Elderwise - Classes Offered for Senior Citizens

Winter 2012 Class Changes & Cancellations

ART

W1224 From Modern Art to Post-Modern Art: Shifting Strategies for Experiencing Radical Art
Presenter: Richard Rubenfeld
Date: Wednesday, January 25
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: Although they are clearly related aesthetically and historically, modern art and post-modern art differ significantly in form and content. In contrast to the drive for purity and unity that is evident in much modern art, post-modern art is characterized by a layering of subjects, styles, and processes that are often deliberately dissonant and in conflict with one another. This intriguing PowerPoint presentation will examine the causes and contributions of modernism and post-modernism in the contemporary art world, and what the artists are attempting to communicate in their art. Andy Warhol, Helen Frankenthaler, David Salle, Cindy Sherman, and Jean-Michel Basquiat are among the artists we will discuss.

Richard Rubenfeld received his master’s degree and his Ph.D. in art history from The Ohio State University and teaches a wide range of classes on modern and post-modern art to both graduate and post-graduate students at Eastern Michigan University. Professor Rubenfeld also has curated or co-curated several exhibitions, including exhibits of World War II propaganda, contemporary comic and cartoon art, and pinball machines.

W1226 The Art of Selling the Automobile
Presenter: Steve Stanford
Date: Thursday, February 2
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: In this class Steve Stanford will share more of his automotive interests by presenting a historical look at how advertising art and the art of selling cars evolved over the last 100 years. We will see how salesmanship begins before the customer ever enters the showroom, and we will examine the evolution of print and television images. We will learn how these images help to inform and form the public’s reaction to the latest offerings from automotive manufacturers. Steve also will share clips from an old Ford Motor Company educational film designed to instruct dealers on the art of selling Ford products.

Steve Stanford is a retired project manager for the Oakland County Department of Facilities Management. He is an expert on Michigan’s automotive history and an active member of the Henry Ford Heritage Association.

W1231 An Array of Techniques in Watercolor Painting
Presenters: Doree Dziobak and Grace Trudell
Date: Thursday, February 16
Time: 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. (Please note the 4:00 p.m. end time.)
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10
Class Size: Enrollment for this class is limited to 12 attendees.

Description: Artists Doree Dziobak and Grace Trudell will share with us the varied artistry and techniques of the magical medium of watercolor painting. Their class will be enhanced by images on screen and through demonstrations. With paper, brushes, and paint supplied by the instructors, class participants will have an opportunity to hold a brush, dip it in watercolor, and try to paint a picture. However, there is no guarantee you will become an artist. Even the experts consider watercolor to be the most challenging of all media!

Doree Dziobak is one of the founding members of the Elderwise Lifelong Learning community. She is a talented watercolor artist who has entered many art exhibitions, belongs to several art clubs, and meets regularly to paint with other watercolor artists.

Grace Trudell is an accomplished watercolor painter who has exhibited widely in southeastern Michigan and beyond. Grace’s work was recently displayed in the prestigious Fine Arts Show in Northville. She is a member of the 3-Cities Art Club of Canton, and a past member of the Visual Arts Association of Livonia. We are fortunate that Doree and Grace take such delight in sharing their profound love of art with Elderwise.

W1236 Exploring Native American Art
Presenter: Jane Strand
Date: Wednesday, March 28
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: In this class Jane Strand from the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) will lead us on a journey of the Americas in search of the finest examples of Native American art. We will begin in South America, move northward through Mexico, across the continental United States, and then to Canada where we will complete our travels. This will be a true journey of exploration, providing important insight into the history, cultures, lifestyles, and remarkable art forms of the Native American peoples across our continents.

Jane Strand is a retired teacher. She lives in the city of Detroit and has been a volunteer with the DIA for more than 14 years. Jane also serves with the Institute’s Speakers Bureau. Her special areas of interest include African American art and the art of women artists. In this presentation for Elderwise, Jane will share with us her additional special expertise on Native American art, and will draw on examples from the Institute’s outstanding permanent collections.

W1239 The Art of Butterflies and Flowers
Presenter: Lonnie Haines
Date: Friday, March 30
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10:00

Description: In this class we will learn about the individual parts of a flower and the anatomy of a butterfly, and how these are carefully represented in art. Using her background and experience as both a science teacher and an artist, Lonnie Haines will illustrate this presentation with images and photographs from around the world, and with her own watercolor and acrylic paintings in a variety of styles.

Lonnie Haines pursued her undergraduate degree in mathematics and science at the University of Detroit Mercy, and her master’s degree in science education at the University of Michigan. After more than 30 years of teaching these subjects, Lonnie has retired to enjoy her family, to travel, and to pursue her artistic loves – watercolor and acrylic painting.

HEALTH, WELLNESS & LIFESTYLE Back to top

W1209 Mindfulness: The Simple Guide to Reducing Stress
Presenter: Michael Murray
Dates: Fridays, February 3, 10, 17, and 24
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Fee: Members $20; Nonmembers $40

Description: Learn all you need to know about the power of mindfulness. In this course we will practice together the art of mindful meditation, observing fifteen minutes of meditation in each hour, or a total of two hours over the four class sessions. By the time you finish the course, you will be meditating on your own. You will know exactly what to do and how to do it. You will learn how to deal effectively with stress (worry, sadness, insomnia, arthritis, surgery), improve your health, sharpen your mind and memory, think more positively, and become more resilient.

Mike Murray is a licensed clinical psychologist and an expert in the field of mindful meditation. Mike's specialty is positive psychology and he has studied and practiced Western and Eastern methods of meditation for over 50 years.

W1219 Not So Pretty: The Hidden Ugly in Personal Care Products
Presenter: Jennifer Canvasser, MSW
Date: Wednesday, January 11
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: Personal care products smell fantastic, come in fancy bottles, and promise to keep us clean, healthy, and looking beautiful. But, what is really in these products? All too often they contain harmful chemicals linked to neurotoxicity, infertility, and cancer – there is nothing clean, healthy, or beautiful about that! As consumers, we are kept in the dark about the ingredients of cosmetics and personal care products. Patent laws allow companies to keep some of these ingredients “secret.” Many of the chemicals in personal care products have never even been tested for health and safety. And, many of the other chemicals have been banned from use in cosmetics by other countries. Fortunately, there are ways for you to take action and protect your health. This workshop will provide you with valuable resources and information, and with “recipe” cards for making your own safer products.

Jennifer Canvasser is the Environmental Health Organizer for the Ann Arbor Ecology Center and the Michigan Network for Children’s Environmental Health. In that role she works to raise public awareness of toxic substances in everyday consumer, food, and personal care products, and advocates for policies that will protect us from such exposure. Jennifer completed her undergraduate studies at the University of California-Los Angeles and her graduate work at the University of Southern California. While in graduate school, she was honored with several awards for her commitment to environmental and social justice.

W1220 Eating for Good Health
Presenter: Robin Nwankwo, RD, MPH, CDE
Date: Thursday, January 12
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: In this class we will discuss nutrition as the key to good health. We will learn about the fundamentals of sound nutrition, and the specific nutritional needs of adults and aging adults. We will address the important aspects of eating that help to prevent diseases such as cancer and diabetes. And, we will learn how what we put on our plates each day can make a difference in how we feel as we grow older. Healthy eating is all about healthy choices.

Robin Nwankwo is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator working with the Medical School Office of Education, Resources and Research at the University of Michigan Health System. She currently works as a facilitator and educator with community-based support groups, funded by the National Institutes of Health, for adults living with diabetes. She received her Master of Public Health degree (health behavior and health education) from the University of Michigan and her Master of Science degree (food and nutrition) from Eastern Michigan University. She currently serves as Chair of the Adult Strategies Committee for the American Diabetes Association.

W1221 Move with Ease
Presenter: Chris Eubank
Date: Friday, January 13
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: Are you finding it harder to perform some of your everyday activities? Is it more of a challenge to enjoy time with your grandchildren, or to carry groceries in from the car? This interactive session with Chris Eubank will include a presentation on the importance of strength and flexibility, and a demonstration of simple and safe "at home" exercises designed to make movement easier and to improve overall quality of life. Please come prepared to move! You will be encouraged to participate!

Chris Eubank is an exercise physiologist and Certified Senior Personal Trainer. He has served as the Wellness Coordinator for the Glacier Hills Senior Living community and has provided wellness and fitness services for residents and employees across the campus. Currently, Chris is the Manager of The Meadows independent living facilities at Glacier Hills.

W1238 Brain Health Strategies
Presenter: Bruno Giordani
Date: Thursday, March 29
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: This class asks the question, “Can you lower your risk of Alzheimer’s Disease?” Several recent studies support a link between healthy lifestyle choices and a reduction in the risk of developing a brain disease. Dr. Bruno Giordani will share with us the research behind some brain health strategies and lifestyle factors. He brings to this class a long history of nationally funded research and work in clinical trials, as well as research initiatives focused on the early detection of cognitive and mobility problems across the life span and in different cultures.

Dr. Bruno Giordani is an associate professor with the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Michigan. He is the Director of the Neuropsychology Section and the Interim Chief Psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Giordani is affiliated with the Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Center and serves as Board Chair for the Michigan Great Lakes Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

HISTORY & RELIGION Back to top

W1204 Contemporary Islam in America
Presenter: Janice Freij
Dates: Thursdays, January 12 and 19
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. and 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Fee:* Members $14; Nonmembers $24
*The fee for this course includes an additional $4 charge for the museum tour.

Description: The first session of this class (January 12 at Cleary) will provide a basic introduction to contemporary Islam and its religious tenets. The second session (January 19) will offer a tour of the Arab American National Museum (AANM) in Dearborn, Michigan. Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world and, because of increasingly negative media attention, it is also becoming one of the most misunderstood. Janice Freij will discuss the basic tenets of Islam, including a brief history of the religion’s origins, and will explain the Quran, Islamic dietary restrictions, the five pillars of the faith, and the requirements for personal attire. In addition, Janice will discuss commonly used (and often misused) terms such as jihad, Shariah law, and hijab. Our tour of the Arab American National Museum will bring to light the shared experience of Arab immigrants and ethnic groups in the United States. The AANM is dedicated to dispelling misconceptions about Arab Americans, and our museum visit will provide an opportunity to learn about Arab immigration to the United States, Arab American cultural characteristics and contributions, and the diversity of Arab American communities. Driving directions to the museum will be provided with confirmation of your registration.

Janice Freij is Curator of Education at the Arab American National Museum. She is responsible for organizing and implementing the museum’s educational and outreach programs and activities. Janice earned her Bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies and Arabic from Brigham Young University. She has lived in New Zealand and Egypt, and has traveled extensively in the Middle East.

W1210 A History of Christianity: A Personal Interpretation
Presenter: Ken Phifer
Dates: Wednesdays, February 15, 22, 29 and March 7 and 14
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Fee: Members $25; Nonmembers $50

Description: This course offers a brief glimpse into the history of the world’s largest religion, and the most influential religion in Western culture – Christianity. Ken Phifer will address the question of origins, discuss Jesus and Paul in the1 st century, talk about how a Jewish cult became a religion, spend a fair amount of time on Augustine, the greatest thinker in Christian history, and conclude with a presentation on an aspect of Christianity that is too little known in both Europe and America – Orthodoxy. In Spring Term 2012, Ken will continue with the delivery of five additional lectures, bringing his history of Christianity up to the 21 st century. Both sets of lectures represent, as the subtitle indicates, “a personal interpretation” rather than a definitive history. However, most of the major historical events will be covered and, through ample Q&A, there will be opportunities for other voices to be heard.

Ken Phifer is Senior Minister Emeritus of the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He is the author of several articles and books, and has taught a wide range of courses at Washtenaw Community College, the University of Michigan Osher Institute, and at Elderwise, including “Women in the Bible” and, most recently, “A Spectrum of Ethics.”

W1213 The Great Shakespeare Controversy: Who Really Wrote Those Plays?
Presenter: Susan Nenadic
Dates: Fridays, March 2, 9, 16, and 23
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $20; Nonmembers $40

Description: Since the 18 th century, respected thinkers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Mark Twain, and George Bernard Shaw have questioned the authorship of William Shakespeare’s plays. Did the man from Stratford really write them, or was he a front for someone else? What is the evidence against the man from Stratford? And, if he did not write the plays, who did? Participants in this class do not have to read the plays attributed to Shakespeare in order to find the controversy intriguing. However, participants are encouraged to see the film Anonymous (Columbia Pictures, 2011), which we will discuss in class. A list of recommended readings will be distributed in advance.

Susan Nenadic holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in history, English, and education. During her career in teaching she integrated history with literature and composition for her classes in American Studies, Advanced Placement English, and for a Senior English Seminar. Since retiring in 2004, Susan has taught several courses on 19 th century women’s issues, including the experiences of Michigan women settlers and women in the Civil War. Susan offers classes at Washtenaw Community College and for several local lifelong learning groups. She is an active member of the Washtenaw County Historical Society.

W1215 America Moves Right: The Remaking and Triumph of Conservative Politics in Our Time
Presenter: Michael Homel
Dates: Tuesdays, March 13, 20, and 27
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $15; Nonmembers $30

Description: In 1964, conservative Barry Goldwater led his party to one of the worst presidential defeats in United States history. Just 16 years later, however, American voters elected a former Goldwater spokesman, Ronald Reagan, and began decades of conservative dominance of American politics and government. How and why did this reversal occur? This three-session class begins with an overview of conservative politics from the 1930s to the 1960s. Then we will trace the forces eroding Democratic liberalism in the 1960s, which opened the way for conservative gains. Finally, we will devote the most attention to the ways in which, from the 1970s onward, conservatism both changed and grew. These include political strategy and tactics, as well as the economic, geographic, racial, religious, and cultural trends that built conservative political majorities from the 1980s into the 21 st century.

Michael Homel is a professor emeritus of History at Eastern Michigan University. He specializes in 20 th century U.S. history and U.S. urban history. He is the author of Down from Equality: Black Chicagoans and the Public Schools, and Unlocking City Hall: Exploring the History of Local Government and Politics, and other publications on urban politics and education.

W1217 Four Men Who Made Modern China
Presenter: Jiu-Hwa Upshur
Dates: Thursdays, March 8 and 15
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $10; Nonmembers $20

Description: Throughout China’s long and turbulent history, the course of events often has been determined by the thoughts and actions of remarkable leaders. China’s recent history is no exception, and China’s transformation from a traditional agrarian state to a modern industrial power owes much to four unique individuals. In this class we will explore the lives and the leadership of Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925), leader of China’s early revolutionary movement and founder of the Republic of China, and Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975), the head of the Nationalist party who led China to victory over Japan in World War II, but lost China’s civil war to the Communists in 1949. We will also study the life and career of Mao Zedong (1893-1976), a founder of the Chinese Communist Party and the country’s ruler from 1949 to 1976, and Mao’s successor, Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997), who brought about the recovery of the Chinese economy under Communist Party control.

Jiu-Hwa Upshur pursued her undergraduate studies at the University of Sydney in Australia, and received her Ph.D. in history from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her entire teaching career has been spent in the Department of History at Eastern Michigan University (EMU). Jiu-Hwa retired from teaching at EMU in 2007.

W1223 Sundays at Seven: The Golden Age of Radio
Presenter: Henry Aldridge
Date: Friday, January 20
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: In his presentation “Sundays at Seven,” Henry Aldridge will share both audio excerpts and photographs to illustrate the “golden years” of network radio. He will also focus on and discuss the best shows and radio classics such as The Jack Benny Program, The Lone Ranger, The Shadow, Gunsmoke, Amos‘n Andy, The Great Gildersleeve, the most popular soap operas, and more.

Henry Aldridge is the founder of the Electronic Media and Film Studies Program at Eastern Michigan University, and currently serves as the program’s chair. His special research interest is the history of film exhibition, and he is an incorporating officer and board member of the Michigan Theater Foundation. Henry holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of North Carolina, and received his doctorate from the University of Michigan.

W1225 The Fall of the Soviet Union
Presenter: Roger Crownover
Date: Monday, January 30
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: The entity known as the Soviet Union fell in 1991, thus ending the Cold War. The fall of the Soviet Union shocked most political experts because the world did not understand the political and economic foundations that led to the collapse. In this class we will explore how and why it occurred. We will also discuss what happened when the former Soviet Union became a Democratic Capitalistic country (almost causing a disaster) in 1991. In addition, we will examine the challenges facing Russia today, and the current relationship between Russia and the United States.

Roger Crownover holds a Ph.D. degree in military history and is currently Chair of the Department of History at Madonna University in Livonia, Michigan. He is the author of The United States Intervention in North Russia – 1918, 1919: The Polar Bear Odyssey (2001) and served as the consulting historian for the 2009 PBS documentary Voices of a Never Ending Dawn, the heroic story of the American Polar Bear forces in arctic Russia during World War I.

W1226 The Art of Selling the Automobile
Presenter: Steve Stanford
Date: Thursday, February 2
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

W1228 Henry and Tom: A Unique Friendship
Presenter: Steve Stanford
Date: Thursday, February 9
Time: 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. (Please note the 4:00 p.m. end time.)
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: In this class Steve Stanford returns to Elderwise to continue sharing with us what he has learned about Henry Ford and one of the most significant people in Henry’s life, Thomas Edison. We will hear about this remarkable friendship from the book that Henry co-authored with Samuel Crowther in 1930: Edison As I Know Him. Now long out of print, this fascinating book casts a unique perspective on Thomas Edison. In addition, Steve will draw on a number of other important resources, including the book Uncommon Friends by James Newton, and on several PowerPoint images enhancing this presentation.

Steve Stanford is a retired project manager for the Oakland County Department of Facilities Management. He is an expert on Michigan’s automotive history, and an active member of the Henry Ford Heritage Association.

HOBBIES Back to top

W1205 Refreshing Your Game of Bridge
Presenter: Chris Hee
Dates: Thursdays, January 19 and 26
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Fee: Members $10; Nonmembers $20

Description: Are you a former contract bridge player who has drifted away from the game? If so, this may be just the course for you! We will spend the first session and part of the second session reviewing standard American bidding as it is currently understood in the game of contract bridge. If time permits, participants will have an opportunity to play a few prepared hands. While this course is primarily meant to be a “refresher” for those who have previously played the game, beginners are also welcome. However, if you are a bridge novice, we strongly recommend that you read the final chapter, “The Laws of Contract Bridge,” in Charles Goren’s book Goren’s Contract Bridge Complete before attending class.

Chris Hee is an emeritus professor of mathematics at Eastern Michigan University. He has taught several classes on Sudoku for Elderwise, as well as classes on probability, accessible calculus, cryptic crosswords, and stamp collecting. In the more distant past, Chris has also taught the game of bridge.

W1207 Creative Writing
Presenter: Jane Bridges
Dates: Thursdays, January 26, February 23, and March 22
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $15; Nonmembers $30
Class Size: Enrollment for this class is limited to 12 attendees.

Description: Everyone has a story to tell. If you have thought about telling a story, we can help you to express yourself through both prose and poetry. If you do not know where to begin, we will provide writing exercises during each class session to inspire your latent talents. We will always discuss your work in an honest, supportive, and helpful manner.

Jane Bridges has previously taught writing in both private and public schools. She is now retired and draws on this experience and expertise to present her many ideas on how to begin writing and improve writing skills, and to offer suggestions for writing projects.

LITERATURE & POETRY Back to top

W1206 Best-Seller Book Club
Presenter: Jeanette Coviak
Dates: Mondays, January 23, February 20, and March 19
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $15; Nonmembers $30

Description: Using prepared questions and our own observations, the discussion each month will explore a book currently on the “best-seller” list. Selected books for the Winter Term months are: A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay, The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, and Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich. All three books should be available in paperback at your local library or bookstore, and through several online booksellers. Please read A Secret Kept before the first class. We will send the discussion questions for each book session to the class registrants in advance.

Jeanette Coviak has been a member of Elderwise for more than 16 years. She was the organization’s first secretary. Since retiring from that position, she has served continuously on the Elderwise Curriculum Committee. This year she is also serving as Elderwise Council Vice Chair. Jeanette’s love of reading provides the impetus for bringing together and facilitating the Best-Seller Book Club.

W1212 George Eliot: Middlemarch
Presenter: George Stewart
Dates: Thursdays, March 1, 8, 15, and 22
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Fee: Members $20; Nonmembers $40

Description: Middlemarch is one of the great novels of the 19 th century. Virginia Woolf called it “one of the few English novels written for grown-up people.” Though set in a specific time and (fictional) place, Middlemarch treats universal and timeless issues such as love (requited and otherwise), marriage (good and not so), deceit (self and other), gender, and class. The novel has a fascinating story and a keen psychological insight into an array of fully developed complex characters. For the first class, we will read the first two of the eight Books that comprise Middlemarch.

George Stewart practiced law for many years in Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit, New York City, and Ann Arbor. He is honing his retirement skills by reading (and re-reading) the works of great writers like George Eliot. George looks forward to sharing ideas about Eliot with likeminded readers.

W1213 The Great Shakespeare Controversy: Who Really Wrote Those Plays?
Presenter: Susan Nenadic
Dates: Fridays, March 2, 9, 16, and 23
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $20; Nonmembers $40

W1214 Ernest Hemingway: The Nick Adams Stories
Presenter: Kevin Eyster
Dates: Mondays, March 5 and 12
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $10; Nonmembers $20

Description: Written between 1923 and 1933, and collected and published for the first time in one book in 1972, the Nick Adams stories center on one of Ernest Hemingway’s most well known fictional characters. Of the 24 stories and fragments included in the Scribner paperback edition (the text for this class), 17 are set in Michigan. Our first class session will focus on the earlier years of Nick’s life and the stories in Sections I and II, “The Northern Woods” and “On His Own.” The second class session will consider Nick as an adult in the stories of sections III, IV, and V, “War,” “A Soldier Home,” and “Company of Two.” We will be reading from The Nick Adams Stories, Scribner paperback edition (2003); ISBN 13: 978-0-684-16940-8, which is available at your local libraries and bookstores. New and used copies are also available at a reasonable price through several online book dealers.

Kevin Eyster is a professor in the Department of Language and Literature at Madonna University. He teaches courses in critical writing and literary analysis, American folklore and literature, African American literature, and a Special Topics offering on the fiction of William Faulkner and Toni Morrison. He has published essays on several American writers, including Faulkner, Eudora Welty, August Wilson, Guy Davenport, and Colson Whitehead, as well as on American sports (Jack Nicklaus, Tommie Smith, Grant Hill, Omar Vizquel, and Michael Phelps), and music (John Mellencamp and the legend of John Henry).

W1216 Short Story Classics, Part III
Presenters: Cecilia Donohue, Robert Rann, Kevin Eyster
Dates: Wednesdays, March 14, March 21, April 4
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $15; Nonmembers $30

Description: Join Madonna University's Language and Literature faculty in their continued discussion of short stories by celebrated American and European fiction writers of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Utilizing an anthology that has been in print since the early 1950s, this class will take a close look at classic texts that have come to define the short story for contemporary fiction writers. Readings for this class are in 50 Great Short Stories, edited by Milton Crane (New York, Bantam Classic reissue, 2005; ISBN 0-553-27745-6; $6.99 U.S.).

•	March 14 - Discussion with Dr. Cecilia Donohue "Graven Image" by John O'Hara "Main Currents of American Thought" by Irwin Shaw "The Golden Honeymoon" by Ring Lardner
•	March 21 - Discussion with Dr. Robert Rann "The Death of a Bachelor" by Arthur Schnitzler "Putois" by Anatole France "The Schartz-Metterklume Method" by Saki
•	April 4 - Discussion with Dr. Kevin Eyster "The Three-Day Blow" by Ernest Hemingway "The Standard of Living" by Dorothy Parker "Only the Dead Know Brooklyn" by Thomas Wolfe

Cecilia Donohue is a professor and Chair of Language and Literature at Madonna University. She has recently edited a book of essays on Sandra Cisneros's Woman Hollering Creek, and currently teaches courses on literature, critical writing, and cinema.

Robert Rann is an associate professor of Language and Literature at Madonna, and teaches courses on Japanese language and literature, and on the history of the Western humanities.

Kevin Eyster is a professor of Language and Literature. He teaches several courses on literary analysis, critical writing, and American folklore.

W1227 Understanding Satire, Part II
Presenter: Tom Dodd
Date: Tuesday, February 7
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: Building on the material presented in Fall Term 2011, Tom Dodd will re-introduce the distinctions drawn among sexual, scatological, and sick humor. He will then review the Medieval humors (phlegmatic, sanguine, choleric, and melancholy) and class members will learn to differentiate among a dozen or so forms of satire. It is not necessary to have attended Part I in the Fall. Our instructor will prepare no humorous examples for this class. It will be the responsibility of the attendees to supply the laughs!

Tom Dodd is retired after 50 years of teaching, more than half of which were at Ann Arbor Community High. There he taught “American Humor” to students who were previously non-readers/writers. After retiring from the public schools, Tom went on to teach journalism at Washtenaw Community College. He has edited The Depot Town Rag since 1976 and is currently chair of the Pittsfield Township Historical Commission.

W1229 Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: What’s All the Fuss About?
Presenter: David Geherin
Date: Monday, February 13
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: The 2008 publication in America of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was soon followed by two more volumes – The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked Over the Hornet’s Nest. These three works have become known as the Millennium Trilogy and have caused Stieg Larsson, its author, to become a household name. In this class we will discuss the merits of the groundbreaking novel that became the first book to sell over one million copies in digital format alone. We will also examine the reasons behind the publishing phenomenon that launched a new wave of European crime fiction. Participants will be expected to have read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo prior to attending class.

David Geherin is Professor Emeritus of English at Eastern Michigan University. He is the author of several books on crime and mystery fiction, including Sons of Sam Spade, John D. MacDonald, Elmore Leonard, The American Private Eye: The Image in Fiction , and Scene of the Crime: The Importance of Place in Crime and Mystery Fiction. The latter two works were finalists for the Edgar Allan Poe Award given by the Mystery Writers of America. David’s latest book, The Dragon Tattoo and Its Long Tail: The New Wave of European Crime Fiction in America, is forthcoming in 2012.

W1237 Balancing Symbol and Meaning: The Poetry of Rita Dove, Part II
Presenter: Cecilia Donohue
Date: Wednesday, March 28
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: Appreciation and affection, insight and inspiration, recognition and reflection – this is just some of the emotional ground covered by the poetry of Rita Dove, former Poet Laureate of the United States. Whether her verses describe her grandparents, salute historic places and people, champion the inquiring mind, or enlighten about music and dancing, Dove's poetry consistently strikes a satisfying balance between symbolic challenge and accessible meaning. This class continues the overview and discussions begun in Spring 2011, but it is not necessary to have attended Part I in order to be enrolled in Part II. Reading assignments and selected poems will be sent with confirmation of registration.

Cecilia Donohue is a professor and Chair of the Department of Language and Literature at Madonna University in Livonia, Michigan. She is the author of Robert Penn Warren’s Novels: Feminine and Feminist Discourse and has recently edited a book of essays on Sandra Cisneros's Woman Hollering Creek. Cecilia currently teaches courses on literature and cinema.

MUSIC Back to top

W1203 Music as a Mirror of the Times, Part VI
Presenter: Jeanette Coviak
Dates: Tuesdays, January 10, 17, 24, and 31
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $20; Nonmembers $40

Description: This Winter Term “Music as a Mirror” provides the conclusion of a series of video presentations by Robert Greenberg, Ph.D., well known composer, lecturer, and pianist from the University of California at Berkeley. Our sessions will begin with a focus on the Concert Overture and will end on the notes of Early 20th Century Modernism, featuring the music of Tchaikovsky, Debussy, Stravinsky, and Schonberg. It is not necessary to have been enrolled in the earlier Music as a Mirror of the Times series, in order to attend and learn from Part VI. We will distribute a summary of Parts I, II, III, IV, and V on the first day of class.

Jeanette Coviak is a long-time Elderwise member and has served on the Elderwise Curriculum Committee for over ten years. She is a former piano teacher and says that, although she is not an “expert,” she has a deep love for all kinds of music.

NATURE & ENVIRONMENTBack to top

W1201 The Unique Fossils of the Michigan Basin
Presenter: Dave Thompson
Dates: Mondays, January 9 and 16
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $10; Nonmembers $20

Description: This course will focus on the geology of Michigan and, principally, on the unique fossils of the Michigan Basin. Dave Thompson will introduce the definitions of basic terms for geological formations, the eras of geological time, and the where and when of specific fossils. Class materials will include fossil examples, in both images and actual forms, and will identify their locations and describe why they are different or unusual. We will discuss minerals only in connection with the larger geological formations, and there will be no mention of dinosaurs, since there were none in Michigan. (The “why” of that will be explained.) Dave also will provide informative handouts and a bibliography of recommended reading. Class members are encouraged to bring their own fossil “finds” for identification. After taking this course, you should be able to identify many common fossils with ease!

Dave Thompson has been engaged in collecting fossils since childhood and regards it as his adult avocation, with a specialization in the invertebrate fossils of the Michigan Basin. He is a member of the Friends of the University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology, has exhibited there, and has been a guest paleontologist at the Natural History Museum. Over 200 of his specimen photos are displayed on a Web site (http://strata.geology.wisc.edu/mibasin) jointly sponsored by the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin. Dave is currently retired from his professional career as a Substance Abuse Therapist.

W1208 Our Energy Resources: The Future of Fossil Fuels
Presenter: Al Chambers
Dates: Wednesdays, February 8 and March 7
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $10; Nonmembers $20

Description: Energy is one of those subjects where, if you put ten people in a room, you will probably get at least ten different opinions about fossil fuels and their future. Will the supply last? Are there replacement alternatives? If so, when, and at what price? This class will discuss a wide range of energy resource issues – from Peak Oil to Global Warming, and from Energy Independence to Environmental Safety.

Al Chambers has been offering Elderwise classes for many years, on news media, current events, and public-policy issues. He combines his decades of work as a journalist and corporate communications strategist to stimulate and lead discussions and encourage class participants to draw their own conclusions. In recent years, energy has been the focus in Al’s semi-retirement activity.

W1211 Invasive Species: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Presenter: Sylvia Taylor
Dates: Wednesdays, February 22 and 29
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $10; Nonmembers $20

Description: Plant and animal species have been following the movements and activities of human beings throughout history. However, there has never been a time, until now, when human activity has provided so many opportunities for both tag-along and deliberately-introduced species to disrupt natural systems. Once these species are introduced into favorable new habitats, either inadvertently or deliberately, they may be free of the various pests, diseases, and competitors that once kept them in check. In this class we will discuss several of these invasive species, and the critical question, "How should we deal with the impacts of their population explosions on our native habitats?"

Sylvia Taylor is an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment. She is retired from the State of Michigan's Department of Natural Resources where she served for many years as an endangered species coordinator and wildlife biologist. She holds advanced degrees in both botany and biology, and currently consults on multiple projects involving field botany, wildlife biology, forest ecology, and the monitoring of vegetation. She is an active member and former chair of the Michigan Natural Areas Council.

W1218 The New Face of the Arctic
Presenter: Henry N. Pollack
Date: Friday, March 2
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: Climate change has brought about significant alteration of Earth’s Arctic environment. In this class Professor Henry Pollack will describe and discuss the changes that have occurred in the north polar region.

Henry Pollack is an emeritus professor of geophysics at the University of Michigan, where he taught in the Department of Geological Sciences for more than 40 years. He has earned a reputation as one of the world’s leading experts on the temperature of the earth, both today and in the geological past. He is an award-winning teacher with a gift for explaining science to nonscientists, and has taken a special, personal interest in helping leaders in government, business, and the general public understand the scientific developments associated with global climate change. Dr. Pollack is the author of A World Without Ice (Penguin Books, 2009), a compelling portrait of the effects of climate change.

POLITICS & CURRENT EVENTS Back to top

W1202 Events in Early 21 st Century America
Presenter: Joan Clauss
Dates: Wednesdays, January 11, 18, and 25
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $15; Nonmembers $30

Description: This interactive class features three documentary films that explore life-changing events and trends in early 21 st century America. After viewing the films, class participants will discuss the issues and the questions they raise.

•	January 11 - The Wiki Secrets: The leaking of United States government classified documents. Our discussion will focus on several important issues, including, but not limited to, freedom of speech, the public’s “right to know,” and national security.
•	January 18 - Digital Nation: Redefining the way we live, learn, and interact. In this discussion, we will emphasize and explore, among other things, our changing lifestyles, implications for education, and questions concerning privacy, communication, and personal security.
•	January 25 - The Warning: A look at the meltdown of the United States economy in 2008. The discussion here will examine causes and consequences, as well as similarities and differences in comparison with previous financial crises. How close did we actually come to the brink of total financial collapse?

Joan Clauss is a long-time member of Elderwise. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Madonna University where a class on “Third World Countries” energized her interest in United States foreign policy and world affairs. Joan is retired from the University of Michigan Engineering College where she was a director of the Cooperative Education Program. Currently, she is an instructor for the Ann Arbor Public Schools Recreation and Education Adapted Program.

W1208 Our Energy Resources: The Future of Fossil Fuels
Presenter: Al Chambers
Dates: Wednesdays, February 8 and March 7
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $10; Nonmembers $20

W1215 America Moves Right: The Remaking and Triumph of Conservative Politics in Our Time
Presenter: Michael Homel
Dates: Tuesdays, March 13, 20, and 27
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $15; Nonmembers $30

W1225 The Fall of the Soviet Union
Presenter: Roger Crownover
Date: Monday, January 30
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

SCIENCE & MATHEMATICS Back to top

W1201 The Unique Fossils of the Michigan Basin
Presenter: Dave Thompson
Dates: Mondays, January 9 and 16
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $10; Nonmembers $20

W1218 The New Face of the Arctic
Presenter: Henry N. Pollack
Date: Friday, March 2
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

W1222 The Tale of a Discovery in Math
Presenter: Chris Hee
Date: Wednesday, January 18
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: Our instructor, Chris Hee, will enthusiastically discuss a mathematical puzzle that occurred to him one day while he was swimming laps at a local pool. After three more days of working on the puzzle, he completely sorted it out. He then discovered that the puzzle was already known to other mathematicians, since fairly elementary mathematics were involved. However, because the trail that led to the discovery was so winding, Chris came to believe that it would present an interesting story. The main part of this tale involves the discovery of the patterns that run through the problem. Through his discussion, Chris will describe the math he used to solve the puzzle.

Chris Hee is an emeritus professor of mathematics at Eastern Michigan University, and a long-time member of Elderwise. Chris has taught a variety of classes for Elderwise, including Sudoku, Accessible Calculus, and Cryptic Crosswords, and enjoys sharing his many interests with all of our members.

W1232 Solving Gun Related Crime: Current and Emerging Technologies
Presenter: Gregory B. Bailey
Date: Friday, February 17
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: In this intriguing presentation, former police officer Greg Bailey will discuss the fundamentals of tool mark identification for firearms – more commonly known as ballistics. Mr. Bailey will also show us how existing automated systems are putting additional high speed tools at the disposal of investigators tasked with solving gun related crime. The class will include a DVD presentation of a specific homicide case in California showing how this technology was used to solve the crime.

Greg Bailey retired from the Detroit Police Department after 27 years of service, the last ten of which were spent as an Evidence Technician in the Crime Laboratory. After retiring, Greg returned to the laboratory and worked an additional nine years for the federal Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF) and Explosives Bureau in their Firearms/Toolmark Unit. He is currently writing a book on automated ballistics identification systems.

W1234 Responding to Mass Disasters
Presenter: Gregory B. Bailey
Date: Friday, February 24
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: In this presentation, recovery team member Greg Bailey offers an overview of what is involved in being a responder to a mass disaster scene. Using recent and all too familiar examples, he will discuss the crashes of Flights 255 and 1482, both of which occurred at Detroit Metro Airport, as well as the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center buildings, the Madrid bombing case, the Katrina hurricane, and the tsunami in Southeast Asia. The class will include a video presentation of a mock aircraft disaster that was conducted by the Disaster Assistance Recovery Team (DART) at Detroit Metro.

Greg Bailey has served since 1988 as a member of DART, a team of responders formed after the crash of Flight 255 at Detroit Metro in 1987. As a result of that horrific experience, the authorities determined that a multi-jurisdictional effort would be required to handle all large-scale disasters in the future. Greg currently serves on the DART Advisory Board.

W1238 Brain Health Strategies
Presenter: Bruno Giordani
Date: Thursday, March 29
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

THEATER PRODUCTIONS & CLASSES Back to top

W1240 Eastern Michigan University (EMU) Theater: Dead Man’s Cell Phone
A Comedy by Sara Ruhl
Presenter: Pirooz Aghssa
Dates and Times: Pre-Performance Class: Friday February 3, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Post-Performance Class: Thursday February 9, 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Play: Sunday, February 5, performed at the EMU Sponberg Theater, 2:00 p.m.
Fees: Members $19*; Nonmembers $29*
*Fee includes one ticket to Dead Man’s Cell Phone
Emeritus EMU Faculty $10**
**Fee includes two tickets to Dead Man’s Cell Phone

Description: An incessantly ringing cell phone in a quiet café. A stranger at the next table who has had enough. And, a dead man. So begins Dead Man's Cell Phone, a wildly imaginative comedy by playwright Sarah Ruhl, recipient of a MacArthur "Genius" Grant and Pulitzer Prize finalist for her play The Clean House. Dead Man's Cell Phone is an odyssey of a woman forced to confront her own assumptions about morality, redemption, and the need to connect in a technologically obsessed world – "You're not really dead until your cell phone stops ringing."

Dr. Pirooz Aghssa brings a wealth of both academic and professional experience to the theater faculty at Eastern Michigan University. He holds a Ph.D. in directing from Texas Tech University, and an MFA in theater, an MM in Vocal Performance from Ohio University, and a BM in Vocal Performance from the University of Illinois. Dr. Aghssa’s directing assignments at EMU include Angels in America, Brecht on Brecht, The House of Blue Leaves, Falsettos, Evita, Company, and Into the Woods. His teaching interests include directing, script analysis, theater history, acting, musical theatre, and cabaret performance. His research interests include avant-garde performance, Yiddish theater, and post-colonial theater, performance, and culture.

W1242 Eastern Michigan University (EMU) Theater: No Child
A Comedy by Nilaja Sun; Directed by Wallace Bridges
Date: Play: Saturday, February 18, performed at the EMU Sponberg Theater, 2:00 p.m.
Fee:* $9 per ticket
*Please Note: There are no pre- or post-performance classes for this play.

Description: No Child is an award-winning one-woman show based on Nilaja Sun’s teaching experiences in the Bronx, New York, where students struggle every day simply to come to school. In this solo performance, a single actor plays dozens of characters, including teachers, students, parents, administrators, janitors, and security guards. The play is an insightful, often hilarious, and touching look at the state of our education system and how it might be “fixed.”

W1243 PTD Productions and Riverside Theatre: A Streetcar Named Desire
A Play by Tennessee Williams
Presenters: Lois Kuznets-Dowling and Joseph York
Dates and Times: Pre-Performance Class: Friday, March 9, 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Play: Sunday, March 11, at Riverside Arts Center, Ypsilanti, at 2:00 p.m.
Fees: Members $15*; Nonmembers $20*
*Fee includes one ticket to A Streetcar Named Desire

Description: Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1948, Williams’ searing drama, A Streetcar Named Desire, introduces one of the playwright’s most iconic characters, Blanche DuBois. A fading southern belle, Blanche desperately tries to hold on to her illusion of upper class gentility as she clashes with the reality of a life symbolized by her brutish brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski. The play explores, among others, the critical themes of mental and moral ruin, isolation and loneliness, truth and delusion, emotional abandon, and end-of-an-era bereavement. Critics consider A Streetcar Named Desire to be one of the finest plays ever written for the American stage.

Lois Dowling is an emeritus faculty member of San Diego State University and for several years hasbeen pursuing a “second career” in theater arts with Michigan’s PTD (Petie the Dog) Productions. She is deeply involved in all aspects of this important community theater endeavor.

Joe York holds a B.A. degree from Seattle University and a degree in theater from Washington State Community College. He has appeared in and directed plays for community theaters for six years, and has written four full-length plays. His poetry has been published in journals throughout the country.

W1244 Extra Tickets for A Streetcar Named Desire may be purchased for $10 each.

TOURS (Local) Back to top

W1204 Contemporary Islam in America
Presenter: Janice Freij
Dates: Thursdays, January 12 and 19
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. and 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Fee:* Members $14; Nonmembers $24
*The fee for this course includes an additional $4 charge for the museum tour.

TRAVELOGUES Back to top

W1235 Castles, Cathedrals, and Gardens: A Journey through Southern England
Presenters: Judy and Frank Wilhelme
Date: Tuesday, February 28
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Fee: Members $5; Nonmembers $10

Description: In the spring of 2011, Judy and Frank Wilhelme spent three weeks in southern England, pursuing their favorite interests – history, architecture, and gardens. Join Judy and Frank here as they re-visit their travels, to Anne Boleyn’s castle, through Vita Sackville-West’s gardens, and to the site of Thomas á Becket’s murder, the Cotswolds, and more. Along the way, you will also visit Judy’s ancestral church and manor farm in Nottinghamshire, and complete your journey in Oxford, a wonderful university city.

Judy and Frank Wilhelme both retired in 2009 from their long and successful careers at the University of Michigan – Judy after 40 years with the University library, and Frank after 30 years in development at the business school.