OLLI-UO in Portland
Find a group that fits your interests.
The following study and discussion groups meet weekly unless otherwise specified. Please see the winter break closure announcement below. All members are welcome to attend these sessions. Past participation is not required. For questions, study materials or more information on these groups, please call the OLLI-UO in Portland office at 503-412-3653.
Tuesdays
The Rise of Humans: Great Scientific Debates
10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
“Trying to understand our human origins has always been a fundamental part of who we are. One of the core things we want to know is how we came to be. Thousands of years ago, human civilizations developed elaborate stories to explain the origins of humans. But today, with the help of dramatic archaeological discoveries and groundbreaking advancements in technology and scientific understanding, we are closer than ever before to learning the true story.
In recent decades, paleoanthropology has exploded, bringing us closer than ever before to making sense of this controversial subject and providing us with a richer understanding of our origins. It’s also sparked continued debate among the greatest minds in the field and prompted anthropologists to revise, update, and even, in some cases, overturn ideas and theories about key issues in human evolution” (http://bit.ly/n3H5sI). [DVD discussion group]
Facilitator: Mike Ellis
Wednesdays
How to Listen to and Understand Great Music
10:30 a.m.–noon
“Music, the most abstract and sublime of all the arts, is capable of transmitting an unbelievable amount of expressive, historical, and even philosophical information to us, provided that our antennas are up and pointed in the right direction.
“In this Teaching Company DVD course “you will hear and understand an entire language of unmatched beauty, genius, and power [as] Professor Greenberg takes you inside magnificent compositions by Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Verdi, Wagner, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, and more.” (http://bit.ly/mEQ6kk) [DVD discussion group]
Facilitator: Joanna Rood
Thursdays
Extra Innings
10:30 a.m.–noon
As “third agers,” we are experiencing, for the first time in human history, thirty additional years of healthy life. This experimental discussion course will utilize emerging findings from the science of gerontology as well as gerogogy, defined as self-directed learning using life experience as a platform. This discussion course is not a life-review course. Class discussion will not only allow participants to look back on past experiences, but will encourage participants to look ahead as they travel through their third age.
Facilitator: Ken Calvin
Please note: Extra Innings will not meet Thursday, January 12, due to the Portland Art Museum Docent-guided Tour.
Literati
January 5, 12 and 26, 1:00–2:30 p.m.
On January 5, Literati will discuss the crime novel, Dissolution by British author C.J. Sansom.
“Exciting and elegantly written, Dissolution is an utterly compelling first novel and a riveting portrayal of Tudor England. The year is 1537, and the country is divided between those faithful to the Catholic Church and those loyal to the king and the newly established Church of England. When a royal commissioner is brutally murdered in a monastery on the south coast of England, Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s feared vicar general, summons fellow reformer Matthew Shardlake to lead the inquiry. Shardlake and his young protégé uncover evidence of sexual misconduct, embezzlement, and treason, and when two other murders are revealed, they must move quickly to prevent the killer from striking again” (http://amzn.to/szQVl5).
Following this selection will be The Devil in the White City by Eric Larson.
Facilitator: George Davidson
Leaving a Trace: Writing About Your Life
2:30–4:30 p.m.
This group provides a friendly, supportive, and intimate setting to explore and share memories and experiences.
In this course, we will explore moving from journal writing to finding the ‘line of thought.’ We will write, share, engage in writing exercises, and have a couple of guests who have moved from journal, to memoir, to a published book.
Through this experience, I hope to share with you how to leave a lasting piece of work about your lives. We will identify ten key patterns hidden in all journals and find the story underneath the surface of recorded fact. We will learn how to play detective to your days, find the ‘thought line’ or the arc of life’s meaning in your life, and frame these stories for journal, family chronicle or memoir.
Past questions the writing group has considered are:
- What is something that got left behind?
- What is something you cannot deny?
- What is something you wrote or did that you no longer understand?
Members may join this group at anytime.
Facilitator: Judi McGavin
Brown Bag Luncheons
January 17, 24, 25 and 31, 12:30–1:30 p.m.
Get to know your fellow OLLI-UO members at these weekly brown bag luncheons. Bring a lunch from home or order takeout from one of Old Town’s many restaurants. Lunch will be held in the OLLI-UO office, suite 148C. Lunches are always preceded and followed by an OLLI-UO course, lecture or discussion group. We hope to see you there!
Let it Snow, Let it Snow
We are well aware of how quickly and unexpectedly our winter weather can change here. The University of Oregon rarely closes for inclement weather. Should you hear on the radio or television that local public schools have cancelled classes, it is possible that a group leader, course manager or presenter may also need to cancel their event. Please call the OLLI office, 503-412-3653 or 800-824-2714, for the most up-to-date OLLI event information. As always, please use your best judgment as to whether you feel the roads are safe for your travel.
