Philosophy

Dale Gnidovec, Curator of the Orton Hall Museum of Geology at The Ohio State University, will be presenting a program he has wanted to share with us for a long time: Plate Tectonics. His description of his program: Continents on the move - Nothing in Earth history makes sense without moving continents - it tells us why mountains, volcanoes, minerals, and fossils are where they are. This talk examines the evidence for continental drift, why it was disbelieved, and explains how the more-encompassing theory of plate tectonics was developed and eventually proven. Dale is an energetic, incredibly knowledgeable, and very entertaining speaker and this will be another wonderful program by Dale. Hope to see you there! Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon

Joanie Shell and Lindsay Thomas of Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, will be representing the Independent Living Older Blind (ILOB) program, and will explain what this program can offer to persons ages 55 and older. As taken from their website, the ILOB program can help Ohio’s aging population face the many challenges of vision loss and maintain their independence. Target audience for this group is persons who are visually impaired, especially those who have experienced recent loss, however, all are welcome, including family members and supports. Light refreshments will be served. You can also join the meeting by Conference Call at (518) 263-8851.

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!

**Photography 101: Discover The Photographer Within** **Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your camera? Then this beginning photography course is perfect for you!** This beginner-friendly photography class is your gateway to unlocking the power of your camera and developing a confident artistic vision. This course offers an engaging and practical approach to essential techniques and creative principles for impactful photography. We will explore the use of camera settings, composition, and light to tell a story that evokes emotion in the viewer. **Through hands-on exercises and insightful lessons, you will learn to:** * **Master Your Camera:** Learn fundamental camera functions, including aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, so you can confidently control exposure and creative effects in any lighting situation. * **Compose Captivating Images:** Explore and apply classic composition principles like the rule of thirds, leading lines, and framing to create visually appealing and impactful photographs. * **Harness the Power of Light:** Understand how different light sources (natural and artificial) affect your images and learn to manipulate them to create mood, texture, and enhance the overall quality of your photos. * **Control Focus and Depth of Field:** Discover how to effectively utilize depth of field to isolate your subject and achieve captivating background blur (bokeh) or ensure sharpness throughout your landscape shots. * **Work with Lenses and Filters:** Explore the impact of various lens types and focal lengths on photographs and learn how filters can add creative control and protection. **This class provides the foundation needed to confidently create high-quality images and begin a photographic journey, regardless of the camera used.** **Prerequisites:** * A camera (film, DSLR, or mirrorless) that has manual controls is required. Hands-on exercises make having the camera in class highly beneficial. You will need at least one lens to evaluate the results of control exercises. * You may attend this class in one of two ways: 1. With a class voucher provided by your retail camera store 2. Purchasing a seat in the class

**First Gathering: Love as Transformation** Reading: **The Forty Rules of Love** by **Elif Shafak** We begin Men, Meaning, and Madness with a novel that treats love not as sentiment, but as a force that disrupts, humbles, and reshapes the self. The Forty Rules of Love explores love as discipline, surrender, and moral risk. It asks what happens when certainty breaks, when the ego is wounded, and when meaning is found not through control, but through transformation. This gathering is for men interested in serious literature and honest inquiry into how love shapes character, responsibility, and the inner life. Discussion will be guided by questions rather than summaries. The aim is depth, not debate. Come having read the book or engaged with it seriously.

**Photography 102: A Deeper Dive Into Photography** **Are you ready to dig deeper into photography? Then this intermediate photography course is perfect for expanding your knowledge of photography!** This intermediate photography class builds upon the foundational knowledge acquired in the Photography 101 class. It focuses on empowering students to move beyond automatic camera modes and take greater creative control over their images. This course uses an engaging and practical hands-on approach to reinforcing these newer and more advanced photographic concepts. **Through hands-on exercises and insightful lessons, you will learn:** * **Master More Advanced Camera Settings** * **Aperture and F-stops:** Understanding how aperture controls depth of field and using it to create blurry backgrounds (shallow depth of field) for portraits or sharp focus throughout a landscape (deep depth of field). * **Shutter Speed:** Learning to utilize shutter speed to freeze fast action or intentionally blur motion for artistic effects. * **ISO:** Exploring ISO settings for optimal image quality in different lighting conditions, understanding the trade-off between sensitivity and potential image noise/grain. * **Exposure Modes:** Beyond "Auto", understanding and utilizing manual (M), aperture-priority (A or Av), shutter-priority (S or Tv), and program (P) modes for specific shooting scenarios. * **White Balance:** Learn how to effectively set white balance controls to represent colors in varying lighting conditions properly. * **Metering and Exposure Compensation:** Understanding how the camera measures light and how to use exposure compensation to fine-tune exposure for desired results. * **On-Camera Flash Basics:** Gaining a basic understanding of when and how to use the built-in flash or external flash units effectively. * **Advanced Concepts and Techniques** * **Composition Beyond the Basics:** Looking at some more advanced composition concepts and taking a deeper look at the Elements of Design, learning to use space more effectively, controlling the elements of the scene that are drawing attention, and mastering visual weight. * **Lighting Beyond Natural Light:** Introduction to artificial lighting, such as off-camera flash, reflectors, and softboxes, to control and shape light for different effects. * **Basic Image Editing:** An introduction to photo editing software like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, covering essential tools for adjusting brightness, contrast, color, and sharpness. * **Developing a Personal Style:** Exploring ways to refine a unique artistic voice and create a consistent photographic style. **This class provides the next step in the path to becoming a more proficient and artistic photographer, allowing for more advanced usage of the camera system.** **Prerequisites:** * A camera (film, DSLR, or mirrorless) that has manual controls is required. Hands-on exercises make having the camera in class highly beneficial. You will need at least one lens to evaluate the results of control exercises. * You may attend this class in one of two ways: 1. With a class voucher provided by your retail camera store 2. Purchasing a seat in the class

Let’s meet and discuss whatever comes to mind about one of Tennesse Williams’ most famous plays.