Category: Life Enrichment Center

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Godzilla Hits the Highway from Tampa to Stowe

 

By Grace Maselli

 

He’s back and he’s headed north to Stowe, VT. The legendary Godzilla monster has been reimagined in 5′ 2″ of medical fiberglass casting bandages (and covered in an arty cocktail of materials: paper “clay” made of bamboo toilet paper, good old-fashioned white glue, and some dry wall compound) concocted by artist and TBT member, Delphine Geraci. “I’m also a bariatric nurse, so that’s what I could think of to make him extra strong,” says the ingenious road warrior.

Delphine took some of her inspiration from a paper clay art class offered through TBT partner organization, the Life Enrichment Center.

Bringing the mythic giant to life—complete with Mom tattoo and intimidating teeth—has been a Geraci family affair involving Delphine’s husband, Dean, and 13-year-old daughter, Stella. “We bought a little trailer and Dean built it up to exactly fit the 5’2″ Godzilla,” she says. Stella is on the road with Delphine as they wend their way toward New England, 1,200 miles north of Tampa to Stowe; it’s here where Godzilla will take up residence at Delphine’s friend’s bar and restaurant—or what Delphine describes as a big après ski hangout and sushi bar called The Matterhorn, otherwise known as Stowe’s world famous party spot voted #1 après ski joint in North America by USA Today readers. (Of course, there’s a certain poetic symmetry here. Godzilla as radioactive pop culture icon invented by Japanese filmmakers and known the world over AND beloved sushi—traditional Japanese haute cuisine made with rice, seaweed, raw seafood, and veggies.)

To be sure he’s steady on his feet, Delphine gave Godzilla a set of concrete lower legs befitting the beautiful beast. “Then we bolted him through a large wooden board into the concrete legs and screwed the board onto the trailer floor. ” Voila!

“I thought a giant Godzilla holding the Stowe ski gondola would be appropriate,” Delphine says.

TBT concurs.

 

 

 

 

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Getting Bookish with Art

By Grace Maselli

We’re starting a TBT book group with a focus on art in all its forms! The inaugural read: On Photography by Susan Sontag first published in 1973 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. The group is open to our sister (and bro) timebanks and the community. Of course, to be Covid-compliant, we’re convening by Zoom. Here’s how it’s rolling:

  • First Zoom gathering is Monday, December 7, 2020 at 7 PM;
  • We’ll meet every two weeks to nosh on the text and partake of participants’ thoughts and dialogue;
  • (Because the next two-week interval lands during Xmas week, we’ll step out of the two-week rhythm just until the New Year and start again on Monday, January 11, 2021 at 7 PM);
  • Those interested should contact me at mgmwrite@gmail.com or 215.834.4567 so I can collect names and email addresses to send a Zoom link the day before each meeting time…
  • Group members will pitch ideas for the next book and we’ll take an informal vote on what to read next!

    You in?

 

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Fun! (Say What?)

By Grace Maselli

You’ve heard of it, right? Fun fun fun. To say the least, COVID’s put a kink in the pleasantries we took for granted—in the freedom to move around, pre-quarantine. All the more reason why the vital reminder to rip the Band-Aid off ho-hum and jump into some safe boisterousness, or amusements you’re personally stimulated and refreshed by, is so more important. We have Maureen Murphy, Executive Director of Tampa’s  Life Enrichment Center, to thank for a stellar Zoom talk to about 25 people during August’s Third Tuesday of the Month event on August 18.

Maureen’s exhaustive and inspiring presentation on the benefits of fun even in the context of lockdown stirred participants to share what they do to let their coiffs out of the hair net—get into “flow” where time effortlessly slips away— as it motivated others to amp up fun time and creativity in their daily lives. Maureen talked in depth about the psychological and physical health that fun can mean for the psyche and the body.  With pure enthusiasm she delighted us with factoids and substance: Fun reduces stress. It helps people cope better with stress. It trips the seratonin switch, a good brain chemical. It boosts energy and memory and concentration.  And when you make fun a habit, it’s relaxing, it pumps up positive feelings, it helps you sleep better, and it improves the relationships you care about. Whao!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sky can still be the limit if you turn that box upside down and see things from a new angle! Here are some ideas:

  • Dress up your dog and snap some pix for fun…
  • Do cartwheels in your backyard
  • Go to the beach on a Wednesday when there are fewer people
  • Kayak
  • Make art with LEC
  • Get creative with cooking
  • Do 20 jumping jacks in your living room
  • Take the St. Pete’s Mural Walking Tour
  • Blow bubbles lakeside
  • Cut up some magazines and make a collage to tell a soul story
  • Join The Rumpus Book Club
  • Jump into The Sofa King Music Fest
  • Check out BroadwayHD shows for less than the cost of a standard Netflix subscription
  • Explore new podcasts that make you happy and inspired
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Reminder: Tomorrow Is Tuesday Turkey Time!

By Grace Maselli

Hard to believe it’s Turkey Time again! Here’s a quick reminder of tomorrow’s festivities: Members and friends, join us at a shared, sure-to-be-DEE-lish pre-Thanksgiving potluck table. It’s a place where young and old alike (and everything in between) are whole-heartedly and timebank-style welcome. We’d love to see you in Tampa for this year’s “Friendsgiving” where we’ll be serving up goodies and gratitude. So bring a fun dish to share! Here’s the down-low on the not-so-skinny holiday:

Date Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Time 6:30-8:30+ PM
Address Life Enrichment Center
9704 North Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612; phone: 813.932.0241
Questions? Contact coordinator@tampabaytime.org or call (215) 834-4567 and reference our Thanksgiving potluck at LEC

 

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Shake Yer Pots, Rattle Some Pans

By Grace Maselli

 

This year’s TBT pre-Turkey celebration will include improv music: ad-libbed and noteworthy notes as spontaneous accompaniment to yumilicious food! So join us for our November 2019 Third Tuesday Turkey and don’t forget your paper plate banjo and rattle drums—yer do-it-yourself tambourine and some knee-jerk symbols. Hop the holiday bandwagon in Tampa for this year’s “Friendsgiving,” when we’ll share Thanksgiving goodies and gratitude.  Bring a fun dish! If you need food ideas check out this list of classics. Here are the essential details on the not-so-skinny holiday:

Date Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Time 6:30-8:30+ PM
Address Life Enrichment Center
9704 North Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612; phone: 813.932.0241
Questions? Contact coordinator@tampabaytime.org or call (215) 834-4567 and reference our Thanksgiving potluck at LEC

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Phew, It’s Been A While

By Grace Maselli

Related imageHowdy. Some time’s passed since this blogger shimmied on over to WordPress for a post. (Chalk it up to the day job, out-of-state travel, and kid stuff that leapfrogged to the front of the Must Do line.) Excuses aside, I’m pumped to be here and report that the Tuesday, June 18 jewelry get-together—our Third Tuesday of Every Month member-and-guest meeting and orientation—was a whole strand full of bauble-y fun!  We had our way with swapped and shared jewelry. We woman (and man-) handled it all: Chunky necklaces and delicate charms. Pipe cleaners and copper wire. We took stuff apart and rearranged it. We glue-gunned and fastened. Considered and chatted, as we noshed on food. We let our imaginations run wild.

All at Tampa’s Life Enrichment Center (LEC). Our Third Tuesdays home and part of TBT’s revitalization initiative to dispatch our efforts further into the community.

And, with tech support from member Karen Lowman, our TBT Coordinator Rita Cobbs demoed the new volunteer-created Florida-wide timebanks website. The new site is a trove of information from core values to the nitty gritty of how to sign up and get involved in timebanking. Building the new website was a labor of love with some elbow grease tossed in for good measure. The result is a timebank jewel that guides members and visitors to vital content.

Yuppers. Last month LEC was abuzz in bangles and glass beads, in trinkets and treasures, and super useful information about our growing Florida-based timebank movement.

Get ready for next month’s Third Tuesday event. Come and learn more about timebank exchanges galore. Share what you love to do while you make friends and build community.

 

Gearing Up for Third Tuesdays July Shindig, Too!

Date Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Time 6:30-8:30 PM
Address LEC: 9704 North Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612; phone: 813.932.0241
Questions? Contact coordinator@tampabaytime.org or call 608.335.2382

 

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Rings and Blingy Things, Plus Tools

By Grace Maselli

It’s jewelry time. Bring yer stuff. Swap some rings, bracelets, necklaces, baubles. Brooches, gems, treasures, charms.  Join us soon on Tuesday, June 18—our Third Tuesday of Every Month member-and-guest meeting and orientation.  We hang out at Tampa’s Life Enrichment Center (LEC). Our Third Tuesdays are part of TBT’s revitalization initiative to dispatch our efforts further into the community.

And, sure, this Third Tuesday, we’ll be a little preoccupied with costume jewelry—and even take a crack at some jewelry repair with our needle-nosed pliers and tiny hammers and such. So bring what you have and pitch in. Swap some shiny trinkets. And for the menfolk (and women who are into it), bring your big old corn knife and hay cutter machete. Bring yer fruit scissors and pruning loppers and toss in some stories about how you lopped and carved and ate fruit. Or just bring some pliers to potentially trade. It’s all about connection and fun. And per our prime directive: This month, as always, we’re dedicated to education around our mission—exchanges, as explained here in our flyer!

 

Date Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Time 6:30-8:30 PM
Address LEC: 9704 North Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612; phone: 813.932.0241
Questions? Contact coordinator@tampabaytime.org or call 608.335.2382
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Healing Arts and Community Connection

By Grace Maselli

Membership in our Florida Network of local timebank groups is definitely growing! In addition to Tampa, motivated members from Spring Hill and New Port Richey, among other local environs, are getting the word out through faith-based organizations, Meetup groups, at libraries, and in their own homes. The energy is strong. And every day we’re building more momentum. The gratitude is equally palpable. For a quick download of information to share with friends, neighbors, and co-workers, check out our TBT flyer. And stay tuned!

 

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Reminder: Monthly TBT Meeting in March

 

Reminder: Join us soon on Tuesday, March 19—our Third Tuesday of Every Month rendezvous, otherwise known as TBT’s member-and-guest meeting and orientation. We meet at Tampa’s Life Enrichment Center (LEC).  This Tuesday we’re psyched about a program presentation by new member, Janie Ambrose, a woman who’s skilled in the healing arts and metaphysics, just to name a few of her impressive competencies. Find out more about “Amazing Healings by Janie” for an introductory preview. From all of us at TBT, see you on Tuesday!

Hard to believe it’s already March, eh? Join us soon on Tuesday, March 19—our Third Tuesday of Every Month rendezvous otherwise known as TBT’s member-and-guest meeting and orientation.  We meet at Tampa’s Life Enrichment Center (LEC). Our Third Tuesdays are part of TBT’s revitalization initiative to dispatch our efforts further into the community. This month, as always, we’re dedicated to education around our mission: exchanges, as explained here in our flyer! But we’re also gearing up for a local celebration of International Timebank Day and founder Dr. Edgar Cahn’s birthday on Saturday, March 23, 2019. Come join us at LEC for some community togetherness, event planning, and timebanking conversation!

Date Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Time 6:30-8:30 PM
Address 9704 North Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612; phone: 813.932.0241
Questions? Contact coordinator@tampabaytime.org or call 608.335.2382