Week 3, April 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasure is North Beach Citizens. “I’m alive because of that group,” said Brandon Boivin in this article from the San Francisco Chronicle describing both an art show exhibiting skateboard deck paintings in North Beach and this organization benefitting from the show this year: North Beach Citizens. In 1996, NBC grew out of concerns from merchants and neighbors in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood over the plight of the homeless in the area. Famed film director Francis Ford Coppola— who is said to have written the screenplay for the film The Godfather at Cafe Trieste in North Beach while he lived in the neighborhood— convened the first meeting of NBC. Within three months of opening their first office, NBC was assisting fifty homeless North Beach citizens to get back on their feet. And today, the SEEDS Program assists “those who demonstrate an interest in reclaiming their lives” with a 4-step process that includes providing a place to eat lunch and breakfast, access to NBC’s showers and wash rooms, and a voice mailbox in step one. Remaining steps include enabling clients to partake as volunteers in the office duties and in local events, and finally it offers help with transitioning to self-sufficiency. I applaud North Beach Citizens because I know most do not become homeless by choice. It’s a downward spiral that few who haven’t experienced it can really understand. All those who help to lift up others are treasures— the Crown of Creation, if you will— and Weekend Wanderings thanks NBC for its efforts in San Francisco.
And on a side note, those of you who appreciate the magic of the personal computer may wish to honor the life and work of this recently deceased scientist.
New Feature below Pic o’ the Week
Let’s find some fun ’round here…
Earth Day at The Oakland Zoo: from their website: The Oakland Zoo will celebrate Earth Day from 10:00am to 3:00pm, with the theme, “Wildlife in Your World.” Dozens of Bay Area environmental organizations will join with the Oakland Zoo to offer Earth Stations, animal presentations, live entertainment featuring the kid’s band Orange Sherbet, face painting, crafts, and educational activities. The day-long event will be centered on hands-on environmental activities for families. Our goal is to educate our community about wildlife and inspire through our unique Earth Day Celebration! Educational entertainment will also take place in the Zoo’s Clorox Wildlife Theater throughout the day. Plus, Earth Day is a great opportunity to learn about your favorite animal at the Zoo!
The Queen Symphony performed by the Contra Costa Wind Symphony: From San Francisco Classical Voice: The CCWS, which he’s been leading since 1981, will present the U.S. premiere of Tolga Kashif’s Queen Symphony at the Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church on April 17. The conductor describes the piece as “a stunningly beautiful work, just gorgeous” and “not a mere medley of Queen tunes. Their melodies are there, but they’ve been explored and developed beyond.”
Meditation Retreat in Berkeley: from the East Bay Express: Sometimes it takes a whole day to empty the mind, loosen the body, and shake off the accumulated stresses of modern urban life. An all-day meditation retreat at the Berkeley Buddhist Priory (1358 Marin Ave., Albany) on Saturday, Apr. 17, includes classes, spiritual counseling, services, and various modes of meditation, allowing participants to focus on serenity and spirituality without interruption.
Pic o’ the Week:
A view from my amigo’s office last Thursday.
New Feature Below:
Vid of the Week:
“And, man, the poets down here don’t write nothing at all…”