From the Desk of the Executive Director:
Tell a Friend
By Jennifer Disano, Executive Director
Recently, OLLI Mason Outreach Committee Chair Debby Mossburg asked you in her article “It’s in Your Hands” for your assistance to spread the word about OLLI in your neighborhood newsletter. This week, we ask you to get personal and “Tell a Friend” about OLLI Mason. Here are some tips to get you started:
Highlight the Benefits: Explain to your friend the benefits of lifelong learning, such as improved cognitive function, increased social interaction, and opportunities for personal growth and fulfillment.
Share Your Experience: Share your personal experience with your friend. Let them know what you gained from the experience of being an OLLI member and how it positively impacted your life.
Provide Resources: Share information about OLLI Mason, such as the website, class schedule, and contact information. This will make it easier for your friend to learn more and get involved.
Plan an Activity: Plan an activity around the OLLI lifelong learning program, such as attending a class or lecture together. This will give your friend a firsthand experience of what the program has to offer and may make them more likely to get involved.
Follow Up: After your friend attends a class or becomes involved in the program, follow up with them to see how they enjoyed it and if they plan to continue. This will help them feel supported and may encourage them to continue with their learning journey.
By taking part in the OLLI Mason "Tell a Friend" campaign, you can encourage your friends to stay engaged and fulfilled in their later years through membership at OLLI Mason. Remember to highlight the benefits, share your experience, provide resources, plan an activity, and follow up to support your friend's journey.
The Board of Directors met at Tallwood on February 17. President Lillian Brooks reported that OLLI executives had held preliminary meetings with representatives from travel agencies to begin explorations of arranging trips for OLLI members. Representatives of two travel companies that specialize in travel for our demographic attended the February 17 meeting. OLLI is very excited about the possibilities of developing a travel program for our members. The travel company representatives at the Board meeting presented information about their programs for both domestic and overseas travel. Stay tuned for more information as we find the best companies to work with and plan exciting trips for all of us.
1105 Reston Spring Fling Lunch & Museum Tour
Wednesday, 12:00- 3:00, April 5 Celebrate the beginning of spring on April 5 in Reston with your hostess OLLI Reston Program Planning Group Chair Anita Lasansky. Enjoy lunch at Montmartre Restaurant, followed by a tour of the Reston Museum, steps from the restaurant.
The cost of lunch is on your own. Parking is free. The restaurant is at 1625 Washington Plaza N, Reston, in the lake Anne Plaza.
Registration is limited to 25 and is on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that this is a new Special Event, not in the spring catalog. Attendees must register through the member portal.
Special Session: Watercolor Painting–Beginners and Beyond Course
By Christine Narbut, Art and Music Program Planning Group Co‑Chair
Registration has opened for the spring term and both Watercolor Painting and Dabbling Artists are available as options to continue your exploration into applied arts. Drawing and painting have many benefits beyond the finished picture. Entering your own little world of creativity and forgetting outside stressors for a little while is like a mini-vacation for your mind.
This spring, Watercolor Painting-Beginners and Beyond will feature a special session on Snowy Trees April 25 at 2:00, presented by Marni Maree, one of the resident artists at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton.
Marni is originally from Philadelphia, where she went to Moore College of Art and Design. She is mainly a watercolor artist who also paints with oils and mixed media. She has a studio at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton as well as one in her home in Springfield. Marni has earned numerous awards for her watercolors and is a member of the Potomac Valley Watercolorists, Springfield Art Guild, and Virginia Watercolor Society. She teaches many online classes, live workshops, and international travel workshops.
In the Snowy Trees session, you will learn many playful, yet useful, watercolor techniques as you paint colorful, imaginative, beautiful trees. Please register for the Watercolor Painting – Beginners and Beyond to participate in this special presentation. Looking forward to spring and seeing art blooming before our eyes.
OLLI writers—beginners and experienced—take note: OLLI Ink is accepting submissions, including poems, fiction, personal essays, and memoirs, for its 2023 edition.
Now moving into its 13th year, OLLI Ink is a well‑established publication whose contributors come from a wide spectrum of members, including—but not limited to—those enrolled in writing workshops.
How to Submit: Please send your entries and/or any questions to Caroline McNeil at caromcneil@gmail.com.
Guidelines:
entries either as an email attachment or pasted in the body of the email to Caroline McNeil (at caromcneil@gmail.com).
Please limit number of lines to 30.
Please limit number of words to 2,500.
Contributions are welcome through March 15.
Publication: It is expected that OLLI Ink 2023 will be published online again this year, and that hard copies will be mailed to contributors.
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, March 18, in person and via Zoom. Coffee, soda, and individual snack packages will be available. Program activities begin at 1:00; the Zoom session usually opens at 12:45.
Bananas at $0.63/lb., the Speed of Light, and Quantum Mechanics – Presented by Lorrin Garson
As of November 16, 2018, all seven of the international basic units have been defined in terms of unchanging, fundamental physical constants. The kilogram (kg), the unit of mass, is the last basic unit to be so defined. The kilogram is now expressed in terms of (1) a specific atomic transition frequency (ΔνCs) that defines the second (s), (2) the speed of light (c), and (3) the Planck constant (h). Huh, you’re thinking? You’ve got to be kidding! The chunk of Pt/Ir metal standard is dead; long live the new kilogram!
Lorrin Garson had a long career in technical publishing of chemical information. His presentations to our computer groups are famous for their thorough research and clarity in explaining topics such as cryptography, encryption of personal data, cloud storage, and the origins of personal computers.
Learn in 30: 2022 Invisible Apps – Presented by John Krout
When you stop using an app on a smart phone or tablet, that app remains in RAM on the device even though you cannot see it. This is true in Apple devices even if you shut down and start up the device later. These can accumulate over time. The result of allowing many apps to remain running in RAM can be a slowdown of the device as well as overuse of the device battery, so the device heats up. This presentation will show you how to identify invisible apps in device RAM, and how to shut down the apps to avoid device speed and heating issues.
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.
See full details on this meeting by clicking here. For information on the Computer Club, see the OPCUG Website. OPCUG dues are $5 for 2023—see http://olligmu.org/opcug/comm.html for details on making payment.
To attend via Zoom’s cloud meeting service, beginning at 12:45, please click this link to join the meeting and use passcode 569804 (Note: enter passcode with NO spaces) or enter meeting ID 823 4185 2232 in the Zoom app and use the above passcode (preferred method) or dial in – 301-715-8592.
Great Theater at a Group Rate with Theater Lovers’ Group
By Norma Jean Reck, Theater Lovers' Group Coordinator
CORRECTION: The Theater Lovers' Group (TLG) will attend the 2:00 matinee of How the Light Gets In on Sunday, March 5, at 1st Stage Tysons. The group rate is $40/person. Optional Hibachi-style dinner at nearby Sakura after the show. For details, please email Norma at njreck@cs.com. Free parking.
NEW! On Sunday, March 19, TLG members will attend the 2:00 matinee performance of Silent Sky at Providence Players, located at Route 50 and Annandale Road in Falls Church. Senior tickets are $18. Silent Sky is an inspiring true story about Henrietta Leavit, an astronomer ahead of her time. In 1900, she was hired by Harvard University to map stars but received no scientific credit, which was only attributed to men at the time. She went on to make scientific discoveries that have had a lasting impact on the field of astronomy. Optional dinner after the show at a nearby restaurant. Join us to celebrate women in the month of March. Free parking.
RESCHEDULED: Pacific Overtures at Signature Theatre has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 1, for the 2:00 matinee. Tickets are going fast for this seldom-performed Sondheim musical. Group rate will be about $71/person. The play is based on a true historical event of 1853 when the Americans sent an expeditionary force to open up "The Floating Kingdom" to trade, ending its 200 years of isolation. Sondheim tells the story of Western influence on sailors, samurai, and Japanese society from the Japanese point of view. Optional dinner after the show at a nearby restaurant. Free parking.
All OLLI members and guests are invited to join TLG members on our theatrical outings. Remember Nicole's challenge: Try a new theater this year! If you haven't already done so, then choose one of the above TLG theater outings and join us for a very pleasant afternoon with fellow theater lovers. We carpool, too.
By Marilyn Harriman, OLLI Walk & Talk Club Co-Chair
Valentine’s Day was full of sun and balmy temperatures, and the Walk & Talk Club took advantage at Huntsman Lake Trail in West Springfield. Afterward, most of the group of 23 gathered for a hot beverage and dessert at Chloez Café in Fairfax Station. It was an excellent way to enjoy OLLI friends on the holiday of hearts. On February 24, Vince Modugno led 13 walkers on some interesting trails at Nottoway Park in Vienna.
As the weather turns warmer, the club is planning several one-hour outings in March:
Tuesday, March 7, Dick Crawford will lead a walk at Eleanor C Lawrence Park Trail in Chantilly starting at 10:00.
Monday, March 13, Debby Mossburg will lead walkers on a new stretch of the Gerry Connolly Cross Country Trail at 2:00. We’ll start from Valestra Circle in Oakton.
Tuesday, March 21, under the guidance of Averi Fischer, club members will join other OLLI members on a walking tour of the main campus of George Mason University, beginning at the Visitor Center (registration through the OLLI catalog is required for this walk).
Friday, March 31, walkers will explore more of Mason District Park Trail starting at 9:00 with club member and guide Michael Nephew.
If any of these outings appeal to you, and you’ve not yet registered with the OLLI Walk and Talk Club, Bob Heyer, co-chair, and I invite you to do so for spring 2023. It’s easy! Just sign into your member portal on the OLLI website. Once there, type “OLLI Walk Talk Spring 2023” in the “advanced search options” field, upper right-hand corner, and the club should appear when you click on the GO> button to the right of the field. Be sure to click on the club, so it goes into your cart and then “check out” so your club registration is completed.
Once registered, you will receive updates about upcoming walks, including directions to the trail location and maps. Join us in the fun of walking!
Mason Research Opportunity: StrongerMemory Program
(Phase II)
By Hyun Kang, Ph.D., Mason Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Social Work
Experiences of Older Adults and Caregivers in an Intervention Program for Cognitive Impairment
George Mason University gerontology team invites people aged 60 and over who have cognitive or memory concerns to participate in the StrongerMemory program. This program encourages participants to spend just 20 to 30 minutes a day reading aloud, writing, and quickly completing simple math problems. Our research team will ask you about how the StrongerMemory program has affected your cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functioning. Participation in this study will involve completing questionnaires before and after the 12-week StrongerMemory program and completing weekly check-in sheets. Upon completion of the post-interview, we will provide a gift card ($75) as compensation for your time and effort.
If you are interested in participating in this study, please complete the questionnaire (use link or QR code below). It is a very brief survey designed to assess your recent experience with cognitive decline. You will be contacted via email if you are eligible to participate.
Thank you for your interest. If you have any questions about the study, please contact Dr. Hyun Kang (hkang31@gmu.edu), Dr. Emily Ihara (eihara@gmu.edu) and/or Dr. Cathy Tompkins (ctompkin@gmu.edu).
By Linda H. Harber, OLLI Member and Friends of Music at Mason President
Please plan to come to George Mason University next week to see two fabulous concerts. First, on Sunday, March 5, at 4:00, in Mason’s Harris Theatre, you can attend the University Singers Concert. Then, on Monday, March 6, at 8:00, at the Center for the Arts, come to the Mason Symphony Orchestra & student concerto soloists in concert.
Please read what the conductor, Dr. Lisa Billingham says about her upcoming March 5 program:
The University Chamber Singers will present Women in Song on March 5, at 4:00 in the Harris Theatre on the Fairfax campus. Please join us for a series of works by female composers. The choir has been working on a work by Vivan Fung based on a Balinese dance called the Kecuk. The students are studying the movement of the Kecuk with a professional dancer, and two guest dancers will be featured as a part of the concert, with thanks to the Indonesian Embassy in Washington, DC, for their support.
Now read what conductor, Dr. Soo Han tells us about his upcoming March 6 program:
The concert opens with Arirang Fantasy by Korean composer Sunghwan Choi. Arirang is without a doubt the most important folk tune in the Korean culture. The most popular work centers around evocations of longing for home, loved ones, and hope for the future. The concert will also feature Dvorak Symphony No. 9 in D minor. As one of the most popular Dvorak symphonies, it has many themes and melodies that the audience will recognize. Finally, the concert will feature one of our Mason Symphony concerto competition winners, Stephen Sim, who will be performing Concertino da Camera for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra by Jacque Ibert. Stephen is one of our four concerto competition winners (three others will be featured in our May concert). He is a brilliant artist and plays with incredible maturity and technical mastery that is beyond impressive – everyone will love seeing and hearing him perform.
Also, please let me (lharber@gmu.edu) know if you want to be on the Friends of Music at Mason (FOMM) email list. You will receive our wonderful Friday FOMM Music Moments and our monthly FOMM News. Please mark your calendar now and come to George Mason University to enjoy the music!
Ars Poetica II
Words like snowflakes fall
through my cold hostile world,
blizzards of words I examine
as if under a microscope.
Emotions embrace my shivering self
some like fiery anger,
others nurturing love.
I compact them with pebbles inside.
From this storm a poem. Carolyn F. Wyatt
Current vaccination policy for the Center for the Arts and Hylton Performing Arts Center is summarized as follows:
Audience members are not currently required to show proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID-19 test result for most events except when required by the event organizer or artist. If proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result is required for a specific event, it will be indicated on the webpage with event details.
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. Information can also be found at CFA ticket purchase page, Center for the Arts YouTube Channel, or the Hylton ticket purchase page.
Fairfax Symphony Orchestra: Jason Vieaux, guitar and Aaron Clay, double bass
Sat, Mar 11 at 8:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: $65, $50, $40.
Virginia Opera: La Traviata
Sat, Mar 11 at 8:00
Sun, Mar 12 at 2:00
Concert Hall
A pre-performance discussion featuring Virginia Opera Resident Scholar, Joshua Borths, will take place in Monson Grand Tier, on the third level of the Center for the Arts Lobby, 45 minutes prior to curtain.
Admission: $ 110, $70, $40.
KODO
Sat, Mar 18 at 8:00
Concert Hall
A pre-performance discussion will take place in Monson Grand Tier, on the third level of the Center for the Arts Lobby, 45 minutes prior to curtain.
Admission: $60, $51, $36.
The Night Knights
Fri, Mar 3 at 8:00
Sat, Mar 4 at 11:00 and 2:00
deLaski Performing Arts Building, A105, TheaterSpace
ASL Interpreted Performance and Talkback on Mar 3 at 8:00
Admission: $10.
University Singers Concert
Sun, Mar 5 at 4:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: $12 Adult, $8 senior.
Composer's Week Recital
Sun, Mar 5 at 6:00
deLaski Performing Arts Building, 3001
Admission: Free.
Symphony Orchestra Concert
Mon, Mar 6 at 8:00
Concert Hall
Admission: $15 Adult, $10 senior.
Feb 21 –Apr 15
Hylton Performing Arts Center, Buchanan Partners Art Gallery
Admission: Free.
Manassas Symphony Orchestra: Inspirations
Sat, Mar 4 at 7:30
Merchant Hall
Admission: $25.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents: Songs We Love
Sun, Mar 5 at 4:00
Merchant Hall
A pre-performance discussion begins one hour prior to the performance.
Admission: $48, $41, $29.
Manassas Ballet Theatre: La Boutique Fantasque & More!
Fri, Mar 10 at 7:30
Sat, Mar 11 at 7:30
Sun, Mar 12 at 3:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $ 65, $55, $45, $35, $25.
Prince William Little Theatre: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Fri, Mar 10 at 8:00
Sat, Mar 11 at 2:00 and 8:00
Sun, Mar 12 at 2:00
Fri, Mar 17 at 8:00
Sat, Mar 18 at 2:00 and 8:00
Sun, Mar 19 at 2:00
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: $25 Adult, $20 senior.
Manassas Chorale: With One Voice
Sat, Mar 18 at 7:30
Merchant Hall
Admission: $25, $23.
Dervish
Sun, Mar 19 at 4:00
Merchant Hall
A pre-performance discussion begins one hour prior to the performance.
Admission: $48, $41, $29.
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 Mar 4
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club
Mon Mar 6
9:30 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
What’s in the Daily News?
Mah Jongg Club
Poetry Reading Club
Tue Mar 7
9:30 am
4:00 pm
4:30 pm
Annex Art
Spanish Club
Tai Chi Club
Wed Mar 8
10:00 am
10:30 am
2:00 pm
4:00 pm
6:00 pm
Bridge Club
Investment Forum
Memoir and More Writing Group
Mah Jongg Club
Ethnic Eats Club
Thu Mar 9
11:50 am
12:15 pm
4:30 pm
All the News
Excursion Committee
Tai Chi Club
Fri Mar 10
9:30 am
9:30 am
11:00 am
11:30 am
2:30 pm
Photography Club
Craft and Conversation
Homer, etc.
Cooking Club
Tallwood Book Club
Sat Mar 11
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club
Mon Mar 13
9:30 am
11:00 am
What’s in the Daily News?
Poetry Writing Club
Tue Mar 14
9:30 am
4:30 pm
Annex Art
Tai Chi Club
Wed Mar 15
10:00 am
10:30 am
Bridge Club
Investment Forum
Thu Mar 16
11:50 am
4:30 pm
All the News
Tai Chi Club
Fri Mar 17
9:30 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
Craft and Conversation Board of Directors Meeting
Homer, etc.
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, Linda Randall, Tom Appich, Jane Hassell
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. 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. An Amazon Smile Link appears here. When you shop using the Smile link designating OLLI as your charitable choice, we'll receive a 0.5 % donation, based on the value of your purchase.
This spring, Watercolor Painting-Beginners and Beyond will feature a special session on Snowy Trees April 25 at 2:00, presented by Marni Maree, one of the resident artists at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton.
CORRECTION: The Theater Lovers' Group (TLG) will attend the 2:00 matinee of How the Light Gets In on Sunday, March 5, at 1st Stage Tysons. The group rate is $40/person. Optional Hibachi-style dinner at nearby Sakura after the show. For details, please email Norma at 
RESCHEDULED: Pacific Overtures at Signature Theatre has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 1, for the 2:00 matinee. Tickets are going fast for this seldom-performed Sondheim musical. Group rate will be about $71/person. The play is based on a true historical event of 1853 when the Americans sent an expeditionary force to open up "The Floating Kingdom" to trade, ending its 200 years of isolation. Sondheim tells the story of Western influence on sailors, samurai, and Japanese society from the Japanese point of view. Optional dinner after the show at a nearby restaurant. Free parking.
Please read what the conductor, Dr. Lisa Billingham says about her upcoming March 5 program:
