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May 2016
Osher at RIT
News and Events
Comments from the Chair
For the past several months I have encouraged members to consider leading a course. This month I would like to address additional ways that you can help Osher. As we near the end of the 2015 - 2016 academic year, there are several positions on Council that will be opening up. Please carefully consider volunteering for one, either as a sub committee chair or as a co-chair if that works best for you.
Under Marketing two positions are available: New Member Recruitment (help us contact prospective members and help at the course previews) and News & Events editor (put your creativity to work formatting the submitted articles into a new look).
Participation deals with those who have joined as members, and there are two positions available: Member Relations (arrange seasoned member/new member peer contacts) and Social (guide your committee in offering wonderful social events for our members to enjoy).
You may not feel that you want to head up a committee; we always need help getting things done at Osher, so please look at the organization chart (on the wall between the closets in the kitchen or on our newly redesigned website) and contact any person listed there who will be glad to help you understand what is involved in being part of a particular committee. In addition to leading courses, the dynamism of our Osher depends upon many of us helping to run the organization; won’t you please consider helping?
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Word 2010
From the Program Administrator
We have received a lot of positive feedback about our new and improved website, including how intuitive it is to find what you’re looking for. We hope you agree!
Please note that Osher, along with the rest of RIT, will be closed on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30th. For those of you who have Monday classes, you will be making them up on Monday, June 13th.
We have 13 courses planned for the Summer term; thanks to those course leaders who submitted proposals: Nancy Aumann, Raymond Duncan, Joan Dupont, Stan Ertel, Gary Lehmann, Steve Levinson, Tom Low, Alex Marcus, Jim Nofziger, Roz Rubin, Carol Sumuel, Con Sullivan, and Julian Thomas. The eight-week term, with classes held on Mondays and Wednesdays, begins on a Wednesday (7/6/16) this year due to Monday of that week being Independence Day. Course catalogs will be available the last week of the Spring term.
Please see the complete Osher calendar on our new website for all closings, course cancellations, events, lectures, term dates, SIG meetings, and more: www.rit.edu/osher/event-calendar.
RIT News & Events
RIT Imagine Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival is a campus-wide event that showcases the innovative and creative spirit of RIT students, faculty, and staff. Visitors experience the breadth and depth of RIT through interactive presentations, hands-on demonstrations, exhibitions, and research projects set up throughout campus. Multiple performance stages with live music and entertainment are also a hit with visitors of all ages. Held annually each spring, Imagine RIT is the kickoff to Rochester’s rich festival season. I encourage you to attend this neat event. Go to www.rit.edu/imagine for more information. Date & Time: Saturday, May 7, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. Cost: Free and open to the public! Location: Imagine RIT takes place throughout RIT’s campus in Henrietta.
Fun Facts Did You Know...?
• 73% of adults consider themselves lifelong learners.• By 2021, the 50-plus age group is projected to drive more than half of US economic
activity.• Nationally, 70.1% of Osher members are women and 29.9% are men.
Thanks for reading! Mary Bistrovich Program Administrator [email protected] 585-292-8989
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ONE-SESSION CLASSES FOR MAY, 2016
As of this date we still have some openings to fill for One Session Classes for the summer term. If you have not led a course at Osher before, this could be the perfect opportunity for you to get your feet wet by sharing your knowledge with your fellow members. Perhaps you have traveled to fascinating places and have wonderful tales to tell of foreign lands? Perhaps you have an affinity for our local flora and fauna? Now is the time to consider taking the plunge and working up a course. Don’t think you can handle it? I am more than willing to help you in any way from organization and planning of your allotted ninety minutes to creating a PowerPoint presentation if you so desire. If you want to talk about it, just give me a call at 787-9121 or email me at [email protected]
ONE SESSION COURSES FOR MAY 2016
May 2 Nancy Aumann Angela Merkel: Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year, 2015”
Citing her position in the European Union, Time Magazine identified the German Chancellor as the most powerful woman – in fact, person on the Continent. Her role in the Greek financial crisis and a Syrian refugee crisis had a significant impact on current events in 2015 and beyond.
May 9 Maureen Murphy & Lois Tucker Domestic Violence Awareness
Maureen and Lois, having spent their careers dealing with domestic violence in the Rochester community, will help us examine the POWER AND CONTROL dynamics of ABUSE behind the headlines of our local news, the books we read, and the films we watch. Community resources which provide survivors and offenders will be discussed, with the goals of changing violent behavior and overcoming trauma. This will be the first course either member has led at Osher, and we are excited to be able to introduce them through this well-researched class.
May 16 No One Session Scheduled - Osher Book Club meets
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ONE SESSION COURSES FOR MAY, 2016 – (cont.)
May 23 Mike O’Neal The Holy Land, the Palestinian/Israeli Conflict
A guest panel will discuss the protracted conflict in the Middle East that has decried a peace agreement despite numerous attempts. The panel will reflect viewpoints that are not ordinarily in the news we commonly receive.
Melanie A. Duguid-May is a professor of Theology at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. Having made a dozen trips to Israel/Palestine since 1975, she wrote Jerusalem Testament: Palestinian Christians Speak, 1988-2008 and is a founding member of Christians Witnessing for Palestine.
Corinne Sutter-Brown, founding member of the Rochester Chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, has taught courses at SUNY campuses and University of Rochester. She has been working on the history of Israel/Palestine and Zionism for many years.
Donna Stefano, has worked in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia for 23 years in the field of international development, humanitarian assistance, and peacebuilding. She most recently worked for Seeds of Peace as their Middle East regional director.
Debbie Huff One-Session Classes [email protected]
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OSHER SIGS SIG stands for Special Interest Group. It is an informal community of people who gather around a specific area of knowledge, learning, or technology. Osher members are encouraged to join the existing SIGs listed here, or to initiate a new SIG: Photo SIG Next meeting date: Friday May 13, 1 PM. Photo challenges: LEADING LINES; prepare for photo shows-September For more information: Loretta Petralis, [email protected] Jazz Improvisation For more information: Al Matthias, [email protected] Purls of Wisdom The group is knitters and other crafts (ex. needlepoint, tatting, and beading) We meet every other Friday at Osher at 1:15 pm. New members are welcome. For more information: Terri Hurley, [email protected] or at 585-755-4705 Chamber Music For more information: Kathy Lewis, [email protected] Mac Equipment The nice weather has been taking a toll on our meetings; we will start up again in the fall. In the meantime, anyone with questions or problems is encouraged to post to the SIG mailing list - [email protected] - and you will be contacted. We will be presenting a short course on how to use Keynote in May - watch the announcements for the time and place. For more information: Julian Thomas, [email protected] Loretta Petralis Special Interest Group Coordinator [email protected]
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New Computers The Technology Committee is proceeding with the installation of new computers in the classrooms, lounge, and library. This is necessary to ensure that Osher has access to the appropriate technology to support our learning activities. These computers will run Microsoft Windows 10 and Microsoft Office 2016. While many of you are familiar with Windows 10, some of you may not be familiar with it. The system has been around for about a year and has many positive features. However, as with getting a new car, some of the controls and features look a little different yet still provide a nice computing experience. The Technology Committee is developing materials and some familiarization demonstrations to aid people in transitioning to the new computers, however come the Fall term, there won’t be enough Technology Committee members to provide Windows 10 and Microsoft Office training for all members who might want it. Over the summer, you may want to check out places that offer training such as: the JCC of Rochester, local school districts’ continuing education programs, and the Monroe County library system. William Brown Technology Committee [email protected]
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Annual Picnic
Our picnic is June 10th at the Round House in Genesee Valley Park at 1:00 p.m. Once tickets ($17.00) are available, it is suggested you purchase them early to ensure you won't miss out on our musical memories of the 50’s through the 80’s. Gary Bird, a well know DJ, will surprise and delight us with FUN and songs that we can sing along with and dance to. Boston Market will cater our lunch, which will be served at 1:30 p.m. Bring your song requests, singing voices, and dancing shoes. Feel free to bring memorabilia of the 50’s - 80’s, and you could win one of our unique gifts. Sandra Chamberlain Chair, Social [email protected]
SUMMER-ONLY MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE: TELL YOUR TEACHER FRIENDS!
Once again, for the upcoming Summer Term, Osher will be offering a special $75 summer-only membership for folks who normally work during the rest of the year. This membership is great for teachers, professors, seasonal workers, and others who may have time off during the summer. Please let your friends know about this special offer! Unlimited summer classes for only $75 - it’s the best bargain around! Memberships can be renewed in subsequent summers at the same rate. Note: Offer not applicable to current full or trial members of Osher. Mary Jones Vice Chair, Marketing [email protected]
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Summer Seminar
By now, you have received your Summer Seminar packet and selected the trips that you want to go on. If not, there may still be room. Call the staff at 585-292-8989, to see which trips still have room. If the trip is filled, ask to be placed on the wait list. There are always cancelations-right up until the day before the trip. Plan on attending the lectures, even if you are not planning on going on any trips. Speakers are excellent. Lectures are informative, full of little known facts and a good way to learn more about the area of this part of the state. Lectures are on Tuesdays from 10 am until noon. They are free and open to all members and their guests. This is a good way to introduce Osher to non-members. Lecture 1: Tuesday June 21st: Speakers are Tom Grasso whose talk is titled: “The Challenges of Building the Four Erie Canals…..and Preserving Our Canal Heritage” Chuck Sparsnecht will present, “Early Fighting for a North American Empire”. Lecture 2: Tuesday, July 12th: Tim McDonnell will cover the geology and geography of the Finger Lakes, especially during the Silurian and Devonian periods. Holly Howell, a writer on wine for the D&C, will cover “The Finger Lakes Grapevine”. This area has a growing reputation around the world. Lecture 3: Tuesday, July 19th, Michael Lasser who has a syndicated radio program on Public Radio, “Fascinatin’ Rhythm” will discuss, “What Happens When Opera Moves to Broadway”. From Gilbert and Sullivan to Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, there is a relationship to opera-or at least operetta. Lecture 4: Tuesday August 9th, Tom Snyder of the Seneca Park Zoo will present: “Science Saving Species-How the Seneca Park Zoo Saves Aquatic Animals”. Carol Samuel, our second speaker, has a long standing interest in antique carousels. Her presentation will cover the history and art of the various carvers and the sheer joy of riding a carousel. These topics cover a range of subjects from educational to sheer pleasure. See you at the lectures… Sharon Garelick Chair, Summer Seminars [email protected] Page | 8
In the Gallery
Photos submitted by Frank Michaels
In a collage of images, Peter Luce creates a colorful fantasy forest as the figures of “Ansel and Gretel” find their way.
The darkening clouds behind “Mercury” add to the drama as he appears to be leaping into the sky. Great photograph by Michelle Turner.
Clever composition by Michelle Turner. Centering the arch in “Subway #3” would have created a static composition. By offsetting it, the foreground becomes of interest.
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In the Gallery
The lobby gallery has a wonderful new exhibit that you will thoroughly enjoy. Michelle Turner is showing six photographs featuring Rochester scenes. This is a departure for her since most of her work in the past has come from her extensive travels. I'm sure you will agree that she has presented some wonderful Rochester views. We are also showing a fascinating collection of collages by Peter Luce. You will want to look at them from a distance to appreciate the total effect, but also take a close-up look to examine how he has put these pieces together. They are indeed lovely works of art. In the library, you will see Gisela Balents' lovely painting titled "After the Harvest." She has most graciously donated this work to Osher. Thank you very much, Gisela, for your generosity. Jane Gotowka [email protected]
Nominating Committee Seeks Recommendations Again Due to unexpected circumstances, the Vice Chair of Marketing position is once again open and the nominating committee is seeking your recommendations for possible candidates. The Vice Chair of Marketing will serve from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2018. Candidates should have an interest in various aspects of outreach to the public to promote Osher and attract new members. Previous related experience would be helpful, but enthusiasm and an interest in participating in Osher management are equally important. Please send recommendations to [email protected] by May 10. Thank you Bonnie Salem Chair, Nominating Committee
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News and Events Editor Wanted! Tap into your journalistic talents and volunteer to coordinate the production of our monthly electronic newsletter. Articles and pictures are provided by members, and the editor proofreads and formats them. Training provided! This is a Council position that reports to the Vice Chair of Marketing. The Osher council meets monthly to consider and act on items related to Osher governance. If interested, or if you would like to suggest someone, please contact Mary Jones at [email protected] or 585-381-1554.
Mary Jones Vice Chair of Marketing [email protected]
AND THE WINNER IS …
We recently concluded the Spring Recruitment Drive contest which encouraged our members to submit names of prospects. We are pleased to tell you that we received 118 prospects from current members this spring! Here are the winners in each of the three categories the contest specified: • In the category of numbers of prospect names submitted: Lewis Neisner • In the category of prospect names given who attended the Spring Course
Preview: Lewis Neisner • In the category of most prospect names given who subsequently joined
Osher: Lewis Neisner Lewis, congratulations on your triple win! You are a terrific Osher ambassador! And thanks to all who submitted names - we are well on our way to reaching our income goal for the 2015-16 fiscal year! Mary Jones Vice Chair, Marketing [email protected]
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OSHER ANNUAL MEETING
Photos submitted by Mary Bistrovich
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PFAULDER DVDS Pfaudler titles from 2007 are available on DVD in the Osher library. If any individual would like to see a talk s/he missed, first search the library collection. If you can’t find it in the library, put a note in the mailbox of Carol Samuel or the “Videographer”. Please use the following form which is available in the library.
PFAUDLER REQUEST Submit to Carol Samuel’s mailbox or to “Videographer” mail slot
NAME & Today’s date __________________________________________________ HOW CAN WE REACH YOU (email and phone, give both & print clearly) _________________________________________________________ TITLE AND DATE OF THE PFAUDLER YOU WANT TO SEE: ___________________________________________________________ REASON: ___________________________________________________ (DVDs may not be reproduced for commercial purposes)
Loretta Petralis, producer [email protected] Carol Samuel [email protected]
Pfauldler DVDs are the property of the Osher Collection and are not duplicated for personal ownership. Please return DVDs to our library when you are finished with it. Loretta Petralis Pfaudler DVD Production Committee [email protected]
Mertensia (Bluebells) Photo submitted by Loretta Petralis Page | 13
Useful Tips? Many of us have learned simple things over time which may seem too obvious to even mention. As it turns out, many people don't actually know some of these things which are hidden in plain sight since their personal experience never took them there. I have been afforded a great opportunity from being involved with the Wizarding business at Osher to learn a lot of things from other people as well as to pass on some simple things which I already knew from my own experience. I will mention a few of them here since you may find at least one of them worthwhile. Having had to set digital clocks as accurately as possible from time to time, I found the web site "time.is". Just type that into the URL box or address line of your browser
screen and hit enter and you will get a page like this: Most computers have a digital clock on the desk top screen but it may not go to seconds.
This discussion further brings up the issue of jargon. If you don't know the names for things, it is very difficult to look them up. In the commentary above, I used the term URL which stands for "Uniform Resource Locator" which is the web page address which gets you to that particular page. Thus, "time.is" was the URL to get to that page which you see directly above this paragraph. Any time you would like to move to a particular page other than the one you currently are viewing, you simply use the key strokes: command +l (letter L) or control +l depending on your particular computer operating system and then proceed to type in the URL of interest. The letter "l" stands for "load". You are loading a URL which you proceed to enter. If you have used a particular URL previously, your browser may likely have it in memory and may make suggestions on which you can click to avoid further typing if you have a very long URL to enter. If you like a particular web page you can quickly make a "web file" of that page by clicking on and dragging the small icon just to the immediate left of the URL to the desk top of your computer. Any time you double click that web file image in the future it will return you to the page where it was created.
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Useful Tips? - (cont.)
A word of caution with regard to loading a new URL! Do not do this in the middle of a lengthy email note you are composing or you may surely be disappointed that you will likely not be able to return to that note again. Depending upon your particular email service, your note may be saved in "drafts" but I have lost things more than once and they were not to be found in my email
folder later on. Many times when composing a note, you may want to look something up and return to your note without having it vaporized. In order to do that, you need to either open a new window on your browser or open a new tab. By doing either of those things you can do multiple things in different places without losing any of them as long as you navigate among them properly. This would be the case if you happen to pick a web site which lets you listen to music, you then decide to write an email note to a contact and continue listening, and then decide while writing that you can't spell a particular word and resort to a Google search to find a spelling or definition or article to which you would like to link in your email note, and then finally return to your note all while listening to music. The best way to avail yourself of this capability is to try it some time with an experimental email note to see what happens. New windows and new tabs can be produced by menu selection or by knowing where to click on your browser to create them. This article is too long already to cover all the details but as long as you know those terms, you can look them up and get a full explanation. I have found "listube.com" to be a great place to find music of any sort and play it on my computer when I am doing something. Listube.com is one among the many free music streaming sites and it lets you enter a song title or composer name and then get an endless array of variations of that particular music.
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Useful Tips? - (cont.)
Homework assignment: 1) Open your browser and log on to your email service. 2) Start composing a note to yourself as the recipient. 3) Open a new tab after you start your note, in the new tab window, load the URL
for listube.com. 4) On listube.com, enter the name of a song or music you want to play. Double
click on a version of the item you want to play and when it starts to play, set your PC volume level to suit yourself.
5) Return to your email note by clicking the tab at the top of your screen which gets you back to that page.
6) If you have done this right, the music should keep playing and you can continue your note.
7) Now you decide to look up what URL means, so you make a new tab and enter google.com and then search for "define: URL". When that page comes up, copy the text which explains it and then proceed to click on the tab which gets you back to your note and paste that copied text onto your email note. The keyboard shortcut for "copy" is command or control +c. The keyboard shortcut for "paste" is command or control +v.
8) Send yourself the test note and see how it looks when you read your mail. How did you do? If something didn't work, ask your kids how they do it or come and see an Osher Wizard for help. Of course this was all done using a conventional desk top computer. If you are using a smart phone or slate type device, those operating systems could be totally different, so this only applies to the kinds of PC's we encounter at Osher, our home desktop computers, or perhaps our laptops which we carry around. Andy Bazar
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I am using this opportunity to express a special “thank you” to the three wonderful wizards who worked hard getting my first class this spring off to a very good start – Andy Bazar, Joel Elias, and Roger Gans! We all need to appreciate how much time and effort our cadre of wizards gives to Osher in helping our classes to run smoothly. Perhaps we could each take a moment to thank the wizards who help out in some of our classes. Remember, they are all volunteers! Kathy Hayes [email protected]
Crime Lab Intersession Trip
Photo submitted by Mary Bistrovich
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Osher members, once you have acquired your RIT student ID card, you can use it at the Park Point Barnes & Noble bookstore to save money (10%) on textbooks you need to buy for courses at Osher. The textbook section is up on the second floor, with both an escalator and a nice elevator to take you there. There is a special shelf for the Osher courses. There is no sales tax on textbooks at B & N and a percentage of all textbook sales there go to RIT! Attention course leaders: If you want the members of your class to purchase books for your course (novels included) you need to order them at the office up on the second floor at B & N. Jan Decker is in charge there and can be reached by calling (585) 424-6766 and asking to speak with her or whoever is taking textbook orders at that time. If you call 3 to 4 weeks before your class begins, they will try to obtain used books for people to purchase. More money saved! I was told that any used book sold there will be in good condition: no mildew or missing pages. Don’t be concerned about ordering too many copies of a book because all unsold texts are returned when the term is over. I have used this opportunity many times for my courses at Osher and highly recommend it! Kathy Hayes [email protected]
Eastman House Floral Display Photo submitted by Loretta Petralis
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Lifespan Celebration of Aging
Photos submitted by Laura Yellin and Mary Bistrovich
Mary Bistrovich and Mary Barrett
Joan Dupont and Maureen Murphy Willard Brown, Jeanette Van Wormer, Carol Qualls, and Joan Dupont
Mary Barrett and Laura Yellin
Jeanette Van Wormer, Carol Qualls, and Joan Dupont
Melissa Taylor and Mary Bistrovich
Not Pictured - Meredith Smith Page | 19
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If you have any feedback for the Newsletter Editors, please feel free to use the following email: [email protected], or stop and speak to the News & Events Editor at Osher (out of the high traffic areas, of course!)
The next Deadline for submitting articles is May 20, 2016.
Thanks for reading the newsletter!
New Members
Josephine Buckley Mary Maher Jeff Munson Carol Oehlbeck Bob Snyder Gayle Stahl
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