Start off the New Year on the right foot with a hike in Prospect Hill Park. We’ll hike up to Boston Rock for spectacular views of Waltham and the Boston skyline. Hot refreshments will be provided. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes.

What was it like to live in the dark with only candles to light your way? Led by a guide in period clothing, this special evening tour of the beautiful Governor Gore mansion will explore life before the electric light. Free parking. Capacity limited. Advance tickets suggested. To order, call: (781) 894-2798.

The great author returns to read his spookiest tales! This wonderful program will enlighten the aficionado and the casual reader alike. Q and A to follow. Held in the Great Hall of this 1806 Gore mansion. Light refreshments provided. Call to order: (781) 894-2798 ext. 12. Recommended 16 and older.

Members of the Waltham Philharmonic and the Waltham Symphony Orchestras join together as the Waltham Violin Trio, performing at the Waltham Public Library on Sunday, January 15th at 2:30 p.m. Sponsored by the Friends of the Waltham Public Library, this event is free but seating limited. Call to reserve a place, 781-314-3425 x2 or online under "Events Calendar" at waltham.lib.ma.us.

A resume workshop with Theresa Maturevich is being held at the library on Tuesday, January 17th. She will give helpful advice on writing resumes in today's tricky job climate. Sponsored by the Friends, this event is free but seating limited. Call to reserve, 781-314-3425, ext 2, or online under "Events Calendar" at waltham.lib.ma.us.

Learn the latest in dressing for cold temperatures and nasty weather. Afterwards, see a sneak peek of the winter waterfowl we hope to see on the 7th Annual Duck Walk happening on Sunday, January 22.

You'll be glad you attended our Duck Walk primer class when you don't freeze as you identify a Hooded Merganser on our 7th Annual Duck Walk. Bring your binoculars and dress for the weather.

On a Slippery Slope: The Medicalization of Grief Phyllis Silverman Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 12:30 p.m. In the U.S. today, there is a movement to transform the normal life cycle experience of “grief following a death” into a psychiatric illness. This shift is part of the larger phenomenon of the medicalization of human experience. My presentation will illustrate how grief is framed increasingly in the language of illness and will discuss the consequences of this move. The following quote by famed sociologist Elliot Friedson will be my starting point: “A pathology arises …when the only legitimate spokesperson on an issue relevant to all must be someone who is officially certified” (1970). Location: Liberman-Miller Lecture Hall, Women’s Studies Research Center, Epstein Building, Brandeis University Contact: Rosa Taormina, taormina@brandeis.edu, http://go.brandeis.edu/wsrc

Award-winning jazz guitarist Gerry Beaudoin is treating Waltham to his unique style of swinging bluesy jazz at the Waltham Public Library on Monday, January 30th at 7:00 PM. Sponsored by the Friends, this event is free but seating limited. Call to reserve, 781-314-3425 ext 2, or online under "Events Calendar" at waltham.lib.ma.us.