Lifetime Learners Institute

New Membership and Course fees

TamikaF — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:13:31 +0000

New membership fees $50.00 include fall and spring sessions and one winter session.

New Course fees $30.00

Beginning June 1 membership and course fees will increase.

Lifetime Learners Summer Hours

TamikaF — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:04:53 +0000

June 10 – August 5

Tuesday and Thursdays from 10:00am to 12:00pm.

The Fall 2013 catalog will be available on the website August 12th.

Fall session begins September 16th.

Phone call and emails are monitored on a limited basis.

You may register at any time.

Jewish Humor

TamikaF — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:25:48 +0000

Revised! Tracing Jewish humor from its Eastern European origins we demonstrate how Jewish comics entered the cultural mainstream of America at the turn of the twentieth century. With great perseverance, they expanded their audiences from the Yiddish theater to vaudeville, reaching even larger audiences by seizing upon the new technologies of radio and motion pictures. The Borscht Belt became an incubator for some of the successful comics who made the transition to the new world of television and movies in the post WWII era. The rise of Jewish women comedians who broke through a male-dominated medium is discussed. Finally, we explore where Jewish humor seems to be headed in this century, what changes have occurred and who are some of the best representatives of this new generation.

Room E218

It’s a Mystery to Me

TamikaF — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:25:47 +0000

New! Ever since The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, mysteries have remained one of the most enduring genres in literature. Is it the action, the analysis or just a good old scare that keeps readers coming back for more? Maybe it’s that mysteries can also be sprinkled with history, humor and hobbies along with the homicide. We look at three of the most popular topics in the mystery community (the real Sherlock Holmes, killer hobbies, female sleuths) and ends with a special look at some Connecticut authors and librarians who are doing their part to make the Nutmeg State a hub for mystery enthusiasts.

Room W223

Italiano, Primi Passi: First Steps in Italian

TamikaF — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:25:43 +0000

Nuovo! Is learning a language difficult? No! Come help dispel the myth! Join us to discover how easy, fun and rewarding it can be. Recent research extols the benefits of bilingualism. We optimize the human brain’s natural ability to acquire languages by learning high frequency Italian words through the use of gestures, personal stories and simple language. The facilitator bypasses the traditional approach by creating a comprehensible, laid back and entertaining immersion environment. Instead of memorizing random lists of vocabulary and verb conjugations, you gain fluency fast just by listening and participating.

Room W248

Generations: The Holocaust’s Impact On Four Families

TamikaF — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:25:42 +0000

New! Between 1944 and 1952 over 135,000 European Jews immigrated to the United States. Almost all were survivors of Hitler’s attempt to annihilate the European Jewish population. Although their experiences during the war varied, no Jewish family in Europe was left untouched by the Nazi killing machine. During the same period 550,000 Jewish Americans served in the military during the war, a defining moment in history for both Jewish American soldiers and Jews in America. This course includes profiles of people who escaped Hitler’s genocide in Europe, as well as Jewish Americans who served in World War II. It also takes a larger look at the intergenerational effect of the Holocaust on the families of these people and how the Holocaust influenced interactions among members of the different generations and their communities.

W213

I Love to Read

TamikaF — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:25:39 +0000

Always New! Join six LLI members as they lead lively discussions of contemporary titles and old classics.

March 18 ─ Michael Mugnolo ─ A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh. A rundown English country house and its dysfunctional inhabitants set the stage for Waugh’s seething satire of British Colonial manners and morals. One of the twentieth century’s great writers deftly combines humor, pathos and mystery to set up a shocking ending.

April 1 ─ Bob Berthelson ─ Sea of Glory by Nathaniel Philbrick. The U.S. Exploring Expedition of 1838-1842 was among America’s most ambitious undertakings. Six vessels and hundreds of sailors, botanists, geologists and biologists were commanded by Lieutenant Charles Wilks, whose abrasiveness alienated his crew. Nevertheless, they discovered Antarctica, explored Pacific islands and collected thousands of specimens. Philbrick reconstructs a darker saga than official reports ever told.

April 8 ─ Morgan Corrigan ─ Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote. Although the film version with Mancini’s song Moon River is better known, the novel is a reader’s literary treasure. Capote saw Holly Golightly as the favorite of all his fictional characters. She shared his philosophy of freedom and acceptance of human irregularities, as well as his fears and anxieties ─ the “mean reds” as she called them.

April 15 ─ Celia Maddox ─ Brooklyn by Colm Toibin. This calm, apparently straightforward tale of a passive young Irishwoman’s immigration to Brooklyn in the 1950s is just what it seems–a tender and affecting portrait of making a life in a new skin. At the same time, it’s a risky, surprising novel that challenges our assumptions about that old story. This gifted writer experiments with restraint in his storytelling style and in his creation of characters who have rich interiors but can’t say aloud what they are thinking.

April 22 ─ Maryjane Pacifico ─ The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes. Tony Webster, whose career has provided him with a secure retirement and an amicable relationship with his ex-wife and daughter, contends with a past he never thought much about. When his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance–one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present–he is presented with a mysterious legacy that forces him to rethink his own nature and place in the world.

April 29 ─ Richard Auwarter ─ On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan. In this humane, touching and sometimes comic portrait of marital misunderstanding, Florence and Edward celebrate their marriage in a hotel on the Dorset coast. As they dine, anxieties about their wedding night hang over them. Owing to the gesture not made, the word not spoken, the events of this night will resonate throughout their lives.

Room W130

Headlines and Current Issues

TamikaF — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:25:37 +0000

Ongoing! The election is behind us (thankfully) but our neural circuits remain vastly overloaded with socioeconomic and political controversy on a national global basis. How do we make sense of it all? This course thrives on participation and, at times, spirited controversy. While every person is entitled to his or her opinion, we strive to identify “the facts.” Class members and the facilitator suggest topics at each session and then collectively decide the sequence in which to discuss them.

W217

Grid Enlarging: A Basic Drawing Technique

TamikaF — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:25:34 +0000

New! This course introduces a method to accurately record what we see and makes drawing easier We begin by imposing a rectangular grid with diagonals on an image, then transfer each line and shape onto a larger grid. Each unit of the grid contains a piece of the image, making it easy to reproduce these bite-size pieces. This simple process teaches us to see shapes, angles and relationships abstractly.

Bring a 2B or mechanical pencil to the first class. Other art materials are determined by what projects students decide to do.

Room W243

Genealogy II: Digging In

TamikaF — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:25:32 +0000

Going Deeper! Moving beyond the topics introduced in the previous course, we discuss the major areas of interest in genealogical research. Participants are encouraged to be active researchers, sharing the problems and solutions they encounter in their research. Sessions include planning and organization, using the computer and the Internet, local resources, census, immigration and other relevant data. Topics are announced at the first session so that students may plan their research and take an active role in the course. Novice researchers welcome.