When we open our catalogs each term, we always look forward to choosing from a stunning array of courses, special events, and ongoing activities. The fall 2017 term featured more than 170 of these learning and social opportunities. Do you ever wonder how your program comes to be? There’s no magic involved.
Program planners begin with ideas generated by many OLLI members. For example, you may come up with an idea inspired by a class you’re currently taking or by a news article or some other resource. Or perhaps you’re thinking of teaching a class or leading a discussion. When you come up with a good idea, let our program planners know.
The ideas go to Program Planning Groups that meet periodically to transform ideas into courses. Then we’re ready for the process of developing the courses:
Courses are approved by program planners and Program Associates Jennifer McMahon and Alice Slayton Clark.
Class coordinators help develop the courses as they work with instructors and staff.
Course descriptions are completed and the catalog is compiled by other volunteers.
We invite you to come along and join in the process of program making. One easy way to become involved is to attend one of the program planning group meetings. You’ll enjoy the camaraderie and exchange of ideas. Check E‑News announcements for upcoming planning group meetings. Also consider joining one of these groups meeting next Tuesday, January 16:
Language/Literature/Theater: 10:30, Tallwood
Reston Planning Group: 1:30, UCP
Program planning leaders welcome your ideas. Find their names listed at the beginning of each subject area section of the catalog and contact them for further information.
Language/Literature/Theater Program Planning Group Meeting
By Rala Stone, Program Planning Group Co-Chair
The OLLI Language/Literature/Theater Program Planning Group will meet Tuesday, January 16, at 10:30 in TA‑1 at Tallwood. We will be reviewing past programs and the courses for winter and spring terms. And, of course, we are already working on courses for the summer and fall 2018 terms. Please come and share your feedback and ideas for future courses. Your input is much needed and appreciated.
Fairfax County is really a great place to retire! In addition to our OLLI, a wealth of opportunities and services are available for mature adults. Key among them is the Fairfax County Division of Adult and Aging Services, a branch of the Department of Family Services.
Recently, OLLI was invited by the Division’s Manager of Communications Grace E. Lynch to share our story in a podcast on their “50+” program series. OLLI’s President Ray Beery and Treasurer Michelle Blandburg used the occasion to tell county residents about the Osher Foundation, our institute and GMU affiliation, and the vast variety of opportunities offered to our members for learning and social activities.
There are rumors that OLLI has some very good cooks! Some of them have demonstrated their culinary skills at numerous OLLI events and received wide acclaim . . . and always empty dishes!
Now is your chance to share your favorite recipes with E‑News readers. Beginning in the winter term, E‑News will publish a series of articles, each with a special recipe and profile of the cook. If you’d like to be a part of this initial effort, just send your favorite recipe and a personal photograph to E‑News editor John Nash (jnash2@cox.net). One recipe will be selected and published periodically in E‑News. Recipes should be easy to make by OLLI members; personal photos can be snapped and sent by smart phones. Participation will determine whether this continues as a periodic column.
So, if you’d like to be known for your apricot and onion soufflé with watermelon juice, chili powder, and oyster sauce . . . well, this isn’t the venue! But if you’d like to share your famous spinach dip made with two ingredients, we’d love to have it . . . and help establish your OLLI fame!
The first recipe will be published in the January 19 E‑News. Send your favorite recipe and personal photo soon; submission deadline is Monday, January 15, 6:00.
The Computer Club (OLLI Personal Computer User Group, or OPCUG) will meet with its partner, the Potomac Area Technology and Computer Society (PATACS), on Saturday, January 20, at Tallwood. Join us at 12:30 for socializing in the Annex. Program activities begin at 1:00 in TA‑1.
Viruses in the Era of Genomics Presented by Dr Paolo Amedeo
This talk will concentrate on human-pathogenic viruses, starting with a brief overview of viral diversity in terms of genomic organization, structure, and “life cycle.” Discussion will include the technical challenges of sequencing viral nucleic acids, especially from unknown viruses; various types of bioinformatic analysis to study viral spread and evolution; and several examples in which synthetic biology could be of tremendous help in the rapid creation of safe vaccine strains.
Dr. Amedeo earned degrees from the University of Pavia and University of Basel. He leads the Viral Bioinformatics Team at JCVI in Rockville.
Learn in 30: Geocaching Presented by John Krout
Geocaching is an outdoor hobby: People hide containers called geocaches in parking lots, parks, and some surprising locations, and publish a description and map coordinates, latitude, and longitude, of each geocache on geocaching.com. You will see examples of geocache containers, maps, and web pages describing geocaches near where you live. You will learn about geocaching apps so you can find caches using location services based on GPS on your phone or tablet. There are more than 100 caches in Arlington County and several hundred in Fairfax County.
John Krout holds an MS in computer science and has worked in the computer business as a trainer, software engineer, and documentation writer for 30 years.
PC Clinic in the Annex (Club Membership and Registration Required)
Get hands-on help with your computer problems from OPCUG and PATACS experts. Bring in your computer, and we'll help you lose the "blues"—system slowdowns, unwanted programs, viruses, and malware. We can help install new RAM, optical drives, hard disks, and software. Be sure to read the Clinic Rules—clickthis link.
See full details on this meeting byclicking here.For information on the Computer Club, see the OPCUG website. OPCUG dues of $5 for 2018 will be collected at this meeting.
Can’tmake the meeting in person? Dues Paid club members may attend via Zoom’s cloud meeting service, beginning at 12:45. Send a message to webinarhosts@patacs.org if you plan to attend in this way. Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, or Android: https://zoom.us/j/2080042114.
Lovely leaves, innocuous
useful even
a natural mosquito repellent
But coursing through its wood
a deadly sap
poisoning the soil
spreading toxicity
in and under the ground all around
lethal for anything other than its own kind
Apartheid
Jim Crow
Bulldoze the homes in District Six
Evict sixty thousand people
for the crime of creating vibrant community
embracing various colors and creeds
rich in reciprocated respect
thriving on diversity
Truly a threat….
Decree the land a Whites-Only district
--only it never bloomed
choked and withered instead
still broken, barren after 40 years
Tamboti only!
Raise the barbed wire
Keep out the riff-raff
Guard the gate
Build that wall!
Suffocate in fear
for isolation
inevitably
invites
extinction.
Bob Bohall passed away on Wednesday, January 3, while visiting family in Newberg, Oregon. He was 82.
He was an economist with the Economic Research Service of the US Department of Agriculture for more than 33 years, retiring in 1990. He and Jan were married in 1960, after he served two years with the US Army in Germany. He had degrees in agricultural economics from Cornell University and the University of Connecticut, and a PhD in economics from North Carolina State University.
Bob and Jan joined OLLI, then LRI, in 1998. He served on various committees, on the Board of Directors (including one-and-a-half terms as president), and greatly enjoyed both teaching and attending OLLI classes. OLLI was a large part of his retirement life, including participation in the preparation of the history book for the 25th anniversary.
Bob strongly believed in social justice and volunteered with OAR of Fairfax (Opportunities, Alternatives & Resources) as mentor to prisoners returning to the workforce, and he advocated for prison sentencing reform with state and national organizations. He was very proud of his three sons and his eight grandchildren and would relate their exploits to anyone who would listen. A highlight of his summers was to have the families gather at Rehoboth Beach for a week in August, and have boisterous games of Hearts with sons and grandchildren.
A memorial service/celebration of his life is planned for Saturday, February 10 at 10:00, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax, 2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton, Virginia, 22124. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to OLLI-Mason, or to OAR of Fairfax, 10640 Page Ave, Suite 250, Fairfax, VA 22030; or to Virginia CURE, PO Box 2310, Vienna, VA 22183.
Performances, January 12 through January 22By Shelly Gersten, OLLI E-News Staff WriterFor tickets for either CFA or Hylton, call 1-888-945-2468, buy tickets online through the event calendar (see links below), or visit the venue’s box office For more information see theCFA ticket purchase pageor theHylton ticket purchase page
At the Fairfax Campus Venues International Saxophone Symposium
Fri, Jan 12, and Sat, Jan 13, 8:00
Concert Hall
Admission: Free.Virginia Dance Coalition Gala Performance: Highlighting Virginia's Best Dance Companies
Fri, Jan 19, 7:30
Harris Theatre
Admission: $25.
Baby Boomer Comedy Show
Sat, Jan 20, 7:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: $25.
Gallery Exhibit: Ephemeral Treasures
Dec 5–Jan 20
The Gallery is open to the publicTue–Sat at 10:00–6:00, Thu,
10:00–8:00, and two hours before performances.
For more information, visit https://cvpa.gmu.edu/gands.
Buchanan Partners Art Gallery.
Dance Etcetera School of Arts
Sat, Jan 13, 7:00
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: $20.
Battlefield and Fairfax High School Combined Choirs and Orchestra: Mozart’s Requiem Mass in D minor
Sat, Jan 13, 7:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: Adults, $20; seniors, $10.
Pied Piper Theatre: Peter Pan
Sat, Jan 20, 2:00 and 7:00
Sun, Jan 21, 3:00
Merchant Hall
Admission:Tickets purchased through 1/17 for adults $15; children 12 and under, $12. From 1/18: Adults $20; children 12 and under, $1.
The following list covering the next two weeks is extracted for your convenience from the master online calendar maintained by the office, with direct web links added when available. The list is accurate as of mid-week but to check any time for the latest information, please view the latest forecast of upcoming events on our website (News/OLLI Calendar). Note: All OLLI members are welcome at, and encouraged to attend, meetings of the Board of Directors, committees and resource groups, kickoff coffees, etc. (bolded below).
Sat Jan 13
10:30am
Tai Chi Club–TA-3
Tue Jan 16
9:30am
10:30am1:30pm
Annex Art–Annex Language, Literature & Theater Program Planning Group–TA-1 Reston Program Planning–UCP 113
Wed Jan 17
10:00am
10:00am
10:30am
1:00pm
Bridge Club–TA-3
Mah Jongg Club–Annex
Tom Crooker Investment Forum–TA-1 A/V Committee–TA-1
Thu Jan 18
10:00am
Social Events Committee–Annex
Fri Jan 19
9:15am
9:30am
10:30am
11:00am
11:00am
Recorder Consort–TA-3
Craft and Conversation–TA-2 Board of Directors Meeting–TA-1
Classic Literature Club–TA-2
Homer, etc.–Annex
OLLI E-News was created by Rod Zumbro, who served as its editor from 2005 to 2013.
Editorial Staff
Chief Editor: Paul Van Hemel
Technical Editor: Irene Osterman
Associate Editor: Sheri Siesseger
Weekly Editor Team: Jean Boltz, John Nash, Sheri Siesseger, Leslie Vandivere,
Paul Van Hemel Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Susan Van Hemel, Shirley Springfloat, Linda Randall,
Gerry Ann Strube
Backup Chief Editor: Alice Slayton Clark
Submissions. Members are encouraged to submit letters to the editor, letters to Ms. Ollie Ettakit (on etiquette matters), OLLI-related news items, articles, and photos. Submit material to: ollienewseditor@gmail.com. Deadline – 6:00 Tuesday for that week's issue (6:00 Monday for letters to the editor); early submissions are greatly appreciated. Please limit articles to about 250 words. Note: You can view past issues of OLLI E-News on the DocStore. To search the content of issues, use Search Our Site or put your search term in Google followed by "site:ollidev.earthcare.com/" without the quotes.
