LLI_____________________________________________________________

Volume 15, Issue 10 May 16, 2014

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The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Connecticut is an academic cooperative that provides older adults withopportunities for intellectual development, cultural stimulation, and social interaction

COOPERSTOWN, NORTHERN CATSKILLSOCTOBER 8 and 9, 2014

Is procrastination your middle name? Do youwant to be placed on a "wait list", or have a re-served seat available to you for this excursion toCooperstown? All that is needed to save yourspace is to call Friendship Tours (860 243 1630)now!Your travel committee has worked diligently toensure a fun-filled, extended two-day excursion.You have seen the flyers on the Cooperstowndestination and read about the benefits that areoffered. Make your decision now and save thedate. Anticipate this trip and look forward to join-ing your fellow OLLI travelers. The followingwould be part of your experience:

- A railroad dining experience on the Rip VanWinkle Flyer

- A visit to the National Baseball Hall of FameMuseum

- Or, a visit to the Fenimore Art Museum, asan alternative for non-baseball fans

- Lodging is at the Cooperstown Inn, whichincludes breakfast

- A cruise through the locks on the historic ErieCanal

- Lunch on the waterfront at Rockys Grill, over-looking the Erie CanalAll it takes to be part of this experience isto make your reservation with Friendship Tours.The trip cost for members is $307, with a nomi-nal surcharge of $20 for nonmembers.Courteous and friendly staff at Friendship (860243 1630) will assist with any questions.

Boston, MA

And so ends the Spring Session of OLLL 2014. However, the Summer Session starts onJune 3. On this page are two suggestions from the Travel Club to continue the OLLIexperience. The Book Club and the Clubs & Activities Committee, as well as the PoetryClub, are ongoing events. The Newsletter Committee continues to ask for suggestions andwishes all a great summer. We will see you in the fall– RJG

Page 2 May16, 2014

Ancestor's Identity and Inquisition

You travel to Segovia to findDiego Arias Davila, conversochild of Carvaja.Carvaja: a lost place, rejectedmissing.

You search and search, findthe guide who will show youancestors' transcribed testimoniesof their forced and double lives,lives targeted, punished for heresy.

And if they never confessedthey were burned at the stake.And if they did confess they werestrangled, then burned at the stake.

Pope Innocent. He who startedthis edict of grace.Will he ever be his name?

But you, who walk the remains, will findthe names of who you were, who you are.Your wonderment in finding Clara,your ancestor, who becomes alive againin Claire, her descendant, your daughter.

Claire: clear and bright, and you areat home, anoranza, home. Found at last.

Antepasados la identidad y la Inquisicion

Viaje a Segovia para encontrar

Diego Arias Davila, converso Hijo de Carvaja.

Carvaja: un lugar perdido, rechazado

Falta.

Buscar y buscar, encontrar

El guia que le mostrara

Antepasados" transcrito testimonios

De su forzada y doble vida,

Vida dirigida, que se castiga a la herejia.

Y si nunca confesado

Ellos fueron quemados en la hoguera.Y si lo hicieron confesar que estabanEstrangulado, quemadas en la hoguera.

Papa Inocente. El que comenzo

Este edicto de gracia.

Va a ser su nombre?

Pero, los que andan los restos, se pueden encontrar

Los nombres de quien es usted, quien es usted.

El asombro de encontrar Clara,

Su antepasado, que cobra vida de nuevo

En Claire, su descendiente, su hija.

Claire: claro y brillante, y que se

n casa, anoranza, home. En el pasado.

Sandra Bishop Ebner

Sandra Bishop Ebner, from an assignment in Judy Kolilias’ Intrductory Spanish course, wrote the follow-ing:The poem was inspired by an article written by the journalist, Doreen Carvajal, who was raised Catholic, andwho eventually traveled to Spain to find the roots of her Jewish ancestors, who had been victims of the Span-ish Inquisition. During her search, she ironically found the name of one of her ancestors to be the name shehad given her daughter.

This entry is a great example of the many exciting intellectual pursuits presented by OLLI. It is also the typeof content we constantly seek from our readers. Thanks to all who have participated in and read theNewsletter RJG

Page 3

OLLI BOOK CLUB

Contact: Nancy Via at nvia@sbcglobal.net

May 19 The Light Between Oceansby M. L. Stedman

All meetings of the book club will be held inroom 102D, UConn, Wtby at 1:00 PM 3rd Monday

Volume 15, Issue 10

OLLI CAFE

.

May 16A Medicine from Spirit!

This self-authored book is an introduction to Tradition-al Chinese Medicine and for those interested in partici-pating in the maintenance of their health. The title rep-resents a form of eastern medicine and its foundationin Spirit. Hear about the principles of TCM, the im-portance of Spirit and how the individual can use theinformation to maintain their mental, emotional andphysical health. It will also address our current age ofof life and what is required for those who wish todiscover Spirit within them.OLLI Presenter, William Courtland has taughtTraditional Chinese Medicine since the programbegan. He is a faculty member at the CT Center forMassage Therapy in Westport where he conductscourses on Traditional Chinese Medicine. He haslectured on the topic throughout CT and continuesresearching eastern forms of medicine.

OLLI POETRY COFFEE HOUSE

2nd Thurs at John Bale Bookshop –10:00am

Contact Denise Whelan (denisewhelan@yahoo.com)

For more information

OLLI Make-Up Classes / May 23

10:00 AM to 1:00 PM: Watercolor, Briana Zonas, room102D VA-4148:15 AM to 9:45 AM: Tai Chi Beginners, Susan Bradley,room 102 HW-427A10:00 AM to 11:30 AM: Tai Chi Advanced, Susan Bradley,room 102 HW-427B,11:40 AM to 1:00 PM: Chinese Brush Painting, Susan Brad-ley, room 321D VA-4201:30 PM to 3:00 PM: Dance for the Love of it, Donna Bonas-era, room 102 PA-401

OLLI Bus Trip to Baltimore Area

With a busload of now familiar fellow OLLI friends(Whew, try saying that 5 times quickly), we embarkedearly on Sunday morning, May 4th, on our FriendshipTours bus with Driver Brad Batchelder and Tour DirectorBob Read. Both of these individuals have provided OLLImembers great travel experiences. This has been our thirdtrip with them and they are to be commended.

Our first stop, after checking in to the hotel, was to attendToby’s Dinner Theatre where we enjoyed a wonderfulbuffet and an excellent performance of Shrek, the Musi-cal.

Bright and early, very early, we headed off to nearbyAnnapolis for a tour of our Naval Academy. A great tourby a great tour guide who shared wonderful information,stories and anecdotes throughout the tour. Lunch was adelightful experience at Annapolis Dockside, where therewas a great choice of food and shopping.

Following lunch, we headed to Ft. McHenry, the home ofour National Anthem, the Star Spangled Banner, writtenby Francis Scott Key. We toured the museum and the

actual fort as well. It was a great historical experience,enjoyed by all. The Ft. McHenry tour guide, also provid-ed us with a very detailed bus tour of the entire Baltimorearea, sharing with us the rich Baltimore history and itsmany areas of interest. By this time we were ready for anenjoyable dinner at Phillip’s restaurant, famous for itscrab cakes.

On our third and final day we enjoyed a superb behind thescenes tour of Camden Yards ballpark, home of the Balti-more Orioles. Once again, a very knowledgeable tourguide shared a wealth of information with us and the ball-park is truly remarkable. Our last stop was to BaltimoreInner Harbor where we all enjoyed the sights and a won-derful choice of lunch restaurants.

I would like to encourage all OLLI members to availthemselves of the great travel offerings of the OLLITravel Committee.

George Sirois

July 10,1:00 MPR The Clubs & ActivitiesCommittee will host a screening of

THE MALTESE FALCON

Page 4 May 16, 2014

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UCONN, Waterbury

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

The University of Connecticut

99 East Main Street

Waterbury, CT 06702

NEWSLETTER CONTACTSBob Grady 860 274-9389Email yvoorg@aol.com

ornblomstrom@aol.com,

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Connecticut is an academic cooperative that provides olderadults with opportunities for intellectual development, cultural stimulation, and social interaction.Our programs are centered around classes developed and taught by members who volunteer their time and talents to share theirknowledge, life passions, and interest with other members. The OLLI program also sponsors special events featuring notedauthors, scholars, and experts in respected professional fields.

OLLI Leadership Council

Council MembersOLLI officers are part of the Leadership

Council, which is the principalrepresentative body of the

OLLI membership.

Council OfficersPresident - Richard Fogg

1st Vice President - Mary Lou Reignier2nd Vice President - Delma Way

Secretary -Toni EscottAssistant Secretary - Joyce Conlan

We’re on the web! www.waterbury.uconn.edu/osher

It has already started at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

When I was ready to pay for my purchases of a gun andbullets, the cashier said, "Strip down, facing me."

Making a mental note to complain to the NRA about thegun control whackos running amok, I did just as she hadinstructed. When the hysterical shrieking and alarmsfinally subsided, I found out that she was referring tohow I should place my credit card in the card-reader.

I have been asked to shop elsewhere in the future.

They need to make their instructions to us seniors a littleclearer!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

CONSIDER THIS:

Your kids are becoming you… but your grandchildren

are perfect!

Going out is good.. Coming home is better!

You forget names…. But it’s OK because some people

forgot they even knew you!!!

You realize you’re never going to be good at anything

like golf.

You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV on than

in bed. It’s called ‘pre-sleep.’

You miss the days when everything worked with just an

ON and OFF switch.

You tend to use more four letter words like “what”

“when.” ???

What used to be freckles are now liver spots.

Everybody whispers.

You have three sizes of clothes in your closet-two of

which you will never wear.

But OLD is good in some things: Old Songs, Old Mov-

ies, and best of all, OLD FRIENDS.

Volume 15, Issue 10 Page 5

MEET YOUR PRESENTERS

Vincent Casanova was being groomed to take over his family’s oil business rather than go to college when his dad suf-fered a heart attack, which changed everything. The business was sold and Vinnie decided to pursue a college education.

The New Haven native enrolled at Southern Connecticut State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in historyand also accumulated enough credits in philosophy “to have, in effect, a double major.”

Always having had an interest in religion “but not from a faith-based view,” Vinnie next enrolled at Yale Divinity Schoolwhere he earned a master of arts in religious studies. He returned to Southern for his master’s in counseling and alsoearned graduate credits from Teachers College at Columbia University. He worked early in his career in special educa-tion, first for the City of New Haven., and later for the state of Connecticut.

When teaching special education students at Platt Technical High School in Milford, he found, many could do math andscience well but had trouble with reading. He enjoyed working during that time with Dr. Sally Shaywitz, now co-directorof Yale’s Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.

Eventually, Vinnie worked 27 years for vocational education high schools in Connecticut. During part of his career, hewas coordinator of counseling for two schools, Platt Technical School (Milford) and Eli Whitney Technical School (NewHaven). He loved guidance work, partly because of the wide range of students who come to the counselors. When kidshad major problems, he took a team approach if needed, involving the school psychologist, nurse and social worker. “Inguidance, you deal both with academic issues and intensely personal issues.” Students “see you as a helping agent.”

Vinnie loved growing up in a close-knit Italian family and community. He, believes today’s students often lack a sense ofbelonging, due in part to broken homes, the mobility of society and the stresses of society. “All human beings need nur-turing: a loving family and friends . . .” He cherishes having grown up in the family he did and still having friends he firstknew in childhood.

He feels our current cultural climate has both good and bad aspects. On the good side, he sees young, liberal people asbeing more accepting of others who are different from them. Regarding religion, he observes that Americans are movingtowards a more secular society as Europe already has. But he adds, while young people don’t necessarily want to belongto an organized religion, many are espousing “non-church, spiritual views.” However, he commented that a positive as-pect of organized religion is the “sense of community” it provides to practitioners.

Vinnie doesn’t believe people need to be church-goers to have strong ethics. “Ethical codes are universal; even pagansocieties have ethical systems.” He observes, “Diversity is our (American) strength,” but some degree of consensus isneeded to move forward.

Over the years, Vinnie has coached youth teams in various communities and served as supervisor for seven years at therecreation center in Old Saybrook. He’s also had a lot of fun coaching Kiddie Soccer for boys and girls in grades one tofour. “I always liked soccer” and regrets he didn’t play it in high school because his father wanted him home helping outwith the oil business instead of playing sports. I was fast,” he recalled, and the gym teacher “told me I was a very goodathlete.”

He enjoys the OLLI classes he presents on “Contemporary Cultural and American Religious Tradition ”because the peo-ple engage in class and are very open to ideas. –Mary Ann Martin

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Book Club

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AARP Driver

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Course 9:00

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Mansion

Boston

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May 2014