VocalPoint

Go Richelle!

Jennifer Laughter — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:35:11 +0000

This inspiring 5th grader from Oklahoma is headed to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC later this month. No matter that Richelle Zampella studies her words using braille, this student believes anything is possible through hard work.

Apply to enter by June 1, 2012

Rebecca Emmett — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:53:16 +0000

Art exhibit is sponsored by Commonwealth Eye Care Associates. Artwork will be displayed from August 2 through 16. If you are interested in participating, go to the Commonwealth Eye Care Associates website and apply online. You’ll find rules and contact information there.

Caring for You, Caring for Me

Rebecca Emmett — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:27:32 +0000

A program from the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving

What: Caregiving Education Sessions

Where: Circle Center, 4900 W. Marshall Street Richmond, VA 23230

When: 5 Tuesday evenings 5:30-7:45pm, April 24 - May 22

Who: Family, professional, and volunteer caregivers of older adults

Cost: $50.00, including 5 light dinners

Class Facilitators: Kate Barrett, LCSW and Ethel Gordon, RN

For details contact Christine Jensen, PhD at (757) 220-4751 or at cjensen@excellenceinaging.org

Register early. Space is limited

Your Health Matters with Julie Bragg

Jennifer Laughter — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:44:16 +0000

TV Changes

Ken Semple — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:05:38 +0000

I was discharged from the Navy, November of 1947 and lived with my parents at home. In July of 1948 my Dad and I were listening to a Phillies ball game. The announcer excitedly told of how Richie Ashburn, their center fielder, climbed the wall to rob the batter of at least a double. My Dad stood and said, “That’s it. We’re getting a T.V.!”

Off we went and purchased a state of the art, Motorola, seven inch screen with a cabinet. Dad was happy to finally watch his beloved Phillies and Mom enjoyed the limited programming as well.

My wife and I went shopping for a new T.V. What a difference between then and now. From black and white to brilliant color, from seven inch to fifty inches and more, from two dimensional to three D, and from a boxy cabinet and tube to flat screen. WOW!

We’ve looked and looked then suddenly my wife exclaimed, “That’s it, the one for us”. We now have a 55inch high def, 3D beauty that fills the room, and no cabinet. What a difference a generation makes.

“Ribbit”

Freddy — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 14:47:04 +0000

Hi. I’m Freddy. I’ve recently moved to the zebra plant in the Studio Lobby of Virginia Voice. I have to be very quiet because I’m in between three recording studios and the main “live” studio. This is a very busy and exciting place to be! Did you know that on my very first day, a Monday, more than a dozen volunteers came in to read? Wow! On that day some volunteers read the Times-Dispatch “live,” others recorded a program about health issues, and Smithsonian magazine, and more Times-Dispatch, and a program called “Fifty Plus” and more Times-Dispatch, and book reviews, and still more Times-Dispatch. Did you know that if you have a Virginia Voice radio you have four chances to listen to the obituaries from the Times-Dispatch each day during the week? 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 4:30 p.m., and 1:30 a.m.! Of course you can listen to the obituaries online at any time.

I’ll let you know later what the rest of the week is like. Right now I want to listen to “The Nature of Things.” Maybe the reader will talk about my family and friends.

Observer, or Participant?

Al Cormier — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 00:43:47 +0000

Note to self: Next time we decide to climb a mountain, bring a change of underwear.

I have been recording books for The Virginia Voice for twelve years…and I have loved every minute! In that time, I have often been asked, “How do you choose what books you will record?”

The answer is simple, really. I will not record a book that I cannot participate in. Take, for instance, the novel I am currently working on: Banner in the Sky by James Ramsey Ullman. This is the story of a 16-year old boy who is obsessed with the one unconquerable peak in the Swiss Alps—The Citadel. Though the most experienced climbers in his village claim the mountain is haunted by demons, who kill all who attempt its almost vertical heights—including his father who died on the mountain fifteen years ago—Rudi Matt cannot ignore its call.

This book is more than just a collection of words between two flimsy cardstock covers. Each time I return to my bookmarked passages, I feel a cool breeze, and smell the threat of snow in the air. My fingertips ache and my muscles strain as Rudi inches slowly across the sheer cliff faces, searching for the tiniest foot and finger holds. I revel at the successes and feel the disappointment at the failures. And, though I am seated comfortably in my reading chair, I refuse to look down. This is the kind of story I want to pass to my listeners. I want us all to be tied to that rope, dangling thousands of feet above the safety of those chairs and sofas.

I believe there are two kinds of readers; those who watch events unfold from their theater seats…and those who grab an ice axe and rope (and a change of underwear). Come on Rudi! We will stand victorious upon the top of The Citadel, or die trying! Are you with us, or are you just going to sit there munching your ten-dollar bucket of popcorn?

The Blizzard of 2012?

Rebecca Emmett — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:45:02 +0000

According to KT, my daughter’s fair-weather, couch potato, Min-Pin mix, this IS a blizzard to be feared. She had to be dragged outside, in her bright yellow raincoat, to attend to her morning business. Well, we might have snow on the road eventually, but at 7:00 a.m. it’s only sparse and beautiful. Unless you’re a daffodil. My pre-snow preparations? I cut a bunch of daffodils for the dining room table yesterday, but not all of them because, frankly, I didn’t have a lot of faith in the weather prediction. And I didn’t buy milk. Or bread. I figured I can open a packet of powdered milk if I need to, which I will, even without snow, because we have barely enough for one bowl of cereal.

It’s a beautiful snow and I hope it doesn’t become serious. More than enough serious weather has been happening, with tragic results, elsewhere. Watching our gentle snow keeps the contrast right up front.

I’ll be getting ready for work, watching how cars go down the street and hoping the “ending by noon” prediction is correct. I’m glad I’m not in charge of school buses. We won’t see KT for awhile. She’s on the sofa, buried in a tightly wrapped cave of blue fleece blanket.

Braille Keyboard for Smartphones

Jennifer Laughter — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:50:23 +0000

Coupons for the Military

Rebecca Emmett — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:24:52 +0000

Did you know that military families can use outdated coupons at the Commissary and BX on overseas military bases? Want to help? Go to TheKrazyCouponLady and find out how she collects expired coupons for our deployed military. Another option is Coups for Troops, which gives you the additional option of corresponding with a particular family and sending coupons directly to them.