Blog Archives

Funny Bones: An Airbnb Review … by my Grandson

by Alan Katz
Introduction

I may only be 17 months old, but wherever I hang my bib is my home, and I get around. That being said, I can be somewhat exacting about my accommodations, and if my every id-driven whim is not immediately satisfied, well, I can get a bit histrionic.

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Here Comes SummerFest

by Deborah Lanser
Introduction

Mark your calendar for the arrival of the SummerFest catalog on May 21. As always, the Curriculum Committee is providing us with a broad feast of options. Art lovers may rejoice in the opportunity to visit local artists and revisit the masterworks of John Singer Sargent.

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Tom Esposito on Creating a Lasting Organization

by Felice Gelman
Introduction

Tom Esposito, who was LLI President from July 2016 to July 2020, also served as first vice president the prior year and as treasurer for the four years before that. In all, his nine-year tenure on Council stretched from mid-year 2011 until mid-year 2020 — now more than one-third of LLI’s lifetime as an organization.

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Spring Wildflower Walk

by Gretchen Lytle
Introduction

Some winters feel longer than others. The cold days just don’t let up. Apparently, this may have been the case this year on the Bard campus. The first bulbs to flower, like the white snowdrops and the sharp yellow aconite, and the early-budding shrubs like witch hazel,

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LLIcense to Learn

by Chuck Mishaan
Introduction

I’ve had the opportunity and pleasure of being a Bard LLI presenter for over 10 years. I’m frequently asked why I continue to maintain a heavy schedule of teaching at Bard and other Hudson Valley LLIs. My answer (though I don’t say this out loud) is because I’m selfish.

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Anne Sunners: From Cookie Lady to LLI President

by Deborah Lanser


Anne Sunners was the third president of LLI and later head of the Curriculum Committee.

Introduction

About 25 years ago, a friend warned Anne Sunners to apply to Bard LLI quickly as there might be a waiting list. She joined immediately and during her first semester was captivated by a class on Chopin’s Études held in Olin Hall.

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Meet the 2025 Candidates for Council

by Mary McClellan
Introduction

March marks the Council Election period for Bard LLI members. Voting will start on March 9 and end on March 16. The term of office for each position will commence on July 1, 2025, and end on June 30, 2027. The following positions are up for election. 

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Pilot Pre-Registration For Spring ’25

by Mary McClellan
Introduction

Feedback for LLI courses and programs is overall positive. Our membership generally expresses appreciation for the quality of our presenters and the caliber of their course content. The most frequently cited area of dissatisfaction with LLI has been the difficulty many members have experienced when trying to register for courses.

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Perspectives From My First Fall at LLI

by Anne Botsford
Introduction

The music of The Orchestra Now (TŌN) first drew me to Bard, which is only 45 minutes from Poughkeepsie, where I live. I’d previously traveled by train for two hours to NYC for my essential music, but I attended TŌN concerts a few times with friends.

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Profiles of Our Founders: Sylvia Erber

by Felice Gelman
Introduction

Twenty-five years ago, four women, members of a Red Hook Library book group—Sylvia Erber, Sara Hardman, Carol Lee, and Josette Lee—agreed that the area needed affordable high-quality education for seniors. The Marist College Center for Life Time Study had a years-long waiting list. There were no nearby alternatives.

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