2 The RAPS Sheet February 2022 CO-PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE COVID is a raw hand, but wine is aces all around AS COVID-19 CONTINUES to march along, be assured that RAPS is taking it very seriously. Our board meetings have been virtual, and both our January and February programs are virtual via Zoom. As you might remember your mother telling you when you were young: “It’s better to be safe than sorry.” One of the most accurate virus prediction models comes out of the University of Washington, and it suggests that there will be a steep downturn of the virus in March. I hope UW’s prediction comes true and that we can meet again in person once conditions are safe. One of the benefits of meeting in person is the social interactions we have with our colleagues. So that is not lost, we will open our Zoom link in advance of our programs so that you can interact virtually. Our next program is on Thursday, February 17—and how appropriate, as the next day is National Drink Wine Day. Fittingly, our program will focus on the “Dynamic Terroir of Oregon Wines.” Our speaker is Scott Burns, professor emeritus of geology. Scott retired in 2014 but still can be found in the classroom and speaking to interested audiences about wine and other geology-related topics. In his own words: “I’m failing retirement royally, but having fun.” Scott, we welcome you with open arms as we love you as much as you love RAPS. Here is a sneak preview of our February 17 program. As you know, wine is a growing industry in Oregon. In fact, we have the third largest number of wineries in the United States. Scott will focus on the terroir of Oregon wines, which are affected not only by the kinds of grapes, but climate, geology, and soils. This combination makes Oregon wines very high in quality. He will also provide an update on the Oregon wine industry. I do drink wine, but am clearly not a connoisseur. My favorite types are cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, and pinot gris. To show you how pedestrian I am with wine, I attended a wine tasting two or three years ago. The fourth wine was offered with a lengthy background by the presenter. It was a French wine with a price tag of $1,400 per bottle. I tasted it and told my wife that I liked the red wine that was on sale during the holidays for $9.95 better. This shows that the perception of wine, like art, is in the eye of the beholder. Our February speaker was to be Michael Alberty, the wine writer for The Oregonian. His slide presentation on pinot noir is best suited for an in-person meeting, so he has been rescheduled for our October 2022 program. In the meantime, I wish you all happiness and wellness in this new year and hope that you are playing it safe during these trying times. —Bruce Stern WHAT WE LEARNED IN 2021 By JORY ABRAMS Jory Abrams is an alumna of Portland State, a former president of the Portland State Alumni Association, and PSU’s Outstanding Alumna in 1996. She retired in 2006 as a vice president of CH2M Hill, an engineering company. Hugs are really sweet. Their absence is a bummer. l Zoom is much better than a conference call or email. l Facetime is an important touch- stone to those you can’t be with. l You can’t have too much kindness and compassion in your life. l Masks are hot and some early versions were weird. l Scientists do great things. l COVID 19 is much worse than the flu. l Doctors and nurses have amazing resiliency and dedication. l Anger is debilitating for all of us. l Smiles are contagious and make us happy. You can even see them hidden behind a mask, in the eyes. l Patience is a virtue. l Needles are not so terrifying. l Too much news is not a good thing. l Climate change is upon us, much sooner than we thought. l Good health is a gift not to be ignored. l Friends, family and community are precious. l Music is sweet...hum your favorite tune often.
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