Writing a Romance

by Phil Houseal as published in the Kerrville TX Community Journal
Jan 7, 2009

Did you ever yearn to write your own romance novel? Students in a recent Club Ed class learned what it really takes to top the bestseller list from successful novelist Mara Fox.

The Harlequin Romance writer lives in Fredericksburg, and spent a few sessions unveiling the secrets behind her first novel I Shocked The Sheriff.

Unlike the faces of many romance heroines, Fox's basic message was unvarnished and stark.

"If you are writing for yourself, self publishing is fairly easy and inexpensive, and you can have a stack of beautiful books for family and friends," Fox said. "But if you want your book in bookshops, you have to do what the publisher wants."

In other words, you have to compromise the "book of your heart" so it "their book."

Fox has had students disagree strongly with that advice, but she points out that her message has nothing to do with the quality of the writing. It is all about creating a saleable product, and to achieve that you must follow certain guidelines.

"The publishers have to be as happy with your product as you are," she said.

At the same time, Fox counsels that authors stand up for their beliefs when dealing with the book market. In her first novel, her heroine was a recovering alcoholic. The editor questioned having that character trait in the main character, but Fox convinced her that the entire book was based on it. There were other details she ended up changing, but she held firm on what became the key to the novel.

Over the years at Club Ed we have noticed a passionate interest in writing among students. Fox believes that is because writing is "closer to thought" than music or art.

"Writing is so personal," she said. "Everything I write involve issues I am dealing with. I think writers are the most vulnerable people in the world, because they want people to know them but don't know how to let people know them."

As a result, she believes the most successful authors are those unafraid to reveal the truth about themselves.

"A great author's book is so gripping because she puts so much of herself in it," she said. "That what makes it fabulous, but it also makes it so risky for the writer."

I have heard the quote that writing is easy - you just sit down and open a vein. Fox would agree.

"Writing," said Fox, "is one of most personal things we do as human beings."


XXX

Club Ed is offering a series of courses on How to Write, Market, and Publish your book in Boerne and Fredericksburg in April. Our Spring 2009 catalog is now online! Visit www.clubed.net to sign up, or call 830-895-4386. Catalogs will be mailed by January 1.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Each year, we offer more than 400 classes throughout the Texas Hill Country, along with online courses, business and individual training, and after-school and summer camps. Comment online at clubedcomments.blogspot.com.

The girl wants to dance

by Phil Houseal as published in the Kerrville TX Community Journal
Dec 17, 2008

"Phil, I want to learn how to dance."

A lovely lady named "Carolyn" started our phone conversation with that simple statement. She had called the right place. I had heard the same lament from quite a few of our hill country neighbors before.

That is because Club Ed has helped literally hundreds of couples learn to two-step, rumba and waltz across Texas. In fact dance classes are the most attended and first-filled in every community education program in the world.

"So you want to learn how to dance," I replied. "May I ask why?" I am always curious what motivates folks to finally step up and take a class.

Carolyn, who is now a grandmother, had several answers. She wanted to surprise her family. It was good exercise. But her most compelling reason was this: "It is just something I want to do."

I found it interesting that Carolyn had never learned to dance growing up in west Texas, home of Ernest Tubb, Buddy Holly, and Waylon Jennings. She explained how a strict upbringing precluded access to some of the baser pleasures of life on the plains.

"I never smoked; I never drank," she said. "And I know it is kind of late in life to learn to dance, but I am going to."

One advantage Carolyn carries in her tool box is her love for music, especially old country music. She mentioned Eddie Arnold and Marty Robbins. Perfect for the country two-step.

Carolyn has one handicap though: "I am kind of bashful about getting up in front of people," she said. "So anything I do, I want to do it right."

This spring she can choose from a smorgasbord of dance styles. Club Ed is offering rumba, tango, ballroom, waltz, cha cha, and belly dance. For someone with Carolyn's love for country music, she might start with country and western.

Whichever dance she chooses, here's hoping she gets off on the right foot. With luck, she will never have to relive a wistful memory that she shared before hanging up.

She remembered a night when a handsome gentleman asked her to dance. Carolyn panicked, because she didn't know the steps. She had to walk away, although she did so regretfully.

"I didn't waltz, because I didn't know how," she recalled. "I suppose he would have made me look good if I just hung on and picked up my feet. But I want to try this the right way, so I'm just going to do it!"

I know we'll see her in class.

XXX

Our Spring 2009 catalog is now online! Visit www.clubed.net to sign up, or call 830-895-4386. Catalogs will be mailed by January 1.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Each year, we offer more than 400 local classes, along with online courses, business and individual training, and after-school and summer camps. Comment online at clubedcomments.blogspot.com.

Driven to play guitar

by Phil Houseal as published in the Kerrville TX Community Journal
Dec 24, 2008

She had never played an instrument and could not read music. But five years ago she bought a guitar and vowed to learn it.

After a few attempts to teach herself, she put the guitar back in its case.

"I tried to learn it on my own," she said. "But it just didn't work. Now I finally have time to take some lessons."

Out came the guitar again, and Jennifer Hudson signed up for Derek Baker's guitar class through Club Ed. She went to great lengths - literally. The class was held in Boerne, and Jessica lives west of Kerrville. Twice a week she made the 100-mile round trip to join Baker and his 23 adult beginner guitar players.

You have to ask if it was worth it?

"Derek Baker is a fabulous teacher - probably the most positive person I know," she said. "He is very encouraging, and always was pointing out how far we have come, how much we have learned, and showing us how great we are going to become."

The 23 students in this particular class worked so well together, they actually started practicing together on their own one day a week outside of class. Hudson welcomed this development, given her previous experience trying to practice on her own.

The group ranged in age from 12 to late 60s. But they were all basic beginners.

Baker's teaching approach is to build a strong foundation. He teaches chords and scales as well as theory. Hudson especially appreciated the way he pushed everyone to get a bit of performance experience.

"He had us play in casual settings such as at a church picnic," she noted. "I was probably the most nervous person. But I learned that if you make a mistake you just smile and keep going."

Their repertoire reflected a range as wide as the ages of the students. This class learned tunes from classic John Denver and praise music to Freebird and Margaritaville.

Baker wrapped up his lessons by teaching lead riffs and bar chords - which as any beginning guitar player knows are not easy to learn.

"He won't let us take the easy way out," Hudson said of Baker's teaching techniques. "He is teaching us the hard stuff to help us be better players."

So it's challenging, it's a long drive, and it eats up two nights a week. Why does Hudson do it?

"Number one it's fun," she replied. "His teaching style makes it so anybody can learn to do it. He starts with basics, then builds from there. You will be surprised how fast you learn."

It is definitely worth the drive

XXX

Club Ed will offer guitar in Boerne and in Kerrville in the Spring 2009 session. The catalog is now online at www.clubed.net, with copies to be mailed after Christmas. Call 830-895-4386 for information.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Each year, we offer more than 400 classes throughout the Texas Hill Country, along with online courses, business and individual training, and after-school and summer camps. Comment online at clubedcomments.blogspot.com.

One Reluctant Learner

by Phil Houseal as published in the Kerrville TX Community Journal
Dec 10, 2008

You would think a lifelong teacher would understand the importance of lifelong learning.

Yet when "Patty" - a teacher for 30 years - retired to the hill country, she pretty much retired from life.

"I became a recluse," she said. "After spending so many hours a day teaching, to go from that to doing nothing was not stimulating."

Patty is naturally shy, and has a high anxiety level, so it took a neighbor to convince her to try a Club Ed writing course.

"Because I am a teacher with a masters degree, and had spent a lot of years learning, this seemed natural to be able to come back. I told my neighbor on that first day in class that I did not want to be forced to do something. I wanted to relax, and be stimulated on my own without any competitive sensation."

So Patty walked into the Auld Center and carefully took her seat. What happened next transformed her.

"One of my first assignments was to write about my husband and me. The teacher asked if I could share it with 'Bill.'" Patty was not sure how he would feel about it, but reluctantly allowed him to read it. "When he finished, he told me it was very good. That gave me confidence."

Patty's next assignment was about another experience. "The teacher told me if I wrote it down, I would get rid of holding it inside." She wrote it. When she read it, she cried. "My instructor was right," Patty said. "Something hit my inner core. After that, I said OK, it's over. I don't have to carry that around anymore."

Patty's personal experience in her first class gave her the confidence to explore more. Her husband supports her endeavors.

"When we got back to town this fall, we got this Club Ed catalog in the mail," Patty said. "My husband gave it to me and said, see what you can find, because last year you were a totally different person when taking that course."

So Patty has taken an art class, a singing class, and was back last session to sign up for her first dance class.

She still feels anxiety; she still has to make an effort to stop "putzing around the house."

"I think the way I got back into it is to find somebody who can go with you, then you are more apt to do it," she said. "I'm really stepping out on my own. It's exciting.

For Patty, the perfect metaphor for lifelong learning lies in the singing class she took.

"I admired people who were in the choir, but I was content to sing at my seat," she said. "When I sing there, I feel good about it. But, I feel I would love to be heard."

Club Ed lets Patty sing.

XXX

The Spring 2009 catalogs will be mailed the week after Christmas. Classes will be posted online at www.clubed.net beginning Dec 15. Or call 830-895-4386.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Each year, we offer more than 300 classes with 3000 enrollments, along with online courses, business and individual training, and after-school and summer camps. Comment online at clubedcomments.blogspot.com.

Community Education is all you need

by Phil Houseal as published in the Kerrville TX Community Journal
Dec 3, 2008

"All I ever need to know I learned from community education."

This bold statement was made by Bill Hoelscher, who was thrust into running a community education program while working at a small school district in south Texas. He then moved on to managing a nonprofit organization. One afternoon, as he stared at stacks of papers on his desk that all demanded immediate attention - from the quarterly report, to writing a grant, to planning the dreaded fundraiser he had been stuck with because he was the new guy - Bill had his epiphany. He realized he could use the lessons he learned as a community educator. As he writes:

1. If you don’t know, ask. Our peers are the greatest resources. I have yet to meet anyone in community education who did not want to share ideas or was not willing to reach out and assist someone else in being successful.

2. Try it. If it doesn’t work, so what, you learned something. The worst thing that can happen is that you look for a new way to be successful and to serve your community.

3. Plan for every contingency, and know that something will always go wrong. Despite covering every angle, you cannot control the weather or other people. So when something doesn’t work the way you planned, most people won’t know and won’t care. They will be too busy having fun and there is no need to tell the differently.

Fortified by this knowledge, I started diving into my piles. I knew that if I could create a successful evening for parents and kids, with little more then pipe cleaners, glue and felt scraps, I could do anything.

The community educator is the greatest resource in our communities. I make this bold statement with true sincerity. If not for the opportunities we provide, who will teach that senior how to use e-mail and stay in touch with a changing world; who will create a safe and nurturing environment for youth, during out of school hours; who will educate the disenfranchised who have difficulty in reading and writing; who will give the unemployed a boost by helping them learn new skills; who will create an environment, where someone can meet and make new friends, rather then spending another night sitting alone? We keep people connected and we keep them relevant.

That is why I am now looking at a clean desk and am about to go home for the night, knowing that as a community educator, I can do anything.

My hope is that these lessons may guide you as you go about your daily business. Bill finished his musings with a quote from the Chinese philosopher Guanzi: “When planning for a year, plant corn. When planning for a decade, plant trees. When planning for life, train and educate people."

See you in class.

XXX

The Spring 2009 catalogs will be mailed the week after Christmas. Classes will be posted online at www.clubed.net beginning Dec 15. Or call 830-895-4386.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Each year, we offer more than 300 classes with 3000 enrollments, along with online courses, business and individual training, and after-school and summer camps. Comment online at clubedcomments.blogspot.com.

Community education: Keeping the lights on in our schools

by Phil Houseal as published in the Kerrville TX Community Journal, Nov 26, 2008

In October I got a phone call from a newspaper columnist. Not unusual in my role with the school district, but this reporter was calling from Pennsylvania.

He introduced himself as David Knepper, a columnist with the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat. He had two questions for me: 1) What is this thing called Community Education, and 2) Why doesn't every school district in the country have it?

Whew! I hoped he had an unlimited long distance phone budget, because I could have talked for hours about the benefits of community education. Knepper is a retired superintendent who now writes on community and education issues. His premise for the column was that schools should open up their facilities for use by the local citizens for learning, recreation, and community involvement. He was singing my tune. But I'll let you read what he wrote for yourself:

"For the past decade, from the corner coffee shop to the kitchen table, Americans have not given high grades to public education nationwide. Perhaps the answer might lie outside the walls of education.

More than ever, successful schools have come to recognize the interdependency on strong community support to meet mandated state and national performance standards, develop innovative programs, and secure financial resources.

The process of building such partnerships is an ongoing, two-way communication process between a school and the community it serves. Education is viewed as a birth-to-death process, and everyone in the community – individuals, businesses and public and private agencies – shares in the responsibility of educating all members of the community and providing lifelong learning opportunities for learners of all ages, backgrounds and needs.

One of the most successful ways to achieve such a relationship is to develop a community education program.

The educational philosophy that underlies community schools advocates the creation of opportunities for community participants, namely individuals, businesses and both public and private organizations, to become partners in addressing community needs.

A community education program is established outside the traditional school day for the purpose of providing academic, recreation, health, social service and work-preparation programs for people of all ages.

Investing in our communities through educational outreach and intergenerational learning should be our priorities. Community education can be that gateway to improve student achievement when the “whole village comes together to help children learn.”

Let’s keep the lights on in our schools to facilitate the learning and participation of adults and children so they can improve their lives and their communities."

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc. by David Knepper, Johnstown Tribune-Democrat, October 31, 2008

To read the entire article, you can follow this link:

http://www.tribune-democrat.com/archivesearch/local_story_305110748.html

Be thankful that Kerrville ISD does something no school in Pennsylvania has yet done: offer community education.

See you in class.

XXX

To learn more about our lifelong learning classes, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Comment online at clubedcomments.blogspot.com.

50 back seat drivers

by Phil Houseal as published in the Kerrville TX Community Journal, Nov 19, 2008

Can you imagine taking 50 friends for a drive to look at Christmas lights? That is what happens every fall on Club Ed's Hill Country Lighting Tour. It is second nature to Don Ball, our longtime tour host and owner/operator of Si Texas Tours. To Ball, a seat on his bus is the best seat in the house.

"In a car, you sit low and look up," he said. "On my bus, you sit high and look out. It is an unrestricted view - you know you are going to see the best of the best."

Ball has been driving buses since 1973. He never tires of escorting travelers to all the popular destinations, and he can recite all the reasons people prefer to travel by bus.

"A lot of seniors don't like to drive at night; big cities are easy to get lost in; people don't want the hassle; when they take the bus, they leave the driving to us."

Ball believes that people also like the fellowship of traveling with a group. On board his 45-foot, climate-controlled 54-seat cruiser, riders travel in comfort.

"Many people think of that old yellow school bus they rode 50 years ago," Ball said. "It was not very comfortable. But when get on a motor coach costing a half million dollars, you get a different perspective. You can recline, plug in your headphones and watch TV, or just visit with your neighbor. You can't do that while driving a car."

Ball also hosts Club Ed's Holiday Barge Ride, where passengers cruise San Antonio's famous Riverwalk and see the Christmas lights from a different perspective - being able to see lots of lighting they couldn't ordinarily view unless they did a whole lot of walking.

At Club Ed, Ball has watched the profiles of his passengers evolve over the years. He notes that "today's 50 is yesterday's 70." That is, he sees more people retiring in their 50s, with the resources and time to get around more.

Even as he approaches the 3 million mile mark, Ball never tires of driving. But he does mention one special challenge.

"If you have four people in your car, you have three backseat drivers," he said. "I have 50 back seat drivers!"

He still enjoys it.

"In the bus industry, everybody buys the same piece of equipment; it's what kind of service you give people," he said. "You meet the best people in the world this way. Yes, sir, that's why I do it."

XXX

Club Ed is offering two holiday travel opportunities: The Hill Country Christmas Lighting Tour on Dec 13, and the Christmas Barge Ride on the Riverwalk on Dec 17. There is also time to sign up for the trip to China scheduled for next April. To learn more about these and other lifelong learning classes, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Comment online at clubedcomments.blogspot.com.

Crawl onto the Web

by Phil Houseal as published in the Kerrville TX Community Journal, Nov 5, 2008

A web site is never finished.

So we decided to do something about it.

A few years ago, we noticed more of our computer students wanted to build their own web sites to sell products or services online.

So Club Ed came up with a whole new level of training. We called it Web Site Development & Design. We made it intensive and expensive. And it has been so successful that in a few years we have trained dozens of individuals.

Christie Kitchens, who has more than 30 years experience in graphic design, web development, and software instruction, developed and teaches the course.

She realized as early as the 1980s that business marketing was moving from "cut and paste" to "point and click."

"Having a business that is not on the web, is a little like having no phone," she said. "You need 'click and order' instead of 'brick and mortar.'"

A lot of businesses agreed. Club Ed has trained dozens of individuals and organizations, selling everything from knives to landscaping to land to furniture to jewelry. Clients have come from England and Canada. One Alaskan takes a refresher every year during his "Winter Texan" phase.

Kitchens' approach is two-fold. First, she helps students set up and design an initial web presence. This includes securing a domain name and establishing a hosting site. She also helps develop the "look" of the web page - a graphic presentation that is attractive and effective.

The key to the class success however, is that during the course of training, the client learns the basic skills needed to maintain the web site on their own - the student is able to add and change photos and text as needed. This saves money and gives the client more control of their web presence.

"She makes you take the mouse and do it," said one client. "So I feel it is mine, rather than something she did for me while I watched."

Even as the economy surges and ebbs, the web will continue to grow as a way for businesses and organizations to push their products out into the marketplace. It is fast, easy, efficient, effective, and cost-effective.

And it is working.

"When they post that first page and see it up in the browser they are so excited," Kitchens said. "They all go, man this is awesome!' They did something and got it on the web. That is a 'eureka' moment."

Oh. I was kidding about the "expensive" part. The cost is actually less than many firms charge just to design your web site.

As one student said, "We thought it was worth the investment to buy the software and learn to use it, as opposed to paying someone to do site for us. We are always going to be changing the site as we add inventory and change seasons. We wanted to do that ourselves."

I told you a web site is never finished!

XXX

The Web Site Development class is set up according to the student's schedule. To learn more about this and hundreds of other lifelong learning classes, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Comment online at clubedcomments.blogspot.com.

The magic of fly fishing

As published in the (Kerrville TX) Community Journal, Oct 22, 2008 - Phil Houseal

For Mike Andrews, the difference between fishing and fly fishing is like the difference between checkers and chess.

"Checkers is a fine game," Andrews explained. "It is enjoyable and challenges the mind. But chess offers a whole new dimension. You can spend a lifetime learning the game, and you never master it. There is always something new to learn."

Andrews helps others learn those new things while teaching Fly Fishing On The Guadalupe for Club Ed. He is a Certified Instructor for the Federation of Fly Fishers, but he did not pick up a fly rod until about three years before he retired. Andrews was watching those Saturday morning outdoor shows when he began his fascination with the sport

"It did not look like a very efficient way to fish, but there was something magical about it," he said. "There was something about that cast that just mesmerized me."

So he bought a cheap rod and reel. Not having access to a Club Ed class, Andrews pretty much taught himself, watching TV, reading books, and asking advice of all his fly fishing buddies. He figures he spent a year out in his yard "making bad casts."

Then he retired and moved to Kerrville, where the bounty of great fishing water beckoned. He became a charter member of the Hill Country Fly Fishers and refined his technique, eventually earning certification as an instructor and guide.

Andrews led many clients up the hill country's rivers and streams, and over the years he noticed the effect fly fishing could have on people.

"It is a form of recreation that relieves some of the stress we have," he said. He attributes this in part to just being in nature. "During fly fishing, you are IN the water, not standing on the bank. There is a closeness to nature when you are in the water with the fish. And you have a chance to see places off the beaten trail. You see more of the outdoors in a natural state than you do in other types of sports."

Now the teacher, Andrews feels great rewards introducing others to the intricacies of this watery chess game.

"I sense most of them feel like they've been introduced to a sport and know enough basics they can go fly fish on own. There is a genuine enthusiasm."

It is the same enthusiasm Andrews first experienced 20 years ago. He doesn't watch the fishing shows much anymore. But the perfect cast still holds that magical feel for him.

"I like to watch my own cast go out," he admitted. "It is like how a pitcher feels when he is pitching. When he wants to throw a curve ball, and throws a good one, that is the feeling I get."

XXX

Mike Andrews will teach Fly Fishing for Club Ed in the spring session. To learn more about this and hundreds of other lifelong learning classes, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Comment online at clubedcomments.blogspot.com.

The Art of Knitting

As published in the (Kerrville TX) Community Journal, Oct 22, 2008 - Phil Houseal

Iris Miller has discovered the cure for arthritis, insomnia, and dyslexia, along with the secret to personal success.

Knitting.

The 76-year-old Midwestener has been knitting since she was 6, taught under duress by her grandmother.

"My mother was bound and determined that I was going to learn all the womanly crafts that her mother had shown her," Iris said. "But she couldn't get knitting across to me because I am left handed. So my grandmother took over and taught me."

Her English grandmother taught her the womanly arts well, because Iris learned to not only knit, but also to spin, crochet, weave, and dye natural fibers ("You'll never be hot in wool, because it breathes."). She ended up designing and making her own clothes.

In spite of her mother's insistence on learning to be a homemaker, the no-nonsense Omaha native never married and went on to a career as a librarian. She moved to Texas 13 years ago to escape the cold Nebraska winters ("I am real cold-blooded; I wasn't going to stay up there and freeze.").

But she never abandoned the skills passed down from her grandmother. Even as she teaches knitting at Club Ed, she espouses the benefits of knowing the ancient cloth arts.

"It should be called Stress Management 101, because it's very relaxing," she said, noting that knitting is the perfect way to pass the time while waiting in a doctor's office, or while traveling.

As a young girl, Iris was dyslexic, but knitting helped her distinguish between right and left. As a senior citizen, Iris notes that knitting helps keep her hands limber and her mind sharp. Knitting is also Iris's cure for insomnia.

"If you can't sleep, get up and knit for half hour, " she offered. "You will sleep the night through."

Best of all, the end result of all that therapeutic handiwork is a gift you create for someone else.

"I make things people can use," said Iris, showing me a picture of a sweater she was knitting for a friend who has cancer. "She is real hot-blooded so I made it a lacy one."

I started to tell her that I never learned to knit, but Iris firmly interrupted me.

"My mother never allowed me to use those words 'I can't,'" she said with a scowl. "You would be surprised at what I can do."

I wanted to tell her nothing she could say or do would surprise me. But I did want to know if everyone could learn to knit?

"Sure," she insisted. And I believed her. "People who want to knit, knit all the time."

XXX

If you want to learn to knit, Iris Miller teaches beginning knitting classes for Club Ed. To learn more about this and hundreds of other lifelong learning classes, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District.

Visit our blog at http://clubedcomments.blogspot.com/

Backpacking

As published in the (Kerrville TX) Community Journal, Oct 15, 2008 - Phil Houseal

In America, we don't consider "walking around" a sport. But hiking and backpacking are hugely popular in Europe, and there is a segment of Texans who see the trail less traveled as a highway to adventure. Anthony Coden, a native of France, wants to lead us down the path to his world of discovery, fresh air, and better fitness.

But it takes more than just putting one foot in front of the other. There are rules.

First, there is a difference between hiking and backpacking.

"When you backpack you are carrying your house," Coden said. "When hiking, you just carry your water, map, compass, and snacks. When you hike you go in and you go out; when you backpack you are staying."

In Europe, especially in Britain, land is open for public access. Coden notes that Texas has good hiking trails, but they are far apart and require some travel to reach.

"Big Bend is an amazing place," he said. "The problem with Texas is the amount of travel between locations. It's just big. Water is also a problem, because you have to carry 10 or 15 extra pounds just to have water."

Part of Coden's teaching is geared to dispelling the romance many have when it comes to backpacking. His is a no-nonsense approach. He believes in the "no trace" principal - carrying out everything you carry in. The rest of his course will address practical matters such as how to set up a campsite; making a fire (with one match!); purifying water; what food to bring; and what clothing to wear.

"Gear is very confusing," he said. "There is so much of it on the market. What does it all mean? What is the difference between wool, silk, cotton, and all the synthetics? I will dispel lot of that confusion."

And sorry, techies - no global positioning satellites for you. Coden will be teaching people to use a compass to find their way back from the wilderness.

"A GPS is a cool tool, but it will make you more stupid," he said with a laugh. "We all have an internal compass, but if we don't use it enough it becomes dull. I know it works because no one has been lost forever!"

Coden, who also teaches cooking and ping pong, prides himself on his ability to break down complex issues for the lay person. But he also has a passion for this activity.

"This class is more about people having an understanding of backpacking," he said. "It is something I love to do."

XXX

Anthony Coden starts his backpacking series on Oct 23, with classes following on Nov 1 and Nov 8. To learn more about this and hundreds of other lifelong learning classes, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Comment online at clubedcomments.blogspot.com.

Born in the Renaissance

As published in the Community Journal (Kerrville TX) Phil Houseal, Oct 08, 2008

"I feel like I was born in the Renaissance."

With Angela Freeman's Italian accent and continental aura, you could easily believe she was. Freeman is Club Ed's expert on all things Italian, from art to history to speaking the language. She will combine all those interests in Il Salotto Del Rinascimento - A Salon of the Renaissance.

While not born in the Renaissance, Freeman was born in the heart of Italy in the region of Parma. She was raised and schooled in Milan. It steeped in her an abiding affinity for the Renaissance.

"I believe it was the most interesting and important part of our history," she said. "There was such an evolution in every field - not just painting, but also sculpture, architecture, philosophy, and literature."

The Renaissance is usually described as a cultural movement that bridged the Middle Ages and the modern era. It began in Italy and later spread to the rest of Europe. The Italian word Rinascimento comes from re- "again" and nascere "be born."

Freeman was born into a family where culture was important. She grew up surrounded by books. Her mother was a teacher, and her father was an officer in the Italian army. She married an American and has spent most of her adult life in this country, where she sees the connection to her beloved Renaissance.

"America now finds in this era something that is popular, so they are becoming more interested in the Renaissance," she said. "The Italian style is liked. Just look at the fashion, the furnishings, the food, even the important buildings in the capital reflect the influence of Italian architecture."

Freeman has compiled - by hand - a 64-page book with examples of the art and influence of the Renaissance ("My husband said this is not just a book - it is an encyclopedia!" she said). She will share it with her students in the class. In her book, she tried to pick the most important figures, not just the most well-known names of the Renaissance: Michaelangelo, da Vinci, and Raphael.

"There are many minor figures that also did excellent work, but who do not enjoy the fame of those three," she said, citing names such as Titian, Cellini, Dante, and Veronazi. "Please come... it will be una posseggiata attraverso il Rinascimento!"

That translates to "a walk through the Renaissance." With Angela Freeman, it is more like "a lifetime in the Renaissance."

XXX

To learn more about this and hundreds of other lifelong learning classes, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Comment online at clubedcomments.blogspot.com.

Arrows as art

by Phil Houseal, (Kerrville TX) Community Journal Oct 1 2008

Everyone knows what skill it takes to flake an arrowhead from flint. But making a stone toothpick?

That is one of the actual pieces created by a flintknapping instructor at the Club Ed Arrowhead Making course.

Local jeweler Jim Morris, who has taught flintknapping at Club Ed for at least a decade, is excited that he will have a very special guest instructor at his Oct. 4 class in Kerrville.

That would be John Kiernan, the internationally-known arrow point specialist.

"I think he is one of the world's greatest pressure flakers," Morris said. Kiernan is so respected in the lithic arts that he was featured on the flintknappers calendar this year.

Kiernan's work is so intricate it is collected as art - something previously unheard of in the world of stonework. He starts with the classic form of arrowheads and spear points, but refines them into eccentrics - intricate and delicate decorative forms that swirl and end in graceful balanced flutes. The reclusive artist engraves his name into every piece with a diamond stylus, partly to ensure no one mistakes them for ancient creations. Morris notes that most serious flintknappers are also amateur archeologists and have great respect for maintaining the historic record.

Amateur flintknappers already seek one of the limited seats in Morris's popular classes. Morris can claim credit as a pioneer in the field of modern arrowhead making. He first fell in love with the stone tools in 1952, and spent years studying the leftover flakes of flint and stone in order to unlock the secrets of how the natives made them. He has written a book explaining the process, and has taught hundreds of students his techniques.

Morris is known in the field for utilizing the same tools and raw materials used by the ancients.

Morris promises other surprises in the all-day workshop. He expects visits from Paul Stein and David Calame, both presidents of the Texas State Amateur Archeological Association.

Since flintknappers support research and interest in archeology, Morris invites all students to bring their own arrowhead collections. The instructors will help identify and classify them, even as they strive to recreate them.

But the goal of the workshop is to have each student produce a finished piece by the end of the day. That is a challenge, as it takes 300 blows to make a typical arrowhead, and any one blow can shatter the stone.

But it is a challenge every true flintknapper embraces, even knowing his first attempt may not be a work of art.

XXX

To see more of John Kiernan's art:
http://lithiccastinglab.com/gallery-pages/2002maykiernanpage2.htm

Jim Morris will teach Arrowhead Making on Saturday, Oct 4. To learn more about this and hundreds of other lifelong learning classes, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Comment online at clubedcomments.blogspot.com.

Travel for free

by Phil Houseal, published in the Community Journal (Kerrville TX) Sept 24, 2008

Growing up in a small Kansas town, Gina Henry-Cook yearned to see the big, wide world. In her words, she was "smitten with travel."

Since she hadn't won any lotteries, Henry-Cook tried to come up with ways to support her travel habit. She earned a masters degree in international management, so she used that experience to catalog ways to travel for free. She began sharing her tips with friends. Eventually she came up with 40, which she refined into her seminar and a book "Free Vacations & Make Money Traveling."

I asked her to give us a sample of what we will discover in her class.

"Just pick three favorite ideas from this class and those will pay for your vacation," she stated.

She gave her top three:

1) How to maximize frequent flier miles using a credit card, so you can fly for free

2) How to put together a small tour that will let you travel free

3) How to earn a free cruise by putting together a class to teach aboard ship

She also shares ways to make money closer to home by becoming a mystery shopper for the retail, banking, and travel industries. Students learn how to choose the best-paying assignments, how to import items that will pay for the vacation, how to fly as a courier, how to get on as a tour guide, how to write articles and take pictures, and how to teach language classes for free travel.

She has dozens more ideas, all crammed into the three-hour session. "I like talking, so it's a high content three hours," she said, adding that she takes questions and sends participants home with all the contact information they'll need to start traveling for free.

These days, Henry-Cook has come a long, long way from Kansas. She has traveled to more than 80 countries and 40 states. Every year she leads 100 seminars in 86 cities across the country. Former students contact her all the time with new tales of how they used her ideas to see the world.

"It's all possible, it's all practical," she said. "Anyone can do it."

XXX

Gina Henry-Cook will teach the class "Free Vacations & Make Money Traveling" on Wednesday evening, Oct 1. To learn more about this and hundreds of other lifelong learning classes, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District.

Visit our new blog at http://clubedcomments.blogspot.com/

Tool Time for Tomboys

As published in the Kerrville (TX) Community Journal, by Phil Houseal, Sept 17, 2008


Before this year, Bonnie Tom was anything but handy around the house.

"I couldn't do anything as far as home repair," Tom insisted. "Honestly, I couldn't."

So the Boerne resident signed up to take a women's home repair course. That is all it took to send her on a mission to help other women hone their own home repair skills.

Club Ed is offering half a dozen of Tom's Ms Fix It courses this fall. Designed specifically for women, the courses cover basic home repair from plumbing and electrical to tiling and paint preparation.

One key aspect of approaching home repair from a woman's perspective is the tools themselves. Tom uses Tomboy Tools. How are they different?

Ever since a cave dweller picked up a rock to crack a nut, tools have been designed by men, for men. Tomboy Tools are tools designed by women, for women.

According to Tom, the tools are smaller and lighter, with comfortable non-slip grips and an ergonomic design to better fit a woman's hands.

They are also designed for projects that a woman is more apt to undertake. For example, they have a nifty measuring tool that makes hanging pictures easy. The jig includes a sliding ruler, built-in level, and adjustable points to score the drywall so you know exactly where to drive in the nails. The caulk gun even has a swiveling nozzle to make it easier to apply caulk in tight corners. Brilliant.

OK, they are pink, too. But that is just to promote the fact that a portion of the proceeds support Susan G. Koman cancer research. The original line is still blue.

But the Ms Fix It courses are more about creating a supportive environment where women are not afraid to ask questions.

"It is amazing how some women who never picked up a screwdriver are responding to these classes," she said. "We provide a non-intimidating environment in which to learn and ask questions."

But are women really so eager to move into home repair, the traditional domain of manly men?

"More and more women want to do this, because women are realizing they can be self-reliant, can usually fix something faster, and avoid the higher cost of getting someone to come to your home," Tom said. "Our mission is to empower women to have confidence to fix their own homes."

XXX

The series of Ms Fix It classes begin in September, and include Plumbing, Tiling, Electrical, Paint Prep, Energy Efficiency, and Drywall. To learn more about these and hundreds of other lifelong learning classes, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Comment online at clubedcomments.blogspot.com.

Read article about the class in the Boerne (Tx) Star (Oct 2008)

Club Ed - the place where learning never ends

As appeared in Fall 2008 VISITORS GUIDE - KERRVILLE DAILY TIMES Contact: Phil Houseal, 257-2218, phil.houseal@kerrvilleisd.net

There is a place in Kerrville where people are kayaking down rivers, playing guitar, traveling to the Renaissance, planting native gardens, programming computers, and learning to tango.

That place is Club Ed - the community education program of the Kerrville Independent School District.

This award-winning and nationally recognized program is the place for learners of all ages Every spring and fall, Club Ed offers more than 150 local classes in the areas of computers, art, fitness, language, music, recreation, travel, and self-improvement. Students can go online to sign up for 400 more classes open year round from the convenience of home.

Club Ed is also the area's leading training center. Professional instructors lead custom training on computers, software, web site design, customer service, grantwriting, and other skills for nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individuals.

Besides being fun, Club Ed helps keep the mind sharp. Scientific research uncovered 10 benefits that come from lifelong learning:

1. leads to an enriching life of self-fulfillment
2. helps make new friends and establish valuable relationships
3. keeps one involved as active contributors to society
4. helps find meaning in our lives
5. helps adapt to change
6. makes the world a better place
7. increases wisdom
8. creates a curious, hungry mind
9. opens the mind
10. helps fully develop natural abilities

To enjoy these benefits is easy, according to Phil Houseal, Director. Catalogs are mailed to all hill country residents twice a year. Anyone interested in teaching or taking a class can visit www.clubed.net, call 830-895-4386, send an email to club.ed@kerrvilleisd.net, or stop by the Auld Center, 1121 Second Street, Kerrville TX 78028.

Football for Femmes?

by Phil Houseal Published in the (Kerrville TX) Community Journal, Sept 3, 2008

Most football players might have quit after their coach told them they were not the fastest player on the field, nor the best player on the field. Brendan Wilson's coach said both those things to him back in his playing days. But his coach also told him something else that changed Wilson's life.

"He told me that in spite of those limitations, I always knew where I was supposed to be on the field," Wilson said. "He said I ought to get into coaching."

After 11 years in the Army, Wilson did just that. He coached more than 10 years at all levels from junior high to college. While an assistant high school coach in Georgia, he helped lead his team to three state championships.

Never a super-sized person, Wilson played at around 180 pounds. He mastered literally every position, from long snapper to returning punts to doing a stint at quarterback. This journeyman approach helped him understand the game at a deeper level.

A self-described "football freak," Wilson loves the game and loves to help other people love it. He will teach a class this fall called "Football for Femmes," helping "football widows" gain an appreciation for the game. He plans to teach the basic terms, identify the positions, and explain the rules. Using tapes from his coaching days, and doing what he calls his "Chalk Talk," Coach Wilson will even draw up some basic strategies and plays.

At the last session, he'll have the class watch a televised professional game, complete with Super Bowl-style snacks and refreshments.

Why would someone so schooled in the intricacies of the game want to try to teach X's and O's to novices?

"I just love football so much," he said. "It just comes natural to me." And despite his love for the game, teaching it is not always easy. "It took about 10 years for my wife to understand the game. During one state championship game I coached, she finally realized what a first down was!"

Wilson now works at the Kerrville VA hospital as Division Manager for Environmental Management Services. But he is still involved in the sport, working as the TV analyst for all Tivy High School football games. He invites anyone wanting to share this love to sign up for his class.

"Because it will be fun and interesting," he said. "I will be open to any type of questions about football."

And he promises not to tell you how slow you are.

XXX

Brendan Wilson will teach Football for Femmes starting Sunday, Sept 14. To learn more about this and hundreds of other lifelong learning classes, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.

Master Your Dog

as published in the Community Journal, Kerrville TX by Phil Houseal, Aug 26, 2008


Yvonne Gerhardt set me straight right away: Dog obedience is not about teaching the dog; it is teaching the master.

Through the Club Ed dog obedience course, Gerhardt has helped hundreds of dog owners become better masters. She goes beyond heel, sit, stay, using "natural dogmanship" to help your dog learn its proper role in your "pack."

"We take the point of view of the dog," she explained. "Dogs are pack animals by nature. They have a hierarchy. Any dog will be happier when they have a pack leader."

The pack leader has to be the owner, a role some owners are reluctant to adopt. Lots of Gerhardt's training is focused on training the trainer.

"We won't let the owner drive the bus until they are comfortable with being in charge," she said.

Gerhardt has bred, trained, and showed dogs since 1976. She is also a veterinary technician, and works for the animal control department in Fredericksburg. The certified dog trainer has seen the gamut of issues when it comes to dog behavior.

She gets many calls from people seeking help with dogs that bite, jump on people, or won't come when called.

"We have had dogs that were nonsocial," she said. "When they left the training, the owners were finally able to take the dog to the vet without being bitten. Results all depend on the person and how hard they want to work with their dog."

Gerhardt recommends spending 15 minutes every day on training. Less than that, you get no results. More than 15 minutes, the dog loses interest.

Another point is that you cannot treat your pets as if they are people. They are not children. A dog doesn't know the difference between a $1000 collar and a piece of twine.

While Gerhardt believes in positive reinforcement, training is not all treats and petting. Again, her training methods parallel life in the dog pack.

"There are consequences in life, and consequences in training - if a dog does something wrong, you have to show them the right way," she said. Gerhardt used the example of a mother dog dealing with a puppy trying to get into her food dish. "First she stares, then shows her teeth. If the puppy still doesn't get the message, then she bites. But you always end on a positive."

Training dogs brings reward, sometimes in unexpected ways.

"People have called after taking this class and said you helped me in real life, you made me a leader. I was shy, and now I'm not. Or you've changed the way our family behaves."

One owner just wanted to have her dog walk on a leash without throwing a tantrum. Within 10 minutes, Gerhardt and the student had that dog walking.

"At the end of the class, that owner got a standing ovation and had tears in her eyes," Gerhardt said. "I get rewarded every time I see a dog walk out and become a good citizen. That owner got something good out of my class."

Gerhardt is so passionate about what she does, that she makes a surprising offer.

"Once you take my class, you can come back for free for the life of your dog," she said. "We want you and your dog to be happy."

XXX

Yvonne Gerhardt teaches a Dog Obedience class that begins Sept 8.

To learn more about this and hundreds of other lifelong learning classes, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District.

Ni hao! (nee-Ha-OW - that is hello in Chinese)

Published in the Community Journal (Kerrville TX) August 19, 2008

Those whose interest in the Far East is rising as a result of the Beijing Olympics can add to that knowledge with Club Ed. Next spring we are sponsoring a trip to China, and this fall you can start working on the language by taking Chinese Language.

Tatiana Authement teaches both Chinese and Russian. Tatiana is a native of Moscow, and spent time teaching and living in China, where she participated in a historic first I'll share later. So along with language instruction, she plans to pull back the Iron Curtain to give westerners a glimpse into daily life in the former Soviet Union.

And what a life. Tatiana's parents were dissidents, who actually met while held in one of the gulags. When Stalin died in 1953, the government released her parents.

Both were theater producers, so Tatiana grew up surrounded by artists, actors, and performing troupes that put on local productions.

"We would travel to peasant villages, and give little shows with singing, playing, and comedy," she recalled. Her father directed these shows, which were approved by the communist party line. But it was a way to spread culture to her countrymen. Young Tatiana was often cast in these local productions.

"I was performing bad characters mostly," she explained. "I was always the mischievous one - I played the witch types that went flying across the stage."

She eventually enrolled in Moscow University, and studied International business relations and the Chinese language.

In 1989 she traveled to China, where her life took an unexpected turn and she made a bit of history. Tatiana never particularly wanted to come to the United States, but she met and fell in love with an American. Both the U..S. and Soviet embassies in China refused to marry them, so they were married in a Chinese courthouse by Chinese officials. It was the first marriage between an American and a Soviet citizen ever performed in China.

Tatiana has lived in Texas since 1994. She finds most Americans to be very curious about Russia, but not always informed.

"People ask all sorts of questions about my life," she said. "The everyday stuff interests them. They know about Tchaikovsky and Dostoyevsky, but they don't know what the Russian people are like."

She finds many Americans hold onto stereotypes of Russian people left over from the cold war.

"People say to me, 'You can't be Russian... you don't look like a Russian!'"

To help educate us, Tatiana promises to add in a bit about the culture as well as the basics of the language.

"We have this great soul," she said. "Things like our little traditions and superstitions. If you don't know them, you can't understand us."

She acknowledges that one cannot expect to learn any language in six lessons. But she promises that students will have a better understanding of the culture and even be able to read a sentence or two. She does promise two things: "It will not be boring. And there will be no propaganda!"

XXX

Tatiana will teach Chinese starting Sept 16 at 1 p.m., and Russian starting Sept 16 at 3 p.m. The trip to China leaves in April, 2009, with a free information session set for Tuesday evening, October 21 at the Auld Center.

To learn more about these and hundreds of other lifelong learning classes starting this fall, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.

Sharpen your tools

As published in the Community Journal, Kerrville TX Aug 13, 2008


Whether using your mind or your kitchen paring knife, dull tools are dangerous.

Welcome back to another season of Club Ed, where you can not only sharpen your mind; you can sharpen all of your working tools.

Dr. Tom Harris, revered as a wizard at gardening, has always been fascinated in the tools that help him keep that garden in shape. That is why he will teach a Tool Sharpening Workshop this fall.

"I took a course in tool maintenance when I was working on my Industrial Arts degree," Harris said. "We learned how to maintain all the machines and hand tools in shop. I found it fascinating, and loved all of it. Ever since I have had a fetish about sharp things being sharp."

Taking care of our tools has become an anachronism. Back on the farm, my dad carefully cleaned the dirt off the hoes after each use, sharpened the edges, then dipped them in a bucket of used oil before hanging them up in the barn.

These days, when our hoe becomes dull, we are more likely to toss it and buy a new one than we are to sharpen it (if we even use a hoe, come to think of it). You wouldn't do that with your brain; why do it with your tools?

Harris acknowledges that sharpening has become a lost art, but not for him. He still cleans his spades and hoes after each use, sharpens the blades, sprays the metal with WD-40 and applies linseed oil to the wood handles.

"I've got shovels, hoes and rakes that are 25 years old," he said. "Some of them look better than new ones. I'm a nut about it."

Still, Harris is not obsessive about how you sharpen your tools. He teaches students how to sharpen by hand and to "eyeball" it, mainly by matching the same angle as the original blade was ground. His other tip is to keep your knives sharp by not putting them in the dishwasher or silverware drawer, where they will bang against other utensils. He recommends simply rinsing them off after each use, drying, and placing back in the knife holder.

Oh, about the "dull is dangerous" comment?

"You have to work harder to make a dull tool work," he noted. "If the blade is sharp, it will do what it is supposed to do, easily. If it is dull, that's when you make a mistake."

Sharpening your spades, scissors, knives, and shears is a strange combination of practicality and Zen.

"It is just fascinating," Harris said, "when you can get something sharp enough to shave with, whether it is a shovel or a razor."

Or your mind.

The Cure that kills - No "anti" to this virus

The Kerrville Daily Times reports that a new anti-virus protection program for your computer is actually the virus. When you install the free version, it infects your computer, then prompts you to buy the full version in order to fix what it broke. People are paying $40 to $100 for this scam. (see article at http://dailytimes.com/story.lasso?ewcd=d6ee2c70d7d5eec1)

Club Ed offers classes that help you understand your computer, protect it, and most important - BACK IT UP!

Link: www.clubed.net
Go to then then
Learn How To Back Up Your Computer - Premium [CH27]

Imagine losing years worth of work, projects and presentations that you thought were safely stored in your computer. What a nightmare it would be! Don't let this happen to you! Learn the techniques to back up your computer so you will still have your important information and be able to get your computer back up and running. We will answer questions such as, what data should you back up, how often should you back up and the most efficient and cost effective medium for backing up onto. Be prepared! Certificate Issued.

When your computer is sick... Club Ed is the cure!

"Where Learning Never Ends"

That is the slogan on our coffee mugs.

Why did we put it there? Why does lifelong learning matter?

According to About.com, lifelong learning...

* Keeps your mind sharp
* Improves memory
* Increases self-confidence
* Offers an inexpensive way to try something new
* Saves you money as you learn to “do it yourself”
* Gives you a feeling of accomplishment
* Helps you meet people who share your interests
* Builds on skills you already have
* Offers you an opportunity to learn a new skill or trade and increase your income
* Gives you a new interest that you can share with family and friends

More important, why do we NEED lifelong learning?

Here are the key challenges set forth by one government agency:

- The increasing pace of technological change in the knowledge economy
- Need for a flexible and adaptable workforce to keep pace with the economy's skills needs
- Aging population, which means we will have fewer young people entering the workforce in the future
- Closing the opportunity gap - learning plays an important role in providing a route out of poverty, and enables people to take an active part in society

Interestingly, those points came from the Lifelong Learning Strategy for Scotland! Here in the United States, there is no national plan or funding for community education. Local programs such as Club Ed exist solely because of the desire by local school districts to provide learning opportunities for all citizens, even those of us beyond our school-age years.

In Kerrville, we also are fortunate to have a population of motivated citizens that believe in lifelong learning enough to take and to teach classes. If no one came, we wouldn't have built it.

So, with the holiday season near, here are two suggestions for making lifelong learning a bigger part of your life:

1 - Give it as a gift! Club Ed will whip up a gift certificate that you can give a loved one who wants to keep on learning.

2 - With New Year's near, why not make it a resolution to better yourself by taking a class?

After all, has a coffee mug ever let you down?

XXX

Club Ed catalogs are being mailed between Christmas and New Year's. Meanwhile, you can sign up online at www.clubed.net.

We always offer custom training for individuals and organizations.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Courses are open to everyone. To sign up, ask a question, suggest a class, or apply to teach, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.

Remember Ping Pong?

As published in the Community Journal, Kerrville TX
June 2008

(OK... in some circles it is referred to as "table tennis." But we who learned the game in basements and driveways still use its onomatopoetic moniker.)

If you have a ping pong table, chances are it's covered in laundry or power tools. Anthony Coden wants to bring back the days when we actually played with paddles and celluloid balls as sport and relaxation. He is offering a free class this fall called Ping Pong Hero!

Why ping pong?

"It was fun to play; it was something we did in the summers," said Coden, who challenged the neighborhood kids when he was growing up in Bordeaux, France. "It was just a social thing, but we always enjoyed it."

Coden is trying to drum up a group of people who would like to gather round the table again just for the camaraderie. Skill level is not important. In fact, if you are Olympic caliber, this class is not for you.

"Ping pong can be played at many levels," he pointed out. "It can be fun or you can make it very serious. I like that about it: you can make it as hard as you like."

Coden, who admitted he won some tournaments as a young man, insists he does not compete at the expert level. But he is "good enough" that he often plays left-handed just to make it more challenging.

His main joy comes from teaching others to enjoy the game more. His goal is to let people get whatever they want out of it, whether they want to acquire more skills or just have fun.

"I just want to get people out and to play," Coden said. "The ideal is to create a network of people who like it and want to get together and create events."

It seems that all sports wax and wane in popularity. A few years ago it was golf that was hot, then tennis. So does Coden think ping pong is the next big thing?

He shrugged.

"I don't know," he said. "I have seen some tables around town. But," he added, "I don't see them being used."

I guess he doesn't consider folding laundry as "use."

xxx

You can call Anthony Coden at 896-6397.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Each year, we offer more than 400 classes with 3000 enrollments. Summer kids camps are now underway. The fall session begins in September. To sign up, ask a question, suggest a class, or apply to teach, call 830-895-4386 or visit www.clubed.net.
(First published in the Community Journal, Kerrville TX - Jun, 2008)

New catalog design - whaddya think?

Our new Fall 2008 catalogs should be in the mail by August 1. If you live or work anywhere in the Texas Hill Country, you will receive a copy automatically (we don't have mail lists - it goes to every mail address). You can pick up extras at our office (1121 Second St, Kerrville) or at any chamber or library. Of course, if you are reading this, you already found our web site. ALL the courses are posted there, and you can sign up any time.

But... I know you will want a catalog... if for no other reason than to save and frame the cover. "Phil the Builder" is our cover boy this issue. A charming addition to your den or workroom.

Seriously, I want your feedback on how you like the new catalog. We have switched to a more magazine-like format - larger, wider - so we don't have to cram in all the copy. Let us know your thoughts!

Welcome to Club Ed!

OK gang... we always want your feedback about our Club Ed program - the largest training and lifelong learning program in the Texas Hill Country.
I'll post comments and articles about our classes, teachers, and students from time to time. Might throw out some questions. We are always looking for your ideas on new classes, good teachers, and cogent topics.

Blog On!
Club Eddie