Primrose Excursions, along with Premier World Discovery and Mayflower Tours, packed the house for a Travel Prelude Event on January 10th. This event showcased in detail, many upcoming travel destinations such as Italy, Newfoundland, Catalina Island and Zion National Park. If you’re interested in finding out more about these and other travel destinations please contact Bonnie Wiley at Primrose Excursions. 805-535-5170 or  www.primroseexcursions.com.

Sustainability Now News
by Maryann Ridini Spencer (@MaryannRidiniSpencer)

Have you ever been out to dinner and had your friend, family member or partner answer their cell phone and talk for a few minutes, leaving you out of the conversation? Maybe you’ve been involved in a heart-to-heart, and just at the moment you were going to divulge the most important detail, you were told to “hold that thought” while your friend or family member answered their cell phone? Do you often find your partner or friend mysteriously glued to their iPad or computer keyboard much to your chagrin? Without the risk of being too crass, sometimes technology bites. If you’ve ever been in any one of the above situations, you’ve experienced, first hand, the frustration of being upstaged by modern technology, or as my old boss jokingly used to tell his victims, “by a bigger name.”

Connecting with the people in our lives – our friends, family, and our special someone – is vital to our health and wellbeing. Being kind and generous with our undivided attention can go a long way. Connecting on a face-to-face, technology-free, personal basis is paramount. Especially in this fast-paced, stressful era of job downsizing, mergers & acquisitions and where digital technology rules, it can be easy for the ones you love (or for you) to become alienated living in the TMT (Too Much Technology) Zone.

How to live TMT Free

• Turn off your cell phone before you get to the dining table.
• Enjoy a Sunday meal with the entire family – create time together to talk and interact minus the electronics.
• On a date or at a business meeting? Power your phone OFF (or ask the person you’re with to do the same). You can pick up your messages later. You might also select your “alternate” greeting, letting folks know you are in a meeting and will return their call later.
• Let your weekends or vacation truly be “time off.” Use your email “vacation message” or select your alternate voicemail message to tell clients, friends, and associates you’ll call on Monday when you’re back at the office. If you find that you have to be available to respond, try to designate a specific time of day that won’t interfere with your dedicated activities.

Great Examples of How to Use Technology

• In the mood to share an expression of love? Go for it. Just don’t text or send images of anything you don’t want to appear on the front page of the Sunday papers (you never know with technology!). LOL.
• A quick “thank you,” to share an expression of gratitude.
• A reminder for an important appointment, service, task, or time sensitive task.

Keeping in mind the importance of in-person sharing of essential feelings, thoughts and ideas, talk to those in your life about technology abuse and set up some ground rules. Connecting on a personal level and nurturing your important relationships by being TMT Free, or at least controlling your impulses to reach for your iPhone or tablet, can have extremely pleasing results. Enjoying the warmth of loving, appreciative and attentive arms around you can warm up the day or night and fill the heart more than any text or chat on Facebook or Twitter.

January programming focuses on local talent. “Discover wonderful new local talent,

meet new artists and begin new friendships at Namba!” Tickets at NambaArts.com.

January 18, 8pm, “A Celebration of Joni Mitchell” features Kimberly Ford. This is a rocking tribute to the most iconic singer-songwriter of the Woodstock generation. Mitchell touched millions with her nearly 40-year career spanning genres from contemporary folk to jazz to full-throated pop-rock.

January 20, 7pm, “New Blood Comedy” Niki Marinis and Eric Crispin have been putting on great comedy open mics and shows in the 805 for years and now Local and SoCal comedians flock to New Blood Ventura bringing their wildly successful comedy to NAMBA.

January 25 & 26, 8pm, “A Mama Mia Sing-Along and Fundraiser” for the Unity Theatre Collective, a new production partner at Namba. Bring your friends and sing along to your favorite ABBA songs! Plus, there’s a ’70s Costume Contest so dress the part!

January 26, 11am-2pm, Namba keeps 2019 focused on local talent in partnership with Jodi Farrell for another “Performance Workshop”! But don’t let the title fool you, this is a Trial by Fire for Ventura’s finest new entertainers. Do they have what it takes to enchant an audience… namely you?

January 27, 4pm, If you hear the term ‘acoustic duo’ you imagine two people sitting on stools, lightly strumming guitars, singing about how life has treated them poorly, think again. Danika & the Jeb are dynamic, uplifting, and fun, while their music is a soulful combination of artfully written songs and powerful musical phrasing.

January 27, 7pm, “New Blood Comedy” Niki Marinis and Eric Crispin have been putting on great comedy open mics and shows in the 805 for years and now Local and SoCal comedians flock to New Blood Ventura bringing their wildly successful comedy to NAMBA.

Namba 47 So. Oak Street, Ventura. Visit www.NambaArts.com regularly for programming updates!

Avenue Library
Children & Family Events
Mini STEAM Fair
2/25 Wednesday @4-5
Visit the Ventura Region libraries during the last week of February for a Mini STEAM Fair. All ages!
Bilingual Early Literacy Class
2/4, 11, & 25 Mondays @ 5:30-6:30pm
Join us for storytelling, nursery rhymes, flannel board fun and more!

Adult Classes & Events
Laubach Literacy English Classes in the Meeting Room
2/4, 11, & 25 Mondays @ 10:30-11:30am
2/5, 12, 19, & 26 Tuesdays @ 9-10am & @ 10-11am
2/6, 13, 20, & 27 Wednesdays @ 11:30am -12:30pm
2/7, 14, 21, & 28 Thursdays @ 10–11am
Introductory English classes offered through Laubach Literacy at Avenue Library. Make an appointment today, call (805) 385-9584
E.P. Foster Library
A California Native Plant Society Lecture
2/19 Tuesday @ 7-9pm
Please join us for an interesting and enlightening lecture series presented by the California Native Plant Society, Channel Islands Chapter.
Vision of Warriors Documentary
2/9 Saturday@ 1pm
Join us for the showing of Visions of Warriors in the Topping Room.. “Veteran’s battle mental illness with a powerful new weapon——photography.”

Children’s Events
Early Literacy Class
2/5, 12, 19, & 26 Tuesdays &
2/6, 13, 20, & 27 Wednesdays @ 10:30am
Join us every week for stories, poems, music, movement, a simple craft, and fun!
Teen Happenings
Mini STEAM Fair
2/27 Wednesday @4-7
Visit the Ventura Region libraries during the last week of February for a Mini STEAM Fair. All ages!
Hill Road Library
Family & Children’s Ongoing Events
Early Literacy Class
2/6, 13, 20, & 27 Wednesdays @ 10:30am
Join us every week for stories, poems, music, movement, a simple craft, and fun!
Children’s Special Events
Discover Science
2/12 Tuesday @ 4pm
Join us for this monthly exploration of science concepts through hands-on experiments with Rachel Chang. Ages 8+
Mini-STEAM Fair
2/28 Thursday @ 4pm
Visit all four Ventura libraries (Avenue, Hill, Foster, and Saticoy) during the last week of February for a Mini-Maker Fair. All ages!

Adult Events
Author Talk with Kimberly Basso
2/24 Sunday @ 12pm
Award Winning Finalist for Humor, 2018 International Book Awards. “Panicking never helps.” Tuesday’s breakfast was interrupted by a stroke, and the only available help is the author’s second grader. Kimberly will walk (or rather shuffle) readers through her experience in an honest, hilarious look at the site of the world’s smallest zombie apocalypse – her brain.

Book Club: The Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett
2/26 Tuesday @ 6pm
Join us for a lively discussion of our book for the month of February. All are welcome who have read the book!
Saticoy Library
Children & Family Events
Mini STEAM Fair
2/23 Wednesday @4-5
Visit the Ventura Region libraries during the last week of February for a Mini STEAM Fair! All ages!
Early Literacy Class
2/5, 12, 19, & 26 Tuesdays @ 10am
Join us every week for stories, poems, music, movement, a simple craft & fun!
Adult Classes & Events
English Classes
2/4, 11, & 25 Mondays &
2/6, 13, 20, & 27 Wednesdays @ 3- 5pm
One on one instruction in English hosted by Laubach Literacy of Ventura County
Closures this Month
18th– Closed in observance of President’s Day

The City of Ventura invites residents of all ages to help design the new playground at Arroyo Verde Park. The park’s previous play structure was destroyed in the Thomas Fire, and the City plans to build a brand-new inclusive playground where children of all abilities can play. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 16, from 6-7 pm, in the Wright Event Center at Ventura College, 57 Day Road.

“Families love going to parks with innovative design features,” said Mayor Matt LaVere. “As a father of two young daughters, I am very excited about the new playground and an inclusive design that welcomes children of all abilities. I encourage both youth and adults to attend and share their ideas at the upcoming design meeting.”

Representatives from Pacific Coast Land Design and the City of Ventura will conduct the outreach meeting to collect input from the community on the design concepts for the project. The playground will incorporate various features and integrate play opportunities to create a space for all to play. A significant portion of the project will be funded publicly to help with the cost of play space surfacing and structures needed for inclusivity.

Arroyo Verde Park, located at Foothill and Day Roads, was closed for approximately 10-weeks after the Thomas Fire to ensure safe conditions for park users. The Interpretive Center, pump house, playground, and slopes on both sides of the park were burned during the fire.

To provide input or to donate please contact Katrina Maksimuk at [email protected] or 805-658-4775.

We are in the process of gathering information to shape the Museum’s priorities for the next five years. We would really appreciate your taking the time to envision the future with us. Please share your thoughts by completing this brief survey. It is simple and should take less than five minutes overall. The information gathered will be compiled by our consultant and shared with the leadership team and the members of the Board.

You can take the survey anonymously. You can also choose to provide us with your name and e-mail address and we will enter you into a drawing to win one of the following exciting prizes:

• Signed Print by Ryan Carr
• Museum of Ventura County Mug
• History of Us Museum Journal
• Museum Collection Note Cards

Winners will be notified via email February 6, 2019 and can collect their prizes at the Museum of Ventura County at 100 E Main Street any day we are open.

You have until Jan.25 to complete the survey. Take the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MuseumofVenturaCounty.