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OLLI
E-News #46-06 of Dec. 8, 2006
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NEWSFLASHES
>
REGISTRATION FOR WINTER TERM STARTS 9:00 FRI, DEC 15. You should
receive your catalogs soon; you may select courses online
now. Read how to get the
courses you want.
| > PLEASE
FILL OUT THE REGISTRATION FORM ONLINE (pdf)
and print it rather than
fill it out by hand. Legible forms are much easier for the
office to process. Thank you! |
>
BOARD
MEETING FRI,
DEC 15: 10:00, Tallwood. All members are invited to attend. Read
below what to
expect, which will
include discussion of dues and approval of a 2007 budget. |
ALERT
> THE OLLI OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED FOR
WINTER BREAK from Mon, Dec 25, through Mon, Jan 1. The office
will re-open on Tue, Jan 2 (between-term hours are 9:00-12:00 noon).
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| ARTICLES AND
NOTICES
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DEPARTMENTS
>
QUESTION OF
THE WEEK: Results of last week's question on the
bylaws-revision vote.
> CENTER FOR
THE ARTS: Upcoming arts and music events at Mason. By Jan Bohall
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MASON
HIGHLIGHTS. Other events at nearby Mason. By Barbara Kyriakakis
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COMING
ATTRACTIONS: Upcoming OLLI non-class
events for next two weeks. |
A JOLLY OLLI
HOLIDAY
The 2006 OLLI Holiday Luncheon
 By Elizabeth Crawford, OLLI
E-News staff writer
AN
OBSERVER AT OLLI'S DEC 1 HOLIDAY LUNCHEON could have grasped the
essence of our OLLI in one afternoon. As Boy Scouts are known to be
"helpful, friendly, courteous, kind...," OLLI has its own list of
adjectives.
- Gracious: Thanks to Sandy Driesslein
and her committee of greeters for choosing the International Country
Club, which was beautifully decorated in holiday colors, and for
providing very nice door prizes.
- Convivial: The conversation was loud
and the line to the bar long.
- Intellectual: Attendees supplemented
a recorder concert with a mini-class including a reference to Hamlet and an arcane question about
whether the recorder is related to the ocarina.
- Irreverent: One member asked,"How
hard can [playing the recorder] be if Mike can do it?"
- Talented: Thanks to George Ewing for
his animated recitation of "The Cremation of Sam McGee," to Norm
Rosenberg and the recorder group, and to Joyce DeVoll, her singing
group, accompanists Dolores Ecklund and Jane White, and the Man with
the Bells, Palmer McGrew. Their music provided a great beginning to the
holiday season.
- Good natured: Thanks to the "nine
ladies dancing" and "ten lords a' leaping" for their annual exercise in
humiliation for the entertainment of all.
- Brave: Kudos to Susanne Zumbro for
accepting an invitation to join the hora group and to Manny Pablo for
dancing the hora while wearing a Santa hat.
As the song "Gaudeamus Hodie" suggested, it was a day to rejoice in
good food, good friends, and good times at OLLI.
NEXT WEEK'S BOARD MEETING
Why you may want to attend this meeting
 By Rod Zumbro, OLLI E-News editor
OLLI
MEMBERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND BOARD MEETINGS and make their
views known. All Board meetings (except executive sessions) are open to
the general membership.
The
Board meeting at 10:00 on Fri, Dec 15, is an especially important one
because a final
2007 budget will
be discussed and approved. The
final budget
will specify the amount of
annual dues to be charged OLLI members in 2007, starting with the
spring term.
Yesterday at the special Board
meeting, the
Treasurer presented the 2007 budget
proposed by
the Finance Committee. The proposed budget calls for annual dues of
$320 (a 14 percent increase over the current $280). Since this dues
revenue plus revenue from interest and Osher grants is
insufficient to pay all 2007 expenses, the proposed budget also calls
for the remaining needed revenue of $70,000 to be provided from a
to-be-determined combination of two sources: (1) a 'loan' of up to
$50,000 from the
Osher $1,000,000 endowment that would have to be paid back by 2014; and (2) a drawing down of OLLI's
cash reserves, which are projected to total about $70,000 on Jan 1,
2007.
Several Board directors commented and asked questions as did many of
the
seven or more non-Board members who attended the meeting. Most of the
comments suggested that it would be better to raise the 2007 dues to a
higher level than $320 so that it would not be necessary to borrow any
or as much money from the endowment or to draw down our cash reserves
as much since those reserves may be needed when OLLI moves from
Tallwood to a new location. |
The
president
sets the agenda. If you are
interested in attending this (or any) Board meeting and wish to know
exactly what is planned, please contact the office by phone
(703-503-3384) or email a day or two
in advance of the meeting and ask for the agenda.
IN MEMORIAM: RENATA PIA BARDO
Remembering a longtime OLLI member and
teacher
 By Kathryn Russell, Program Review Committee chair to a long illness. A native of
northern Italy,
Renata studied at Bocconi University in Milan. She taught at the
Berlitz School of Languages and also gave private lessons in Italian.
For eight years OLLI students have flocked to
Renata Bardo’s Italian classes (photo
at right taken during her class in 2004 by Rod Zumbro). Knowing
that her students needed
regular practice, she taught classes year-round, rotating between
beginning and intermediate sessions. Renata designed courses for all
her students’ levels of expertise--from those who just wanted to know
enough of the language to order from a menu or ask directions on their
travels, to those who wanted to understand the intricacies of
grammar.
Beyond language study, culture and travel were
important parts of curriculum. Renata delighted in treating students to
her favorite Italian foods, and courses often ended in Italian
restaurants with Renata presiding over the menu. Italian class became a
cultural experience as students shared both camaraderie and a sense of
accomplishment.
We extend sincerest condolences to Renata’s
family as well as to her many friends at OLLI.
SENIOR CITIZEN METRO DISCOUNTS
How to save on the Metro
 By Eileen Duggan, Vice President
AS
MOST OF US OVER 65 KNOW, there
are fewer and fewer discounts available for senior populations. One of
the real bargains, however, is the Metro Senior Citizen ID Card that
enables you to travel by Metro train or bus at one-half of regular
fare, not to exceed $1.95. Receiving the card is a
time-consuming
process, but even if you rarely use Metro, it is well worth the effort. 
 To apply for a card,
you need to fill out an
"Application for Senior Citizen Reduced Fare Program" at a county
library. The librarian will process the application and mail it to the
Transit Authority for you. After several weeks (be patient, the
processing is very slow), you will receive a brown Senior Citizen ID
card.
You can use the ID card on a Metrobus or to
purchase a SmarTrip card ( see photos)
from selected Metro locations. For more
details, check out the Metro Website page
about fares and farecards.
Since
receiving my SmarTrip card, I have found myself traveling downtown to
visit museums, theater, restaurants, etc. much more frequently than in
the past.
Back to top
| SLICES AND SNIPPETS |
Debbie
Halverson and Bob Bohall need volunteers to share "Slices and Snippets"
from their lives for a spring 2007 course.
Tell us about some part
of your history, good, bad, ugly, ecstatic, etc. Tell us what
happened be it a day, a week, an incident or a number of years. Was it
an emergency, a major decision, a big deal or a small deal with
interesting ramifications?
You are free to bring in additional
information regarding the snippet that will help educate and provide
perspective. You are encouraged to use A/V material. History may be
yesterday, five years ago, 40 years ago, 70 years ago or
any other time.
Our goal will be to develop a series of
half-hour or half-session
discussions. Enjoy sharing, educating and philosophizing with
your colleagues. As a result we will all learn and
reminisce. Please jot down your idea for a snippet and send it to
either Debbie or Bob. |
Back to top
HARRY POTTER
FILM FESTIVAL
Preparing for a winter-term course
By Bob Lawshe,
OLLI member
THE
UPCOMING WINTER-TERM HARRY
POTTER CLASS (Thursdays, 9:30, at Tallwood) will
explore the ethical development of Harry and his friends and some of
the ethical issues raised, but not resolved, in the books.
Some familiarity with the series will be helpful to
a full understanding of the classroom discussions. While the best
possible preparation is to have read all six of the Harry Potter
novels, this will likely not be possible for everyone. So, to ensure
each participant has an opportunity to gain some familiarity with
Harry, we have scheduled the first ever OLLI Harry Potter Film Festival!
The Festival, which will show each of the four
Harry Potter movies, will be held at Tallwood on Tuesdays and Thursday,
January 9, 11, 16 and 18, 2007, starting at 10:00 each day. One
complete movie will be shown during each session.
If you are planning on attending the class, or
thinking about attending, or just like Harry, this is an event not be
missed by You-Know-Who.
QUESTION
OF THE WEEK
Our periodic Web polls provide member
feedback to OLLI
LAST WEEK'S QUESTION asked about how
thoroughly members read the packet of information before voting on the
bylaws revision.
- Thirty two members voted (about
four percent of the
total membership).
- Two-thirds of those who responded
voted after reading
the packet thoroughly;
- 19 percent voted after only
glancing at the packet;
- 12 percent didn't vote after
looking at the packet;
and
- Three percent said, "What packet?"
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 COMING EVENTS AT THE CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Something for everyone at nearby Mason
 By Jan Bohall, OLLI
E-News staff writer
For tickets, call 888-945-2468 or visit the Center for the Arts Box Office, Tue–Sat, 10:00–6:00.
Christopher
Parkening, guitar
Jubilant
Sykes, baritone
A Classical Christmas |
GMU
Opera |
Fairfax
Symphony Orchestra
Fairfax Choral Society
Holiday Pops Concert |
GMU
Music Holiday Concert |
Enjoy carols, Advent songs, hymns and
spirituals. Segovia-trained
Parkening brings mesmerizing Spanish guitar solos, and Sykes will give
a thrilling rendition of “Go, Tell It on the Mountain,” among other
traditional pieces.
Fri, Dec 8, at 8:00
Admission: $42, $34, $21
Concert Hall
Come
early at 7:15
for a pre-performance discussion in the Grand Tier Lobby. |
Fri,
Dec 8, and Sat, Dec 9, both at 8:00
Admission: $10 seniors/students, $12 adults
Harris Theater |
Sat,
Dec 9, at 7:00
Admission: $55, $45, $35, $25
Concert Hall |
Sun,
Dec 10, at 7:00
Admission: $8 seniors/students, $15 adults
Concert Hall |
| GMU
Band & Wind Symphony |
Eileen Ivers
An Nollaig—An Irish Christmas |
Canadian Brass
Canadian
Brass Christmas |
GMU
Flute Choir |
Mon,
Dec 11, at 8:00
Admission: $7 seniors/students, $10 adults
Concert Hall |
Named All-Ireland Fiddle Champ nine times,
Ms. Ivers sold out her 2003
performance here at the Center. Enjoy her new program of traditional
music and authentic Irish dancing for a very Gaelic celebration.
Fri, Dec 15, at 8:00
Admission: $42, $34, $21
Family Friendly: Children 12 and under half price
Concert Hall
Come
early at 7:15
for a pre-performance discussion in the Grand Tier Lobby. |
In their annual concert at the Center, the
group will perform classical
music, traditional carols, Hanukkah songs and jazzy renditions of
seasonal favorites, with humor and technical virtuosity.
Sat, Dec 16, at 8:00
Admission: $50, $42, $25
Family Friendly: Children 12 and under half price
Concert Hall
Come
early at 7:15
for a pre-performance discussion in the Grand Tier Lobby. |
Sun,
Dec 17, at 4:00
Admission: $7 seniors/students, $10 adults
Harris Theater |
Back to top
MASON HIGHLIGHTS
A brief listing of other events at nearby
Mason
 By Barbara Kyriakakis, OLLI
E-News assistant editor
- Performance - The George Mason
University Dance Company will perform its December concert from Thu,
Dec 7, through Sat, Dec 9, at 8:00 in the Performing Arts Bldg, Dance
Performance Studio. Tickets $10; $7. Call 703-993-1114.
- Swim Meet - The Cassel's Winter
Classic Invitational, sponsored by Potomac Marlins Swim Team, will be
held Thu, Dec 14, through Sun, Dec 17. Free. Aquatic Center. Call
703-993-3939.
- Aquaerobics Class – Join others
in Shallow Water Aquaerobics at 5:30 on Tuesdays & Thursdays.
Aquatic & Fitness Center, 703-993-3939.
- Seminar
– The School of Public
Policy’s Peace Operations Policy Program is hosting a special seminar
with Dr. Kirk Johnson, Deputy Director for Assessments (JSPA).
Unofficial and informal discussion will include his job and life in the
International Zone, Baghdad. Dec 19, 2:00 to 4:00, Arlington Campus,
Original Building, Room 268. RSVP to Ms. Kim Formo at 703-993-4403.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
Non-class events at OLLI for the next two
weeks
The following list covering the
next two weeks is extracted for your
convenience from the more
complete OLLI
Staff Forecast of Non-Class Events. Board, committee, resource-group and
membership meetings are highlighted
in bold. OLLI members are
welcome at all Board, committee and resource-group meetings (except
executive sessions).
Dec
8 Friday 10:00 AM
Recorder Group TA-2
1:30 PM Homer
Book Club TA Annex
13 Wednesday 10:00
AM Investment Forum TA-1
10:00 AM Book
Club at Tallwood TA-2
10:00 AM
Bridge TA-3
15 Friday 9:00 AM
Winter 06 Term Registration Begins Annex
9:30 AM Drama
Club TA-1
10:00 AM
Recorder Group TA-2
10:00
AM Board of Directors Meeting TA-3
1:30 PM Homer
Book Club TA Annex
20 Wednesday 10:00 AM
Genealogy TA-1 |
Rod
Zumbro
Editor
Karen
Hamilton
Deputy
Editor
|
About OLLI
E-News. OLLI
E-News is
OLLI's weekly newsletter; it is emailed to OLLI
members with email addresses on Fridays. When classes are in
session, printed copies of this newsletter are distributed in
classrooms, primarily for members without email. We encourage OLLI
members and
staff employees to submit news items and write articles; deadline to
the editor is 7:00 PM Wed for that week's issue. Comments,
suggestions or complaints? Please contact the OLLI
E-News editor or the
Publications Committee chair, Gordon
Canyock.
Note
about HTML graphics. If
you do NOT see
photos and
clickable links in this message, you might want to ask a teenaged
grandchild or a neighborhood teenager or college student to fix things
for you. Or you could change your
email settings yourself. Here's how to view html-formatted messages
like this newsletter in
three popular email systems:
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Click Tools; select Options; in the Read tab, uncheck "Read all
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Click Mail Options/General Preferences; under Security, uncheck "Block
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Upgrade,
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GMU Webmail.
If OLLI E-News is being sent
to your gmu.edu email address, we recommend against using GMU Webmail
(i.e., iPlanet "Messenger Express") to read the newsletter because it
is not easy to view our newsletter as a single
integrated
document, with text and accompanying images. As you may know, you can
easily use other email systems, such
as Outlook Express or Yahoo Mail, to retrieve mail sent to external
addresses such as your gmu.edu address. An alternative is to read your
newsletter online at the OLLI Website after it is posted
each week (Little Known Facts: The
new weekly issue is
usually posted Thursday evening; it is identified by the next number in
sequence for that year -- e.g., if the current issue during 2006 is
enews45-06, the next issue will be enews46-06).
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OLLI
E-News Editorial Staff
Assistant
Editor, Database Manager
Barbara Kyriakakis
Assistant
Editor
Arleen Richman
Photo
Editor
Michael Coyne |
| Copyright
©
2006 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University.
Materials in this publication subject to OLLI-GMU copyright may be
reproduced for noncommercial educational purposes as long as credit is
given to OLLI-GMU. |
|
Updated:
December 8, 2006
Copyright © 2006 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at
George Mason University. Materials in this publication subject to
OLLI-GMU copyright may be reproduced for noncommercial educational
purposes as long as credit is given to OLLI-GMU.
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University
4210 Roberts Rd., Fairfax, VA 22032-1028
Phone: (703) 503-3384; E-mail: olli@gmu.edu;
Fax: (703) 503-2832
Original site design and construction by OLLI-GMU member Rod Zumbro. |
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