Boston Center for Adult Education Offers Classes for Aspiring Writers, Love Birds and More

Exciting new things are afoot at the this month besides the .

Starting this evening and ongoing through the end of this month, a handful of unusual classes are being offered that could provide the perfect distraction to help you through this final wintry stretch… it’s been an evil one, we know.

The Next Michael Musto?

Perhaps the most striking of the offerings is a workshop on (wait for it, waaaaait for it) Entertainment Writing.

While it’s true that the journalism industry has suffered some severe blows in recent years, it’s the established writers that have been hit the hardest (yipe!). The internet presents an infinite number of possibilities for newbies looking to test their journo-chops, however, and the BCAE has partnered with STUFF Magazine’s Scott Kearnan to help some aspiring scribes do just that.

"Hot Stuff: Entertainment Writing with Scott Kearnan" will meet twice, tonight and next Wednesday evening, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the BCAE Building, 122 Arlington Street.

The first class will feature tips on making your writing snappier and how to best capture the essence of an event or venue plus important lessons on law and fairness relative to print media.

The week between the two classes will require the group to attend an event with Kearnan as a VIP. The resulting write-ups will get a group critique during the second class and whichever article he deems the best will get published in a guest spot on the STUFF Website.

Not Just for Hippie Hair

For me, henna was always the granola-guy alternative to harsh hair dyes for those of us that had big hair and wanted to tint it. I guess I missed the boat on ‘henna tattoos.’

I have drunken, fuzzy collegiate memories of slathering my big Ronald McDonald-esque ‘fro (which, despite its bummer shape, is nowadays sorely missed) with a warm, swamp-green sludge that somehow magically rendered me strawberry-blonde.

Apparently, though, there’s plenty more to henna: ever witnessed the beautiful body painting used in a traditional Hindu wedding? Tonight, if Kearnen’s writing class isn’t your thing, why not consider learning about the ancient art of mehndi from the henna-maven Heather Caunt-Nulton.

"Henna: Art and History" runs from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and will incorporate information about henna’s many worldwide uses with an explanation of its scientific properties. Caunt-Nulton will then lead the group through using henna paste first on paper, then on themselves and finally on each other.

Smooth Talkers Abound

I’ve often thought of making a voice-over demo… not for straight-up commercial work, but for more idiosyncratic character acting. I’ve been told I’d be good in cartoons. But when I looked into it all I got was discouragement – “the field is too crowded now,” or “you’ll never get anywhere if you’re not already acting,” etc.

So it was an especially pleasing discovery to find "You’re on the Air: How to Make it in Voice-Overs" on the BCAE’s roster of late winter classes this season.

The class, which runs next Wednesday, February 23, 7:45 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. serves as a primer for aspiring voice actors and is taught by a professional in the field who will divulge ways of getting around competition and explain how the business works on a grand scale. Techniques, income potential and the best strategy for a winning demo will also get covered. Expect a practice and playback session as well.

Not So Funny Valentine?

This might hold special appeal for anyone smarting from feeling neglected this past Monday, but "From Dating to Marriage: Dr. Swack’s 7 Rules for Success" will be useful for anyone that’s already involved or is looking to become involved in a long term relationship.

On Friday, February 25 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Dr. Judith Swack will share her secrets to maintaining a healthy romance. By helping you assess your own emotional availability and that of your prospective partner, Swack will show how certain pitfalls can be avoided and will debunk some common, false assumptions.  

For pricing and further information, click on the names of the classes which link directly to the BCAE website.