In-Person   

I shine a light through two slits and you see bands of light and dark on the screen. You are viewing the results of an experiment that lies at the heart of quantum mechanics. In this class you will get the experience and the framework you will need to appreciate what is revealed by the simple pattern you see. And you will become comfortable knowing that “In reality the experiment contains only mystery. You cannot make the mystery go away.” You will be OK with this because you will know some of the peculiarities of quantum mechanics.

New in-person course.  Format includes lecture and discussion.
SUGGESTED BOOK: Six Easy Pieces, Richard Feynman, ISBN 9780465025275

The Virtual Book Exchange SIG at OLLI meets on Zoom. This workshop is an in-person version. Come to the workshop with actual books or your experience of books that you’ve enjoyed. Each participant will share something about the book, and others may chime in with opinions. The facilitator will take notes and create a book list to send to participants after the workshop. Book chatter, casual chatter, and camaraderie! New in-person workshop. Format includes discussion.

This course examines the issues confronting participatory democracy. How have the problems developed and what can be done to save our democracy. Repeat in-person course with new content.  Format includes lecture and discussion

Enjoy six narrated walks through Portland’s historic neighborhoods exploring the city’s history, architecture, and people since Europeans arrived. Discuss historic structures, immigrant populations, and locally and regionally famous architects and view their works. All walks will be on pavement, with side trips to two grassy cemeteries. Rain or shine. Instructor will contact students about the meeting place prior to class.  Format includes movement.

Short stories provide readers with a one-sitting (usually) read; we’ll explore two stories each week (except for week 1) and discuss them to our hearts’ content. The multiplicity of views brought to discussion by participants is always invigorating. Join an enthusiastic group of readers to share ideas and enjoy each other’s company. Summer term book: The Best Short Stories 2024: The O. Henry Prize Winners, Edited by Amor Towles. (Don’t be fooled by the O. Henry Prize — these will not necessarily provide us with twists at the end, and they are, according to the Atlantic Monthly, “Widely regarded as the nation’s’ most prestigious awards for short fiction.”)

Repeat in-person course with new content. Format includes discussion.
REQUIRED BOOK: The Best Short Stories 2024, edited by Amor Towles, ISBN 9780593470619

Short stories provide readers with a one-sitting (usually) read; we’ll explore two stories each week (except for week 1) and discuss them to our hearts’ content. The multiplicity of views brought to discussion by participants is always invigorating. Join an enthusiastic group of readers to share ideas and enjoy each other’s company. Summer term book: The Best Short Stories 2024: The O. Henry Prize Winners, Edited by Amor Towles. (Don’t be fooled by the O. Henry Prize — these will not necessarily provide us with twists at the end, and they are, according to the Atlantic Monthly, “Widely regarded as the nation’s’ most prestigious awards for short fiction.”)

Repeat in-person course with new content. Format includes discussion.
REQUIRED BOOK: The Best Short Stories 2024, edited by Amor Towles, ISBN 9780593470619

Every cemetery is filled with stories. Come discover the tales, true and perhaps fabricated, of some of the people in the Stroudwater Burying Ground. A mast agent, a doctor, a Civil War nurse, and a social reformer are just a few of the stories waiting to be heard. New in-person workshop. Format includes lecture and movement.

Discover how to cultivate awareness, calm stress, and support your body9s natural healing through meditation, breathwork, and yoga. In this immersive two-hour workshop, you9ll explore the physical and psychological benefits of these practices while learning practical mindfulness and breathwork techniques you can use anytime 4 at home, at work, or whenever you need more peace. You9ll also participate in a gentle, healing yoga session designed to highlight how mindful movement can support both your mind and body. Whether you're new to these practices or looking to deepen your understanding, this workshop will provide valuable tools to bring more balance into your daily life.

Repeat in-person workshop. Format includes movement.
REQUIRED MATERIALS: Yoga mat; please wear loose, comfortable clothing and bring an extra layer for warmth.
OPTIONAL MATERIALS: Yoga blocks

You probably have a favorite poem or two or twelve that have stayed with you like a loyal friend over the years. Would you like to share these with like-minded classmates? Read them out loud? Discuss what they meant and still mean to you? Hear what others have for favorite poems and what they mean to them? We will loosely divide our favorites into subgroups such as: poems that entrance, poems that teach, poems that protest, poems that intoxicate, poems that soothe broken hearts, poems that delight. No one’s a poetry expert! We’re just sharing what we love.

New in-person course. Format includes discussion.

We will begin with an introduction to the principles of geology, including plate tectonics, the processes of formation (and different types) of rocks, and the impact of erosion and deposition on landscape formation — basically Geology 101. The geology of the American Southwest is characterized by a diverse array of rock formations spanning billions of years, primarily shaped by ancient seabeds, tectonic shifts, and erosion from wind and water, resulting in iconic landscapes there. We’ll take a closer look at the geology of Mesa Verde, Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon, and Zion National Park. The region is a “geologist’s dream” with well-
exposed rock layers showcasing various geological processes throughout Earth’s history.

New in-person workshop. Format includes lecture.

The 8-year period from 2016 to 2024 saw an amazing output of exceptional films produced and directed by black filmmakers. These filmmakers blend the lines of genre and share a talent for telling stories with a modern and provocative sensibility. The films received
a multitude of award nominations and wins — and are rich in content, performance, and production elements. All that being said, film is ultimately a subjective experience. You may not like all the films, but you will find they are ripe for discussion and reflection. Film examples: Moonlight and Farewell Amor.

Note: This is a 3-hour class. New in-person course. Format includes film and discussion.

“The best camera is the one that’s with you.”— Chase Jarvis. For many of us, that camera is the iPhone we carry in our pocket every day. This course will cover setting up your iPhone for shooting better photos, focusing and composition techniques, editing on your iPhone (or iPad if you have fat fingers like me), and how to find your way to shooting in black & white on the streets of Maine. Join the international iPhone photography community. Repeat workshop. Format includes lecture, discussion, and hands-on.

REQUIRED MATERIALS: You will need a relatively up-to-date iPhone and the Snapseed app (free in the app store).

Have you ever wanted to know what it is like to talk to a serial killer or a mass murderer? Do you find yourself wondering how someone can take a life? Join us as we analyze the instructor’s personal collection of artwork and correspondences from over one hundred infamous killers from around the world. The author of two books on serial killers, the instructor will answer the questions of what goes through a crazed killer’s mind and what in their background and childhood could be a mitigating factor that may have led them to murder.

New in-person workshop. Format includes lecture.

We will gather and pick a spot in the Portland environs to sit and paint. It might be the Old Port, a glorious old cemetery, or a townhouse. We will work in situ for most of the allotted time, stopping at the end to review our work as a group. I will show examples of other artists who have worked this way like Maurice Utrillo and Vincent van Gogh to try and discover what made their visions sing.
New in-person course. Format includes hands on learning.

SUGGESTED MATERIALS: Drawing paper 12 x 16 inches up to 16 x 20 inches, water colors, water color pencils, drawing pencils 2H-5B, kneaded eraser. Would suggest Artists & Craftsman Supply for supplies.

None of us OLLI folk are old enough to remember the 1920s, but our parents likely could have told us a lot. Do you remember these names — Ethel Waters, Fannie Brice, Al Jolson, Bessie Smith, Rudy Vallee and Mae West? If not, you’ll hear about them and others in class. We’ll explore the music, movies and culture of that “roaring” decade. By way of lecture, discussion, lots of videos and live music we’ll discover what it was like to have lived back then. We might even do the Charleston.

Repeat in-person course. Format includes lecture, discussion, and watching film.

Montaigne invented the essay form, a personal approach to reflection and self-exploration. Composing essays invites the writer to question, doubt, and think. Join this group for a practice of reading and engaging with examples of the personal essay as a writer might, to mine techniques and ideas for an essay or essays of your own. We’ll explore such writers as Barry Lopez, Joan Didion, E.B. White and others. Each class meeting will include time reading and discussing an example essay and writing exercises designed to generate material and draft essays of our own.

New in-person course. Format includes discussion and hands on learning.

This class is for beginner and experienced dancers as well. We will learn figures in foxtrot, swing, rumba, waltz, cha cha, and maybe hustle. Other dances can be added if there is interest. We will cover all the beginner ballroom figures I have already taught at OLLI and add some new figures for those who have taken previous classes with me. Those new to ballroom dancing are welcome! The pace will be easy and casual with lots of time for review. Whether you want to dance at a ballroom or just socially this class will make you comfortable wherever you choose to dance.

Repeat in-person course.

Format includes dance and movement.

This course will examine the profound effects of the Supreme Court of the United States on the lives of all people. It will examine the workings of the court by examining representative cases. We will discuss efforts to reform the court and the chances for improvement. Repeat in-person course with new content. Format includes lecture and discussion.

This course offers us the opportunity to reflect on the end of our lives and how we might have the best death we can for ourselves, our family and loved ones. We will read one article each week and discuss these topics: Going to meet death is there a duty to die? Dying at the right time? What about the family? Spiritual issues at the end of life? What about dementia? Readings will be distributed electronically. You may read online or print out for more intensive study.

New in-person course. Format includes discussion.

Dracula, Bride of Frankenstein, The Mummy, and The Invisible Man were just the beginning for a studio with numerous accolades for its silent films as they transitioned into the "talkie" era. Embark on a journey as we explore six films during this period that gave us the conventions, characteristics, and atmospheres that were used in many thrillers for decades to come. Discussion will explore the history, production values, performers, directors, and impact that these films had on what followed.

New in-person course.
Format includes film and discussion.