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April - Memoir review, 'Someone who Shaped Me', 'Anzac Day'

18/5/2021

 
Topics shared in April began with ‘New in Town’, which proved a great way for new to class member David Lowing to introduce himself to the group.  Judy and Neville then shared ‘New in Town’ stories with a different twist.  Judy wrote a spellbinding story about sharing moments of revelation and wonder with a little neighbour who is ‘new in town.  New to the world in fact’.   Neville reflected the experiences of migrant children new to Wangaratta when he was at school …’None of them had an easy time… I never wanted to swap places with immigrant boys.’

‘Someone who shaped me’ followed, with Michelle writing about a beloved nanna who was her anchor and who she continued to write to throughout her life, and Elizabeth writing about a childhood neighbour in Ireland, Jim McCormack, who taught her to love and value books. 

Bev Morton’s reflections on ‘Anzac Day’ in Goorambat engaged us all, while David shared an Anzac Day story written about his paternal Uncles, Sgt Walter Harold Lowing MM [1879-1916] and Major Bertie McAdam Lowing MC and Bar [1891-1937], along with a powerful poem he had penned to mark their valour.
​
The pleasure of ‘reflecting on a memoir that means something to you’ appears to have been outweighed by the pain of writing it down!  Marg McCrohan persevered, and we all enjoyed listening to her thoughtful, perceptive reflections on Jill Ker Conway’s ‘Road from Coorain’.   Bev developed a framework for the class to approach the task, trialling it to review Claire Bowditch’s ‘your kid of girl’– A memoir’.  

Barry reflected on an ‘aide-memoir’, or 'a memory-aid; a reminder or memorandum, especially a book or document serving this purpose’ that meant something to him.  Initial research on family history by his daughter in 1998 and a family tree developed by Benalla Family History Group given to him by Pamela as a present in 2015 inspired him to further this research when the Covid restrictions were imposed in early 2020.  Barry’s story described discovering more about the life of his great grandfather, James O’Connor, who proved to be a highly thought of founding father of the Wycheproof community.

Looking ahead to Monday 24 May from 2 – 4pm, the topics are -

‘Curved Ball’ – Write about a time in your life when you felt that you were thrown a curved ball.   The ‘curved ball’ may, for example, have been a health/other biological issue, an issue in pursuing your career or business, and more.  What happened?  What did it mean to you at the time?  What does it mean to you now, reflecting back over your life?

Alternate topic (suggested for newer members to class):  ‘The Year that Made Me’ – (A topic drawn from an ABC programs which sets this task when interviewing actual or future Australian living treasures.)  Write about a year which made a particular difference in your life’s journey.   Over to you!
​
Bev Lee

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    'Our Stories'

    About  'As Time Goes By' - Memoir Writing

    'As Time Goes By' provides an outlet and support for members keen to write about their lives and  tell stories their families may not get around to asking them about.   A memoir is a slice from a person’s life which focuses on a particular theme or lesson or flavor of experience, an aspect of life that is most unusual or fascinating.   Each month class members reminisce, write about and share memorable ‘slices’ from their lives in response to set ‘500 Words’ themed writing topics.  

    Please note - The course does not cover writing a detailed, chronological autobiography.

    Convenor & Contact details

    Picture
    Beverley Lee
    5762 8171

    Meeting Times

    4th Monday 2 - 4 pm
    ​U3A Meeting Room - or during Covid-19, this is the time to emailed stories to Bev to be shared online.
    ***As Time Goes By - 
    Topics for 2022
    ***
    Memoir Review - Framework for Analysis
    Master list of  500 word story topics from 2015 to end of 2020
    As Time Goes By - Topics for 2021
    The Memoir Writing Club - Online Courses

    2021 Collection

    'Found' 
    'Triggers' 
    ​'This (...) Life'
    'If Only I ...'
    'Right Here, Right Now'
    'Crash'
    ​'Stock and Land'
    'Cringe'
    'A Childhood Memory'
    ​'Curved Ball'

    'The Year that Made Me'
    'Someone who Shaped Me'
    'A Memoir' 
    'Anzac Day' 2020/2021
    'One Moment, This Year' (2020)
    ​'A Love Letter to Travel'
    ​'Too Hard Basket'
    'New in Town'

    'In Isolation' Collection 2020

    March: Making Waves
    April:  Winging It/Taking the Plunge
    May:  Anzac Day or Turning Point 
    June:  'I grew up in...'

    July:  'Car Stories' and 'Ideas Piggy Bank'  
    August:  'Right Here, Right Now'
    September 'Out of the Blue'
    ​
    October 'This Life'
    November 'Triggers'
    ​
    December 'One Moment, This Year' - (2020) (due in Feb)

    Past topics 

    All
    2018 Topic List
    '23 Words'
    'A Friendship Tested' //
    'A Love Letter To Travel'
    'A Turning Point'
    Australian Writers Centre
    'Car Stories' //
    'Easter'
    'Experiences Of The Unexplained'
    'Fish Out Of Water'
    'For Better For Worse' //
    'Good Vibrations'
    'Grandparents' //
    'Heartbreak'
    'I Broke It'
    'Ideas Piggy Bank'
    'If Only'
    'I Quit!' //
    Life Matters 'Life In 500 Words'
    'Lost And Found' //
    Making Comments
    'Making Waves'
    'My Other Life'
    'One Moment
    'Stand Up Comedy'
    This Year'
    'What Happened In Vegas'

    Links

    'How to Write a Story in 500 words - Planning'
    Life Matters​ 500 words writing projects

    Australian Writers' Centre

    Victorian Writers' Centre - Writers' Victoria

    ​Wheeler Centre

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