Our May session began with a new routine - a 'Slam' list on the whiteboard - with people's contributions for the day added as they arrived. Stories were listed on the two topics for the day, 'Curved Ball' and 'The Year that Made Me', earlier topics including 'Someone who Shaped Me', and 'other' topics.
As last week was Volunteer Week, we began with two fascinating stories about volunteering - David Lowing's 'Someone who Shaped Me' and Barry O'Connor's 'The Year that (made) Challenged Me' - 2013.
'Curved Ball' challenged us to write about some of life's difficulties, about being thrown a curved ball. Marg and Helen shared moving stories about serious health issues; Shirley a mother's story of a car accident in which her son was critically injured; Elizabeth a story about difficulties selling a business,and Joy a story of of her husband being suddenly posted overseas when her children were small and she was about to begin a Diploma of Education at university. The writing and sharing of these stories was made easier by the writers revealing how they were able to deal with the curved balls they were thrown.
The alternate topic, 'The Year that Made Me' (A topic drawn from an ABC programs which sets this task when interviewing actual or future Australian living treasures.) - drew forth not only Barry's story of volunteering in 2013, but Neville's story which described a fascination with Mary Quant which led to his life changing move to London in 1968!
Catch up stories included Val's 'Someone who Shaped Me' and Moira's memoir review of 'Salvation Creek'. Our adventure travel writer extraordinaire Bev Morton shared spellbinding memories of camping in Greenland with polar bears in the vicinity. Ray and Judy read stories which related to a number of topics/themes - Ray 'Turning Point' and Judy 'A Day for Annie', a beautiful story which won a statewide U3A writing award some years ago.
Next month' topics (Monday 28 June)
‘A Childhood Memory’ - Some childhood memories stay with us despite the passage of time. Some of these memories involve something which happened which inspired and built on our imagination. Share a story taking us back to one of your earliest memories. (Checking out Helen’s story at https://u3abenalla.weebly.com/helens-stories/we-have-fairies-in-our-family-a-childhood-memory may to help to stimulate your memories).
Alternate topic (a previous topic for newer members to class) ‘My Other Life’ – Are you a collector of model trains, a swing dance enthusiast or a weekend activist? Share a story about something unusual you get up to outside of work, or a side of yourself that other people don't normally see… Tell us about your unusual passion and how you first got involved in it. How does your ‘other self’ contrast with the side most people see? What satisfaction does your other life offer you that you don't get from your day-to-day life? How does your passion contribute to you as a whole person?
Bev Lee
As last week was Volunteer Week, we began with two fascinating stories about volunteering - David Lowing's 'Someone who Shaped Me' and Barry O'Connor's 'The Year that (made) Challenged Me' - 2013.
'Curved Ball' challenged us to write about some of life's difficulties, about being thrown a curved ball. Marg and Helen shared moving stories about serious health issues; Shirley a mother's story of a car accident in which her son was critically injured; Elizabeth a story about difficulties selling a business,and Joy a story of of her husband being suddenly posted overseas when her children were small and she was about to begin a Diploma of Education at university. The writing and sharing of these stories was made easier by the writers revealing how they were able to deal with the curved balls they were thrown.
The alternate topic, 'The Year that Made Me' (A topic drawn from an ABC programs which sets this task when interviewing actual or future Australian living treasures.) - drew forth not only Barry's story of volunteering in 2013, but Neville's story which described a fascination with Mary Quant which led to his life changing move to London in 1968!
Catch up stories included Val's 'Someone who Shaped Me' and Moira's memoir review of 'Salvation Creek'. Our adventure travel writer extraordinaire Bev Morton shared spellbinding memories of camping in Greenland with polar bears in the vicinity. Ray and Judy read stories which related to a number of topics/themes - Ray 'Turning Point' and Judy 'A Day for Annie', a beautiful story which won a statewide U3A writing award some years ago.
Next month' topics (Monday 28 June)
‘A Childhood Memory’ - Some childhood memories stay with us despite the passage of time. Some of these memories involve something which happened which inspired and built on our imagination. Share a story taking us back to one of your earliest memories. (Checking out Helen’s story at https://u3abenalla.weebly.com/helens-stories/we-have-fairies-in-our-family-a-childhood-memory may to help to stimulate your memories).
Alternate topic (a previous topic for newer members to class) ‘My Other Life’ – Are you a collector of model trains, a swing dance enthusiast or a weekend activist? Share a story about something unusual you get up to outside of work, or a side of yourself that other people don't normally see… Tell us about your unusual passion and how you first got involved in it. How does your ‘other self’ contrast with the side most people see? What satisfaction does your other life offer you that you don't get from your day-to-day life? How does your passion contribute to you as a whole person?
Bev Lee
