PRESIDENT'S CORNER: March 31, 2017

Reflections: Well, folks, tomorrow I will begin the last 3 months of my term as your president. The gavel changes hands after we hold the election of officers at the July board meeting. I have been asked if I would continue this column after I am no longer president. If this column continues, it would logically belong to the new president. However, Jae has started a newsletter that appears every month or so, and she has invited contributions, so we’ll see. I have groused from time to time about what the heck I’m gonna write about this week, but then, usually, something pops into mind and away we go. But after over 80 of these things, well, yikes! I need a break, no? More reflections to come.

Film Forum: As we approach the beginning of our spring term on April 17, I’ll invite you to celebrate April with an absolutely delightful film, “Enchanted April,” on April 5 at 3 PM. This is part of our on-going interest group. If you don’t know this film, change your doctor appointments and get over here! We got to see the play version at the Shaw Festival 2-3 years ago and it was just as delightful. There’s more information elsewhere in the Bulletin.

April Fools' Day: (sometimes called All Fools' Day) is celebrated every year on April 1 by playing practical jokes and spreading hoaxes. The jokes and their victims are called April fools. People playing April Fool jokes expose their prank by shouting April Fool. Some newspapers, magazines, and other published media report fake stories, which are usually explained the next day or below the news section in small letters. Although popular since the 19th century, the day is not a public holiday in any country. [Wiki]

So, a hoax, eh? Hmmmm…..you have heard that the local benefactor that annually puts a thousand dollar bill into one of the Salvation Army kettles has bought an old warehouse building on University Avenue in Star City and is well along in the renovations needed to make it the new home of OLLI? No? Well, surely you know about the publication of the book of essays I have been laboring over for the last year or so in our Writing Retreat? David Ornick is sick with despair since we have had an on-going bet that each of us would be the first to publish something so real and fact-based that our names would shine in the pantheon of the greats for the ages! Unfortunately, facts are no longer of any importance and slander is much much more fun! You know what you’re supposed to say here, right? April Fool!

If you don’t want to see an April Fool on April 1st, just break down all mirrors on your house on March 31.

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.

What if April fool’s day doesn’t really exist and it’s just the longest prank in history?

Just letting you all know I’m getting married on the 1st of April and you’re all invited!

Tomorrow is April Fools Day. Believe nothing, and trust no one… So it’s like any other day. Right!

Oh, stop! Stop me now!

Yosemite: Did anyone watch Nature on PBS last Wednesday? It was a gorgeous documentary about Yosemite valley and how global climate change is affecting it. It had some of the most beautiful high-def pictures I’ve ever seen.  I remember visiting Yosemite as a kid with my folks and years later, Bonnie and I got close enough to camp in the giant redwood groves of California. Truly, deeply awesome. If you have On Demand, you can still watch it.

OK, have a wonderful weekend and we’ll talk to you again next week.

Jim Held, President