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Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Southern Maine |
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Director's Message--Learn Comfortably with OLLI | |
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“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: It is the time for home.” —Edith Sitwell
Comfort is a concept that has two variations: to bring cheer and to provide consolation. The idea applies to human relationships as well as our physical environment. Comfort also connects to our core concept of home; physical comfort in our domestic spaces was vastly improved in the mid-1700s when the Earl of Chesterfield commissioned an upholstered sofa where people could lounge together. Before that time, most people sat on movable benches or chairs, which would be moved closer to windows for light or huddled near the fireplace during cold times, with comfort coming mostly in the form of human companionship and body heat. We now associate home with joy, safety, and well-being.
This winter, we have the best of both worlds—the connection and companionship of Zoom to bring us together and the convenience and comfort of learning from home. On even the coldest day you can participate as you wrap yourself in a cozy sweater and wear your warm slippers. There is still time to register for one of our Winter Session courses or workshops, which will help to fill your days with conversation and ideas to challenge your perception of the world. More than one course celebrates good books and thoughtful writing, and Steve Urkowitz’s course on Romeo and Juliet will warm your heart as well. And don’t forget to check this newsletter and our website for news about social pop-ups to bring laughter and delight to your evenings.
This January we understand the Paul Theroux quote “Maine is a joy in the summer. But the soul of Maine is more apparent in the winter.” Experience that soul by enjoying the winter landscape and by joining other Mainers through OLLI programs.
—Donna Anderson, Director
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In this edition . . .
- Director's message (above)
- Update from the OLLI Advisory Board Chair (below)
- Helpful Hints for Winter Registration
- Foodie Pop-Ups
- News from The OLLI Singers
- Trivia Column
- SAVE THE DATE: April 19 Lecture by Professor Lenny Shedletsky
- Wine Club News
- Trivia Column Answers
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Helpful Hints for Winter Registration
Remember that our membership year is July 1 through June 30. So if you renewed your membership in the summer or fall, it’s still good now and you don’t need to renew to register for winter session classes and workshops.
There are still spaces in many OLLI classes and workshops. Register today to be sure that you have a virtual seat!
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Foodie Pop-Ups in January | |
Portland’s food scene is incredible. Bon Appetit magazine named it “America”s Foodiest Small Town,” and The Food Network named the city as one of its top five “Most Delicious Destinations.” The city has countless restaurants, diners, cafes, and pubs, and there’s a lot more than seafood. —March 26, 2020 Visit Portland Maine
You don’t need to be a cook to attend the OLLI Foodie Pop-Ups. If you enjoy the Portland food scene as much as we do, please join us in January. We will offer two discussions with guests who are happy to fill us in on what is trending and where to go. And, if you have an interest in creating these delectable trends, which cookbooks to look into.
January 11 at 4:00 p.m.
EATING LOCAL: From Early New England Cooking to What’s Cooking Now
New England food historian and columnist Sandy Oliver will join us in looking at New England cookbooks from the earliest to the latest trendy ones. We’ll share our own favorite local cookbook—maybe those by Marjorie Standish, or Sandy’s Saltwater Foodways) and the most beloved New England recipe from any era. Is it Johnny Cakes, chowder, Joe Frogger cookies? In this new year, which cookbooks or columnists will be your best guides to eating local?
January 25 at 4:00 p.m.
GREATER PORTLAND’S GREAT GLOBAL FOOD FEST: Where to Dine and Shop to Get in It This Year
For the new year ahead, we will be joined by Anestes Fotiades, the editor of The Portland Food Map website, to help us locate all the international ingredients and eateries in our area. So many places have closed, so many newly opened. How can we keep track? We’ll reveal our own secret food shops and favorite “foreign” food restaurants that are still here: Caribbean, Thai, Iraqi. And what are the differences among all those brewpubs?
We hope you will join us.
--Star Pelsue
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News from the OLLI Singers
On Tuesday, December 6, 2022, OLLI Singers, under the direction of Bob Swerdlow and accompanist, Vicki Swerdlow, performed a lively concert at Woods at Canco, an independent Senior Living facility in Portland. Residents were serenaded with various musical arrangements such as “Danny Boy,” “May You Always,” “You Raise Me Up,” “The Lobster Quadrille,” and more recognizable pieces. One of the highlights included a resident thanking the Singers for a wonderful performance on her 103rd birthday!
OLLI Singers led holiday caroling on December 9, 2022, at Longfellow Park in Portland. The sing-along event was sponsored by the University Neighborhood Association, which also provided hot chocolate and cookies at the evening event. The nip in the air did not stop carolers and neighbors from ringing in the holiday with lots of spirit and fun.
OLLI Singers welcomes anyone who loves to sing. One must be a member of OLLI—very easy to become a member—and enjoy music and song. To become a member, go to https://usm.maine.edu/osher-lifelong-learning-institute/olli-membership-benefits/ For more information, email Vicki Swerdlow at vicki@maine.rr.com.
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This screenshot captures holiday joy during a recent Trivia Pop-Up.
By Faye Gmeiner
We invite you to join us for Trivia in 2023—no commuting in the snow and cold required! It’s a great way to stay in touch, meet new people, save gas, and stay warm.
In December, we especially enjoyed the questions below. Our next Zoom gathering is on Monday, January 9th. You can sign up on the OLLI website under Special Events.
1. Kenneth Roberts’s famed first novel, Arundel, is set in southern Maine. What is the name of that location now?
2. What is the purse called that is hung in front of a kilt?
3. In a Rolling Stones hit, who would never say where she came from?
4. What bird is the offspring of a cob and a pen?
5. What military song of the U.S. Army includes, “Then it’s hi! hi! hee! in the field artillery”?
6. Which four signs of the Zodiac have human elements?
See the answers below!
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SAVE THE DATE
Professor Lenny Shedletsky Shares His Research with OLLI on April 19, 2023
Four years ago Professor Shedletsky ran a study with OLLI students as participants. Participants were asked to decide as quickly as they could if a statement was “Bullshit” or “Not Bullshit.” In addition, they filled out a survey that measured their belief in four ideologies. This gave us data to determine if people can make the decision to “call bullshit” at high speeds without conscious deliberation and if their decisions are related to their ideologies. The results turned out to suggest that we can make decisions before we are aware of what we think.
Professor Shedletsky’s research was featured in Newsweek; read about it here: https://www.newsweek.com/internal-monologue-controlling-you-1766027
Join us for a special program on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, from 3:00 to 4:30, when Professor Shedletsky updates OLLI members about his research on intrapersonal communication. Professor Jo Temach Gabrielski from NY is the co-author of the publication of the study and will join the presentation. Save the date and we’ll share details in the future.
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OLLI Wine Club
January & February 2023
WINES:
Pouilly-Fumé Sauvignon Blanc 2021 La Croix Grimault Product ID: (89629) $16.99
Pouilly-Fuissé White Burgundy 2019 Réserve des Rochers Product ID: (89888) $19.99
92 Pt. Super Tuscan Red IGT 2015 Cantina del Redi ‘Orbaio’ Product ID: (89828) $18.99
94 Pt. Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2016 Castello di Bibbione Product ID: (89372) $19.99
Total cost: $75.96. No shipping cost
Order now by clicking on this link or pasting it into your browser:
https://www.wtso.com/OLLIwine
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Our next meeting is Monday, January 16, 2022; from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Meeting location: Via Zoom. To join the Zoom meeting either click on this link or paste it into your browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2770547039. Meeting ID: 277 054 7039.
Wine: We are using Wines Till Sold Out. (WTSO), see the link above to order.
How it works:
1. We will be tasting two wines in January and two wines in February. The wines are bundled together for January and February to get free shipping (4-bottle purchase required). We will taste the whites in January and the reds in February.
2. Our meeting schedule is the third Monday of the month at 6:00 p.m. EST.
3. The four wines should be purchased quickly so that they are available, but rested, for each tasting. NOTE: Wines need time to rest after shipping (approximately one week) for optimal pleasure. Please place them on their side in a place close to the floor and away from heating sources until the date. The optimal wine storage temperature is between 45° and 65°F.Red wines should be served between 62° and 68°F.
4. More information on the wines and some suggested food pairings will be sent out prior to the date scheduled for the club tastings. We will have to change the Zoom link and host for February, so please check your email for the latest information.
5. When we taste reds, we suggest you open the wines at least 30 to 60 minutes before 6 p.m. When we taste whites or rosé, we suggest putting the wine in the refrigerator for storage at least 24 hours before the date and then remove 15 to 20 minutes before the tasting. White wines should be served slightly above the refrigerator temperature, between 49° and 55°F.
6. Once wines have been opened, they should be stored in the refrigerator and usually can last about three to four days without significant deterioration in quality (whites longer than reds).
7. We suggest you invest in some good quality wine stoppers for ease of pouring, filtering, and storage. We use Haley’s Corker: https://www.haleyscorker.com.
8. Any questions? Send an email to joelkallich@gmail.com.
Happy Holidays to all and to all a good night!
—Joel Kallich for the OWCC
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January Trivia Column Answers
1. Kenneth Roberts’s famed first novel, Arundel, is set in southern Maine. What is the name of that location now?
Answer: Kennebunkport. It’s been a complicated history. The town was originally incorporated as Cape Porpoise (1653). It was renamed Arundel in 1718 in honor of the Earl of Arundel. In 1821 (a year after Maine became a state), the name changed to Kennebunk Port. The current town of Arundel was split off from Kennebunkport in 1915 and named North Kennebunkport; its name was changed to Arundel in 1957. No wonder we weren’t sure about the answer!
2. What is the purse called that is hung in front of a kilt?
Answer: A sporran. The word is from the Gaelic for purse. Kilts didn’t have any pockets. Some also refer to sporrans as modesty belts. The early ones were made of leather and gathered at the top.
3. In a Rolling Stones hit, who would never say where she came from?
Answer: Ruby Tuesday.
4. What bird is the offspring of a cob and a pen?
Answer: A cygnet aka baby swan. A cob is a male swan, and a pen is a female. Did you know that a group of swans has several names: a bevy, a wedge (when flying), and a bank (when on the ground)? A group of baby swans is called a clutch.
5. What military song of the U.S. Army includes, “Then it’s hi hi hee in the field artillery”?
Answer: The Artillery Caisson Song. “The Caissons Go Rolling Along” was written by Brigadier General Edmund Gruber in 1908 and adapted by Robert Lloyd in 1918. [Ed. Note: Gruber was a descendent of Franz Gruber, the composer of “Silent Night.” See the Library of Congress entry at https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200000019.]
6. Which four signs of the Zodiac have human elements?
Answer: Aquarius, Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo. The water bearer, the twins, the archer (half human: a centaur), and the maiden, respectively.
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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
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Deadline for the next issue is January 15. |
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Maine Senior College Network | | |
OLLI National Resource Center | | |
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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).
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