Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

ENews May 8, 2026

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OLLI E-News May 8, 2026
Print a condensed pdf copy of this newsletter, two web pages per sheet of paper.

Annual Meeting and Picnic, Tallwood, May 1

May 8, 2026


Editor of the Week: Paul Van  Hemel
Table of Contents

Alerts & Notices

  • You should have received a ballot for voting in the election of five members to the Board of Directors. Voting continues through May 15. Candidate statements are available on the website at this link.
  • The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published Friday, May 15; the regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, May 12, at 6:00.

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From the Desk of the Executive Director
Join Us May 8-9 for OLLI Ideas Festival

 
By Lisa Mariam, Executive Director

 

We are pleased to present a sampling of OLLI programs and activities at the inaugural OLLI Ideas Festival. Offerings include member favorites like Walk and Talk and Investment Forum as well as special programming such as the Panel on Global Perspectives on Longevity, a Tea Ceremony, and Meet the Restauranteur.

Check out the full schedule here. Join us May 8 and 9 for bold ideas and fascinating discussions with our remarkable community of curious learners and instructors.  

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Computer Club
3rd Saturday, May 16
The Informed Technology Consumer: Do you still have a landline?
What’s New with Zoom?
PC Clinic in the Annex
 
By Paul Howard , OPCUG Program Chair



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, May 16, in person and via Zoom. The Zoom session opens at 12:45 (Zoom link below).

The Informed Technology Consumer: Do you still have a landline?―Presented by Victor Rezmovic This presentation will provide a guide to modern connectivity solutions for the home and while traveling. We will contrast traditional wired internet with newer cellular home networks and mobile hotspots, highlighting how users can maintain web access even in rural areas or during emergencies via satellite messaging. The talk also explores VoIP technology and Google Voice as cost-effective alternatives to standard landlines for managing phone calls. To improve internal coverage, solutions include utilizing Wi-Fi extenders and mesh networks to eliminate signal dead zones. Finally, we will touch upon streaming services to replace cable television and the integration of smart devices within the Internet of Things (IOT).

Since retiring, Victor Rezmovic, PhD, has dedicated himself to teaching practical uses of technology such as using the Cloud, disconnecting from cable TV, and staying safe online. He has been teaching at Montgomery College and several adult learning centers since 2017. His current obsession is learning practical applications for the uses of AI.

Learn in 30: What’s New with Zoom―Presented by Mike Emery PATACS has been using Zoom since 2013 to provide a way for members in distant locations, or those unable to conveniently attend physical meetings to participate in the organization's primary activities.  As the lead site assistant for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University, Mike heads a team providing hundreds of Zoom classes and activities via Zoom every year.
      
See full details on this meeting by clicking here. For information on the Computer Club, see the OPCUG Website. OPCUG dues are $5 and are now due for 2026 (and 2025, if you didn’t get around to paying earlier!)—see http://olligmu.org/opcug/comm.html for details on making payment.

PC Clinic in the Annex
Get hands-on help with your computer and technology problems from PATAC experts. Bring in your computer, and we’ll help you lose the ‘blues’―system slowdowns, unwanted programs, virus and malware. We can help install new RAM, optical drives, hard discs and software. Be sure to read the Clinic Rules—click the link: Clinic Rules.
 
To attend via Zoom’s cloud meeting service, beginning at 12:45, please click:
https://olligmu-org.zoom.us/j/87181894687?pwd=jeej4aqXUEcbKuULWcx9ACtgISnrCF.1 to join the meeting and use passcode 468224. (Note: enter passcode with NO spaces) or enter meeting ID 871 8189 4687 in the Zoom app and use the above passcode (preferred method).

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Theater Potpourri: Theater Classics to World Premieres to a Voting Rights Musical


By Norma Jean Reck, Theater Lovers' Group, Coordinator


Did you know that the story of Little Women is a semibiographical novel of the author Louisa May Alcott? Sarah Elbert posits that "within Little Women can be found the first vision of the 'All-American girl' and that her various aspects are embodied in the differing March sisters - Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy." The story, set during the Civil War years, gives insights into the typical lives of women during that era. Theater Lovers' Group will go to the Creative Cauldron on Sunday, May 17 to see the 2pm performance of Little Women: The Musical. To purchase tickets, phone 703-436-9948 or go online to creativecauldron.org and use the code SSS to get $15 off all Sunday shows. Optional dinner after the show TBD. 
 
NEW DATE! On Wednesday, May 27, Theater Lovers' Group will attend 7pm performance of Pippin at Signature in Shirlington, with optional dinner beforehand TBD. A delightful tale of Pippin, Charlemagne's son, and his various (sometimes disastrous, hilarious) efforts, to become the hero he dreams of being. Tickets are going fast. Go to sigtheatre.org to select your seat and purchase your ticket.
 
On Wednesday and Thursday, July 15 and 16, Theater Lovers' Group travels to the Contemporary American Theater Festival for an overnight trip to nearby Shepherdstown, West Virginia, to see several world premieres. We need one more person to get a discount rate of $63/person for tickets. We will carpool. Lodging information and more will be forthcoming. For more details, email [email protected].
 
Broadway comes to PBS! This Friday at 9pm, Great Performances will feature the recorded 2024 Broadway hit Suffs, a musical, for your - free- viewing pleasure. Based on my having seen the show on Broadway, I can't say more than it is a show everyone can benefit from seeing. It's the story of the suffragette fight for women's voting rights - and it is a musical that you can enjoy while learning from and about history. So, pull up your chair, invite your children and grandchildren, friends and neighbors to watch a very entertaining piece of history delivered musically.
 
Guests are always welcome to join us at our theater events. Please email [email protected] if you will be joining us or have any questions. To join TLG, go to OLLI's member portal and search for Theater Lovers' Group.

Editor's Note: At the author's request, all words are published unedited, exactly as submitted.

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‘Game On! Talking Sports Club’ Invites All OLLI Members
By Dennis VanLangen and Steve Greenhouse,
Game On! Talking Sports Club Co-Coordinators
If you're among the many Washington, DC metro-area sports fans who spent summer evenings watching Nationals games on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, you already know the warm, familiar voice of Bob Carpenter. For 20 seasons—from 2006 through 2025—Bob was the television play-by-play voice of the Washington Nationals, before retiring after a long and distinguished broadcasting career.

Now he's coming to OLLI! The Game On! Talking Sports Club is delighted to welcome Bob as our featured guest on Friday, May 15, at 10:00 via Zoom. He'll share stories and reflections from a remarkable career, and we expect a lively and enjoyable conversation.

This session is open to all OLLI members. Watch for the Zoom link in your daily schedule email. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Poet's Corner
Courtesy of the Poetry Workshop

Sebastian

When first he came into our home we knew he
wouldn’t  be  here  long  enough  to  comfort
whichever one of us would be left stranded
single in a chill and lonely house. He lived like
a banked fire, embers heating our lives, flaring
with unexpected attacks, antics and zooms.
He made us smile. When for three days he
declined to eat food carefully heated or drink
the  tuna  water  he  loved,  we knew  he  was
dying. Sunday we woke to find him curled and
cold beside our bed. He was a good cat.
 
                            ‒Carolyn Wyatt

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Arts & Music at George Mason
Performances May 8 through May 24


By Shelly Gersten, OLLI E-News Staff Writer


The College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) has several web sites of performances, talks etc.
CFA ticket purchase page
Center for the Arts YouTube channel 
Hylton ticket purchase page
The new https://masonartsamplified.gmu.edu/
music.calendar.gmu.edu/
theater.calendar.gmu.edu/
dance.calendar.gmu.edu
masonexhibitions.org/
and if you miss a live performance, there is a pay-per-view for many: https://cfa.gmu.edu/events/paid-digital-performances. For tickets for either Center for the Arts Concert Hall (CFA) or Hylton Center, call 1-888-945-2468. You can also buy tickets online through the event calendar (see links above) or visit the venue's box office.

Dr. Linda Apple Monson produces a periodic “Notes from the Director.” This email is full of information on 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.

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At the Fairfax Campus Venues

Brigham Young University Alumni a capella Concert
Fri, May 8, 7:00
Center for the Arts
Admission: $55, $45, $35.
Fairfax and Arlington Campuses Visual Arts
(details can be found at https://www.masonexhibitions.org/)
 
Living the Prescription
Through May 8, 2026
Founders Gallery, Arlington Campus
 
Pulp Translations: Paperworks from George Mason MFA Alumni
Through June 26, 2026
Fenwick Gallery
Fairfax Campus
Mason Student and Faculty Performances

(see music.gmu.edu for additional student recitals)
 
Dewberry School of Music Honors Recital
Sat, May 9, 8:00
Center for the Arts
Admission: Free.

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At the Hylton Center (Manassas Campus)

ARTfactory’s Pied Piper Theatre: Oliver!
Sat, May 9, 2:00 and 7:00
Sun, May 10, 2:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $30 Adult, $24 Senior.

Buckwheat Zydeco, Jr. and the Ils Sont Partis Band
Sat, May 9, 5:00 and 8:00
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: $35.

Manassas Ballet Theatre: Don Quixote
Fri, May 15, 7:30
Sat, May 16, 3:00 and 7:30
Sun, May 17, 3:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $81, $71, $60, $50, $40.
 
Somers Voice: Raisin—The Musical
Sat, May 16, 2:00 and 7:00
Sun, May 17, 3:00
Sat, May 23, 2:00 and 7:00
Sun, May 24, 3:00
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: $45.

VISUAL ARTS 

Offerings to the Potomac: Acknowledging Indigenous Place
Through May 15, 2026
Buchanan Hall Atrium Gallery, Manassas Campus
 
Kevin Jones: Reflections in Black and White
Buchanan Partners Art Gallery
Hylton Performing Arts Center
Through June 20, 10:00

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For further details on any of the above events, see the CFA Event Calendar and the Hylton Center event calendar.

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Meetings & Clubs

Please note: OLLI Meetings and Clubs may currently take place in several formats: some are in person only, some are online only, and some are hybrid, meaning that they take place in person and are accessible online simultaneously. 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).

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. 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. The OLLI office has sent (or will send) emails with links and meeting passwords to club members.
 
Sat May 9 10:30 am Tai Chi Club – online
Mon May 11
 		  9:30 am
 4:00 pm		 What’s in the Daily News? – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tue May 12
 
 		  2:00 pm
 3:45 pm
 4:30 pm		 Chair Yoga and More – online
Caregivers Support Group – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Wed May 13
 
 
 
 
 
 		 11:50 am
12:00 noon
 1:30 pm
 1:30 pm
 1:30 pm
 2:00 pm
 4:00 pm		 Investment Forum
Chair Yoga and More – online
Board Game Club
Bridge Club
OLLI Artists Club
Memoir and More Writing Group – online
Spanish Page Turner Club – online
Thu May 14
 
 
 		 11:50 am
 3:00 pm
 4:00 pm
 4:30 pm		 All the News
Chair Yoga and More – online
Literary Fiction Book Club – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Fri May 15
 
 
 
 
 
 		  9:30 am
10:00 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
11:30 am
12:00 noon
 2:00 pm		 Crafts and Conversation
Mah Jongg Club
Talking Sports – online
Homer, etc. – online
Cooking Club
Chair Yoga and More – online
Classic Literature Club – online
Sat May 16
 		 10:30 am
 1:00 pm		 Tai Chi Club – online
Personal Computer Club
Mon May 18
 
 
 		  9:30 am
11:00 am
 4:00 pm
 4:00 pm		 What’s in the Daily News? – online
Poetry Reading Club – online
Family History/Genealogy Club – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tue May 19
 
 		  2:00 pm
 4:00 pm
 4:30 pm		 Chair Yoga and More – online
Mah Jongg Club – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Wed May 20
 
 
 
 		 10:00 am
10:00 am
10:30 am
12:00 noon
 4:00 pm		 Board Game Club
Bridge Club
Investment Forum
Chair Yoga and More – online
Spanish Club – online
Thu May 21
 
 		 11:50 am
 3:00 pm
 4:30 pm		 All the News – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Fri May 22
 
 
 
 
 		  9:30 am
 9:30 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
12:00 noon
 1:30 pm		 Photography Club
Crafts and Conversation
Mah Jongg Club
Homer, etc. – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
French Conversation and Happy Hour – online
Sat May 23 10:30 am Tai Chi Club – online

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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: Paul Van Hemel
Associate Editors: David Gundry, Deborah Kruesi

Weekly Editor Team: Chloe DiStaso, David Gundry, Deborah Kruesi, Chitra Mohla, John Nash,
Paul Van Hemel
 
Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Susan Van Hemel, Thomas Appich, Anne Hartshorn, Bonnie Becker, Carol McManus

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: [email protected].
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:olli.gmu.edu/" without the quotes.

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Notice: You received this newsletter because either you are a current OLLI member or you have been provided a courtesy copy. If you are an OLLI member who did not renew your membership, you can continue to receive our newsletter by emailing the office at [email protected] with your request. If someone forwarded this newsletter to you and you'd like to receive it each week, please email the office and ask to be added to the courtesy-copy list.

Copyright 2026 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University, 4210 Roberts Rd., Fairfax, VA 22032-1028
Phone 703-503-3384, Fax 703-503-2832


 






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Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University · 4210 Roberts RD · Fairfax, VA 22032 · USA

OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE
AT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

4210 Roberts Rd. Fairfax, VA 22032-1028
Phone: (703) 503-3384
Email: [email protected]

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