevue, WA 98006-5236
Voice
Mail: 206-232-5892; Classroom: Phantom Lake Elementary School, Bellevue
For
Detailed Information, Class Schedules:
www.seniornetps.org
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ATTENTION
STUDENTS!! STILL SOME IMMEDIATE CLASS OPENINGS-- While 86% of our classes are
filled, there are still a few openings in our hands-on SeniorNet Classes,
According to REGISTRAR LOUISE FLORA..
Among the classes still available: Introduction to Windows 95/98
(WIN-6) Nov. 20 through Dec. 18 - 10:00 - 12:00; Word Processing using
WORKS (WP-2) Oct. 19 through Dec. 7 1:30 - 3:30; Intermediate Word
Processing using WORKS (WPI-2) Nov. 1 through Dec. 13 1:30 - 3:30; Quicken
Plus (QP-1) Daily, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Dec. 19 through Dec. 21
1:30 - 3:30; Basic Internet (NET-4) Oct. 13 through Nov. 17 10:00 -
12:00; Basic Internet (NET-5) Nov. 21 through Dec, 19 10:00 -
12:00.
EASY REGISTRATION--For details and registration forms, call our voice mail at 206-232-5892. All you need do to register for any of these classes is complete a registration form and send in the fees. All classes except Internet Classes are $30.00, Internet Classes are $40.00. Membership in SeniorNet is required.
PSST! ADVANCE NOTICE--Mark the date now.
SeniorNet will hold its next open registration Thursday, Dec. 7th
at the handy Crossroads Mall on 156th Ave. NE, Bellevue,
starting at 10 am, with lots of volunteer helpers to explain the various
programs and help you sign up for the next step of your expanding computer skills. Detailed information
is upcoming. But as noted above, there are still openings for classes being
held prior to Dec. 7. And also check our website, www.seniornetps.org.
KAFFEE KLATCH REMINDER—How
the months fly by! It’s that time again when members/students gather in the
Crossroads Mall’s fabulous Food Circus for our monthly, laid-back and very
informal socializing, no-host Kaffee Klatch Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 11 am.
It’s that time when we push some tables together, get some coffee and…., or
even a meal, and meet and talk. See you there.
NEW
‘JAZZY’ CLASS COMPUTERS A BIG
HIT-- And the wonderful and hard-working volunteer who installed them
and got the 13 newly purchased computers operating with the help of other
equally dedicated volunteers,
FACILITIES COORDINATOR KEN CRANDALL, says they are “fast!” (Crandall
added: ‘But computers have always been faster than I am’). Reports
Crandall: “I believe that the
consistent use of the larger 17-inch monitors have improved the display
visibility for our students. I
was concerned that the new larger monitors might partially block some students’
view of the large projector screen in front, but I haven’t heard any comments
to that effect.
“I had hoped that we would be able to maintain a ‘standard’ desktop display so that all computers displays would look the same. This has not proven to be the case. Students seem to naturally move things around on the desktop so each computer is slowly beginning to have its own unique desktop appearance. I still think that a ‘standard’ desktop is desirable and I will continue to investigate means to achieve this objective.
“We had an early problem with the inability to shut down some computers (they could only be shut down by removing their power cables). I observed this problem on several computers where a ‘spooling’ software problem was noted. Since this function is associated with the use of network printers, I have temporarily disabled all of the printers until I can determine the cause of this problem. All-in-all, these new computers seem to be very jazzy to me,” Crandall said..
DO YOU HAVE AN HOUR
TO SPARE FOR THE KIDS? The SeniorNet volunteer Granpals program to help young
students, needs more of you to assist in the classroom at Phantom Lake
Elementary School with reading, writing, math and foreign languages. The
Granpals program is our way of
saying ‘Thank You’ to our wonderful school officials for the use of the
school classroom. We are very fortunate to have PAT HERZOG as the Granpals
coordinator. Please give her a call 425-747-2092 or email her at: pattyherzog@msn.com and say, “Yes, I
want to help the kids learn!” Let Pat know what day and time you will be
available to participate in helping children in the classroom to become better
students and make our world a better place in which to live. And if you need to
have questions answered before you say "yes", then contact Pat too.
THE JOYS OF GROWING OLD---ER?- -The Tuesday, Oct. 17 monthly SeniorNet Leadership Meeting at 10 a.m.., will feature a talk by humorist HENRY WEINER on some new viewpoints on this retirement thing. The sessions reviewing ongoing SeniorNet activities and other businesses are held in the Portable Classroom next to the parking area. Weiner is a representative of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, better known as RSVP, which is the King County volunteer umbrella organization, and which also supports our volunteer activities. One of the obvious key pieces of advice is to maintain breathing.
WHAT
IS A LEADERSHIP MEETING?—This is the monthly session of the active volunteers,
comprising the officers, instructors, the various coordinators and their
helpers who make sure SeniorNet’s
wide-ranging educational operations are on track and providing needed
programs. The Sept. 19th meeting, with PRES. HELEN HESKETH
presiding, heard discussions ranging from the Treasurer’s reports, a report on the new computers, possible
changes in classroom furniture, possible curriculum changes to match
student interests, the current status of class registrations, upcoming
registrations, a report on the successful Brown Bag luncheon, plans to expand
the SeniorNet website, the Grandpals program to help students polish reading
skills, among others. On a more personal note, Helen invited each of those
attending for a brief report on their past summer’s activities, which included
travel, family visits, hospital stays,
DON’T LIKE
TO WORK WITH A MOUSE?-If you own a mouse with a single button or you just
prefer using your keyboard, you can access shortcut menus without
right-clicking. In Windows 98, hit Shift-F10 to simulate the right-click action.
But it is easier and faster to indeed work with a mouse, or a trackball (a
mouse upside down), or a touchpad.
This item is included in case your mouse has just taken off or has
outlived its normal life span.
IS A LAPTOP
COMPUTER FOR ME??—Most of us at SeniorNet learned and work on desktop PC
computers with its large monitor, ample keyboard and we like it that way. But some of our members are adding or
substituting laptops when the time comes to upgrade. One of those is our own
RAY HANSEN who has used a laptop for years, in addition to his regular
desktop primarily to use during his annual journey with Mary to Europe, and now
uses it around the house.. . Ray explains in more detail==:
--“It lets
me be more sociable, around spouse person and family room. Precludes the
phenomenon that a spouse might get resentful if you disappear too
often,--whatever the hobby
--I can
peck away, play games, and talk online with you, while watching the news etc
with spouse person
--Sometimes
I work on the sofa, in an easy chair, or at the breakfast table; this avoids
bleacher blisters from a hard "office" chair
--Unobtrusiveness:
it takes up only a small amount of space.
--Handiness:
since it normally sits on a small table in family room, I don't have to move to
another room when I get a computing inspiration
--Super
easy to do plug-ins: all connections right there in front of me, no bending
down behind the desk to do the printer, etc.
--If
there's not much room, I don't need to use a mouse (though if at the desk in the
nook I do use mouse if doing heavy duty word-processing etc)
--Don't
have to shut down when thunderstorm passing by; I just unplug the power lead-in
on edge of computer and it goes onto battery power.
--If by
chance it has to go in for repair, I don't have to load up the car with ton of
stuff
--And, of
course, it's fun and easy to take on trips. Keeping journals, itineraries, refs, emailing hotels and
friends, playing a game of solitaire, and when needed checking the web for
weather, accommodations
OTHER
OBSERVATIONS::
--Laptop
prices are not nearly as high as they used to be.
--Laptops
aren't as sensitive as many think
--Check
that keyboard has standard-size key sizes and spacing, (although smaller
keyboards may be okay for some people, probably not for most.)
AGAIN, IN CASE you are receiving more than one copy of our SeniorNet Online Newsletter on your computer, please notify the editor at b26flyer2@juno.com and he will (try/attempt) to correct the problem. And also, if you have friends who are online, and may be interested in taking SeniorNet classes to expand their skills, you can forward this newsletter to them by clicking Forward when this message is displayed. Then enter their address in the To box, and click Send. Do a friend a favor. Help spread the word.
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Pres.>
Helen Hesketh; Past Pres.> Clif Wuesthoff; Vice Pres.>Bill Bumpas; Secy>Dave Lewis;
Treas.>Bob Swenson;
Registrar<Louise
Flora; Curriculum. Coordinator> John Wise; Facilities Coordinator> Ken
Crandall;
Member-at-Large>Delores
Davis; Volunteers Coordinator> Delores Davis;
Online
Newsletter Editor> Phil Scheier;
Publicity>Jo Hugh; Public
Relations>Bill Flick
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