From the Desk of the Executive Director Conversations With Friends
By Jennifer Disano, Executive Director
Think back to how you heard about OLLI. What drew your attention? Did you attend a guest lecture? Did you see an ad in the local paper or the Mason marquee on Braddock road? Did you search “lifelong learning near me” on the internet? More than likely, a friend told you about OLLI and their testimonial captured your attention. Since OLLI’s inception, conversations with friends have proven to be our best outreach tool. As you know, the pandemic limited many opportunities for you to be with friends. It certainly has been a quite a while since many of us have gotten together with our friends. Indeed, we miss each other. In the spirit of rekindling friendships and making new friends, I encourage you to invite someone you know to lunch or grab a cup of coffee and share how OLLI has enhanced your life experience. You will enjoy a lovely visit, and your friend may be very interested to try OLLI for the first time.
Today’s the day! It’s time to mingle and party with your OLLI friends at Tallwood. Enjoy spooky eats and sugary treats! Bring a friend or spouse and be prepared to have a wicked good time. Costumes encouraged. When: Today, October 21 Time: 3:00-5:00 Location: 4210 Roberts Road, Fairfax: TA‑1, annex, coffee room, and outside courtyard Entertainments:
Private palm readings from Ariana Lightningstorm
Costume contest
Gift card prizes
Piñata
Pumpkin decorating
Photo opportunities with celebrities
Sign up for event 1104 in the member portal and join the fun.
By Brenda Bloch-Young and Doris Bloch,
Co-Moderators
Continuing our Wednesday Conversations series, we (Team Bloch) will moderate a Zoom discussion on Wednesday October 26 at 4:00, where every OLLI member is most welcome to join us to talk about our chosen topic for this week: Death Cafes. We encourage an informal interactive exchange, and we want to hear from you, OLLI members. Share your favorites. No sign-ups needed; participation is totally ad hoc.
Are you familiar with Death Cafes? Have you attended a Death Cafe? Actually, it is often informative and interesting to participate. Join us next Wednesday afternoon to share your experience or learn more.The concept began with “cafe mortels,” created in 2004 by Swiss sociologist and anthropologist Bernard Crettaz. The events were adapted and popularized as “death cafés” by Jon Underwood, who held the first one in the basement of his London home. Pre‑COVID, the events were in person, always including a beverage and cake. In the age of Zoom, it is possible to attend a Death Cafe across the country and the world by merely registering online.
Heads up for the following week’s conversation: November 2: Daylight Savings Time – Pros and Cons and projections for the future of DST.
Each week, we pre-select a topic and advertise it in the OLLI E‑News, the OLLI E‑Blast and/or Communicator, and the OLLI Daily Schedule email (so it will be “in your face” and hard to miss). If you have a suggestion for a topic that will be of interest to members, please do send it to one of us: (Bblochyoung@gmail.com or dbloch50@hotmail.com).
Check your Daily Schedule for the Zoom link each Wednesday and plan on some social time with Team Bloch.
Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail Walk and Talk
By Marilyn Harriman and Bob Heyer,
OLLI Walk & Talk Co-Chairs
Phyllis Krochmal led club members on an invigorating 60‑minute W&OD Trail walk on October 18. Starting at the Vienna Community Center on a sunny, chilly morning, the walkers headed east down the old Washington and Old Dominion Railroad tracks trail. They spotted deer among the trees, the city’s official monument to LOVE, the old railway station, and a refurbished caboose.
The asphalt path is buried amongst the tall trees full of Kudzu vines, making the path well protected and surrounded by the beauty of changing autumn leaves at this time of year. The trail itself stretches 52 miles from Purcellville through Leesburg to Arlington. The club hopes to cover most of the course over time.
Afterward, several group members enjoyed coffee and breakfast treats at the Caffe Amouri. The chatter was loud, and time was equal to the walk; worth cutting OLLI class for the camaraderie!
Upcoming walks include a walk led by Carol Esteki at Seneca Regional Park, 9:00, in Great Falls, on Friday, October 28; and a walk led by Debby Mossberg on Fairfax trails, starting on Prosperity Avenue, 8:00, in Fairfax, on October 31. To sign up and learn more details, register for the club through the OLLI member portal or phone the main office at 703-503-3384.
Walkers also need to RSVP with a cellphone number to one of the club co‑chairs for each walk to let us know we can expect you on a specific walk day. This is so we know to look for you and can contact you in case of walk schedule changes.
Marilyn Harriman: mlwharriman74@gmail.com
Bob Heyer: rheyerw64@gmail.com
The October 2022 Photo of the Month theme was open (not specified). We selected George Bradshaw's photo "Eastern State Penitentiary," taken at Eastern State Penitentiary Museum in Philadelphia, which may also be viewed at this page. To view other photos by members of the Photography Club, visit the club's photo website.
-- By John Olsen and Ed Marion, Photography Club Coordinators
The ocean conveys a certain fascination
With its perennial ebb and flow
For one who first glimpsed its waves
As an adult, touched by their eternal nature,
Steady, reliable, ongoing. They kiss the shore
With regularity.
We scan beyond the breakers
For dolphin fins, and only now and then find them,
Reciprocal leaping in the delight of each other
And in the coolness of early morning.
We often return, drawn by a story
Forever retold. jan bohall Fall 2022
Current vaccination policy for the Center for the Arts and Hylton Performing Arts Center is summarized as follows:
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.
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 sign up at this link to stay in touch. 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.
Mason Opera Scenes Fri, Oct 21, 3:00 Harris Theatre Admission: Free.
Mason School of Theater: Head Over Heels Thu, Oct 27, 8:00
Fri, Oct 28, 8:00
Sat, Oct 29, 2:00
Sat, Oct 29, 8:00
Sun, Oct 30, 2:00
Admission: $35 General Public, $15 Students, Staff, Seniors, Groups
Gallery Exhibit: Bennie Herron: Zero and One
Through Nov 6
Hylton Performing Arts Center, Buchanan Partners Art Gallery
Admission: Free.
Prince William Little Theatre: Peter and the Starcatcher
Fri, Oct 21, 8:00
Sat, Oct 22 at 2:00 Sat, Oct 22, 8:00
Sun, Oct 23, 2:00
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: Adult $20, senior $17, youth $13.
Manassas Symphony Orchestra: Celebrations
Sat, Oct 22, 7:30
Merchant Hall
Admission: $25.
Mummenschanz Theater Troupe
Sun, Oct 23, 7:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $50, $43, $30.
United States Navy Concert Band
Fri, Oct 28, 7:30
Merchant Hall
Admission: Free.
Aida Cuevas: Mariachi and Vocal Forms
Sat, Oct 29, 8:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $50, $43, $30.
Farruquito: Flamenco
Sun, Oct 30, 7:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $50, $43, $30.
Please note: Although some physical meetings for clubs and activities are canceled, some may be meeting in person or, in a hybrid mode, both in person and online. OLLI events and activities meeting online bear the identification "Z" in their course or event number (except clubs; you may need to check the OLLI calendar and daily schedule email for location and other event information). Refer to the university's coronavirus website for official university updates.
The following list covering the next two weeks is extracted for your convenience from the master online calendar maintained by the office. The list is accurate as of mid-week but for the most up-to-date information, please view the latest forecast of coming 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, kick-off coffees, etc. The OLLI office has sent (or will send) emails with links and meeting passwords to club members; you may also log in at the member portal and click on ZOOM CLASS LINKS.
Sat Oct 22
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club
Mon Oct 24
9:30 am
What’s in the Daily News?
Tue Oct 25
4:30 pm
Tai Chi Club
Wed Oct 26
1:45 pm
1:45 pm
4:00 pm
4:00 pm
Bridge Club
Spanish Club
Mah Jongg Club
Theater Lovers’ Group
Thu Oct 27
4:30 pm
Tai Chi Club
Fri Oct 28
9:15 am
9:30 am
11:00 am
11:00 am
12:00 noon
Recorder Consort
Craft and Conversation
Classic Literature Club
Homer, etc.
Photography Club
OLLI E-News was created by Rod Zumbro, who served as its editor from 2005 to 2013.
Editorial Staff
Chief Editor: Paul Van Hemel
Associate Editor: David Gundry
Weekly Editor Team: David Gundry, John Nash, Sheri Siesseger, Paul Van Hemel Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Susan Van Hemel, Linda Randall, Tom Appich, Jane Hassell
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: Tuesday, 6:00, for that week's issue (Monday, 6:00, for letters to the editor); early submissions are greatly appreciated. Please limit articles to about 250 words. Search E-News: You can view past issues of OLLI E-News at ENews Archives. To search the content within issues, use Search or enter your search term(s) in Google followed by “site:ollidev.earthcare.com/” without the quotes. An Amazon Smile Link appears here. When you shop using the Smile link designating OLLI as your charitable choice, we'll receive a 0.5 % donation, based on the value of your purchase.
Costume contest
Phyllis Krochmal led club members on an invigorating 60‑minute W&OD Trail walk on October 18. Starting at the Vienna Community Center on a sunny, chilly morning, the walkers headed east down the old Washington and Old Dominion Railroad tracks trail. They spotted deer among the trees, the city’s official monument to LOVE, the old railway station, and a refurbished caboose.
