Hobbies   

Celebrate summer by creating a festive summer flower garland. Learn about how flowers have been strung in ceremony throughout history. Use fresh and dried flowers and herbs from Jasmine of KoKeDaMa Flora’s gardens to string together your own garland. Welcome summer with flowers.  A $25 supply fee is payable to the instructor in class.

If your goal is to become a published freelance writer by selling a magazine article, short story, poem, or even a novel to a traditional publisher, this comprehensive workshop will guide you to, then past, the editor’s desk.  You will discover how to:

• Become a “published” writer overnight
• Submit manuscripts the correct way
• Find the right publisher for your work
• Write irresistible query letters
• Determine when and how to get an agent
• 100 ways to make money as a freelance writer  

If you really want to succeed, this step-by-step workshop is a must! Informative handouts for future use are included in class fee. The instructor, LeeAnne Krusemark, is a former journalist, current author and editor, and a nationwide Professor of Publishing at higher learning institutions, including Harvard Adult Education. The webinar login information will be emailed the day before class.

Online blogging is a great way to get the word out about you, your service, your product, or information you want to share. You will learn step-by-step how to:

• Start a FREE blog with WordPress
• Choose a blog template
• Emphasize your blog content with a creative name
• Use your unique voice to share your expertise
• Connect your domain/website

You will also learn how to earn an income with your blog, including links to other websites and advertising on your blog, as well as increase your internet ranking. Informative handouts for future use are included in the class fee. The instructor, LeeAnne Krusemark, is a former journalist, current author and editor, and a nationwide Professor of Publishing at higher learning institutions, including Harvard Adult Education. The webinar login information will be emailed the day before class.

Take a step back in time with Gerry Smith, former Broome County Historian, as he leads you around several blocks of downtown Binghamton. Gerry provides insights and anecdotes about the architecture of Binghamton and its history. Learn about building styles, churches, factories, robber barons and the heyday of the city. The tour begins in front of the Broome County Courthouse. Please dress according to the weather. Enrollment is limited.

If you want to write short stories or novels – or develop your storytelling skills – this course will guide you from a blank page to THE END. Topics covered include:

• Shaping raw materials, or even a single idea, into a story
• Three methods for generating a story from nothing
• Plotting and improvisation
• Genre fiction fundamentals
• Character development
• Case study: “That Room”, by Tobias Wolff
• Finding your beginning and ending
• Writing the first draft
• Simple editing tips
• Formatting a professional manuscript and cover letter
• Publishing your work

Your instructor brings over two decades of experience as a publishing house employee and as a published writer. By the end of the course, you should have completed a work of short fiction or a first novel chapter.

This class will be online through Zoom. 

Have you seen ads telling you how to become a shopper, but only if you send them a lot of money? You do not have to pay to begin your new career in this exciting field. (Participants must also attend “Explore 250 Legitimate Home-Based Business Ideas” for a clear understanding of this endeavor.) You will learn how to sign up with many legitimate mystery shopping companies WITHOUT FEES, avoid pitfalls and scams, create a required mystery shopping resume and profile, and how to file your mystery shopping reports for payment. Informative handouts for future use are included in the class fee, including a list of 25 legitimate companies you can work for. The webinar login information will be emailed the day before class.

Self-publishing is all the rage, but is it the best option for YOU? (Participants must attend EX151 – “Beginner’s Guide to Getting Published” to attend this class) And, can you do both? You will discover the pros and cons of all the self-publishing options, including print-on-demand and e-book publishing, as well as Amazon options, and see how they compare to traditional publishing. Informative handouts, including a rated description of 50 self-publishing companies for future use are included in the class fee. The webinar login information, along with a detailed tutorial to set up your free Zoom account, will be emailed the day before class.

Choose from basil, rosemary, sage and many other herbs to create three small kokedama. Jasmine of KoKeDaMa Flora will provide holistic information about the herbs in class and guide you in how to make and care for your new kokedama herb garden. Collect Keepsake note cards for herbs used in class with recipes and care instructions for each kokedama. A $25 supply fee is payable to the instructor in class.

We’re ready to get back to our travels! When is it safe to go on a trip, where can we go, how do we stay safe, and how do we make our travel free? Plus, learn how to benefit from the deep travel discounts being offered right now to motivate you to book future travel in 2022 and 2023. If you are near retirement, changing careers, a student, or someone who likes the idea of making additional income to support your travel dream, this class is for you. World traveler, Gina Henry, shows you how she is prepared for the new “travel normal” including important tips on safety, trip insurance, what to do if you become sick, and other strategies. Earn free airline tickets, hotel nights, tours and more in the USA and worldwide! Tuition includes Gina’s 100-page digital book, How to Travel Free & Safely (a value of $39.95). Go to www.GinaHenry.com for more instructor information.

If you are new to Digital SLR cameras or have had one for a while and just want to become more familiar with its workings and how to improve your photos, this is the class for you! This class will go through your camera’s menu and inner workings, as well as images to show how they affect your pictures. During this class you will learn what buttons and functions on your camera may help improve the use of your camera to help you spend less time making changes and more time taking pictures. Learning about shutter speed and apertures will be discussed to learn the importance of them in your image making. Students should have their cameras, USB cable and instruction manual. 

This class continues on from part one and goes deeper into the workings of your camera and how you can improve your images with them. In this class we will discuss the importance of shutter speed, apertures and ISO to improve the exposure of your images. Other topics we will discuss include Raw file processing and benefits, exposure compensation, flash use and flash compensation, image backup and organization. It is strongly recommended that you have taken Part 1 or have a very good understanding of the inner workings of your camera. This gives you a better understanding of how your camera works.

In this comprehensive session, you will learn about special screenwriting terms and formats for television and the big screen.  You will also learn how to plot a story, develop characters, and execute your work in the proper screenwriting format.  You will discover the difference between a Treatment, a Spec Script, and a Shooting Script and when to do each.  And you’ll get an inside look into the business of selling your script to agents and producers. Informative handouts for future use are included in the class fee. The instructor, LeeAnne Krusemark, is a former journalist, current author and editor, and a nationwide Professor of Publishing at higher learning institutions, including Harvard Adult Education. The webinar login information will be emailed the day before class.

“Anything is possible one stroke at a time . . .” Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts, creators of Zentangle®.

Join me in learning the meditative art form of the Zentangle® Method. If you can write your name, you can participate! Get in touch with your creativity and enjoy drawing and creating in a positive environment. Zentangle® has been shown to help others around the world with anxiety, stress, being more relaxed and mindfulness.

A $10 fee is payable in cash to the instructor at the beginning of the first class. This fee will provide you with a kit that will include all you need to create beautiful little works of art.

Have you ever wanted to talk to a real agent or publisher?  Are you tired of having your manuscripts critiqued by non-professionals or paying an editor too much money to change your writing to their voice?  Email one page of your in-progress manuscript for an in-class critique of one page of your poetry, article, short story, screenplay, novel, non-fiction or children’s book. (Optional: You can then send your manuscript for a professional critique for a critique fee of $50 for up to 25 double-spaced pages plus $1/page thereafter, and a list of publishers/agents who are interested in your type of work.) The instructor, LeeAnne Krusemark, is a former journalist, current author and editor, and a nationwide Professor of Publishing at higher learning institutions, including Harvard Adult Education. The webinar login information will be emailed the day before class.

Learn how to save $$$ every day with extreme couponing. Coupons are NOT just for groceries. The savings can add up to HUNDREDS or even THOUSANDS of dollars every year. This comprehensive workshop will teach you:

• Where to find all different types of coupons, even for high ticket items
• How to find the best coupon apps and websites
• How to match coupons with sales for maximum savings.

This workshop is taught by someone who has used many couponing secrets to save thousands. Informative handouts for future use are included in the class fee. The webinar login information will be emailed the day before class.

Enjoy a walking history lesson and tour of Binghamton’s West Side with its rich architecture and heritage as the first suburb of Binghamton. Join Gerry Smith, former Broome County Historian, to see examples of many architecture styles dating from the 1840’s to the 1930’s. The tour encompasses several blocks and begins in front of Roberson Museum & Science Center, 30 Front Street, Binghamton. Please dress according to the weather. Enrollment is limited.

You can earn hundreds of thousands of airline frequent flyer miles and hotel reward points without ever stepping foot on a plane or paying for a hotel and then redeem them for high-value trips. Flights and hotels are typically the most expensive part of your vacation budget. Gina will show you her easy “Beginner Strategy” then graduate you to more advanced strategies that earn you 1 million+ reward points a year. All the major reward programs will be detailed. Also learn tips for flying business and first class. Gina Henry, founder of Go Global, Inc. has been a professional traveler for over 26 years and earns 15 free airline tickets and dozens of free hotel nights each year. Tuition includes instructor’s 100-page digital book, “The Secrets of Traveling Hacking – Free Air, Hotels & Cash Back” (a value of $39.95). Go to www.GinaHenry.com for more instructor information.

Whether you’re looking to publish a paperback novel or short ebook now or in the future, this detailed tutorial will teach you step-by-step how to create an Amazon KDP account, format your manuscript and upload it to the platform, easily create a book cover from available templates, determine pricing and royalties, develop a sales pitch for your Amazon page, and write an Amazon author bio.Informative handouts for future use are included in the class fee. The instructor, LeeAnne Krusemark, is a former journalist, current author and editor, and a nationwide Professor of Publishing at higher learning institutions, including Harvard Adult Education. The webinar login information will be emailed the day before class.

“Wow, you have a great voice!” How many times have you heard that? Or maybe you listen to your favorite audio books, commercials, or cartoon characters and think, “I could do that!” Do you want to earn income using your talents from the comfort of your home? Explore the growing remote voiceover industry with your instructor, a professional, working voice actor from Voices For All. Discover the current trends in the industry and how easy and affordable it can be to learn, set up and work from home. You’ll learn about different types of voiceovers and the tools you’ll need to find success. Your instructor will take notes as you read a real script in this one-on-one video chat setting, and offer some coaching to improve your delivery. You’ll receive a professional voiceover evaluation later in a follow-up call.

This is a one-time, 90-minute, introductory class. Learn more at http://www.voicesforall.com/ooo. This class is for ages 18 and over. You owe it to yourself to finally explore the possibilities of this fun and rewarding field! Upon registration you will be contacted by Voices For All to schedule your class for a day and time of your convenience.

This class will be online through Zoom. You will receive a Zoom invitation prior to class. You must have Zoom downloaded on your computer and have a webcam, audio (microphone) and internet to take this class.