Founded in 1975 as a "senior" version of the youth hostels found across Europe, Elderhostel is famous for providing lifelong learning opportunities for adults at what they call "remarkable" prices. The organization has changed its name to Exploritas.

What are its most popular programs?

In the U.S.:

• Sedona and the Grand Canyon
• San Antonio
• Greenbrier Valley in West Virginia
• Fantastic Comedy in Northern California

I would not have guessed those. Grand Canyon? Sure. But the others? I've never even heard of Greenbrier. Have you participated in Elderhostel or Exploritas? The adventure sounds like something that might make a good addition to a list of great learning opportunities for 2010.

This morning I had the great pleasure of finding a column written by optimist Ed Ackerman about an early Christmas present he received from a non-traditional student of his in the form of an email.  Mark Sheaman was Ackerman's journalism student in the '90s. Sheaman keeps up with Ackerman's column, and wrote to tell him how touched he was to experience for himself the "fresh eyes" Ackerman had recently written about in his column at the Pittston Dispatch.

Sheaman's letter described the ecstacy he felt when first experiencing the Pacific Ocean not long ago, how it reminded him of seeing the world through fresh new eyes, not only in brand new situations, but even at home, even when everything is familiar and well-loved.

This is a beautiful reminder at the perfect time of year. Will you have fresh eyes in the new year?

Alice Shilller died Dec. 19. She was 95. Known as the Impressaria of Striptease, she was known for having taught some of the most celebrated striptease dancers at the famous club she and her husband owned --- The Pink Pussycat of Hollywood. Margalit Fox wrote about Shiller for The New York Times in her article, "Alice Shiller, Impressaria of Striptease, Dies at 95."

Fox writes that while the Pink Pussycat was burlesque-like at night,

By day, the club was transformed into the College of Strip Tease. The Pink Pussycat was not the only American strip club to have an adult-education division, but it undoubtedly had the most distinguished faculty: Sally Marr, the noted striptease artist, was for many years its de facto chancellor, provost, dean and sole professor. (Ms. Marr's son, the comic Lenny Bruce, sometimes appeared on the Pink Pussycat's stage.)

Tuition was $100 for 10 sessions. The curriculum, as Time magazine reported in 1961, included "The History and Theory of the Striptease," "The Psychology of Inhibitions," "Applied Sensual Communication" and "Dynamic Mammary, Navel and Pelvis Rotation."

This story is wonderful because it's such a great example of the wide world of possibilities in adult education. What have you always wanted to learn? It's out there somewhere. Go find your school.

I found Linda Underground's blog this morning. As a 25-year-old non-traditional student, she balked at an assignment to study a culture she didn't like. Throwing herself into the assignment anyway, she discovered "there are wonderful things to be gained from really examining how someone different travels this earth."

Underground chose Japan, and immersing herself in the Japanese culture, she found the assignment life altering.

"I gained a sense of continuity, ancestry, and personal spiritual growth," she wrote.

I've heard it told that Winston Churchill once said, "See that man over there. I don't like him very much. I need to get to know him better."

Underground gets an A+ in my book. Personal transformation is one of the greatest gifts we receive through education.