U3A Benalla and District Inc.
  • Home
  • Benalla
    • Benalla
    • Benalla District
    • Who, What and Where? - Benalla Rural City
  • About
    • Our U3A
    • President's Page
    • Executive Committee
    • Policies
    • Convenors >
      • Convenors
      • Convenors A - Z 2025
    • Program Ideas
    • Newsletter
    • Website
  • Groups
    • Groups A - Z
    • Recent Groups >
      • Armchair History
      • Chess
      • Cooking Solo
      • Demystifying Psychology Course
      • Enjoying the Internet (S2)
      • Family Research Drop In
      • Sky's the Limit
    • Archived Groups >
      • A - M >
        • A Different View Of German History
        • Armchair History (British)
        • Armchair Traveller
        • Booker Reading Group
        • Bushwalking - Mid-week Walks
        • Comparative Religion
        • Facebook for Mentors
        • Family Research - Advanced
        • German - Beginners
        • Google Apps/TS Plus
        • History - An Introduction to Western Civilization
        • History - Moments in Australian History
        • Hot Topics/The News - Fact or Fiction?
        • 'In the Lap of the Gods'
        • Investment I (1996 -2015)
        • Jane Austen Book Club
        • Legal Matters (Short Course)
        • Meditation
        • Making the Most of the Internet
      • O - Z >
        • On Target - Learning to Shop Online
        • Opera
        • 'Over There'
        • Rail and Tourism
        • Russian Literature
        • Tech Savvy Apple - 'Pages'
        • Tech Savvy Apple Devices - Intermediate
        • Tech Savvy Community Projects
        • Travel Group
        • Wise Guys Book Group
        • Zoom Short Course
  • A-Ch
    • A-Ch
    • 'A Taste of Art'
    • American History
    • Art Appreciation
    • 'As Time Goes By'
    • Australian Shares and Stock Market
    • Be Connected - Android
    • Be Connected - Tech Advice
    • Birdwatching
    • Brain Games
    • Bushwalking - Easy Walks
    • Car Torque
    • Cards '500'
    • Chat n' Chew
  • Co-E
    • Ch - E
    • Coin Collectors
    • Collectors
    • Colour Mixing and Watercolour Techniques - Botanical
    • Come and Learn Croquet
    • Community Singing
    • Creative Writing
    • Demystifying Psychology - Discussion Group
    • Demystifying Psychology - Perception
    • Exercises for Fun
    • Exploring the Universe
    • Exploring Writing Children's Books
  • F-Pa
    • F- Pa
    • Family Research
    • Film Discussion
    • French at the Table
    • Garden Appreciation
    • Garden Team
    • German >
      • German Home
      • Lessons
    • Let's Talk Books
    • Lifeball >
      • Home
      • Lifeball Videos
    • Mahjong
    • Meet and Mingle
    • Music Appreciation
    • Page Turners
    • Patchwork and Craft
  • Ph-W
    • Ph -W
    • Photography
    • Play Reading
    • Politics & Current Affairs
    • Recorder
    • Singing for Fun
    • Spanish
    • Stock and Land
    • Sustainability
    • Tech Talks
    • Train Buffs
    • Ukes4Fun
    • Wine Appreciation
  • Join
    • Join Us
    • Membership Application/Renewal Form
    • Program Guide
    • Timetable with Dates
    • Venues and Maps
  • News
    • News Update
    • May Newsletter
    • 'What's On' Calendar 2025
    • Monthly Calendar
    • Website & Facebook
  • FB
  • Gallery
  • Links
    • Resources and References
    • U3A Network Victoria
    • Seniors Online Victoria
    • U3A Albury Wodonga
    • U3A Beechworth (Indigo U3A)
    • U3A Bright
    • U3A Goulburn Valley
    • U3A Murrundindee East
    • U3A Wangaratta
  • Contact

November - 'One Moment This Year' and 'Right Here, Right Now'

24/11/2024

 
Picture
With Michael Winkler (fourth from left), author of Grimmish and son of Carmyl, in attendance visiting us from Melbourne, individual members shared reflections on their year of memoir writing.

In summary Ray’s ‘life changing moment’ was an unexpected job offer whereas Heather’s was fallout from an Irish bomb explosion that resulted in a fourteen hour entrapment in a London subway. Bev’s ‘lost and (not) found’ story highlighted the burning of most of her undergraduate lecture notes while she was overseas, while Kathy’s significant focus has been the writing up of her mother’s story. Phil’s highlight over the year has been his participation in and contributions to memoir writing, particularly when he lets loose with his tongue-in-cheek creative bent.

‘One moment this year’ was the Diwali festival and Carmyl and John offered delightful perspectives not covered by the Benalla Ensign. For Carmyl, it was an invitation by her Indian neighbor to a very personal Diwali and, during the onshore festival, John and his wife Sally, were immersed within the light show as they paddled their kayaks across the lake.

Commencing our ‘Right Here Right Now’ stories, Delphina again entertained us with a convincing set of arguments, together with a colorful t-shirt, that no matter how many books one might possess, ‘if it is books, it is not hoarding’. Phil also entertained with his whimsical meditation on getting older, while Neville convinced some of our members, especially this author, that we were indeed getting older as we struggled to comprehend his meditation on time and space. 

Kathy, ‘right here, right now’ reflected on the ‘disappearing’ volunteer and concurrently acknowledged her need to let go some of her roles. That would be so if she was to ‘write a book, paint, garden and spend time having a coffee or two with her best friend’.

Also, on volunteering and in the ‘here and now’, community minded Barry shared concerns about regulations currently impacting on small rural volunteer based non-profit organisations.  Bev wrote in response to Barry’s story, describing how it had put her into ‘editorial mode’ leading her to research and better understand the issue herself. 

With many active volunteers from smaller rural non-profit organisations present, a feisty discussion followed!  This was received in good spirit and rewarded with what we might regard as a benediction from Ray.
​
Ray’s reflection on life without a mother was both emotionally engaging yet also offered insights into personal resilience. Ray’s joy is his family, and his shared wisdom will live on in his children and grandchildren.
 
Thank you Bev, for a very engaging, entertaining and rewarding year.
 
Graham Jensen

November's topic 'Triggers' and our summer holiday topics - 'One Moment, This Year' and  'A Love Letter to Travel'

3/12/2020

 
Our afternoon tea meeting at ‘The Northo’ on Monday 23 November was splendid!  It was wonderful to be together again, although there was a tinge of awkwardness at first.  It seemed odd to feel ‘uncaged’, to believe that our shackles had been lifted.  Before long we relaxed, shared news of our lives, then moved on to share stories on November theme “Triggers’.  Stories were shared titled ‘Aprons’, ‘Swagmen’, ‘Mr. Gilmartin’s Store’; ‘I’ve Played at Royal Melbourne’; ‘Slowing Down’ and ‘Summertime’, while Ray shared an earlier ‘Back in the day’ story about owning a Benalla laundromat, triggering a number of us to think about laundromats we have known!   Other stories shared on the website have been based on triggers relating to ‘Renovations’, ‘Marriage’, and ‘Challenges’.  A beautiful story by Helen Duggin on the theme ‘This Life’ has also been added to the website.

Holiday topics to share at our first meeting in late February (or earlier if you would like to add them to your webpage):

'One Moment, This Year'  “Looking back on 2020, what single moment stands out for you?  Whether it be loss, love, discovery or disappointment, share your unforgettable moment.”
​
‘A Love Letter to Travel’    "Write a love letter to travel about one place in the world that is special to you. It can be a popular tourist destination, or a place that’s largely overlooked.  You might inspire someone else to go there one day, or to reconsider their assumptions, or to spark their inquisitiveness about a new piece of the world — all the empowering things that travel brings to our lives.  (Some additional prompts to help you:  How did this place change your perception about something?  What do you wish more people understood about this destination?  Did you have an experience there that couldn’t have happened anywhere else?  What would you miss most if you couldn’t visit this place for a long time).

This topic was suggested recently by the New York Times... "while the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted global travel in unprecedented ways ...and we can’t know what lies ahead, we can still share the places we’ve loved, and continue to inspire curiosity, open-mindedness and awe for the wider world."

If you are thinking of joining ‘As Time Goes By’ next year, feel free to start writing on these topics ready for our first meeting in late February.  All welcome.

Bev Lee
    Our Stories
    Our Stories - by Topic

    'As Time Goes By' - Memoir Writing

    A memoir captures a meaningful slice of life—a memory, a lesson, or an experience that stands out.

    In our sessions, members come together to share short, reflective stories (up to 500 words) inspired by a new theme each month.

    As Time Goes By is not a writing skills class, nor is it about creating a full autobiography.

    ​It’s a space for those who want to record the stories that future generations might never think to ask about—a place to remember and share treasured moments in a welcoming, supportive environment with others who are also telling their stories.

    Convenor & Contact details

    Picture
    Beverley Lee
    0478 607 838
    Thank you to our outgoing Newsletter Correspondent - Graham Jensen ...
    Picture
    "Thank you Graham for writing such wonderful reports of our sessions over the past two years!"

    Meeting Times

    3rd Monday 2 - 4 pm
    ​U3A Meeting Room

    Resources

    2025 ATGB - Course Introduction
    'As Time Goes By' Topic List for 2025 
    'Tips for Writing your 500 Words Story' (ABC Open)  
    Writing a story in 500 words - approaching the topics 'Failure'  and 'Heart Break'    (ABC Open)
    Memoir Review - Frameworks for Analysis
    Master list of  500 word story topics from 2015 to end of 2020
    Icebreakers - List from inception in 2021 to end 2023 (PDF)

    Links

    Australian Writers' Centre

    Victorian Writers' Centre - Writers' Victoria

    ​Wheeler Centre

    The Memoir Writing Club - On Line Courses

    Past topics 

    All
    2018 Topic List
    '23 Words'
    'A Friendship Tested' //
    'AI'
    'A Love Letter To Travel'
    'As Time Goes By'
    'A Turning Point'
    Australian Writers Centre
    'Car Stories' //
    ChatGPT
    Course Description
    'Easter'
    'Experiences Of The Unexplained'
    'Fish Out Of Water'
    'For Better For Worse' //
    'Good Vibrations'
    'Grandparents' //
    'Heartbreak'
    'Home Libraries'
    'I Broke It'
    'Ideas Piggy Bank'
    'If Only'
    'I Quit!' //
    Life Matters 'Life In 500 Words'
    'Lost And Found' //
    Making Comments
    'Making Waves'
    'My Gap Year'
    'My (Life Event)'
    'My Other Life'
    'New In Town'
    'One Moment
    Orientation To ATGB
    Right Here
    Right Now
    'Stand Up Comedy'
    'The (Season) I ...'
    This ... Life
    This Year'
    'What Happened In Vegas'

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

    New members...
    ​Joan's Stories
    June's Stories
    Tom's Stories
    '1945'
We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay our respects to their elders - past, present and emerging.
Picture
News
​Newsletter
Facebook Page
​
Program Suggestions
​CO-VID Safety

U3A Benalla & District Flier 2025
Membership Application/Renewal 
​
Semester 1 Program Guide 2025
Semester 1 Timetable with Dates 2025
Developed and maintained by members, this website showcases U3A Benalla 
​Photographs - U3A members; Benalla Art Gallery website; ​Weebly 'Free' images;Travel Victoria and State Library of Victoria
Photo from foundin_a_attic