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Winter 2005 CoursesCOURSE DESCRIPTIONSTHE HUMANITIESCLASSICAL DRAMASTuesdays 1—3 Do plays written 2,500 years ago in Greece have anything to teach us today? We'll take a trip back in time to examine the human passions that drive the tragic outcomes in three family dramas by Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus and ask ourselves thoroughly modern questions about the role played by genetics and fate, jealousy and revenge, and the imperatives of war and peace. Required reading: Any handy translation of Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Iphigenia at Aulis by Euripides, and Agamemnon by Aeschylus. Anne Yondorf is a life-long scholar. As an avid reader, she reads not just for pleasure and information but for ideas and values. The people in the groups she facilitates always look eagerly forward to her classes. A wise and critical thinker, Anne respects and nurtures the perspectives of others. She has the great gift of making participants feel accepted. Anne usually begins with a good deal of historical background about her subject. Whenever possible, she sets up a small table-museum of pertinent objects and writings to give participants visual stimulation for what they are about to discuss. JANE AUSTEN: TWO NOVELS CancelledWednesdays 1—3 Find out why Austen’s witty novels inspired Mark Twain’s “visceral repugnance” and led Emerson to second the motion. And why her flinty, ironic depictions of love and marriage are still relevant today. We’ll seek the answers to these and other questions in a close reading of two of Austen’s comedies of manners: Pride and Prejudice (published 1813) and Persuasion (her last novel, published posthumously in 1818). Excerpts from recent films based on her elegant masterpieces offer a chance for further comparisons and discussion. Cancelled Required reading: Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (Norton Critical Edition, 2001); and Jane Austen, Persuasion (Norton Critical Edition, 1995). Critical and biographical essays included in both books will be discussed. Also recommended: Karen Joy Fowler, The Jane Austen Book Club (Marion Wood, 2004); and Claire Tomalin, Jane Austen: A Life (Vintage, 1999). Educated at Williams College, Oxford, and Harvard, Douglas Wilson has taught literature courses at DU for over thirty years and inspired thousands of learners. He has covered literature from Austen to Wordsworth, though his DU appointment was in Romantic Studies. His quick recall of lines from famous works adds spice and perspective to all classroom discussions. He has published articles on Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats, and Shakespeare. As an avid fly fisherman, Douglas is vitally interested in the environment. A HISTORY OF IMPRESSIONISMThursdays 1—3 If you’ve always loved the French impressionists but can’t tell one from the other, this is the course for you. We’ll examine the similarities and differences among all the important artists of the movement beginning with proto-impressionists Courbet and Manet and highlighting Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley, Berthe Morisot, and even Degas, who stubbornly resisted the impressionist label. We’ll see how the art world responded to Baudelaire’s call for paintings of “modern life” and explore the radical social and intellectual changes taking place against the backdrop of Napoleon III’s transformation of Paris along classical lines. Recommended titles: Fran?oise Bayle, A Fuller Understanding of the Paintings at Orsay (Art lys, 2001); Robert L. Herbert, Impressionism (Yale Univ. Press, 1988); and Editors of Réalités, Impressionism (Chartwell Books, 1971). Facilitator: Despite his busy medical practice, David Wallack has spent over sixty hours studying the impressionists in the last year. Born and raised in New York City, he grew up in sight of Yankee Stadium and just a subway ride away from great art museums. David got his first introduction to art history at Columbia College and continues to indulge his love for art at museums in cities across the U.S. and around the world. Like art, baseball has remained a lifelong interest (fixation?) for him, so don’t be surprised when he drops baseball statistics into the conversation. “I maintain an active outdoor lifestyle, and despite time constraints, I try to follow interests in reading (primarily contemporary novels and biographies), sports trivia, and film and art appreciation.” CREATIVITY & MADNESSWednesdays 9:30—11:30 Ever wonder what makes an artist tick? This class offers a fresh way to look at art and artists. We’ll explore the psychological makeup of major artists like Max Ernst, Frida Kahlo, Joan Miró, and Antonio Gaudí. We will also look at the psychological aspects of the destruction of art. Why have political despots like Mao and Hitler feared the power of art? Finally, we will discuss the psychodynamics that shape creativity throughout the life cycle. Each class will consist of a 50 minute lecture followed by discussion. Required reading: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention (Harper Collins, 1996). Also recommended: Lynn H. Nicholas, The Rape of Europa (Knopf, 1995); and Dario Gamboni, The Destruction of Art (Yale Univ. Press, 1997). Sheila Porter PhD has an undergraduate degree in fine art with a minor in African art history as well as a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, which she has practiced for thirty years, first in Ohio, and now in Denver. In her diverse practice, she has treated dancers, artists, actors, rapists, and serial killers, along with a host of other clients with less dramatic problems! She has always been fascinated by the interaction between the individual and his cultural and social environment. She has been an international speaker since the ’80s for the American Institute of Medical Education, a psychiatric group that studies the psychological makeup of artists and its impact on their work. The Ben Shahn Archives at Harvard University solicited her lecture on that artist for its collection. Her most recent lecture was titled "Mao, the Cultural Revolution, and Why Despotic Leaders Need to Destroy Art." OPERA IN THE ROCKIESTuesdays 1—3 The best way to enjoy attending an opera is to study the music in advance and let it seep into your soul. You’ll be well prepared for the curtain to rise on both the Opera Colorado and Central City Opera seasons after this course. Katherine Myers will present Julius Caesar, Rigoletto, and The Marriage of Figaro, and Deborah Morrow will introduce Madama Butterfly. You have a chance to preview the four operas in their entirety in video productions and to follow along with the libretti. Note: A limited number of group tickets for all four opera performances are listed under Divertimenti. These were set aside for us prior to the individual seat sales. After experiencing the fall classes of Enjoying Opera Jeanenne Stepelton (Opera in the Rockies) is looking forward to continuing her opera education. As a leader with the winter Opera class, Jeanenne is confident that she will be able to introduce the speakers when they join the group. During the opposite weeks, she will press the Play, Pause, and Stop buttons like a pro. One criterion for being involved in classes is that they can't interfere with her beloved Wednesday Ski Bus. Presenters: Katherine Myers, director of education and outreach for Opera Colorado, has not only appeared onstage but has directed and stage-managed productions as well. Singer and former public school music educator Deborah Morrow brings her passion for opera to her current position as director of education and community programs for Central City Opera. Deborah Morrow (Opera in the Rockies), director of education and community programs for Central City Opera, manages the company’s educational, touring, and community service programs. A singer and former public school music educator, Deb brings to her position a passion for the art form, an understanding of the education community, and a dedication to providing opportunities for artists, students, and adults around the region. In addition to casting, coordinating, and marketing existing programs, she works with artists and community organizations to develop new programs that respond to emerging needs and opportunities. This collaborative approach has resulted in the creation of numerous outreach programs over the past ten years and visits to over one hundred communities in the Rocky Mountain region. Deb holds a degree in music education from Colorado State University and is a former chair of the Education Committee of the Community Awareness Project, a coalition of twenty-two major arts, science and cultural organizations that have joined forces to increase the impact and reach of arts and cultural education in the Denver/Boulder metropolitan area. Katherine Myers (Opera in the Rockies), Director of Education & Outreach for Opera Colorado, has an extensive background in the world of opera. She has not only performed in many operas but had the opportunity to direct and stage manage as well. Katherine received her Masters degree in vocal performance and pedagogy from the University of Colorado and her undergraduate degree in vocal performance from the University of Buffalo, New York. While at the CU, Katherine was the artistic and stage director for the university’s Lyric Theatre Children's Program. Deemed a Program of Excellence by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, the LTCP was awarded a significant grant that allowed the university to bring opera into elementary schools throughout the state. For two years, Katherine also taught private voice lessons through the university’s continuing education program. She continues to give voice lessons from her home. MORE CITIES OF DESTINYThursdays 9:30—11:30 The second term of this hugely successful course showcases the cultural treasures of some of the great cities of the world and seeks to understand why they deserve to be called “cities of destiny.” Veteran international vagabond Jim Peters helps us trace the evolution of modern Istanbul through its successive incarnations as Constantinople (as the Christian capital of first the Roman Empire, then the Byzantine Empire and later as the Muslim capital of the Ottoman Empire). Lifelong learner Jane Yoder guides us back to the future in Alexandria, sophisticated melting pot of Jewish, Arab, and Hellenistic culture. We’ll take a sentimental journey to the Stockholm of his youth with native Bernhard Abrahamsson, former sea captain turned professor. Inga Calvin, adjunct instructor of anthropology at CU Boulder, transports us back in time to the Paris of the Mayan world—Copan, in present-day Honduras, a New World urban center justly famous for its intricately carved stone sculpture. With the help of polymath Lin Foa, whose eclectic career has led her everywhere from the university podium to running a B&B, we’ll see how industrialization and the arts clashed and coalesced in nineteenth-century London. Our visit to New York with livewires Susan Pasek and Larry Duggan focuses on Broadway musicals as social documents. Required reading: Jane Jacobs, Dark Age Ahead (Random House, 2004). (Chapters 5 to 8) Born in Stockholm and raised during the great depression, Bernhard Abrahamsson went to sea at an early age. He graduated from Stockholm Merchant Marine Academy and ultimately received an unlimited master mariner’s (captain’s) license authorizing him to captain any ship of any size for any trade. His diverse career includes an interesting collection of positions: commander in the Swedish Navy, staff economist with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), dean of the Graduate School of International Studies at DU, head of the Department of Marine Transportation at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, professor and division chair of the College of Business and Economics at University of Wisconsin-Superior, member of the Marine Board of the Transportation Research Board (National Research Council). Bernhard enjoys having time to take classes since his retirement in 1997. Archaeologist and photographer Inga Calvin currently teaches at the University of Colorado-Boulder. Having planned to conduct ethnographic fieldwork with the Navajo, her life was transformed after viewing one of the first exhibits of Maya art and writing, “Blood of Kings.” Inga has conducted in archaeological research in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador — and regrets that her Spanish is not better. Her most recent studies have taken her to the basements and bodegas of Guatemala’s museums in search of Classic Period (AD 200-900) Maya ceramics. She served as Director of the Center for Latin American Art and Archaeology and participated in the reinstallation of the New World Galleries at the Denver Art Museum. As part of Inga’s commitment to the dissemination of knowledge, her “Maya Glyph Guide” is available on the web in both English and Spanish (http://www.famsi.org/mayawriting/calvin/). Larry Duggan is passionate about many fields and puts his feet and voice where his interests lie. He has been a volunteer docent with the Denver Art Museum for years and an active member of the Alliance for Contemporary Art, a museum support group. Before retirement, Larry worked as an architectural engineer with one of the largest building contractors in the West. He believes that “lifelong learning activities keep your mind engaged and in touch with stimulating people.” Dr. Lin Foa's career has been eclectic and far-flung, ranging from teaching in five different states to funding television documentaries in Washington, DC, owning a B&B on Cape Cod, and evaluating grants for US WEST in the fourteen states it served. She currently consults for nonprofits and higher education. She is particularly interested in how art, language, place, design, and culture interact. “Having taught history of modern design, which begins in London, I am fascinated by the interplay of industrialization, social forces, art, and literature.” Bridge nut and art groupie Sally Kneser is always ready to learn something new and help teach others. “I love to learn, and it’s so much more fun with friends around.” Sally is particularly proficient on the computer and in the last two years has learned how to create and maintain a website and how to use a complex database system. For years she has kept the files for various charitable organizations. Now she maintains the Academy’s database of 1,300 names. Susan Pasek is a former high school English teacher. She enjoys reading, music, and traveling. “I enjoy Broadway musicals and recognize that they have a larger purpose than simply to amuse and entertain.” Jim Peters was born and raised in Yugoslavia and was active in anti-Nazi resistance activities there during WW II. After the communist takeover of Yugoslavia, he moved to the West. He has studied in Switzerland and at NYC. As a representative of major American corporations, Jim has resided in Europe and the Middle East. After serving as president of the Samsonite International Group, he retired in Colorado. He enjoys remaining involved in international affairs. Lifelong learner Jane Yoder seeks out mental challenges in all her undertakings and happily keeps exploring new ideas to quell the pangs of ignorance. She has facilitated courses in great music, ethics, and Ayn Rand. During and after her child-rearing years, Jane went back to school to earn an M.Ed., which included a seminar in socialist education on both sides of the Iron Curtain. After various teaching posts in secondary schools, Jane took on clerical duties for a multinational construction corporation before her retirement. "Lifelong Learning consists of sharing. It is much more exciting with a group of other interested individuals." PEARL HARBOR REVISITEDWednesdays 9:30—11:30 What do the events leading up to the “date that will live in infamy” have in common with those that preceded 9/11? Taking a hard look at the relationship between the United States and Japan in the 1930s, we’ll study the events that led to the attack on Pearl Harbor and its aftermath—the Japanese planning, our code-breaking efforts, the battles that followed, lessons learned, and mistakes made. We’ll do a step-by-step walk-through of the twenty-four hours before the attack and the clues the United States had that might have changed history if properly recognized and communicated. We’ll investigate the claims that President Roosevelt “knew” about the attack in advance and learn how Admiral Yamamoto lost his fleet and the war at Pearl Harbor. Required reading: Michael Gannon, Pearl Harbor Betrayed (Henry Holt, 2001). Also recommended: Gordon W. Prange, At Dawn We Slept (McGraw-Hill, 1981); John Prados, Combined Fleet Decoded (Naval Institute Press, 1995); Doris Kearns Goodwin, No Ordinary Time (Simon and Schuster, 1994); William Manchester, The Glory and the Dream: A Narrative History of America, 1932-1972 (Little, Brown, 1973); and Fred Borch and Daniel Martinez, Kimmel, Short, and Pearl Harbor (Naval Institute Press, 2004). Dick Young (Pearl Harbor) spent thirty-five years with the U.S. Navy on active duty and in the Reserves, the last seven as a Flag Officer. His interest in war gaming and battleship warfare led to research, lecturing, and writing on Pearl Harbor. As a civilian, Dick practiced law in Denver for a number of years before entering the corporate world, where he served as vice president successively of two publicly traded corporations. He has served as chairman of a number of state and local government commissions and task forces. Dick has published a number of articles in various magazines and professional periodicals. HOW THE PROSPERITY OF THE MODERN WORLD WAS CREATEDFilled Why was the lot of the average person no different in A.D. 1550 than in A.D. 50, or even 1550 B.C.? We’ll examine a theory that traces the dawn of prosperity to nineteenth-century England, where the four necessary engines for sustained economic growth were finally in place: property rights, the scientific method, capital markets, and communications and transportation technology. We’ll look at why prosperity was so long in coming, why it was achieved so quickly in some parts of the world, later in others, and why some cultures with a head start failed to achieve it. We’ll take a look at today’s standard of living worldwide and how the inequality of wealth and power among nations has evolved. Be prepared for a few surprises. Filled Required reading: William J. Bernstein, The Birth of Plenty (McGraw-Hill, 2004). Also recommended: David S. Landes, The Wealth and Poverty of Nations (W. W. Norton, 1999); Hernando De Soto, The Mystery of Capital (Basic Books, 2000); Alfred Crosby, The Measurement of Reality (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1988); and Lawrence E. Harrison and Samuel P. Huntington, eds., Culture Matters (Basic Books, 2000). Charles Hall (How the Prosperity of the Modern World Was Created) keeps active both mentally and physically. Bike trips along the highline and cross-country skiing offer opportunities to enjoy Colorado's beautiful outdoors. Reading, leading classes, and chatting at coffee group keep his mind sharp. THE PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORYWednesdays 1—3 If you take seriously Santayana’s claim that “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” you won’t want to miss this class. We’ll explore the question of whether there is even such a thing as objective historical truth by looking closely at the principles and methods historians use in selecting facts and interpreting the past. Excerpts from taped lectures by professor Darren Steloff titled The Search for a Meaningful Past and the short, witty arguments of noted cold war historian John Lewis Gaddis are sure to spark discussion. You’ll probably never read histories in quite the same way again. Required reading: John Lewis Gaddis, The Landscape of History: How Historians Map the Past (Oxford Univ. Press, 2002). John Rupainis (The Philosophy of History) is a retired clinical social worker with a lifelong interest in the humanities. He has taught adult classes on Montaigne, Lincoln and the Civil War, Aristotle’s Ethics, the history of philosophy, political philosophy, the life and thought of Machiavelli, and the Middle Ages. His long-standing interest in history and philosophy keeps him coming back to facilitate classes in these subjects. “There is,” he explains, “always something new to learn about them.” HUMANISM & CRITICAL THINKINGWednesdays 9:30—11:30 How can we learn to think outside the box imposed by our culture? This course compares the development of religious and humanist thought from the time of the Renaissance to the present. You’ll have a chance to look at various issues from an unfamiliar perspective and see how you can use the tools of critical thinking in everyday life. Required reading: Gerald A. Larue, Free Thought across the Centuries: Toward a New Age of Enlightenment (Humanist Press, 1996). Available at discount through the Academy. See registration form to order. Also recommended: Tzvetan Todorov, Imperfect Garden: The Legacy of Humanism (Oxford Univ. Press, 2002); Virginia Schomp, The Italian Renaissance (Benchmark Books, 2003); John Ralston Saul, On Equilibrium: Six Qualities of the New Humanism (Four Walls Eight Windows, 2004); Corliss Lamont, The Philosophy of Humanism (Humanist Press, 1997); and Roger E. Greeley, ed., The Best of Humanism (Prometheus Books, 1988). Since early childhood,Darwin Rolens (Humanism and Critical Thinking) has been a skeptic and freethinker. With degrees in the humanities, theology, and classical language, he spent ten years as a Baptist minister before his commitment to critical thinking led him to leave the ministry for a career as a computer programmer in physics research at DU. His discovery of the Unitarian Universalist Church gave him the opportunity to pursue his interests in humanism and critical thinking within a congenial religious environment. He has been conducting workshops there for seven years and is currently leader of its ministry to seniors. THE WORLD’S RELIGIONS FilledThursdays 9:30—11:30 Here’s your chance to explore the similarities and differences in the major tenets of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Each asks different fundamental questions about the nature of being and offers unique answers to the challenge of living life well and wisely. You’ll leave with an increased literacy about these religions that will give you a foundation for critique, as well as tools for building bridges with people of different faiths. Filled Required reading: Huston Smith, The World’s Religions (Harper Collins, 1991). After a 15 year career in business Kirk Loadman-Copeland became a Unitarian Universalist minister. He has a B.A. in psychology from Boston University. He attended Harvard Divinity School for two years and later finished his Master of Divinity degree at Meadville/Lombard Theological School in Chicago after his business career. He served a UU church in Pittsburgh for eleven years and has been the senior minister at Denver’s First Universalist since August 2002. “My current learning interests are driven by the courses that I teach and the research and reading necessary for writing sermons on a wide range of topics. Thoreau talked about the need to create uncommon schools for adults so that they could pursue lifelong learning. For me, it is not simply a matter of knowledge for the sake of knowledge, but the corresponding opportunity to cultivate both compassion and wisdom.” LIFE LESSONSEND-OF-LIFE CHOICESWednesdays 1—3 Unless you’re planning to live forever, you should be making plans now for your last days. This course shows you how to discuss this difficult subject with loved ones and offers the opportunity to explore such topics as advance directives, hospice care, and terminal sedation. You’ll learn how to prepare directions for your funeral, make an ethical will, and leave instructions for distributing your property and household goods. You’ll get copies of actual documents you can use to avoid unnecessary suffering and insure peace of mind and family harmony. Required reading: Faye Girsh, Choices at the End of Life (Hemlock Foundation, 2003). This will be handed out at the first session. Also recommended: Barbara Coombs Lee, ed., Compassion in Dying (New Sage Press, 2003); Derek Humphry, Final Exit (Dell Publishing, 2002); Timothy Quill, Caring for Patients at the End of Life (Oxford Univ. Press, 2001). Facilitator: Psychologist Faye Girsh is senior vice president of End-of-Life Choices, a national organization advocating for choice and dignity in dying. She is an expert on the right to die and on making positive and productive preparations for death. ECONOMICS & PUBLIC AFFAIRSECON 102 FOR NON-ECONOMISTS: ECONOMICS & PUBLIC POLICYWednesdays 1—3 Minimum wages, free trade, affordable housing and healthcare, pollution, budget deficits, and off-shoring—how many of us really understand the economic realities underlying these hot-button issues? This course—the second in a three-year series of six—will use the tools of economic analysis learned in Econ 101 to look at real-world public policy issues. If you missed the introductory course, better to jump in now than later. It’s still not too late to start learning to think like an economist. Required reading: photocopy handouts After a career in financial management, Jim Kneser has turned his attention to educating adults about the workings of complicated economic principles in the real world. In the past few years he’s taught classes in microeconomics, macroeconomics, globalization, and public policy. Hardly a Johnny one-note, Jim indulges his lifelong interest in music by facilitating courses showcasing some of his favorite composers. SMART PEOPLE & THE COSTLY MISTAKES THEY MAKE WITH MONEYThursdays 1—3 This is an encore offering of the extremely popular fall-semester course. Why do we sell off rising stocks and stick with failing investments? How does our use of credit cards influence our buying habits? Why do otherwise smart people make foolish financial choices? We’ll find out how the new field of behavioral economics can help us make rational decisions about money. We all work hard to save for education, retirement, or a rainy day, but unless we understand how emotions can scupper our rational decision-making selves, we are in danger of putting our savings at risk. The first in a series on investment strategies and decision-making, this course is not about picking investments, but rather about recognizing our financial Achilles’ heels. This course is a prerequisite for The Rational Investor, offered in the same time slot for the final 5 weeks of the term. Required reading: Why Smart People Make Big Money Mistakes and How to Correct Them: Lessons from the New Science of Behavioral Economics, Gary Belsky and Thomas Gilovich,(Simon and Schuster,1999) Instructor: Economist Jim Kneser describes himself as a decision maker of boundless irrationality and promises to offer up plenty of examples of behaviors to be avoided from his personal experience. He says “learning to recognize financial decision-making traps is the first step on the road to avoiding them.” THE RATIONAL INVESTORThursdays 1—3 Confused by investment jargon and disappointed by your attempts to beat the market? We’ll demystify terms like “efficient market hypothesis,” “modern portfolio theory,” and “strategic asset allocations” and discover why the most rational way to invest funds is also one of the easiest and least stressful. You’ll sleep better at night once you learn the secret that your mutual fund managers don’t want you to know. Recommended reading: Jeremy Siegel, Stocks for the Long Run, 3d ed. (McGraw-Hill, 2002). Instructor: With an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, economist Jim Kneser retired from a career devoted to mergers and acquisitions, speculative markets, and other lighthearted enterprises. His special interest lies in the way economic principles influence decision making in both personal life and public policy. CURRENT EVENTSThursdays 9:30—11:30 This is a sure-fire way to vent your opinions, learn what others are thinking, and wake up those little gray cells. We’ll focus on news events that affect our personal lives, now or in the future, as well as those that are just plain entertaining because they involve crazy people doing crazy things. Heated discussions are fine, but we’ll steer clear of personal attacks, ancient history, and personal storytelling. Everyone shows up armed with one or more news items from newspapers, magazines, television, and/or the Internet—with questions and opinions to kick off class debate. Facilitator: As a teacher, counselor, and avid student of human nature, Joseph Kandel (Ed.D.) thinks talking about current events with others always sheds new light on our own mindsets. Joseph Kandel has lead a current events group for several years and has taught more than two hundred classes in aging, interpersonal relationships, stress/time management, and death and dying at Denver-area colleges. ABORTION: A CONTRAST OF LAWS: WESTERN EUROPE & THE UNITED STATES CancelledTuesdays 1—3 Opposition to the abortion regime established by the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision is heating up in the United States while little controversy is reported from Western Europe, where abortion laws were modernized in the same decade. Why this difference in response by societies that otherwise have so much in common? We’ll read the text of the Roe v. Wade decision, compare it to the several state legislative regimes then in effect, review the Court’s response to cases testing the outer limits of the ruling, and consider a typical example of prevailing Western European regimes. We’ll also speculate on what might happen if Roe v. Wade were simply reversed and the states resumed fashioning abortion laws. Required reading: Selections from Mary Ann Glendon, Abortion and Divorce in Western Law (Harvard Univ. Press, 1987). Also recommended: David J. Garrow, Liberty and Sexuality: The Right to Privacy and the Making of Roe v. Wade (Macmillan, 1994). Tom Creighton (Abortion: A Contrast of Laws) began practicing law in Denver in 1950, and is now recently retired. He has long been interested in American social history, in particular from the standpoint of constitutional law as developed by the decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court. One strand of this interest has been the laws regulating abortion, especially since the intervention of the Court in Roe v. Wade. This interest has broadened to an interest in comparative law, especially with Western European law. As for what can be broadly called formal teaching experience, apart from educating judges in a courtroom, his has largely been limited to facilitating discussion of books and other materials in lifelong learning programs. DIVERTIMENTIJUST FOR FUNWHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW!?Thursday, Jan. 20, 9:30—11:30 Available (Two others filled) What the bleep do we know!? The answer is “squat!” Part documentary, part story, and part elaborate and inspiring visual effects and animations, What the Bleep Do We Know!? is a new type of film that begs for discussion. We’ll examine the movie’s themes and their practical applications. In the context of the New Year, you just may decide to re-create your life. WINE & CHEESE KICK-OFF Meet new friends and greet the old at this wine and cheese kick-off for the winter term. Locate your classroom, get to know facilitators and fellow Academics, and pick up any hand-outs you’ll need before your first class sessions. (Can’t make it? We’ll mail anything you miss.) Bring your friends and neighbors to join in the fun and find out what the Academy is all about. They’re sure to want to sign on for one of our great winter offerings. EVENING SALONS3 Fridays: Jan. 28, Feb. 25, Mar. 25, 6—9 pm We’re recreating the popular seventeenth- and eighteenth-century salon, where the intelligentsia and glitterati gathered to exchange ideas and gossip. While sampling the potluck buffet and conviviality of our first salon, we’ll dig our teeth into the eternal conundrum that asks, “How do you want to be remembered?” Future topics and locations will be decided at the first gathering. Potluck assignments and directions to hostess Sheila Porter’s home will be sent to participants. GAME NIGHT2 Fridays: Mar. 11, Apr. 1, 6—9 pm “Game night” has become the rage in many U.S. cities as people look for new ways to socialize. Relax with other Academy members at a fun-filled evening of great food, games, and laughter. Bring your favorite game (Go, Trivia, Cranium, Guesstures, Charades, Loaded Questions, Battleship, etc.). Future games and location will be decided at the first gathering. Potluck assignments and directions to hostess Joleen Graf’s home will be sent to participants. SKILLS & FRILLSART FOR FUN5 Tuesdays: Jan. 25, Feb. 8, 22, Mar. 8, 22, 9:30—11:30 Here’s a chance to unleash your creativity. Starting with the concept of “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain,” we’ll explore sure-fire strategies for luring your inner artist out into the open. We’ll be trying out different techniques and media each week. All you need to do is relax and enjoy. BYO pencil, eraser, and 8x10 to 11x14 sketchbook. ART WALKTuesday, Feb. 1, 10—11:30, followed by lunch Art walks are fun—even more fun when you can get the scoop on the art from an insider. Join Bobbie Walker at WalkerFineArt for coffee, rolls, viewing, and a discussion of the art. We’ll continue the discussion across the street at the William Havu Gallery, where Carol Levin will close with a short talk about how to collect art. You’ll have the option to continue the conversation over lunch at a nearby eatery. PHOTO MEMORIES AGAIN Filled8 workshops in 4 weeks, 8:30—10, every Tuesday AND Thursday Mar. 8—31 Create a CD slide show featuring your family tree or vacation, honoring a special person, or recording a lifetime of events for an Alzheimer’s patient. The CD can be viewed on computers using Windows. You can use digital photos, old slides, prints, or negatives. You’ll learn how to scan, crop, edit, create photo CD’s, and make multiple copies so you can share the slide show with others. This workshop is offered through the generosity of Carl Peterson and meets at Accelerated Schools, 2160 S. Cook (just south of Evans). KNIT WITS4 Tuesdays, every other week, Feb. 1, 10—12, Feb. 15, Mar. 1 & 15, 9:30—11:30 Snuggle up with some yarn during the cold winter months. This companionable group of witty knitters welcomes newcomers at all skill levels. The first session meets at Showers of Flowers knit shop, 6900 W. Colfax Avenue, for inspiration, pointers on the latest trends and yarns, and help in choosing a new project if needed. Other sessions meet at Academy headquarters, where you’ll get plenty of advice when you get stuck. The group will create a baby blanket to give to Children’s Hospital. MAHJONG FOR BEGINNERS8 Mondays, January 24—Mar. 14, 1—3 Engage your mind while learning how to play this ancient Chinese game. Once Lee Williamson explains the basics of the simple Wright-Patterson Air Force system, you’ll be off and running—picking up new vocabulary and exploring the niceties as you go along. The class is limited to five players, so sign up early. Note: This system differs slightly from American Standard; it’s easier and more fun. If you’re planning to play in a group with friends, be sure to find out which system they use before signing up for this class. Call Lee, 303.471.5251, for more details. BRIDGE PRACTICETuesdays 1—3 Whether you’re an advanced beginner who isn’t always sure what to bid or an intermediate player who just needs more opportunities to cement play concepts, this activity is for you. You’re certain to feel more relaxed at the table after these sessions. When you have questions, Sally Kneser’s quick review of basic principles will point you toward an answer. Each week you can opt to play with your regular partner or foursome, or we’ll match you up with others. HOW TO CREATE A WEBSITE WITH FRONTPAGE FilledMondays, 1—3 If you already know how to use Word, you’ll find it easy to create a website using FrontPage. You’ll learn how to create and post a web page that includes text, digital photos, and links to other pages. Doing Genealogy? This will help you reach out and inspire others. Directions to instructor’s home will be sent to participants. BOOKNOTESBEL CANTO If you love the melodrama of opera, you’ll be ready to shout “Brava” while reading this short novel by Ann Patchett, who serves up all the classic ingredients of the form: handsome hero, beautiful heroine, multiple love interests, and untimely deaths (sob). Set in an unnamed South American country, a world-famous soprano sings at a birthday party honoring a visiting foreign dignitary. Alas, just as the accompanist salutes the soprano, a ragtag band of terrorists enters the vice-presidential mansion. Participants will get hours of listening pleasure from the CD (included in the fee) that features most of the music mentioned in the book. THE SECRET LIFE OF BEESTuesday, Feb. 22, 9:30—11:30 Why was this book on the bestseller list for so long? According to Publishers’ Weekly, this first novel by Sue Monk Kidd is ”honey-sweet” with “a hive's worth of appealing female characters, an offbeat plot, and a lovely style.” Drawing on the strength and power of the wise, eccentric women who befriend her, the fourteen-year-old heroine journeys through painful secrets and shattering betrayals before finding her way to the single thing her heart desires most. BALZAC & THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESSTuesday, Mar. 29, 9:30—11:30 Set in China during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, this little gem of a book spins magic out of broken dreams. The author, Dai Sijie, who was himself subjected to “re-education” before escaping to France, tells the tale of two teenage bourgeois who weather years of banishment in a remote peasant village with the help of a stash of forbidden European literature. The ironic attempt of one of the young men to “re-educate” the local tailor’s lovely daughter as his intellectual equal leads to a droll and poignant conclusion. This wonderfully human debut novel glows with warmth and humor. AFTER-SCHOOL ROMPS!OPERAS GALORE3 evenings with Opera Colorado & 1 Sunday matinee in Central City We had these blocks of tickets set aside at a group discount before individual seat sales began. If you don’t have a season ticket, this is a great chance to follow up the Opera course at bargain prices. Tickets will go fast, so register promptly. GILBERT & SULLIVAN ADVENTURE4 Tuesdays: Apr. 12, Apr. 19, May 3, May 10, 9:30—11:30 Here’s your chance to discover the ins-and-outs of Gilbert and Sullivan with expert Tom Kerwin. We’ll get an idea of how the operas came into being through the film Topsy Turvy, which focuses on how The Mikado was put together. And we’ll take a close look at either The Gondoliers with its entertaining score, warm characters, and broad humor or Iolanthe, in which the residents of Fairyland confront the House of Lords. Stars of the Empire Lyric Players’ spring performances of these operettas will appear in person to sing some favorites. Participants may want to make plans to attend these performances together. WALKIE TALKIES4 Tuesdays, Apr.12—May 3, 8:3010:30 The health benefits of walking are enormous, and it’s never too late to start enjoying the great outdoors on foot. Join a group of Academy walkers and talkers for the best exercise in the world and conversation to match. We’ll explore the pleasures of the Denver environs and Jefferson County Open Space—with options for beginners and more experienced walkers. We’ll also investigate the group’s interest in a European walking tour later in the year. RECESS ON THE PLAYGROUND4 Tuesdays, May. 3—24, 10—12 Do your knees still bend? If you remember Red Rover and Dodge Ball fondly, then you’ll surely enjoy recess with the Academy. For four Tuesdays in May, you can be part of a fun-loving group for bowling, biking, tennis, and miniature golf. Details and directions will be sent to participants. COLORADO WINE HISTORY & TASTINGThursday, June 16, 6:00 (sharp!)—8:30 pm Learn about the history of Colorado winemaking and get to know some Colorado wines with the authors of Guide to Colorado Wineries, experts Alta and Brad Smith, who began their research in the late ‘80s. Their slide lecture will explain why Colorado’s climate and geography make it a good place to grow grapes and fill you in about Colorado wineries. You’ll take a taste tour of eight Colorado wines and learn how to rate them by smell, taste, and texture. Light snacks are provided, but dinner is not. ( categories: )
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