Lifestyle and Wellness   

Puzzles of all kinds provide enjoyment and mental stimulation.  Solving puzzles is reported to benefit brain function by maintaining and strengthening mental competence, agility, and memory. Many people are familiar with Sudoku but may not be aware of the many other types of numerical logic puzzles. This course will explore the origins and specific rules of many of these puzzles. Solving strategies will be demonstrated and discussed. Class time will include opportunities to solve various puzzles in small groups. Whether novice or expert, this course is intended to be fun for all.

 

This session will explore the four most common dementia diagnoses and provide an overview of disease progression. Course leaders will share strategies for connecting with individuals living with dementia and better understanding their unique experience. 

 

At 63, Jill Chalsty did something extraordinary. After losing her husband to dementia and surviving breast and lung cancer, she set off alone on a 107-day journey around the world. At every port, she met with education leaders to share her nonprofit's free life skills curriculum, turning her grief into a mission that continues to change lives. Jill writes about this journey in her memoir, Packets of Hope, exploring healing, identity, and finding purpose after profound loss. Her talk offers an inspiring conversation about resilience and the small steps that help us rebuild.

Recommended reading: Packets of Hope by Jill Chalsty,  2025. Free download: https://www.packetsofhope.com/get-your-copy.

This four session course will meet at the Urban Growler Brewery and cover the following topics:

Session 1: History - Ancient History, Middle Ages, Modern Times

Session 2: Ingredients - Water, Grains, Hops, Yeast

Session 3: Process - Grist Mill, Mash Tun, Lauder Tun, Brew Kettle, Fermenter, Packaging

Session 4: Beer Styles - Ales, Lagers, Hybrids, European Styles

Urban Growler is located at: 2325 Endicott St, St Paul, MN 55114. Plenty of free parking available. 

 

This one session course explores the pros and cons of e-bikes, an increasingly popular form of recreation and transportation. We will look at types of e-bikes, strengths and weaknesses of them, and MN laws and regulations surrounding e-bikes. 

Recommended reading: Just Ride: A Radically Practical Guide to Riding Your Bike by Grant Petersen, Workman 2012

What if creativity isn't about talent or inspiration, but courage — and what if courage is contagious? In this lively, story-filled class, we'll explore what sparks us, what stalls us, and what helps us start again (and again). No critics invited — just curiosity, humor, and the kind of conversation that makes creating feel possible. Again.

What actually works when conditions are unstable? Bruce Lee was more than a martial artist—he was a systems thinker who engineered motion under pressure. This course explores how Lee developed adaptable methods across martial arts, film, philosophy, and culture. Students will examine principles of efficiency, timing, and emotional control, applying them to performance, decision-making, and identity. Through case studies and discussion, the class shows how disciplined adaptability shapes resilience and creative power.

Recommended reading: The Bruce Lee Code by Thomas Lee, Career Press, 2023.

 

Apples, apricots, plums, pears, cherries and even peaches! A surprising variety of fruit trees can be grown in Minnesota, and especially in the Twin Cities. Discover what to keep in mind when considering the planting of a fruit tree(s), sources of fruit trees, as well as the siting, planting and caring for your fruit trees. 

Every concert, theatrical performance, and corporate event you have attended had an invisible army making it happen. This session pulls back the curtain on live event production: the people, the technology, and the split-second decisions that turn an empty stage into an experience. We will cover how lighting, audio, video, and rigging work together and what happens when something goes wrong mid-show. No technical background needed.

 

Getting older has its ups and downs. Mindfulness can keep you balanced and resilient, come what may. This course will explore five simple mind and body practices to help you thrive in your later years. You'll learn to use gratitude, mindful activity, mindful eating, meditation and self-compassion to enhance daily life and smooth out the rough spots. A few easy practice exercises will give you some new tools you can use to live your best life.

 

In this course, Rochelle Anderson will describe how aphasia following a stroke led to her difficulty talking, reading, writing and understanding. Over the last five years, Anderson has written poetry to express herself and improve her communication skills. She will describe how her process of writing and publishing a book and making crop art for the State Fair enhances her creativity and well-being.

Recommended reading: Stormy Road: Reawakening from Stroke and Aphasia by Rochelle Anderson, Palmetto Publishing, 2026.

 

The compensation for the stiffness in our bodies is the breadth of our imaginations. Aging is not just about growing older, it's about making the most of every moment. Aging can be a rich and fertile space for a fresh sense of purpose, creativity, and opportunities to contribute. Seniors will be inspired to explore new possibilities for their lives. Even the smallest of steps can lead to happiness, fulfillment, and a sense of accomplishment.This presentation explores how to cultivate a mindset of curiosity, contribution, and lifelong learning.

Recommended reading: If You're Alive, Your Mission on Earth Isn't Finished by David McNally, WISE INK, 2024.

 

This course on sex education for older adults offers a practical, respectful overview of intimacy, relationships, and sexual health in later life. It affirms that sexuality remains important across the lifespan and supports adapting to change. Part 1 covers physical aspects of aging, including menopause, erectile dysfunction, chronic illness, medications, and mobility, with strategies for comfort and safety. Part 2 explores emotional and social factors like body image, self-esteem, and cultural attitudes, empowering participants to maintain healthy, satisfying intimate lives. 

Recommended reading: The evolving concept of older adult sexual behavior and its benefits by ML Syme, Generations Journal,  2014;38(1):35-41.

 

Do you or someone you know have a life-changing wish? Join us for this workshop to explore the place of wishes and dreams in our lives and learn more about Wish of a Lifetime from AARP. We'll spend some time reflecting on our lives in the context of wishes and dreams, and potentially naming a wish that's on our heart and mind. You'll walk away with a renewed sense of possibility and actionable information to pursue your dreams and maybe even apply for, or nominate someone for, a life-changing Wish of a Lifetime. 

This course will explore the different features of Google Slides to help make engaging and exciting presentations. In this course, each skill and feature will be clearly demonstrated, and skills we will explore include: themes, background, fonts, shapes, images, transitions, and more!

Most people don't know what they don't know—until a costly mistake, scam, or crisis forces them to learn the hard way. This seven-week course brings together six professionals who will pull back the curtain on the aging services industry, sharing practical guidance, consumer protection strategies, and hard-earned insights from their fields. Learn how to evaluate providers, verify credentials, spot red flags, avoid fraud, and make informed decisions with confidence.

Get ready for a new way of thinking about your own good intentions and what it takes to consistently turn them into life-improving action. You’ll learn why failing to make good on your good intentions isn’t exactly your fault. It’s mostly Mother Nature’s fault! Because she neglected to wire the impressive intelligence she gave us directly to our behavior, we’re good at knowing what we should do but not so good at consistently doing it. You’ll learn tricks and practical strategies for working around Mother Nature’s unfortunate oops to give all your intentions the power they need to succeed. 

The adoption of new technologies and the mass commercialization of culture has opened the door for more deceptive advertising. This course will examine how deceit and scams manifest in multiple forms of contemporary advertising, from ads that don’t look like ads, misleading verbiage, consumer tracking/targeting, ponzi schemes, and plain old snake oil peddling. What are the rhetorical strategies of deceptive ads? Are devices really listening to you? How do we regulate advertising? And most importantly, how do you spot a scam? 

Recommended reading: Doublespeak: From “Revenue Enhancement” to “Terminal Living”: How Government, Business, Advertisers, and Others Use Language to Deceive You by W. Lutz, Ig Publishing, 2015; "The Importance of Being a Complainer: You have the Power to Hold Deceptive Marketers Accountable," B. Patten, 2024, https://truthinadvertising.org/blog/the-importance-of-being-a-complainer/.

 

Are you carrying the weight of resentment, grudges, or betrayal? These emotions drain our energy and keep us tied to the past. In this 2-part online workshop, Louisa - life coach and story teller, will create a safe, supportive space for reflection and growth. Through storytelling, dialogue, and exercises, you’ll explore how resentment takes root, why it holds you back, and how to release it. This isn’t about excusing or forgetting - it’s about freeing yourself and stepping into a lighter, more empowered self.

 

There is a surge in divorce rates among adults over 50. The adjustment to being single later in life can be daunting. This course offers a practical 4-session workshop focused on addressing the emotional, financial, housing, and social adjustments. The workshops may apply to widowed people as well, but are largely focused on the aftermath of divorce. This course is also not an emotional support group, rather an opportunity for each participant to create a plan to help guide their adjustment. The exact focus of each session will depend on what the majority of the group prefers.  Expect to do some personal reflection and guided planning.  This is a hands on experience.

We'll overview and provide an understanding of how the fragmented (and often confusing) array of TV streaming options continues to evolve, then discuss implications for specific actions for best aligning your TV streaming content & equipment setup with your viewing and budget preferences. Various tools, resources, and "hacks" will also be discussed to help learners enhance their streaming experience. Learners will help shape the session agenda by completing an optional online pre-class survey to help identify key concerns they'd like to see prioritized during our discussion.

Whether you're considering part-time work, volunteer opportunities, new hobbies, or simply seeking a more meaningful retirement, understanding your interests can provide valuable direction. Based on the Strong Interest Inventory and John Holland's six interest themes (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional), this interactive workshop will help you identify your own "compass," explore activities that match your natural interests, and discover new possibilities for a pleasurable, engaging, and purposeful next chapter.

 

Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most iconic landscapes on Earth, combining vast breathtaking scenery with deep geological and human history. From rim to river this course introduces how the canyon was formed, and describes human experience from ancestral Native cultures to more recent exploration, exploitation, conservation, and recreation.

In addition to information on options for a rewarding visit, this course includes a first-hand account of a recent visit to the park including an unforgettable 3 days at the South Rim combined with a 4-day backpacking experience below the rim.