By Thom Clement, Executive Director

MAKE-UP SCHEDULE

For classes missed last week due to the snow UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED BELOW, missed classes last Wednesday (January 26) will be made up on Wednesday, February 23, and missed classes last Thursday (January 27) will be made up on Thursday, February 24. TUESDAY (missed Tue, Feb 1) Loudoun L316, 16th Century China: make-up on Feb 8 L205, Diversifying your Portfolio: No make-up L412, Readers' Theater: make-up on Feb 22 L317, The Mughal Empire: make-up on Feb 15 L315, I Was There: make-up on Feb 22 WEDNESDAY (missed Wed, Jan 26) Tallwood F103, DSLR Photography: No make-up F301, NPS Potpourri: Wed, Feb 23 F503, Conversational Spanish Club: Wed, Feb 23 F601, The Early Christian Church: Wed, Feb 23 F203, The Investment Forum: Wed, Feb 23 F405, True Crime/How Writers Respond: Wed, Feb 23 954, Pacific Rim/New Zealand: Tue, Mar 1, at 9:30 Loudoun L318, The Jewish World of the 16th Century: Make-up on Feb 9 L413, Two Nathaniel Hawthorne Classics: No make-up; class will be consolidated to three sessions L314, Environmental Law and Policy: No make-up L320, Spain/The Rise and Decline of a Golden Empire: Make-up on Feb 9 L504, Basic Conversational Spanish: Wed, Feb 23 THURSDAY (missed Thu, Jan 27) Tallwood F202, Estate & Financial Planning: Thu, Feb 24 F302, Roots of Modern Man: Thu, Feb 24 F651, Aristophanes: Thu, Feb 24 F306, Buffalo Soldiers: Thu, Feb 24 F652, Topics in Philosophy: Will be announced next week F702, Afghan War: Thu, Feb 24 F104, Watercolor Painting: Thu, Feb 24 F309, German Battleships: Thu, Feb 24 F407, Local Colorists: Thu, Feb 24 Reston R310, Where is the Washington Swamp? Thu, Feb 24 R311, I Was There: Thu, Feb 24 R703, All the News: Thu, Feb 24 R654, Philosophy as a Guide to Living: No make-up; class canceled for rest of term Loudoun L107, Colored Pencil Drawing: Thu, Feb 24 L803, History of Mathematics: Thu, Feb 24 L606, Major Doctrines of the Bible: Thu, Feb 24 L804, Change your Mind About Weight Loss: Thu, Feb 24 FRIDAY CLASS AND EVENT AT RESTON R204, Dividend-Paying Stocks: No make-up; material will be condensed 956, Polio/Then and Now: Fri, Feb 25 Back to top

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RESOURCE GROUP LEADER PROFILE

Claire Smith Photo by Ernestine Meyer.

Co-chair Claire Smith of Literature, Language and Theater

By Helen Ackerman, OLLI E-News Staff Writer

CLAIRE SMITH HAS THE DISTINCTION of being a native-born Washingtonian, but her husband's military career has taken her to some fascinating parts of the United States. She spent the first five years of married life on Governor's Island just off New York City, and later two years in Kodiak, Alaska. But Washington was always home, and Claire, her husband Channing and their four children returned to the Washington area in 1978.
     Claire joined OLLI two and a half years ago, recruited by member Brenda Cheadle. She volunteered to co-chair the Literature, Language and Theater Resource Group in fall 2009; she describes the challenge as basically "finding people who want to teach what we want to learn." She says she has become quite bold at accosting people whom she would love to see presenting at OLLI. One of her most fruitful venues for finding teachers is George Mason's Fall for the Book Festival, which she and her husband have attended every year since it began in 1999. Claire's OLLI volunteer work also includes the Hospitality Committee and writing for OLLI E-News.
     Claire began studying for her BA degree straight out of high school ... and completed it 27 years later, with a degree in psychology/sociology and a minor in English from George Mason. "It was challenging to go back to school when I was older," she says, "but I loved it."
     "I love OLLI too," she says. "It gives me the chance to be a permanent student. But the people I've gotten to know make it really special. I think the friendships enhance the learning."
     When not attending OLLI, Claire spends time caring for her 91-year-old mother and indulging in her passion for reading and music. "I like everything," she says, "from the classics to absolute junk!"

"LOVE IS IN THE AIR"

AN OLLI ADVENTURE
By Carole Richard, OLLI member
LAST WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, will never be forgotten! Norm and Lorraine Rosenberg had organized Special Event 970, a bus trip to the newly opened Arena Stage in D.C. for the noon performance of “The Arabian Nights.” Not deterred by the ominous weather forecasts and not willing to give up their $62 deposits, 22 brave OLLI members (of the 35 who had signed up) ventured forth at 10:00 from Fair Oaks Mall.
     Arena Stage is glorious, and the setting, actors, and atmosphere were outstanding. We boarded our return bus at 3:08 in clear weather, and our adventure began. As we crossed the Potomac over the 14th Street Bridge about 3:30, the light rain that started as we approached the bridge turned into sleet and snow. We headed west on I-66, but four hours later, in bumper-to-bumper traffic, we still had not reached the Beltway. It was snowing like mad, looking like Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” ... BUT there were no toilet facilities on the bus, and cars were slipping and sliding all around us – others had been abandoned! The male passengers exited the bus several times during our adventure to, as one put it, “clean the tires.” No women left though, as there was deep snow off the highway and headlights of the cars behind us lit up our bus from all sides.
     By 9:45 we arrived at US-50 – enticingly close to Fair Oaks Mall – but there we sat. Fortunately, our wonderful bus driver, Chuck, was calm, steady and charming. The people on the bus were amazing – jokes, stories, with not one complaint. Coordinator Norm Rosenberg was a wonderful raconteur, keeping us entertained. My advice: if you ever have to be marooned anywhere, be sure it’s with an OLLI group.
     At 11:30, we had not moved for an hour and 45 minutes, and there was still no traffic on the overpass to the Mall because the ramp to it had iced over. I was able to show Chuck how to take a back way through a development near the Mall, which got us into Fair Oaks Mall by 11:45. Our cars were buried in snow, so we had to dig them out but at least the tires were on the macadam and ready to go. We all arrived home at various times long after midnight, some to homes with no electricity, having survived our historic OLLI adventure of almost nine hours on the bus!

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The Special Events Resource Group met this week and voted not to schedule bus trips during the winter term. --Ed.

Poetry: The Sweet Science The third or fourth time You read it, It announces itself, As from some Descending microphone: Deus ex machina, Over the ring, Into the seats. Decibelic, echoingly loud; It comes across So suddenly, blindingly, absolute; Like some intelligent right hook Following exploratory left jabs: From Ernest or Ezra, or Norman, Or whoever else cares for this stuff, Sparring on some sweated, Squared circle, in this Sweet, sweet science, to Hammer those things home That are guaranteed, guaranteed, To knock your butt flat.                      Mike McNamara

Watchwords A study high in leafy trees where squirrels do trapeze swings Olympic style limb to limb and birds call reciprocal messages far above walks to be swept, shrubs to be trimmed. Those will wait. Meanwhile I hang from green branches as watchwords form on blank page while I look on surprised at the magic knowing not where it came from nor where it is going. Jan Bohall

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