Do You Live in a 55+ Community? We Need Your Expertise!
By Debby Mossburg, Outreach Committee Chair
This fall, the hybrid class Moving on Up (F902/F902Z) will explore a variety of options for senior living. We have a wonderful range of presenters from communities with a number of price points and levels of support. However, we have a huge gap when it comes to established 55+ communities where homes are primarily available only through resale.
We are looking for people who own or rent a cottage, RV, single-family home, duplex, four-plex, townhome, or condo in a 55-plus community. Would you be willing to sit on a panel to share your insights about this lifestyle choice during our final class on November 6 at 2:15? We will have both in-person (Tallwood) and Zoom seats available for the panel. Please email debby.mossburg@verizon.net if you think this is something you might be willing to do. Thanks in advance!
We all know there are many ways to facilitate successful aging. One way is keeping our brains healthy, and new research indicates that a key to protecting the brain and maintaining cognition is to volunteer. Please read the following articles and consider volunteering at OLLI.
There are many ways you can volunteer your time. OLLI needs you! Thank you.
Editor’s note: This article appeared in a recent issue of OLLI ENews; it is repeated here to encourage all members to reap the benefits of volunteering at OLLI.
By Camille Hodges, OLLI Board Member/Humanities and Social Sciences, Current Events Program Planning Group Co Chair
OLLI invites you to share your expertise on topics that reflect your knowledge in any area. Currently, OLLI members have expressed the desire to have classes on the following topics:
“Agree to Disagree” Respectfully
Cultural linguistics
Comparing Education in America with Other Countries
Historical Pros and Cons of Vaccinations
OR:
Your topic of expertise.
If you have an interest in teaching OLLI courses via (Zoom/hybrid or in-person), have questions or ideas of your own, please contact any of the following HSS/CE committee chairpersons or Program Associates:
With social activities back on campus, this year’s OLLI Fall Kick-Off Coffee, September 14, will also feature an activities fair. Scheduled for 10:00-11:30 in the Social Room Annex at Tallwood campus, the event will let you come at 10:00, give you time to talk with your friends and check out the clubs, social events, and local and international trips available through June 2024.
The OLLI administrative staff and the Diversions Committee will provide delicious refreshments. Hot coffee and tea will be available in the Social Room, and cold beverages and baked goods will be available in TA-1 and the Annex classroom, where the main event will be held.
This is a wonderful opportunity for all those who have missed seeing their friends in person since spring term to catch up with each other. For our new members, what an excellent opportunity to get to know other OLLI members, both old and new.
You will also have an opportunity to learn about changes in OLLI operations, facilities, and programming, presented by our executive director and the president of OLLI-Mason, with plenty of time for questions. We’ll even have a tour of the Tallwood facilities for our new members, including the Dirty Knee Club’s flower gardens and the infamous “potty barn.”
Please join us on September 14! Register for event 1201 via the member portal or contact the registrar at ollireg@gmu.edu.
The Diversions Committee is excited to announce two additional events for this fall term. Shinrin-yoku, the Japanese practice of contemplative walking in nature, will be held with a certified guide on the Tallwood Campus on Saturday, September 30, from 10:00-12:00 noon. The outdoor experience has been shown to decrease stress-related hormones and lower blood pressure. Our guide, Ana Leilani Ka'ahanui, will teach techniques for deep breathing and body-mind awareness, keeping the mind in the present as we explore the outdoors. To learn more about the event, log into member portal and enter F817 in the search box.
Why not end the fall term with some creativity? On Friday, November 17, 2:30-5:00, you can party with paint and socialize with your OLLI friends at the same time. At the end of a two-and-a-half-hour workshop, you’ll take home a fall landscape painting you design individually. We’ll meet at Muse Paint Bar in the Mosaic District, Fairfax, and get instruction from a professional artist who will show us tips and techniques to craft an original work of art. The outing cost of $50 includes instruction, all supplies, brownie snacks, and liquid refreshments. To learn more about this event and register, log into the member portal and enter 1204 in the search box.
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, September 16, at 1:00, in person and via Zoom. The Zoom session usually opens at 12:45.
American Secrets: Virtual Tour—Presented by Jennifer Wilcox
Experience the National Cryptologic Museum from your chair! This virtual tour introduces you to the secret of secrets. Beginning with invisible ink and hidden messages of the American Revolution through the first super computers and everything in between, the tour will take you through the history of American cryptology. This live presentation highlights the history, technology, and people bringing the secret world of secrets to you.
Jennifer Wilcox has been the Director of Education at the National Security Agency’s National Cryptologic Museum since 1999. Her research and presentations cover topics including women in American cryptology, Native American code talkers, as well as the popular Enigma story.
Learn in 30: A Home Router Security Issue; Diagnose and Fix It—Presented by John Krout
This presentation involves a feature of Linksys and perhaps other brands of home routers. Each router provides a set of administrative Web pages enabling you to customize the router. The presenter found out by accident that his Linksys router also makes those admin Web pages available from outside the home network, i.e., from anywhere on the Internet. The router makers may believe that this is a valuable feature. However, the default login credentials for those administrative Web pages are publicly known and posted on Web sites for many brands of home routers. Anyone who knows the IP address of your router can log in and change your router's behavior, including its password, without your knowledge.
Learn: how to determine your router's Internet IP address, how that IP address can be found by a bad apple, and what you can change in your router's administrative Web pages to prevent easy access by others on the outside.
John Krout is a frequent presenter at our meetings on a wide range of computer, technology and photography topics, and author of many articles for the PATACS Posts newsletter.
To attend via Zoom’s cloud meeting service, beginning at 12:45, please click this link to join the meeting and use passcode 206627 (Note: enter passcode with NO spaces) or enter meeting ID 860 6157 6830 in the Zoom app and use the above passcode (preferred method).
By Joanne Fitzgerald, Crafts and Conversation Member
Arts, crafts, and other creative activities have many benefits, particularly for those of us who are retired. Crafts keep the mind active and help prevent anxiety. They also grant a sense of accomplishment and achievement.
Crafts allow us to make keepsakes, apparel, and artwork for gifts or to give to those in need. Crafting can take many forms—it doesn’t just have to be knitting and crochet, but can include painting—even paint by numbers—mosaics, mixed media, journaling and scrapbooking, card-making, coloring, collage, calligraphy, jewelry making, and woodworking. If you can dream it, you can make it.
Crafting can also help build community. Joining OLLI’s Crafts and Conversation club gives you an outlet for sharing those crafting accomplishments. We love to share our current projects and our favorite crafting books and resources. We also share information on places to donate our crafts. The conversations are not always only about crafts—we share information on local events, places to eat, and things to do. Why not consider joining us for a couple of Crafts and Conversation sessions to meet some of your fellow OLLI members? Come make new friends!
The Tallwood Book Club will be discussing the following books this fall:
September: The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki
October: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
November: Circe by Madeline Miller
December: Chesapeake Requiem by Earl Swift.
We have been scheduled to meet at Tallwood on the second Wednesday, September 13 at 10:00. If the weather permits, we will use the outdoor seating at Tallwood at that time.
By Norma Jean Reck, Coordinator, Theater Lovers’ Group, with Jane Hassell and Jean Tatalias
The Theater Lovers' Group (TLG) 2023-2024 theater season offers many fabulous events. Each event includes an optional dinner that provides theater goers with the opportunity for socialization with other theater lovers. The following events are sure to please you (click on this link for a detailed description of the season and events in this article.
Sunday, September 24 at 2:00: Hitchcock's The 39 Steps TLG will attend a matinee performance of The 39 Steps at NextStop Theatre in Herndon, followed by an optional supper at a nearby restaurant. Contact Norma Reck (njreck@cs.com) to obtain tickets at the OLLI group rate of $36 plus $2.00 fee, and don't delay—NextStop is a small intimate theater (114 seats).
Sunday, October 15: Deathtrap by Ira Levin
We will go to see the Providence Players perform one of the biggest hits ever on Broadway. Details TBA.
Saturday, October 21: Performances of two Shakespearian Plays (Much Ado about Nothing and Hamlet) in the Blackfriars Theater at the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, Virginia Be sure to sign up for the TLG October 21 trip to Staunton. The OLLI course number is 1003 (register at the member portal). We will also have a get-acquainted coffee at Tallwood on Friday, September 15 at 10:00 for those signing up. With the OLLI discount, each play is $48. We also have a limited number of rooms available at a discounted rate of $135 plus taxes at the Best Western Staunton, for those who want to stay over on Saturday night. For questions, call Jean Tatalias at 571-447-7977. Or email Jean at jtatalias@gmail.com.
Remember to Register for the Theater Lovers' Group
Remember that each term you must register for clubs again. If you don't, your name will be removed from the membership list and you will not receive any emails, etc. If you would like to know more about TLG activities, go to page 32 of your fall 2023 catalog for a description of activities. If you would like to join TLG, go online and register for it as you would for a class. Everyone, as well as guests, is welcome.
Wednesday Team Bloch Conversations—September 13 and 20
By Brenda Bloch-Young and Doris Bloch, Co‑Moderators
Continuing our Wednesday Conversations series, Team Bloch (Brenda Bloch-Young and Doris Bloch) will moderate a Zoom discussion on September 13 at 4:00 and one on September 20 at 4:00 as well.
The topic for Wednesday September 13 conversation with Team Bloch will be Frauds and Scams. Those of us of a certain age are said to be particularly vulnerable to fraudsters, something that we want to discuss with as many members as possible. There are as many avenues for fraud as imaginable—surely you have received many an email offer of credit or survey reward gift cards. Perhaps you have gotten the dreaded phone call from a “family member in trouble” who needs money right away? No need to confess to or share any past personal experiences of your own; just chime in and add whatever you feel comfortable with. We will provide you with some supporting resources—knowledge is half the battle.
The topic for Wednesday September 20 conversation with Team Bloch will be What’s On Your Bucket List and What Is On Your Chuck-It List? Some of us hope to accomplish certain things in our remaining years; some of us have become more realistic about the list of desired accomplishments as we review them. Where do you sit on this list-making/list-paring spectrum? Love to hear your thoughts!
Check your daily schedule for the Zoom link on Wednesdays and plan on some social time with Team Bloch on both days.
For tickets for either Center for the Arts Concert Hall (CFA) or Hylton Center, call 1-888-945-2468, buy tickets online through the event calendar (see links below), or visit the venue's box office. For more information, see the CFA ticket pageor the Hylton Center ticket purchase page.
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.
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., bolded below. 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 Sep 9
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club
Mon Sep 11
9:30 am
11:00 am
11:00 am
What’s in the Daily News?
Program Planning Meeting
Poetry Reading Club
Tue Sep 12
9:30 am
1:00 pm
4:30 pm
Annex Art
Stay Active and Independent for Life
Tai Chi Club
Wed Sep 13
10:00 am
10:00 am
10:00 am
10:30 am
4:00 pm
Bridge Club
Tallwood Book Club
Staff Pre-Term Meeting
Investment Forum
Mah Jongg Club
Thu Sep 14
10:00 am
11:50 am
4:30 pm
Kick-Off Coffee
All the News
Tai Chi Club
Fri Sep 15
9:30 am
10:00 am
11:30 am
1:00 pm
1:00 pm
Crafts and Conversation Board of Directors Meeting
Homer, etc.
Stay Active and Independent for Life
Dirty Knee Club Scrapbook Meeting
Sat Sep 16
10:30 am
1:00 pm
Tai Chi Club
Personal Computer User Group
Tue Sep 19
1:00 pm
4:30 pm
Stay Active and Independent for Life
Tai Chi Club
Wed Sep 20
1:45 pm
2:00 pm
4:00 pm
Bridge Club
Memoir and More Writing Group
Spanish Club
Thu Sep 21
4:00 pm
4:30 pm
6:00 pm
Reston Book Club
Tai Chi Club
Ethnic Eats Club
Fri Sep 22
9:30 am
9:30 am
11:00 am
11:00 am
12:00 noon
1:00 pm
Mah Jongg Club
Crafts and Conversation
Classic Literature Club
Homer, etc.
Photography Club
Stay Active and Independent for Life
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, Tom Appich
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. Note: You can view past issues of OLLI E-News on the DocStore. To search the content of issues, use Search Our Site or put your search term in Google followed by "site:ollidev2.earthcare.com/" without the quotes.
Campus on Saturday, September 30, from 10:00-12:00 noon. The outdoor experience has been shown to decrease stress-related hormones and lower blood pressure. Our guide, Ana Leilani Ka'ahanui, will teach techniques for deep breathing and body-mind awareness, keeping the mind in the present as we explore the outdoors. To learn more about the event, log into 
at the same time. At the end of a two-and-a-half-hour workshop, you’ll take home a fall landscape painting you design individually. We’ll meet at Muse Paint Bar in the Mosaic District, Fairfax, and get instruction from a professional artist who will show us tips and techniques to craft an original work of art. The outing cost of $50 includes instruction, all supplies, brownie snacks, and liquid refreshments. To learn more about this event and register, log into the 
TLG will attend a matinee performance of The 39 Steps at NextStop Theatre in Herndon, followed by an optional supper at a nearby restaurant. Contact Norma Reck (
Be sure to sign up for the TLG October 21 trip to Staunton. The OLLI course number is 1003 (register at the 
