Today's Happenings About Town

1. Hard to believe, but the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District will celebrate its 40^th anniversary in 2012! In honor of this momentous milestone, staff members are already hard at work planning several special tributes, including a 40^th Anniversary Coffee Table Book—and they want you to help fill it! They are asking community members to submit original photographs, poetry and artwork for publishing in this rare book. The deadline for artwork and poetry is Dec. 31 at 5 p.m. Photographs can be submitted through the District's Annual Digital Photo Contest. For more information on the book, guidelines, rules and conditions, visit openspace.org/book/

2. For many, the holidays can be stressful or lonely. Therefore, the offers a special seminar Thursday, "De-Stressing the Holidays for Seniors." Dr. Dolores Gallagher-Thompson, Ph.D. will teach this free course on how to keep the blues away and keep stress to a minimum this year. Refreshments will be served. It all takes place from 6-7 p.m. at the School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Rd., Room 3200, Palo Alto. This event is open to all, and no RSVP is required. For more information, call 1-800-943-4333, e-mail StanfordPEPproject@gmail.com or visit pep.stanford.edu.

3. The registration deadline is fast approaching for the Pacific Art League's Holiday Vacation Camp 2010. Camps run Monday through Thursday, Dec. 27-30, in a variety of subjects—Intro to Glass Fusing, Mixed Media Expressions, Printmaking with a Press and Sculpting Party. Classes are available for ages 5-18, and each camp costs $140. For more information or to register, call 650-321-3891 or visit the website at pacificartleague.org. The registration deadline is Dec. 21.

4. If you're looking for a holiday concert of a different variety this year, try "Silverbells," by BayBells, a community handbell ensemble. This group is celebrating 25 years of music in the community. The concert's program will feature music composed and arranged especially for BayBells and includes many holiday favorites. "Silverbells" takes place this Friday, from 7:30-8:30 p.m., at , 3149 Waverley St. in Palo Alto. Admission is free, and donations will be accepted. For more information, call 650-887-2243, e-mail info@baybells.org or visit handbellventures.org.

5. This is Silicon Valley, after all—it would be safe to say this is home to more than a few workaholics. If you think the term may apply to you, the Workaholics Anonymous weekly meeting welcomes you. This is a fellowship of individuals who get together each Friday, 6:15-7:15 p.m., to share their experiences, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their problems and also help others recover from workaholism. All are welcome at the , 1985 Louis Rd. in Palo Alto. For more information, call 650-856-0343, e-mail paloalto@workalholics-anonymous.org or visit workaholics-anonymous.org.