|
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Southern Maine |
| |
|
Director’s Message
Happiness, Wellbeing, and OLLI
“To increase wellbeing, we need to connect with each other, be active, take notice, keep learning, and give to others.”—Dr. Nick Marks, World Happiness Summit Report, 2023
We are all familiar with the phrase “…the pursuit of happiness” as a founding principle of the U.S. But what does it really mean for us to embrace activities that create greater scope for happiness in our lives?
Pursuing happiness is not a frivolous activity. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have concluded that “happiness is not just a personal issue; it’s a matter of public health, global economics, and national well-being.” Some other ideas to create happiness and wellbeing include staying playful, pursuing many interests, trying new things and not worrying if you don’t’ excel at them, and staying curious—the OLLI motto!
You can fall in love with learning again this fall. Our very exciting fall catalog will be sent out after the middle of July and in it you’ll find 80 new offerings—courses and workshops, in-person, remote, and even a few hybrid classes. And SAGE is coming back in-person and simulcast as a Zoom webinar. Special Interest Groups will be up and running as well, so you can connect with people who share your interests and passion. Our biggest fall session ever is full of joyful learning and may lead to increased wellbeing and perhaps even more happiness in your life.
REGISTRATION for the Fall Session opens on August 16!
Strategies to foster happiness:
- Acknowledging the good in a diary documenting positive experiences in your life, taking savoring walks, happiness activities: do something alone, do something with others, do something meaningful (including volunteering).
- Subtracting goodness (imagining what an alternative option would be)
- Finding meaning and purpose. Transcending the mundane by identifying people/places/relationships that bring you pleasure; writing a journal to evolve a best possible self-image (where we want to be, ambitious to make changes—be in control of your destiny)
- Using your strengths. Identifying strengths of character—creativity, perseverance, kindness, humility—to put them into practice.
- Connecting with others. Visualizing the sort of relationships you want to have. Practicing random acts of kindness.
- Acts of giving bring us happiness:
It’s a choice
You connect
You see the impact
—Donna Anderson, Director
| |
In this edition . . .
- Director's Message (above)
- Update from the OLLI Advisory Board Chair (below)
- Explore our Fall Catalog
- Info. about parking at USM
- SAGE in the Fall
- Natalie Scott, OLLI's summer intern
- July/August Trivia Column
- OLLI Walking SIG
- Senior Moments--Michael Torlen
- Passages
- July/August Trivia Answers
| | | |
|
News about Parking at USM this Fall
USM is installing a new parking system for the Portland Campus. As soon as we have more information about how this system will work, we will be sure to share it with our members in a Constant Contact e-blast.
Thanks for your patience and we will be in touch soon about a system that may be even more user-friendly than in the past.
| |
|
Plan for Fall registration now!
Our Fall session catalog is available online--click here to explore our offerings:
OLLI's Fall Session Catalog
Registration for the Fall session opens on August 16! Classes start September 11.
Don't hesitate to contact the office if you have any questions--we're here to help at 207-780-4406, Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4 PM.
| | |
|
SAGE this Fall
Over the past several years, SAGE has been in 102 Wishcamper, in Hannaford Hall, via Webinar, and live at The Point in South Portland. This coming fall, we are delighted SAGE will be back live, on the USM campus , and perhaps hybrid. The latter means our eight programs could be delivered both in-person and via Zoom for those unable to get to the University. Zoom also allows the SAGE planning committee to attract speakers from elsewhere in the country and indeed, in the world. Whether SAGE programs will be in Hannaford Hall or 102 Wischamper will depend on how many of you register for this fall’s full series of eight programs. Wherever the specific location, the Fall 2023 SAGE series promises to expand our knowledge of eight diverse, eclectic and informative topics, that are briefly summarized below
Higher education in Maine
USM’s 14th President, Jacqueline Edmondson, will open our fall series on September 12. Having completed her first academic year at the university and become almost fully acquainted with programs and staff, Dr. Edmondson will share with the SAGE audience her thoughts about USM and her vision for the future. Later in the series, October 10th, one of the new features of the higher education scene in southern Maine is Northeastern University’s Roux Institute, which eventually will be located in the former B & M Baked Bean site next to Rt. I 295. The Institute’s Dan Koloski, Professor in the Professional Studies Department at Northeastern, will discuss how the Roux Institute plans to shape tech talent and innovation in Maine including through its collaboration with USM.
Assisting those in need
Tom Judge and Tarlan Ahmadov will discuss critical but very different ways of assisting Mainers in need. Tom, executive director of LifeFlight of Maine, will share with the September 26th SAGE audience, information about the fascinating medical transportation organization that most of us are aware of only when we see a helicopter land on the pad atop Maine Med. On September 19th, Tarlan, former Catholic Charities coordinator of refugee resettlement and an expert on refugee resettlement and reasons for global migration, will speak-about the the challenges faced and the opportunities created in many Maine communities due to the influx of immigrants.
Healthy Living
On October 17th, Greg Marley, founder of Mushrooms for Health, will talk about how some local Maine mushrooms benefit us as food, medicine, and also in protecting our forest ecology. Then, on October 24th, Nona Yehia and Caroline Croft Estay, co-founders, CEO and Chief Potential Officer respectively, will talk about Vertical Harvest’s new, state-of-the-art, indoor farm being built in Westbrook, and how it will provide fresh produce for local communities year round.
Science and Technology
Probably no topic is receiving greater attention these days than the expanding impact of artificial intelligence (AI). On October 3rd, Shankar Narayan, a law professor and advocate for tech transparency, fairness and equality, will speak on the history of AI systems, including ChatGPT, and how AI is impacting our society. On October 31st, our final speaker of the fall season is an adventurer and shipwreck explorer, Rob Stevenson. Rob will share the technology and the adventure during his deep dive to the Italian luxury liner the Andrea Doria off the coast of Long Island, NY.
We look forward to seeing you the fall, and please be on the lookout for the OLLI catalog and SAGE brochure in order to register on August 16.
|
|
|
Natalie Scott is OLLI’s
Summer Intern
Natalie Scott is the new student intern at OLLI. She’s going into her junior year at USM as a business administration major. She loves working at OLLI because she gets to help people and feel like she’s making a positive impact on someone’s life. During the summer, she is hoping to develop life skills she can use in the workspace such as problem solving, critical thinking, effective communication skills, decision-making, creative thinking, empathy, and coping with stress and emotions. Her career aspirations include developing new talents and values, and working in an industry like this that she’s passionate about. Her hobbies include reading, going on walks, playing different sports, and spending time with the people she cares about. She was a work-study student last spring semester at OLLI and she hopes to continue to work at OLLI for the rest of her college career. She looks forward to meeting OLLI members during the summer session.
| | | |
July/August Trivia Column | |
 | |
By Faye Gmeiner
Good news! Trivia Nights will continue over the summer! For those of you who have more free time during the summer, it’s a great time to join us. Feel free to sit outside with a cold beverage and take advantage of the longer days and warm weather. You can sign up for future Trivia Nights on the OLLI Registration Page. Choose the link to Pop-ups to find us.
Here are our choices for the best Trivia Night questions this past month. You can find the answers later in this newsletter.
1. Who is the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different scientific fields?
2. Which Beach Boys song employs the eerie-sounding Theremin in its instrumental music?
3. Who coined the word “nerd?”
4. Which cookbook includes this quote from Saki (pen name of Hector Hugh Munro) in the introduction to its 1964 edition: “The cook was a good cook, as cooks go; and as cooks go, she went.”
5. How far is the back of the basketball rim from the backboard?
6. What poem begins, ”This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,…”?
7. How many main islands comprise Hawaii?
Answers to the trivia questions can be found below.
| |
|
Walking Club News
We have been walking every year, even during the Covid outbreak—starting back in the days when we practiced social distancing and wore masks as added protection. We still maintained our schedule of twice a month and had large crowds—20 to 25 people, most of whom drove in separate cars. But we all felt it was one way to gain some sense of normality in the pandemic months. And to my knowledge no one ever developed Covid as a result of a walk with us. But an outing did give us something to look forward to and helped us maintain our sanity during the pandemic.
2023 was a chance to start it up again.
For several years the Walking Club offered a city tour, which was a walk through an area of Portland featuring a closer look at the landscape, the real estate, and the businesses that operated there. We did the waterfront and then Munjoy Hill and the North End. It was a very popular outing until Covid shut us down for a few years.
To do something special, we decided to visit a different and up-and-coming city—Biddeford, which has been getting a lot of publicity lately. We limited the tour to 25 walkers and combined the tour with a visit to Laurel Hill Cemetery to view the profusion of daffodils we enjoy each spring.
Our tour of Biddeford started with the new Lincoln Hotel, a boutique addition to the downtown. We did not see the rooftop swimming pool, but the spa facilities, the elegant restaurant, and the lobby were very appreciated.
From there we visited several top restaurants and markets, including Layalina, known for its baklava; the popular Elements bookstore; and the well-known Reilly’s Bakery. A favorite of the women was Suger, which features exquisite women’s clothing and has stores in Portland and Manhattan. It also has a small café providing lunch items and displays unique gifts as well.
At noon we visited one of the unique businesses in the Pepperell Mill, Sea Love, a factory and studio that produces candles and diffusers. We ate our lunch among the pleasant scents of the facility.
After lunch we concluded our tour with a visit to angelrox, the factory where the garments for Suger are made. Roxi Suger, the owner, showed us the sustainable material used in their production, and the women seamstresses hard at work.
Then it was time to head back to Portland after a most enjoyable and enlightening day.
Some of us managed to stop at Martel’s in Saco for ice cream to top it all off.
I realize there are many newcomers to OLLI who would like to join our group, but at the present time we have a large list of members. If some of our group drop out, I can contact the new people.
—Rae Garcelon
raegarcelon@gmail.com
| |
|
Senior Moments:
Michael Torlen
OLLI member Michael Torlen announced the launch of his new book, Studio Seeing: A Practical Guide to Drawing, Painting, and Perception.
The book will be available from several sources: Intellect Books, UK and the University of Chicago Press on September 4, 2023. It is now available for pre-order on the publishers’ websites, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble, among others.
Michael is also launching a new website, www.michaeltorlenauthor.com, where he will post weekly tips to enhance your looking at, understanding of, and making art.
| | |
|
Longtime OLLI member Jean Sheridan died last May at the age of 85.
As early as 2007, Jean was contributing her thoughts and expertise regarding lifelong learning. Her essay, “Lifelong Learning in a Postmodern Age: Looking Back to the Future Through the Lens of Adult Education” appeared in the LLI Review for 2007
Jean was active in OLLI as an instructor in writing and in the OLLI Book Group, and much more. She brought her career as a research librarian into her personal life, as depicted in her obituary:
“Research Librarian was the perfect profession for Jean as she was curious about the world around her. Jean was a life-long learner. If one of her grandchildren were listening to a particular song or had read an interesting book, Jean would research that musician or author so she could then share her thoughts when chatting again with her grandchild. People liked to be around her. She asked questions. She made you feel important and valuable.”
| |  |
|
OLLI member Helene Quint died on July 1 at the age of 85.
She is perhaps best known for her many roles in the OLLI Senior Players, but her thespian passion led her to many other stages. She was a member for over 10 years. Her obituary lists many of them:
“Helene always enjoyed acting in community theater around the Portland area after she retired. She started in junior high writing monologues and entertaining at dances and some events. She belonged to several theater groups—the Walpole Footlighters (Mass.), Robinson Players (Bates College), OLLI Senior Players (USM), and Daytime Players (Greater Portland). She performed in many shows at Schoolhouse Arts Center and some at Biddeford City Theater, Portland Players, and Lyric Theater. She also enjoyed being in a few commercials.”
| | |
July/August Trivia Answers | |
|
Reminder: Interested in joining the next Trivia Po-Up? You can sign up on the OLLI website under Special Events.
1. Who is the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different scientific fields?
Answer: Marie Curie (1867–1934). She won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911.
From Wikipedia: “She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person to win a Nobel Prize twice, and the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two scientific fields. Her husband, Pierre Curie, was a co-winner of her first Nobel Prize, making them the first-ever married couple to win the Nobel Prize and launching the Curie family legacy of five Nobel Prizes.”
2. Which Beach Boys song employs the eerie-sounding Theremin in its instrumental music?
Answer: Good Vibrations.
From Britannica.com: “Theremin, … (an) electronic musical instrument invented in 1920 in the Soviet Union by Leon Theremin (also called Lev Termen). It consists of a box with radio tubes producing oscillations at two sound-wave frequencies above the range of hearing; together, they produce a lower audible frequency equal to the difference in their rates of vibration. Pitch is controlled by moving the hand or a baton toward or away from an antenna at the right rear of the box.… The instrument was used in recordings by the American rock group the Beach Boys and in the soundtracks of several science fiction films.” The photo above shows Mike Love playing the Theremin in 1972.
Great topic for a future Trivia question: Elizabeth Housewright owns a Theremin!
3. Who coined the word “nerd?”
Answer: Dr. Seuss in his 1950 book, If I Ran the Zoo.
From Brittanica.com: “According to Benjamin Nugent, author of American Nerd: The Story of My People, the word ‘nerd’ first appeared in the Dr. Seuss book If I Ran the Zoo, in which one of the zoo creatures, an angry little old man, was called a ‘nerd’.”
4. Which cookbook includes this quote from Saki (pen name of Hector Hugh Munro) in the introduction to its 1964 edition: “The cook was a good cook, as cooks go; and as cooks go, she went.”
Answer: The Joy of Cooking, Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, et al. The quote comes from Saki’s short story, “Reginald on Besetting Sins” (1904).
5. How far is the back of the basketball rim from the backboard?
Answer: Six inches. Two more fun facts: the rim is eighteen inches in diameter; from the top of the rim to the playing surface is ten feet.
6. What poem begins, “This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,…”
Answer: Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie. The poem was written in 1847 by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The idea for this narrative poem came from Longfellow’s friend, Nathaniel Hawthorne. Several of our Trivia participants remember memorizing it (or parts of it) when they were in school. One of our participants can still recite an impressive amount of this very lengthy poem!
[Editor’s note: “Acadie” in the poem’s title is the French word for Acadia—not the park in Maine but, at the time, the. Maritime provinces, the Gaspé Peninsula, and Maine to the Kennebec River. Evangeline’s story takes place during the British expulsion of about 11,500 French settlers (5000 of which died) in 1755-1764.]
7. How many main islands comprise Hawaii?
Answer: Eight. The harder question would be whether you can name them!
(Hawaii, Kahoolawe, Kauai, Lanai, Maui, Molokai, Niihau, Oahu)
| | |
Are you considering submitting an article to the OLLI Newsletter? Get in contact with us! | |
Email ollinews@maine.edu
to submit your piece.
Phone:207-780-4406
Tim Baehr, Editor
Don King, Editor Emeritus
|
Deadline for the next issue is August 15. |
| | | |
Maine Senior College Network | | |
OLLI National Resource Center | | |
|
Non-discrimination Notice
The University of Maine, including USM, is an EEO/AA employer and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5754, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).
| | | | |
