​Our July topic, 'Your Different Drummer', began with discussion in which we teased out the meaning of the concept, reflected on an ABC series shown some years ago titled 'A Different Drummer'  and then shared some stories about our 'different drummers'.  Betty Milligan drew out and shared stories about two items from her 'Ideas Piggy Bank', a missive won as an award as a child and a pair of toe shoes worn as a 13 year old.  We asked Betty to share one of the poems she read recently at the Chiltern Festival – Betty chose 'My Half Plate', a funny and engaging poem which resulted in smiles all round.  
 
Our topic for August is “Fear of Failure” - What flops, embarrassments and incomplete endeavours in life slowed you down and which ones fortified your resolve?  What did you learn from them and how did you cope?  What role does ‘fear of failure’ have in your life now?  We resume a 2 to 4pm time slot on Monday 26 August, as 'Publishing Your Writing' is moving to its own time slot on the third Monday in August.
​
Bev Lee

In June our task was to create and bring to class an ‘Ideas Piggy Bank” containing objects and artifacts that enliven our memories, through scent and feel.   Treasured family photos, a Brownie Box camera, a brooch, mementos of trips abroad, an imagined blue Malvern Star bike ridden on for the first time, rosary beads, a toy made by a treasured friend, a small folio of papers and newspaper articles found after a father's death, three wise monkeys, Milk Arrowroot biscuits, and more were presented, with stories about them shared and discussed.
 
Our 500 words topic for July is  “Your different drummer” …  How strong is your instinct to go with the flow?  When has it served you well?  When has it been counter productive?  
In 'Writing and Publishing Your Memoirs', Noelle introduced a memoir written by David Malouf as one of many examples of engagingly written memoirs, Noelle certainly has a wonderful 'ideas piggy bank' of possibilities drawn from her experience in the publishing industry which apply to memoir writing.
  
Our July session will again be a split session, with 'As Time Goes By -500 words' from 1.30 to 2.50 then 'Writing and Publishing your Memoirs' from 3.10 to 4.30.  From August, there will be three separate writing  sessions, all on Monday afternoons. 'Publishing and Writing your Memoirs' (Noelle McCracken), has been timetabled on the third Monday from 2 to 4 pm, joining "Creative Writing' (second Monday 2.30 to 4.30 pm) and 'As Time Goes By - 500 words' (fourth Monday 2-4 pm).  A wonderful menu to choose one or more writing courses from!
​
Bev Lee