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DEPARTMENTS

Manuel Pablo
Photo by Abbie Edwards

PROFILE
"AND WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT OLLI?" I queried.
     "The classes, the people … and the chocolate chip cookies," Manny replied. "And if I had thought a minute about it, I may have put the chocolate chip cookies first." We both laughed.
     Manuel Pablo’s charming, comedic personality kept me chuckling throughout the interview. But his intelligence, humility and shy nature, as well as his excitement and love for OLLI, crept into our conversation repeatedly.
     Born in Manila, Republic of the Philippines, Manny spent his early childhood there. He came to the U.S. in 1945, was repatriated with his mother and family in 1947, and returned to the U.S. in 1949. Eventually Manny ended up in Washington, D.C., where he graduated from Gonzaga High School and went on to receive his bachelor’s degree at Georgetown University and his master’s at Catholic University of America, both in physics. He then settled into a job with the Navy as a civilian technical program manager.
     "I am really very shy and retiring," Manny said. "My biggest challenge in life has been to overcome these drawbacks." He joined Toastmasters and OLLI’s Readers’ Theater in an effort to conquer his timid temperament.
     Manny’s sense of humor stayed the course when I asked about his goals in life. "Well, since I am the product of Jesuit teaching … both high school and college … that’s easy: do good and avoid evil."
     But his serious side suddenly burst forth. "I think I have an obligation to give back. My goal is to do that. I teach an AARP driving course for Prince William Senior Center and have been a Boy Scout scoutmaster off and on since 1980. Someday I would like to teach an OLLI class," he said. Then, with what I perceived as the slyest of grins, he followed up with: "It would be a challenge, since I don’t know enough about anything to teach a course. My biggest fear is someone finding out how little I know."
     In concluding the interview, I asked Manny about other activities in his life. He has been active in local civic associations and has been longtime president of his local swim club. He likes to cruise. His favorite activity is sitting on the balcony of a cruise ship in the Caribbean watching the waves go by.
     "I do it every chance I can afford," he chuckled.
EYE ON RESTON

Friday    Oct 17    9:30am    Drama Club - TA-3         10am    Board of Directors Meeting - TA-1         10am    Recorder Group - TA-2         1pm    INOVA Flu Shot Clinic         1:30pm    Homer, etc. - TA- Annex Wednesday    Oct 22    1:30pm    Bridge Club - TA-3          2pm    Special Event - 957 Run Away With the Circus - TA-1 Friday    Oct 24    9:30am    Drama Club - TA-3          9:30am    Photography Club - TA-1          10am    Recorder Group - TA-2          10:30am    Classic Fiction Book Club - Cascade Library/21030 Whitfield Place/Potomac Falls          1:30pm    Homer, etc. - TA- Annex Wednesday    Oct 29    1:30pm    Bridge Club - TA-3          2pm    Special Event - 959 Songs You Love Sung With Heart  - TA-1 Friday    Oct 31    10am    Town Hall Meeting - TA-1          1:30pm    Homer, etc. - TA- Annex