Emeriti Connection

Issue No. 23 - February 2023

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February Enchantment

Letter from Our Executive Director 

Dear Emeriti,   

First, my best wishes to those of you who have been dealing with the aftermath of some very powerful storms since our last issue of Emeriti Connection was published. We had a snowy start to our year here in Cincinnati. The P.O.E.T.S Club has done an outstanding job of chasing away the winter blues with some hearty brews from the city’s top breweries—old and new. 

A warm welcome to our newest Emeriti who can enjoy the many benefits of their new status such as keeping one’s existing UC email address, free parking for three hours, and access to the Faculty Enrichment Center.  To ensure that all Emeriti have access to such benefits, this is a reminder to please check that you have an up-to-date faculty ID that indicates your emeritus status. That ID is coded to enable you to enter parking garages and the FEC. It is also convenient for identifying yourself to the UC IT Service Desk when you are looking for assistance with password resets, email, wireless access, and more. If you need IT support, simply dial 513-556-HELP (4357) or 866-397-3382. Ralph and I have been working closely with our Vice Provost Dr. Keisha Love to ensure that all faculty can take advantage of all emeriti benefits specified on our website. If you encounter any issues with accessing your benefits, please contact me at Larkinae@uc.edu. Please note that access to your home college buildings and the provision of office space beyond the FEC are not part of emeriti benefits. If you need to be able to gain entrance to your home college building, please reach out to your former Department Head and College. 

This year, our energetic Social Activities Committee has found new ways to combine fun events with fundraising for a good cause. Last Fall, the Committee hosted the first ever Emeriti Annual Picnic which not only was a fun-filled Fall afternoon but also raised monies for the newly endowed scholarship fund for underrepresented, first-generation undergraduate students at the university. Once funding goals are met, a scholarship of $5,000 will be awarded to a student annually.  

On Sunday, March 26, from 2-6 pm, another unique, fun, and fundraising event will take place—the first annual Spring Festival of the Visual & Musical Arts. The festival will be held on the Grand Staircase in DAAP and all the proceeds from the event will go into the endowed scholarship fund.  Admission is free. A joint event between DAAP and CCM, the festival will feature art, music, and more. We thank the Deans of both colleges for assistance in making this festival possible. Further details can be found in the newsletter.  A special thank you to the Social Activities Committee and the Arts & Culture Committee for working jointly on this event.  Even if you cannot attend the event, you can help us by donating items to the silent auction (contact Joan Murdock murdocjn@ucmail.uc.edu). 

This newsletter showcases some of the ways the Emeriti Association is fulfilling its mission of creating new and innovative outlets for members to engage with and serve the University, the Cincinnati community, and the world at large. We are making progress on so many fronts. Our Board President has been forging opportunities for Emeriti to teach internationally in Casablanca and other venues. More information will be forthcoming on this exciting topic in our next issue. Our Age-Friendly University (AFU) Working Group is working hard and gathering support. Their upcoming Faculty Senate presentation is the next step in furthering the initiative and the principles advanced by the AFU Global Network. 

As always, my thanks to the Editorial & Communications Team who work tirelessly to make Emeriti Connections so informative and visually interesting. It continues to be my privilege to help advance the interests of the Emeriti Association & Center.

Enjoy Issue 23 and have a Happy Spring!

Antoinette

Antoinette M. Larkin, PhD

Associate Professor, Professional Writing Program

Executive Director & Provost Fellow

UC Emeriti Association & Center

larkinae@uc.edu

Where Is This?

Where am I watching you on campus?

What is my connection to Wisdom?

Scroll to bottom for location

Letter from Our Board President

Those of us who remain in the Cincinnati area have been enjoying an early spring in the middle of February and are about to break out our summer clothes!  Well, I still need a layer or two!    

Last summer the board retreat produced a short list of priorities for the year. High on this list was increasing the engagement of emeriti faculty in the Emeriti Association. We learned from several other university emeriti organizations that opportunities for social interaction were often the key to their growth. Learning from others’ experiences, we added several such opportunities. We will be watching what works and what is less useful.



Your Emeriti Association has no shortage of things to report in this newsletter.  You will read about the December holiday celebration, a first-time event that will become an annual tradition.  You will also read about the up-coming arts-and-music-oriented Spring Festival on March 26, 2:00 – 6:00 pm.  All the details on this new event will be found below in this newsletter.  I can’t overstate how much we appreciate the work of Terry Milligan and Cynthia Lockhart and their respective committees in planning this first-time event! I want to encourage all emeriti faculty within driving range of campus to join us at this special event.

Much more is happening this spring!  The P.O.E.T.S. Society will continue to visit local breweries this spring.  Our Speaker Series continues through April at noon on the third Thursdays of the month. The Health and Wellness Committee is planning a seminar on Mindfulness in April and a CPR class in May. Also in May, the Book Club will be meeting in-person for the first time. Watch for the details!

We are also very pleased with the rapid progress being made by the Age-Friendly University Working Group, led by Joanna Mitro.  Now partnered with the Livewell Collaborative, we have a co-op student assisting the group as they seek to discover and document the many ways that the university already embodies the principles of Age-Friendliness. (See the article about this project in the last newsletter.) On March 9, this group will make a presentation to the Faculty Senate, and hopes to get a resolution of support from them.

Finally, a word about your Emeriti Association Board. This spring, we will be electing a few emeriti faculty members to the Board. Sally Moomaw leads the Nominations Committee and invites you to contact her if interested in serving on the Board (moomawsc@ucmail.uc.edu).   

I want to encourage all of you to plan to attend one or more of our events this spring!  You will be able to reconnect with some of your colleagues, meet some new ones, and stay connected to your university.



Best Regards,

Ralph



Ralph Katerberg

Professor Emeritus, Lindner College of Business

President, UC Emeriti Association

katerbrj@ucmail.uc.edu

Ratified at UC Board of Trustees meeting, December 14, 2022:

We welcome the above new emeriti colleagues as well as those who will join the community of Emeriti upon ratification by the UC Board of Trustees at their meeting on February 28, 2023.

News & Announcements

Center for the City

On April 1, UC's Center for the City, an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Department of History (A&S) and the School of Planning (DAAP), is hosting an event:

The End of the Experiments:

A Conversation with Cincinnati Radiation Experiments Whistleblower

Martha Stephens

Saturday, April 1 at 2 pm

Probasco Auditorium

(the old Church of Christian Science on Clifton Avenue)

Full-body radiation experiments funded by the Department of Defense were carried out on civilian cancer patients at Cincinnati General Hospital between 1960 and 1972. Around 1970, ethical standards for medical experimentation were being established for the first time, and these experiments were clearly unethical and risky for the subjects, who did not understand what was being done to them. Martha Stephens’ exposure of what was going on led to the end of these experiments. The program will feature a conversation between Stephens and undergraduate Divya Kumar, whose recent senior capstone on the experiments brought Dr. Stephens’ work back into the spotlight.

Martha Stephens is Professor Emerita of English. The Emeriti Association is a co-sponsor of this event. Watch for more details to come in your email.

Call for Nominations

This spring, we will be electing a few emeriti faculty members to the Emeriti Association Board of Directors for 3-year terms. Board members do not have to reside full-time locally and may attend monthly meetings remotely.

If you wish to serve or to recommend someone to serve, contact Sally Moomaw moomawsc@ucmail.uc.edu, Joanna Mitro mitroj@ucmail.uc.edu, or George Babcock babcocgf@ucmail.uc.edu.

Social Activities and Arts & Culture Committees

Artistic Creations & Musical Notes

1st Annual Emeriti Association

SPRING FESTIVAL of the Visual & Musical Arts

An Emeriti-Student Collaboration

The DAAP Grand Staircase

2-6 pm, Sunday, March 26, 2023

DAAP Grand Staircase

CCM New Horizons Orchestra

The Emeriti Association is excited to present the first Emeriti Spring Festival of the Visual & Musical Arts, a unique celebration combining the creativity of DAAP and CCM students with the talents of UC Emeriti.

This intergenerational festival will spotlight and celebrate the arts and music as lifelong creative outlets and lasting sources of pleasure and appreciation, and will recognize many of the creative individuals among and around us. 

This Emeriti Association event is designed as a new and innovative way:

• to engage with and serve the University of Cincinnati and the Greater Cincinnati communities;
• to exemplify the intergenerational principle of an age-friendly university and celebrate creativity along the lifespan;
• and to raise money for the Emeriti Association’s Endowed Scholarship for underrepresented, undergraduate, first-generation students.

[Read more about the Scholarship elsewhere in this issue.]

At this time, planning is underway.  The Festival will include:

1.     An invitational Art Exhibit on display along DAAP's Grand Staircase, including works by DAAP students and members of the Emeriti Association, Faculty and community artists. Artists will be present to discuss the inspiration for their artwork, some of which will be featured in the Silent Auction. 

2.     Music Performances by small chamber ensembles and/or soloists from CCM and the Emeriti Association in three locations on the Grand Staircase at DAAP. Performances scheduled on the hour and each quarter-hour.

3.     Silent Auction of selected donated items (artworks, gift baskets, etc.)  on display off DAAP’s main gallery with the proceeds going to the UC Emeriti Association Endowed Scholarship fund.

4.     Light Refreshments will be available, including hors d’oeuvres, coffee, tea, and other beverages.

Musical Groups featured include UC Emeriti and Alumni: 

String Quintet from The New Horizons Orchestra, an innovative CCM ensemble for adults aged 50 and older who want to take up the violin, viola, cello, or bass:

• Crystal Huie Arnold, violin, an artist affiliated with the Pendleton Art Center (see below); 
• JoAnne DeGreg, violin, a UC alumna from the College of Medicine and a practicing physician; 
• Sally Moomaw, violin, UC Emerita in Early Childhood Education and CCM alumna (BM cello); 
• Lisa Van Sant, violin, after learning to play at age 8, now returning to the violin in retirement;
• Barb Reisenauer, cello, an engineer and violinist who is now learning cello.

Seven Hills Symphony Trio, formed from a community orchestra serving Cincinnati audiences since 1974: 

• Edmund Choi, violin, UC Emeritus of Molecular Genetics; 
• Charles Moomaw, Baroque alto recorder, CCM alumnus (BM, MM, PhD);
• Sally Moomaw, cello, (see above).

Woodwind Duet: Terence Milligan (Emeritus, CCM) playing clarinet and Charles Moomaw on bassoon. 

Featured Visual Artists include:

Cynthia Lockhart, Fiber Artist, UC Emerita and alumna (DAAP). The artist's textile creations are a mixed-media, multilayered assemblage of hand-painted, printed, collaged, stitched, and found objects. Lockhart's fiber art encourages understanding of the diversity of people, cultures, and beauty in the world around them.  Her quilt, Created to Be Me (2017), is included in the Smithsonian Collection at the Renwick Gallery in D.C. [Read about this honor in our April 2022 newsletter or visit cynthialockhartartist.com.]

Crystal Huie Arnold

When she paints, Crystal celebrates the healing divine source that inspires her artistic voice.  Her artwork embraces the joys and challenges of the journey of life. Her goal, as a teacher and artist, is to raise awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the healing power of the visual arts. Crystal's art studio at the Pendleton Art Center is a sanctuary to express herself through a collection of paintings on canvas.

Jonathan Kamholtz

Kamholtz is a member of the Emeriti Association Board and serves on our newsletter’s editorial team where he applies his English professor credentials, as well as his experience as an author, journalist, and literary and art critic. Mercantile Library members have been enjoying Jonathan’s animated lectures for over 30 years (The Kamholtz Course).

Kamholtz expresses his photographic artistry thus: 

I have taken photographs, on and off, practically my entire life. For the past several years, I have concentrated on still lifes from very close up. This has let me play with issues of scale, and to aspire to images that are intimate, occasionally heroic, and I hope even touching. I'm interested in the life cycles of the things I photograph – I take the "morte" part of "nature morte" very much to heart.

Sketch Artists

Local artists Randall Wilson and Sue K. Blaney will be sketching on the Grand Staircase in DAAP. 

This is a wonderful opportunity to have an original sketch created and also support the Emeriti Endowed Scholarship Fund. 

Sue Blaney, a DAAP Fashion Design alumna, creates beautiful figurative sketches.

"I have always loved drawing people. Drawing them led me to an education in design and a career in the creativity industry." 

Randy Wilson is not only a DAAP alumnus in Fashion Design, he is a fashion illustrator and teaches Fashion Design students for DAAP. He creates illustrative interpretations of style and fashion.

More creative Artists and Musicians are in the planning …

watch your email for further details!



ADMISSION IS FREE!

Many Thanks!

We appreciate the tremendous effort in producing this event and thank the stalwart members of the Social Activities committee, led by chair Terry Milligan (CCM Emeritus), and the Arts & Culture committee, co-chaired by Cynthia Lockhart (DAAP Emerita) and Mary Stucky (CCM Emerita).



Mentoring Committee

Chat with the ESL Conversation Group

This group is FREE and open to UC international students, scholars, and adults in Cincinnati, to provide a place to practice English conversation skills, discuss interesting topics, and make friends from around the world! Topics change weekly. Recent topics have included "American Sports," "Cincinnati/USA Trivia," "Meeting New People and Making 'Small Talk,'" "Party Culture in the U.S." Meetings often include a student presentation about their hometown.

Emeriti are welcome to drop in to join these conversations. You'll be helping the international participants improve their English and feel at home in Cincinnati, and you'll be expanding your horizons.

To find out more, and to join the ESL Conversation Group mailing list (weekly topics are announced in advance), contact benedetta.khoury@uc.edu.

Luncheon Speaker Series

The Luncheon Speaker Series has had a terrific line-up this year.

John Hancock's January 26 Speaker Series lecture "Ohio's Ancient Native American Earthworks and World Heritage" set a record for attendance. If you missed this virtual tour of Hopewell earthworks in southern Ohio and the explanation of the process underway to register eight of them on the UNESCO World Heritage List, visit this World Heritage Ohio website for photos and descriptions.

On February 23, we welcomed Cincinnati Pops conductor John Morris Russell as our speaker for "On and Off the Podium: A Conversation with Maestro JMR." We had robust attendance to hear this beloved Cincinnati celebrity talk about his path to the podium of the Cincinnati Pops. An animated question and answer followed.

Our next Luncheon Speaker Series event is

March 23, 2023:

"The Music and Physics of the Clarinet"

Howard Jackson, Professor Emeritus of Physics

&

Terence Milligan, Professor Emeritus of Ensembles and Conducting

A physicist meets a musician, and many questions emerge! Why does the clarinet sound the way it does? What’s unique about the clarinet's tone? How is the sound produced? What is the role of resonance?  How do we recognize that sound, or similarly, how do we recognize instantly our friends on the phone? Howard Jackson, emeritus physicist from A&S, and Terry Milligan, emeritus from CCM and clarinet performer, join forces to explore these questions with real time demonstrations along with performances of some familiar excerpts from the clarinet repertoire.

Coming up in April:

On April 20, 2023, we'll have a speaker

from the Cincinnati Parks District.



All lectures on Thursdays, noon to 1 pm.

Light luncheon provided at 11:30 am.

Faculty Enrichment Center, Langsam Library.

Zoom option for those who cannot attend in person.



Watch for announcements with more details as these dates approach and plan to join us!

Winter Photo Gallery

1st Annual Emeriti Holiday Open House

December 14, 2022

Pat & Janet Kumpf, George Babcock, Terry Milligan, Charles Moomaw, Helene & Bruce Ault, Rick Paul

You didn’t have to wear red ... but we appreciated the holiday cheer!

Emeriti and guests enjoyed the first Spirit and Sparkle Holiday Open House in the Baur Room at the College-Conservatory of Music, Wednesday, December 14.

The Alex Merk Jazz Trio, accomplished CCM students, provided delightful Holiday music including "I'll be Home for Christmas," "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "The Christmas Song," and other holiday favorites.

Sally Moomaw provided table decorations from her garden; the CCM staff decorated holiday trees for the occasion. Caterer Classic Fare served hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, small-bite desserts, coffee, tea, and soft drinks. Emeriti Association members brought wine, beer, and Prosecco, including festive glassware for toasting.

Special guests included CCM Interim Dean Jonathan Kregor, A&S Interim Dean Margaret Hanson, English Department Head Cynthia Ris, OLLI Director Cate O’Hara, and UC Foundation’s Rodney Parks.

We thank the creative, resourceful and hard-working Social Activities Committee: Chair and Past-President Terry Milligan, Vice President Sally Moomaw, Howard Jackson, George Babcock, Joan Murdock, and Treasurer Pat Kumpf, ex officio member. We are fortunate to benefit from their personal contributions of time and resources.

Read elsewhere in this Issue about the exciting Spring Festival event, an upcoming joint effort from both the equally dedicated Social Activities and Arts & Culture committees.

"… AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!"

Enjoy our Photo Gallery expressing the joy and camaraderie

of this Holiday event:

The Alex Merk Jazz Trio:

Alex Merk, drums; Mason Daugherty, bass; Chris Caporale, piano

Rodney Parks and Jonathan Kregor (standing left) chat while old friends and new join in festive company

"Bearcat Santa"

Rick Paul brings good cheer to the gathering

Sally Moomaw & Cynthia Ris

are merry while Don French, Cate O’Hara & Joanna Mitro connect up behind them

Sisters Cynthia Lockhart & Renee Hearn capture the “Spirit & Sparkle”

UC Emeriti join in a champagne toast to the Emeriti Association's connecting our community in celebration of the Holiday season:

President Ralph Katerberg &

Past-President Terry Milligan

lead the toast

Antoinette Larkin &

Don French are feeling celebratory

Joan Murdock &

Sally Moomaw toast

"to a great organization"

Charlie Moomaw & Jim Schumacher

- spouses are special guests too!

Ken Ludlow & Pama Mitchell enjoy the festivities

George Babcock &

Geof Yager share their enthusiasm

BEARCAT BASKETBALL

On February 22, Emeriti and friends were treated to a birds-eye view of the UC Men's Basketball game victory over the Temple Owls. President Pinto made his box available to Emeriti Board members, who thoroughly enjoyed the vantage point, food, and an 88/83 win for UC!

Board members

George Babcock &

Joan Murdock in the President's box

Go Bearcats!

Standing Ovation

from on high

Carol Huether, Howard Plevyak & Linda Huether Plevyak enjoying the President's hospitality

P.O.E.T.S. Club Explores Cincinnati's Brewing History

On Final Friday in January, Emeriti gathered at Bad Tom's Brewing on Madison Road to share in a tradition of craft beers that stretch all the way back to the late 1800’s, when, as the story goes, "Bad Tom Smith ruled Eastern Kentucky." The brewery features a 120-year-old bank vault that houses barrels and casks of “Bad Tom Smith” bourbon that is still aging. 

Moving from the old to the new, the P.O.E.T.S Club enjoyed frosty beverages in February at the Alcove Bar and Restaurant. Housed in a spectacular 1893 building, the restaurant was named one of the nine best to open in 2022 by WCPO. Emeriti took advantage of the MadTree craft beers, as they sat in the greenhouse bar where the herbs featured in the photos are used to make cocktails.  

Bad Tom Smith's tombstone:

Bad Enough to Be Hanged

Not Too Bad for God to Save

Terry Milligan, Joan Murdock, Beth & Ralph Katerberg, and

(standing) Kathy Lorenz and guest

enjoy the camaraderie, the beer, the appetizers,

and the story

Seen enjoying the Alcove ambience are:

Helene & Bruce Ault, Beth & Ralph Katerberg, Terry Milligan, Charlie & Sally Moomaw, Lynn Rapin, Bob Conyne, George Babcock, Rino Munda.

Charlie and Sally Moomaw flank Terry Milligan in happy celebration (and a break from planning) of Emeriti Association social events.

LET'S GET SOCIAL!

The Social Activities Committee

[Sally Moomaw, Joan Murdock, Howard Jackson, George Babcock, Pat Kumpf, and Terry Milligan, chair]

sponsors ongoing events for socializing and enjoying each other’s company.

P.O.E.T.S. Club Gatherings



The P.O.E.T.S. Club (Phooey On Everything! Tomorrow’s Saturday!) 

gets together on the Final Friday of each month at 5 pm.

Next date: March 31, 2023

MadTree Brewing

3301 Madison Road

Cincinnati 45209

    We hope to see you then!

DOWNSIZING

Take-Aways and Tips

Contributed by Tina Whalen

Where We Began: During the COVID interruption, and in anticipation of our retirement, my husband Steve and I began thinking about selling our “forever” house and downsizing to a condo or townhouse. Beginning in fall/winter 2020-21, we began cleaning out our basement of furniture and household items left over from our three children’s college apartments. We donated a whole load of furniture to St. Vincent De Paul (they will come and pick it up) and threw away a lot of our children’s school-related items. We combined things we wanted to keep into plastic storage boxes. We did this at a leisurely pace, but by spring 2021, we felt good about our progress and believed our house would be ready when we decided to list it.

Take-Away: Start consolidating and purging early!

In early spring 2022, we met with a realtor about our intention to sell and started the search for a condo. As a result, we were advised that we should do some interior painting to make the house more “neutral.”  We painted two bedrooms beige and intended to also paint our kitchen.

Take-Away: Set a time well ahead of when you want to list to meet with a realtor or two and get feedback on what you might do to get your house ready for sale.

Seller’s Market: We agreed we did not want to list the house until after we retired so that we would not be managing everything at the same time. However, it was a crazy seller’s market that spring, and as a result we were approached by a young couple who were very interested in living in our neighborhood. They had a current loan approval that was scheduled to expire in 60 days, and with the interest rates going up, they asked if we would consider showing them the house. We agreed, and 4 days later they came to us with an offer. Given the circumstances, the terms of sale were entirely up to us, so we named our price and agreed to close that spring so they could lock in their interest rate, but told them we would not move out of the house until August and we would not pay them rent. They agreed to all our terms, and we went forward with the deal. 

Take-Away: Make a plan, but of course some things just don’t go according to plan -- stay flexible! Identify as quickly as possible what your next move will be. If you don’t have a place to move to directly, start looking into storage options.

Will It Fit? Determining the space we would have to work with was critical to the further downsizing needed. Once we knew the square footage and layout of our new home, we were able to figure out what of our existing furniture would fit and what additional items needed to be disposed of. With the help of our realtor, we hired a person to help us downsize. She came to our house to walk each room with us and determine what furniture we “ideally” wanted to take with us.  She took measurements of each piece, went to our new place to see what would work, and produced a schematic of the new arrangement for us.

Take-Away:  Hiring downsizing help was money well-spent!

Paring Down: Once we settled on what we planned to take, we started the process of finding new homes for the rest of our things. I reached out to friends to make them aware, and they let their networks know. We also called Everything But The House, a “full-service” business running an on-line consignment auction. They came out and let us know what pieces they would take on consignment, and we determined to go that route with some of our more expensive items. Note: there are other furniture consignment groups as well, such as Legacies in Hyde Park Plaza, but usually you need to deliver your own things to their location. And, of course, all resellers have a commission.  We posted other items to a local neighborhood listserv. We also donated furniture and appliances to New Life Furniture Bank, and just like St. Vincent de Paul, they sent a truck to pick them up. 

Take-Away:  All the inventory management requires time. Plan as much time as possible, ideally at least 2 months. Also, know that mattresses are usually not accepted for donation. Our moving company hauled ours away for a bit extra.



The Whalen Forever Home

The New Whalen Condo Home

Summary: Moving from your forever home is a big project. Give yourself time!  No matter how you look at it this is a heavy lift! Give yourself permission to be sentimental and keep what you aren’t ready to shed even if you don’t need it from a practical standpoint. We still have some things we don’t really need in our storage locker -- but all in due time! Now that this is behind us, we have no regrets, and we feel “lighter”!

Help with Downsizing:   It really helps to have dispassionate support when it to comes to downsizing decisions. You may be lucky enough to have a relative, friend, or neighbor willing to lend a hand. If not, there are local businesses that help with downsizing and relocation.  For example:

Sweet Home Cincinnati (ph: 513-257-5651) specializes in moving seniors into retirement communities, including packing, selling excess items, cleaning, and hiring movers. Their advice is to expect some grief as you go through the downsizing process. Save your favorite items (art, photos, etc.) and ask your children what items they want. Spend 1 to 2 hours a day, one room at a time, deciding what to keep, donate, or discard. 

Caring Transitions offers aid with downsizing (decluttering) decisions and space planning. They can help arrange an estate sale or online auction, or advise you on which charitable organizations will accept donated items like nails, paint, etc. They can also repair, paint, clean, and stage your home for resale.  

Queen City Transitions offers similar services. They also help seniors to age-in-place, reorganizing their homes to reduce home safety concerns and eliminate common in-home hazards, addressing home maintenance concerns, and evaluating future needs.

Health & Wellness Committee

PICKLEBALL, ANYONE?

Contributed by Robert Conyne, Chair, Health & Wellness Committee

Pickleball was named the fastest growing sport in the U.S. by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. It’s an enjoyable sport combining parts of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, played with a paddle and a plastic ball with holes, in singles or doubles.  Its smaller court is often modified from a tennis court.  

Why Is Pickleball So Popular?

It appeals to all ages and fitness levels, and seniors have been drawn to it in large numbers.  It takes a short time to learn and has low financial cost. Emeriti Association Secretary Kathy Lorenz is a pickleball player. She says, “I can attest to the fact that the game is a great one for folks seeking a sport that is less demanding than tennis and easier to master.  What I have enjoyed about the game is that it is relatively easy to learn … and that a group of people can enjoy it easily.  Four can play it as you would play doubles tennis but you can also have a group of 5 or 6 and simply sub in players in a Round Robin sort of format. This makes it a little less taxing. It doesn't have to be a fast, speed-skill game - it can be enjoyed in a leisurely fashion. But you can also get quite involved and improve your level of play if you so desire.” 

Getting Started with Pickleball

As Kathy suggests, little or no preparation and training is required to have fun with pickleball; people learn as they go and from one another. The University of Colorado Health site (link below) puts it this way: “to try pickleball, you’ll need a paddle, balls and three friends. Or, you can sign up for some pickleball lessons or show up at a park or facility where players are gathering.”

A paddle may cost $40-200, available at tennis or sporting goods stores, and loaners may be offered at some sites. No special apparel is needed, but comfortable court shoes are a must to provide the right kind of support for the side-to-side action inherent in pickle ball. Eye protection is highly recommended.

As with any physical activity, it is best to be “vetted” by your doctor before beginning, and to follow general advisement for physical exercise, such as incorporating a stretching routine. 

Physical & Social Benefits

Physically, pickleball can contribute to flexibility, balance, weight control, cardiovascular functioning, and overall fitness.  (Of course, potential benefits are accompanied by potential risks, such as strains, sprains, tears, and breaks—so appropriate moderation and caution are advised.)

Pickleball is also a social game, typically played in groups of four and surrounded by other groups. Open play can involve rotating across partners. Besides being “less taxing,” as Kathy says, this kind of interchange creates and enhances social connections and pyscho-social well-being. One couple who have played pickle ball regularly for three years said they probably have met 200 new people through it.  And, best of all, players report that pickleball is FUN!  

Playing Pickleball Locally

There are several places to play pickleball in the Cincinnati area, at local parks and recreation centers. See the links below for details about regional sites:

List and Maps of Cincinnati Area Pickleball Courts

Cincinnati Recreation Commission Pickleball Courts and Open Play schedules

The pickleball courts at Sawyer Point were recommended by several players. The 24 courts there are free of charge, with “Ambassadors” on hand to provide assistance, and “New Player” lessons and loaner paddles available.

See the website: Pickleball At Sawyer Point  

To Learn More About Pickleball

To learn more about pickle ball, please visit the websites:

University of Colorado Health: everything you need to know about pickleball

US Pickleball Association: what is pickleball

INTERESTED?

Have we "pickled" your interest? If you would be interested in the Emeriti Association’s Health and Wellness committee facilitating playing pickleball as a group of Emeriti, or arranging a pickleball demonstration, please reply to Bob Conyne conynerk@ucmail.uc.edu and we will explore that possibility.  

Health & Wellness

VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB

The Health & Wellness Book Club explores non-fiction and fiction books on topics supporting physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual well-being, and hosts virtual discussions of selected books.

Next Book Club Selection:

The Good Life: Lessons from the World's

Longest Study of Happiness

by Robert Waldinger, MD, and Marc Shulz, PhD

About the Book:

What makes a life fulfilling and meaningful?

Eighty years ago approximately 750 men participated in a study that continues today. These men from different walks of life in the Boston area were followed by a Harvard research team. The accumulated information has been researched and evaluated. The authors guide us through the personal stories of the participants and provide insight regarding how, in many cases, strong relationships will lead to happiness in life. The stronger our relationships, the more likely we are to live happy, satisfying, and overall healthier lives. In fact, the Harvard Study of Adult Development reveals that the strength of our connections with others can predict the health of both our bodies and our brains as we go through life.

Health & Wellness

WALKING for FITNESS Program

This Program, sponsored by the Health & Wellness Committee, aims to enhance a healthy lifestyle for improving or maintaining health and wellness.

Walks start up again in April.

Watch for future announcements. Hope you will join us then!

Contributed by Frank Weinstock, Professor Emeritus of Piano

We moved the family west (our kids were seven and nine at the time), and I commuted back to UC for my teaching and other obligations at CCM. (My teaching schedule, consisting mostly of one-on-one piano lessons, was more flexible than most.) This was an exciting time for the four of us, although the living/commuting arrangement had its challenges. We enjoyed being in the West, with its wide-open spaces, less humid weather, friendly people, and amazing scenery—five of the greatest national parks are in Utah.

Second Movement. Just two-and-a-half years after that move, Janell had the opportunity to become General Manager of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and our western adventure ended. (One friend, aware of our affection for the western life, wryly offered at the time “now you’ll both have to commute!”) As we were leaving to move back east, we both thought that maybe we would return to Salt Lake when the time came that we no longer had responsibilities in Cincinnati.

Reprise. That time did come, after the kids had upped and left and we both retired at the same time (2011). Although it took us a few years to overcome inertia, and we considered a few other western places (Tucson, San Diego, etc.), eventually we did indeed move back to Salt Lake City. (It didn’t hurt that our daughter had moved here soon after college, and our son and his family subsequently settled in Denver— an eight-hour drive, but by western standards “close by.”) We have loved the change, including the psychological and physical separation it provides from our former careers. We plan to stay where we are until the time comes to move into a continuing-care retirement community of some sort.

We were fortunate enough to retire on the young-ish side and to have a reasonable facsimile of good health. Being retired, we can now travel in the “off-season,” and have enjoyed a number of travels (interrupted by the pandemic, of course). These trips have included three visits to Vienna, with which we (especially I) have fallen in love (more on that below). Among guilty pleasures closer to home are the regular tickets our daughter and I have to Utah Jazz basketball games, and our beautiful first grandchild in Denver.

Variations on a theme. In my career as a performing and teaching pianist, my greatest affinity and interest has always been the music of the great 18^th and 19^th century Viennese composers (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, etc.), and one of my bigger mistakes had been not visiting Vienna until I was in my sixties. Had I gone earlier, I would have better understood the milieu in which these composers lived and composed, and had a much better context in which to put their works. But, better late than never! My visits to Vienna have drawn me ever closer to their music—particularly that of Franz Schubert (1797-1828). (I was intrigued to read in Heather Arden’s Second Act profile in issue 20 of this newsletter about the worlds Schubert’s music has opened for her since retirement; perhaps the music of someone who was forced to deal with his own mortality – he learned he had syphilis before his 26th birthday and he died at 31 – has something special to offer us at this stage of our lives?)

As I am playing only a few concerts these days, I spend more time at the piano without the pressures of preparing a piece for an upcoming concert, and with the freedom to leisurely explore whatever features of the music that strike my fancy. That has recently led me in a direction that was of little interest to me even just a year ago: learning about historical pianos (“fortepianos”), to better understand the sound a composer might have been hearing or thinking of when writing a piece. The piano was only invented in the early 18^th century, and by the early 19^th century it was still vastly different from the instruments of today. For example, the load-bearing structure was all wood without the heavy metal frame that we have now. In those early instruments, the strings were under much less tension and the sound of a note was softer and died away more quickly; this can give a musical phrase a significantly different sound than on a modern instrument.

I am beyond excited to have ordered one of those, a copy of an instrument from c. 1819 by the Viennese maker Conrad Graf—a piano very similar to what Schubert would have played during his most productive years. It will be ready for me this summer, and, needless to say, the prospect of spending limitless hours on such an instrument has me over the moon!

Coda. So, music is not much of a profession for me anymore, but it is teaching and exciting me as an amateur at least as much as ever, and taking me in directions that I never imagined. Many people speak of re-inventing or re-defining themselves for a good retirement; perhaps my situation has been more one of a re-focus, with deeper satisfactions than I ever imagined. Life continues to be very good for me, and I continue to be grateful for that!

The OLLI Connection

Contributed by Cate O'Hara, OLLI Director

Bob Zierolf served as Dean of the UC Graduate School and Vice Provost before retiring a few years ago as Professor of Music Theory (CCM).  He now spends his Thursday mornings moderating a popular course for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UC.

In “For the Love of Music, ” discussion and music excerpts are inspired by the upcoming week’s programs of some of Cincinnati’s amazing classical offerings including, among others, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO), Chamber Music Cincinnati, Linton Chamber Music, and, of course, CCM. 

This course has run continuously at OLLI since 2004, originally moderated by the late Dick Waller, former principal clarinetist for the CSO and founder of Linton Series.

Bob got involved in 2017. As he explained, “Dick Waller and I were friends for many years from CSO and CCM days. When I retired from UC, he asked me to join him as co-moderator of ‘For the Love of Music.’ Eventually, I ‘inherited’ the class from him when he was unable to continue it.”

Bob noted that he takes “great pleasure in engaging with people who enjoy the diverse wealth of classical music we can experience in Cincinnati.” He would also take great pleasure in sharing this “Love of Music” with his emeriti colleagues. 

Free Sample: Join Bob via Zoom for the next few Thursdays at 11 am. This link will work for the classes scheduled for March 2, 9, and 16:  

Find out more about all OLLI offerings at www.uc.edu/olli or 513-556-9186.

Robert “Bob” Ruchhoft, 98, passed away on November 24th, 2022. Born in Minneapolis in 1924, he was a longtime resident of Cincinnati. He attended Withrow High School and Miami University, completing graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati. Bob was a World War II Veteran, serving in the Navy Seabees in the South Pacific.

Professor Ruchhoft shared his passion for music, history, art, and photography during his long career as an Associate Professor in the University College of the University of Cincinnati. An avid outdoorsman, Bob published several hiking guidebooks including the popular “Kentucky’s Land of the Arches.” Bob had many interests, especially hiking, boating, bicycle riding, and scenic photography, all of which he pursued well into his 80s. Bob also enjoyed playing the clarinet, tenor saxophone and singing in dance bands, beginning in the 1940s and performing into his 90s. He attended Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and performed in the Campus Owls at Miami University.

A memorial service will be held at Ascension & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 334 Burns Ave., Wyoming, OH 45215, at 10:00 am on Saturday, April 29, 2023. A Celebration of Life will be held at The Century Inn, 10675 Springfield Pike, Cincinnati, at noon on April 29. Donations in Professor Ruchhoft's honor may be made to the Western Wildlife Corridor of Cincinnati.

Paul J. Swanson Jr., 88, passed away in December 2022.  He received degrees in accountancy, economics and finance at the University of Illinois, where he completed his PhD in 1966. Paul retired from the University of Cincinnati as a professor emeritus in the Finance Department.  

Dr. Swanson’s research interests took two distinct paths. First, he explored the fractal nature of stock and other dynamic financial markets. Second, he applied his study of cognitive psychology begun in 1974 at Purdue University in psychometrics and multidimensional scaling to the fields of Attribution and Behavior.  

Paul had many outside interests, including pursuing questions of the healing power of Buddhist philosophy as they relate to interpersonal behavior in financial markets and the usage of Mindfulness in the field of management.  Paul was a member of the Christ Church Cathedral and sang in their choir. He was loved and will be missed by all who know him.

Thomas H. Ridgway, 84, of Cincinnati, Ohio passed away on February 7, 2023. He was an Analytical Chemist with research interests in electrochemical and optical sensors, instrument design and remote sensing.

Ridgway's PhD research at the University of North Carolina involved theoretical electrochemistry, spectroelectrochemistry, and the development of computer controlled chemical instrumentation. He stayed on at Chapel Hill for a post doctorate to be part of a team that developed the first microprocessor-based laboratory data acquisition and control computer. 

Dr. Ridgway joined the Chemistry Department of the University of Cincinnati in the fall of 1976. He served as Professor of Chemistry and Graduate Program Director for the department and was a member of the Chemical Sensors Group. 

Thomas is survived by his wife of 57 years, Linda Ridgway; sons, Eric and Randy (Sarah Mandel); and granddaughter, Ariana Ridgway. Memorial contributions may be made to the Thomas and Linda Ridgway Fund for Chemistry Research, University of Cincinnati Foundation. 

Fred L. Milne, 76, passed away at home on February 10, 2023. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1946, Fred's early years were spent in nearby Shelbyville which provided the fondest memories of his youth, despite contracting polio a year before the vaccine was available. He treasured his time at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he earned his master’s and doctoral degrees. 

After graduation, Dr. Milne joined the Department of English & Comparative Literature in the College of Arts & Sciences. After tenure he went on to serve as Department Head. During his almost 30 years with UC, he was widely regarded as a distinguished Percy Bysshe Shelley and Romanticism scholar.

Fred is remembered as a warm and caring soul who blessed all with his immeasurable wisdom, fast wit, unbridled optimism, and unbounded love. Fred also loved the culinary arts and classical music, and he was always enthralled by a good English mystery. Most of all, he dearly loved the time he spent with his family and friends. 

A memorial service will be held at St. Cecilia Catholic Church, 3105 Madison Rd., Cincinnati, Ohio, 45209 on Friday, March 3rd at 11:00 am. Memorial donations may be made to Boys Town (BoysTown.org). 

Help us pay tribute to our deceased emeriti colleagues. If you know of any emeriti who have passed since our last issue, please send information to:  

Pat Mezinskis mezinspm@ucmail.uc.edu

Emeriti Endowed Scholarship Fund

SUPPORTING UNDERREPRESENTED GEN-1

The twenty-one members of the Board of the Emeriti Association have pledged gifts to establish an endowed fund for the Emeriti Scholarship for underrepresented, first-generation undergraduate students at UC.

We are off to a good start ... as of the end of 2022, the principle was $40,229.

We, the Board, ask you to partner with us to grow the endowment principle to enable a yearly $5000 scholarship. We need your help to make this a reality!

You may wish to transfer (not withdraw) all or part of your IRA's Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) to a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), including this scholarship fund, directly to the UC Foundation.

OR

Make a gift at: foundation.uc.edu/give

After the funds load, in the “Search Funds by Name” field,

Enter “Emeriti Scholarship”

Fund details:

University of Cincinnati Emeriti Association

Endowed Scholarship Fund (S201318)



“Of those to whom much is given, much is required.”

Pairs of these vigilant birds flank the eastern entrances to Teachers College. In some references, they are called “owls and eagles”; in others they are referred to as “turkeys and pelicans.”

Teachers College and Dyer Hall were designed in 1930 as sister structures. They housed the natural sciences and were joined in 1958 by a connector wing.

The enormous sandstone birds were carved by Lee Lawrie, 1877-1963, one of the country’s foremost architectural sculptors before World War II.

Lawrie's most recognizable works are found at NYC's Rockefeller Center:  the statue of Atlas (1937), standing 45 feet tall on Fifth Avenue, and the sculptural relief of Wisdom (1931), above the entrance to 30 Rockefeller Plaza (and axially behind the plaza's golden Prometheus).



Lawrie's Wisdom is one of the most visible works of art in the complex. The figure of "Wisdom" takes the measure of the earth and proclaims WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE SHALL BE THE STABILITY OF THY TIMES.

But you may be most familiar with Lawrie's work via his sculptural portrait of F.D.R. (1946) on the dime coin.

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Contact the Editorial & Communications Team: Joanna.Mitro@uc.edu

Emeriti Association & Center | Who We Are

President | Ralph Katerberg |  katerbrj@ucmail.uc.edu

Vice President| Sally Moomaw | moomawsc@ucmail.uc.edu

Secretary | Kathryn Lorenz | lorenzkm@ucmail.uc.edu

Treasurer | Patrick Kumpf | kumpfpc@ucmail.uc.edu

Executive Director | Antoinette Larkin | larkinae@ucmail.uc.edu

Editorial & Communications Team

Chair | Joanna Mitro | mitroj@ucmail.uc.edu

Lynn Davis | davislk@ucmail.uc.edu

Jonathan Kamholtz | kamholj@ucmail.uc.edu

Pat Mezinskis |  mezinspm@ucmail.uc.edu

Emeriti Connection is produced by the Office of the Executive Director of the Emeriti Association & Center assisted by the Editorial & Communications Team.

 Contact us at larkinae@uc.edu

University of Cincinnati Emeriti Association & Center

2412 Carl H. Lindner Hall

P.O. Box 210066

Cincinnati, OH 45221-0066

Issue No. 23 - February 2023