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Getting to know you
We’ve all been in a meeting or get together where someone pulls out an icebreaker to prompt sharing and discussion. To me, an ice breaker is like taking medicine. It might be great in the end, but the idea can be tough to swallow. It’s not that I don’t like to share or discuss. In fact, I often like to over share and over discuss. The ice breaker, however, can come out of nowhere and as much as I’m a fan of team building, being put on the spot can be daunting. A few years ago, I was at a board retreat and the leader asked everyone to share a fun fact about themselves. Some people were able to think of something right away while others took a little while before coming up with an answer. I was scrambling to think of a fun fact about me, while simultaneously trying to pay attention to what was fun and factual about the others. When it was my turn, I didn’t know what to say, so I blurted out, “I once shot a man just for snoring.” There were a few knowing chuckles from those who remembered the Time-Life “Old West” book commercial that told of gunslinger, John Wesley Hardin, who was so mean he once shot a man just for snoring. Everyone else in the room, unaware of my reference, just stared at me and gasped. So, nowadays, I come to group activities armed with a few fun facts tucked away in the Notes app on my phone. (Another fun fact about me!) I am sure that you are a lot more interesting than I am and don’t need to resort to such tactics, but it’s always good to be armed and ready in case you ever have to break the ice.
Stay safe and healthy,
Tracy Jacobs
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What classes will you be taking this fall? Take a look at the Fall 2025 At-A-Glance (PDF). Classes start September 8 and run through November 7.
- Mondays and Fridays—online classes
- Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays—in-person classes at Edenwald
- The complete fall catalog will be online August 1
- Fall Preview of Classes will be presented online on Monday, August 4
- Registration Opens Tuesday, August 5
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Introduce your friends to Osher at Towson University and give them an incentive to join. Attendees will receive a discount on their first year’s membership.
Blockbuster Adventures: The Movies that Made Our Summers
Thursday, August 14, 12 – 1 p.m., Zoom
Although Jaws fully established the concept, the origin of the summer blockbuster is a bit more complicated. What did the Planet of the Apes series and The Godfather have to do with it? How did a movie marketing strategy become a lasting cultural phenomenon, and are the days of the blockbuster numbered? With a look at big-budget spectacles from the 1970s to the present, Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg tells the story of the films that packed theaters every summer, capturing the public consciousness in a way no movie is ever likely to do again.
Forward this newsletter to friends so they can register.
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TU Holocaust Educator’s Institute Presents
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Bus Trip
Tuesday, August 12
Free. Space is limited.
Bus departs at 8:30 a.m. from the Greenspring Shopping Center, 2801 Smith Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21209
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Family Communication and End-of-Life Decision Making
You may be able to participate if you are familiar with the palliative care or hospice experiences of a family member who was 50 years or older, had a chronic condition, and died within the last 24 months. The study consists of the completion of a set of online surveys that will take between 30 - 90 minutes and an optional 30-minute Zoom interview. Compensation is a $20 eGift Card of your choice upon completion of the survey set and $25 eGift Card of your choice upon completion of the optional 30-minute interview. Towson University IRB #2281. Contact Melanie A. Horning Ph.D., RN, CNE mhorning@towson.edu, 410-704-5424 with questions.
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Queens, Warriors, and Archaeologists
The Penn Museum in Philadelphia
Friday, October 10
Join us for the upcoming trip to the Penn Museum in Philadelphia, where we’ll have a guided thematic tour on “Queens, Warriors, and Archaeologists”.
Embark on a captivating journey through the hidden narratives of women across history. Join us in examining historical perspectives, exploring diverse roles and illuminating the stories of remarkable women who have shaped our past. Rediscover familiar stories through a new lens and celebrate stories of extraordinary leaders, heroes and scholars.
Registration for this trip will open in late August.
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If you would like to honor a friend or loved one with a donation in their memory, please consider supporting Osher at Towson University with a gift to the Osher Excellence Fund.
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