Vol. 7 No. 4
Summer
2015
A Publication of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UC San Diego
Osher Observer
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
The Executive Committee and the Council have
reviewed the last two years. Let me share with you some of
what was done over these years:
 improved audio system
 increased efficiency of the air-conditioning system and
replaced the blower
 created the video system and library and refined it;
 publicized the video library to individual affiliate members and retirement
communities
 revised the Policy and Procedures manual including clear honorarium
guidelines and official approval
 developed new financial management with reports, organization, and ways to
pay for services
 kept the membership informed about the actions of the Council and
transportation and parking information through updates, the Osher Observer,
and a revised email system
 computerized and revised the election process
 updated the web site with important information
 developed community building through increased activities, crafts fair, poetry
cafe, and brown bag lunches
 marketed to increase membership
 expanded the curriculum committee and restructured the catalog process;
 celebrated 40 years and updated banners, etc.
 created a fundraising program and met goals
Another community building activity that has emerged is celebrating the lives of
people who have significantly contributed to the life of Osher. Theater World
began this with a tribute to Ralph Vissel, and then to Myron Joseph, Barbara Greer
was celebrated by her Short Stories class, and Aurora King will be honored by the
Discover Your Next Chapter/Memoirs class. As groups of Osher members have
wished to celebrate a person we have lost, we have found a fitting way. The
Poetry Café is dedicated to Phyllis Rosenbaum. Another group decided to affirm a
member off campus at a restaurant. Sometimes families choose to invite Osher
members to attend a religious services. These are different ways to acknowledge
members who have made a contribution to Osher and to our lives.
We are looking ahead. We want to redesign the website; further upgrade the
audio system; expand the affiliate membership and find a national role for our
videos; and develop a new outside speaker program.
At the Spring Luncheon on June 12th, we are going to honor several people:
members who have served on the Council this past three years—Kay Bodinger
and Grace Lee; Marilyn Brown and Val Davidson who have organized the potluck
lunches for 10 years, and Al Korobkin who has been the coordinator of Theater
World for the past 5 years. We will honor Stanley Faer for three years as president
and two years as treasurer. We will also recognize the members who have
coordinated seminar classes or lectured this past year. These people have
contributed a great amount to our Osher community and we owe them our
gratitude.
Page 2
STEVE’S LOOK AHEAD
Your hard-working volunteer Curriculum Committee has assembled another rich
and varied schedule of classes for our eight-week summer quarter, with classes
Monday to Thursday only, beginning 7 July.
Our two Master Classes again highlight our program. We are privileged to
welcome back to Osher for his 13th season, the renowned, Julliard-trained pianist,
Gustavo Romero, who will lecture on and play excerpts from the works of the
prolific Austrian composer Franz Schubert, who died at the age of 31. We
encourage you to attend Gustavo’s July concert series on Sunday afternoons at The Scripps
Research Institute, sponsored by the Athenaeum Library (www.ljathenaeum.org).
In our second Master Class, the documentary filmmaker Dale Schierholt will present a five-week
series of lectures and films on artists and art. Descriptions of each film and the artist portrayed can
be found in our summer catalog. Registration for our two summer Master Classes is required and
begins the morning of June 24.
The summer quarter also features a multi-lecture Premier Class by psychologist Myles Cooley, Ph.D.,
entitled “Not the Psychology You Thought You Knew,” a discussion about common thought patterns
and behavioral patterns impacting our daily lives. Dr. Cooley has previously delivered this lecture
series to our Osher colleagues at Florida Atlantic University.
As a precursor to our Osher tour of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library on Saturday, 25 July, the
Reverend John Taylor will discuss President Nixon’s legacy, pro and con. Rev. Taylor is the former
chief of staff to former President Nixon and served as the first executive director of the Nixon Library.
Our regular series in Social Sciences, Science and Engineering, Medicine and Life Sciences,
International Relations, Humanities, and Law and Society will feature a wide range of preeminent
speakers, and our small-classroom seminars will again entertain and stimulate their loyal participants.
We will also hear from a number of our accomplished colleagues as Osher Presenters.
Recent member surveys and discussions at our Open Houses repeatedly confirm that most members
join Osher upon the personal recommendation of a family member or friend. We encourage you all to
invite your friends and visiting family to enroll and join us for our exciting Osher summer program, and
attend our Summer Open House on Saturday, 20 June at 9:30 AM.
Steve Clarey, Chair Curriculum Committee
OSHER CALENDAR
June 12
Spring Quarter Ends/Luncheon
June 20
Open House
June 24
Master Class Registration*
July 6
Summer Quarter Begins
July 16
Council meeting**
Aug. 13
Council meeting**
Aug. 27
Summer Quarter Ends
Sept. 12
Open House
Sept. 16
Master Class Registration*
Sept. 28
Fall Quarter Begins
Dec. 4
Fall Quarter Ends
Dec. 16
Master Class Registration*
* Opens at 10:00 a.m. ** everyone invited
Vol. 7 No. 3
Spring 2015
The Osher Observer is published quarterly
by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at
UC San Diego.
Editor: Martha Kaplan
Copy Editor: Kim Davies, Steve Clarey,
Linda Shirer
Layout: Jim Wyrtzen
Program Manager: Amy Patterson
olli.ucsd.edu
Page 3
THE OSHER INSTITUTE RETIREMENT PARTNERS
AND AFFILIATE MEMBERS
By Steve Clarey and Carol Roberts
In 2013, your newly elected Executive Committee embarked on an
initiative to share our lifelong learning experience at Osher with
members of the community physically unable to travel to the
campus. We installed a high definition recording system,
established a vimeo.com restricted-access video library, and hired
undergraduates part-time to record and edit the lectures. We
activated the Osher Affiliate Member program, which provides access to our members-only video
library for a nominal annual fee.
.
The San Diego retirement communities were our immediate targets for affiliate members since these
communities strive to provide educational programs to their many residents. An outreach team led by
ExCom members Steve Clarey and Carol Roberts began briefing the concept to program directors
throughout the region. From those discussions we developed the UC San Diego Osher Retirement
Community Partners and Affiliate Members program. For a nominal annual fee (varying depending
on the number of residents), a partner receives the following benefits:




Unrestricted access to our video library for viewing by their residents in a community setting
A block of 25 or 50 affiliate members for individual retirement community residents
On-campus attendance at our bi-weekly Friday Live Music performances
On-campus attendance at our lectures during Guest Week, the final week of each quarter
The affiliate member remains a program for individuals, requiring a personal e-mail address and
password to access the video library. In addition to group viewings, retirement community affiliate
members can watch the video on their personal electronic devices such as laptop computers, iPads,
or Apple TV in the privacy of their own residence at a time of their choosing.
In September 2014, the Vi became our first retirement community partner. In May 2015, Casa de
Mañana became our second partner. Both communities have established an “Osher Committee” to
select the video lectures for community viewing and assist in coordinating on-campus visits. The
program has been a great success with video showings weekly or bi-weekly, often moderated by a
resident volunteer. As of May 2015, we have over 100 affiliate members at the Vi and Casa de
Mañana.
The key to our partnerships has been the lifestyles or program directors at each retirement
community, who have embraced and organized the program, often at the urging of current or former
Osher members. We thank you for bringing this enrichment experience to your residents.
If you are a retirement community resident, we encourage you to recommend our partnership and
affiliate membership program to your program director and provide their name and contact
information to Steve or Carol or Amy.
Page 4
AND THE SHOW MUST GO ON...
By Ilene Hubbs
Props went missing, the lighting person
can’t do it anymore, the backdrop was
inadvertently taken down, crushed up and
stuck in an office…and now the lead has
lost his voice. Problems, yes, but to this
troupe of Osher members putting on Guys
and Dolls these challenges were just what
the doctor ordered.
As a newcomer to “Theater World,” I wanted to just get my toes wet by acting as the
stage manager rather than as a performer. I
was in charge of props, scenery and
making sure the actors had what they
needed. When I say props and scenery, I
am being generous. Performing in Room
129, we use whatever we can come up
with. One wall is our stage area and
background. Chairs facing that wall are for
the audience. Screens set up on either side
provide a stage right and stage left for
actors to enter and exit. The performers
come up with costumes made from
combining clothes they already have with
purchases of other needed items.
Some of the “big” purchases for Guys and
Dolls were fake carnations for the gamblers,
two bridal veils and bouquets for the finale,
and a vinyl backdrop of New York City that
was fastened to the wall with stick pins.
Mink stoles for a musical number were
represented by any kind of black wrap the
women had at home. But it was all just fine,
it gave exactly the impression they wanted.
Now as for the leading man losing his voice
at the last minute, not to worry. Reed
Sullivan needed to rest his voice, and one
of the actors in a minor role, Bob Young,
volunteered to step in at the last minute.
Bob was brave enough to take on a role
that required not only acting but singing as
well. We postponed the play a few days to give
him a little more time to rehearse and to give
Reed time to heal so he could come back for
the second of the two-day performances. No
one in the audience felt cheated: the first
performance was as well received as the
second.
Research shows this is just the sort of thing that
keeps a mind sharp as it ages. For me, much of
the joy was the fun of being with other people in
my age group who were putting as much effort
into this as they had in their much-credentialed
career lives. Growing older gracefully depends
on many factors. Of course, health is
paramount, and that is a given. But we also
need social interaction, challenges that
exercise the brain, and a reason to smile and
feel happy. Engaging in classes, lectures and
activities at Osher provide all of these. I saw a
group of people who may just know each other
to say hi in passing become a troupe of actors
dedicated to each other and to the
performance. Suddenly we were all friends
working together to have fun, to solve problems
and come up with a finished product we were
proud of. We prodded our brain to learn lines,
we laughed at our myriad of mistakes and we
became a temporary family. In those few
months working to put on this play, we
challenged ourselves, we socialized and we
had a wonderful time. That research on aging is
right.
FYI: Theater World’s first offering of
the Fall Quarter will be a comedic
portfolio of short plays by Rich Orloff
and a short Chekhov play, directed by
Reed Sullivan—to be presented on
October 21st.
Page 5
THERE’S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS
GUYS & DOLLS, OSHER, 2015 a conversation with Josie Burdick & Linda Shirer, co-directors
From the start, co-directors Josie (Burdick) and Linda (Shirer) were determined that putting the show together
would be a bonding experience, and that everyone would really just have fun. Before the auditions, Linda
suggested a pizza & beer party for the men who had signed up to audition, to see a movie of the show and get
an idea of the New York street types, gamblers & rough characters. Most of the men had never been on stage
before.
At the auditions, everyone was supportive of everyone else, and clapped and cheered. Everyone who
auditioned got a part. A big challenge for room 129 performance was the scenery, and the problem was
beautifully solved when Elliott and Lynn Tarson found the most perfect scenery—a vinyl backdrop of New York
City, which could be put up on push pins.
Fran Zimmerman was a real gift—the Hot Box Girls had all been on stage before, and did a lot of rehearsing
on their own. Esprit de Corps was the prevalent mode; there were no “stars,” no big egos, everyone was
offering support. People became comfortable as things went along, and they made the transformations into
their characters.
The amazingly talented and irreplaceable Jay Berman, an experienced musician, was the backbone of the
show. Josie and Linda were determined not to be harsh, so Jay had to become the enforcer, urging all cast
members to get their lines memorized! His transposition skills were incredible—he could adapt to the amateur
performers. Jay, an ophthalmologist as well as a musician, enlisted a volunteer drummer—Gary Hirsh, an
orthodontist, who added so much with his snare drums.
However, a musical is a big undertaking, and almost immediately, troubles ensued. Props kept going missing,
even from a box marked Theater World. Eight carnations went missing, then the two wedding veils, which had
to be ordered two-day delivery, then signs for the Havana Scene, all the “mink” stoles. It felt like the show had
a poltergeist! At one point, the vinyl backdrop of New York City disappeared, finally found crumpled up on the
floor in Amy’s office. Linda screamed.
Herb Roth sustained some very bad falls, but showed up black and blue, assisted by his wife and some UCSD
students. Finally he gave his General’s cap to Dick Dahlberg, who would flick the lights, then run onstage to
act, then run back to work the lights.
A plague of laryngitis swept through the cast, starting with Doug Webb a few weeks before the show, followed
by Elliott Tarson and Linda Shirer and Josie Burdick—in effect, taking out most of the major players. And
then, finally just before the first performance, the leading man, Reed Sullivan, got laryngitis and couldn’t speak
or sing a note. They agreed they had to cancel that Wednesday performance—but, true to the show must go
on mentality that had sustained them all throughout, Bob Young, a member of the chorus, was persuaded to
fill in for Reed, and the show went on that Saturday.
It was totally packed. The audience kept pouring in, Jim Wyrtzen kept bringing more and more chairs, filling
up the front part of the stage area. But the show was wonderful, the audience loved it, and by Wednesday
Reed had enough of his voice back to sing the lead again. But, five minutes into the performance, the fire
alarm went off! Everyone had to leave the building. It turned out to be only a fire in a microwave, so everyone
came back, the show started again from the beginning, and all was well.
The whole show turned out to be such a bonding experience, they've had two wrap parties, and will surely
have more. Plus, lots of people showed up for next year’s Theater World planning meeting, and lots of new
people also, so everyone is inspired & motivated!
GUYS
AND
DOLLS
Page 7
AURORA KING: A MATTER OF HEART
By Marcia Wyrtzen
Beginning in 1996, Bob and Aurora King took over facilitating Memoirs (currently Discover Your Next
Chapter), after sharing the responsibility with two other couples for the previous 10 years, when OLLI was
known as ICL.
When I was a newcomer to Osher, Memoirs was the very first class that I attended. Aurora was such an
engaging and welcoming presence that I immediately felt at ease. She had an irreverent and insouciant sense
of humor, which was showcased at the beginning of each class, when she played the role of joke teller. She
nurtured and supported the writing efforts of each Memoirs participant, and was able to reveal much about
herself in the sharing of her own life stories. I found out that when the Kings had initially joined ICL, Aurora’s
first class was Memoirs, and over time I discovered other ties that created a strong bond between us. We both
grew up in upstate New York, and, as young women in our 20’s, spread our wings and changed the course of
our lives by moving to NYC , seeking the promise of new and exciting possibilities. Aurora had a long and
productive history at ICL/Osher. In the early years, she wrote and edited a newsletter entitled Happenings for
four years, and was active in Theater World both as an actor and co-director with husband Bob in such
performances as Art and The Bug.
Aurora lived her life with passion, compassion, humor, and style. She was fascinated with people, and when
something attracted her to an individual, she never held back sharing her genuine and heart-felt curiosity and
appreciation. When you were in the circle of Aurora’s focused attention, you would invariably end up feeling
good about yourself. That unique gift, shared so freely with others, will be greatly missed in the many lives
she touched.
NEMBUTAL
By Martha Kaplan, Osher Observer editor
The Sunday, May 18th New York Times Magazine has an article about a woman
suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease who ended her own life, at her choice, at the time she
and her loved ones had decided was appropriate. In order to achieve this loving, dignified,
and peaceful end, she was able to obtain Nembutal (a brand name for pentobarbital, a
barbiturate that is used by veterinarians to euthanize animals, and is also used in
state-sanctioned assisted suicides) from Mexico, by mail order. (It’s prescription only here in the United
States.)
It seems to me that there would be great peace of mind in knowing that, if one reached that pre-determined
point in the progression of a disease, a quiet death by choice would be available. Indeed, if one knew that
suicide was available, one could live as long as possible, and not desperately end life sooner rather than later
in the fear that if the disease progressed further one wouldn’t be able to do it.
I looked up Nembutal on the internet. Turns out it’s become so popular that it’s difficult to obtain—in the first
place, you can only get it from a veterinary supply store, and not near the border, because authorities are alert
to the streams of Americans desiring to purchase it “just in case,” and wish to prevent this. The blogs suggest
that buying it online now is very problematic: iffy, lots of scams, expensive—hundreds of dollars per vial,
whereas it would normally be around $20-$30 per vial if you could just buy it, and complicated—bitcoins, etc.
You need 2 vials unless you’re really small, and you need an anti-nausea pill, and some liquor, to be sure it
works.
My father died after suffering five horrible years of increasing dementia. I often think about that wise and
intelligent man’s terror and distress at always feeling lost, not having control of anything, even his own bodily
functions. I would do anything to avoid that—to have a loving, warm and quiet death, instead of those long
drawn-out and horrible years of terror and suffering.
Page 8
OFF TO THE GETTY MUSEUM
Forty-eight art-loving members journeyed to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles on Saturday, April
25, to view the first major exhibition of works by J. M. W. Turner, noted British artist, organized by
the Tate Museum, to come to the west coast. The visit began with an architectural and garden tour
of the fabulous Getty Museum. Then the visitors were on their own for lunch and gallery viewing all
over the museum.
Late Turner: Painting Set Free includes 63 works including oils and watercolors covering 1835 to
his death in 1851. Known for his vivid maritime scenes and landscapes, Mr. Turner spent his later
years exploring light and color that later inspired and seemed to anticipate the Impressionists. He
also experimented with format creating square paintings instead of conventional rectangular ones,
and nine of them are in this exhibition.