About OLLI E-News

OLLI E-News was created by Rod Zumbro, who served as its editor from 2005 to 2013.

Editorial Staff Chief Editor/Technical Editor: Irene Osterman Associate Editor: Weekly Editorial Team: Pat Bangs, John Nash, Paul Van Hemel, Sheri Siesseger, Leslie Vandivere

Proofreaders: John West, Gordon Canyock, Susan Van Hemel Backup Chief Editor: Sheri Siesseger 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 – 6:00 pm Tuesday for that week's issue (6:00 pm Monday 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.

Print a condensed .pdf copy of this newsletter, two web pages per sheet of paper. Website   What's New   Catalog   DocStore   Facebook   Officials   Member Portal   Contact Us Christopher Zimmerman, Music Director, Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, Discusses Sibelius’ 2nd Symphony and His Debt to Beethoven at Fall Event, October 9  October 16, 2015 Editor of the Week: Leslie Vandivere Table of Contents Alerts & Notices A Beery Wonderful OLLI Experience  Early LRI/OLLI Member Marjorie White Fun Facts to Celebrate OLLI’s 25th Anniversary OLLI-Mason Spiritwear Now Available Inside OLLI-Mason Photo of the Month Poet's Corner Arts & Music at George Mason Meetings & Clubs About OLLI E-News Alerts & Notices All OLLI members are invited to attend the Theater Lovers' Group organizational meeting on Friday, October 23, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in TA1 at Tallwood. Bring your ideas for possible events. We will discuss our goals, operating guidelines, the ideas already suggested by group members, and other ideas. For information contact Norma Reck njreck@cs.com.   Back to Top of Page A Beery Wonderful OLLI Experience  By Alice Slayton Clark, Communications Associate/Registrar If, as the old Chinese proverb goes, “every smile makes you a day younger,” then Ray Beery is a fountain of youth. For decades, Ray has graced the OLLI campuses as teacher, student, and director—always with a skip in his step and a twinkle in his eye. Ray joined OLLI in 1993 before finishing a successful career in computer sciences. Eager to test the waters, he dropped in on LRI courses at the Fairfax County Courthouse during his lunch hour to explore what retirement would be like. He was hooked. Ray has been a force majeure at OLLI ever since. Within a year, he was teaching LRI members how to master basic computer skills when a “mouse” was still a rodent, and a “laptop” was where your grandchildren sat. He loved being in front of a group of people because it helped “keep his mind alive.” His classes were so popular, Mason asked Ray to teach computer literacy to university staff, including the wife of then President George Johnson, forging early and important bonds between the campuses. Ray still teaches at OLLI—Massive Online Open Courses (MOOC) and modern history—and has held a laundry list of offices over the years—chair of the Program Committee, member of the Board of Directors (twice), president of the Board, and head of the committee that established OLLI-Loudoun. But he hopes to begin to ramp down and just enjoy all that OLLI has to offer. Born, raised, and educated in Kansas (University of Kansas), Ray loves returning to his hometown every few years for family or high school reunions. Ray served during the Korean War where the Air Force utilized him as a communications engineer. After 28 years in the military, he applied his computer savvy to a later career at Computer Sciences Corporation in Northern Virginia. Ray was married in 1955 to Helen Simon, with whom he had three children (two sons and one daughter) and lived around the world until her death. A proud grandpa of six, Ray now spends gratifying times with his partner of eight years, Yasuko, and with his longstanding OLLI friends.  Back to Top of Page Early LRI/OLLI Member Marjorie White By Bob and Jan Bohall, E-News Contributing Writers Marjorie White happened upon the fledgling LRI in the fall of 1991 while in early retirement and thought senior learning might be interesting. She had stepped down in 1987 from a 32-year career at Changing Times (now Kiplinger’s) magazine, where she was the editor for the previous six years. She brought her word skills shortly thereafter to LRI publications such as the early and later newsletters and the catalog of classes. Memories include debating with Michael Styles over copy at dining room tables and enjoying setting standards for LRI publications. Today she speaks fondly of her life in LRI as “a wonderful period of time. . . . My friends were there. . . . I do miss it. . . . ” She designed the heading of the quarterly four-page newsletter, the Tallwood Times, with an engraving-style replica of the large white Tallwood house where classes were held. The Times summarized Board meetings, presented a balanced look at issues faced by the young organization, and noted coming events. Her farewell issue in June 2003, in part, contained a fun-poking parody on a decade plus at LRI. She went on to edit an ever-growing catalog of courses for nine years and chaired the Publications Committee from its start in 1994 through 1999. She served on and later chaired the early 1990s Coordination Committee overseeing LRI’s evolution, was instrumental in starting a series of book reviews that evolved into the early roots of today’s History Club, served on the Board of Directors (1997-1999), and chaired an Administration Committee (2000-2001). As she looks back on LRI, she says that she values most “the interesting people I met, the outstanding courses, and the warm atmosphere.” All good things, however, tend to come to an end. In 2003 Marjorie moved to her present home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She continues to take an occasional course at area senior learning programs and is active in the local League of Women Voters. Back to Top of Page Fun Facts to Celebrate OLLI’s 25th Anniversary   By Ray Beery, Member, Board of Directors   LRI’s founders worked hard and successfully to get newspaper and TV publicity. In the January 1992 Board of Directors minutes, it was reported that TV Channel 8 News would visit LRI, film an excerpt on the class on China, and broadcast it with a live six-minute segment featuring Kathryn Brooks. TV Channel 25 would produce a one-hour panel of LRI representatives discussing the Institute with a call-in segment after the presentations.   OLLI will celebrate its 25th year of classes for seniors in 2016. We’ll be publishing fun facts and interesting milestones about the Institute each week that OLLI E-News is published from now through the end of the fall term, 2016. Back to Top of Page OLLI-Mason Spiritwear Now Available  By Lesley Bubenhofer, Development Committee Chair The OLLI-Mason Spiritwear website is up and running and ready for you to place your order! Order forms are on-line and at Spiritwear displays of merchandise available at all three OLLI campuses. Buy embroidered logo gifts to enjoy yourself or for gift giving to friends and relatives.Top-notch quality totes, polo shirts, tee shirts, and caps come in four vibrant color choices. Orders must be received at the Tallwood office with payment (check or cash) by 4 p.m. on Friday, October 23. Orders will be available for pick up at Tallwood from 9:30 until 1:30 on Friday, November 6, and during the week of November 9 to 13 at Tallwood from 11:30 to 1:30 in the Annex or Cottage (specific location to be announced later). Order now and to enjoy your Spiritwear this year. The order period is limited due to the upcoming construction project at Tallwood. OLLI-Mason Spiritwear will not be available again until 2016. Back to Top of Page Inside OLLI-Mason Spotlight on Volunteers: Publications Committee By Sheri Siesseger, E-News Editorial Team, with Mary Jane Steele, Publications Committee Chair Your roadmap to enjoying each OLLI term, as well as ongoing and between-term activities, is a key product of the Publications Committee, chaired by Mary Jane Steele. This, of course, is the quarterly OLLI course catalog that you receive several weeks prior to the start of each term. Compiling and editing the catalog is a critical job, and a rotating group of editors are assisted by several proofreaders and formatter/production assistant Leigh Knox. With the exception of Leigh, all are volunteers.   Recent editors are Beth Lambert, Martha Powers, Karen Murphy, Luci Martel, and Lee Green, who has recently retired from the committee. Proofreader volunteers include Joan Axilbund, Liz Bateman, Doris Bloch, Beth Lambert, Marilyn O’Brien, Sheri Siesseger, Carol Kearns, and Susan Van Hemel.   A recent struggle for the catalog editorial team has been to present informative course descriptions and instructor biographies while keeping the entries short. A byproduct of OLLI Mason’s success is that the number of courses is ever-increasing, but the maximum number of pages in each catalog is limited. In order to provide longer descriptions of some courses, the catalog is also published in electronic format on the OLLI website at https://ollidev2.earthcare.com/current-catalog-fall-2015/. Thanks to Susan Van Hemel and her team, extended biographies of many instructors are also available online at http://olligmu.org/profiles/index-profiles.html.   The committee is, with the help of member Leti Labell, beginning to implement the use of Dropbox to make the process of sharing documents less cumbersome. Leti led an introductory session for the committee members, and she is going to continue helping the committee become experts in the use of Dropbox.   The committee is responsible for many other publications including the literary journal OLLI Ink, edited by Betty Smith, Poets of OLLI edited by Jan Bohall, the Membership Directory, and the Member Handbook recently edited by Sheri Siesseger, as well as brochures, invitations, and other materials for special purposes, including any publications intended for dissemination beyond the membership.   You may have guessed that the Publications Committee can always use help with its work, especially the course catalog. Potential volunteers are encouraged to contact Mary Jane or to speak with any current committee member. OLLI Publications Committee members as of September 6, 2015:   Joan Axilbund Karen Murphy Liz Bateman** Marilyn O'Brien Doris Bloch Martha Powers Jan Bohall  Sheri Siesseger Carol Kearns Betty Smith Leti Labell MaryJane Steele Beth Lambert Susan VanHemel Luci Martel** Dick Young ** on sabbaticals Leti Labell (center) demonstrates Dropbox to Carol Kearns, Joan Axilbund, Karen Murphy and Doris Bloch Back to Top of Page   Photo of the Month The October Photo of the Month theme was "Street Life." We selected Rita Gustin's photo "Not the Same Interest," 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 Dan Feighery, Photography Club Coordinator Back to Top of Page Poet's Corner Courtesy of the Poetry Workshop Dining Out                                                                                  Bound behind by a long table   of happy folks—loud and laughing,   Entombed in front by a serving station, clattering   with dishes; a whirl of sizzling color   grabbed by galloping servers,   a waitress shouts her name and the specials   of the day, not so special   if inaudible, maybe inedible.  I order anything rare—   cooked to the lowest possible decibel.     Claire Hasselbeck Back to Top of Page Arts & Music at George Mason Performances, next ten days By Shelly Gersten, OLLI E-News Staff Writer For tickets for either Center for the Arts (CFA) or Hylton, 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 page or the Hylton ticket purchase page. At the Fairfax Campus Venues The National Circus and Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China: Peking Dreams Fri, Oct 16, and Sat, Oct 17, 8:00 Sat, Oct 17, 2:00 Pre-Performance Discussion: Ms. Deng, Baojin; artistic director Concert Hall Admission: $50, $43, $30.   Fairfax Symphony Orchestra Sat, Oct 24, 8:00 Sibelius: Valse Triste and Scene with Cranes Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 2 Sean Chen, piano Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 Concert Hall Admission: $58, $46, $34.   Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel: Chopin and Grieg – A Musical Friendship Sun, Oct 25, 7:00 Concert Hall Admission: $40, $34, $24. Back to Top of Page Mason Student & Faculty Performances (see music.gmu.edu for additional student recitals) New Sound Collective Concert (formerly M3E) Sat, Oct 17, 8:00 deLaski 3001 Admission: Free.   Geoffrey Flolo, Graduate Clarinet Recital Sun, Oct 18, 6:00 deLaski 3001 Admission: Free.   Purev Arslanbaatar, Music-Ed Vocal Recital Sun, Oct 18, 6:00 Vienna Baptist Church, 541 Marshall Road, SW, Vienna, VA Admission: Free.   The Goddess Diaries Thur, Oct 22, 7:30 TheatreSpace Tickets: Admission: Adults, $20; seniors, $10.   Wind Symphony Concert Thur, Oct 22, 8:00 Concert Hall Admission: Adults, $12; seniors, $8.   The Crucible Thur, Oct 22 through Sat, Oct 24, 8:00 Sat, Oct 24, 2:00 Thur, Oct 29 through Sat, Oct 31, 8:00 Sat, Oct 31, and Sun, Nov 1, 2:00 Join us for a talk-back with the directors and cast after the Oct 31 2:00 performance. Harris Theatre Admission: Adults, $25; seniors, $15.   Fall Choral Invitational Concert Sun, Oct 25, 3:00 Concert Hall Admission: Adults, $12; seniors, $8.     Back to Top of Page At the Hylton Center Nature Visions Traveling Exhibition Oct 5 - Nov 15 Buchanan Partners Art Gallery The Gallery is open to the public Tue-Sat, 10:00 - 6:00, Thu, 10:00 - 8:00 and two hours before performances. Gallery Reception: Thu, Oct 8 from 6:00 to 8:00. RSVP to jconnor8@gmu.edu. Admission: Free.   Prince William Little Theatre: Julius Caesar  Fri, Oct 16, and Sat, Oct 17, 8:00 Sun, Oct 18, 2:00 Fri, Oct 23, and Sat, Oct 24, 8:00 Sun, Oct 25, 2:00 Gregory Family Theater Admission: Adults, $20; seniors, $17.   Manassas Chorale: Princesses and Pirates Sat, Oct 17, 7:30 Merchant Hall Admission: $20.   The National Circus and Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China: Peking Dreams Sun, Oct 18, 4:00 Pre-Performance Discussion: Member of the company Merchant Hall Admission: $50, $43, $30.   Manassas Ballet Theatre: Jazz in Motion Fri, Oct 23, and Sat, Oct 24, 7:30 Sun, Oct 25, 3:00 Merchant Hall Admission: $15 - $55   Back to Top of Page For further details on any of the above events, please see the CFA event calendar and the Hylton Center event calendar Back to Top of Page Meetings & Clubs The following list covering the next two weeks is extracted for your convenience from the master online calendar maintained by the office, with direct web links added when available. The list is accurate as of mid-week but to check anytime for the latest information, please view the latest forecast of upcoming 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, kickoff coffees, etc. (bolded below). Sat Oct 17 10:30am  1:00pm Tai Chi Club–TA-3 Computer Club–TA-1 Mon Oct 19  1:15pm Executive Director Conversation and Coffee–Loudoun Tue Oct 20 10:00am Knitting and Needlework Club–Panera, Herndon Wed Oct 21  1:30pm  1:45pm  1:45pm Mah Jongg–TA-2 Bridge Club–TA-3 Paul Howard A/V Committee–Cottage Fri Oct 23  9:00am 10:00am 10:00am 11:00am 11:00am 12:00pm 12:00pm Recorder Consort–TA-3 Craft and Conversation–Cottage Classic Fiction Book Club–Cascades Library Classic Literature Club–TA-2 Homer,etc–Annex Photography Club–TA-1 Religious Studies Club–Cottage Sat Oct 24 10:30am Tai Chi Club–TA-3 Tue Oct 27 10:00am Knitting and Needlework Club–Panera, Herndon Wed Oct 28  1:45pm  1:45pm Bridge Club–TA-3 Spanish Club–TA-2 Fri Oct 30  9:00am 10:00am 11:00am 11:00am Recorder Consort–TA-3 Craft and Conversation–Cottage Classic Literature–TA-2 Homer, etc–Annex Back to Top of Page