Looking Forward to Spring and Summer 2020

Greetings OLLI students,

After an exciting winter semester, we’re showcasing some brand new instructors along with a few repeat favorites for spring and summer 2020 semesters at OLLI.  We have sports, music, psychology, and even a sustainability panel.  We hope our students enjoy the upcoming semesters as much as we will!

Minx Boren
“Sustainable Living: A Glocal Perspective”
# S1R7
Thursday, April 2
7:00 – 8:30 PM

 “…sustainability refers to the capacity to maintain a process over time…. In ecology, a sustainable system is one whose most fundamental functions and features—its carrying capacities—are preserved over time.” – Northwest Earth Institute

Sustainability is becoming an essential focus and a rallying cry at the core of multiple issues of concern that are now accelerating on the planet. There are undeniable and documented global shifts that are moving us toward new and unforeseen global challenges.

MODERATOR: Minx Boren, Master Certified Coach. Food Advocate and Activist. On the Leadership Council for Elders Action Network.

PANELISTS:

Jeri Muoio, Former Mayor of West Palm Beach. Developed the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. Under her leadership, the city pledged to convert to non-fossil fuel by 2025 and committed to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Penni Redford, Climate Change and Resilience Manager for West Palm Beach. She worked with both Mayor Frankel and Mayor Muoio to establish and develop the City’s Office of Sustainability and the Sustainability Advisory Committee.

Holly Lichtenfeld, Sustainability and Marketing Consultant: She has worked on sustainability, the environment, and climate change issues for over 20 years. She is also a Climate Reality Leader who trained with former U.S. Vice President and Nobel Laureate, Al Gore, to educate the public about climate change.

Thierry Beaud, Local Restauranteur, Locally Sourced Sustainable Focus: Beaud’s commitment is to support locally grown produce and sustainably-caught fish in all his establishments and to educate clientele about how meal choices can positively impact the world.

By examining and envisioning sustainability from the individual, community, and global perspectives, this group of experts will educate and inspire attendees to make choices to live with more intention and to engage in community and global initiatives that support planetary thrive-ability.

 

Ronald Feinman
Eight Former Presidents of the United States Who Impacted History – Part I
# S1M3
Monday, April 20
12:00 – 1:30 PM

Eight Former Presidents of the United States Who Impacted History – Part II
# S1M4
Monday, April 27
12:00 – 1:30 PM

All were extremely active in public affairs, and contributed their oratory and published writings to the betterment of the American nation!

Part I:

• John Quincy Adams served nine terms in the House of Representatives after serving as President, leading the fight against slavery.
• Martin Van Buren was the Free Soil Party Presidential nominee in 1848, condemning slavery and its expansion.
• Theodore Roosevelt was the Progressive (Bull Moose) Party Presidential nominee in 1912 and continued actively in public life.
• William Howard Taft served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court 1921-1930, and arranged for the construction of the Supreme Court Building in Washington, DC.

Part II:

• Herbert Hoover served as head of the Hoover Commission under President Harry Truman, on reorganizing the federal government agencies, and continued to speak of his views in many books and speeches.
• Richard Nixon was active in foreign policy as an informal advisor to later Presidents for the last 20 years of his life, and published many books.
• Jimmy Carter has had the longest retirement, promoting Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center, dealing with many world issues of concern, and published many books.
• Bill Clinton has engaged in many causes through the Clinton Foundation and in collaborations with other Presidents, and has continued to write and speak on issues of importance to him.

 

Irving Labovitz
“OBJECTION! Current Contentious and Confusing Legal Battles”
# S4R1
Thursdays, April 23, 30; May 14, 21 (No Class On Thursday, May 7)
2:30 – 4:00 PM

This Spring, the Supreme Court is about to decide several extraordinary cases having major consequences for all OLLI students and their families.   The future of Roe v. Wade may be at stake. Obamacare may be on ‘life support’.    In March, argument will be heard as to whether the President’s tax returns and work papers will be turned over to both Congress and a N.Y. state criminal grand jury investigating the President.   Several more issues of equal importance also are pending.  Our semester will not be boring as we analyze and anticipate the possible ramifications of the forthcoming decisions.

 

Margery Marcus
“Florida’s Literary Legacy (Really!)”
# S1W1
Wednesday, March 18
2:30 – 4:00 PM

Yes! Really! Florida, well known for sand, citrus and flimflammers has contributed to this country’s rich literary tradition. Florida does not get the credit it deserves for inspiring a host of writers either born here or drawn here by our climate and culture. Ernest Hemingway arguably put us on the literary map writing that Key West was the “best place I’ve been anytime, anywhere.” There he produced some of his best work in the mid-1930’s, a golden age in Florida’s literary history.

That era gave us Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, capturing the African-American experience near Orlando, and Marjorie Kinnan-Rawlings Cross Creek stories, detailing life in rural Alachua County.

Inspired by the state’s reputation as a breeding ground for scoundrels, authors of crime fiction have “made a killing” here. John D. MacDonald hit it big with the Travis McGee novels, each named for a color. McGee, a fictional character living in a real place, Bahia Mar Marina in Ft. Lauderdale, “reclaims” stolen property for a price. Randy Wayne White’s Doc Ford novels feature a former government agent, trying to live a quiet life in Sanibel, continually interrupted by shadowy figures from his past. He even has a bar named after him in Fort Myers.

Florida native Carl Hiaasen, though, wins the award for the most darkly humorous crime writer in Florida today. His novels depict the darker side of a state Hiaasen calls “the posterchild of nationwide dysfunction.”

Join me for a lively discussion of these and many other writers, all who have been either inspired, enchanted, or disillusioned (sometimes all three at once) with Florida.

“Psyched for the Psychological Thriller”
# SUM1
Monday, May 11
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

The month of May means summer is fast approaching. And nothing says “summer” like a great psychological thriller for a gripping read at the beach or anywhere. May is also the month that the film The Woman in the Window debuts with Amy Adams in the title role. Based on A.J. Finn’s blockbuster novel, it is sure to attract millions of fans who loved the book. (Note: A.J. Finn’s bio has as many twists and turns as his novel. Join me for an in-depth look at the author and his work. Surprises in store.)

Finn’s book is part of a genre that dates back to Victorian writer Wilkie Collins, whose novels popularized the unstable narrator, unexpected plot twists, and heightened suspense. Victorian hearts fluttered at what they called his “sensation novels,” tame by our standards.  I examine Patricia Highsmith’s tour de force Stranger on a Train, and Daphne duMaurier’s brilliant Rebecca, two novels transformed into iconic films by Alfred Hitchcock.

I also discuss Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane, the groundbreaker Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, and Alex Michaelides’ The Silent Patient, last year’s “must read,” among other thrillers. The reading list which accompanies my lecture will provide many “thrilling” hours of reading enjoyment.

 

Scott Greenberg, Tino Negri and Allison Negri
“You Can Find Joy in the Journey When Living with Chronic Diseases”
# S1R6
Thursday, April 2
2:30 – 4:00 PM

 Scott Greenberg, Tino Negri and Allison Negri will host a panel discussion on how to make the most of the reality of aging and allow those living with chronic diseases live their best life possible.

As award winning author and host of “OMG, I’m Getting Older and So Is My Mom”, Scott has discussed, interviewed and examined a myriad of issues that seniors confront that they were unprepared for. From long-term care insurance to which medical ologist is for you, he has presented on all subject matter confronting our aging seniors. Funny and informative, Scott will share practical tips on how to navigate the aging highway.

So as life surprises you, how do families navigate the changes they now face? Tino will help people discover that there can be joy in that journey. He will show you how to accentuate the positive, tap into the power of music, and communicate effectively and therapeutically with those living with a chronic disease. Tino’s dynamic and engaging presentation style will keep the audience on the edge of their seat and give them tips and tools that they can apply to their unique situation immediately following this presentation.

Allison Negri will set the landscape of when and how to access help including warning signs, how to select the appropriate type of assistance, payor sources, regulations and more.

The panel will be moderated by Melissa Morante, partner of ComForcare who will start by asking questions the audience wants to know the answers to but is afraid to ask. We will have time for audience participation as well.

 

Benito Rakower
Men and Women: Do They Really Converse? How Five Films Answer This Question
# S1T7
Tuesday, April 14
2:30 – 4:00 PM

This lecture surveys scenes from five of the most highly acclaimed films ever made.  In each one there are brief but intense exchanges between men and women.  One could call them defining moments in film art.

What they reveal is the intellectual and psychological ascendancy that men assert over women.  Whether this is simply a cinema convention or a mirror of reality, is something we will explore.  In any case, they reveal more about men than they do about women.  Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart square off in a dimly lit café.  A ballet impresario maps out a dancer’s entire life and career.  There are other situations.  But it is left to Faye Dunaway to show what womanly strength really is as William Holden is ensnared.

 

Andrew Scibelli (New OLLI Instructor)
Harnessing the Power of Persuasion: Getting People to Say “Yes” to Your Requests
# S1T6
Tuesday, April 14
9:30 – 11:30 AM

This workshop will help you be a more influential person.  You will learn the psychology of persuasion and what influences people to make decisions and say “yes” to all types of requests – especially those that occur in your everyday life.   There are six Principles of Persuasion that are fundamental to influencing people to move in your direction.  Over the past several decades, we have learned through research that persuasion is governed by several principles that can be learned and applied.  These principles are:

• Liking
• Reciprocity
• Social proof
• Consistency
• Authority
• Scarcity

This workshop is a must for those who want to influence others!

 

Barry Weinberg (New OLLI Instructor)
Eating My Way Through Baseball
# S1T1
Tuesday, March 17
4:30 – 6:00 PM (There will be a book signing from 6-6:30 p.m.)

“I can’t cook – nor do I try.”  I’ve eaten out for over forty-five years and I’ve made wonderful friends, witnessed the funniest and the saddest moments, heard the craziest stories and found the best places to dine in my years of travel working in professional baseball as an Athletic Trainer.

A roadmap of memories of never before heard stories and anecdotes from some of the greatest… Charles Barkley, Neal Armstrong, Michael Badalucco, Tony LaRussa, Vince Gill and Yogi Berra stories you would only hear if you were in the dugout, locker room or had a seat at my table.

With baseball as the catalyst, great stories were told, great wine consumed, and lifetime memories made. I’ve been lucky to spend over forty-five years working in professional baseball as an Athletic Trainer from the Minor Leagues to seven World Series and three World Championships. I had the opportunity to work with the Pirates, the New York Yankees, the Oakland Athletics, and currently the St. Louis Cardinals. It is still unbelievable to me what a young boy from Silver Spring, Maryland; Edith and Harold’s only son; has had the opportunity to do.

For many years people have urged me to compile my memories and stories into a book for everyone to enjoy and “Eating My Way Through Baseball,” I have done just that.

Join me as I share a night of great memories that will last forever!

 

Yoko Kothari
Piano Music by American Masters: Bernstein, Gershwin and more!
# SNS1
Saturday, March 14
2:00 – 3:30 PM

Who do you know as great American composers?

While the history of classical music stems heavily from Europe, the United States has also produced more than a few great composers. Not only had their music earned international recognition, but the new sound from America had a strong influence on some of the European composers.

Please join me celebrating American music! This program features the music from Bernstein’s “West Side Story” and a few beloved pieces by Gershwin, as well as some foreign compositions which were composed being inspired by America.

Kurt F. Stone
Great Comedy is Serious Stuff: Six Truly Funny Films
# S6M4 and # S4M5 (First 4 Weeks Only)
Mondays, March 16, 23, 30; April 6, 13, 20
7:00 – 9:00 PM

According to an old Hollywood myth, a few moments before John Barrymore passed away, his brother Lionel asked him “Jack: is dying difficult?” Summoning up what remained of his strength, the younger Barrymore spoke his last words: “Dying is easy Lionel; it’s comedy that’s difficult.”  Although the story is likely apocryphal, it nonetheless is true: making great comedy is terribly difficult.  Perhaps that is why most comedic films don’t age all that well; what was laughable in 1935 – or ’45, ’65 or even 5 years ago – just isn’t all that funny today.

Then there are the few comedies which are blessed by what might be called “terminal longevity.”  These are the films which prove the truth of Barrymore’s bon mot . . . comedy is difficult.

In this course we will spend our evenings watching and weighing in on 6 comedies which have always been – and hopefully always shall be – brilliantly funny.  And just in time, for what the world needs now – perhaps more than ever – is a supreme jolt of jest.

1. Seven Chances (1925): Buster Keaton learns that he will inherit a fortune if he marries by 7:00 pm that same day. A comedic tour-de-force.
2. Strangelove (1964): Peter Sellers, George C. Scott. An insane general triggers a path to nuclear holocaust that a War Room of politicians and generals tries to stop.
3. Monty Python & the Holy Grail (1975): King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table embark on a search for the Holy Grail with hilarious results.
4. Modern Times (1936): Charlie Chaplin’s tramp struggles to live in modern industrial society with the help of a young homeless waif (Paulette Goddard).
5. A New Leaf (1971): Walter Matthau and Elaine May (who also wrote and directed). When a wealthy playboy learns that he is broke, he decides to marry a wealthy woman . . . and then murder her. A largely unknown howl of a comedy.
6. What’s Up Doc? (1972): Barbara Streisand, Ryan O’Neal, Madeline Kahn. The accidental mix-up of four identical overnight bags leads to wild and wacky situations. The perfect comedic cure for what ails you.

“And the Loser Is . . .” Six Best Picture Nominees Few People Remember
# SCUT2
Tuesdays, May 12, 19, 26; June 2, 9, 16
1:30 – 3:30 PM

Ask most film buffs what All Quiet on the Western Front, Gentleman’s Agreement and Around the World in Eighty Days have in common, and they will likely tell you that they each won the Oscar for Best Picture.  But ask those same film buffs The Informer,Separate Tables or The Sundowners or have in common, and they will likely be stumped.  For the latter are films which though nominated for Best Picture Oscars, lost . . . and as such have mostly been forgotten. The whole world loves a lover – and a winner.  Nonetheless, those films which received Best Picture nominations but lost (there were 464 of them) must have been good very good . . . otherwise they never would have been nominated in the first place.

In this course, we will meet up with and view six “also-rans” in their entirety – films which, largely, because they came in second – or third, fourth or ninth – have been lost to time.  Some may seem terribly hokey or overly sentimental in 2020; others may cry out for rediscovery.  In any event, there will a lot to discuss and reevaluate . . .

1. Disraeli (1929/30): Eclipsed by All Quiet on the Western Front, Disraeli nonetheless won George Arliss a best actor award. A superlative biopic about the British novelist/Prime Minister who called himself “the blank page between the Old and New Testament.
2. Five Star Final (1931): Although Grand Hotel won that year, star Edward G. Robinson reportedly considered his role as a hard-bitten journalist to be his all-time favorite.
3. Les Misérables (1935): Although this was the year Munity on the Bounty beat out a record 11 films, Frederic March and Charles Laughton were at their absolute best in this Victor Hugo classic.
4. Great Expectations (1946): Despite losing to Gentleman’s Agreement, this film has long been considered the best rendition of a Dickens’ novel ever put on film. Starring John Mills and a very young Jean Simmons.
5. Pygmalion (1938): This was the year for playwright George S. Kaufman. And yet, it was yet a greater dramatist, George Bernard Shaw, who would see his story win in a musical form – as My Fair Lady in 1964. Pygmalion is the original.
6. The Long Voyage Home (1940): Though not receiving as many votes as Hitchcock’s Rebecca, The Long Voyage Home, proved to be a stunning film directed John Ford, starring John Wayne and Thomas Mitchell, and based on a play by Eugene O’Neill.

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To view the online Spring/Summer catalog, please go here.  To register online, please go here.