Calendar

Dec 11

The Art of Listening (virtual)

The Art of Listening (virtual)


Dec 10

Join blind poet and memoirist Stephen Kuusisto as he talks about what it means to be a “literary listener.” Kuusisto writes: “Starting in the 1920’s creative writers turned to the image as the means for conveying immediacy in literature. The idea was to be as clear as news photos. These talks will instead focus on sound as a tool of the imagination. Igor Stravinsky said: “Hearing has no merit. A duck hears also.” Our goal is to explore the art of active listening. “ We’ll explore opera arias, steamboat whistles, the chance music of what happens around us, conversations overheard, the sound of a baseball cracking off a bat, water coursing, Chet Baker’s trumpet, Beethoven’s old piano—in short talk about stretching our ears. The aim is to promote great listening, literary invention, and yes, fun.

December 3 (Session One): “Who Are the Great Literary Listeners?”

Kuusisto talks about literary listening: why is it different from just hearing things? From John Keats to Tillie Olson, from Hemingway to Toni Morrison the best writers have had a true felicity for deep listening and have conveyed it in their work. One outcome is that you’ll appreciate the auditory imagination when reading.

December 10 (Session Two): The Practice of Active Listening”

Kuusisto provides exercises (many drawn from his own life of blind travel) that will sharpen the skills of anyone who wants to not only listen with attention, but also put that experience into writing.

RSVP the Friday before each session to Sabrina Bolus at Sbolus@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7607.

 

 

Youth Program Holiday Party (in-person)

Youth Program Holiday Party (in-person)


Dec 10

For years, students of the LightHouse Youth Program have enjoyed a festive gathering around the winter holidays that in the past have included games, food, decorations, and lots of fun. We had to take a break from this event during the pandemic, but now that we are back in person, we look forward to continuing this tradition. Members of our Youth Program Council are taking the lead on organizing and hosting the activities at this year’s event.

Festivities take place at LightHouse at 1155 Market in San Francisco. Once we have gathered and had some food, LightHouse Youth Council Members will lead us through some holiday games and activities, such as a gingerbread house competition and a white elephant gift exchange. After our games, we will have time to hang out and enjoy some live music, accompanied by hot chocolate and cookies before we wrap things up for the evening.

White Elephant Gift Exchange reminders

We are asking guests to bring a gift that is between $10 and $20 that is age-appropriate and does not include cash or unpackaged food. Extra gifts can be provided upon request for those that might not be able to afford to contribute a gift to the exchange. Learn more about a White Elephant Gift Exchange.

Saturday, December 10, from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm

RSVP to Jamey Gump at JGump@lighthouse-sf.org or by 415-694-7372. Those who RSVP by 9:00 am on December 9 will be provided dinner.

The events for the upcoming week are read aloud on our event hotline every Friday, which can be accessed by calling 415-694-7325. For more information about visiting the Adaptations Store, head to our shop page.

The LightHouse is scent-free. Please abstain from wearing colognes, perfumes, or other scented products. Additionally, coffee must be securely lidded at all times and citrus should not be peeled on the premises. Thanks for supporting our efforts to respect chemical sensitivities!

SDS safety dataClick here for our cleaning product safety data sheets (SDS) and ingredient information.

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