What games did you play when you were young that involved physical movement?
With this icebreaker, we soon acknowledged that the variety of games we engaged in when young were linked to our age, the physical environment in which we were nurtured and our national or cultural heritage.
Under the theme of a life changing event, Phil generously and courageously recounted an horrific accident in which he was involved. Bev structured this recounting to provide maximum support for both Phil and the group. Thanks Phil and Bev.
Carmyl followed this moving account by disclosing her special project as a nuclear physicist working with the Peter MacCallum Clinic. She measured atmospheric impacts of the nuclear explosions at Maralinga and revealed her skills in working with scientific data.
Phil then returned to recounting his driving career and acknowledged that his gap year was in fact an unplanned opportunity for a trip to England and Germany with his wife. The initial catalyst was a period of grief and depression, but the gap year culminated as a great holiday. They had a ‘ball’. James bedazzled us with his gap year in Europe also. For James, losing 4 stone (25 kilos) in two weeks shearing in Wales was a stand-out feature. James, ultimately, was shearing 200 Jacob sheep a day.
Ray filled a ‘gap’ for us as 1945 was the year he repeated his final year of primary school to obtain a residential scholarship in Ballarat. This was proceeded by a ‘stitching up’ from 11-year old Patricia, who clearly had a weight advantage.
Max entertained with a recounting of an 8/10 year olds’ memory of his dad’s return from fighting with the Australian forces. A treasure trove of memorabilia and a swathe of cigarettes accompanied him. Then followed an insight, from Max, into the brain of a very ambitious but probably not very skilled, aspiring sportsman. Barry’s brilliant career as a fleet salesman brightened the firmaments but was characterized by an equally distinctive crash to earth with the arrival of the fringe benefits tax (FBT).
David shared part one of his Gap Year experience on board a shipment of Hereford cattle bound for Santiago in Chile. The troublesome journey was a lesson for many, perhaps for David, the value of sharing one’s own truth midst attempts to hide a more embarrassing reality for his employers.
Finally, from Lou, a story about his first job in Sydney after running away from his home in Canberra at the age of 15. A night sleeping with the cows just out of Goulburn, was followed by a night at the Hub, a ‘men’s only environment’ in Marrickville, with a cross dressing male serving in the kitchen and a warning to be careful. (A tale to be continued).
At our next 'As Time Goes By' Memoir Writing class on Monday 19 August at 2pm. the topic for continuing members is – ‘Lost and Found’ - ‘Write about a time you lost something you owned, treasured, or believed in - and the lengths you went to, to get it back. Maybe it was a precious family heirloom you misplaced, an adventurous toddler who wandered out of sight, or perhaps you lost your way in an unfamiliar place. Take us on the search to find your lost thing. How did the loss affect you and those around you? Were you reunited? Was it back to business as usual, or did your life change in ways you could never imagine?’ For new/newer class members, ‘Sense of Place’ –Write about a community to which you feel you have strong connections in some way, even if you never lived there for a time. What has led to this feeling of connection? How has it expressed itself/do you understand it?
Of course, you can choose from either the ’continuing’ or ’new’ member topics, a story from our topic list or make up your own topic!
Graham Jensen
With this icebreaker, we soon acknowledged that the variety of games we engaged in when young were linked to our age, the physical environment in which we were nurtured and our national or cultural heritage.
Under the theme of a life changing event, Phil generously and courageously recounted an horrific accident in which he was involved. Bev structured this recounting to provide maximum support for both Phil and the group. Thanks Phil and Bev.
Carmyl followed this moving account by disclosing her special project as a nuclear physicist working with the Peter MacCallum Clinic. She measured atmospheric impacts of the nuclear explosions at Maralinga and revealed her skills in working with scientific data.
Phil then returned to recounting his driving career and acknowledged that his gap year was in fact an unplanned opportunity for a trip to England and Germany with his wife. The initial catalyst was a period of grief and depression, but the gap year culminated as a great holiday. They had a ‘ball’. James bedazzled us with his gap year in Europe also. For James, losing 4 stone (25 kilos) in two weeks shearing in Wales was a stand-out feature. James, ultimately, was shearing 200 Jacob sheep a day.
Ray filled a ‘gap’ for us as 1945 was the year he repeated his final year of primary school to obtain a residential scholarship in Ballarat. This was proceeded by a ‘stitching up’ from 11-year old Patricia, who clearly had a weight advantage.
Max entertained with a recounting of an 8/10 year olds’ memory of his dad’s return from fighting with the Australian forces. A treasure trove of memorabilia and a swathe of cigarettes accompanied him. Then followed an insight, from Max, into the brain of a very ambitious but probably not very skilled, aspiring sportsman. Barry’s brilliant career as a fleet salesman brightened the firmaments but was characterized by an equally distinctive crash to earth with the arrival of the fringe benefits tax (FBT).
David shared part one of his Gap Year experience on board a shipment of Hereford cattle bound for Santiago in Chile. The troublesome journey was a lesson for many, perhaps for David, the value of sharing one’s own truth midst attempts to hide a more embarrassing reality for his employers.
Finally, from Lou, a story about his first job in Sydney after running away from his home in Canberra at the age of 15. A night sleeping with the cows just out of Goulburn, was followed by a night at the Hub, a ‘men’s only environment’ in Marrickville, with a cross dressing male serving in the kitchen and a warning to be careful. (A tale to be continued).
At our next 'As Time Goes By' Memoir Writing class on Monday 19 August at 2pm. the topic for continuing members is – ‘Lost and Found’ - ‘Write about a time you lost something you owned, treasured, or believed in - and the lengths you went to, to get it back. Maybe it was a precious family heirloom you misplaced, an adventurous toddler who wandered out of sight, or perhaps you lost your way in an unfamiliar place. Take us on the search to find your lost thing. How did the loss affect you and those around you? Were you reunited? Was it back to business as usual, or did your life change in ways you could never imagine?’ For new/newer class members, ‘Sense of Place’ –Write about a community to which you feel you have strong connections in some way, even if you never lived there for a time. What has led to this feeling of connection? How has it expressed itself/do you understand it?
Of course, you can choose from either the ’continuing’ or ’new’ member topics, a story from our topic list or make up your own topic!
Graham Jensen
