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feature story<br />
Anyone Can Write a Memoir with a Little Help from Dorothy Skarles<br />
By Bernadine Chapman-Cruz<br />
In Dorothy Skarles’ memoir class, there are lots of stories waiting to be<br />
told. “Our lives are like a kaleidoscope that changes every second,” Skarles<br />
says. “We have all laughed, cried and struggled, and when we write<br />
about those experiences, many of us find we are alike in our stories.”<br />
A strawberry blonde, blue-eyed child born to a mother of German descent<br />
and a father who was full-blooded Native American, Skarles grew up to<br />
teach others how to recall memorable events in their lives and save them<br />
for generations to come through the written word. “When you write down<br />
your memories, you contribute to family history,” she says.<br />
The written word was a key to how Skarles got her start. “My father gave<br />
me a Webster’s picture dictionary when I was very young,” she says, “and<br />
that’s how I learned to read and write.” An avid reader, Skarles enjoys<br />
4 | JANUARY 2013 | lodi monthly magazine<br />
Anyone Can Write a Memoir with a<br />
Little Help from Dorothy Skarles<br />
By Bernadine Chapman-Cruz | Contributing Writer<br />
In Dorothy Skarles’ memoir class, there are lots<br />
of stories waiting to be told. “Our lives are like<br />
a kaleidoscope that changes every second,”<br />
Skarles says. “We have all laughed, cried and<br />
struggled, and when we write about those experiences,<br />
many of us find we are alike in our stories.”
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>>feature story<br />
Continued from page 5<br />
Everybody remembers learning how<br />
to drive, and Skarles uses a story about<br />
her first venture behind the wheel as<br />
a tool to jog her students’ memories.<br />
“I learned to drive when I was nine,”<br />
she says. “On a bumpy ride across our<br />
country property, I missed a bridge<br />
over a small creek and got stuck. My<br />
daddy came to my rescue. With his<br />
pickup truck, he pulled me and the car<br />
out of the water and said, ‘You need<br />
more practice, Dorothy Ann.’”<br />
Amid student laughter, students<br />
share learning how to drive experiences,<br />
and stories of their first car. These<br />
are all starting points for a memoir.<br />
Another memorable event that<br />
sparks memories is falling in love.<br />
“First love, a favorite pet, or even being<br />
jilted stays with us throughout our<br />
lives,” Skarles says. “I met my husband<br />
Jim at a swimming pool. On our first<br />
date, he took me to the mountains to<br />
learn how to shoot a rifle. Our next<br />
date, we went on a fishing trip, and<br />
when he started to bait my hook, I<br />
looked him straight in the eye and said,<br />
‘I like to bait my own hook.’ Years<br />
later, my husband told me that that was<br />
the day he knew he was going to marry<br />
me.” Five weeks and five dates later,<br />
the couple wed. They’ve been married<br />
for more than 50 years, raising three<br />
sons.<br />
“Even if a memory is painful, hurts,<br />
or makes you feel bad, you should<br />
write it down,” Skarles says. “You<br />
don’t need to show it to anyone, but<br />
make sure to date it. Then put it away<br />
in a safe place. Wait at least a month,<br />
then take your writing out. Read it, and<br />
you will be surprised that what you<br />
wrote won’t be as traumatic as when<br />
you initially remembered the incident.”<br />
Skarles learned this technique from a<br />
therapist she met at a conference, who<br />
uses the exercise in counseling. “Some<br />
people have things from their past that<br />
400 East Kettleman Ln #1<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong>, CA 95240<br />
(209) 369-8395<br />
www.<strong>Lodi</strong>Moores.net<br />
they need to work through, and writing<br />
them down helps deal with hardships,”<br />
she says. “It really does work.”<br />
In addition to helping people chronicle<br />
their lives through writing memoirs,<br />
Skarles wrote a cooking column for<br />
the <strong>Lodi</strong> News Sentinel; covered the<br />
society page for the Stockton Record;<br />
has written for several magazines; and<br />
participated as a guest writer for blogs.<br />
During her newspaper years, Skarles’<br />
most memorable interview was with<br />
First Lady of California Nancy Reagan.<br />
“I was so nervous,” Skarles says,<br />
“because it was my first assignment as<br />
a reporter. Mrs. Reagan was extremely<br />
kind to me, put me at ease, and the<br />
interview went well. It was also my first<br />
byline and I was very proud. I guess that<br />
was my 15 minutes of fame.”<br />
Skarles is also a published author.<br />
She has written Learning How to Write<br />
the Easy Way for Fun, Posterity and<br />
Money, as well as two novels.<br />
Scent of Diamonds, a mystery set in<br />
Mexico, includes a character fashioned<br />
after her husband, and the true experience<br />
of being detained for a week by<br />
Federals, “because we didn’t have<br />
visas,” Skarles says.<br />
Each of Skarles’ sons lived in<br />
Hawaii for a period of time, and her<br />
second novel, Enchanted Hunt, was<br />
penned around the legend of the mythical<br />
goddess Pele and the stories her<br />
sons told her. Due to Skarles’ extensive<br />
research and detailed accuracy surrounding<br />
the island setting, her novel<br />
is in the University of Hawaii’s library.<br />
The book is dedicated to her sons.<br />
Skarles firmly believes that anyone<br />
can write a memoir. She lives by her<br />
philosophy that every person should<br />
have kindness, understanding, and a<br />
sense of humor in their heart to make<br />
it through life. “That’s what makes life<br />
meaningful,” she says. “Now, write<br />
about it.”<br />
For more information on memoir<br />
writing, call Skarles at (209) 359-1380.<br />
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>>around lodi<br />
Students Spell Their Way to the Top<br />
Hanna Nakahara and Julie Fukunaga receive top honors from<br />
Gary Dei Rossi, Deputy Superintendent at SJCOE.<br />
On Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012,<br />
fourth- through sixth-grade and<br />
seventh- through ninth-grade top<br />
spelling students from throughout<br />
San Joaquin County participated<br />
in the 16th Annual San Joaquin<br />
County Spelling Bee Championship<br />
at the San Joaquin County Office of<br />
Education.<br />
The winners were:<br />
Fourth- through sixth-grade<br />
division:<br />
The 2012-13 San Joaquin County<br />
Elementary Spelling Bee Champion<br />
is Jill Rafert, sixth-grade student at<br />
Annunciation School. Winning word:<br />
saboteur.<br />
Runner-up is Jack Ford, sixthgrade<br />
student at Ripon Elementary<br />
in Ripon Unified School District.<br />
Both students will participate<br />
in the California State Elementary<br />
Spelling Bee Championship on April<br />
20 at the San Joaquin County Office<br />
of Education.<br />
Seventh- through ninth-grade<br />
division:<br />
The 2012-13 San Joaquin County<br />
Junior High Spelling Bee Champion<br />
is Julie Fukunaga, ninth-grade<br />
student at Tokay High School in<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Unified School District. Winning<br />
word: perambulation.<br />
The runner-up is Hanna Nakahara,<br />
ninth-grade student at West<br />
High School in Tracy Unified School<br />
District.<br />
Both students will participate<br />
in the California State Junior High<br />
Spelling Bee Competition on May 11<br />
at Miller Creek School in San Rafael.<br />
The SJCOE Educational Foundation<br />
will pay the $350 entry fees.<br />
‘Surviving Human Trafficking’<br />
Soroptimist International of <strong>Lodi</strong>, <strong>Lodi</strong> Sunrise Soroptimist, the <strong>Lodi</strong><br />
branch of AAUW, <strong>Lodi</strong> Salvation Army and the Women’s Center are cohosting<br />
a free workshop, “Surviving Human Trafficking.” The event at Bear<br />
Creek High School Theater on Thornton Road in Stockton is Saturday, Jan. 12.<br />
It starts at noon for coffee and a viewing of the wares of vendors who support<br />
survivors. The program is 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Come learn how men, women<br />
and children can survive trafficking with help from many organizations.<br />
Adam Cortes, with “In One Voice (“En una Sola Voz”),” will present<br />
data from his experience in seeing human trafficking on our border with<br />
Mexico, in an informative video. Also present will be Elizabet Medina<br />
from “Opening Doors” in Sacramento. Medina works with survivors of<br />
trafficking in the <strong>Lodi</strong> area.<br />
For further information, contact Maxine Crow, SI <strong>Lodi</strong> Sunrise, (209)<br />
474-2796 or maninecrow@att.net.
<strong>Lodi</strong><br />
(Patient Service Center)<br />
801 South Ham Lane Suite I<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong>, CA 95242<br />
(209) 368-8820<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong><br />
(Patient Service Center)<br />
801 South Ham Lane Suite B<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong>, CA 95242<br />
(209) 368-8820<br />
HealthCare Clinical Laboratory<br />
(Laboratory)<br />
2102 N. California Street<br />
Stockton, CA 95204<br />
(209) 467-6430<br />
HCCL.com<br />
12 | JANUARY 2013 | lodi monthly magazine<br />
Calmont<br />
(Patient Service Center)<br />
2800 N. California St., Suite 12<br />
Stockton, CA 95204<br />
(209) 461-0366<br />
George K. Wever Building<br />
(Patient Service Center)<br />
1805 N. California St., Suite 106<br />
Stockton, CA 95204<br />
(209) 467-6437<br />
California Medical Center<br />
(Patient Service Center)<br />
1617 N. California Street, Suite 2G<br />
Stockton, CA 95204<br />
(209) 467-6429<br />
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CAKE DECORATING CLASSES<br />
CUPCAKES & SUPPLIES<br />
904 W <strong>Lodi</strong> Ave, <strong>Lodi</strong> CA 95240<br />
(209)369-CAKE (2253)<br />
www.frostedflour.com<br />
Like Us on<br />
FACEBOOK<br />
for a chance to win a<br />
Birthday Cake!<br />
A new winner every month!<br />
Brookside<br />
(Patient Service Center)<br />
3132 W. March Lane, Suite 1<br />
Stockton, CA 95219<br />
(209) 954-3160<br />
Weber Ranch<br />
(Patient Service Center)<br />
1801 E. March Lane, Suite C-305<br />
Stockton, CA 95210<br />
(209) 478-1804<br />
Pacic Urgent Care - Parkwoods<br />
(Patient Service Center)<br />
1782 W. Hammer Lane<br />
Stockton, CA 95209<br />
(209) 478-2428
Health Services<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Memorial Hospital .................................................................. (209) 339-7610<br />
San Joaquin General .......................................................................(209) 468-6000<br />
Public Health Services .................................................................... (209) 331-7303<br />
Health Rights Hotline ...................................................................... (888) 354-4474<br />
Hearing Services Center ..................................................................(209) 368-9222<br />
Medicare Helpline –CMRI ..............................................................(800) 841-1602<br />
Alcoholics Anonymous ................................................................... (209) 339-1201<br />
Alzheimer’s Support ....................................................................... (209) 333-2649<br />
AIDS Hotline .....................................................................................(800) 367-2437<br />
Cancer Society .................................................................................. (800) 227-2345<br />
Diabetes .............................................................................................(209) 339-7609<br />
Kidney Dialysis ................................................................................ (209) 334-9888<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Outpatient Mental Health ...................................................................... (209) 331-2070<br />
Hospice ............................................................................................... (209) 369-1099<br />
Medical .............................................................................................. (800) 510-2020<br />
California Department of Aging .................................................. (800) 510-2020<br />
SJ County Health Clinic ................................................................. (209) 331-7303<br />
The Senior’s Choice ......................................................................... (209) 200-8762<br />
Utility Guide<br />
To Start or Discontinue Electric Service ..................................... (209) 333-6719<br />
Streetlight Maintenance ................................................................ (209) 333-6767<br />
Utility Payments and Collections ..................................................(209) 333-6717<br />
Non-City utilities, Pacific Gas & Electric ...................................800) 743-5000<br />
Pacific Bell Customer Service .......................................................(800) 310-2355<br />
AT&T Information ............................................................................ (800) 555-1212<br />
AT&T Broadband .............................................................................. (209) 473-4955<br />
Storm Drains, Traffic Signs, Trees & Graffiti .............................(209) 333-6740<br />
Community Services<br />
Police non emergency .................................................................... (209) 333-6727<br />
Crime Stoppers ..................................................................................(209) 333-6771<br />
Fire Department ............................................................................... (209) 333-6735<br />
City Clerk ............................................................................................(209) 333-6702<br />
Parks & Recreation ........................................................................... (209) 333-6742<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> House ......................................................................................... (209) 334-6346<br />
Archway Shelter .............................................................................. (209) 367-9560<br />
Salvation Army Services ............................................................... (209) 369-5896<br />
Salvation Army Hope Harbor Shelter ......................................... (209) 369-5896<br />
Habitat for Humanity ......................................................................(209) 465-5949<br />
Sierra Children’s Home ...................................................................(800) 513-6560<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Community Service Center ................................................... (209) 331-7516<br />
Women’s Center ..............................................................................(209) 368-3406<br />
Child Protective Services ................................................................(209) 468-1333<br />
Fair Housing/Rental Problems ..................................................... (209) 469-0999<br />
Quick Reference<br />
All Licenses ........................................................................................ (209) 333-6717<br />
Animal Shelter ..................................................................................(209) 333-6741<br />
City Of <strong>Lodi</strong> ....................................................................................... (209) 333-6700<br />
.................................................................................................................. www.lodi.gov<br />
Mayor and City Council Members .............................................. (209) 333-6800<br />
.................................................................................................................. www.lodi.gov<br />
City Manager .................................................................................... (209) 333-6700<br />
Comcast Spotlight Cable ..................................................................(209) 955-6521<br />
County Registrar Office ................................................................. (209) 468-2885<br />
Department of Motor Vehicles ..................................................... (800) 777-0133<br />
Dog & Cat License ............................................................................. (209) 333-6741<br />
Downtown <strong>Lodi</strong> Business Partnership ........................................(209) 369-8052<br />
Fair Housing ..................................................................................... (800) 994-0999<br />
Hutchins Street Square .................................................................. (209) 333-6782<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Boys & Girls Club .................................................................... (209) 334-2697<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Chamber of Commerce ..........................................................(209) 367-7840<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Conference & Visitors Bureau ............................................... (209) 365-1195<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Monthly ......................................................................................(209) 932-9252<br />
................................................................................................. www.lodimonthly.com<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Unified School District .......................................................... (209) 331-7000<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Woodbridge Wine Grape Commission ............................... (209) 367-4727<br />
>>lodi contacts<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Worknet (EDD) ..........................................................................(209) 333-5316<br />
Crime Prevention .............................................................................. (209) 333-6787<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Arts Commission ...................................................................... (209) 333-5511<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Public Library ............................................................................ (209) 333-5566<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Post Office .................................................................................. (209) 369-2351<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Stadium 12 Theatre ................................................................. (209) 339-1900<br />
Municipal Court ............................................................................... (209) 333-6753<br />
Passports (<strong>Lodi</strong> Court) ........................................................................(209) 331-2101<br />
Micke Grove Zoo & Park .................................................................. (209) 331-7270<br />
Internal Revenue Service ...............................................................(800) 829-1040<br />
Franchise Tax Board ......................................................................... (800) 852-5711<br />
Cal-Trans Road Information ......................................................... (800) 427-7623<br />
Office of Emergency Services ........................................................ (209) 468-3962<br />
Poison Control Center .....................................................................(800) 876-4766<br />
San Joaquin County Sheriff ......................................................... (800) 244-0009<br />
North County Landfill ..................................................................... (209) 887-3868<br />
Department of Fish & Game ............................................................(916) 445-0411<br />
Transportation<br />
GrapeLine (Intra-City Transportation) ......................................(209) 333-6806<br />
SMART Bus Service ............................................................................(209) 943-1111<br />
South County Transit ......................................................................(209) 745-3052<br />
Greyhound Bus ................................................................................... (209) 369-1164<br />
BART...................................................................................................... (415) 992-2278<br />
AMTRAK ............................................................................................. (800) 872-7245<br />
Dial-A-Ride ........................................................................................(209) 333-6806<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Public Schools<br />
Schools can be accessed online by visiting .............................. www.lodiusd.net<br />
Beckman Elementary School .......................................................... (209) 331-7410<br />
Clyde W. Needham Elementary School ........................................ (209) 331-7375<br />
Ellerth E. Larson Elementary School ............................................. (209) 331-8391<br />
Erma B. Reese Elementary School .................................................. (209) 331-7424<br />
George Washington Elementary School ....................................... (209) 331-7451<br />
Heritage Elementary School ............................................................(209) 331-7334<br />
Independence School ........................................................................(209) 331-7620<br />
Lakewood Community Day School ...............................................(209) 331-7348<br />
Lawrence Elementary School .........................................................(209) 331-7356<br />
Leroy Nichols Elementary School .................................................. (209) 331-7378<br />
Lincoln Tech Academy ......................................................................(209) 331-7607<br />
Live Oak Elementary School ...........................................................(209) 331-7370<br />
Lois E. Borchardt Elementary School .............................................(209) 331-8212<br />
Tokay Colony Elementary School ................................................. (209) 953-8438<br />
Turner Elementary School .............................................................. (209) 331-7440<br />
Vinewood Elementary School .........................................................(209) 331-7445<br />
Woodbridge School ............................................................................ (209) 331-8160<br />
Henderson Community Day School ...............................................(209) 331-7331<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Middle School .............................................................................(209) 331-7544<br />
Millswood Middle School .................................................................(209) 331-8332<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> High School ..................................................................................(209) 331-7815<br />
Tokay High School ...............................................................................(209) 331-7914<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Private Schools<br />
Century Christian Schools ..............................................................(209) 334-3230<br />
Jim Elliot Christian High School ................................................... (209) 368-2800<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Academy...................................................................................... (209) 368-2781<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Christian School ....................................................................... (209) 368-7627<br />
<strong>Lodi</strong> Seventh-day Adventist Elem. School ...................................(209) 368-5341<br />
Middle College ...................................................................................(209) 954-5790<br />
St. Peter Lutheran School .................................................................(209) 333-2225<br />
The Home Church ............................................................................. (209) 339-7333<br />
Vineyard Christian Middle School ............................................... (209) 333-8300<br />
lodi monthly magazine | JANUARY 2013 | 17
Buon Appetito!<br />
By Bernadine Chapman-Cruz | Contributing Writer<br />
There are never too many cooks in the kitchen at<br />
Bueno Italiano Café. A three-generation family<br />
operation, Barbara Coldani, Sara Coldani<br />
Randall, and her daughter Heather Randall<br />
have combined their individual culinary skills into a<br />
unique eatery.<br />
Since February 2011, the café,<br />
located upstairs in Bella Terra<br />
Plaza, has offered customers a<br />
delicious northern Italian cuisine.<br />
Restaurant entrepreneurship is<br />
not new to the family. In the 1950s,<br />
Sara’s parents ran the Rodeo Inn<br />
in <strong>Lodi</strong>. “My dad tended bar, and<br />
my mother cooked,” Sara says.<br />
Today, Bueno Italiano Café uses<br />
the same delicious recipes handed<br />
down for generations.<br />
“Our spaghetti sauce and<br />
minestrone soup are my Grandma<br />
Coldani’s recipe,” Sara says. “The<br />
sauce is brown, rather than red.<br />
That’s the way it is made in northern<br />
Italy. My mother still comes<br />
in at least three times a week to<br />
make our minestrone soup.”<br />
Sara adds that she didn’t learn<br />
to cook until she was 30, “because<br />
my mother didn’t allow me<br />
in the kitchen. She thought I was<br />
too messy.” Today, however, Sara<br />
serves customers the recipes she<br />
grew up eating.<br />
All Bueno Italiano Café’s recipes<br />
are adapted from a 1934 cookbook<br />
that is now the family culinary<br />
bible. Sara adds her own special<br />
twist to dishes, like the café’s<br />
popular butternut squash soup. It<br />
is rich, creamy, not too spicy and<br />
has a delightfully smooth texture.<br />
The menu also features homemade<br />
breads, soups, salads,<br />
sandwiches, entrees, and pastas<br />
served with a choice of marinara,<br />
creamy pesto, or ragu sauce.<br />
>>buzz on biz<br />
Mother and daughter duo Sara and Heather<br />
Randall oversee the day-to-day operations at<br />
Bueno Italiano. PHOTOS BY: LOUIE AMBRIZ<br />
Family recipes are used daily in making Bueno Italiano’s fresh cuisine,<br />
such as butternut soup and eggplant parmesan, warm the soul during<br />
these cold winter days.<br />
Menu items are made daily from<br />
vegetables grown in the Randalls’<br />
garden. Heirloom tomatoes are<br />
used in the café’s sweet and tangy<br />
Italian dressing. Sara’s brother,<br />
Steve Coldani, presses the oil for<br />
Calivirgin Olive Oil served exclusively<br />
in the restaurant.<br />
Following in her family’s foot-<br />
steps, third-generation Heather is<br />
the café baker. “I love to bake and<br />
enjoy working with my mom,” she<br />
says. “She is my best friend.”<br />
The café offers vegan dishes<br />
and special orders to meet dietary<br />
needs upon request and caters on<br />
weekends. Reservations recommended<br />
for lunch. Buon appetito!<br />
Bueno Italiano Café<br />
1110 W. Kettleman Lane, Suite 19 upstairs | <strong>Lodi</strong> | 209.369.1446<br />
Open Monday to Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.<br />
Closed Saturday and Sunday<br />
Facebook: Bueno Italiano Café<br />
lodi monthly magazine | JANUARY 2013 | 21
WHERE<br />
Delicato Vineyard,<br />
12001 S. Highway 99, just north of Manteca<br />
The 25th Annual Art Show, Sunday, Jan. 13 to Saturday, Feb. 2—free<br />
admission. Artists who wish to participate in this art show need to bring<br />
in their entries to Delicato<br />
Vineyard from Jan. 2-4.<br />
Each artist may submit up<br />
to five pieces at $8 per entry<br />
for competition. Original<br />
art must have been created<br />
within the past three<br />
years. Entries in the form of<br />
acrylic, watercolor, pastel,<br />
oil, charcoal and ink drawings<br />
will be accepted from 9<br />
a.m. to 5 p.m. Photographs<br />
must wait for the June<br />
photography show. Judging<br />
for the categories of<br />
Landscape, Wine/Grapes,<br />
Portrait, Animals, Whimsical<br />
and Other is Saturday,<br />
Jan. 5. Up to 20 awards<br />
totaling more than $1,600<br />
will be presented at a Feb.<br />
2 award ceremony. The<br />
judge will be Frank Ordaz of Auburn, who has worked for<br />
George Lucas on films like “E.T.,” “The Wrath of Khan,” “Return of the<br />
Jedi,” and “Indiana Jones.” He is now a freelancer with many credits in<br />
Christian books, professional sports posters, greeting cards and a line of<br />
jigsaw puzzles. Visitors who attend the show are encouraged to vote for<br />
the coveted Visitors Award. For more information, call (209) 824-3500 or<br />
email jane.schwartz@delicato.com.<br />
HOW<br />
>>411 in 209<br />
To Get Hi-Def Vision<br />
According to Dr. Joe Zeiter from the Zeiter Eye Medical <strong>Group</strong>, our<br />
eyeballs are high-resolution grade: For 3-D vision, you need both eyes<br />
for depth and vision. But our eyes are not perfect. “The eyeballs are<br />
like a camera,” Zeiter explains. “The front is like a lens and the retina<br />
is like film. If the light coming through the lens is out of focus, our job<br />
as ophthalmologists is to fix it.” Zeiter Eye Medical <strong>Group</strong> can offer<br />
high definition through surgery with its new $500,000 LenSx laser with<br />
refractive lens exchange. This is the same as cataract surgery, and<br />
works even if you don’t have cataracts. It can even eliminate or reduce<br />
astigmatism. “Your astigmatism is in the cornea of your eyes,” Zeiter<br />
says. “The lens behind the pupil is clear when you’re young, then gets<br />
harder and darker as you age and then blocks vision.” This process<br />
can restore even an older person’s vision to 3-D again. The price is<br />
about $1,200 per eye. For more information, call (209) 951-1178.<br />
30 to Feb. 1<br />
The Greg and Steve’s Children’s Concert<br />
Scottish Rite Auditorium, 33 West Alpine Ave., Stockton<br />
Greg & Steve Productions and their Education Through Music program have upcoming shows on Wednesday, Jan. 30, Thursday, Jan.<br />
31, and Friday, Feb. 1, all starting at 10 a.m. at the Scottish Rite Auditorium in Stockton. Greg & Steve play guitar and some call their<br />
music “a rock concert for children.” Children and adults are encouraged to stand up and dance. The goal is to promote creative expression,<br />
challenge thinking, and stimulate their imagination and intellectual growth. Tickets by reservation are $9; tickets at the door are<br />
WHENJan.<br />
$12. New CDs will be available for purchase. Call (209) 487-2559 or visit http://musicalchairsconcerts.org/index.html. WHAT<br />
61st Annual Grape Day<br />
Feb. 5, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.<br />
This event, sponsored by the <strong>Lodi</strong> Agribusiness Committee and the <strong>Lodi</strong> Chamber of Commerce,<br />
is designed to educate people on how grapes are grown. Paul Verdegaal of the University<br />
of Pacific Cooperative Extension Service, and the <strong>Lodi</strong> Chamber will make presentations at<br />
Hutchins Street Square in Crete and Kirst Hall, 125 South Hutchins St., <strong>Lodi</strong>. Tickets are $20 if<br />
purchased prior to Jan. 13 and $25 thereafter. Registration is 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.; the program<br />
is 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; wine tasting is 11:30 a.m. to noon; and a buffet lunch from noon to<br />
1:30 p.m. To purchase tickets, contact the <strong>Lodi</strong> Chamber of Commerce at (209) 367-7840.<br />
lodi monthly magazine | JANUARY 2013 | 23
tips from the pros<br />
By Jodi Gambini<br />
I<br />
How to Stay on Track in this Financial Climate<br />
find as we start a new<br />
year, many of us start<br />
to evaluate what goals<br />
we accomplished in<br />
the prior year and where<br />
we fell short. One of the<br />
goals reflected on for<br />
most relates to achieving<br />
some kind of financial<br />
goal, such as following a<br />
budget, saving more for<br />
retirement, funding the<br />
kids’ education, or saving<br />
for a special purpose like<br />
buying a new car, taking<br />
a vacation, or buying<br />
a second home. With the<br />
challenges a lot of people<br />
are facing in 2013, I want<br />
to help you kick the year<br />
off by discussing financial<br />
planning.<br />
How can you get where you want<br />
to go in life? Many understand that<br />
financial planning is a goal that<br />
they need to achieve. They put it<br />
on that “to do” list, but it always<br />
seems to get pushed to the bottom<br />
because it seems time consuming<br />
and hard to achieve. But it’s<br />
important to realize that financial<br />
planning is a process to help you<br />
work towards achieving your financial<br />
goals.<br />
How do you implement your<br />
spending plan?<br />
Here are some tips to avoid common<br />
mistakes when getting started<br />
with your spending plan:<br />
• Involve the entire family.<br />
Implementing and monitoring your<br />
spending plan requires commitment<br />
as well as discipline from the<br />
entire family. Make sure that they<br />
are all in agreement and understand<br />
the plan. The better you work<br />
as a team, the greater the chance<br />
for success.<br />
• Remember that discipline does<br />
it. As with a diet, to get longterm<br />
benefits, your spending plan<br />
should become a way of life. If you<br />
spend a few dollars more than you<br />
24 | JANUARY 2013 | lodi monthly magazine<br />
should have, just get right back<br />
into your good habits.<br />
• Timing is everything. Start by<br />
collecting all your paper work in<br />
one folder or envelope. When you<br />
are ready, you have everything<br />
you need. Schedule a time to start<br />
putting everything in your spending<br />
plan.<br />
• Figure out the best way to enter<br />
and track your expenses. One<br />
way is to get a centrally located<br />
place you can put your receipts<br />
daily. Then, set a time (daily or<br />
weekly) to track them. You can use<br />
an accordion folder and put sections<br />
that match the categories you<br />
are tracking, and put the receipt in<br />
there. Then, add up the receipts<br />
every week, staple them together,<br />
and on front put the date and total.<br />
Then, once a month, you only have<br />
to add up the receipt bundles.<br />
• Find a system that works for<br />
you. Develop a system that meets<br />
your lifestyle and is easy enough<br />
for you to do.<br />
• Fine-tune as you go. Keep in<br />
mind that implementing a spending<br />
plan requires fine-tuning of your<br />
estimates and your expenses as<br />
you go along. You will get better as<br />
time progresses. Don’t give up too<br />
quickly if you feel it is not working.<br />
• Review your financials. When<br />
you have your bank statements<br />
and other bills out, see what you<br />
are being charged in terms of fees,<br />
and what rate you are paying on<br />
your credit cards. Sometimes,<br />
you may be paying more than you<br />
thought.<br />
• Once you get into a routine and<br />
are ready to take on a challenge,<br />
go back and see where you<br />
could save money. Call and see<br />
if you could get the same service<br />
for less elsewhere or if your current<br />
place would reduce your rates.<br />
Several of my clients have some<br />
great success with this.<br />
Make this year the one that you<br />
finally get handle on where your<br />
money is going, so you can start<br />
working towards implementing<br />
your plan.<br />
For a free copy of a spending plan<br />
created for clients, contact Jodi<br />
Gambini, a financial advisor with<br />
Waddell & Reed Inc., at jgambini@<br />
wradvisors.com or (209) 473-9814,<br />
extension 110. Her office is in<br />
Stockton at 1776 W. March Lane,<br />
Suite 360.<br />
This article is meant to be general<br />
in nature and should not be construed<br />
as investment or financial<br />
advice related to your personal<br />
situation. Please consult your financial<br />
advisor prior to making financial<br />
decisions.
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lodi monthly magazine | JANUARY 2013 | 25
PHOTO CREDIT: SCOT ANDERSON<br />
tours, cavorting close to the boats<br />
for 20-30 minutes.<br />
Rain or shine, adventures depart<br />
from the San Francisco Yacht Harbor<br />
Marina Green, 3950 Scott St. Guests<br />
board a comfortable Coast Guardcertified<br />
fishing vessel, with observation<br />
deck and some inside and<br />
outside seating. The six-hour tour<br />
is led by a trained naturalist guide.<br />
Warm lay-<br />
ered clothing and<br />
waterproof outerwear are recommended.<br />
Life jackets are provided.<br />
Onboard food service is not available,<br />
but sack lunches and beverages are<br />
allowed. Guest age requirement is<br />
10 and up. Price is $100 per person,<br />
reservations recommended. <strong>Group</strong><br />
rates are available.<br />
>>beyond 209<br />
The Oceanic Society also offers<br />
educational Farallon Island whale<br />
watching trips from late March<br />
through November. Excursions<br />
leave from the San Francisco Yacht<br />
Harbor at Marina Boulevard and<br />
Scott Street, as well as Sausalito<br />
Clipper Yacht Harbor, 310 Harbor<br />
Drive, Sausalito. Tours venture<br />
slightly north of San Francisco,<br />
traveling 27 miles west to the Farallon<br />
Islands, a National Marine<br />
sanctuary. In and around the national<br />
wildlife refuge, Pacific Coast<br />
sea life thrives, a natural feeding<br />
ground for 23 species of marine<br />
mammals, including 18 species of<br />
whales and dolphins. The island is<br />
also home to 12 species of nesting<br />
seabirds that raise their young on<br />
the largest rookery in the continental<br />
United States. The eight-hour<br />
Farallon Island tour guest age<br />
requirement is 10 and up. Price is<br />
$125 per person, and reservations<br />
are recommended. <strong>Group</strong> rates are<br />
available.<br />
For San Francisco excursions,<br />
handicapped accessibility or reservations,<br />
call the Oceanic Society,<br />
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5<br />
p.m., at (415) 256-9941 or (800)<br />
326-7491. Or, fax (415) 474-3395<br />
or visit www.oceanicsociety.com.<br />
*Half Moon Bay Whale Watching<br />
tours differ in location, cost,<br />
length, age requirements and<br />
price. Call the Oceanic Society for<br />
specifics.<br />
Typical humpback whale migration season just ended, but keep<br />
your eyes posted—you’re likely to see grey whales this month!<br />
PHOTO CREDIT: THOMAS JOHNSON<br />
Oceanic Society Whale Watching Tours<br />
30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross, CA 94957<br />
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.<br />
415.256.9941 or 800.326.7491 Fax 415.474.3395<br />
Email: rides@dogsledadventure.com | www.tahoedogsledtours.com<br />
lodi monthly magazine | JANUARY 2013 | 27
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