Write Your Story…How Does Your garden Grow!

The Breeze of last November contained an article by Union City Senior Commissioner, and Park Resident, Anita Roque, about her good work volunteering in a Community Vegetable Garden. Now she has put to paper some thoughts about gardening.

How Does Your Garden Grow

Seeds are the beginning of life, just as human life begins from a seed in the womb. Seeds need water, fertilizer, sun and nutrients as we need them, too. As seeds mature into the plants. We also mature into our body. Some plants do better in different seasons, like the cactus, it likes hot weather others like warm and cool as in the spring, just like we do. Plants have their season but can become ill, they too have diseases, we’ll call fungus and weeds, we too have our own illnesses which can interfere with our life’s season. Some plants need pruning to cut back to make room for new growth, as we do also to make changes for new growth as we should in our lives. After months of hard work, it’s time to reap the benefits of your hard work and harvest your fruit and vegetables and appreciate their contribution to our lives until our season of life ends. To Love gardening teaches a lot about ourselves such as endurance, wisdom, appreciation, sharing, thankfulness, and healthy eating. So love yourself as the beautiful flower you are because you are your own garden.

Submitted by Anita Roque

Write Your Story @ Union City Library

Join our library group, for an   informal gathering of aspiring writers of all types of genres. Your writing can be memoirs, creative non-fiction, poetry, song lyrics, science fiction, plays,essays, you name it!  We just want to hear what you have written and support each other as we grow as writers.

Third Tuesday of the Month: May 21, June 18, and July 16

1 p.m to 3 p.m.                                                                                     

 

Write Your Story…Don’t Eat the Flowers

Doris Nikolaidis local author of the title Don’t Eat the Flowers , and the former member of the Write Your Story group will join us on March 19  to share her story of her published  memoir.

This book is a kaleidoscope of the author’s adventurous and often comical life, from stories of growing up in chaos after the end of World War II to her hitchhiking trip across America. In a series of humorous and heartwarming essays, she recounts the stories of her childhood in Germany, her introduction to America, and her gradual realization that she is no longer an immigrant but is truly an American.

Write Your Story @ Union City Library Join our library group, for an   informal gathering of aspiring writers of all types of genres. Your writing can be memoirs, creative non-fiction, poetry, song lyrics, science fiction, plays,essays, you name it!  We just want to hear what you have written and support each other as we grow as writers. Third Tuesday of the Month: March 19, April 16 , and May 21    1 p.m to 3 p.m.                                                                                              .

Rumi in Spring @ Union City Library

Saturday March 2, 2019 @ 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.

 

Observe the coming of Spring and its new beginning with peace, love, and unity. Farima Berenji and her dance company ‘The Simorgh Dance Collective” will present ancient and beautiful sacred and Sufi dances to bless and honor the coming of Spring, including a candle dance, Sufi whirling, Persian mystical dances, and sacred circle dances.

 

Farima is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed performing artist, instructor, dance ethnologist, and archeologist. Recognized as one of few world experts and scholars of Persian dance history, Farima infuses spirituality into her dance and teachings to impassion, empower, and inspire. A Dervish and travels worldwide to research, perform, teach, and inspire dynamic creativity and rejuvenation through dance. Farima is the founder and artistic director of the Simorgh Dance Collective, a member of the International Dance Council (CID-UNESCO), and a 2018 TEDx lecturer. www.farimadance.com

This event is part of a series of 300 free Art IS Education events for youth and families presented by Alameda County Library in partnership with the Alameda County Arts Commission and the Alameda County Office of Education to celebrate arts education and creativity.

Write Your Story…On Stories and Storytelling

From the internationally best-selling author of the His Dark Materials trilogy, a spellbinding journey into the secrets of his art–the narratives that have shaped his vision, his experience of writing, and the keys to mastering the art of storytelling. One of the most highly acclaimed and best-selling authors of our time now gives us a book that charts the history of his own enchantment with story–from his own books to those of Blake, Milton, Dickens, and the Brothers Grimm, among others–and delves into the role of story in education, religion, and science. At once personal and wide-ranging, Daemon Voices is both a revelation of the writing mind and the methods of a great contemporary master, and a fascinating exploration of storytelling itself. PHILIP PULLMAN is one of the most acclaimed and best-selling writers at work today. He is best known for the His Dark Materials trilogy: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass, which has been named one of the top 100 novels of all time by Newsweek and one of the all-time greatest novels by Entertainment Weekly. In 2004, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He lives in Oxford, England. To learn more, please visit philip-pullman.com or follow him on facebook at Philip Pullman author, and on Twitter at @PhilipPullman. Write Your Story @ Union City Library Join our library group, for an   informal gathering of aspiring writers of all types of genres. Your writing can be memoirs, creative non-fiction, poetry, song lyrics, science fiction, plays,essays, you name it!  We just want to hear what you have written and support each other as we grow as writers. Third Tuesday of the Month: February 19, March 19, and April 16                                                                                                    .

Write Your Story…The Thorn Necklace

For devotees of Bird by Bird and The Artist’s Way, a memoir-driven guide to healing through the craft of writing

Francesca Lia Block is the bestselling author of more than twenty-five books, including the award-winning Weetzie Bat series. Her writing has been called “transcendent” by The New York Times, and her books have been included in “best of” lists compiled by Time magazine and NPR.

In this long-anticipated guide to the craft of writing, Block offers an intimate glimpse of an artist at work and a detailed guide to help readers channel their own experiences and creative energy. Sharing visceral insights and powerful exercises, she gently guides us down the write-to-heal path, revealing at each turn the intrinsic value of channeling our experiences onto the page.

Named for the painting by Frida Kahlo, who famously transformed her own personal suffering into art, The Thorn Necklace offers lessons on life, love, and the creative process.

Francesca Lia Block is the bestselling author of more than twenty-five books of stories, nonfiction, and fiction, including the Weetzie Bat books, her series of magical-realism novels. She has received the Spectrum Award, the Phoenix Award, the ALA Rainbow Award, and the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as other citations from the American Library Association, the New York Times Book Review, and Publisher’s Weekly. She lives in Los Angeles, a city the New York Times says she describes “better than any writer since Raymond Chandler.” She teachers writing at UCLA, Antioch University, and numerous workshops across the country.
Grant Faulkner is the executive director of National Novel Writing Month, co-founder of the literary journal 101 Word Story, co-founder of the Flash Fiction Collective, and the author of Pep Talks for Writers: 52 Insights and Prompts to Boost Your Creative Mojo (Chronicle Book)

Write Your Story @ Union City Library

Join our library group, for an   informal gathering of aspiring writers of all types of genres. Your writing can be memoirs, creative non-fiction, poetry, song lyrics, science fiction, plays,essays, you name it!  We just want to hear what you have written and support each other as we grow as writers.

Third Tuesday of the Month: January 15, February 19, and March 19                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1 p.m. — 3 p.m.

BOOK CLUB…The Baghdad Clock

The Baghdad clock 

Shahad al-Rāwī

translated from the Arabic by Luke Leafgren

Shortlisted for the international prize for Arabic fiction 2018. For fans of The Kite Runner comes this remarkable debut, the number one bestselling title in Iraq, Dubai and the UAE. Baghdad, 1991. In the midst of the first Gulf War, a young Iraqi girl huddles with her neighbours in an air raid shelter. There, she meets Nadia. The two girls quickly become best friends and together they imagine a world not torn apart by civil war, sharing their dreams, their hopes and their desires, and their first loves. But as they grow older and the bombs continue to fall, the international sanctions bite and friends begin to flee the country, the girls must face the fact that their lives will never be the same again. This poignant debut novel will spirit readers away to a world they know only from the television, revealing just what it is like to grow up in a city that is slowly disappearing in front of your eyes, and showing how in the toughest times, children can build up the greatest resilience.

Book Club meets the first Tuesday of the Month @ 1 p.m.

Sign up online

The power of meaning : crafting a life that matters

“This wise, stirring book argues that the search for meaning can immeasurably deepen our lives and is far more fulfilling than the pursuit of personal happiness. There is a myth in our culture that the search for meaning is some esoteric pursuit–that you have to travel to a distant monastery or page through dusty volumes to figure out life’s great secret. The truth is, there are untapped sources of meaning all around us–right here, right now. Drawing on the latest research in positive psychology; on insights from George Eliot, Viktor Frankl, Aristotle, the Buddha, and other great minds; and on interviews with seekers of meaning, Emily Esfahani Smith lays out the four pillars upon which meaning rests. Belonging: We all need to find our tribe and forgerelationships in which we feel understood, recognized, and valued–to know we matter to others. Purpose: We all need a far-reaching goal that motivates us, serves as the organizing principle of our lives, and drives us to make a contribution to the world. Storytelling: We are all storytellers, taking our disparate experiences and assembling them into a coherent narrative that allows us to make sense of ourselves and the world. Transcendence: During a transcendent or mystical experience, we feel we have risen above the everyday world and are connected to something vast and meaningful. To bring those concepts to life, Smith visits a tight-knit fishing village on the Chesapeake Bay, stargazes in West Texas, attends a dinner where young people gather to share their experiences of untimely loss, and more. And she explores how we might begin to build a culture of meaning in our schools, our workplaces, and our communities. Inspiring and story-driven, The Power of Meaning will strike a profound chord in anyone seeking a richer, more satisfying life”

Emily Esfahani Smith is an author and writer who draws on psychology, philosophy, and literature to write about the human experience—why we are the way we are and how we can find grace and meaning in a world that is full of suffering. Her writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, The Atlantic, TIME, and other publications. She is also an instructor in positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as an editor at the Stanford University Hoover Institution, where she manages the Ben Franklin Circles project, a collaboration with the 92nd Street Y and Citizen University to build meaning in local communities. Born in Zurich, Switzerland, Emily grew up in Montreal, Canada. She graduated from Dartmouth College and earned a masters in applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She lives with her husband in Washington, DC. Follow the link for more titles on Emotions, Meaning (Psychology) Self-actualization (Psychology)

The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are

“This important book is about the lifelong journey from ?What will people think?’ to ?I am enough.’ Brown’s unique ability to blend original research with honest storytelling makes reading The Gifts of Imperfection like having a long, uplifting conversation with a very wise friend who offers compassion, wisdom, and great advice.”

–Harriet Lerner, New York Times best-selling author of The Dance of Anger and The Dance of Connection

“Brené Brown courageously tackles the dark emotions that get in the way of leading a fuller life; read this book and let some of that courage rub off on you.” 

–Daniel H. Pink, New York Times best-selling author of A Whole New Mind

“Courage, compassion, and connection: Through Brené’s research, observations, and guidance, these three little words can open the door to amazing change in your life.”                                 

 –Ali Edwards, author of Life Artist

Each day we face a barrage of images and messages from society and the media telling us who, what, and how we should be. We are led to believe that if we could only look perfect and lead perfect lives, we’d no longer feel inadequate. So most of us perform, please, and perfect, all the while thinking, What if I can’t keep all of these balls in the air? Why isn’t everyone else working harder and living up to my expectations? What will people think if I fail or give up? When can I stop proving myself?

In The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown, Ph.D., a leading expert on shame, authenticity and belonging, shares what she’s learned from a decade of research on the power of Wholehearted Living ? a way of engaging with the world from a place of worthiness.

In her ten guideposts, Brown engages our minds, hearts, and spirits as she explores how we can cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough, And to go to bed at night thinking, Yes, I am sometimes afraid, but I am also brave. And, yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable, but that doesn’t change the truth that I am worthy of love and belonging.

Brené Brown, Ph.D., L.M.S.W., is a writer and research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, where she studies how shame affects the way people live, love, parent, work, and build relationships. A dynamic public speaker, she frequently presents on the topic of shame resilience at conferences and public events. Visit her popular blog to learn more.

 Check the link for more titles on the subject of Self-Acceptance 

Write Your Story—Christmas in literature

The man who invented Christmas : how Charles Dickens’s A Christmas carol rescued his career and revived our holiday spirits As uplifting as the tale of Scrooge itself, this is the story of how one writer and one book revived the signal holiday of the Western world. Just before Christmas in 1843, a debt-ridden and dispirited Charles Dickens wrote a small book he hoped would keep his creditors at bay. His publisher turned it down, so Dickens used what little money he had to put out A Christmas Carol himself. He worried it might be the end of his career as a novelist. The book immediately caused a sensation. And it breathed new life into a holiday that had fallen into disfavor, undermined by lingering Puritanism and the cold modernity of the Industrial Revolution. It was a harsh and dreary age, in desperate need of spiritual renewal, ready to embrace a book that ended with blessings for one and all. With warmth, wit, and an infusion of Christmas cheer, Les Standiford whisks us back to Victorian England, its most beloved storyteller, and the birth of the Christmas we know best. The Man Who Invented Christmas is a rich and satisfying read for Scrooges and sentimentalists alike.

LES STANDIFORD is the author of the critically acclaimed Last Train to Paradise, Meet You in Hell, and Washington Burning, as well as ten novels. Recipient of the Frank O’Connor Award for Short Fiction, he is director of the Creative Writing Program at Florida International University in Miami, where he lives with his wife and three children. Follow the link for more titles on Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870. Christmas carol  Write Your Story @ Union City Library Join our library group, for an   informal gathering of aspiring writers of all types of genres. Your writing can be memoirs, creative non-fiction, poetry, song lyrics, science fiction, plays,essays, you name it!  We just want to hear what you have written and support each other as we grow as writers. Third Tuesday of the Month:  December 18, January 15,  and February 19                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1 p.m. — 3 p.m.

Sense of Something Greater : Zen and the Search for Balance in Silicon Valley

Welcome to Silicon Valley’s search for fulfillment and purpose beyond devices, money, and power.  With worker stress at an all-time high, particularly in the fast-paced technology industry, it’s no surprise that Google, Salesforce, and Apple have adopted mindfulness and meditation into their workplace culture. Studies show mindfulness practice increases emotional intelligence, reduces stress, and enhances health and overall well-being.    A Sense of Something Greater goes deeper than the current mindfulness trend, into the heart of Zen practice. For Les Kaye, Zen is more than awareness––it’s also “the continued determination to be authentic in relationships, to create meaningful, intimate, intentional bonds with people, things, and the environment.” Kaye’s teachings are paired with interviews with current tech employees and Zen practitioners, conducted by journalist Teresa Bouza. A Sense of Something Greater is an essential book for business leaders, mindfulness meditators, and Zen practitioners alike.

Les Kaye worked for IBM in San Jose, California, and for over thirty years held positions in engineering, sales, and management. Les started Zen practice in 1966 with a small group in the garage of a private home. He was ordained a Zen monk by Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki in 1971. In 1985, he was appointed teacher at Kannon Do Zen Center in Mountain View, California. His first book, Zen at Work, includes stories of how his own meditation practice enhanced the quality of his life and work. He and his wife Mary live in Los Altos.    Teresa Bouza is a journalist with extensive experience in Europe and the United States, most recently covering technology and innovation in Silicon Valley. She has worked for The Wall Street Journal as well as Spain’s global news agency EFE and the Spanish business daily Cinco Dias. Bouza has a master’s degree from Columbia University and was a Knight Fellow at Stanford in 2012.for more book on these subjects follow the links :Religious life — Zen Buddhism; Employees — Religious life ;  Spirituality and work