4 Book Group THE BOOK GROUP had a lively discussion at our Zoom meeting on November 21. We exchanged our views on The Music of the Bees, by Eileen Garvin, a novel that considers the intersecting lives of three complex and engaging characters who focus their attention on supporting the health and productivity of a beekeeper’s colony of hives. Set in the Hood River area of Oregon, the middle-aged woman who owns the farm that is home for the bees, the teenaged boy who serves as her major beekeeper despite his need to use a wheelchair, and her young adult handyman employee who is trying to restart his complicated life captured our attention and empathy. We recognized the pain that affected the lives of the major characters, but also were clear that each life was enriched by the support and strength they received through their relationships. The book also focused on timely issues such as immigration, support for people with disabilities, and the need to organize to ensure environmental protection. The December meeting of the Book Group will discuss the many challenges set forth in The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming, by David Wallace-Wells. This succinct but compelling book sets forth the accelerating climate changes in our planet that are resulting in global warming and notable temperature increases, flooding, polluted air and seas, and armed conflict. It also recognizes some hopeful actions that are taking place to counter these changes that should provide key points of discussion. Our final meeting of 2023 will be on Tuesday, December 19, at 1:30 p.m. by Zoom. RAPS Group Reports The RAPS Book Group meets on the third Tuesday of the month. All RAPS members are welcome to attend our meetings, which are currently held using Zoom. —Eileen Brennan Bridge Group THE BRIDGE GROUP needs additional players. Why would anyone join our group? Our players are friendly and enjoy the social aspect of playing bridge together. We benefit from the mental challenges (e.g., remembering what the trump suit is, tracking which important cards have already been played, figuring out whose turn it is to deal the next hand, and more). I would like to hear from any interested RAPS members, or others you know who might want to play in our group. The RAPS Bridge Group does not require RAPS membership. Your friends and relatives would be welcome to join us. Please rattle your social and family networks to see if you might be able to shake loose a bridge player or two. Please contact Steve Brennan, 503-889-0146. My email address is: the.steve.brennan@gmail.com. —Steve Brennan Hiking Group ON NOVEMBER 14, four hikers enjoyed a quiet autumnal walk in Newell Creek Canyon Nature Park in Oregon City. We lucked out with no rain and no wind under a gray sky. We examined a weird skinny white fungus growing out of the ground (Clavaria fragilis) and pooled our knowledge of ferns and trees. After two hours in the woods, we replenished with burgers and shakes at Mike’s Drive-In in Oregon City. —Tom Hard New manager takes helm of RAPS office THE NEW MANAGER of the RAPS office is a graduate student in computer science who hails from Tirupati, a city in southern India. Chethana Muppalam was named to the post last month after a lengthy search that involved a number of candidates. “The search process was exceptionally smooth,” said Muppalam, “and I enjoyed every step of it. Janine (Allen) and Bruce (Stern) were welcoming and made me feel like family.” She was drawn to the position because managing events and overseeing clerical activities are “closely aligned” with her past experience and interests. She’s looking forward to meeting RAPS members and benefiting from their knowledge and experience. After completing her undergraduate degree in computer science, Muppalam worked for more than four years as a software engineer in India. Portland State’s coursework in artificial intelligence and machine learning attracted her to the university. After completing her graduate degree, she hopes to work as an AI/ML engineer. “My hope is to contribute to and build advancements in artificial intelligence applications,” she said. Although she hasn’t yet set firm office hours, Muppalam will be available via email at rapsmail@pdx.edu. Muppalam replaces Eben Yemoh, who completed a master’s degree at PSU and now works with Legacy Health.
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