OLLI E-News (Weekly Newsletter)

A Bridge of Sighs Cannot Span
An Ocean of Despair
 
Jack Underhill

"…Looking at a dogwood does not make you
a blossom.  Nor can a bridge of sighs span an
ocean of despair. For that, you need oars." Devon Balwit
 
Over a million Americans
Have died of a mysterious virus
In the past two years—
more than died in the tragedy of
World War II.
 
Many elderly have been walled
Off from their children and grandchildren
Losing the loving touch of
Those they love.
 
Perhaps one in four has a friend
Or relative who was sick or has passed
And millions face depression.
 
It is not the young and vigorous
Who are gone, but the sick
And the old are most vulnerable.
The people of color in tough neighborhoods
Those America forgot 
And who have borne the brunt of poverty
And homelessness.
 
A bridge of sighs cannot span an ocean of despair.
Rather we must put our faith in a
Renewed commitment to become
The people that we could be.
 
We can attack poverty, loneliness, and inequality
And restore a sense of purpose as a nation
So that more, not just the few, can
Share the American dream.
 

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Audience members are not currently required to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test result for most events except when required by the event organizer or artist. If proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test result is required for a specific event, it will be indicated on the webpage with event details. Face coverings continue to be required at all events. 

Specific requirements are detailed and any future policy changes may be found here: https://cfa.gmu.edu/plan-your-visit/vaccination-policy.

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The Wordle Hurdle                                                           
 
So simple. So fun. So obsessive.
Is there anyone on the planet
Who has not discovered the joy,
Er, frustration, of Wordle? Designed
For introverts who tend toward obsessive/
Compulsive, its practice quickly becomes addictive.
 
Think of a five-letter word
Made up of frequently-occurring letters
In American English: I’ll try ‘trace,’
Which quickly deteriorates into only one
Correct letter, and that in the wrong square.
My chances of solving today’s in two steps
Fade quickly; I manage it in four.
 
Hardly bragging rights,
But stats leap to tell me
It’s my most frequent score.
                       jan bohall

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Audience members are not currently required to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test result for most events except when required by the event organizer or artist. If proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test result is required for a specific event, it will be indicated on the webpage with event details. Face coverings continue to be required at all events. 

Specific requirements are detailed and any future policy changes may be found here: https://cfa.gmu.edu/plan-your-visit/vaccination-policy.

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On Running Down to the Basement to Get the Pliers

Cans of paint all partly used, left-over tiles;
broken lamp shade, window fan, grout
from long ago, clock running very slow,
model airplane missing wing, soccer ball
collapsed, rhododendron fertilizer, must
remember. In the spring, on a bench the
pair of pliers that you came for, plus the
spackle, that you tried to find before.
Take them, thankful, turn and go, softly,
softly, close the door.
                                  -- Caroline McNeil

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Audience members are not currently required to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test result for most events except when required by the event organizer or artist. If proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test result is required for a specific event, it will be indicated on the webpage with event details. Face coverings continue to be required at all events. 

Specific requirements are detailed and any future policy changes may be found here: https://cfa.gmu.edu/plan-your-visit/vaccination-policy.

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SMTWTFS
 
Seven identical chambers
all in a line, left to right.
Through windows, watch soldiers,
one shielded in an amber sphere,
another in a large shiny oval, 
three smaller ones wear
white, yellow, orange.
All defensive specialists, 
protectors for another week.
 
                     Tony Rounds

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Audience members are not currently required to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test result for most events except when required by the event organizer or artist. If proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test result is required for a specific event, it will be indicated on the webpage with event details. Face coverings continue to be required at all events. 

Specific requirements are detailed and any future policy changes may be found here: https://cfa.gmu.edu/plan-your-visit/vaccination-policy.

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Vanishing Act
 
The clever octopus
Has ditched his backbone
For infinite flexibility
 
Defying gravity he floats
Tentacles lazy in the currents
Of his salty world
 
Weightless and spineless
He refines his ocean magic 
Houdini-like
With a squirt of ink
He disappears into
An impossible crevice
                      
          - Betty Webb

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Audience members are not currently required to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test result for most events except when required by the event organizer or artist. If proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test result is required for a specific event, it will be indicated on the webpage with event details. Face coverings continue to be required at all events. 

Specific requirements are detailed and any future policy changes may be found here: https://cfa.gmu.edu/plan-your-visit/vaccination-policy.

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Computer Club

3rd Saturday, May 21 In Person and Via Zoom

Sharing Public Google Calendars  

Learn in 30: Cryptocurrency

By Paul Howard, OPCUG Program Chair

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, May 21, in person and via Zoom. If attending in person, you must observe OLLI/GMU Health protocols (see: http://ollidev.earthcare.com/health-and-safety/). Program activities begin at 1:00; the Zoom session usually opens at 12:45.

Sharing Public Google Calendars – Presented by John Krout

This presentation will introduce many features of using Google Calendar to publicize public meeting event schedules. This will be of interest to any organization that holds scheduled meetings and welcomes a large group or the general public. A public Google Calendar can provide necessary repetition by providing one or more event notifications for each occurrence of a repeating meeting schedule to all who use the calendar.

You will learn:

• How to create a Google Calendar and add both single-occurrence events and repeating events to the calendar, including setting event reminder notifications. Any Google Calendar you create is automatically owned by you.
• How to update read-access rights to a Google Calendar so that the calendar can be viewed (but not modified) by a specific list of individuals, or by the public.
• How to update one occurrence of a repeating meeting event in a Google Calendar so that the meeting topic can be publicized.
• How to share event-entry and update rights for a Google Calendar with specific individuals.
• How to publicize a public Google Calendar by obtaining and sharing a read-only URL for the calendar. This URL can be shared in flyers/emails and on web sites; it can be encoded in a QR code.
• How the calendar owner and the public can use the Google Calendar app on smart phones and tablets to view multiple Google Calendars all at once.

Learn in 30 – Cryptocurrency:  Presented by Roger Fujii

There are a lot of misunderstandings about cryptocurrency. This quick primer is meant to say what cryptocurrency is, and what it isn't. We hope this will remove some of the confusion around the term. It will cover some of the terminology used with cryptocurrency, so one can have a minimum understanding of what all the hype is about.

See full details on this meeting by clicking here. For information on the Computer Club, see the OPCUG Website. OPCUG dues are $5 for 2022—see http://olligmu.org/opcug/comm.html for details on making payment.

To attend via Zoom’s cloud meeting service, beginning at 12:45, please click this link to join the meeting and use passcode 951528 (Note: enter passcode with NO spaces) or enter meeting ID 831 7741 9580 in the Zoom app and use the above passcode.

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Audience members are not currently required to show proof of vaccination, or a negative Covid‑19 test result for most events except when required by the event organizer or artist. If proof of vaccination or a negative Covid‑19 test result is required for a specific event, it will be indicated on the web page with event details. Face coverings continue to be required at all events. 

Specific requirements are detailed and any future policy changes may be found here: https://cfa.gmu.edu/plan-your-visit/vaccination-policy.

Dr. Linda Apple Monson produces a periodic “Notes from the Director.” This email is full of interesting online performances by the students and faculty of the School of Music. If you would like to receive these bulletins, just send an email to Brianna Schoen at bschoen@gmu.edu. Also, the Center for the Arts has a website Mason Arts at Home, which has a calendar of online events and access to many past performances. Information can also be found at CFA ticket purchase page, Center for the Arts YouTube Channel, or the Hylton ticket purchase page.

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