Dance Choreography Sampler Class, Tallwood, February 5: Coordinator Linda Garner Miller is a distinguished service professor in the Mason School of Dance.
There will be a meeting of the Loudoun Program Planning Group at Loudoun on Tuesday, February 13, from 11:05 to 11:40. Members are welcome to attend and participate.
There will be a meeting of the Humanities/Social Sciences Program Planning Group at Tallwood in TA-1 on Wednesday, February 14, from 12:30 to 2:30. Members are welcome to attend and participate.
The Board of Directors will meet on Friday, February 16, at Tallwood in TA‑1 from 10:00 to 12:00. All members are welcome to attend.
The winter term ice cream social and Mardi Gras festival will be Friday, February 16, at Tallwood in TA‑1 from 1:00 to 3:00. Register for Event 1103.
The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published February 16; regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, February 13, at 6:00.
By Bill Taylor, Chair, Strategic Planning Committee
OLLI has formed a committee to develop a strategic plan for the next five years. Committee members, left to right in the photo below, are Tom Urman, John Woods, Ray Beery, Michelle Blandburg, Enid Weber, Terri Feldmayer, Gloria Loew, Norma Jean Reck, and Bill Taylor (chair). Irene Osterman, Marianne Metz, and Jennifer Disano (not in photo) are also members. As it does its work over the next several months, the committee will be asking for input from all OLLI members and staff. Notice of upcoming committee meetings will be posted. The meetings are open to any member, and the committee would welcome your participation.
Like most of our members, I joined OLLI thinking, “I can brush up on my Latin and learn about opera, to boot.” After all, OLLI-Mason offers hundreds of courses about everything from acting to zoology, and that’s what attracts most of us. But our OLLI also provides opportunities to meet others and socialize. Among our regularly scheduled annual events, you’ll find:
Six coffee klatches at Tallwood, casual events for chitchat and meeting others;
Special coffees at all three OLLI locations, usually with speakers;
Winter Ice Cream Social and Christmas-in-July parties at Tallwood;
A spring Super Salad Social and fall Chili Cook-off in Reston;
The Annual Meeting & Picnic in May at Tallwood;
The Town Hall Meeting in November at Tallwood; and
The Holiday Party, a posh event held at an area country club.
All of these are free to OLLI members, with the exception of the Holiday Party and a couple of the special coffees. So if you came to OLLI to take classes, be sure to take advantage of our social opportunities, too, and get to know your fellow OLLI members.
By Alice Slayton Clark, Communications and Program Associate
OLLI has copies of its new promotional flyer available in the Tallwood office. The full-color flyer has information about OLLI, a listing of all the classes offered spring term, and contact details for those interested in signing up. Grab a few flyers when you are on campus if you would like to share them with friends or drop them at a local store/library/community center. Flyers will also be available from your local site assistant.
It's Showtime! Theater Lovers' Group Plans Theatrical Outings
By Norma J. Reck, Theater Lovers' Group Coordinator
Members of OLLI's Theater Lovers' Group (TLG) met Friday morning, January 26, to plan theatrical outings for this spring. All OLLI members are invited to join TLG, which meets the last Friday of the month, generally from 10:00 to 11:30 in TA‑1. To receive TLG emails about our events, you must sign up for TLG on the OLLI website or go to the OLLI office to sign up. You and your guests are welcome to join TLG events. We welcome everyone to enjoy theater, have a fun dinner, and let the good times roll.
On Sunday, February 18, we will go to 1st Stage Tysons to see the 2:00 matinee of The Farnsworth Invention. If you watch television, then you will want to see the play since the story involves two men competing to invent TV. We'll go to dinner after the show at a restaurant nearby. Carpools can be arranged.
On Friday, February 23, Ken Elston, Director of Mason's School of Theater, will discuss his translation of Moliere's Imaginary Invalid: Coming Down with Something Hilarious in OLLI class 1002BT. The class will be combined with the TLG February meeting from 1:00 to 2:30 at Tallwood. You can still sign up for his class on the OLLI website. The Imaginary Invalid is a really laugh-out-loud tale of a miserly, outlandish hypochondriac with some romance thrown in. Then, on Sunday, March 4, we will go to the TheaterSpace next to Center for the Arts at Mason to see the performance of Imaginary Invalid, followed by dinner at Oh George in University Mall. Tickets for seniors are $10. News flash: Mason's School of Theater was just named number one in our region.
On Sunday, March 18, we will go to the Reston Community Center (RCC) to see Reston Community Players (RCP) perform Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the 2:00 matinee. We'll have dinner after the show. Need I say more? It will be a sell-out. Tickets for seniors are $20.
On Sunday, April 29, we will go back to RCC to see RCP perform Thoroughly Modern Millie at the 2:00 matinee. We'll have dinner after the show. Millie will have you dancing in the aisles.
We are also planning to form a Happy Hour Play Readers group at Tallwood and Reston and to take a backstage tour of the Folger. We're looking for a good murder mystery to attend, and we're looking into a trip to Shepherdstown, WV, in July to catch some of the plays at the Contemporary American Theater Festival.
The Tallwood Book Club will meet at 1:30 on Wednesday, February 14, in the Annex. The book for discussion is Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah, a South African comedian, writer, political commentator, and current host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central. Noah was born on February 20, 1984, in Johannesburg to a black mother and a white Swiss-German father, a year before interracial relationships and marriages were legalized as part of the undoing of apartheid. From the book jacket: “His stories weave together to form a moving and searingly funny portrait of a boy making his way through a damaged world in a dangerous time, armed only with a keen sense of humor and a mother’s unconventional, unconditional love.“
All OLLI members are welcome.
The selection for March 14 is Nora Webster by Irish author Colm Tóibín.
Experts Panel – Extended Q&A iPad and iPhone – Together at Last
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, February 17, at Tallwood. Join us at 12:30 for socializing in the Annex. Program activities begin at 1:00 in TA-1.
iPad and iPhone – Together at Last: Presented by Gabe Goldberg
“About six years ago, I wanted to buy a tablet, for the tablet "experience." Though at first disinclined to buy an Apple device, eventually personal circumstances led me to bond with it and I began using it daily. Years later, intrigued by the iPad Air 2, I convinced my wife that she needed an iPad so I could upgrade. The amazing Air 2 weighs less than a pound, has 64 gigabytes storage, and includes much better screen and cameras than the iPad 2 (which my wife of course inherited). Features almost entirely eclipse the iPad 2, with just one – typical – Apple exception. Last year, we replaced our venerable but still functional flip phones with iPhones. I'll review my thinking behind choosing iPhones, and our pleasant smartphone experience, brilliantly partnering with the iPads, and mostly also relevant to other tablet and phone models (e.g., Android, Google Pixel)."
Gabe is an information technology professional and technical writer. He currently serves as Region-2 member of the Board of Advisors of the Association of Personal Computer User Groups, assisting groups in six mid-Atlantic states.
Extended Q&A Session with Expert Panel: Roger Fujii, Tom Gutnick, and Ray Parker
Bring your computer and related technology questions for a 45‑minute session where we help you resolve computer-lifestyle issues. You may send questions in advance to: info@patacs.org – Subject Line: Tech Panel 2/17/18.
See full details on this meeting by clicking here. For information on the Computer Club, see the OPCUG website. OPCUG dues of $5 for 2018 will be collected at this meeting.
Can't make the meeting in person? Dues-paid club members may attend via Zoom's cloud meeting service, beginning at 12:45. Send a message to webinarhosts@patacs.org if you plan to attend in this way. Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/2080042114.
Emily
She’s back from her travels, wiser. Still, she wants to read my poems.
I can’t imagine why, when she has important things to do, like canoeing
in her optimistic canoe (it continues to look up at both ends) or reading
poems by authors who have paid their dues, that she would wish to read
mine. Curiosity? Compassion? Surely not compassion. She’s liberal, but
not that liberal. I think it’s just one more excuse to sit, snooze.
Performances, February 9 through February 19. By Shelly Gersten, OLLI E-News Staff WriterFor 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 CFAticket pageor the Hyltonticket purchase page.
At the Fairfax Campus Venues
Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra
Fri, Feb 09, 8:00
Pre-performance discussion: Stefan Solyom, conductor and Fredrik Österling, general manager
Concert Hall
Admission: $60, $51, $36.TAO:Drum Heart
Sat, Feb 10, 8:00
Pre-performance discussion: Member of the company
Concert Hall
Admission: $50, $43, $30.Virginia Opera: A Midsummer Night's Dream
Sat, Feb 17, 8:00
Sun, Feb 18, 2:00
Pre-performance discussion: Dr. Glenn Winter, "Dr. Opera"
Concert Hall
Admission: $110, $90, $54
35mm: A Musical Exhibition
Fri, Feb 16, 8:00
Sat, Feb 17, 2:00 and 8:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: Adults $20; seniors $10.Faculty Artist Series: Anna & Friends
Sun, Feb 18, 7:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: Free.
American Festival Pops Orchestra: Valentine Pops
Sat, Feb 10, 8:00
Pre-performance discussion: Bryan Kidd, Arranger in residence
Merchant Hall
Admission: $50, $43, $30.
Walnut Street Theatre: Baskerville
Sun, Feb 11, 7:00
Pre-performance discussion: Member of the company
Merchant Hall
Admission: $44, $37, $26.
American Roots Series: Ten Strings And A Goatskin
Sat, Feb 17, 8:00
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: $25 in advance; $30 day of performance.
Virginia National Ballet:AIDA
Sat, Feb 17, 2:00 and 7:30
Merchant Hall
Admission: $35 Adults; $30 seniors.
Youth Orchestras of Prince William: Flow
Sun, Feb 18, 3:00
Complimentary light reception at 2:00 in the upstairs Buchanan Partners Art Gallery.
Merchant Hall
Admission: Adults $20; $12 seniors.
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 any time 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).
Recorder Consort–TA-3
Craft and Conversation–Annex Board of Directors Meeting–TA-1
Classic Literature Club–TA-2
Homer, etc.–Annex
Chess Club–TA-2
Dr. Who Club–TA-3
Sat Feb 17
10:30am
1:00pm
Tai Chi Club–TA-3
Computer Club–TA-1
Tue Feb 20
9:30am
Annex Art–Annex
Wed Feb 21
10:00am
10:00am
10:30am
1:00pm
Bridge Club–TA-3
Mah Jongg Club–TA-2
Tom Crooker Investment Forum–TA-1 A/V Committee Meeting–TA-1
Fri Feb 23
9:15am
9:30am
11:00am
12:00pm
1:00pm
Recorder Consort–TA-3
Craft and Conversation–Annex
Homer, etc. –Annex
Photography Club–TA-3
Theater Lovers Club–TA-1
OLLI E-News was created by Rod Zumbro, who served as its editor from 2005 to 2013.
Editorial Staff
Chief Editor: Paul Van Hemel
Technical Editor: Irene Osterman
Associate Editor: David Gundry
Weekly Editor Team: Jean Boltz, John Nash, Sheri Siesseger, Leslie Vandivere,
Paul Van Hemel Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Susan Van Hemel, Shirley Springfloat, Linda Randall,
Gerry Ann Strube
Backup Chief Editor: Alice Slayton Clark
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 Tuesday for that week's issue (6:00 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.
