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/Technical Editor: Irene Osterman Associate Editor: Weekly Editorial Team: Paul Van Hemel, Sheri Siesseger, Leslie Vandivere, Proofreaders: John West, Gordon Canyock, Susan Van Hemel Backup Chief Editor: Sheri Siesseger 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 – 6:00 pm Tuesday for that week's issue (6:00 pm 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:olli.gmu.edu/" without the quotes.

OLLI E-News February 13, 2015

Print a condensed .pdf copy of this newsletter, two web pages per sheet of paper.

Website What's New Catalog DocStore Facebook Officials Member Portal Contact Us

For F202 Course “Retired With Questions,” Leo Brennan Leads
Panel of Experts in Topics of Interest to OLLI Members

February 13, 2015

Editor of the Week: Leslie Vandivere

Table of Contents

Alerts & Notices
New OLLI Registration System
The Russians Are Coming!
Obituary
Computer Club
Thank you for Being a Liaison!
Audio Visual Support Committee
Mah Jongg Club
Poet's Corner
Letter to the Editor
Arts & Music at George Mason
Mason Highlights
Meetings & Clubs
About OLLI E-News

Alerts & Notices

The next E-News will be on February 27. We will publish again two weeks after that on March 13.
All members are welcome to attend the Board of Directors meeting at 10 on Feb 20 in TA-1.

New OLLI Registration System

By Jennifer Disano, Executive Director

Dear OLLI Members,

Transitions are seldom easy. As we learn to use the new registration system, there will be "teaching moments" for all of us. If you feel frustrated, please keep in mind that the new system was long overdue, with four years of fits and starts to get OLLI to the point of acquiring a product to correct critical gaps in the former system. The new system has the capacity and design to support our growing membership, offers quick and reliable office administrative reporting, and, perhaps most importantly, provides top-notch customer support.

Change is hard for some folks and figuring out how to work a newfangled system can be daunting. But there's something I've found out about OLLI members—you love to learn! I know you are up for the challenge.

At this point, you should have reset your password and updated your profile. If you haven’t gotten around to that yet, here is a tutorial to get you prepared: http://youtu.be/tT9K6FkE9Gc.

Once you have signed in and updated your profile, you may sign up for any offerings on the system. You must hold a valid membership. Those of you with memberships expiring soon will need to purchase an annual membership beginning spring 2015. Here is a tutorial to walk you through that purchase: http://youtu.be/Kz9dcUgdw84.

The next step in this learning process is to get familiar with the “add to cart” feature. Currently, you can go into the system and add several available special events and classes, as well as sign up for ongoing activities. These offerings are “first come, first served” enrollment and are independent from the lottery/prioritization feature. “Add to cart” offerings require only that you “Checkout” in the “Shopping Cart” to enroll. Here is a video tutorial on that process: http://youtu.be/rxZMiVG6ko0.

Spring registration begins on February 18, and you will need to learn how to use the lottery/prioritization feature. Here is a tutorial on that process: http://youtu.be/GZSQ4tW3rXM. This video will teach you how to “Request a Class," choose to be or not to be a “Volunteer Liaison,” “Continue Shopping,” and “Prioritize” selections. The lottery feature was built to be very familiar and easy to use.

Just a heads up—one big change in this new system is that we no longer require that you pay in advance for lottery/priority offerings (like bus trips). Now, you will only have to pay if you “win” a seat in the class. If, after the lottery closes, you receive a notification that you “won” a seat in a class that has an associated fee, then you will have to pay for that class within 48 hours to guarantee your spot on the roster. When you register a request to be added to a class that has a fee, you will notice we’ve attached a waiver to the class that states you must acknowledge that you understand this new process.

This is a lot of information, but don’t worry. We’re here to help you every step of the way! For your convenience, registration training sessions are available at all three locations. In order to attend a training session you must bring a completed paper registration form from the printed catalog and your username and password (we can help you reset that, too!). If you are renewing a membership, please bring a valid form of payment (check or credit card).

Training Sessions

Fairfax (Tallwood): Social Annex
February 18:                9:00–12:00
February 19:                9:00–12:00
February 20:                9:00–10:30
February 23–26:           9:00–12:00
February 27:                9:00–10:30

Reston: Room 117
February 24:                 9:30–12:30

Loudoun: Suite 100, Room 108
February 18:               1:30–2:30
February 19:                 10:00–11:00

Along with the video tutorials, I have also created training materials to guide you through the learning process (https://olli.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/v7.3_LotteryStudent-ViewReg.pdf). I encourage you to view the tutorial videos completely and look through the training materials. By taking the time to carefully review these materials, you will find
many, if not all, of the answers to any registration questions, concerns, or issues you may have.

Thank you for your patience.

A side note: some of you have reported that your profile gives an inaccurate date for “member since.” This is an issue with how OLLI kept its electronic records, way back when. Data prior to 1997 is not in electronic form, so it did not get transferred with the rest of the import data. If you find that your profile “member since” date is inaccurate, please let us know and we’ll try to find a way to fix it. Meanwhile, please know that information is kept in our hardcopy files and we can access it via the archive.

The Russians Are Coming!

By Martha Powers

Miss your OLLI friends? Hankering for a between-term social event?

Then grab your sandwich and come to the OLLI screening of the 1966 movie, The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!

C’mon, admit it: you secretly miss the Cold War. So here’s your chance to relive those enthralling days in the 60’s, when you wondered what might happen next. For instance, what if a Soviet submarine ran aground just off the coast of the sleepy vacation town of Gloucester, Massachusetts?

This hilarious movie addresses that possibility, and showcases the talents of Carl Reiner, Alan Arkin, Brian Keith, Jonathan Winters, and Eva Marie Saint, among others. It’s rarely aired on TV these days, so grab this chance to see it on the big screen at OLLI!

We’ll start with Bring Your Own Lunch and mingling from 12 ‘til 12:30, then watch the movie trailer and a terrific feature—director Norman Jewison talking about the making of the movie. Last but not least, we’ll watch the two-hour movie in its entirety.

Although this movie is definitely a comedy, it made a significant statement at the time of its release since it questioned whether Russians and Americans were inherent enemies. If anything, this film showed how much we—and all people—have in common, and how much we will help each other when push comes to shove.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll shout, “Da!” Please join us for this fun event.

Register online TODAY! Class size limited to 65.

Tuesday, March 10, 12:00–3:00 in TA-3. Presenter: Martha Powers

Obituary

With sadness, we report the death of John Myers on February 3 in Springfield. John and his wife Sylvia, a long-time member of the Dirty Knee Club, were active OLLI members until they moved to Greenspring a year or two ago. John especially liked arts and music, lifestyle, and current events classes. His obituary is included at DignityMemorial.com.

Computer Club

by Paul Howard, Computer Club Coordinator

THE COMPUTER CLUB (OLLI Personal Computer User Group, or OPCUG) will meet with its partner, the Potomac Area Technology and Computer Society (PATACS), Saturday, February 21, at Tallwood. Join us at 12:30 for soft drinks and socializing in the social room. Presentations will begin at 1:00.

Switching from PC to Mac, Presentation by Lorrin Garson
Why would someone switch from PCs to Apple computers? In terms of functionality, how do PCs compare with Macs? What about price, support, repairs, software availability, backup and recovery, user interfaces, and culture? What about moving files from PC to Mac? Which changes are the most challenging? How painful is switching? What about mixed PC/Mac environments? What about the social implications of switching? Learn about the experience of one family’s move from PCs to Macs.

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 30: PATACS member Tom Gutnick will discuss techniques that sometimes elude computer users, but can greatly speed use and enjoyment of a variety of computing devices. This presentation is entitled “Copy and Paste: The Basics and Clipboard Management on Steroids for Windows, MacOS, and Smartphones/Tablets.”

See full details on this meeting by clicking here. For information on the Computer Club, see the OPCUG website. OPCUG dues of $5 for 2015 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 [email protected] if you plan to attend in this way. Join from PC, Mac, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/873398773.

Thank you for Being a Liaison!

By Martha Powers, Liaison Committee Chair

Each term, dozens of volunteers step to the front of our classrooms and make announcements from the OLLI Communicator. But did you know that liaisons also perform many other essential services?

They contact instructors before the term begins, help them find their way to our venues and get set up, offer them water and assistance during classes, and do anything else that will help make the experience a better one. After all, we hope our instructors (who are also volunteers) will come back to OLLI again and again.

During the winter 2015 term, almost all the OLLI member/instructors cheerfully agreed to serve as their own liaison, making the Liaison Sub-committee’s job much simpler. They deserve an extra hearty THANK YOU for taking on liaison duties, in addition to teaching. Double thanks!

When you register for the spring 2015 term, you’ll notice that the new registration system prompts you to be a liaison for each class you select. This is your chance to give back to OLLI in a fun, easy way—and it might help you discover that OLLI is much more than just a place to take classes. Please say YES to volunteering as a liaison, so we’ll be thanking YOU at the end of the next term.

Many thanks!

Audio Visual Support Committee

by Paul Howard, Audio Visual Support Committee Chair

OLLI'S AUDIOVISUAL SUPPORT COMMITTEE (a.k.a. the Tom Swift Squad) seeks additional volunteers to help ensure the smooth employment of OLLI's audiovisual resources. Our primary mission is to help instructors, liaisons, and staff with any audiovisual issues that might arise during the classes we attend. Our team is learning to use the LifeSize videoconferencing systems that offer the ability to share classes and meetings between OLLI locations.

We'll be meeting at 1:00 on Wednesday, February 18, in TA1. We'll offer hands-on training on our classroom audiovisual equipment and discuss future activities, improvements to our equipment, and operational methods.

Please let me know if you're planning to attend, or would like to become a "Swiftie" even if you can't come to this meeting. Contact me by email: [email protected] (preferred) or phone (703-860-9246).

For more information on the Audiovisual Support Committee, see its web page: http://www.olligmu.org/~finforum/private/olliav/avsupportcomm.html.

Mah Jongg Club

By Wynne Tysdal

For the past few years a group of OLLI members have been enjoying playing the ancient game of Mah Jongg with an ever-evolving group. Mah Jongg players of all levels are invited to join the group, which meets twice a month at

Tallwood. Even those who have never played are invited. Many members were total novices when they joined the group. All that is needed is a desire to learn the game.

Contact the office or Liz Bateman ([email protected]) to learn more about the Club. It is a great time to join the group as the National Mah Jongg League puts out a new card each March, and here we are already into February. The card has "hands" that one aims to achieve by picking and discarding tiles.

Come join us and become one of the enthusiastic Mah Jongg players!

Poet's Corner

Courtesy of the Poetry Workshop

By Anny Deboeck

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Just wanted to give a general thank you to those OLLI members who let the office know they were dropping a class this winter session. By filling out the drop form online or on paper, the office was able to contact those of us on the wait list. I, in turn, was able to attend all the classes for which I was wait-listed.

Hopefully this will also happen during the upcoming spring session, too.

Alana Lukes

Arts & Music at George Mason

Performances, Feb 13 through Mar 2

By Shelly Gersten, OLLI E-News Staff Writer

For tickets for either 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 CFA ticket page or the Hylton ticket purchase page.

At the Fairfax Campus Venues

The Vagina Monologues
Fri, Feb 13 and Sat, Feb 14, 8:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: $25

Virginia Opera: Salome
Sat, Feb 14, 8:00
Pre-Performance Discussion: Glenn Winters.
Concert Hall
Admission: $86, $72, $44.

Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra: An Evening with Doc Severinsen
Sat, Feb 21, 8:00
Pre-Performance Discussion: Jim Carroll, professor of jazz studies, George Mason School of Music.
Concert Hall
Admission: $50, $43, $30.

Christopher O'Riley and Pablo Ziegler: Two to Tango
Sun, Feb 22, 4:00
Pre-Performance Discussion: Christopher O'Riley.
Concert Hall
Admission: $46, $39, $28.

Mark Morris Dance Group
Sat, Feb 28, 8:00
Sun, Mar 1, 4:00
Pre-Performance Discussion: member of the company.
Concert Hall
Admission: $48, $41, $29.

Mason Student & Faculty Performances
(see music.gmu.edu for additional student recitals)

Faculty Artist Series: Voice
Sun, Feb 15, 4:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: Free.

Faculty Artist Series: Woodwind Area
Wed, Feb 18, 8:00
deLaski 3001
Admission: Free.

Black History Month Concert
Sat, Feb 21, 11:00
Concert Hall
Admission: Adults, $10; seniors, $5.

Mason Symphony Orchestra Concert
Wed, Feb 25, 8:00
Concert Hall
Admission: Adults, $10; seniors, $5.

In the Next Room, or The Vibrator
Wed, Feb 25, 8:00 (Preview)
Thu, Feb 26 - Sat, Feb 28, 8:00
Sat, Feb 28 - Sun, Mar 1, 2:00
TheatreSpace
Admission: Adults, $15; seniors, $10.

Faculty Artist Series: Percussion
Thu, Feb 26, 8:00
deLaski 3001
Admission: Free.

Faculty Artist Series: Composition
Fri, Feb 27, 8:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: Free.

Faculty Artist Series: Jazz Area
Sun, Mar 1, 4:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: Free.

M3E Concert
Sun, Mar 1, 7:00
deLaski 3001
Admission: Free.

At the Hylton Center

PWCS Exhibit: Making Connections Through Art
Feb 2 - Mar 8
Buchanan Partners Art Gallery is open to the public Tue-Sat, 10:00 - 6:00, Thu, 10:00 - 8:00 and two hours before performances. Gallery reception: Sat, Feb 28 from 12:30 to 1:45. For more information about the current exhibit, visit HyltonCenter.org/gallery. For reception, RSVP to [email protected].
Admission: Free

American Festival Pops Orchestra: Valentine's Day Pops
Sat, Feb 14, 8:00
Pre-Performance Discussion: Bryan Kidd, arranger in residence.
Merchant Hall
Admission: $48, $41, $29.

Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra: An Evening with Doc Severinsen
Fri, Feb 20, 8:00
Pre-Performance Discussion: Jim Carroll, professor of jazz studies, George Mason School of Music.
Merchant Hall
Admission: $50, $43, $30.

Black History Month Gala
Sat, Feb 21, 6:00
This event is a fundraising event for the Future Kings.
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: $80.

Capitol Steps
Sat, Feb 21, 7:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $45, $40, $35.

Black History Month Concert: The Dream Lives On
Sun, Feb 22, 4:00
Mason Wind Symphony and Vocal Studies students, Mason Gospel Choir, selected area church choirs and elementary school choirs.
Merchant Hall
Admission: Adults, $10; seniors and children, $5.

Jaime Jorge in Concert
Sun, Feb 22, 4:30
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: Adults, $15; seniors, $10.

Pushcart Players: Alice in Wonderland
Sat, Feb 28, 11:00 and 2:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: Adults, $15; seniors and children, $5.

Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy: Visions from Cape Breton and Beyond
Sun, Mar 1, 4:00
Pre-Performance Discussion: member of the company.
Merchant Hall
Admission: $48, $41, $29.

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

Mason Highlights

Other Mason events, next two weeks

By Helen Ackerman, OLLI E-News Staff Writer

Art Exhibit: George Mason University presents “Characters, Language and Design,” an exhibit that explores the interconnectivity between language, culture, art and design in Chinese written characters. This is the first in a series of exhibits sponsored in partnership between Mason's School of Art, the Confucius Institute, and the College of Art of Beijing Language University. The exhibition runs from Thursday, February 4 - Sunday, March 8, 2015, at Founders Hall Gallery, 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22201.

Concert: Music Without Borders. Rita Yahan-Farouz uses a TED style presentation to bring her unique message of peace and understanding through music to George Mason. Though she immigrated as a young girl to Israel from Iran, she has deep roots in her Persian heritage. This inspired her to create the breakthrough album My Joys, which covers nostalgic Persian music. This music has built a unique bridge between her and the people of Iran. Though banned in Iran, it is listened to in secret. She will share her story of connecting with the people of Iran through music, building a bridge for the people of two nations despite their national strife. Thu, Feb 26, 7:00 to 9:00. Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall. To purchase tickets visit: http://musicwithoutborders.eventbrite.com. Community members $12, free to students and faculty.

Meetings & Clubs

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 anytime 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).

About OLLI E-News

February 13, 2015

Alerts & Notices

New OLLI Registration System

Computer Club

Audio Visual Support Committee

Letter to the Editor

Meetings & Clubs

OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE AT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

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

OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE
AT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

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