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December 6 Wednesday10:30 AM → 12:00 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Richard Bell, Professor of History, University of MarylandLocations: Online ClassThe global dimensions of the American Revolution are nowhere more evident than in India. The subcontinent had long been the target of British land grabs, and Indian rulers tried to use the distraction of American secession to push Britain out of Asia entirely. Consider Haidar Ali, the ruler of Mysore. He swung into action in 1780, laying siege to British... read more -
December 5 Tuesday1:00 PM → 2:30 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Bonita Billman, Art History LecturerLocations: Online ClassAmerica has produced a number of artistic dynasties: the Peale family, the Calders, and—spanning the 20th century—the Wyeths of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. The patriarch Newell Convers Wyeth, a member of the Brandywine School, was a famed illustrator. N.C's youngest son, Andrew, chose to paint the local people and the rural landscapes around his summer... read more -
December 6 Wednesday1:00 PM → 2:30 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Barbara Paulson, Travel SpecialistLocations: Online ClassWhether you’re contemplating your first solo adventures or a veteran solo traveler, Travel Specialist Barbara Paulson offers tips for increasing your comfort level and fully enjoying the experience. Topics include: getting around on your own (paper maps vs. GPS), personal safety (e.g., “share location” on your mobile device), dining alone (e.g., make... read more -
December 5 Thursday10:30 AM → 12:00 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Steven Gimbel, Professor of Philosophy, Gettysburg CollegeLocations: Online ClassPeople regularly say that humor is subjective. While it is true that we all have our own taste in humor, that we find different things funny, there are certain properties that successful jokes have that failed jokes lack. What are the elements of well-structured jokes? Why do some deliveries make jokes funnier? (See related classes #508, 556,... read more -
December 5 Thursday1:00 PM → 2:30 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Dan Sherman, PhDLocations: Hybrid - At Oasis and Online(This class will be recorded.) One of the great directors, Stanley Kubrick’s career moved from being a teenage photographer for magazines to a brilliant filmmaker known for the range, beauty, and technical innovation of movies sometimes shot on the largest scale. The class will cover Kubrick’s career and review some of his greatest films, including... read more -
December 6 Wednesday2:30 PM → 4:00 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Beth Kimel, FacilitatorLocations: Oasis at the Macys Home StoreTED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas in the form of short, powerful recorded talks. In this exclusive preview of groundbreaking, unreleased technology, former Apple designer and Humane cofounder Imran Chaudhri envisions a future where AI enables our devices to "disappear." He gives a sneak peek of his company's new product -- shown for the first... read more -
December 7 Saturday10:00 AM → 12:00 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Marianne Starr, Naturalist, Locust Grove Nature CenterLocations: TripLevel of Difficulty: 2.5 out of 5 Let's look for interesting signs of early winter as well as learn about the historical sites located in the vicinity. Bring water and wear sturdy shoes and layers. Hiking poles are recommended since some areas have exposed roots and rocks. Participants are responsible for their own transportation. Seneca Creek... read more -
December 7 Thursday1:00 PM → 2:30 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Steven Gimbel, Professor of Philosophy, Gettysburg CollegeLocations: Online ClassSome actions are morally right while others are morally wrong. How is that line drawn? While it is true that we will often disagree over it, it is not a subjective matter. So, then what are the criteria we ought to use? Philosophers have proposed several ethical systems and we will examine their strengths and weaknesses. (See related classes #455, 498,... read more -
December 9 Monday10:30 AM → 12:00 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Deborah Kalb, Writer and PodcasterLocations: Oasis at the Macys Home StoreDeborah Kalb is a writer, book blogger, podcaster, editor, and ex-journalist based in the Washington, D.C., area. Her most recent book is the 2023 novel Off to Join the Circus. Each month this fall, she will be chatting with a local author of note. This month, she'll sit down with Len Kruger, author of the novel Bad Questions, which won the 2023... read more -
December 11 Monday10:30 AM → 12:00 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Julie Kurzava, Faculty, Loyola UniversityLocations: Oasis at the Macys Home StoreWhile less known than some of his contemporaries, songwriter Jule Styne wrote over 1500 songs in his 50-year career, spanning the history of the American songbook and beyond. Styne began his career playing in house bands in 1920’s Chicago speakeasies, then went on to write songs for classic Hollywood films, hits for Frank Sinatra and Broadway musicals for... read more -
December 11 Monday10:30 AM → 12:00 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Julie Kurzava, Faculty, Loyola UniversityLocations: Online ClassWhile less known than some of his contemporaries, songwriter Jule Styne wrote over 1500 songs in his 50-year career, spanning the history of the American songbook and beyond. Styne began his career playing in house bands in 1920’s Chicago speakeasies, then went on to write songs for classic Hollywood films, hits for Frank Sinatra and Broadway musicals for... read more
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December 12 Tuesday1:00 PM → 2:30 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Dan Sherman, PhDLocations: Oasis at the Macys Home StoreAlexander Hamilton has always been known as a central player in America’s early history, but the smash Broadway musical Hamilton has focused new attention on this fascinating individual. This popular multimedia presentation draws on both Hamilton’s biography and his depiction on stage to examine his accomplishments, discuss his relationship with Aaron... read more -
December 12 Tuesday1:00 PM → 2:30 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Dan Sherman, PhDLocations: Online ClassAlexander Hamilton has always been known as a central player in America’s early history, but the smash Broadway musical Hamilton has focused new attention on this fascinating individual. This popular multimedia presentation draws on both Hamilton’s biography and his depiction on stage to examine his accomplishments, discuss his relationship with Aaron... read more
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December 10 Tuesday10:30 AM → 12:30 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Cynthia Peterman, Career EducatorLocations: Oasis at the Macys Home StoreThis class will explore what films with Jewish themes tell us about how Americans view America and themselves. We will use film to examine American and Jewish cultural changes, assimilation, and other issues of identity in the period from the 1920s to the present by viewing movies in the context of the time period in which they were... read more -
December 13 Wednesday10:30 AM → 12:00 PMSessions: 1Instructor: John McCarthy, Montgomery County State's AttorneyLocations: Oasis at the Macys Home StoreBy many measures, the United States has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. Yet there is widespread Read... read more -
December 13 Wednesday10:30 AM → 12:00 PMSessions: 1Instructor: John McCarthy, Montgomery County State's AttorneyLocations: Online ClassBy many measures, the United States has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. Yet there is widespread Read... read more
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December 14 Thursday1:00 PM → 2:30 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Judy Scott Feldman, Ph.D., Art Historian/National Mall CoalitionLocations: Oasis at the Macys Home StoreVenice was a commercial crossroads of East and West throughout the Middle Ages. St. Mark’s Basilica (begun 1063) embodies in its architecture and art a unique blending of artistic cultures. Its ground plan is Byzantine, modeled on the ancient Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople. So too the resplendent mosaics in the five golden domes. But the... read more -
December 14 Thursday1:00 PM → 2:30 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Judy Scott Feldman, Ph.D., Art Historian/National Mall CoalitionLocations: Online ClassVenice was a commercial crossroads of East and West throughout the Middle Ages. St. Mark’s Basilica (begun 1063) embodies in its architecture and art a unique blending of artistic cultures. Its ground plan is Byzantine, modeled on the ancient Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople. So too the resplendent mosaics in the five golden domes. But the... read more
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January 5 Wednesday1:00 PM → 2:00 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Steven Petrow, Author/Washington Post ColumnistLocations: Online ClassIn his new book Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I Get Old, Steven Petrow rewrites the definitions of aging with compassion, humor and promise. Come join Petrow in this class based on his book, where he’ll present an irreverent, funny, and honest look at aging--and a blueprint for the new old age. He’ll discuss how important attitude is, because once we... read more -
January 8 Monday1:00 PM → 2:30 PMSessions: 1Instructor: Richard Bell, Professor of History, University of MarylandLocations: Online ClassBenedict Arnold is the most famous turncoat in American history. He was a skilled officer in George Washington’s Continental Army who began secretly communicating with British intelligence agents, giving them insider information, and dramatically defecting to their side in return for a mountain of cash. Historian Richard Bell reconstructs the life and... read more
