Welcome! Omnilore is a program of OLLI at CSUDH (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at California State University, Dominguez Hills). The program is centered on study discussion groups (SDGs), which meet at classroom facilities in Redondo Beach. A learning-in-retirement community of approximately 300 seniors, we organize study discussion groups that are conceived, planned, and directed by the members. There are no tests or grades. Membership is open to all who seek intellectual stimulation and the challenge of shared inquiry.   Click here to view our current curriculum offerings. Click here for 2-minute highlights video, more information about Omnilore, and how to join. For a glimpse of some of our other activities, see Upcoming Events below.

What's Happenin' ? June 21 (Friday), 10am:  Hiking Club treks the western half of the Torrance/PVE Bridle Path.  Click here for more details. June 27 (Thursday), 10am:  Prospective Member Orientation Session — invite your friends  with Minds Not Ready for Retirement.  Click here for more details. June 27 (Thursday), Noon:  Computer Talk on "iPads & Kindles." Click here for more details.

Upcoming Events Each of Omnilore's extracurricular events occurs 3 to 12 times yearly. The next dates and description for the grayed-out events will be posted as soon as the next offering is scheduled, but you can click on them to read generic descriptions now.   Best Sellers SIG   |   Computer Talk   |   Coordinator Training   |  Equipment Training   | Hiking/Walking Group   |  Newsletter Deadline    |   Presentations Workshop   |  Prospective Member Orientation   |   Quarterly Forum Members Only–also see Yearly Calendar for future dates for trimesters, Forums, Board meetings, newsletter submissions, and holidays. The following are arranged chronologically.  If you have an upcoming Omnilore event that you think might be appropriately listed here, contact the Omnilore Webmasters (Webmaster@Omnilore.org). Hiking/Walking Group June 21, 2013, 10am:  "The Bridle Path" (between PVE & Torrance Hollywood Riviera)                             + optional Geocaching along the trail On Friday, June 21, starting at 10am, Hal and Ruth Hart will lead the Omnilore Walking/Hiking Group in trekking the western half of the Bridle Path between the top of the Hollywood Riviera section of Torrance and Palos Verdes Estate — south of Torrance's Calle De Arboles and Paseo De Las Tortugas, north of PVE's Palos Verdes Drive Norths.  (We hiked the eastern half last August.)  This wide, shady, well-maintained trail now divides several streets that used to be drivable between Torrance and PVE.  We will cover about 2 miles round trip, with about 200 feet of elevation change.  No longer a horse trail, this is now a popular path for hikers, dog walkers, joggers. This hike will also provide optional opportunities to try out geocaching – the high-tech treasure hunt described in articles in our Jul-Aug and Sep-Oct 2011 Omnilore News newsletters.  Geocaching is facilitated by the Geocaching.com website which includes a cute 2-minute introductory video and all information needed to join (free) and participate in the game.   There are 18 geocaches hidden by the Harts on or near the Bridle Path, marked by the string of stars on the graphic at left.  (Click on graphic to view a larger version.)   We will pass near 8 of these geocaches on this hike, all different, some rather cleverly camouflaged, none too hard to find or retrieve.  The Harts will have these geocaches downloaded to their geocaching-enabled GPS and will demonstrate how to find the caches to anyone interested.  Those of you already active in geocaching may search by cache name on "St. Hart's 'Hood" and download all of our Hollywood Riviera caches to your GPS device. The hike starts at the parking lot (red arrow on the map) on Palos Verdes Blvd. between Torrance and PVE, just north of where Via Anita descends from PVE to PV Blvd — or, at GPS coordinates N 33° 48.270, W 118° 23.419.  (Click here for map and to get driving directions.)  Be warned that there is parking for at most 7 cars on the trail side of PV Blvd., many more across the street – but walking across PV Blvd. here can be dicey.  The hike's turn-around will be at Via Colusa (green dotted line on the map).   Bring your lunch and after the hike we will drive half a mile to Miramar Park (on the ocean above Torrance Beach) to eat.  (Maps will be provided.)  Bring quarters for the parking meters.  There are no facilities available along the hike route, but there are at Miramar park. Item posted by hh: 06.14.2013 (revised 06.16.13) Prospective Member Orientation Session June 27 (Thursday):  Room 8, 10 am August 2 (Friday):  Room 7, 10 am Attend to learn about Omnilore and how to join Omnilore orientation sessions for prospective new members are held  in Room 7 or Room 8 at the Franklin Center.  Orientation sessions start at 10:00 a.m., and last 90 minutes to 2 hours depending on questions.  Click here to view our two-minute Omnilore highlights video and to learn more about Omnilore membership while you're waiting to attend one of these orientation sessions.   Click here to view our current curriculum offerings. Note that prospective new members who join at these orientation sessions will be eligible to participate in our Fall Study/Discussion Groups (S/DGs) beginning in September.   Most new members join because their friends shared the word of Omnilore with them. We encourage you to invite your friends to join us in our "intellectual pursuits!" Item posted by hh: 04.14.2013 (revised 04.20.13)   Computer Talks  Thursday, June 27, 2013, Noon – 1pm, Room 7:  iPads and Kindles: An Interactive Discussion Presented by Rick Spillane The June Computer Talk by Rick Spillane will focus on the world of iPads and e-books.  What are iPads, Apps, Kindles, and e-books?  How do you effectively use them.  We will look at the iPad versions of email, PowerPoint, other Apps of interest and how to down load e-books from Amazon or your local library.  Please bring your iPad or Kindle if you have one or just come and learn how to take advantage of the new technology.  You may not know what you are missing. Come and find out. We anticipate a free flowing exchange of information.  Share your favorites Apps for everything from Angry Birds to Maps to Photography. Item posted by hh: 04.30.2013 (rev. 5.2.13) Best Sellers Special Interest Group  (Omnilore book club)  July 8  (Monday), 2013: 11:00 am - 12:30 pm, Room 8 Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo On Monday, July 8th at 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Room 8 of the Franklin Center, join with other Omnilore members as the Best Seller Book Discussion SIG explores a part of the world that few – if any – of us will ever see in our travels. In the 2012 National Book Award winner, Behind the Beautiful Forevers, Katherine Boo takes readers to a half-acre section of land beside the international airport of Mumbai, India where life in this undercity focuses on surviving day-to-day. As a Pulitzer Prize winning writer, the author provides us with a non-fiction book that reads like a novel in which we learn about the personalities, hopes, and visions for the future of these residents. This short video shows scenes of the city upon which the book is based. http://www.behindthebeautifulforevers.com/video/ This Best Sellers SIG is open to all Omniloreans who are interested in reading and discussing current best sellers, both fiction and non-fiction.  As with any Special Interest Group, there is no need to enroll, no need to do a presentation…just be there on the day and time with enthusiasm, prepared to participate. Visit our Interest Groups webpage to read about the purpose and operation of the Best Sellers SIG, and the book chosen for upcoming months.  For suggestions or more information about the Best Sellers SIG, email Best-Sellers@Omnilore.org. Links for purchasing Behind the Beautiful Forevers from Amazon:   (Paperback)  (Hardcover)   (Kindle) Item posted by hh:  06.11.2013   Quarterly Forum July 31 (Wednesday), 2013 Topic:  To Be Announced When:  Wednesday, July 31, 2013 11:30 am:  Doors Open, Socializing Noon:        Luncheon served 1:00 pm:   Presentation starts Where: Los Verdes Country Club, 7000 W. Los Verdes Dr., Rancho Palos Verdes. Drive south on Hawthorne Boulevard past the top of PV, continue about half a mile south of Crest Road, turn right on Los Verdes Drive, go another half mile to the golf course, and park in the furthest parking lot.  Enter banquet room via patio on south side of building.     (Click Here for map.) Menu:  TBD Cost:  $20.00 Questions or suggestions? Call Forum Chair Lori Geittmann:  (310) 316-1729. Item posted by hh: 04.30.2013 Coordinator Training August Date To Be Announced Coordinator Training is conducted by the Head Coordinator around the beginning of April, August, and December – approximately one month before each academic trimester.  All Coordinators/Co-Coordinators of Omnilore Fall Classes Starting in January: Please attend this training session because guidelines and tips for coordinating SDGs are always being improved.  (And, it's your chance to meet Head Coordinator Norman Morris if you haven't already.) Topics covered include: Coordinators' Duties General Comments Pre-Meeting Guidelines Presentations and Discussions Housekeeping Rules Additional Helpful Tips Appointment of your class's AV Techie and FTP Techie; get them trained   (What are these?) Ask questions and Get Answers ... and Room Keys Omnilore appreciates those volunteering for these important coordinating positions – Thank You! Item posted by hh: 04.08.2013 Best Sellers Special Interest Group  (Omnilore book club)  August 12  (Monday), 2013: 11:00 am - 12:30 pm, Room 8 The Black Box by Michael Connelly The August Book Discussion fiction selection takes us into the world of Harry Bosch, a cop with a mission - to tip the scales of justice toward the side of murder victims and their survivors. In Michael Connelly’s 25th novel, The Black Box, Bosch takes us into the world of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Open Unsolved Unit, when he resurrects a 20-year-old murder case of Danish journalist Anneke Jesperson, who was killed during the L.A. riots of 1992. What was Jesperson, a white woman, doing in South Central L.A. in the aftermath of the riots? Connelly, a former Los Angeles Times reporter, calls this The Black Box because, similar to air crash investigation a single verified clue may open up the whole case. Join us in discussing this great read for lovers of police procedurals! The Best Sellers SIG is open to all Omniloreans who are interested in reading and discussing current best sellers, both fiction and non-fiction.  As with any Special Interest Group, there is no need to enroll, no need to do a presentation…just be there on the day and time with enthusiasm, prepared to participate. Visit our Interest Groups webpage to read about the purpose and operation of the Best Sellers SIG, and the book chosen for upcoming months.  For suggestions or more information about the Best Sellers SIG, email Best-Sellers@Omnilore.org. Links for purchasing The Black Box from Amazon:   (Paperback)  (Hardcover)   (Kindle) Item posted by hh:  06.11.2013   Omnilore News Article Submission Deadline August 15 (Thursday), 2013 September/November Edition Omnilore News is published six times annually. The Editors welcome short feature articles and news stories from members.  Your contribution may be submitted any time, but the above date should be met for inclusion in the upcoming issue; otherwise, it may be held for the following issue.  Please send submissions to the Omnilore News editors (Newsletter@Omnilore.org). Your contributions can be in whatever form you are most comfortable in using—as an email attachment in a standard word-processing format, embedded the body of an email, or any other digital form. Item posted by hh: 06.16.2013

Equipment 101:  A/V Training & SDG Folders "FTP Techie" Training (for SDG Folders maintenance) August/September Date TO BE ANNOUNCED Omniloreans may attend either or both parts of this training, which are being separately scheduled now. 1. EQUIPMENT TRAINING:  Room 7, 10:30 am - Noon  Equipment Training, taught by the Omnilore Equipment Managers, provides instruction on set-up, usage, and proper storage of Omnilore's Audio/Visual/computer equipment for all Omnilore members anxious to learn (or get a refresher on) how to use our primary presentation technology – projector and screen, our new desktop presenters (pictured at right) for printed material, DVD/video players and speakers, your own or Omnilore’s laptop, and our classrooms’ wireless internet connection — used individually and in combinations. To study ahead or for self-teaching, Click Here (http://omnilore.org/members/Equipment5.htm) for tip sheets for each piece of Omnilore equipment, as well as for the training charts for Equipment 101. 2.  SDG Folders & "FTP TECHIE" TRAINING:  Room 7, 12:30pm - 1:30pm  This training provides demonstration and instruction on the purpose and population of each SDG's "Folder."  The SDG Folders (http://omnilore.org/members/Curriculum/SDGs) reside on the Omnilore website for capture of digital presentations, discussion questions, and other resources created or found by members.   Each SDG should have an "FTP Techie" capable of uploading these digital artifacts to its SDG Folder, and this instruction will teach those interested the free upload utility FileZilla and recommended file-naming conventions for clarity. CLICK HERE or on the orange "SDG Folders" button at the top of this webpage for more descriptive materials about SDG Folders on this website. CLICK HERE for more information about FTP'g and a link to self-teaching instructions on downloading, installing, and using our recommended free FTP program, FileZilla. NOTE:  The links to other webpages in this Equipment Training description all require login to the password-protected part of the Omnilore website.   This password changes every Nov. 1 and is printed in the Member Packets every member receives at the October Forum or picks up in Room 7 in November.   Members may also request the Omnilore website password by emailing Webmaster@Omnilore.org. An Equipment Training session is generally scheduled in mid/late April, August, and December – just before the beginning of each academic trimester.   Item posted by hh: 04.29.2013

Presentations Workshop Next Date to be Announced Presentations 101 Are you a new member of Omnilore and a little uncertain about what to do about your first Presentation?  Perhaps you have been a member of Omnilore for a while and want to polish your Presentation skills. In either case, we have some help for you.  You are invited to join Presentations 101: The Workshop.  It's all about making our Presentations better and enjoying livelier discussions. If you can't attend The Workshop and want some help pulling together your Presentation, check the list of Presentation Mentors.  The list is also posted on the bulletin boards in our classrooms.  You will find the names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of Omnilore members who have volunteered to work with other members on making Presentations.  Just give one of them a call or fire off an e-mail to make arrangements for advice and perhaps to make a new friend.  Or, visit our Training webpage and click on the "Presentations Training" link at the top to view Presentations 101 charts. Item posted by hh: 05.04.2013

Highlights Video and More About Omnilore For potential new members, more information is available by scrolling down this webpage or by clicking on any link below to directly jump to a particular topic.  Highlights/Introduction Video  |  Who to Contact  |  Membership Benefits  How to Join  |  Volunteer Opportunities  |  Directions This two-minute video illustrates some highlights of Omnilore, while serving as an introduction to our learning community: If you would like to know more about Omnilore benefits, how we operate, fees, or whom to contact to join, please go to Omnilore Membership below.  Go to our Contacts page to locate the public email addresses for our Omnilore Officers.  Go to Directions at the bottom of this page to find maps and view directions to our classroom facility at the Franklin Center in Redondo Beach. If you would like to know more about our course offerings, please see our Curriculum Page. To learn even more about our learning community, please explore the rest of this Omnilore homepage and other pages on our website reachable by the yellow navigation buttons at the top of this page. If at any time within this website you want to go back to the Omnilore homepage, simply click the first button ("Home") in the navigation bar at the top of every page.

Omnilore Membership Benefits |  Facts  |  Fees  |  Prospective Member Orientation Sessions  |  Volunteer Opportunities About OLLI@CSUDH Membership Only Do you have a mind that's not ready to retire? Did the short video above entice you?  Then we are definitely for you! Omnilore is open to all who seek the intellectual stimulation and challenge of shared inquiry. We have about three hundred participants taking part in the college-level learning experience (without tests or grades!). Our self-directed courses meet twice a month (two-hour sessions) for four months. Omnilore Membership Benefits: Members may enroll in multiple Study/Discussion Groups per term. Members may participate in additional OLLI at CSUDH activities that include Computer Talks meetings, and a Hiking Club. Forum luncheons are open to OLLI members and their guests. These quarterly luncheons feature a variety of interesting speakers. (Please note: there is an additional fee for the luncheon). Members receive a bimonthly newsletter that presents a calendar, a member profile, a booklist, and several interesting, informative articles. Upon joining Omnilore, members receive all the same benefits that come with OLLI at CSUDH membership (see below). These include: a California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) Student ID; use of the CSUDH university library; a CSUDH student e-mail account; periodic CSUDH Extended Education newsletters, catalogs, and other publications; and other benefits inherent in CSUDH student status. Members are invited to participate in the OLLI lecture series at CSUDH taught by University faculty each fall and spring. Members receive notifications and updates on CSUDH campus events including speaker series, department symposia, and cultural events. Omnilore Membership Facts: The Omnilore membership year runs from September 1 through August 31. The spring classes start the first week of January, the summer classes begin the first week of May, and the fall classes commence the first week of September. Omnilore is run by volunteers. A Board of Directors and Standing Committees keep the organization running smoothly. Members propose course offerings. Members are expected to be active participants in their Study/Discussion Groups (SDGs). Giving a presentation in the courses one takes is a requirement. Prior to joining, new members are required to attend a New Members Orientation Session (see below). This requirement is necessary in order to fully understand the organization and to receive tips on "How to Succeed as an Omnilore Member." Prospective members are urged to "sit in" on an Omnilore SDG class before joining the organization. We want to make sure that we are the right "fit" for you! Omnilore thrives based on the efforts of its membership, all of whom are volunteers.  Besides the SDGs themselves and the member volunteers who coordinate each SDG's classroom activities, volunteers are needed to help plan and execute diverse planning and communication activities that keep Omnilore vital, interesting, and exciting.  Examples include developing the curriculum, putting together our bimonthly newsletter, maintaining this website, and the Omnilore Board of Directors which oversees everything.   Whatever your background, there's probably a place you can help out – both leadership and product-producing positions.  See our separate Volunteer Opportunities webpage for more details and how to get involved in making Omnilore go. View our informational brochure describing Omnilore for prospective members:  PAGE-1   PAGE-2 Omnilore Membership Fees: Omnilore annual membership fees are $90.00 per person or $150.00 per couple plus a required $30/person OLLI membership fee, for a total of $120 per person or $210 per couple. This covers membership and full participation in study/discussion groups, club activities and more for the full academic year. NOTE: The Omnilore membership fee includes all the benefits of OLLI@CSUDH membership (see below). JOINING IS EASY! Omnilore New Members Orientation Sessions If you want more information about Omnilore membership, please call (310) 370-9522 or email the membership chairperson at Membership@Omnilore.Org. Please leave your name and mailing address, so that we may send you our current curriculum and other relevant information. There are two Omnilore Orientation Sessions each trimester—six sessions in total throughout the year. All sessions are held in our Franklin Center facility. The Sessions typically begin at 10:00 a.m. and last 90 minutes to 2 hours, depending on attendance and questions.  There is a break at the midway point when refreshments are served. UPCOMING SESSIONS June 27 (Thursday):  Room 8, 10 am August 2 (Friday):  Room 7, 10 am If you are unavailable on the scheduled date(s) or if you wish further  information about membership while waiting for an Orientation session, email Membership@Omnilore.org. Omnilore Orientation Sessions take place in Room 7 or Room 8 of our Franklin Center facility (850 Inglewood Ave., Redondo Beach).  For a map of the facility and detailed driving instructions click here.  For more information or to RSVP to an Orientation session, call 310-370-9522 and leave a message, or email Membership@Omnilore.org. NOTE: Attendance at an Omnilore Orientation Session is required before joining. About OLLI at CSUDH Membership Only When you become a member of Omnilore, you automatically become a member of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at California State University Dominguez Hills (CSUDH). However, it is possible to become a member of OLLI at CSUDH without becoming a member of Omnilore. You'll find the cost and benefits of OLLI-CSUDH outlined on the OLLI at CSUDH Membership Information page. The information on that page includes specific information about becoming an OLLI at CSUDH member ONLY.

Directions Redondo Beach Franklin Center All Omnilore courses and many of our other activities are held at the Franklin Center, which is located at 850 Inglewood Avenue in Redondo Beach, three short blocks north of 190th Street.  site of a former Redondo Beach elementary school, but it is now leased by a number of different entities, including a preschool. Omnilore has the use of two classrooms, Rooms 7 and 8. There is a parking lot in front of the facility.   Please drive carefully in the parking lot because it is frequently quite full, plus at times there are many parents dropping off and picking up their preschoolers.   Be aware that occasionally you might be forced to park on side streets Ralston Lane or Fisk Lane and walk an extra minute or two to our classrooms.  Here is a Mapquest link to the location. And finally, here below, is another map (made by one of our many talented volunteers) showing the location of our Franklin Center, and the locations of our Omnilore rooms 7 and 8 within the facility. OLLI@CSUDH Most OLLI@CSUDH classes, lectures, and events are held at the California State University Dominguez Hills Extended Education facility (1000 E. Victoria Street, Carson, CA 90747), directly east of the Home Depot Center sports complex. There is a pay parking lot in front of the Extended Education facility – Parking Lot 3, on the south side of E. Victoria St. about a quarter mile east of Avalon Blvd.  There are two automated parking permit dispensers located near the facility, one in the northwest corner and one near the southeast corner of Parking Lot 3.  Both dispensers are marked by asterisks on this map.  Parking costs $4.00, and credit cards are accepted by the machines. Here is a Mapquest link to the location. And finally, here is a link to the campus' official CSUDH driving directions page.

Omnilore—OLLI at CSUDH, P.O. Box 7000-236, Redondo Beach, CA, 90277-8710

Last updated 16 June 2013  (hh)

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The April 1st news that "Omnilore is disbanding due to the death of intellectual curiosity" turned out to not be true.  Sorry for causing alarm.