Thursday AM   

Whether it’s anticipated or unanticipated, change is apt to come in spurts and sputters, not neat linear steps. It challenges us to steer through several stages: the push- pull stage of endings, the productive stage of floundering, and the rejuvenating stage of new beginnings. Explore the stages of change and gain down-to-earth tools including: handling stressors like FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt), incubating and visioning anew, using planning tacks, and building a support squad as you navigate. Our class setting is upbeat, with time for self-reflection, guided discussion, and sharing on a voluntary basis. New in-person course. Format includes lecture and discussion.

The 19th century was the foundation of the modern world. From industrialization to women’s liberation, to political ideas that shaped our thinking today, the arts, and the political revolutions, it all began more than two hundred years ago. Come along on a journey to the roots of the 21st century. Repeat in-person course. Format includes lecture.

Enjoy six narrated walks through Portland’s historic neighborhoods exploring the city’s history, architecture, and people since Europeans arrived. Discuss historic structures, immigrant populations, and locally and regionally famous architects, and view their works. The longest walk will be two miles in two hours. The greatest elevation change will be between Congress Street and the waterfront. All walks will be on pavement, with side trips into two grassy cemeteries. Wheelchair accessible. Rain or shine. Instructor will contact students about the meeting place prior to each class. Repeat in-person course. Format includes movement.

SUGGESTED BOOK: Portland, A Short History, Allan Levinsky, ISBN 9781933212432

Please join enthusiastic readers and thinkers to explore a different prize-winning collection: The Story Prize (yes, that’s how the title appears), edited by Larry Dark. It’s a selection of one winner from each year of the prize since its inception in 2004. If you’ve not approached short stories for various reasons, you might find yourself enjoying these shorter pieces by some well-known novelists, including Tobias Wolff, Anthony Doerr, Mary Gordon, Edwidge Danticat, Elizabeth Strout, and others. New in-person course. Format includes discussion.

REQUIRED BOOK: The Story Prize, ed. Larry Dark, ISBN 9781936787630

It’s now time to enjoy and to learn how this epic and this play spin magic and instill wisdom. We become like kings and queens hearing Homer’s beautiful and deadly story. With Oedipus we join Athenian citizens watching the trauma and healing of a civic life much like our own. These ancient authors make us feel brilliant as they open familiar pathways that lead us to deep social understanding. Class sessions will feature lectures, video from very recent productions, and our own responses shared in full-group and Zoom breakout group discussions. Repeat remote course. Format includes lecture, discussion, and film.

REQUIRED BOOKS: The Odyssey, Homer, Robert Fitzgerald, translator, ISBN 0374525749; Three Theban Plays, Sophocles, Robert Fagles, translator, ISBN 10:0140444254

This course introduces the scientific study of life, with an emphasis on real-world applications and the societal, social, ethical, and legal consequences of biological advances. We will place key biological principles within the context of issues that affect individuals and society, highlighting the connection between biology and everyday life. Designed for non-scientists with little or no recent college-level science experience, the course encourages discussion and reflection. Many topics are at the leading edge of scientific discovery, and we will examine the ongoing ethical and legal debates surrounding how and whether these advances should be applied.

Semiconductors are in the news every day–from the new features of a cell phone, to the announcement of a new data center. But, rarely does the news explain how semi- conductors actually work. This course will explain the fundamentals of the electronics, the chemistry, and the metallurgy of semiconductors, and the manufacturing processes employed in modern factories. Then it will explain the semiconductor nuts-and-bolts behind the headlines like AI, satellite internet service, and self driving cars. New in-person course. Format includes lecture and discussion.

The Yang 24 Form is the most widely practiced tai chi routine in the world. It consists of a sequence of slow, flowing movements, each leading gracefully into the next. It is often described as “meditation in motion.” In this course, we will study the basic movements of the 24 Form. Regular practice helps you refine the movements and experience great health benefits including reduced stress, an enhanced sense of well-being, and improved posture and balance. We spend most of the classroom time on our feet and in motion, so please take this into account in deciding whether this class is right for you. Repeat in-person course. Format includes movement.