Dear George,
I’ve mentioned in the past that Katja and I have been taking OLLI courses at the University of Cincinnati. OLLI stands for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. It’s a program that offers classes for seniors (50 and over) — history, literature, art, music, movies, social issues, etc. It’s much like being back in college again, though no tests or grades. Registration for the autumn quarter was last week, and I almost didn’t do it. After twelve years, I’ve started to feel burnt out. In particular, I’ve been having trouble writing new poems, my main pursuit at OLLI. I haven’t written anything new in a month, though I do sit down and stare at the computer every day. I thought maybe taking a break would be helpful in conquering writer’s block. When registration day arrived, I registered Katja for her classes. When I checked the OLLI schedule eight hours later, my poetry class was still available. Taking this to be a good omen, I went ahead and registered for it and four other classes. Here are my selections and why I chose them.
My first choice was #2106, Advanced Poetry, a course that I’ve been taking nearly every quarter for the past eight years. My earliest experiences in writing poetry were in grade school. I always liked writing tasks best in school, and poetry was no exception. My fourth grade teacher, Miss Herscheid, had her students write “The End” at the bottom of each poem since it was sometimes hard to tell from a student’s reading when they were ending. My interest in writing poetry resurfaced in my undergraduate years when I took courses with nationally prominent poet, Judson Jerome. Jerome taught us to write in free verse, an exciting new venture. My current OLLI class is taught by an emeritus creative writing professor from Miami University. People tend to continue in that class for years, making us a bit like a cult.
The second course that caught my eye was #2106, Making Comics — a drawing course with no prior experience required. I was a comic book addict as a kid, spending time every weekday at my uncle Kent’s drugstore, reading the newest arrivals. Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel, etc. I spent a lot of time copying cartoons as well as drawing my own creations, a hobby that extended into adulthood. My childhood idea about an adult profession was that I wanted to become a cartoonist. I’m looking forward to getting back to my youthful preoccupation.
#2604, Making Sense of Modern Art, was my third choice. We spend a lot of time at museums, and, while enjoying art, I don’t have much academic knowledge. We have taken several art history classes at OLLI, and I enjoy lectures with lots of visual presentations. I expect this class to help me become a more sophisticated viewer.
Katja’s top OLLI choice was #4803, American Classics: Moby Dick, and I enrolled too. We have six editions of Moby Dick on our bookshelves, as well as three volumes of essays and critical commentary. While she is a longtime Melville groupie, I have a certain attachment to Moby Dick also. When I was an undergrad lit major, one of my favorite classes was “Moby Dick” by historian Louis Filler. I look forward to rethinking this great American novel.
Finally both Katja and I signed up for # 2203, Let’s Do It! Write Your Legacy Letter. Legacy letters review your life, reflect upon pivotal experiences, and describe what you value and how you want to be remembered. We’re definitely at the right age and life stage to undertake this task. Perhaps I will post our final products here.
When I look over the list, I get an overall sense of personal meaning. Each of these classes has a clear connection to my roots, and each offers the potential for personal growth for the future. Though we won’t start for another month, I’m glad I didn’t drop out.
Love,
Dave
