These two exciting new programs represent the latest offerings in a continuing tradition of superior technology focused education from San Diego’s Coleman University. The Web Media Design curriculum is designed to prepare graduates for meaningful careers as graphic designers in the highly dynamic field of web and multi-media publishing. The Game Development curriculum covers several aspects of modern game design including front and back end development. Students graduating from the Game Development program will have experienced the entire development process from “Blue Sky” to storyboarding to programming, and will be well suited to confidently enter the very competitive and rewarding field of video game production in one of several capacities, depending on the student’s primary interest.

Both of these programs are a natural extension of Coleman University’s core competencies. The university has specialized in “high-tech” education since 1963, and the Computer Graphic Design program was launched in 2002. The faculty in the CGD program is made up almost entirely of working designers who teach on an adjunct basis, which brings a very real-world focus to the classroom.

The Game Development program represents the natural overlap between the design side and the programming side of project development in the “real world”. By leveraging the well-established history of successfully training professional programmers and the professional game development experience of some of the adjunct faculty, Coleman University has tailored a curriculum that will provide specific skill sets that are desired by well known Game Developers such as Blizzard Entertainment and Sony.

The main focus of the Web Media Design includes the fundamental principles of thoughtful design and layout, with an emphasis on the relationship between aesthetics and functionality as applied to Web pages. Successful graduates will have gained a superior understanding of market research, its influence on successful design, the purpose, process, and methodology of applied User Interface Design, as well as web based code writing skills through the design and production of several hands-on projects, including web sites and an online portfolio.

The main focus of the Game Development Program is producing well-rounded video game professionals. In keeping with the tradition of the university, there is a slight emphasis on the programming side of the development process, but students also get first hand experience in Typography, Digital Imaging, Animation, and 3D Modeling. Graduates seeking jobs as professional programmers at companies such as Electronic Arts or Activision will have a competitive edge because they will have a deeper understanding of how their role compliments and is influenced by all aspects of the development process. Graduates looking for jobs as modelers and animators will have a competitive edge because they will not only understand the programmer’s role, they will have actual programming experience. This sort of cross-training is highly desirable among the biggest and most successful game publishers in the world, and it gives students the tools t o be able to self publish games if they so desire.

As with all of the programs offered by Coleman University, students enrolled in the Web Media Design and Game Development programs will experience very small class sizes and highly individualized attention from instructors who are professionals in their field. The university also offers placement assistance and access to the university’s resources after graduation.

For more information, you can visit the Colman University Web Site at www.coleman.edu or contact their admissions department directly. The San Diego campus is1 mile east from the 163 and 1 mile west from the 15 on Balboa Ave at 8888 Balboa Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123-1506, Phone: (858) 499-0202. The San Marcos campus is 1 mile west of the CA 78 at 1284 W San Marcos Blvd, San Marcos, CA 92078-4073, Phone: (760) 747-3990.

It’s a sentiment that even the most skilled and avid golfer can identify with on occasion, especially if playing a particularly challenging course. Funny how just before the first tee, the daunting challenge of a really well designed course is something to aspire to – yet somewhere in the back nine it can occasionally become an impediment to our love of the game (even if we never admit it out loud).

Part of this, of course, depends on where you take up the game. An unsuspecting seven year old introduced to golf on a Donald Ross signature course in Upstate NY and has a lifetime of experience with the game will have a different attitude towards a tough round than the true novice golfer who waited until retirement offered them enough free time for golf. The rest of the equation is the usual variables such as general temperament, competitive nature, etc.

The inevitable result is that, on occasion, a weekend foursome is composed of players with wildly divergent skill levels. So if you’re new to the game, or just not that good (yet!), the idea of paying “tournament level green fees” to be essentially abused by your cohort for 18 holes might not be an attractive option. Of course, you don’t want to be “anti-social” so you might end up playing (and paying) anyway.

Fortunately, modern course design seems to be about making the game enjoyable for varied skill sets. Take Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia for example. Course designer Gary Panks included over 70 pronounced and transitional bunkers that feed the course’s fairways and native areas.

According to his web site, Panks entered private practice as a landscape architect in 1971, and in 1978 began designing golf courses exclusively as Gary Panks Associates. Several of his designs have been nationally acclaimed and he’s been honored by the American Society of Landscape Architects for his unique putting course at Desert Highlands Golf Club in Scottsdale, AZ, which was inspired by the Himalayas putting course at St. Andrews, Scotland.

It’s pretty clear Panks knew exactly what he was doing when he designed Vistancia. It’s a course that rewards careful planning and precise execution, but there are five tee boxes to choose from. This allows players of every skill level to actually enjoy being tested by the course.

Even on the “worst” day of golf it’s helpful that Panks drew upon distinctive land features and a backdrop of stunning Arizona scenery to craft an awe-inspiring setting. No matter where the ball goes, you’re on a spectacularly beautiful course that’s one of just 23 US courses to earn a five-star rating from Golf Digest.

If you happen to be considering retirement and looking for a place to take up golf, Vistancia gets even better. Trilogy at Vistancia is a master planned 55+ active adult community that caters to “buyers with refined tastes”. Think upscale active living in a luxurious resort-style setting.

Trilogy homes at Vistancia offer stunning views of the type you see from the golf course; there are towering palm trees and lush landscaping.  The place seems more like a resort than a neighborhood, but it is a neighborhood; complete with schools, shopping and recreation for when you’re not playing golf.

The houses are built using the latest in “green” technologies, which can save homeowners about $1500 per year through energy efficiency. Their carbon footprint is about estimated to be about 40% less than traditionally built homes, and they are beautiful. It’s an intimate, friendly, accessible living environment, attached to your 5-star golf course.

Trilogy at Vistancia might just be Golf Heaven. But don’t be afraid of the cost – you might be pleasantly surprised. It’s at least worth checking out, and we’re confident that you’ll be glad you did.

They were at Woodstock, they lived the Summer of Love, they’re a big chunk of the population, and most of them are affluent homeowners. While “affluent homeowner” and “environmentalist” might seem at odds to some – consider how many Lexus Hybrids you see next time you’re out in traffic.

Face it; being green doesn’t have to mean living out in the sticks and off the grid. It is possible to enjoy high-end living and use less energy in the process. It’s just a matter of paying attention to what you buy and what you do. Boomers have it down to a science.

But, what about retiring? You’re a responsible Green Boomer looking for an idyllic “Life’s next big adventure” retirement lifestyle – where do you go and what do you do?

Well, in California, lawmakers approved a new home tax credit of up to $10,000 effective May 1, 2010.

And if you like the San Francisco Bay Area, up the river delta and along Highway 4 around Brentwood, Trilogy at the Vineyards, an active adult 55+ community, is offering an unprecedented “Double Your Savings” offer.

In addition to the tax credit, buyers get an additional $10,000 in seller incentives. Yes, you read that correctly – this could mean $20,000 to state qualifiers who buy a new Shea Home in a Trilogy Community and buyers who don’t qualify for the state credit still get the $10,000 incentives from Trilogy while they last.

Given that any self respecting Green Boomer would want to retire in an area still known throughout the Bay Area for agricultural products like cherries, corn and peaches, it’s like getting an almost $20K kickback for doing something you would do anyway.

And it gets even better – Trilogy’s homes can achieve a 50% reduction in the therms associated with heating water, 75% reduction in energy used from lighting, 40% reduction in energy used from clothes washers, and a 41% reduction energy used by dishwashers.

They’re Shea Green Certified homes and they are built with a combination of the most important and cost-effective standards for green residential building set by LEED.

Options include solar power systems, solar attic fans, wood from sustainable forests, framing techniques that use up to 10 percent less wood (saving 5.5 trees per home), leak minimizing construction techniques (sealed ducts and penetrations), Energy Star-rated efficient appliances, 14 SEER air conditioning units, dual pane low-e windows, and motion and occupancy sensor lighting.

Of course, the icing on the cake is the recent announcement of several new designs offered at Trilogy at the Vineyards. Now you get the dream retirement in the beautiful wine country with easy access to San Francisco, and not only do you get to live it in an environmentally friendly home that costs less to heat & cool on top of the tax / builder incentives – but you get exactly the retirement home you want. One estimate put the number of different design combinations of floor plans and elevations within each of the three collections at nearly sixty.

So if you’re really interested in getting the retirement home you want, where you want it, and how you want it – but in an environmentally responsible manner at an attractive price, then check out Trilogy at the Vineyards.

Now that the oldest Baby Boomers are old enough to be thinking about retirement, many of them have the notion that their retirement lifestyle should be green, or environmentally sustainable. This shouldn’t be terribly surprising since they practically invented the Green Movement – don’t email, we’re not ignoring Muir and the other notables of Environmental History, we’re just making the point that Boomers are green, have been since before the first Earth Day, and have the socio-political clout to make it a priority, okay?

Sadly, this keen interest has led some homebuilders and developers to attempt to attract Boomers without really delivering a sustainable product. They cloud the issue by using language suggesting environmental sensitivity without pointing to anything tangible in their product to support the claim. Environmentalists call the practice  “Greenwashing”

Fortunately, a “green” standard has been developed for private homes. It’s called the LEED certification standards. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, a non-profit, non-government entity that seeks to change the way buildings and communities are designed, built, and operated.

http://www.usgbc.org/

The standard for private homes is in its pilot phase, but the commercial green standard has been implemented nationwide. While you’re looking at glossy brochures of 55+ Active Adult Retirement Communities, look at the communal buildings in the development you and see if those meet the LEED standards, which are in a nutshell, any community or home that

• Meets or beats the EPA’s Energy Star standards  http://www.energystar.gov/

• Achieves high standards of indoor air quality

• Uses building materials that are locally produced and or/recycled

• Incorporates water conservation and storm water management

• Achieves a minimal footprint on the land

• Keeps carbon emissions low through use of renewable energy or super-efficient building envelopes

Another good way to ensure that you’re retiring green is to look into regions or cities that are in the forefront of green practices. Redmond, Washington is a good example. Smarter Cities, a project of the Natural Resources Defense Council calls Redmond “a city to watch” because it’s bike friendly, has good mass transit, and the city promotes green building and native species yard care.

While you’re looking around Redmond, check out Trilogy at Redmond Ridge. Trilogy is an active adult 55+ community that’s built by Shea Homes. Trilogy homes are Shea Green Certified, which is not only environmentally sound, but will save homeowners about $1800 per year in utility costs.

If you’ve never heard of Shea Homes, rest assured that they’ve been on the forefront of Green Building Practices since long before it became trendy. In 2008, they were the first national builder to make solar power systems an included option on new homes, and all Shea Green Certified homes are built with a combination of the most important and cost-effective standards for green residential building set by LEED.

In addition to solar power systems, features often incorporated by Shea Homes include solar attic fans, wood from sustainable forests, framing techniques that use up to 10 percent less wood (saving 5.5 trees per home), leak minimizing construction techniques (sealed ducts and penetrations), Energy Star-rated efficient appliances, 14 SEER air conditioning units, dual pane low-e windows, and motion and occupancy sensor lighting.

One poll commissioned by Harris Interactive/Trilogy by Shea Homes found that baby boomers “rank solar technology as the single most important feature of a green home, followed by energy-efficient appliances and dual pane windows.”

In September 2008, J.D. Power and Associates ranked Trilogy by Shea Homes highest in customer satisfaction among the largest active adult community new home builders in 33 U.S. markets. Trilogy’s green homes exceed the International Energy Code for energy efficiency by approximately 30 percent, and they undergo 20 different tests and inspections by an independent third party to achieve their green certification.

So if you’re serious about your commitment to that Green Retirement, take a good look at Trilogy Redmond Ridge.

All too often the comparison between two options comes down to “price” when it should come down to value. If you happen to be one of the few people in the world for whom money is no object, you might decide simply to buy the most expensive home you could find – just because you can. If you don’t really love the location, then there’s arguably no real value to the purchase. Price wasn’t a factor, but who the heck wants to live in an area they don’t like?

Of course, for most of us, money is an object. It’s a major aspect of our decision-making. For a lot of us, taking the opposite tack is our default choice. We might choose a “more affordable” retirement home because it’s actually more affordable.

Funny thing is, you end up in the same position as the first example – totally unhappy with where you live and having wasted a lot of money. Considering that we’re discussing retirement home purchasing here, such unhappiness could seriously affect the rest of your life – or maybe that’s too dramatic.

Or IS it? First things first; if you’re going to enjoy retirement and really make it your life’s next big adventure, you have to decide where you want to be. Ideally, you’d have an idea of where to be and what to do when you’re there – but in the interest of keeping it simple, lets start with place.

For example, you might generally want to be in California. Maybe you have an affinity for wine country. You start looking around and find the central coast, and see a really nice community called Trilogy Central Coast near Nipomo. Trilogy is a beautifully designed 55+ active adult community and like most of us, you’re pretty excited by the idea. Then you find out that listings there are between somewhere over $450K to somewhere over $800K. Depending on your life experience, you might either go into sticker shock or just shrug and say, “well, that’s California.”

And yes, that is California. But before you write it off as an option and look elsewhere, it does bear taking the time to understand the value of what you get for the money. It’s true that $450K will buy you a lot of house in most states, but are we really prepared to compare retirement lifestyles by square footage?

Look at the California Central Coast this way; where else are you going to find a thriving coastal community, surrounded by a dramatic backdrop of vineyards, beaches and hot springs? Where else puts both San Francisco and Los Angeles within a few hours drive?

Imagine being located a mere hour away from exploring the Santa Ynez wine country, or Shopping & Dining in Santa Barbara. Imagine being able to randomly pick day trips to several of the Historic California Missions or the Los Padres National Forest, the Pismo Dunes Natural Preserve, or Montana De Oro State park. Consider that every October to February you can stroll among the thousands and thousands of Monarch butterflies in the Eucalyptus grove at Pismo Beach.

The reality is that the California Central Coast is a truly unique place that is highly desirable – and by California standards it really isn’t that expensive. In addition, when you look closely at Trilogy Central Coast you also find that you’re buying an exceptional value for the price beyond the location.

Trilogy Central Coast features contemporary design, green building practices, and a community plan that focuses on wellness and community. Amenities include The Monarch Club, which won the 2009 Gold Nugget Grand Award for architecture, and the lush, green Monarch Dunes Golf Course. You end up with a dream retirement in resort style living in one of the most amazing parts of California – and those green building practices end up translating into lower monthly costs, so your dollars can be put to better use, which adds to your overall retirement value. At the very least, have a conversation with your real estate agent, or contact the nice people at Trilogy directly – know exactly what your options are by value – not just price, and put together a retirement lifestyle you’ll actually enjoy living.

Take Phoenix Metro for example. Someone out there searched “cost to live at Encanterra” in Google, and found our previous bit about the Southeast Valley.

In that article, we mostly talked about golf and amenities. We went on about how Encanterra’s golf course offers “elements reminiscent of the traditionally great private clubs” and how the main restaurant, Bistro 1528, offers “a casual yet sophisticated feel with emphasis on delicious continental cuisine, superior service and genuinely friendly team Members” We did not attach price tags to our descriptions, but we are aware that price is always a factor.

Here’s the thing – buying a retirement home, and associated 55+ active adult retirement lifestyle, is a little more involved than buying, say, a toaster, an entertainment system, or a car. There are a lot of variables to consider, and each one will have an up or down impact on “what it costs to live at Encanterra”.

First of all, there are a variety of floor plans to choose from, and each floor plan has different architectural styles to chose from. Then there are details such as what type of counter surfaces will there be in the kitchen, bathroom(s), etc. With so many options to choose from, purchase prices for your dream retirement home can range from approximately $160K to up to over $500K.

The up side is that this means that most people who are in the position to buy a retirement home can likely buy at Encanterra, but the down side is that when someone asks “how much” we always have to point back at “that depends”…

Then there’s the “green tech” stuff. According to one article in Arizona Foothills Magazine said about Encanterra “As eco-consciousness makes its way into the everyday, one Valley community is finding that the once costly and unattainable benefits associated with green building are not only a possibility, but also a reality.”

http://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/living/homes/1062-a-green-lifestyle-at-encanterra-.html

So now we have to address the fact that Encanterra offers some standard energy saving features that other builders might charge extra for. Saving energy is saving money, so it’s like getting an upgrade for free and then you have to calculate the savings – which might also depend on things like how cold you like to set the thermostat in the summer. Like the ad people like to say about weight loss, “individual results will vary”.

So really, the best answer to the question is, “contact your real estate agent, or contact a representative of Encanterra directly and talk to them.” All we know is that the housing market as a whole dropped to levels not seen since 2000, an some people are seeing prices pick up again, just a little. Once you know what’s available and what it actually costs, then you’re in position to make an intelligent decision about buying in. Just asking the internet seems a little risky.

Yes – this consideration is a total buzz kill for retirement planning. We’d all rather look at glossy brochures of active adult communities with ideal golf courses, pools, Jacuzzis, and spas, blah, blah, blah. Who wouldn’t? But let’s be honest with each other – retirement planning is about understanding ALL the possibilities, positive and negative, and plotting accordingly.

Of course, if you’re already looking at your retirement in this light, that makes the decision whether or not to buy that dream home kind of scary. Sure, the housing crash means that prices have dropped – but have they dropped all the way? If they have dropped all the way, which areas are likely to rebound the most?

Well, the bad news is that things are still tough all over. The good news is that it looks somewhat like we hit bottom and home values might be rising again. If you’ve spent any time at all looking at real estate web sites and all of the associated graphs, you probably noticed that the bottom of the trough is right about where it was in 2000. You’ll probably notice that the very last bit of the line points up from that low point. The actual numerical value seems to change by location, but all of the graphs we’ve seen do seem to agree on the trend.

According to AOL real estate, for Rio Vista CA that up tick represents a .03% increase in value from February to March 2010. No, not exactly Earth shattering, but radical upheaval isn’t what we want in home values. Steady growth in value is what we’re after, right?

What this means to you is that you can buy a beautifully appointed home at, say, Trilogy Rio Vista, right now for about what you would have paid way back in 2000. It also means that if you wait too much longer, that home will cost you significantly more when you do make the purchase. We don’t know about you, but we’d rather get the ideal home for less money now than wait and pay more for it.

And what you get for the price is amazing. Staying with Trilogy as the example, you’re buying into a complete 55+ active adult community with resort quality amenities for well below what you would probably expect to pay. Trilogy homes are beautiful inside and out, with a variety of models and styles that offer plenty of versatility, comfort, and style. Trilogy Rio Vista offers a wide variety of activities and planned trips along with a community center, exercise gym, pool and arts and crafts studio. The Vista Clubhouse is 27,000 square feet! There’s an indoor pool, lakes to stroll, golf and tennis to play, or clubs to join – so you can truly enjoy your retirement and not worry about your home retaining its value because you bought into a highly desirable community when prices were depressed. Check it out for yourself, talk to your realtor and make an appointment to see Trilogy at Rio Vista – you’ll be glad you did.

It’s easy to get so caught up in the retirement dream that the retirement reality kind of slides out of perspective. You might have vacationed in Las Vegas a few times, or every year for that matter, but does that mean you really understand the housing market enough to actually decide to live there? Are you really prepared enough to buy a whole house there?

Yes, of course, that is what real estate agents are for. But how many agents did you talk to before you started looking? Did you do any independent research of your own? It’s tough to evaluate the info that someone presents to you without some background understanding of your own, right? Most of the time, people pick an agent because “we really like [name of agent] he/she’s really nice”. Do yourself a favor – don’t do that.

Remember, the goal is to actually enjoy that active retirement lifestyle you’re working so hard for. Cover all of the bases and treat it like a business decision. Take, for example, you’re seriously looking into buying a home at Ardiente.

Ardiente is a 55+ active adult community with features including easy access to I-15, and the center of the strip/airport area. It’s also close to popular attractions such as Hoover Dam, Lake Mojave, Mt. Charleston, Red Rock Canyon, and Death Valley. Amenities include 30 fitness stations, six beautiful themed parks, a dog park, and a community center that feels like a country club. Nearby golf courses include Shadow Creek, Craig Ranch and Sunrise Vista. All in all, it’s a pretty amazing community of the sort that you’d think would be pretty expensive.

Nope.

Looking over some of the web sites for Las Vegas realtors, we’ve found that the Las Vegas housing market has fallen an estimated 58% since 2006. For several months up to July 2009, there was an average drop in value of right around $10,000 a month. So while those lovely homes at Ardiente may have been expensive at one time (though it’s patently not fair to tag homes as “expensive” without looking at the value of their efficiency and cost of maintenance), that community is as affected by the housing market as ant other.

This is where smart people ask, “well, what if the value continues to decline after I buy in? Shouldn’t I wait?”

Well, prices in Las Vegas have stabilized recently. In addition, one or two Las Vegas realtor web sites have cited a Brookings Institute study that says, “the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Nevada will become, over the next decade, the next “heartland’ of America.  The economic and political power of this area is expected to grow greatly relative to other areas of the country.  The Las Vegas area has seen short term downturns before, but historically, anyone who has bet against the vitality of this local economy has lost.

In addition to the cool colors, contemporary typography, and refined, corporate look, the enhanced career center incorporates an Advanced Application System that includes application, posting, and account creation functions. The site integrates with the most popular social & professional networking tools, including Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In. A blog feature is due to be deployed soon, and the site is built around a real-time database driven system that is designed to allow for rapid growth. The end result is a highly functional web site that is intuitive, easy to navigate, and generally pleasing to the eye.

Retirement is supposedly life’s next big adventure. So, in considering where to live out that adventure, it’s a good idea to think about what do with the time that you’re not out on the links. Or, for those obsessed with the game, it’s a good idea to think about what your significant other is going to do while you play golf every day.

Whether due to your own or your significant other’s obsession – If golf is associated with your retirement, La Quinta, CA will probably be a part of the conversation. According to the Robb Report, La Quinta is the “Best Place to Live for Golf” thanks to over 20 exceptional golf courses, including the famous PGA West and the nationally acclaimed Arnold Palmer Classic Course at SilverRock Resort. It’s a virtual smorgasbord of golf with an unparalleled reputation in the golf world; a siren’s call to the golf enthusiast.

But did you know that there’s more than golf to La Quinta? Were you aware that the city embraces art and culture? Ever hear about the La Quinta Arts Festival, live theatre by the La Quinta Playhouse, or the variety of public art pieces? The Old Town Village is enchanting, and features the very best in shopping and dining experiences.

Okura, which offers a fusion of Japanese and California cuisine, has a legendary sushi bar. Arnold Palmer’s (look, there’s no escaping the golf thing…) offers “Progressive American Cuisine served in a private club setting.”

If you’re retirement includes taking the time to cook for yourself, check out the Certified Farmers Market at Old Town. Offering live music from 9 AM to 12:30 PM, the Farmers Market is the best way to find the freshest, best tasting fresh fruits & vegetables. You can also get honey, nuts, cheese, plants and cut flowers, as well as fresh-baked breads from the local L’Artisan Bakery. Check out the Old Town web site for details and other events such as the nightly live music shows.

As for where to take those fresh veggies back to cook, take a look at Trilogy La Quinta. Nestled against the Santa Rosa Mountains in the Coral Mountain area of south La Quinta, it’s a 55+ active adult community that’s surrounded by all of the natural beauty that La Quinta has to offer. The resort like setting is maintained with natural landscaping and seasonal flowers, and owners have the use of the Santa Rosa Club facilities, front yard landscaping service, and 24 Hour Guard-Gated Security. There’s even an on-site spa!