Life Long Learning

Winter 2020

Academic Courses

We, the Academic Advisory team, have a lot of fun curating classes for Senior Services' Life Long Learning program. Each one of us brings a passion for learning, and a background in education, travel and community building. Our interests, and your evaluations, lead us in search of faculty to teach in their area of expertise, creating courses that go deep. We meet monthly to brainstorm new classes and share leads on faculty in our community that might be available to teach. Every quarter we uncover hidden gems that may have recently retired and moved to Thurston County or been here all along! Our team's hope for you is that our classes will energize you, help you to feel deeply connected to the world around you and changed by the experience of learning with others. We believe education has the power to change us from the outside in and the inside out. See you in class! Classes too much for your budget? Please ask for a scholarship.

Advisory Committee Front Row (L-R): Don Foran, Magda Costantino, Barbara Colburn, Jane Stone. Back Row (L-R): John Aylmer, Mary Luther, Nyla Noah, Sara Thiessen. Other Members: Jan Reinhardtsen, Anna Stusser

“ISMs” IN THE USA

Creative Writing: Reading and Writing

the Personal Essay

Cross-Cultural Psychology

Profiles in Power: Xi Jin ping and

Vladimir Putin

Beethoven: A Naughty Boy Who Broke

the Rules!

Guided Conversations About Great

Literature

New Yorker Discussion Course

Meaning Makers

Beautiful Lies/Beautiful Truths 1

The Third Thirty: A Community Oral

History Project The Silk Road: Art and Ideas

“ISMs” IN THE USA

GERY GERST Thurs, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm 1/9 - 2/13 Olympia Senior Center Let’s examine all those buzz words that are being tossed around in messaging and conversations: How have they become weaponized? What do they really mean? What’s an ‘ism’ anyway? Become ‘fluent’ in ‘ism’-speak; explore how you feel about them too, and learn some history behind these concepts. General Public/Members $68/$62 Six Sessions Your Teacher: Gery earned his Masters of Education from Western Washington University. He has 44 years of teaching experience from High School to University level. Gery has been awarded

four “Teacher of the Year” honors, by the Olympia School District, OHS student body, & Olympia Teachers Association, and both the Distinguished Educator Award and Distinguished Alumnus Award from Saint Martin’s College. Gery designed and taught Olympia High School’s first Women’s Studies course, Olympia School District’s Bicentennial curriculum, a Voting Project curriculum for the Secretary of State, and a Civics curriculum for the national Constitution project.

Cross-Cultural Psychology Bruce Lerro Mon, 1:00 - 3:00 pm 1/27 - 3/16 Olympia Senior Center Do some cultures have the same range of emotions as other cultures, or do people in some societies experience emotions that are unique to their culture? Do people in different cultures get married for different reasons or are there Darwinian evolutionary reasons which make all cultures want the same things in a marriage? Do some cultures place more importance on some senses than on others? Do the senses of touch, taste, and smell matter more to hunter-

gatherers than they do to people living in industrial capitalist countries? This class has very practical implications for your relations at work, at home, with your family, friends and with any romantic partners you have or had. You may email Bruce at goethe48@pacbell.net. General Public/Members: $88/$82 Eight Sessions Your Teacher: Bruce has been a night-school college teacher for 27 years and most of his teaching has been with working adults. He has taught in alternative college settings, in prisons, in the Air Force, in the Navy, and has taught in community colleges in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has written three books on the application of Russian Lev Vygotsky’s work to world history. He is also a pen-and-ink artist.

Creative Writing: Reading and Writing the Personal Essay Olivia Archibald Thurs, 2:00 - 4:30 pm 1/23 - 3/12 Olympia Senior Center This class offers opportunities to read some of the best authors in the genre of the “personal essay” with an emphasis on practicing writing in the forms of the personal essay and its newest stepchild, creative nonfiction. The personal essay’s characteristics and narrative techniques give us structures to reflect on our life experiences, re-envision the world, and understand ourselves

in new and insightful ways. Activities include brief lecture, class discussion, writing practice, and small group critique in a nurturing environment, encouraging writers to consider for their material personal experiences salted with imagination, craft, and emotional resonance. (‘Tis the writer’s journey.) Enrollment is limited to 15 students. General Public/Members: $96/$90 Eight Sessions Your Teacher: Olivia Archibald, PhD, Professor Emeritus of English at Saint Martin’s University, is currently writing a memoir about growing up in West Virginia. Areas of teaching and research have included creative writing, essay theory, composition theory, early medieval literature, and literary criticism. Much of Olivia’s research and writing in the past focused on reflective practices and creative forms of essay in higher education. Since retirement, she revels within forests, by her writing table, and in the backyard, seeking to live a productive life while embracing the freedoms of unstructured days.

Profiles in Power: Xi Jin ping and Vladimir Putin Tom Rainey Wed, 1:00 - 4:00 pm 1/8 - 2/26 Olympia Senior Center The global geopolitics of the first half of the twenty-first century and beyond will very likely be dominated by the international dynamics between China, Russia, the United States, and perhaps India. Though European nations will no doubt still have an important geopolitical role to play in world affairs, the focus of world power is shifting from the Atlantic to the Pacific Rim. Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin are currently authoritarian leaders of the two prevailing Eurasian and Asian superpowers—Russia and China. In this course, we will primarily explore and compare in some

detail the rise to power of these two world leaders as well as their domestic and foreign policies. Special emphasis will be given to the developing strategic alliance between China and Russia and its global-geopolitical implications and consequences. We will also consider the emerging rivalry between the United States on the one hand, and China and Russia on the other, and its probable world-historical consequences. The media and format of our study will be PowerPoint presentations by the instructor, suggested weekly readings of articles and chapters from relevant books, and class discussions of the presentations, readings and films shown in class. General Public/Members: $88/$82 Eight Sessions Your Teacher: Dr. Tom Rainey received his Ph.D. in History and Russian Studies from the University of Illinois in 1966. Since then he has taught Russian and Eurasian studies at the University of Arkansas, Duke University, State University of New York at Buffalo, and since 1972 at The Evergreen State College. He is now Professor Emeritus from that institution, having recently retired from teaching there. He founded and taught for over 40 years in the Russia Program at TESC. He has published a monograph and numerous articles on Russian and Siberian environmental history. Tom remains a slave of Clio -- the Muse of History.

Beethoven: A Naughty Boy Who Broke the Rules! Huw Edwards Wed, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm 1/8 - 2/12 Olympia Senior Center The year 2020 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827). Why is Beethoven’s music still so gripping and magnetizing? Why are his Nine Symphonies so hard to play? How is it that this deaf and gruff German remains the most remarkable embodiment of the power of human spirit in music? Beethoven was “a naughty boy who broke the rules!” He also arrived in a “perfect storm.” Beethoven eclipsed the 18th and 19th centuries; he migrated to Vienna when Classicism had been perfected by Haydn and Mozart (in contrasting but complementing ways). He absorbed the old to produce something potent

and new. Beethoven became the bridge to the Romantic era—a Revolutionary writing music for a Revolutionary age. This course will set the scene for Beethoven, delve into the back-stories to many of his symphonies, quartets and sonatas, as well as see how he influenced the composers who came in his wake. Class participants will also receive a “50%-off-2-tickets” voucher to their choice of the Olympia Symphony’s March 15 (Emperor Concerto) or April 19 (Fifth Symphony) concerts at the Washington Center. General Public/Members: $68/$62 Six Sessions Your teacher: Huw Edwards has been the Music Director and Conductor of the Olympia Symphony since 2003—this being his farewell season. He is credited with greatly improving the quality of the Orchestra, picking appealing and creative programs, relating to the audience and being active in the community. He has taught music history and music appreciation classes in many cities. Huw received his Bachelors in Music from the University of Surrey (England), earned a Masters at SMU in Dallas, and was a Doctoral candidate at Northwestern University.

New Yorker Discussion Course John Aylmer Tue, 1:00 - 2:30 pm 1/7 - 2/11 Olympia Senior Center The New Yorker magazine includes something for everyone - commentary, reportage, profiles, criticism, essays, fiction, cartoons, and poetry. The entire class will read and discuss one or more of the articles. We may occasionally take a look at something from the rich history of the magazine. Students may subscribe to the magazine or use the Timberland Regional Library digital desktop-browser log in at no cost. Students interested in purchasing a subscription will be charged a special rate of $6. General Public/Members: $68/$62 Six Sessions

Your Teacher: John Aylmer is a graduate of Whitman College. John has a Master’s in Public Administration and taught Political Science and Public Administration at Wenatchee Valley College, Yakima Valley College, Heritage University, Central Washington University and Oregon Coast Community College. He is the secretary of the Board of Directors of the William O. Douglas Trail Foundation.

Guided Conversations About Great Literature Don Foran Wed, 4:15 - 5:45 pm 1/8 - 2/26 Olympia Senior Center We will begin the new year with great short stories, poems, and excerpts from longer literary masterpieces. We will pay attention to structure, characterization, imagery, and themes therein, and we’ll discuss what these works evoke in our own lived experience, our memories, and our dreams. Some of the writers we’ll encounter are Welty, Crane, Fitzgerald, Heaney, Kunitz, Olds, Gaimon, O’Connor, Baldwin, Gallagher and Carver. We will have a small party during the final class

session. Please bring something to share that day. For some of Don’s essays, poems, and favorite quotations, visit www.donforan.webs.com. These may help your exploration of stories, plays, or poems we encounter. General Public/Members: $88/$82 Eight Sessions Your Teacher: Don Foran earned his PhD in English at the University of Southern California and a postdoctoral MA in Theology from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. He recently retired from 40 years of teaching literature and creative writing.

Meaning Makers Holly Maxim Thurs, 1:00 - 3:00 pm 1/16 - 2/20 Olympia Senior Center Humans are interested in meaning. Sometimes we may choose to abandon our project of personal meaning-making from firsthand knowledge to follow a handy established truth. This is known as conventional or secondhand wisdom, or turn-key truth we turn to for meaning and values, solutions, and understanding. But we must not let our greatest tools for understanding the world around us wane in its incredible power to thrill us with discovery. We will consider our own processes of meaning making by narrative and metaphor in films and essays. The class will explore disciplines like psychology, mythology, and literature.

General Public/Members: $68/$62 Six Sessions Your Teacher: Holly has an AAS in Library Technology from Highline Community College for research and a BA from The Evergreen State College with the emphasis of her work in Consciousness Studies and Writing. She enjoys researching in areas of philosophy, psychology, mythology, criticism, history, and various spiritual traditions. She delights in writing and thinking about the subjective formation of consciousness. She won a scholarship that allowed her to create curriculum aimed at harvesting wisdom at any age. Holly has been a Co-facilitator of the C. G. Jung Society of Olympia and a trained Conversation Café Host.

Beautiful Lies/Beautiful Truths 1 Keith Eisner Weds, 2:00 - 4:00 pm 1/15 - 3/4 Olympia Senior Center For writers and would-be writers of fiction, memoir and essays. Expect to write at least seven pages a week. Class objectives: Improve your writing through short craft assignments, weekly "Wild Pages," in-class exercises, and by critiques of your own work and work of fellow students. You'll also be encouraged to participate in a public reading at the end of the quarter. Lots of work, lots of fun. Enrollment limited to 10. Must register in person at the Olympia Senior Center. This class fills quickly! General Public/Members: $96/$90 Eight Sessions

Your Teacher : A local writer and actor, Keith holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College. A former spokesperson for Thurston County and The Evergreen State College, Keith likes to write while listening to baseball on the radio. He's honored to have had one of his short stories included in the 2017 O. Henry Award Stories. He's also won the 2019 Mighty River Short Story Contest held by Southeast Missouri University Press (publication scheduled for Fall, 2019).

The Silk Road: Art and Ideas Jane Stone Tues, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm 1/7 - 2/11 Olympia Senior Center Join us as we discover how ancient trade routes altered the course of history, spreading new ideas and art from China to the Mediterranean Sea. Rather than one road, the Silk Road was a network of land and sea routes across Eurasia that for a millennium served as a route, not only for the exchange of trade goods, but also for ideas, technological and scientific innovation, and art. Buddhist caves; mosques; silk tapestries; handmade paper; maps; texts; miniature painting; coinage; weaponry – all reflect the complex history of the Silk Road. We’ll finish the course with a discussion of China’s Belt and Road project, a 21st century Silk Road.

General Public/Members: $68/$62 Six Sessions Your Teacher : Jane Stone recently retired from teaching art history and studio arts at South Puget Sound Community College. She studied at Reed College and the University of Iowa, and continues to work in her home studio, teach part-time, and tutor English language learning.

The Third Thirty: A Community Oral History Project Elaine Vradenburgh Thurs, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm 1/16 - 3/5 Olympia Senior Center Do you love listening to people’s stories? Join us as we continue to interview community members between the ages of sixty and ninety as part of "The Third Thirty," an oral history project. You will read, watch, and listen to lots of wonderful stories. Students will build their listening and interview skills, and gain the tools needed to interview and edit an oral history to share as part of a public exhibition, a podcast, and an event. Our project will focus on Olympia-

area residents who were either living here or were drawn to the area in the early years of the founding of Evergreen State College, between 1967 and 1980. The project seeks to understand this particular moment of our community’s history from the perspective of people who lived through it. Expect to work and have fun! You’ll have reading and viewing homework, and you’ll need access to a computer and a recording device, such as a Smartphone or tablet. Editing and technology help is available. Learn more about the project and read past stories at www.windowseatmedia.org/the-third-thirty.html. General Public/Members: $98/$92 Eight Sessions Your Teacher: Elaine is a multimedia storyteller and educator. She loves working with the community to gather and share stories to spark conversation and deepen our understanding about ourselves and others. Elaine is adjunct faculty at The Evergreen State College and is the Curator of Community-Based Storytelling at Window Seat Media.

Trips & Tours

Bohemia at the Triple Door Sunday, January 26, 2020

We’re off to Seattle’s famed Triple Door for the smash hit, Bohemia, a freewheeling cabaret about love, classical music, art nouveau, green fairies and absinthe. Set in 1890s Prague, the story centers around famous Czech composer Antonin Dvorák who has hit a wall and prior to composing his magnum opus, so he looks to the bottom of a bottle of absinthe for inspiration. The Triple Door is Seattle’s premier performance venue offering full table service throughout the performance. The kitchen delivers award-winning Southeast Asian dishes featuring local ingredients, fresh Pacific Northwest seafood, and one of kind dishes. A variety of cocktails, wines and beers are also available. $89 Members; $99 General Public (21+). Includes transportation and admission. Meal on your own at the venue.

Enumclaw Wine and Chocolate Festival Saturday, February 8, 2020

Celebrate Valentine’s Day early and treat yourself to the finer things in life. Over 20 fine wineries from around Washington will be offering over 80 wines to taste. More than a dozen chocolatiers will tempt you with their samples, and many gift and specialty vendors will be participating as well, along with demonstrations and musical entertainment. Every guest receives a wine glass and six tasting tickets (tastes range from 1 to 3 tickets). Dinner, appetizers and additional tastings will be available for purchase. $75 Members; $85 General Public. Includes transportation, admission, and two wine tastings. Food on your own.

Amazing Astoria: Cannery Pier Hotel & Fisherpoets Gathering Friday & Saturday, February 28 -29, 2020

This weekend getaway combines luxury accommodations with the lively cultural experience known as the Fisherpoets Gathering! We’ll travel to Astoria, Oregon for one night at the historic Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa. Experience the mighty Columbia from the comfort of your room in this luxury boutique hotel that offers guests unparalleled views. Enjoy an authentic Finnish sauna, full service day spa, hors d’oeuvres in the lobby and continental breakfast. You can even arrange a complimentary chauffeur into town to the venue of your choice for the evening’s festivities. The Fisherpoet’s Gathering, now in its 23rd year, attracts poets, songwriters and storytellers from fishing communities across the nation. They gather in the pubs, restaurants, theaters and galleries to read for each other and the hundreds of fans who come to hear these authentic creative voices. You’ll get a full pass to the festival so you can experience all the poetry, storytelling and music you want. Friday we will stop at the Carriage Museum on the way south and have lunch together in Astoria followed by some free time to explore. Friday night the town comes alive with performances in multiple venues, and you’ll have more time in town Saturday for another round of readings before heading home. $265 Members; $275 General Public; Single supplement $115. Includes: transportation, admission, festival, lodging, two meals and snacks.

For more information about these trips and many more, please contact Trips & Tours at 360.586.6181, ext. 126 or Trips@SouthSoundSeniors.org. Current brochure available at www.SouthSoundSeniors.org.

How to register & pay - STARTING DECEMBER 9

Phone: 360.586.6181

In Person: Olympia Senior Center Lacey Senior Center 222 Columbia ST NW 6757 Pacific Ave SE Olympia, WA 98501 Lacey, WA 98503

mail: Olympia Senior Center 222 Columbia ST NW Olympia, WA 98501

PAYMENT OPTIONS: At time of registration, half the class tuition is due to Senior Services for South Sound by cash, check or debit/credit card. If you register by phone and pay by cash or check, please bring payment to the Olympia or Lacey Senior Center. Or, you can mail your check to the above address. The other half of class tuition is paid to the instructor by cash or check and payable to the instructor on the first day of class. Please register and pay no later than Monday, January 6, 2020, to help prevent classes from being cancelled prematurely due to lack of enrollment. REFUND POLICY: If a class is cancelled due to low enrollment, a full refund will be issued. Senior Services will make every effort to give 48 hours advance notice of cancellations. If registrant requests a refund for any reason, we will refund your registration fee less a $5.00 processing fee. Refunds will not be issued after the second class meeting. All instructors are independent contractors or volunteers and the responsibility for the curriculum of their class rests with the instructor.

Benefits of Membership & Supporting Senior Services for South Sound Being a member is like being part of our family! Your membership offers you access to dozens of engaging life long learning classes that include health & wellness, personal growth, the arts, hobbies, games and support services. Plus, coming to the centers promotes socialization and meeting new friends. Since we are a non-profit 501(c)3, funding our many programs is a challenge. Your membership helps us fund vital programs to improve the quality of life for people.

Membership Saves You Money As a member, you’ll receive discounts on Academic Classes and Trips & Tours! That could save you lots of money throughout the year. Plus, there are many more savings and benefits by becoming a Gold or Lifetime member. Scholarships are also available - no one is turned away!

It’s Easy to Join If you wish to learn more about the different membership levels or become a member, please visit www.SouthSoundSeniors.org/programs/activities. Upon completing your membership application, you will be mailed an informational packet. Or, you can visit the Olympia or Lacey Senior Center to pick up your packet.

Thank you for supporting Senior Services for South Sound and welcome to our family! A caring place to connect and create community!

Administration & Olympia Senior Center 222 Columbia St NW Olympia, WA 98501

360.586.6181

222 Columbia St NW Olympia, WA 98501

Virgil Clarkson Lacey Senior Center 6757 Pacific Ave SE

Lacey, WA 98503 360.407.3967

To register for courses, call 360.586.6181 or visit the Olympia or Lacey Senior Center.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE John Aylmer Barbara Colburn Magda Costantino Don Foran Mary Luther Nyla Noah Jan Reinhardtsen Jane Stone Anna Stusser Sara Thiessen

Free talks about travel, community, special interests, food - any topic imaginable! Pick up a monthly flyer at the

senior centers or visit www.southsoundseniors.org.

Speakers Series