From the Desk of the Executive Director Fall Greetings
By Jennifer Disano, Executive Director
As the leaves transform into a breathtaking display of autumnal colors and the air takes on a refreshing crispness, it's time to embark on a new chapter of lifelong learning with OLLI Mason. Welcome to the fall term! This season isn't just about nature's change; it's an opportunity for us, our community of learners, to immerse ourselves in the world of knowledge and reap its myriad rewards.
Lifelong learning knows no age limit, and that's precisely what makes OLLI Mason such a treasure. Whether you've spent years as a dedicated scholar or you're new to the realm of continued education, the journey ahead holds a wealth of wonders.
The beauty of lifelong learning lies in the intellectual adventure it offers. It's akin to an ever-unfolding story—the more chapters you explore, the more captivating it becomes. Our courses are designed to keep your minds agile, inquisitive, and forever engaged.
OLLI Mason is more than just classes—it's a vibrant community of kindred spirits. As you engage in classes, workshops, and social gatherings, you'll form friendships that inspire and endure, creating bonds that are especially precious.
And remember, you can also become an instructor, sharing your wisdom with future generations of lifelong learners, leaving a meaningful legacy.
So, let's embark on this fall term together, celebrating the beauty of lifelong learning. OLLI Mason is your trusted companion on this journey, offering a diverse tapestry of courses and experiences that will ignite your curiosity and passion for knowledge.
Team Bloch Wednesday Conversations—Topic for September 27
By Brenda Bloch-Young and Doris Bloch, Co‑Moderators
Continuing our Wednesday Conversations series, Team Bloch (Brenda Bloch-Young and Doris Bloch) will moderate a Zoom discussion on September 27. The topic for Wednesday, September 27: What is Charisma?
CHARISMA (dictionary definitions):
a spiritual power or personal quality that gives an individual influence or authority over large numbers of people; OR
the special virtue of an office, function, position, etc., that confers or is thought to confer on the person holding it an unusual ability for leadership, worthiness of veneration, or the like.
Is charisma a positive thing? Or does it lead to unfortunate consequences? Is charisma needed for effective leadership? What gives someone charisma? Is it a physical attribute? An emotional intensity? Or a certain over-powering self-confidence? How widespread is it in the population at large? Do only men have charisma?
Check your daily schedule for the Zoom link on Wednesdays and plan on some social time with Team Bloch on September 27.
Please join us Friday October 6th for a very special economics session—War, Wine, and Taxes: The Political Economy of Anglo-French Trade, 1689-1900.
Many of you will remember Professor John Nye from his years presenting in the Economics Potpourri series each fall term. Or you may remember his energized explanation of the origins of the assembly line in February. He has agreed to return to present this research from his latest book, War, Wine, and Taxes. Tariffs have left a mark on French winemaking and British pubs that still survive today. He will explain the complex ways in which special interests and ideology affect policy decisions. It will definitely be a memorable event! Please refer to your catalog or the OLLI website for more information on F204/F204Z.
Theater Lovers' Group Offers Theater Potpourri
By Norma Jean Reck, Theater Lovers’ Group (TLG) Coordinator, with Jane Hassell and Gay Alper
TLG to See One of Broadway's Biggest Hits
On Sunday, October 15 at 2:00, TLG will go the James Lee Community Center in Falls Church to see the Providence Players perform Deathtrap. In this mystery thriller Sidney Bruhl, a successful writer of Broadway hits, is struggling to overcome a “dry” spell. A possible change in his fortunes occurs when he receives a remarkable script from a student that he realizes is a potential hit. Sidney’s plan is to offer help to the student in exchange for co-credit. But is that really his plan? Suspense mounts steadily as the plot begins to twist and turn with such an abundance of thrills and laughter that audiences will be enthralled until the final startling moments of the play. To purchase $18 senior tickets and to select your seats, please go to http://www.providenceplayers.org. Then email Norma (njreck@cs.com) that you will be attending Deathtrap and going to dinner with TLG. Remember that guests are always welcome.
TLG to See Mel Brooks's Musical Comedy
Gay Alper is changing it up a little on Wednesday, November 1, when she takes TLG to The Little Theater of Alexandria for a pre-show dinner and then to see Mel Brooks's musical Young Frankenstein. Stay tuned for details which will include a group rate on the tickets.
Broadway Comes to TLG
Save the date: Monday, November 13 at 1:00 via Zoom. Be there!
Victoria Cairl, Museum of Broadway rep, will come to us via Zoom from the newly opened Museum of Broadway at 145 West 45th Street, New York City. It's the only place in the world to rediscover Broadway—its history, its monumental moments, what it takes to create a Broadway show, and more. It's where the magic happens. Stay tuned for details.
By Michele Romano, Board Member and Health and Safety Advisory Workgroup Chair
Fall and winter respiratory season arrives, and you get sick. How do you know whether it’s Covid or one of the more than 200 viruses that cause the common cold? The only way is to take a Covid test. But which one? Based on your health and your risk to close contacts, testing may be indicated. There are 30 tests with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization for at-home use. None have received full FDA approval.
The tests fall into 2 categories. The molecular/PCR tests are more accurate but also more complicated. The sample usually must be mailed to a lab, and results aren’t back for two-three days. The antigen tests are less accurate, but you’ll see your results in 15-30 minutes. See Understanding At-Home Covid Test Accuracy (verywellhealth.com) for a more detailed discussion.
There are many factors that can affect the accuracy of the results. See At-Home Covid-19 Diagnostic Tests: Frequently Asked Questions | FDA for guidelines on who should test, when to test, and how often to test. Other factors include time since exposure, duration of symptoms, type of specimen, and complexity of the test. If you were exposed to Covid but are asymptomatic, you have a greater chance of getting a false negative test result. “Pilot error” is the biggest problem. Take the time to READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. And don’t forget to check the expiration dates. The FDA has extended the expiration dates for certain tests. The new dates can also be found on the above FDA FAQ website link.
What about cost and all these new variants? When the Covid emergency was declared over, the distribution of free over-the-counter test kits ended. The median cost for a molecular/PCR test is $120. The median cost for antigen tests varies, with some available for around $10-15 from sources like Amazon and Walmart. However, the resumption of the free tests-by-mail program of the government has just been announced. The website for the program, covidtests.gov, will begin accepting orders on Monday. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the existing tests remain effective in detecting the new BA.2.86 and XBB.1.5 variants.
Remember, whether you have taken a Covid test or not, if you are sick, please stay home and enjoy all OLLI has to offer on Zoom.
By Camille Hodges, OLLI Board Member/Humanities and Social Sciences, Current Events Program Planning Group Co Chair
OLLI invites you to share your expertise on topics that reflect your knowledge in any area. Currently, OLLI members have expressed the desire to have classes on the following topics:
“Agree to Disagree” Respectfully
Cultural Linguistics
Comparing Education in America with Other Countries
Historical Pros and Cons of Vaccinations
Of course, we are always happy to have a course based upon a topic of your choice.
If you have an interest in teaching OLLI courses (via Zoom/hybrid or in-person), have questions or ideas of your own, please contact any of the following HSS/CE committee chairpersons or program associates:
The September 2023 Photo of the Month theme was Street Photography. We selected George Bradshaw's photo "An Earlier Era," 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 John Olsen and Edward Marion, Photography Club Co-Coordinators
There once was a woman in Golden
Who never could quite get a hold on
When to water her plants
So she did it by chance
And the plants responded by foldin’.
OLLI member and instructor David Heymsfeld died at his home in Reston on September 15, 2023. He was born January 2, 1938, in New York City. A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, David was a public servant, spending much of his career on Capitol Hill. Ultimately, he was chief of staff for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
A lifelong learner, David presented courses on history at OLLI, and served as a volunteer guide for the Newseum. He was scheduled to teach a course on the Supreme Court from Warren to Roberts this fall term.
His funeral service was held on September 18, with interment at Fairfax Memorial Park. More information is available at this link.
For tickets for either Center for the Arts Concert Hall (CFA) or Hylton Center, 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 pageor the Hylton Center ticket purchase page.
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.
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. 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 Sep 23
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club
Tue Sep 26
1:00 pm
4:30 pm
Stay Active and Independent for Life
Tai Chi Club
Wed Sep 27
1:45 pm
4:00 pm
4:00 pm
Bridge Club
Mah Jongg Club
Theater Lovers’ Group
Thu Sep 28
4:30 pm
Tai Chi Club
Fri Sep 29
9:30 am
11:00 am
11:00 am
1:00 pm
Crafts and Conversation
Classic Literature Club
Homer, etc.
Stay Active and Independent for Life
Sat Sep 30
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club
Tue Oct 3
1:00 pm
4:30 pm
Stay Active and Independent for Life
Tai Chi Club
Wed Oct 4
1:45 pm
2:00 pm
4:00 pm
4:00 pm
4:00 pm
Bridge Club
Memoir and More Writing Group
Mah Jongg Club
History Club
Spanish Club
Thu Oct 5
4:30 pm
Tai Chi Club
Fri Oct 6
9:30 am
11:00 am
11:00 am
1:00 pm
Crafts and Conversation
Classic Literature Club
Homer, etc.
Stay Active and Independent for Life
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, Tom Appich
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. 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.
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 olli@gmu.eduwith 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 2023 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
