In-person Courses   

Some of the most wonderful and mysterious moments in our lives are shared with non-human creatures: our own pets, bird and wildlife watching, a visit to an aquarium, walks in nature parks. We'll be inspired by three beautiful texts: “How to be a Good Creature, a Memoir in Thirteen Animals” (by Sy Montgomery, author of “Soul of an Octopus”); “A Wolf Called Romeo” (Nick Jans); and “Planet Walker” (John Francis, PhD) The emphasis will be on discussing these books in class, and for those who wish, writing and drawing about the creatures in our own lives. This is all about exploration and enjoyment!

NOTE: These books are readily available at a reasonable price on Amazon. Copies are also available from the public library in both hard copy and e-book formats.

In this course, expect to have an enjoyable time with cut-up poetry. During each class, students will create poems from snippets they cut from a variety of  instructor supplied books. These mostly library discards or thrift store finds range from a driving manual to a sewing manual to a book about preparing for a wedding. Composing poems in this fashion will broaden one's experience of creativity with words. Looking for connections among seemingly disparate sources exercises the mind, giving the imagination free rein. Anyone who can use a pair of scissors and who has an open mind and a playful spirit will succeed in this course! There is no prerequisite and no homework.

Winter time is a wonderful season to walk the trails of Ashland. The ground is moist, the air is crisp, and the flora and fauna are sporting their winter habits. We will walk for approximately two hours each week, two-three miles, some on dirt paths with possible elevation gain. While our walks are not intended to be of an aerobic nature, it is important that participants are reasonably fit and have good balance. We will use the Travel Ashland Map Guide to reference our routes. Directions on where to meet and details to consider will be emailed each week. Trails that may be included: Road 2060 above Lithia Park, Emigrant Lake, Bear Creek Greenway, TID ditch trail, Lithia Park hillside trails and Oredson Todd Woods. We will walk rain or shine, although if walking conditions are too hazardous (icy) on any given week, class will be cancelled. A liability waiver must be signed prior to participation in the first class.

Fire-resistant landscaping bridges two fields of expertise: horticulture and fire dynamics. This course will explore fire-resistant landscaping design and maintenance in an urban environment. Covered topics will include: wildfire dynamics; the connection between wildfire, landscaping, and home ignitions; choosing fire-resistant landscaping materials; plant placement, spacing, and maintenance best practices; conflicting objectives and guidance; hazardous vegetation and flammable plants’ codes and ordinances; and selecting plants for fire-resistance and low water use, wildlife value, deer resistance, erosion control, shade, and privacy. Students will be asked to share their landscaping objectives and photos of their yards with others in the second class to showcase problems and solutions.

NOTE: Students attending the third class should bring a personal computer that can run an Excel file which will be sent to them by email prior to the class.

In this mostly lecture course, we’ll cover the basics of stocks, bonds, real estate and alternative investments before moving on to address how to combine various asset classes into a diversified portfolio. Investment vehicles such as mutual funds and exchange traded funds will also be discussed, as well as passive versus active investing, market timing, investor behavior, socially responsible investing, and tax considerations. At the end of the class students will have the tools to either do their own investing or to be able to evaluate what their advisor is doing. No prior investing experience is required; there will be some class discussion and home assignments.

This course will address the anatomical, physiological, and experiential aspects of the sense of touch, including information on informal and formal ways to tap this sense. Class sessions will provide scientific evidence for the benefits of receiving/giving touch, how to select a touch therapist, and various massage modalities. The instructional methods will be in the form of lectures delivered via PowerPoint, along with demonstrations and handouts. The demonstrations will illustrate several simple partner massage and self-massage techniques. The handouts will provide step-by-step descriptions of these techniques. A previously held OLLI course titled the “Science of Skin” covered aspects of the sense of touch. Students do not need any particular background to participate.

Indulge in the joys of journaling for creative self-expression. In this lighthearted, engaging course, students will learn, hands-on, about the benefits of journaling for personal growth, wellness, and fun! Along with brief lectures and discussions, most of the class time will be spent engaging in guided experiential activities and sharing (sharing is encouraged, but is always optional). All you need is a journal or notebook and some of your favorite colorful pens.  For optimal benefit, please also bring your curiosity and a playful spirit! This experiential course will be taught via Zoom, but for privacy reasons, will not be recorded.

NOTE: Two sections of this course are being offered, both on Zoom.

In her essay, “Why You Should Read Children’s Books, Even Though You are So Old and Wise,” Katherine Rundell suggests that, at its best, children’s literature “renders in their purest, most archetypal forms hope, hunger, joy, fear. Think of children’s books as literary vodka.” Maurice Sendak certainly brought us a pure, heady distillation. Some of his themes are perhaps even more thought-provoking for adults than for children. Using lecture, discussion, video, and art reproductions, this class will investigate the breadth and depth of Sendak’s thought, writing, and art. We will also explore the important influences on his work, and the ways in which his life, enthusiasms, and art were intimately intertwined. Through group discussion, we will give special attention to “Outside Over There” and to “In the Night Kitchen.” Students should obtain their own copies of these two books. No previous knowledge is necessary to enjoy the class. 

Why are there 88 keys on a piano? Can you get cancer from your microwave oven? A static shock from touching a doorknob can be 3,000 volts or more, so why doesn't it kill you? What is the Green Flash?  Why is the sky blue?  What is a black hole? Why do diamonds sparkle?  Why are rainbows semicircular? Why is wine radioactive?  Is there really more energy in a pound of chocolate chip cookies than a pound of TNT?  Where does energy come from anyway and what does E=mc^2 have to do with it?  Time ticks at the same rate everywhere, right?  What does general relativity have to do with GPS? If you would like to know the physics behind these questions, think about signing up for this four-session class.  No math needed, though I don't guarantee I won't put an equation or two on the board to talk about.

In his dedicatory epistle to Shakespeare’s First Folio, Ben Jonson referred to the author’s “small Latin and less Greek.” Seven years later in the Second Folio, John Milton referred to Shakespeare as “Fancy's child” warbling “his native woodnotes wild.” Was Shakespeare unlearned as these contemporaries imply, or is there evidence that the Bard was influenced by both classical and vernacular literary sources, many untranslated or not published in England during Shakespeare’s lifetime? Scholars today attest to over 200 literary sources identified within the canon. This course will follow the historical perception of Shakespeare’s literary sources and explore what the documentary and literary records suggest regarding the popular consensus of our playwright and poet’s education and erudition. Stephanie Hopkins Hughes’ book, “Educating Shakespeare: What He Knew and How and Where He Learned It” (2022) will provide guidance to the discussion with an emphasis on Shakespeare's 'Greek.’

NOTE: Students are encouraged but not expected to buy the book. Much of the information will be available at Stephanie Hughes’ website, https://politicworm.com/

Understanding the life of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, is central and essential to understanding Islam. This course will present the facts as documented in the Qur'an and accounts of the life, words and actions of the Prophet and his followers. These words and actions were carefully documented by early Muslims in books, known as the Hadiths. Islam will also be explored as a religion including the Qur'an, the Sunni/Shia split, the five pillars of Islam: profession of faith, prayer, fasting, alms, and the pilgrimage to Mecca, plus a lot more. PowerPoint, videos, pictures and lecture will be used to cover the period 570 CE to 632 CE as documented by the Hadiths. It is fair to say that without knowing the history of the Prophet, it is impossible to understand the religion as it is manifested in the modern world. If you understand this, you're well on your way to understanding Islam. There will be time for questions at each class.

NOTE: Copies of the Qur’ans (Koran in the usual English transliteration) are readily available online and a few copies will be available in class.

Students will learn the "story" of money, with special focus on the myriad ways this enormous power of creating the currency we need has been fought over for centuries/millennia. We will use PowerPoint slides and video clips featuring currently active economists who have worked in the US, Europe, Japan, Australia, China, South America, and Russia. Yuval Noah Harari says ironically the greatest story ever told was that of money! We will look at how the German economist, Richard Werner, explains how Japan cancelled all of its WWII debt and sprang into action with a new, unencumbered economy. We will see how the federal reserve was foisted on Wilson and the US by bankers pretending to oppose their own bill! It's a fascinating, sometimes glorious or sordid history. Recently a movement called Public Banking has sought to democratize the money system, but in the instructor’s opinion, it has already been carefully steered into unproductive, dead ends.

The 2021 film, "The Dig," depicts the real-life discovery of an Anglo-Saxon ship burial, a stunning find that illuminated the rich “barbarian” culture that brought many things, including English, to Britain. We will explore the context of the ship burial, which extends from the Angles and Saxons, and their literary contemporary, Beowulf, to the distant and admired Byzantine Empire, and to the world of Celtic monks, creators of incredibly intricate manuscripts. The format will include lectures, videos and discussion. No prior knowledge is assumed. Students might enjoy Seamus Heaney's translation of “Beowulf,” but it is not required; excerpts will be provided.

No previous knowledge or subject matter background is required to join this class where we will discuss Wallace Stegner’s Pulitzer prize-winning novel, “Angle of Repose.” We will explore questions of narrative style, character, family, responsibility, obligation, sacrifice, creativity, aging, and the clash between cultures and generations. Much of the material is relevant to contemporary issues. The book also treats themes of regionalism, the creation and preservation of history, and its relationship to facts and to the truth. It will be conducted as a discussion group, with encouragement for all participants to share their insights, questions, and perceptions. Students can expect to come away from this class with an enriched appreciation of the history of the west after the Civil War, as well as the cultural shifts that found their birth in the 1960's of the Berkeley/San Francisco area. Please read the entire novel before the first class.

NOTE:   Any edition of the book is acceptable. New and used copies are readily available at a reasonable price.

In this course, we will learn about six wine regions of the world. Each class will include a presentation by the instructor focusing on topics such as the geography, climate, soils, history, varietals, labeling, and regulatory structure of the region. We will then taste four quality wines from the region and discuss our perceptions. No special background knowledge is required, but a passion for wine is recommended.

NOTE: A class fee of $100 per student will be charged to cover the costs of the quality wines. Students will be required to pay the full fee, even if they expect to miss some classes.

WHAT PHILOSOPHY? No matter our religious beliefs, each of us has our own unique philosophy of life. It has three aspects: understanding of the cosmos (the orderly universe); how one lives in community (morality, ethics); and cognizance of self (knowledge, awareness). When we define our unique philosophy, we establish priorities which make it easier to make life's more difficult decisions, especially when we compare their relative impact and importance. The benefit is reducing stress and avoiding anger, resulting in a more peaceful and serene life. The course will review the philosophies of Lao Tzu and Jesus of Nazareth as we engage in critical thinking exercises to assist in perceiving alternate scenarios and in evaluation of a personal philosophy.

NOTE: The instructor will provide “Thinking Critically,” a book he wrote which describes the process, has exercises to help in your thinking, and is free to use during the course. If you wish to make notes in it and keep it, the cost is $10.

The iconic song from the hit musical “Hamilton” asks, “Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?” Colin Woodard in his 2020 book “Union” has one answer to the question of who tells the “story “of our country. Focusing on the contributions of five men, he explores how two contradictory narratives of US history—civic nationalism and ethnonationalism—were developed and disseminated in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These two versions of our origins have dominated our understanding of ourselves for over a century, but recent years have raised serious challenges, asking pointed questions about whether either story can unite us again, as well as noting the many silenced voices omitted from both “stories.” Today, as these two primary themes continue to clash, we are experiencing renewed emotion surrounding this question of who we are as a nation. The course will explore Woodard’s book through short lectures and discussion as we draw our own conclusions on this essential question. 

NOTES: Students should have access to a copy of “UNION: The Struggle to Forge the Story of the United States” by Colin Woodard. Two sections of this course are being offered, one on Zoom and one in-person. 

What is a "foehn" wind? It played an important role in spreading the Almeda Fire on September 8, 2020, that destroyed thousands of homes in the Rogue Valley. Have you done any vegetation modification around your house to stop wildfires from igniting your house and wondered how to gauge prioritization? Most homes are burned in wildfires from ember showers from the advancing fire. Why are clearing out combustible material next to your house or limbing up trees important? Have you given thought to your evacuation route during a wildfire? How can you access ongoing wildfire information and interpret wildfire briefings? This course will introduce everyday citizens to basic fire behavior and weather information taught to firefighters that can help inform evacuation decisions during fire season, as well as prioritize home and property hardening activities. There are no required texts, costs, physical requirements or knowledge level. A recommended reading list will be provided.

In the class title, "advanced" is used loosely. The only real requirement is that you be passionate about creating and have some experience with writing, whether it be poetry, novels, songs, political tracts or menus. But writing is only part of what makes this class work. The really essential quality is that you bring a willingness to closely listen and support your fellow students. Together, we will create a safe setting so that everyone feels comfortable to freely express themselves. Each week there will be a brief lecture on the craft of writing and a prompt from which you will be expected to write a song that you will bring to the following week's class. No one gets to opt out from this requirement.  The songs don't have to be polished or complete. They can even be bad. Only by being bad do we get good. This class is really fun!

Aspiring actors, take heart! If you would like to develop or hone your acting skills, whether you are new to acting or have been doing it for many years, the class will help you to do so. Students will have the opportunity to work on an individual monologue as well as a scene from a play with a partner, and they will be given the tools to do both with confidence. Both the monologue and the scene will be presented to the class in a supportive environment, and the instructor will provide feedback for each student’s growth as an actor. The monologue and/or scene may be comic or serious, drawn from either a classical or contemporary work. The monologue may also be original. The class will be moderately active, so a liability waiver will need to be signed. We will approach the work from an in-depth and joyful perspective! This course is preparation for the Fall 2023 performance class, which will culminate in the Fall 2023 OLLI Musical! Come play with us!

NOTE: Students are asked to pay a fee of $40 toward the rental of the rehearsal space we will be using.

Michel de Montaigne invented the essay in the 16th century, naming it for a French word that meant “to try,” “to test.” While the genre quickly expanded to include any short, non-fictional treatment of some subject matter, essays that retain the hallmarks of Montaigne’s—personal, exploratory and with a structure that resists outlining—tend to be the most literarily satisfying. We will read and discuss three collections: James Baldwin’s “Notes of a Native Son” (1955), Joan Didion’s “Slouching Toward Bethlehem” (1968), and Loren Eiseley’s “The Immense Journey” (1957). They are still available, and class participants should be able to acquire them all for about $35. A syllabus of weekly reading assignments will be sent before the course begins. 

Expect to hear a poem or two in between viewing/enjoying photographs of birds and lovely places in nature. This course will weave storytelling about our feathered friends with PowerPoints of photos accompanied by sounds of the birds about which we are learning. Previously used slides will no doubt be included, but new content and the inclusion of poetry makes this a new course for all. No prior knowledge of birding is necessary. You are invited to bring your sense of curiosity.  The emphasis is on having fun and connecting with the natural world.  

Authentic Argentine Tango is a social dance for all ages. If you can walk, you can dance Argentine tango. It is not an aerobic showy performance dance, but rather a subtle, improvisational partner dance with a close connection to your partner. In this class we will briefly introduce the history of tango and then proceed to practice simple walking steps and various patterns to the music. Eventually more complicated rhythms and patterns unique and typical for the dance will be introduced. At some point during the sessions we will invite the class to join us for an evening at one of the several tango dances (called "milonga") which occur in the valley. Students will be asked to sign a waiver before the beginning of the course.

NOTE: This course will be taught in the gymnasium at The Grove, the Ashland Parks and Recreation facility located at 1195 East Main Street in Ashland. There will be an approximately $5 per student fee to reimburse the instructors for the cost of renting the dance space. We will not have class the week of January 27 and February 17^th .

This course will present eight films produced from 2000 to 2010 by directors Varda Jeunet, Veber, Tirard, Ozon, Barratier and Dahan. These films offer exposure to the French language as well as diverse aspects of life in France, both contemporary and historical. A short introduction that includes the film's historical context and information about the director and actors will precede each film, which will then be viewed in class. An interactive discussion led by the instructor will follow each film. Films are all in color and have English subtitles.

Community Journalism @ Ashland.news will explore the practices of community journalism, and how it helps provide the information “oxygen” to facilitate democratic, economic and social vibrancy in a community. Students will also learn how stories and/or photos are assigned, reported, and prepared for publication. We will focus on techniques for gathering, writing, editing, photographing, and publishing factual information about the citizens, events, politics, economics, and culture of a localized area – all intended to enhance a community’s quality of life. Participants will formulate a reporting plan to supplement future editions of Ashland.news and prepare stories and/or photos for publication. Beginning the third week, students will gather news in the field, reporting or photographing, writing, and doing preliminary editing on each other’s reporting, all with an aim for publication. The reporting and editing cycle will be repeated three times.

This course is an opportunity to discover and connect more fully with your true self and become the conscious co-creator of your life. You will discover false assumptions you hold about yourself and others, along with expanding your connection and trust in the wisdom of your internal guidance. Interactive lectures, discussions and journaling will facilitate the development of the conscious connection to your true nature. Discovering who we are at our essence, the passions of our soul, and our purpose in life can be a pathway to a happier and more productive life. This is an interactive experience in which students and teacher learn from each other.

NOTE: The required text is "The Evolving Higher Self: A Directed Guide to Fulfillment" by Charles Albert Huth.  This spiral-bound book can be purchased from Lighthouse-Empowerment.com for $14.99 + SH $4.50 or the e-book on Amazon.com for $5.95.

This is a previously taught course with new content. This course aims at broadening a student's vocabulary and understanding of the day-to-day German spoken today. The etymology of certain words will be discussed, and the rules of grammar will be explained on request. This term we will continue reading selected chapters of the instructor's memoirs. We will cover his months under Soviet occupation in Germany in 1945.

NOTE: Students should have a basic knowledge of German. Because there is no clear definition of “basic knowledge,” the instructor invites students to attend the first class to find out if their knowledge is sufficient to profit from the course.

In this course we will explore the structure, function and primary movements of the jaw, head, neck, and face and how they are connected to the entire skeleton and you as a complete human being. Each class features a different exercise, or lesson, and involves gentle movements done slowly with minimal effort, while paying attention to your own personal experience. You determine how big, how fast, or how “good” you do the exercises. You will be guided through enjoyable sequences, exploring and discovering ways of moving with spontaneity and awareness. You can think of these exercises as safe, fun puzzles for your nervous system and brain. Each lesson is designed to help you learn patterns about yourself and the world — helping you remember, learn, and create new patterns of behavior. You will be involved in your own process of learning. This course is ideal for all ages and abilities. You will increase your balance, reduce the fear of falling, and learn to turn with ease.

NOTES: A liability waiver must be signed before taking this course. There will be no class meeting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 16.

Want time and space to pursue your present interests? There are 'things' you need to get back to, but haven't yet? How often have you brought new things home, and then actually removed an equal number of things from your home? Do you keep having to rearrange the excess or even move it to a storage unit? How much money does it cost you to keep holding onto all those extra things? This course creates a safe, confidential environment where mutual support means the difference between success and failure. Techniques proven to work help clear your life’s clutter. In this course you will choose another member of the class as your 'clutter coach' and exchange home visits. While this might sound frightening, the rewards are manifold. As you learn to strengthen your clutter clearing muscles, you will notice a whole new attitude. Your state of mind will change, and you and your new friends will actually have fun doing what used to be drudge work.

NOTE: If you have repeatedly tried to get rid of your excess and become overwhelmed just getting started, or if you would be embarrassed having a classmate come to your home, it’s probably best that you don't sign up.

Play between mammals can incorporate movement, facial expressions, sound—and with humans—music. Play is based on shared mutually delightful agreements and if set to rhythm, you get dance.  In this class we’ll play a wide variety of movement games. Some will look like dance, and others more like martial arts. Might your life be more fun with a little more play and laughter in it?  This class will challenge your balance and coordination, your perceptions of and sensitivity to others, and tendencies you may have to be dour or handicapped by self-consciousness. It will also teach you how to dance to any music with anyone, even if you're clueless about the steps! Sounds a little edgy...and intriguing doesn’t it? Join us if you’re ready to not take yourself too seriously, make some discoveries, and have fun with other human primates! Great for life-long dancers as well as those with two left feet!

NOTE: Students will be asked to sign a waiver before the first class. Class will consist primarily of activities done standing up, though some can be done seated. You will partner with a variety of people. Some games will be done to music, some without; some with touch, some without.

In these chaotic times, humanitarian work in our world carries with it many challenges as well as joys in helping to bring about comfort for our most vulnerable populations. This course will demonstrate that anyone can do anything with commitment and focus. The instructor offers first-hand personal experiences living and working with indigenous tribes in the rain forests of Madagascar with the Peace Corps and constructing hospitals with Doctors Without Borders in Afghanistan; in West Africa during the Ebola crisis; and in refugee camps, including, most recently, the Rohingya Camp of over a million in Bangladesh. The instructor will share personal stories and present techniques and lessons learned regarding handling travel, culture, and political challenges in each setting followed by open discussion and questions at the end of each class. Course content has been expanded from when it was previously offered to include additional personal stories.

This introductory five session course, taught by three instructors at the Rogue Valley Genealogical Society Library, is designed to give a solid foundation for pursuing genealogy. Anne Billeter will present how to conduct research online and in libraries, courthouses, and cemeteries. Rich Miles, MS, RVGS Technology and Data Management Director, will present separate classes, each with a computer lab, on how to effectively use Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org to research for family and ancestors. Barbara Northrop will present how to organize research using paper and computer. She will also present the US Census with a computer lab. There will be two assignments: filling out an Ancestor chart for personal use and preregistering for a free FamilySearch.org account. Help will be available. For the three classes with computer lab, instruction will be the first hour and computer use the second hour.  We encourage students to bring their personal laptop, but this is not mandatory.

NOTE: The course will be taught at the Rogue Valley Genealogical Society Library, 3405 South Pacific Highway, Medford, OR  97501. Students will be strongly encouraged to preregister for a free FamilySearch.org account online prior to session three.

Irony and Inheritance is a close reading of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.” Participants will learn to detect and delight in the author’s deft use of irony as the story is told. Because we will be learning from shared reflections, it is essential to come to each class with roughly eighty pages read, starting with the first 16 chapters of Volume One. We will spend five weeks together on our voyage of discovery. Week by week we will reflect on the pages read, in a safe environment where honest reactions, objections, and insights are welcomed. Please come to class with the week’s reading FRESH in your mind.

Italian film had its start in the 1920’s, but it achieved its well-deserved fame in the post WWII era with the introduction of neo-realist cinema, which was influential in the move away from escapist films towards a cinema that was more concerned with war, fascism, and post-war social and political issues. In class, we will view works by De Sica, the Taviani Brothers, Olmi, Fellini and others, followed by discussion of the content, themes, and structure of the film. 

Knit a child's size sweater from start to finish in one term. The "Wonderful Wallaby" is a "hoodie" sweater with a pouch and a hood. Wallabies are cherished by children and adults. While knitting a complete sweater, learn to knit in the round using circular needles and double-pointed needles; learn how to knit a pouch, a hood and a placket with a buttonhole; and learn how to invisibly join segments together. This is NOT a beginner's class. Participants MUST KNOW how to knit, purl, cast-on and bind-off. There will be homework between classes and knitting in every class. If you don't have a small child in your life, knit a sweater for a neighbor child or for someone in need.

NOTES: Required text: “Wonderful Wallaby for Kids,” available for $8 online through Ravelry.com. This is a digital text that you may wish to print for yourself. Needles and worsted weight yarn are required. The instructor will email detailed information to all registered participants. There will be no class meeting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 16.

People who enjoy the outdoors have an appreciation of the beauty and complexity of nature. This course will highlight the incredible strategies that plants, animals, bacteria, viruses, and parasites have to propagate and adapt. Unfortunately, some of these strategies can impact human health, which will be the basis of this course. Lecture and PowerPoint topics will include: plants, wild animal attacks, parasites, snakes, tick borne diseases, sun and skin, spiders and insects, and fungal infections. A science background is not required, just curiosity and an interest in understanding our complex ecosystems.      

Have you considered ways that you could offer your own depth of experience and wisdom to the next generations? This course will explore the potential and richness of mentoring: giving back to youth in our community or developing this kind of relationship as a parent, uncle, aunt or grandparent. The classes will consist of presentation, demonstration, interactive discussion, and small group practices. Students will learn a communication model that is positive in its message and approach and practice active listening, trust development and reflection, as well as becoming aware of beliefs that are held in unconscious ways affecting how we respond to others. Joining the class does not require a commitment to becoming a mentor, but simply opens the door to understanding how valuable such a relationship is in our modern culture. Countering the loss of so much positive intergenerational interaction, this course will reveal how easy and rewarding it can be to make a difference in a youth's life.

The Nonfiction Writing Workshop offers practical training to enhance nonfiction writing skills. Class materials include selected readings, posted online, that demonstrate key writing techniques practiced by well-known authors. Students are required to submit four 500-1,000 word writing samples for analysis, one every other week, by midnight, Fridays (or Saturdays), using content derived from their experience. Students will read each other’s work and share constructive criticism about style and content. The instructor will also comment on each exercise. The storytelling techniques emphasized are applicable for memoir, historical articles, long-form journalism, and book-length nonfiction for print or the internet. Students should expect to spend 4-6 hours a week reading assignments and students’ work and writing. Previously taught courses have been amended annually, based on previous students' feedback.

NOTE: “Bird by Bird,” by Anne Lamott (New York: Anchor Books/Doubleday, 1994), is assigned to be read by the end of the term.

On August 11, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released its advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR), titled “Trade Regulation Rule on Commercial Surveillance and Data Security.” This ANPR is the first in a series of steps by the FTC that, if completed, could culminate in the adoption of the first nationwide, sweeping privacy regulation. The ANPR asks a wide range of questions about privacy, data security, and algorithmic uses, and suggests a number of paths forward for greater regulation of privacy and what it calls “commercial surveillance.” This course will explore the topic of online privacy and examine the questions posed in the above ANPR.  In particular, we will look at the various ways that the internet (online) access may intersect with privacy and discuss mechanisms that can be used to block personally identifiable information from release to online entities when desired.

NOTES: There will be no class meeting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 16. Two sections of this course are being offered, one on Zoom and one in-person. These sections will meet at the same day/time, e.g. a "hybrid" course. 

On August 11, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released its advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR), titled “Trade Regulation Rule on Commercial Surveillance and Data Security.” This ANPR is the first in a series of steps by the FTC that, if completed, could culminate in the adoption of the first nationwide, sweeping privacy regulation. The ANPR asks a wide range of questions about privacy, data security, and algorithmic uses, and suggests a number of paths forward for greater regulation of privacy and what it calls “commercial surveillance.” This course will explore the topic of online privacy and examine the questions posed in the above ANPR.  In particular, we will look at the various ways that the internet (online) access may intersect with privacy and discuss mechanisms that can be used to block personally identifiable information from release to online entities when desired.

NOTES: There will be no class meeting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 16. Two sections of this course are being offered, one on Zoom and one in-person. These sections will meet at the same day/time, e.g. a "hybrid" course. 

Make a leap in your awareness by exploring and embracing one’s own truth in order to achieve enhanced fulfillment in life. In this highly interactive Q and A wisdom-sharing experience, utilizing presentations and discussion, students will learn how to use self-inquiry tools to recognize and replace destructive, fear-based limitations with positive, truth-based self-confidence. In this course students will explore topics such as minimizing feelings of vulnerability, guilt, and shame while strengthening accountability, inner calm, and personal integrity. Students will learn to use tools that help eliminate stressful issues and silence the pain-inducing inner critic so that they consciously enrich their lives with affirming constructive energy and love from their essence. The course will focus on the benefits each of us can enjoy by learning to replace fear with truth, thereby empowering overlooked personal potentials. 

Discover the art of photography. Practicing the art of photography teaches one to compose and see the beauty of life as well as to tell a story so an event can be understood, looked back on, and appreciated. Students will learn to work with their cell phone cameras or other digital camera equipment to shoot landscape, portraiture, and photojournalism, that is, telling a story through photography. There will be in-class lectures, demonstrations, and two Ashland field trips to work with the instructor in employing techniques learned. Students will learn composition and how to employ and work with light, thus discovering and recording nature's textures and beauty, preparing for and designing the image to record what is known as the "decisive moment" that makes one's photographs works of art! 
 

NOTE: A signed waiver will be required for the field trips.

Have you: Ever felt nauseous on an elevator? Wondered how the planets circled the sun? Felt something push you to the side when your car goes around a corner? Learned how your GPS uses Einstein’s theory of gravity to calculate your location correctly? In this course after studying motion and forces, you’ll learn to understand the answers to these questions and how Einstein modified Newton’s Laws of Motion and Newton’s Law of Gravity. The course will consist mainly of lectures using PowerPoint presentations, supplemented with animations and other illustrations from the internet. Questions are always encouraged!

People rely on plants for their very existence and yet often take plants for granted. This course will foster an appreciation for the importance of plants in our daily lives. We will examine how plants contribute to our well-being by providing the basics such as oxygen, food, shelter, and clothing. Basic plant structure, growth, reproduction and photosynthesis will be reviewed. Then we will study a wide array of economically important plants including fruits and seeds, grasses and cereals, and legumes with a focus on botanical classification, domestication and cultivation, and economic and historical aspects of plant use. Additional topics include fermentation, plants as spices, and the role of plant compounds as medicines and psychoactive/stimulating agents. Finally, we will discuss how plants influence climate change, as well as the widespread extinction of plant species worldwide. Lectures will be interactive, and plant material will be brought in periodically to demonstrate concepts.

Before shots were fired at Ft. Sumter, Broadway had already gone to war. How Northern playwrights spread the message of abolitionism in the decade before the war will be shown in "Uncle Tom's Cabin," "Osawatomie Brown," and "Neighbor Jackwood." Two wartime plays, "Off to War" and "Guerrillas," representing the North and South, respectively, will also be examined. Theatre conditions, both North and South, will be discussed. We'll also take a long peek at minstrel shows and the songs they made popular. The final class will be given over to readings from the play that marked the real end of the Civil War, "Our American Cousin." The class will get to hear the part that Lincoln missed.

NOTE: This is a course that will allude to topics such as slavery and racism and will include reference to historical language, images, and ideas that were prevalent in the 19th century. Some students may find the material discussed or presented to be offensive or emotionally disturbing. Please contact the OLLI office if you have any questions or concerns.

Have you ever wondered about the North Polar regions? As children we learned that Santa Claus lives there and that it’s the home of polar bears and lots of ice, but for most people that may be the limit of our knowledge. However, it is a land rich in history. This four-lecture series entitled Quest for the North Pole: Tales of Fantasy and Failure will take us north where we will join the extraordinary expeditions of William Parry in 1827, Fridtjof Nansen, Frederick Cook, RADM Robert Peary and many others who attempted to reach 90 degrees North. Baker has also brought Antarctica to OLLI as well as the Search for the Northwest Passage. The only requirements for this course are an open mind and curiosity.

This seminar requires no text, no prerequisites, and no prior knowledge of the genre. Students will be exposed to a wide range of materials. Through reading, reviews, and discussion, students' understanding and enjoyment of the genre will be enhanced. We will examine various writing styles, settings, and characters by focusing each week on a mystery author who has produced more than one series and sleuth. Bibliographies will be provided as guides, but other appropriate selections are welcomed. Each student will select and sample a book, short story, or YA title, and present a brief oral review for each class session. Authors were selected to provide a random range of mystery types, locations, periods, and characters, beginning with Agatha Christie and ending with Alexander McCall Smith. Students who will miss the class should email a review to Mrs. Clark before 8 a.m. on the day the class meets.

This course will feature ten classic musical films starting with "The Three Penny Opera” (1931) starring Rudolf Forster and Lotte Lenya and concluding with “Cabaret" (1972) starring Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey. The other eight are "Duck Soup,” “One Night of Love,” "Curly Top," "Born to Dance,” "Alexander’s Ragtime Band," "Pinocchio,” “Cover Girl,” and "Carousel.” A handout for each film will be provided at the preceding session; for the first meeting, a handout will be available that day. Films will be viewed in class. Before each film, the instructor will point out anything of particular note and will entertain questions and comments. A guided discussion will follow the end of each film. Students need bring nothing more than a desire to see these special musical films that are true classics and still enjoyable, no matter how many times one views them.

NOTE: There will be no class meeting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 16.

This course will feature ten classic mystery-suspense films starting with a Harold Lloyd silent film, "Safety Last" (1923), and concluding with"Psycho" (1960), starring Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh. The other eight are "The Lady Vanishes,” “The Maltese Falcon," "Laura," "Rope," "Strangers on a Train," “Dial M for Murder,” “The Killing,” and "Vertigo." This course begins a three-term classic mystery/suspense film series. A handout for each film will be provided at the preceding session; for the first meeting, a handout will be available that day. Before each film, the instructor will point out anything of particular note and will entertain questions and comments. A guided discussion will follow the end of each film. Students need bring nothing more than a desire to see these special mystery-suspense films that are true classics and still enjoyable, no matter how many times one views them.

The dynamics of the federal government in 2023 are uncertain at the time this is being written (late August). No matter who wins the November elections, there will be much to discuss. Early classes will cover the November election results, who will lead the House and Senate, how the election results will determine relations between the executive and legislative branches, and between the House and Senate if different parties control the two chambers.  Current events in the country and in Congress and the executive branches will be discussed. The intersection of current events with constitutional provisions will be a central point of the class.  Classes will begin with short lectures, followed by open class discussion where all viewpoints will be welcomed.  Students will be encouraged to respect a variety of opinions. 

This seven-lecture course will cover this country's federal land management policies from the Revolutionary War to the present. It will review the Constitutional basis for federal land ownership and demonstrate how for the first 100 years, the divestiture of our publicly owned lands was this country's top priority. The subsequent emergence of a public land conservation movement and the creation of the National Park, Wildlife Refuge, and Forest Systems will be traced. Focus will include the management of the Wildlife Refuge and National Park Systems, including an in-depth look at the Everglades, Yosemite, and Yellowstone, with an eminent guest lecturer. The course will also focus on the establishment of more than 100 million acres of new conservation areas in Alaska and the old growth forest battles in the Northwest. There will be no assigned reading, and the course will involve a mixture of lectures and class discussions. No prior knowledge/skill sets will be required.

Professor John Greene of the University of Louisville has prepared a 24-session video course showing the history and scenic beauty of France with excellent graphics. Sessions include the birth and rise of Paris, the splendor of Versailles, and the French Revolution. Then NE to Champagne and the battles of World War I, followed by the beaches and bunkers of WWII on the west coast. Then the Painters and Pilgrims of Normandy and the Wild West of Brittany. Next the beautiful Chateaux's of the Loire, followed by Bordeaux  (which I will visit in October). On to the French Basque region, the Pyrenees, and Carcassone (which my family has visited). Next Arles, Marseilles, Cannes, the Isle of Corsica, and Avignon. Going north it’s on to Lyon, Beaujolais, Dijon, Burgundy, Alsace and Lorrraine and then back to Paris. Thus, the tour covers most of France, the most visited country in the world. Each class will include two-three videos plus personal photos, as well as time for class interactions.

NOTE: $2-3 for the course is requested for the $100 fee to the Great Courses. 

In this class we will take our time reading through the wonderful but often dismissed fourth novel by Thomas Pynchon, “Vineland.” Set in 1984, mostly in Northern California but frequently flashing back to the sixties, and with a definite anti-establishment attitude, “Vineland” should resonate with many of us. Vineland of the eighties is a place where the dream of a new age of peace, love and harmony has withered in the face of Reagan era authoritarianism. Yet, in this novel steeped in paranoia, the outlook is still weirdly hopeful. It is also hilarious, filled with typical Pynchonian zaniness. Though we may all get a kick out of the many references in the book to popular culture of those years, we will also be called upon to recognize the damage that the escape from reality, which pop culture encouraged, did to the promise of the counterculture movement of the sixties. We'll talk about what we have read and offer our own reflections on that strange and fascinating era. 

NOTE: You will be expected to provide your own copy of “Vineland” by Thomas Pynchon. Expect to read 40 to 50 pages per week.

Muscle is the engine that animates behavior in all animals. What do you know about the system comprising 40% of your body mass? We will discuss the structural basis of contraction, muscle mechanics, the sources of energy to contracting muscles, and how muscle is controlled by the nervous system in humans and a variety of other creatures. For instance, how do the muscles of chickens, hummingbirds, fish, and arthropods such as insects and crabs differ from one another? Why do sprinters make lousy long-distance runners and vice versa? How do you know how much force to apply when picking up an object? How do performance-enhancing drugs affect the muscles of athletes? Why does muscle strength decline with age? PowerPoint slides, YouTube videos, and university educational sources will complement lecture material. No prior knowledge of physiology is required.

This is a fun, lively “everything but the kitchen sink” course in theater skills, designed for performers at every level. Whether you are new to acting or have been doing it for many years, this class is for you! Students will learn solid performing techniques through theater games and exercises designed to help them develop technique, expertise, and confidence. Skills taught will include voice, body movement, character development, ensemble work, and mime. The class will be active, so it is important for students to come prepared for a moderate level of movement, and they must sign a liability waiver. It’s pretty much guaranteed that students’ efforts will result in lots of laughter, joy, and community, plus an increased sense of confidence and expertise! "The Play's the Thing" or "Alas, Poor Yorick” (or a Spring 2023 theater course) is recommended for anyone wishing to participate in the Fall 2023 OLLI Musical.

Note: Students are asked to pay a fee of $40 toward the rental of the rehearsal space we will be using.

Topics for this course include the Big Bang, energy fields, creation of the universe, supernovae, and beautiful nebulae. The video “Snowball Earth” shows when the earth froze solid at about 700 million years ago.   This video is an excellent presentation of the formation of life and the role oxygen played in the formation of collagen and the rise of multicellular life. Then comes the Cambrian Explosion and first animal life (the sponge) about 500 million years ago.  Supernovae and nebulae will be seen in new detail with videos from the James Webb telescope.  There will be Burgess and Drumheller Fossil slides from BC, Canada.  Then Darwin's "Dangerous Idea” video and his view of evolution. The class will also briefly discuss modern astrophysics, DNA manipulation, and biomedicine, all of which are important for our understanding of what the future holds for us. No formal background in science is required.