Hobbies, Games and Sports   

This seminar is for those who love beer and want to more about it, particularly in light of the huge proliferation of beer styles in recent times. Learn basic beer terms, the history of beer, the classic ingredients of beer, beer styles, and the difference between commercial beers and microbrews. This will be an interactive lecture/discussion.

The presenter is Martin Friedburg whose 25-year career in the beer and wine industry included ownership of an Ann Arbor beer/wine importing and distribution company. Beer will not be tasted at this event.

Would you be interested in learning from an expert about preventive maintenance you can do in your own home? Perhaps you want to get an idea about what you might try to do yourself before calling a professional. This class was requested by some of our OLLI members.

Our instructor will be Steve Bredernitz, who has taught this topic since 2004 at WCC. Steve has also run his own home remodeling business (Bredernitz Services, LLC), known for quality work, focusing on kitchens, bathrooms, basements, windows, and doors. Due to the limited time for this class, Steve will not be able to address specific individual maintenance problems.

Reviving memories of days gone by when laundry was always hung to dry outdoors -- when folks "went online" without the internet! In this lively presentation, there will be washday history, issues of feminism, along with the sociological, psychological, cultural, physical, and ecological aspects of using the clothesline rather than the energy guzzling dryer. You will view the clothesline with fresh eyes, and learn how "solar drying" may be kinder to our environment. Get a peek into Anne's 40-year collection of laundry memorabilia and consider sharing your own personal stories. You may end up with a laundry list of things to think about, but you won't be left hanging, because she will pin things down for you and try to remove any hang-up you may have about outdoor drying!!

Clothesline Historian & Hobbyist, Anne Lawrence is an alumna of Tufts University in Psychology and Education. She enjoyed a 20 year career at Brandeis University as Administrator of the Near Eastern & Judaic Studies Dept. before retiring and moving to Ann Arbor, where she has been happily sharing her hobby with folks all over the area.

In a world awash with images, this is our question. The creative process starts with the reality in front of us and leads to a mental image as we click the shutter. What is important? Is there a story to be told? Is there a mystery or puzzle, or emotion? What is beautiful? What is not? How does composition affect the picture’s impact? The material will concentrate on black and white photographs with examples from famous and not so famous artists. Together we will discuss why one photograph is preferable over another.

An amateur photographer since high school, George Lavoie has had a long-time interest in photography, cameras, and images, as well as art in general. He has been a member of the Ann Arbor Camera Club and served on the board for a number of years.

This seminar is for those who enjoy wine but feel intimidated by their lack of knowledge about it. Learn lots of practical "how's" about wine: making wine, reading a label, using a corkscrew, opening champagne safely, tasting, matching with food, shopping for wine, storing wine, and more. This will be an interactive lecture/discussion.

The presenter is Martin Friedburg whose 25-year career in the wine industry included Sales Manager at two Michigan wineries, ownership of an Ann Arbor wine importing and distribution company, and serving as a wine judge. Wines will not be tasted at this event.

"The Metaphysics of Baseball" is an exploration into how America's favorite pastime serves as a mirror to the human condition - a microcosm of life's larger philosophical questions. Through readings, reflections and
discussions we’ll delve into the heart of baseball, uncovering how its rhythms, rituals, and lore echo the deepest metaphysical inquiries about fate, free will, and the nature of reality itself. This study group is suitable for baseball aficionados for whom baseball is not merely a sport but an ineffable experience of metaphysical import. A typical session may include some mandatory Tigers Talk, some essential viewing of MLB highlight reels and selected readings from the book: "Baseball as a Road to God: Seeing Beyond the Game," by John Sexton.

Deb Mukherjee has been facilitating study groups for many years, but he has never played baseball in his life. He grew up playing cricket. Nevertheless baseball is his most cherished sport.