An Extra Day for Connection Calendar of RSCA Events

by Shannon Guzzetta, Editor 2020 RSCA Annual Meeting

Whether you follow the Gregorian, solar or lunar calendar, our Tuesday, February 11th at 7 to 9pm at the
days are increasingly filled with meetings, appointments, Redwood Shores Library (399 Marine Parkway)
reminders, classes, practices, events and chores. e list of Join us to talk to city, county and local officials
things we want or need to do far exceeds the amount of time about current subjects relevant to the Shores.
available. We all attempt to juggle business and leisure, and Additional details are available on page 4.
Mark Your Calendars for RSCA’s Events in 2020:
find balance between tasks we must do, and activities we enjoy.

Spring EGGstravaganza — April 4th @ 2pm

Perhaps, in this second month of the year, it’s a good time to

Sounds of the Shores Concerts in Marlin Park:

take a second look at our plans, resolutions and daily choices.
Are we thriving? What could we be doing differently or better?
Are we making positive social connections? Sunday, June 14th @ 5-7pm
e concept of connectedness came up at a recent community Sunday, July 19th @ 5-7pm
meeting, and a little research on the topic provided that: Sunday, August 9th @ 5-7pm
Annual Levee Cleanup — August 22nd @ 8-12pm
“While social connections [to family, peers, school, community]

City Council Candidate Forum — TBD

have been linked to well-being, the absence of such connections has

School District Candidate Forum — TBD

also been linked to risk for negative outcomes.”*

Halloween Walk — October 24th @ 2pm

It’s so important for our community to connect and support one
another in our everyday endeavors. If connectedness is lacking,
undesireable behaviors emerge. With cooperation, patience, And of course Santa will be back again this year!
You can always find more information about these
flexibility, kindness and love, our community will grow stronger.

and other community events on our web site at

At the center of this month is Valentine’s Day, on FriDay,
February 14th — perfect timing for love, kindness and
romance, especially with President’s Day creating a long holiday
weekend! And this year, this month has a very special day —
RSCA.org
leap Day is February 29th. is extra day only comes around
every four years (unless that year is divisible by 100, and not
divisible by 400)! This extra time is an opportunity to do
something important. ink about the options as you read
this edition that highlights our community. Consider your
connectedness to our Redwood Shores community, local
governance, schools and ongoing educational programs, music
and entertainment, celebrations/traditions, or even technology
and politics. Are you making time to make connections?
Our community is comprised of talented, diverse, creative and
caring individuals and families. Regardless of whether the
Groundhog saw his shadow or which team won the Superbowl,
we share a commonality in making Redwood Shores a GReAT
place to lIve and WORk. How will you help reach that goal?
*https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6128354/
Page 2 February 2020 e PILOT
COMMUNITY MAKES
ere seems to be a lot of confusion in the Shores about what
RSCA does, so please, please, please keep reading for clarification,
and then help explain our mission to your neighbors!
e redwood shores Community association (RSCA) is
looking forward to our 50th anniversary — RSCA formed in
1970 to be THe advocate on issues that affects the quality of life
in the Shores. RSCA represents the interests of homeowners,
renters and other residents and businesses in the Shores. RSCA
is an inclusive organization that recognizes and celebrates the
wonderful diversity of our community. RSCA priorities include:
1. COMMunICATIOn (utilizing e pilot, occasional email,
our website and roadway signboards).
2. encouraging SAFeTY and a healthful environment for family life.
3. providing a forum for united community action in the Shores,
to achieve COMMOn GOAlS.
4. hosting COMMunITY evenTS within Redwood Shores.
5. advocating FAIRneSS in taxation of property in the Shores.
6. encouraging ReSPOnSIBle GROWTH of property development
in the Shores as well as in neighboring areas.
7. focusing on activities in the best interest of the Shores community.
8. implementing CC&Rs of specified Redwood Shores subdivisions
(not managed by an HOA and RSOA).
notice of
RSCA’s Annual Meeting
tuesday, February 11th at 7-9pm
*redwood shores library
399 Marine pkwy at bridge pkwy
A DIFFERENCE
Shores residents tend to be confused due to the OTHeR local
organization, Redwood Shores Owners Association (RSOA).
e difference is CoMMunity.
e Redwood Shores Community has over 5,300 homes, and
we want to connect with as many of you as possible to keep the
Shores a GReAT place to lIve and WORk. So far in 2020,
we’ve received membership checks from approximately 10% and
we are especially grateful to the Shores community members who
gave an additional donation*, above and beyond the $45 request.
now that you know what RSCA does, we hope you’ll connect
with us at an upcoming event, and send in your membership
contribution of $45 to support the Shores in 2020. Here’s how:
If we have your email address, you can sign in to
memberplanet.com and pay RSCA dues by credit card, or you
can send a check along with the form we mailed to you, which
is also available online at rsca.org/membership.
If we don’t have your email address, please join our eMail list
at www.rsca.org, and so that we can send you an invitation from
memberplanet.com so you can login and pay dues by credit card
and stay connected for reminders and news items that occur in
between mailings of e pilot.
use this QR code for the link to
join our eMail list.
Please return your membership
payment soon so we can plan for
all of our 2020 events.
thank you For your support!
*Sincerest thanks go to these RSCA Members who kindly gave
additional donations as of 1/1/2020:

is is your chance to get up to date on the issues that affect H. Dinulous R. Wallace
the home and family lives of every Shores resident. S. Cohen-Blane A. Bartels
e. Binet M. Schum
is year will include an opportunity to meet leaders and discuss
information related to Redwood City Police, Fire, Parks, Public P. omas S. Deluna
Works, Silicon valley Clean Water, our Belmont Redwood D. Blumenfeld T. Poston
Shores School District, Sequoia High School District, and more! M. Fox k. lee
RSCA will also elect its new Board of Directors. J. Struken J. leanues
M. Ciardella M. vanbemmel
*e meeting space is provided as a community service by the City of Redwood City,
e City neither sponsors or endorses this event nor the presenting individuals or Y. Ogawa M. lazar
organizations. S. Tosun S. Guzzetta
S. Schery T. Gough
Redwood Shores Community Association A. leong R. Slusser
C. kenney M. Fong
T. DelBene e. lee
RSCA.org R. vigil M. Woodward
H. Fu
Page 4 January 2020 e PILOT
 REDWOOD SHORES
COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
274 Redwood Shores Pkwy, PMB #603
Redwood Shores, CA 94065 - 1173
www.RSCA.org | info@rsca.org

Board of Directors

nina Boire Connie Munevar

kevin Brehmer Sue nix
Jim Cvengros Ben Ploshay
Carol Ford Steven Tsujisaka
Shannon Guzzetta Bob Slusser
Don long John Zolck
(Email us if you would like to become a board member.)

Our Board of Directors usually meet the 2nd ursday of each

month. Our Annual Meeting is on tuesday, February 11th.
Our next Board Meeting will be at the Redwood Shores
library at 7pm on March 12th, 2020.

• An extra Day for Connection....................................Page 1

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN BOARD (non-HOA areas):
For CC&R copies & information, email <ADB@rsca.org>
DeADlIneS for e PILOT
e deadline for space reservation is usually the end of the first
week of each month for the following month’s issue.
Please email <ThePILOT@rsca.org> for a precise schedule.
PUBLISHER: Redwood Shores Community Association
e PILOT is the official monthly publication of
the Redwood Shores Community Association.
CIRCULATION: 6,000 Shores Households & Businesses
Opinions published in e pilot are solely those of the
authors and not the expressions of RSCA unless so officially and
expressly designated.
https://www.facebook.com/rsCaorg/
• RSCA events Calendar..............................................Page 1
• Community Makes a Difference................................Page 4
• RSCA’s Annual Meeting notice.................................Page 4
• RSCA Membership Information ...............................Page 4
• From the Mayor (Diane Howard)..............................Page 6
• Preparing for Winter Storms......................................Page 6
• Architectural Design Board .......................................Page 6
• It’s elementary School update ..................................Page 8
• 2020 vision: A Convention for Parents & Teachers......Page 8
• Carlmont High School presents Singin’ in the Rain......Page 8
• library events for February .....................................Page 10
• Human library in RWS ..........................................Page 10
• Technology Workshops at the library......................Page 12
• It’s Brussels Sprouts!.................................................Page 12
• SvCW ReSCu update...........................................Page 14
• St. Mark’s Corner: Foresight is 20/20.......................Page 15
• Chinese new Year / Pongal Traditions .....................Page 16
• Redwood City Trivia................................................Page 17
• Redwood Symphony ...............................................Page 17
• Shores Business Classified Ads .................................Page 18
e PILOT February 2020 Page 5
 FROM THE MAYOR
Diane howarD, reDwooD City
I hope that everyone had a beautiful beginning to their new Year.
My first letter to you as Mayor spoke about civility in our
conversations, respect for each other’s point of view, and
tolerance versus intolerance in our interactions in this coming
year. I am truly looking forward to working with you for the
betterment of your Redwood Shores neighborhood and
Redwood City as a whole. is month, I want to highlight two
items that will impact our community in 2020.
First, the u.s. 2020 Census is coming.
every 10 years, the Federal government is required to conduct a
national census to count every person living in the u.S., regardless
of age, immigration status, or criminal history. Our next census will
take place in March of 2020. every household will have the option
of responding online, by mail, or by phone. An accurate count is
important because it affects political representation, funding for
critical programs, and decisions made by business, civic,
community, and non-profit leaders. In May, Census workers will
begin visiting households that have not completed the forms. We
encourage you to help us to achieve as accurate a count as possible.
e Census Bureau protects the privacy of the information they
collect and reports data as statistics. ey do not share personal
information with any other government agency. To learn more,
visit https://cmo.smcgov.org/census-2020-outreach-resources.
secondly, the state Minimum wage went into effect on
january 1, 2020.
e State of California enacted a minimum wage that will reach
$15.00 per hour for all employees by January 1, 2023. e City
Council approved a new local minimum wage ordinance after
prioritizing the issue in 2017 to help low wage earners with the high
cost of living in Redwood City. e City’s approach, after gaining
extensive input from local businesses, seeks to move quicker than
the State’s minimum wage, reaching $15.00 by 2020.
On January 1, 2019, the local minimum wage of $13.50 went
into effect in Redwood City. On January 1, 2020, the City’s local
minimum wage increased to $15.38, which is $15.00 per hour
plus the increase in the 2019 consumer price index (CPI). After
2020, Redwood City’s local minimum wage will adjust with the
consumer price index. is new law applies to all businesses
within the geographic boundaries of Redwood City and any
employee working at least two or more hours per week.
In the meantime, I invite you to contact me if you would like to
meet and discuss any areas of concern or interest about your
community. I can be reached on my cell at #650-208-4774 or
by email at dhoward@redwoodcity.org.
Again, I want to wish you all a beautiful, peaceful and healthy
new Year.
Page 6 February 2020 e PILOT
A few storm safety tips everyone should follow include:
1. never touch downed wires – If you see a downed power line,
assume it is energized and extremely dangerous. Do not touch
or try to move it–and keep children and animals away. Report
downed power lines immediately by calling 911 and by calling
PG&e at 1-800-743-5000.
2. use flashlights, not candles – During a power outage, use
battery–operated flashlights, not candles, due to the risk of fire.
If you must use candles, keep them away from drapes,
lampshades and small children. Do not leave candles
unattended.
3. have a plan for medications or medical devices that require
power – Talk with your doctor about planning for any
medications that may need to be refrigerated or medical devices
that require power.
4. have fresh drinking water or ice on hand – Freeze plastic
containers filled with water to make blocks of ice that can be
placed in your refrigerator/freezer during an outage to prevent
food from spoiling. Reusable ice packs from your picnic cooler
also work well in the freezer.
5. use generators safely – Customers with standby electric
generators should make sure they are properly installed by a
licensed electrician and located in a well-ventilated area.
Improperly installed generators pose a significant danger to
customers, as well as crews working on power lines.
Go to https://www.pge.com/safetyactioncenter to review more
emergency preparedness tips and checklists.
Do You Know...
... that eveRY residence in the Shores
is covered by Covenants, Codes &
Restrictions (CC&Rs)?
Whether you live in one of our many
Home Owners Associations (HOAs) or
in the original sections of the Shores,
there are CC&Rs on All Shores homes!
You should have received a copy of the CC&Rs when you
purchased your home. But if you live west of Shell and
nOT in an HOA, that might have been some time ago. If
you need a new copy, email <ADB@rsca.org>.
e PILOT February 2020 Page 7
IT’S ELEMENTARY
MiChael Milliken, ph.D.
brssD superintenDent
February is enrollMent Month!
Online enrollment Registration is now open for the 2020-2021
school year. Beginning January 22, siblings of current students in
grades k-5 should enroll at their older siblings’ school. All other
new students should enroll at a designated enrollment site
beginning February 5. Please refer to the enrollment Timeline on
the BRSSD website for dates, times, and locations for these sessions.
Current BRSSD students in TK must re-enroll to enter Kindergarten.
BRSSD students in grades k-7 do not need to re-enroll.
english learners’ progress
Our english learner students, who comprise 9% of Belmont-
Redwood Shores’ student population, take an annual language
proficiency test to monitor their language acquisition progress.
e testing window for the entire state opens annually on
February 1. We have a strong interest in our english learners
becoming proficient in english. each year, about 20% of our
english learner students demonstrate proficiency in english
using state standards, which is considerably better than the
County average. For example, in 2018, 21.5% of Belmont-
Redwood Shores english learners were reclassified as english
proficient compared to 13.4% countywide. Go BRSSD!
CoMMunity learning opportunities
e Sequoia Healthcare District sponsors a number of educational Carlmont High School presents
events throughout the year. looking at the upcoming month,
speakers and workshops include Infant CPR, emergency
Singin’ in the Rain
preparedness, college admissions, and providing gender-inclusive Join us for one of Hollywood’s most beloved musicals. Filled with
environments. I encourage you to take a look! Go to every memorable moment from the movie, and a downpour of
eventbrite.com and search for the Sequoia Healthcare District. unforgettable songs, this show is sure to entertain the whole family!
upCoMing eVents Screenplay by BeTTY COMDen and ADOlPH GReen
• Redwood Shores elementary 5th graders will be at outdoor Songs by nACIO HeRB BROWn and ARTHuR FReeD
education in the Santa Cruz Mountains February 10-14. Based on the classic Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film, by special
• nesbit School will be hosting a Black History Museum on arrangement with Warner Bros. eatre ventures, Inc.
February 10 & 11. Original Movie Choreography by Gene kellY & STAnleY DOnen
• Mid-winter break is February 17-21. Music published by EMI, all rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Produced by Arrangement With Maurice Rosenfield, Lois F. Rosenfield and Cindy Pritzker, Inc.
• Ralston Middle School’s PTA is showing e Upstanders film on
February 27th at 6:30pm. e Upstanders explores cyber-bullying, ursday, 2/6/20 at 7:00 pm
bullying amongst friends, families, co-workers and the brain Friday, 2/7/20 at 7:00 pm
science behind it all. e film highlights new laws and programs
Saturday, 2/8/20 at 7:00 pm
already reducing bullying in schools and shows us how we can
learn to make a difference together. Sunday, 2/9/20 at 2:00 pm
Center Orchestra: $25
Please contact me with questions or comments at 650-620-2703
Side Orchestra: $20
or mmilliken@brssd.org.
Rear Orchestra: $17
Michael Milliken
Please visit http://carlmonths.org/paC to buy tickets.
Page 8 February 2020 e PILOT
e PILOT February 2020 Page 9
 Redwood City Public Library’s next Human Library will
be held at the Redwood Shores Library on March 7, 2020.
e library has held two very well-received Human library
events. e March session in Redwood Shores will be in
celebration of women in honor of Women’s History Month.
Human library program is one of the library’s actions to
support the community aspiration to help Redwood City be
welcoming and inclusive, celebrate the diversity of our
population, and enjoy a friendly, neighborly community spirit.
Started in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2000, the Human library
is a program in which participants have the opportunity to
“borrow” a person for a conversation, much in the way people
borrow a book to read. e goal of the program is to build a
positive framework for conversations to challenge stereotypes and
prejudices through one-on-one conversations. Over the course
of a day, the collection of “human books” is available for 20
minute conversations, and participants can sign up for an
appointment with the human, or humans, of their choice.
e humans available for conversations have stories to tell about
their lives, and are willing to answer questions from community
members through these one-on-one conversations. We are still
building our library of female books for this event, but can give
a sneak peek that we will have a Muslim, lGBTQ minister,
human trafficking advocate, former mayor, and more to come.
When: Saturday, March 7, 2020 from 1:00pm-4:00pm
Where: Redwood Shores library, 399 Marine Parkway
For more details see: https://www.redwoodcity.org/departments/library/events/human-library-2

Page 10 February
August 2018
2020 e PILOT
AnewVista Technology Workshops are It’s Brussels, Not Brussel Sprouts?
Back at the Redwood Shores Library! by Harvey Radin
Continuing the partnership with Redwood City, Anewvista is
hosting more technology workshops for Redwood Shores seniors.
Anewvista’s goal is to empower older adults to have a self-
determined lifestyle that includes technology to provide a better
quality of life. Anewvista’s approach is to work with seniors to
help overcome the fear of technology and provide support for
individuals and small groups.
Classes are scheduled for the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month
at 10:30am in Room D. e cost is: $5 per class or $20 for the
quarter. Contact info@anewvista.com for additional details.
February 5th, 2020 10:30 – 11:30aM – Cyber seCurity
In this lecture, students will participate in a practical discussion
about common cyber security threats. e students will
understand the difference between a “fake” email and a real email,
learn about password management, safe browsers and how to make
them better and which device they should use in terms of security.
February 19th, 2020 10:30 – 11:30aM – into the googleVerse
Google is everywhere but it is more than web browser or gmail.
understand what Google and their business model is. e course
will cover Google Apps, Google Photos, Google Drive and a high
level understanding of the Google universe, as well as the trade-offs.
MarCh 3rD, 2020 10:30 – 11:30aM – bitCoin
In this talk we look to understand the future of digital currency.
Some of the topics touched upon will be the need for trust,
Clever cryptography, Blockchain and cryptocurrency.
MarCh 18th, 2020 10:30 – 11:30aM – Messaging anD Vpn
What exactly is Messaging? What’s the difference between MMS,
SMS, is it secure, why does it work sometimes and others not? We
will also discuss vPn’s and how does this make me more secure?
Tai Chi classes are also coming soon to RWS!
If you have an item of interest, business or an organization affiliated
with the Shores and would like to contribute an article to e PILOT
on a rotating basis, please contact <ePILOT@rsca.org>.
Page 12 February 20209 e PILOT
It was in the grocery store’s produce section, where I realized I’ve
been saying something incorrectly, just about forever. BRuSSelS
SPROuTS! I can’t believe I’ve been calling those little veggies
Brussel sprouts -- Brussel singular -- rather than plural. e name,
spelled correctly, was boldly emblazoned on cartons at the store.
Suppose, as a kid, I happened to be competing in a spelling bee,
and lost, all because of Brussels sprouts?
‘encyclopedia’... now there’s a challenging word, for you. But I
would have gotten that one right because of a neat trick teachers
taught us in school. You learned a tune with a certain cadence
that helped you spell ‘encyclopedia’ a few letters at a time. like
this; enc-yc-lo-pe-dia. To this day, I still hum that tune when
I’m about to spell ‘encyclopedia.’
Funnily enough, as the British say, had I typed Brussel sprouts
in my computer, that squiggly red line you see under words when
your spelling is off, would have come up. It just did, as a matter
of fact, as I was typing the first word in this paragraph. I spelled
it with an ‘A’... funnaly enough.
is technology! How great to be here in the Shores in the
epicenter of high tech. You take tech for granted, sometimes.
But just the other day, also at a grocery store, I was reading a
food product label, plowing through the small type, wondering
if the ingredients were healthy, or not.
en my wife pointed her phone at something called the sku on
the package of food. at’s a product code, she explained, and an
app on her phone actually graded the food product by reading the
sku. is particular product earned a B-plus. not bad, I suppose,
unless there was an A-plus product somewhere else on the shelf?
at word, ‘sku,’ I had to look it up, online of course, and when
I did, it was spelled the way it sounds when you say it. But then
again, it could have been spelled ‘scu’ or ‘scue,’ or even ‘skew.’
even spelled correctly, ‘sku’ somehow confused the computer.
at squiggly, red line kept coming up.
(After a career in corporate communication, Harvey
Radin wrote books and articles about public opinion
and PR. His articles have been published in Business
Insider, American Banker, Talking Biz News and the
Pagosa Daily Post. You can reach out to him by email
at <hoastrategic@gmail.com>.)
e PILOT February 2020 Page 13
 sVCw’s resCu program: Front of plant project update
We’re on track and continuing to make progress on the Regional environmental Sewer Conveyance upgrade (ReSCu), the
rehabilitation and replacement of SvCW’s conveyance system. When complete, it will ensure that for many decades to come,
SvCW can efficiently, reliably, and safely convey and treat wastewater from its four member agencies. ose include Belmont,
San Carlos, Redwood City, and the West Bay Sanitary District (which serves the cities of Menlo Park, Portola valley, and portions
of Atherton, Woodside, east Palo Alto, and unincorporated areas of San Mateo County).
last month, we reached an important milestone for the Front of Plant (FoP) project. Shea/Parsons Joint venture (SPJv)
completed the physical design package. is package describes all equipment, facilities, and structures that will be built and
installed in the coming months.
With the design complete, SvCW and SPJv are now working on the operations control narrative, which documents the
operating steps for the entire FoP system. ese operations will be automated, with experienced SvCW staff providing oversight.
A well-designed control narrative is foundational to effective system operations. SvCW and SPJv are using a progressive
design/build contract delivery method to design the operations narrative. e team also used this method for the physical design
of the FoP project. It involves close collaboration between the partners throughout the process – so close, in fact, that each of
our construction partners has located key staff onsite at our ReSCu center with SvCW staff to ensure the highest level of
collaboration and communication.
An important element of the control narrative describes the various pumping modes of the Receiving lift Station (RlS). ese
modes will be automated to manage varying levels of incoming wastewater flow in coordination with the capabilities of the
wastewater treatment plant receiving the influent flow.
On the construction side, SPJv completed placement of 27 of 29 first-level wall panels for the Headworks facility, which is one
of the three main elements of the FoP project. Work on the second- level deck is continuing. We expect to have the majority of
the second-level deck in place this month. Mass excavation of the vertical Surge and Flow Splitter (SFS) shaft started in October
2019 and was completed in December 2019. Work within the RlS shaft continues this month with installation of reinforcing
steel bars (rebar) in preparation for pouring the concrete base of the RlS.

Here’s a shot of the FoP project

at press time.

To view a time-lapse video

that shows how far the project
has come in just the last few
months, visit our website at
svcw-rescu.org, scroll down
to the bottom of the page,
and click on the video.

Page 14 February 2020 e PILOT

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St. Mark’s Corner: Foresight is 20/20
by Richard Watkins
now that we are full month into 2020, If 2019 taught us anything
it is to look out for 2020. In a year that gave us divisiveness and
discord, dissonance and disharmony, disagreement and dissension,
is it really that hard to believe that things will get any better as we
turn the page to a new year?
e world is at odds with each other and itself at the same time.
e constant barrage of in and outfighting between everyone about
everything is enough to make the most ardent of optimists find a
hole in the sand to bury their heads.
Between world hunger, poverty, climate change and global warming,
the north korean nuclear threat, Islamic terrorism, the Syrian Civil
War, the Qatar diplomatic crisis, the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy
conflict, the ukrainian crisis, the crisis in venezuela, territorial
disputes in the South China Sea, Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts,
the ongoing korean conflict as well as the Israeli–Palestinian conflict,
who has time to worry about anything else? Oh…wait. I didn’t even
mention the stuff happening within our own borders. Mass
shootings, violent ideological protests, white nationalist terrorism,
natural disasters, humanitarian atrocities levied against the poorest
of the poor and the weakest of the weak…and the worst which is
yet to come, the 2020 Presidential election.
e pitting of Republicans vs. Democrats, democracy vs. tyranny,
right vs. left, right vs. wrong, us against them, me against you and
everyone for themselves is bound to send this country into a
Homeraic spiral of trials and tribulations to which there are no
winners, only victims and victimizers. We have become a society of
“I’m rubber and you’re glue” to which everything the other side says
are lies, even if it is true because we will never agree with you!
It isn’t even a matter of agreeing to disagree. We will never agree.
Instead it’s disagreeing to disagree, which in pure literary terms means
agreeing to agree. But the heck with that, we won’t even agree to
disagree about not agreeing. We claim to be “one nation under God”
yet we fail to come together as one and refuse to let God anywhere
near us. At most, we are a divided nation at a 10-foot pole’s length
away from God, and we’re going to look the other way and pretend
that we don’t see or hear Him. So we don’t have to pay attention to
what He wants of us.
So, before 2020 gets any more out of hand than it has already started
off, I suggest doing three things that, if everyone does (don’t worry,
I’m not going to say anything I’m going to do myself ) might just
reverse the course of our currently trending history. ey are: Repent
and believe in the Gospel (Mark 1:15), love the LORD, your God, with
all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all
your mind, and your neighbor as yourself (luke 10:27) and trust in the
LORD and do not lean on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).
It’s nothing more than just a simple little reset of priorities. ink
of it like putting on a new pair of glasses. After a while, your old
pair starts to fail you. What you have been seeing clearly is now
fuzzy, blurry, hazy out-of-focus, tilted, backwards and upside-down.
But by putting on a new pair will bring everything into focus.
ings will be clearer, sharper. lucid, brighter, more luminous to
which everything can be seen in 20/20.
e PILOT February 2020 Page 15

Chinese new year is the biggest and most important
celebration in Chinese culture. Most follow the general
traditions of CnY celebrations; however since China is so big,
every state or province has small variations of food choices and
traditions. Here’s a glimpse of the lunar calendar timeline that
Hong kong and the southern part of China might follow.
A couple of days (and often a couple of weeks) prior to CnY, people
start cleaning and uncluttering the house. People also start buying
new clothes, decorations, and flowers, going to the bank to get new
bills to put in red envelopes, buying and preparing food for CnY.
CnY eve: e day to really clean oneself thoroughly before the
new year. Some people, especially those who consider themselves
as having bad luck for the year, boil Polemo’s (a kind of citrus fruit)
leaves with water and use the water to clean themselves from head
to toe. Chinese believed Polemo leaf water can remove all evil spirits
or bad luck. After the bath, all family members including
grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, will get together and have
a family reunion dinner. is is usually the best dinner of the year
with food that people usually don’t cook on regular days, (similar
to anksgiving in the uS). A popular game people play on CnY
eve is Mah Jong, a tile game for adults (or kids as young as 9-10).
Often families play after dinner until 4 in the morning! In fact, a
lot of people sleep very little or just don’t sleep at all on CnY eve,
because they play games and watch CnY Tv shows throughout
the night. In Hong kong, many people go out to the flower
markets after dinner and buy flowers to decorate the house.
When the clock hits 00:01, people rush to visit temples to pray for
good luck for the new year; they all compete to be the first person
to offer incense to the Chinese god, believing that the first person
will get the best luck, health, and prosperity from the god they
worship. For people who want to sleep in, they wake up and start
the first meal with vegetarian food, a Buddhist belief to help purify
and cleanse the body and soul. new Years Day is also time to start
visiting relatives in the city. usually the younger generation has to
visit the older generation first, or the younger siblings visit the older
siblings, to show respect. is is the day kids most love because
they wear new clothes, get red pocket money from adult relatives,
and they get to see their cousins and have multiple play dates!
Family members bring gifts, usually snacks or fruit, when visiting
other families, another reason kids love it, because they can have
lots of snacks and candies!
Traveling to visit relatives and friends lasts for a couple of weeks,
however, nO BODY does visiting on the 3rd day, as it’s believed that
people are prone to argument when visiting each other.
Page 16 February 2020 e PILOT
e last day of CnY celebration is the first full moon of the year.
Also known as the lantern Festival because people carry beautiful
lanterns to view the bright full moon. In ancient times, it was
supposed to be the only day ladies were allowed to leave their house
to view the lanterns and socialize with other people, including men,
that’s why this day is also called Chinese valentine’s day. nowadays,
people eat sticky rice ball, symbolizing reunion, in sweet/savory
soup, enjoy viewing beautiful lanterns, hang out in parks, and play
riddle games. is night is the end of the CnY celebration.
is is what I experienced and what my parents taught me about
CnY since I was a kid. If you want to know more history and
traditions of CnY, this website is can tell you more about CnY.
https://chinesenewyear.net/21-things-you-didnt-know-about-chinese-new-year/
Submitted by Rebecca Tang
pongal is a harVest FestiVal CelebrateD in south inDia,
which falls in the month of ai (that is, the January-February
season) when crops like rice, sugarcane, turmeric are harvested.
e term ‘pongal’ in Tamil means “to boil”, and this festival is
celebrated as a thanksgiving ceremony for the year’s harvest. Pongal,
one of the important Hindu festivals, falls around mid-January
every year. Pongal also happens to be the name of a dish consumed
during this festive time, which is sweetened rice boiled with lentils.
Pongal festivities include rituals in which:
• useless items of the household are tossed into a bonfire
traditionally made of cow dung cakes and wood.
• rice and milk are boiled together in an earthen pot - to which a
turmeric plant is tied - out in the open as an offering to the sun
god. Sticks of sugarcane, coconuts and bananas are also offered.
• the traditional kolam design is hand-drawn at the entrance of
houses with lime powder. is auspicious drawing must be done
early in the morning and only after a bath.
• cows adorned with bells, sheaves of corn, garland & worshipped.
• leftover sweet Pongal and other food are set out in the courtyard
on a washed turmeric leaf, along with betel leaves, betel nuts and
sugar cane. Women of the household carry out this ritual in the
name of their brothers, asking for their prosperity.
Wishing you all a very Happy Pongal!
https://www.indiatoday.in/fyi/story/pongal-tamil-nadu-harvest-festival-
bhogi-mattu-kaanum-thai-303924-2016-01-15
 $2,700,000
Highest Price Point - 5 Bedroom | 3 Bathroom
Redwood Shores
$1,250,000 Market Update!
Lowest Price Point - 2 Bedroom | 2 Bathroom Call or email us to discuss
what this means for your
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List Price Average Price per Square Foot

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Sold Price Average Price per Square Foot Julie Alsaegh
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DRE 02037971
$1,865,464 vs $1,907,575 Lynn Carteris
Average List Price vs Average Sold Price 415.269.2575
DRE 01751044
theog@compass.com
25 Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal
Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All material presented herein is
intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable

Average Days on Market but has not been veri ed. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. If your
property is currently listed for sale this is not a solicitation.

New for 2020 — Redwood City Trivia!

each month we will provide a monthly trivia question about
Redwood City. e first person to email the correct answer
to rwctrivia@gmail.com will be recognized in the following
month’s PIlOT and win a small prize (you may only win once).
In the case of multiple correct answers, the answer deemed to
be correct will be sole decision of e PIlOT.
Congratulations to Suman G. who responded in January and
correctly guessed that West Point Slough is the largest to
connect to the Redwood Creek system.

anD here is February’s triVia Question...

redwood Creek was historically known as a way to
transport raw timber to ships. in 1850, who was the
first to bring logging through redwood Creek?
Look for the trivia winner, answer and another question next month!

e PILOT February 2020 Page 17

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Page 18 February 2020 e PILOT

 Sanit Bordeianu
650.430.3500 mobile
Sanit@SanitBordeianu.com
SanitBordeianu.com
CalBRE# 01923423

Your Redwood Shores Neighbor, Resource & Realtor

Debbie Wilhelm Team - Ranked #2 Top Small Team in NorCal & #5 in North America

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3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths, 2,744 Sqft, 7,200 Sqft Lot
Exceptional 1928 Tudor in Sought-After Baywood
Sold for $2,675,000

CONTACT SANIT TODAY FOR YOUR HOME BUYING/SELLING NEEDS AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OFF MARKET OR UPCOMING PROPERTIES.
e PILOT February 2020 Page 19
 I Redwood Shores!
Besides skill and expertise, my is in every transaction.
Is 2020 the year you make a move?

Heather Hansen, Realtor

650.453.8030
heather.hansen@compass.com
DRE 01059256

Compass is the brand name used for services provided by one or more of the Compass group of subsidiary companies. Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides
by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01866771. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been
verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.