Here we are in September with the kids back in school already. We seem to be rushing our lives all too rapidly!

Before I forget, in last week's column about the Ellicott City Senior Center's Painting contributions to the County Fair, I mistakenly cited Jane Doyle as the leader of the Tuesday Painting Together group. Jane was quite concerned, because she had been my source for all the interesting information, but Carole Zink, the longtime leader of the Painting Together group is currently the leader of the Tuesday group and Joyce Thompson is the leader of the Thursday group. Thank you, Jane. And I apologize, Carole.

I had a neat rundown with lots of praise for the all-day Aug. 20 bus trip to the QVC Studio Tour and Herr's Potato Chip Factory and lunch at Mendenhall Inn. It was described as "very interesting" and the food was "delicious," but the warning that "this is a walking tour" was rather an understatement. One senior thought that, like her, the travelers were really "walked out."

In other happenings:

Ellicott City Senior Center Exercise Classes: Intermediate T'ai Chi Class (David Foulk), Tuesdays and Thursdays, Sept. 2-Oct.16 (14 classes-$56), the aim is to harmonize mind, body and spirit by promoting mental and physical well being through relaxation; and Beginner I and II T'ai Chi, Fridays, 9 a.m., Sept. 5 through Oct. 31 (8 classes, $32). Exercise for Better Joints - PACE Class (seated or standing), Mondays and Wednesdays, 2:30-3:30 p.m., Sept. 3-Oct. 29 (15 classes, $45; no class Sept. 8 or Oct. 13), Senior Plus Room; for those who live with stiff or painful joints, due to arthritis or other joint conditions, instructor Vickie Jacobs, Certified Arthritis Instructor, register at front desk (410-313-1400). Agewell Aerobic Class (led by Jeanne Sealing), Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m., Sept.3-Oct. 29 (15 classes, $30). Tuesdays and Thursdays Agewell Aerobics Classes (led by Pam and Tracy), your choice: 10 or 11 a.m. or 12:45 p.m. (the latter is "seated" for those with exercise limitations), Sept. 2-Oct. 30 (18 classes -$36).

Ready for your audition? The "2008 Senior Idol Singing Contest" has its first date for Howard County auditions: Friday, Sept. 12, 12-2 p.m., at the Ellicott City Senior Center, and the second one is Tuesday, Oct. 21, 10 a.m.. - noon, at The Bain Center in Columbia; and the Howard County finals is at the Office on Aging's Thanksgiving Luncheon, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 10:30 a.m., at the Ten Oaks Ballroom, Clarksville. (Contestants must be at least 60 years of age and a resident of Howard County.)

Ellicott City Senior Center September Activities: Painting classes: Splash into Water Colors, Tuesdays, Sept. 9-Oct. 14, instructor Carole Zink (443-546-3587), cost-$35, includes methods of presenting art work, including framing; and Dabble in Oils, Thursdays, Sept. 18 through Oct. 23, 1-3 p.m., instructor Joyce Thompson (410-744-6661), cost-$35, learn to mix and layer colors for depth.

Had a call from Barbara Gumpert, assistant director of The Bain Center, about the T'ai Chi I (2:30-3:30 p.m.) and II (1:20-2:20 p.m.) classes" on Wednesdays, beginning Sept. 3 for eight weeks. The cost is $49 for each of the eight week classes. These classes are "active meditation" classes "which promote calming, centering and self control, and are "designed for mature adults," offered through the Howard Community College; for more information and to register, call 410-772-4972.

Other Bain Center activities include: "Book Hour, Blue Ribbon Biographies, Sept. 16, 10:30-11:30 a.m.; county librarians discussing outstanding biographies and memoirs; free; register at 410-313-7213. Sept. 19, 1-2 p.m., Barbara Kellner of the Columbia Archives, and her fellow authors, provide information on the origins of place names in Columbia, sharing the famous works of art and literature from which the streets were named; dessert reception; register at the center (410-313-7213); and Jewish Film Series: "Left Luggage" (Isabella Rossellini), Tuesday, Sept. 23, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., for more information, call 410-730-4976, ext. 31.

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