- Spring-term registration continues on a space-available basis (click here). A few spring-term courses have been added, changed, or canceled since catalog production; click here for a full list.
- You can help celebrate OLLI's 30th Anniversary by making a contribution of $30 (or more). Click here to make a donation.
- The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published Friday, April 16; regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, April 13, at 6:00.
From the Desk of the Executive Director:
Additional Benefits of OLLI Membership and Two Great Evening Events in April!
By Jennifer Disano, Executive DirectorWe are so fortunate at OLLI to enjoy many benefits of membership through our affiliation with George Mason University, including:
access to the University Libraries to conduct research, explore catalogs of music, art, literature, and so much more;
Further, special invitations abound from many departments and centers across the university for unique lecture opportunities beyond the daytime programming offered at OLLI. This month, OLLI members and the public can attend two unique events sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Fall for the Book Festival. Enjoy!
Mason Provost Mark Ginsberg has revived the Vision Series originated by Dr. Peter Stearns years ago. The new series has featured some of OLLI’s favorite teachers such as Dr. Cynthia Lum. There is just one more event available—A Decade Beyond the Arab Spring: New Challenges for U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East, April 19, 7:00–8:15, presented by Dr. Peter Mandaville, professor of international affairs in the Schar School of Policy & Government and director of the Ali Vural Ak Center for Global Islamic Studies, both at Mason (more information at this link). Click here to register.
Fall for the Book: An Evening with American writer Kristin Hannah, Thursday, April 22, 7:00. Kristin Hannah will be in conversation with Tayla Burney, a longtime public radio producer in Washington, D.C. This event is brought to you by Fall for the Book and the Fairfax County Public Library (more information at this link). Register on Crowdcast for free here.
By Jennifer Disano, Executive Director
Please welcome new OLLI staffer Irina Irchai, site assistant for online classes. Irina has spent the last 20+ years working in the translation industry as a translator, interpreter, cultural consultant, researcher, instructor, and a project manager. She has participated in high-stakes research and translation projects for the U.S. Department of State, Department of Defense, Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon, Lockheed Martin, Agency for International Development (USAID), and other government agencies and private corporations. This has allowed Irina to utilize her diverse educational background and experience in telecommunications, foreign languages, and educational psychology.
Irina also regularly invests in her community in several ways. She is an enthusiastic crafter, and loves sharing her knowledge with others by teaching crochet classes both in-person and online as part of her business, ChicCustomCrochet. Through ChicCustomCrochet, Irina also helps to support Florida farmers and crafters at the Haile Farmers Market, Gainesville, FL, where she serves as treasurer on the Board of Directors. Additionally, she volunteers weekly at a rural Florida food bank, Children’s Table, Bronson, FL.
She notes, “I am excited to join the OLLI team, and contribute my work experience, knowledge of various industries, multicultural awareness, communication and computer skills to the continuing success of its offerings.”
By Ray Beery, OLLI Member and Former President
A six-month membership fee of $125, as well as the $200 annual fee, began in fall 1992. Both fees were available to current and new members. After evaluation, the half-year membership fee was eliminated as of fall 1995.April 9
In 1992, Mason's LRI was listed in the Elderhostel directory of learning in retirement institutes throughout the country. In early 1993, George Mason University’s new telephone book recognized LRI for the first time.
3rd Saturday, April 17–via ZoomMaking Digital Video Subtitles Electronic Distribution of Science Publications
By Paul Howard, OPCUG Program ChairThe Computer Club (OLLI Personal Computer User Group, or OPCUG) will meet with its partner, the Potomac Area Technology and Computer Society (PATACS), on Saturday, April 17, via Zoom. Program activities begin at 1:00.Making Digital Video Subtitles–Presented by John Krout
In this digital video era, closed captioning, in the speaker’s language, and subtitles, in foreign languages, have become synonyms. Both rely on a combination of technologies in the digital video file itself and in the digital video player software. Subtitles, valuable for anyone watching video in a noisy environment, can be a definite plus for any hearing-impaired viewer.
This presentation illustrates how to make English subtitles in any video with English dialog:
obtain text from speech in the video
edit the text (no speech to text conversion is perfect)
merge the text into a video file.
John has used this process to add subtitles to some of his recorded presentations for past PATACS/OPCUG meetings. Additionally, you will learn how to use the free VLC-media player to turn on and off subtitles, and to adjust the size of the subtitles on the screen.
A frequent meeting presenter, John also is the author of many of the articles on PATACS Zoom reference page, and many PATACS Posts newsletter offerings.
Learn in 30 – Electronic Distribution of Science Publications–Presented by Lorrin Garson
Scientists communicate by publishing results of their research in journals, which are the primary source, and historical record, of science information. But what is a journal and how does a scientist get his/her information published? The first science journal was published in January 1665. Science journals were printed on paper and distributed to libraries and individuals until late in the 20th century when distribution began electronically via the Internet. Learn how this information transited from petrochemicals (ink) on crushed trees (paper) to 1s and 0s transmitted electronically.
Lorrin had a long career in technical publishing of chemical information. His presentations to our computer groups are famous for their thorough research and clarity.
See full details on this meeting by clicking here. For information on the Computer Club, see the OPCUG Website. OPCUG dues are $5 for 2021—see http://olligmu.org/opcug/comm.html for details on making payment.
Attend via Zoom's cloud meeting service, beginning at 1:00. To join the meeting, please click this link and use Passcode 794756, or, from ‘Join’ in the Zoom app, enter 948 9296 8399 as the meeting ID and use passcode 794756 [Note – new codes this meeting].
Spring-Term Statistics–at the End of Priority Registration, March 11
By Doris Bloch, Program Committee Co-chair
For the spring term 2021, OLLI has 141 offerings, consisting of courses, special events, and social events. It is looking like quite a wide set of diverse opportunities for OLLI members.
While we know that there are always drops and adds before classes begin, we can make some generalizations based on the registrations that were added by the end of the priority registration cycle. For instance, the average number of participants in a single class is 74. We have one class with 234 registrations; we also have a class with only two.
Spring 2021 has only five waitlists and these are for courses where the number of participants has been restricted to a small group at the request of the instructor.
In total, OLLI members registered for 10,600 offerings. The average member signed up for 10 offerings. Pretty impressive! Enjoy our spring term classes.
Coffee Klatch to Celebrate OLLI’s 30th Anniversary
By Toni Acton, Member Services Committee Chair
Join your OLLI friends at the Grab ‘n’ Gab Coffee Klatch on Friday, April 16 from 1:00 to 2:30 for a bit of OLLI history as we celebrate our 30th anniversary. The OLLI Players will delight us with their trivia contest, and we’ll hear from members, old and new, as they share anecdotes from their OLLI experiences. Register for Event #1102 via the member portal or contact the registrar at [email protected].
By Doris Bloch, Program Committee Co-chair
The OLLI ChatLine is up and running 7 days a week and 24 hours a day. Anytime that you want to chat with a friend via Zoom, this is a handy vehicle for both video and audio contact - better than a phone call. However, some of us have tried to make the chatline more accessible for general discussion, meeting new people, and making new friends. How to do this? By specifying certain dedicated hours to be sure that someone is chatting online and by assigning topics of general interest to those time frames.
For the week of April 12, we have scheduled a slot from 4:30–5:30, well after the last classes of the day, on Monday, April 12, to talk about the "Washington Nationals," professional baseball team for the nation's capital. For a second session on Wednesday, April 14, also from 4:30–5:30, the topic is "Exercise;" what do you enjoy, what have you given up during the pandemic, what have you added or discovered during the pandemic, where are your favorite walks or hikes, and so on.
Note that the Zoom meeting ID and passcode are always in the Daily Schedule. Looking forward to some interesting Happy Hour chats.
A magpie or is it a witch?
perches on the closed stile of the
wattle fence burdened by thick snow
she studies the faded yellow barn
it’s snow-covered roof slanting down
in the disappearing steel pink light
the woven fence weighed down by
cumbersome snow groans in the cold,
disturbing her meditation.
Magpie spreads her wings, unconcerned
by snow, she soars into the
lengthening blue shadows
casting a spell on the bare limbs
they swirl in a frozen dance
framed by the pale gray sky
-Susan BennettBack to Top of Page
Arts & Music at George Mason
Performances, April 9 through April 19By Shelly Gersten, OLLI E-News Staff Writer
Virtual Performances
Although Mason’s campus is shut down, online entertainment continues for us to access and enjoy. 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 send an email to Brianna Schoen at[email protected]. Also, the Center for the Arts has a websiteMason Arts at Home, which has a calendar of online events and access to many past performances. Information can also be found atCFA ticket purchase pageor theHylton ticket purchase page.
Mason Student & Faculty Performances(seemusic.gmu.edu for additional student recitals)
Mason Dance Company: Spring New Dances
Center for the Arts
Fri, Apr 9 and Sat, Apr 10, 8:00
TICKETS For Friday
TICKETS For SaturdayMason School of Theater: Are you There?
Fri, Apr 9, 8:00
RegisterDewberry Faculty Artist Series: Duo-Piano and Musical Theater!
Tue, Apr 13, 7:00
Center for the Arts YouTube channel
At the Hylton Center (Manassas Campus)K [squared]²
Thu, Apr 15, 7:15
Hylton Center Facebook page, and YouTube channel.
Hylton at Home Story Corner: What a Wonderful World
Sat, Apr 17, 10:15am
Hylton Center Facebook page, and YouTube channel.
Please note: Physical meetings for clubs and activities are canceled until further notice in accordance with Mason’s guidelines. OLLI is conducting its classes and activities online. Refer to the university's coronavirus website for official university updates and check the OLLI calendar for revised information.
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 Apr 10
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club
Tue Apr 13
4:30 pm
Tai Chi Club
Wed Apr 14
2:00 pm
4:00 pm
Memoir and More Writing Group
Spanish Club
Thu Apr 15
4:30 pm
Tai Chi Club
Fri Apr 16
9:30 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
11:00 am
1:00 pm
2:00 pm
Craft & Conversation
Board of Directors Meeting
Classic Literature Club
Homer, etc.
Grab ‘n’ Gab Coffee Klatch
Cooking Club
Sat Apr 17
10:30 am
1:00 pm
Tai Chi Club
Personal Computer User Group
Tue Apr 20
4:30 pm
Tai Chi Club
Wed Apr 21
4:00 pm
Mah Jongg Club
Thu Apr 22
4:30 pm
Tai Chi Club
Fri Apr 23
9:30 am
11:00 am
11:00 am
12:00 noon
Craft & Conversation
Classic Literature Club
Homer, etc.
Photography Club
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: Jean Boltz, John Nash, Sheri Siesseger, Paul Van Hemel Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Susan Van Hemel, Linda Randall, Tom Appich, Roz Stark
Marian Drohan, Jane HassellSubmissions. 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: [email protected].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.Search E-News: You can view past issues of OLLI E-News at ENews Archives. To search the content within issues, use Search or enter your search term(s) in Google followed by “site:olli.gmu.edu/” without the quotes.
Irina also regularly invests in her community in several ways. She is an enthusiastic crafter, and loves sharing her knowledge with others by teaching crochet classes both in-person and online as part of her business, ChicCustomCrochet. Through ChicCustomCrochet, Irina also helps to support Florida farmers and crafters at the Haile Farmers Market, Gainesville, FL, where she serves as treasurer on the Board of Directors. Additionally, she volunteers weekly at a rural Florida food bank, Children’s Table, Bronson, FL.
By Ray Beery, OLLI Member and Former President
Join your OLLI friends at the Grab ‘n’ Gab Coffee Klatch on Friday, April 16 from 1:00 to 2:30 for a bit of OLLI history as we celebrate our 30th anniversary. The OLLI Players will delight us with their trivia contest, and we’ll hear from members, old and new, as they share anecdotes from their OLLI experiences. Register for Event #1102 via the member portal or contact the registrar at 
