It is always a thrill when stories by ‘As Time Goes By’ group members arrive in my email inbox each month. Many of this month’s 'Right Here, Right Now' stories explore experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic and are well worth reading.  Bev Morton’s story ‘Right Here, Right Now… Portrait of a Pandemic’ is included in this newsletter; others will be published in future newsletters and included in ‘Covid-19 Musings’.

Becoming immersed in writing memoir-based stories is a wonderful way to stave off loneliness, particularly if living alone.  Reminiscing is also supposed to be good for retaining our linguistic and other skills!   If you would like to write and submit stories on our monthly topics during this most unusual, rather surreal, time, email them to me at bevlee47@gmail.com on or around the 4th Monday of the month or arrange to drop your story in my letterbox!  

Our September topic - due on or around Monday 28 September – ‘I came down with a thud’… or ‘Out of the Blue’ -  ‘Share your memories of a time when ‘you came down with a thud’ or when something happened ‘out of the blue’ in 500 words’.
 
Bev Lee

Our monthly stories are being shared as topic ‘collections’ on the website – a way of sharing them which allows recognition of common memories so enjoyed when we shared stories in class BC ie…’before covid’.  This month ‘Car Stories’ and reminiscences drawn from our ‘Ideas Piggy Bank’ were shared on-line and added to our individual pages on ‘Our Stories’.  A further story has been added to ‘I Grew Up ...’.

With more time at home on our hands, a master list of ‘500 words’ topics covered since the group commenced in 2015 to the end of 2020 has been emailed to class members. The aim is to encourage everyone to keep writing during the Covid-break!  There’s also a column for ‘decades’ to help us to sequence stories into whether they occurred when we were children, teenagers, twenty or thirty somethings…, or seventy, eighty or ninety somethings! 

Our topic for Monday 24 August is ‘Right Here, Right Now' - ‘A time capsule of the present.  Write a story about a situation currently unfolding in your life, right here, right now’. Upcoming topics for Monday 28 September - ‘I came down with a thud’… or ‘Out of the Blue’ -  ‘Share your memories of a time when ‘you came down with a thud’ or when something happened ‘out of the blue’ in 500 words’. Email stories to bevlee47@gmail.com.   All welcome to join in!

Bev Lee

A collection of stories responding to topics set during the Covid-18 break is now available on the “Our Stories” page on website.  Our most recent topic, “I Grew Up in….”, resulted in evocative stories being shared describing growing up in ‘an institutional setting’, Chiltern, ‘the War Years’, Ireland, ‘a family of six’, with more to come.

The task for late July is to dip into our “Ideas Piggy Bank”.  If you are new to the group or thinking of joining, the idea is to create an “Ideas Piggy Bank” in a shoe box, or treasured, perhaps decorated box, adding to it “objects and artefacts that enliven your memories, through scent and feel.  Maps, menus, theatre programs, an old report card, vials of perfume, a garment, treasured photographs, a souvenir, an expired passport can sometimes trigger a work rich with detail”. (2) Select two items from this piggy bank as creative prompts – what do they mean to you?  What were you doing, why; what were you thinking at the time this object related to your life?   (250 words for each object).  Perhaps you could attach a photo or two to the email to include with your story on the web site.   

Last year, group members reminisced drawing upon objects and artefacts including two Olympic Games programs; a breakfast menu from the Ghan; a treasured family photo; a missive won as an award as a child, a pair of toe shoes worn as a 13 year old; 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 and Milk Arrowroot biscuits.

An alternative topic on offer in July, is ‘Car Stories’ - the brief ‘So many formative moments happen in cars – tell us about a memorable experience you had in yours.  It could be your first taste of P-plate freedom, a revealing in-transit conversation, or how an accident, a flat tyre, or parking ticket set off a chain of events in your day…or?’   

After enjoying readubg Claire's nostalgia inducing story 'How I met Karl' in July, 'How We Met' was set as the alternative topic.  Later I remembered this had been a topic not that long ago.  If you haven't already written a nostalgia filled 'How we met...' story, or if you would like to write another one, feel free to do so! 

​Bev Lee

This month Betty contributed a poem for the newsletter and her web page written in response to  'COVID-19',   Barry and Margaret reflected on Anzac Day, while Joy, Elizabeth, Ray, Bev and Marg wrote about 'Winging It' or 'Taking the Plunge'.  Stories due in late May for 'Turning Point' and a catch up story by Marg Nelson for February's topic 'Something I'm Proud Of' have already been submitted.  

Our topic for Monday 22 June is 'I Grew Up In...' - an open ended chance to reminisce about our childhood from all sorts of interesting angles.  Email stories to bevlee47@gmail.com.  

Beverley Lee

We’re underway with our social distancing project, sharing stories written on monthly topics on the website.  They are added first under a password for class members to read and comment on, then made available to all visitors to the website and added to each writer’s page on ‘Our Stories’. 

Seven ‘Making Waves’ stories (our topic for March) are now available to all visitors to our web page.  I really enjoyed reading these stories - an underlying theme was the anxiety involved and resilience required to 'make waves' and the reinforcement of personal integrity which can result.  

April’s topics ‘Anzac Day’ and ‘Taking a risk and winging it’ or ‘Taking the plunge’ are currently being added under password for class members to read and comment briefly upon.  Here are some triggers to use when writing comments -  

• Did you relate to the story? Did you empathise with the writer?  
• Did the story trigger memories for you?  Perhaps with an example or two.
• How did you react to the story?   How did it make you feel? 

The topic for May is 'Turning Point'  - an example from Life Matters’ '500 words' (click on link)...Leaving London on the Brink of War.  This will be followed in June by ‘I grew up in ….’ – a topic we hope will act as prompt for creative exploration of lots of childhood memories. 

Remember, if the monthly topic doesn't work for you, you can always draw from your 'Ideas Piggy Bank' or little book of 'triggers'....(choose two elements from either of these sources and write a story of about 250 words or so on each) or write on a universal topic such as 'The year that made me'; 'New in Town'; or 'Someone who Shaped me'. 

Please give me a call on 5762 8171 or 0478 607 838 if you have any questions.  New members welcome!

Bev Lee

A reminder that our usual 'As Time Goes By' class date would be tomorrow from 2 to 4pm and that the plan is to endeavour to email stories to bevlee47@gmail.com by then.  They will then be added  to a 'passworded' page on the website for us to read and comment on before general release on the website.  

This process commenced with the 'Making Waves' topic in late March. Six 'Making Waves' stories, with a comment or two on each, are now generally available on the website.  I really enjoyed reading these stories - an underlying theme was the anxiety involved and resilience required to 'make waves' and the reinforcement of personal integrity which can result.  

Making comments in writing proved an interesting if tricky experience.  How did you find it? 

​Writing in terms of the following responses may make commenting less confronting.  Remember, your comment doesn't need to be long.  A sentence or two is fine!

1. Did you relate to the story? Did you empathise with the writer?  
2. Did the story trigger memories for you?  Perhaps with an example or two.
3. How did you react to the story?   How did it make you feel?  

The comments made on the Making Waves stories seem to fit these 'gentle guidelines'...for example 
1.  Did you relate to the story, empathise with the writer?  
"I can relate to that.  You were a woman with initiative."  
"Well done. I have always impressed upon junior staff that your integrity is everything. If you compromise your integrity, you also compromise your credibility." 
2.  Did the story trigger memories for you, reflections on the past?  For example?
  ... "Your story brought back memories to me of people I knew who had polio as children, of receiving the Salk vaccine on a little block of sugar, and more." 
 "An interesting subject. My oldest daughter attended a high school where wearing a uniform was optional (1978 onwards). She chose not to wear it. My youngest daughter attended a prestigious high school where no girl would dare disobey the school rules on uniforms. Both girls are successful in their careers and are among the important 'behind the scenes' workers in the management of COVID-19."  
3.  How did you react to the story?  How did it make you feel? 
"What an amazing story of perseverence; of acting with authenticity based on deeply held values; of continuing and skilful efforts to work towards justice. .."
"Another wonderful poem, one which creatively explores an issue you are passionate about. It also conveys a sense of the emotions attached to 'Making Waves'. It can be unsettling 'letting go' to express ideas we are passionate about which make waves..." 
"This must have been like an undercurrent impacting upon you fairly constantly requiring resilience, with the occasional big wave when the issue would surface yet again requiring strength and determination to overcome..."    

Hope this helps!  Don't feel that you need to comment on everyone's story - or that you need to comment at all if you find this doesn't come easily to you. 

Here again are the April topics just in case you need to have them at hand:  

• The first topic, suggested by Barry O'Connor as our class follows two days later, is 'Anzac Day'.  A chance to reminisce about memories of Anzac Day (or Days) which have stayed with us over time.
• The second topic is inspired by this month's story by Margaret Nelson's story 'Do you remember the polio epidemic' (see below).  Has the current COVID-19 ‘Pandemic’ triggered memories for you relating to infectious diseases, whether local, epidemic or pandemic?
• The third topic, as set on our list of topics for the first four months, is 'Winging It' or 'Taking the Plunge' - Do you have a story about taking a risk and winging it?

The topic for May is 'Turning Point'  - an example from Life Matters '500 words' ...Leaving London on the Brink of War  If the topic 'Turning Point' doesn't suit you, catchup on an earlier topic; draw from your 'Ideas Piggy Bank' or little book of 'triggers'....(choose two elements from either of these sources and write a story of about, each of 250 words or so on each) or write on a universal topic such as 'The year that made me'; 'New in Town'; or 'Someone who Shaped me'.

Please give me a call on 5762 8171 or 0478 607 838 if you have any questions,


Beverley

With our 'As Time Goes By' memoir writing group meeting late in March and new COVID-19 Regulations being released daily, it soon became obvious that we would be unable to proceed with our March meeting.  

However, we have developed a plan! Having shared stories online in the past through the website on 'Our Stories' and with even more time to write, we're trialling a system of sharing our monthly stories on line through the website.

Early this week the first six stories for our March topic, 'Making Waves', were shared on-line. Currently password protected as members have the chance to read, comment on and even add additional stories, the plan is to make most if not all 'Making Waves' stories available for all members to read on the website in coming weeks.

We have three topics for April - choose any or all - with a submission date of Monday April 27th.

• The first topic, suggested by Barry O'Connor as our class follows two days later, is 'Anzac Day'.  A chance to reminisce about memories of Anzac Day (or Days) which have stayed with us over time.
• The second topic is inspired by this month's story by Margaret Nelson's story 'Do you remember the polio epidemic' (see below).  Has the current COVID-19 ‘Pandemic’ triggered memories for you relating to infectious diseases, whether local, epidemic or pandemic?
• The third topic, as set on our list of topics for the first four months, is 'Winging It' or 'Taking the Plunge' - Do you have a story about taking a risk and winging it?

U3A members who enjoy writing and are finding themselves with more time on their hands are welcome to join with us in sharing stories on-line. All you need to do is to email bevlee47@gmail.com - you can write the story in the body of the email or attach it as a word or pdf document.  The suggested, but not heavily policed, word limit is 500 words.

Bev Lee


COVID19 - Do you remember the polio epidemic? 
 
“Do you remember the polio epidemic in 1949—50, or previous flu epidemics before vaccinations were available?  They were worrying at the time, but nothing compared to the present pandemic, made even more frightening because of the frequent TV updates, and no available vaccine.

I clearly remember the polio epidemic—most people knew of someone who caught the disease and become crippled, or worse, ended up in an iron lung to enable breathing, or even died. The people were advised to avoid crowds.

My most vivid memory is of my first day at Benalla High School.  Our family had just returned from a beach holiday on the Saturday for the start of school on the Tuesday. I duly went off on the Violet Town school bus with my local state school friends who started that day, decked out in my new uniform and hat.

When the bell rang, we assembled in the quadrangle, and it was announced that anyone who had not been at their residence in the last two weeks had to stay away from school for the next two weeks.  This was scary to a shy little country girl!  There were a few others from Violet Town and we had to fill in the day wandering the street and gardens till bus time at 3.30, then go back on the bus with the other children.  So much for isolating us from the others.

Another two weeks at home!  Fortunately, the local headmaster felt sorry for me and set some maths and English for me so I wouldn’t get too far behind.  Eventually I restarted at Benalla High School, but the others had had their intelligence test and were allocated their form and their sports houses.

Not an ideal start, but I got going.

It was much later before a vaccine was produced.  Salk, an injection, and later perfected to a syrup, Sabin, which was successful”.

Hopefully a vaccine for COVD19 will soon be available.’ 
​      
Margaret Nelson, March 2020

Do you remember receiving your polio vaccine, tuberculosis injections, many decades ago?  People I've been chatting to have been reminiscing about these events, adding 'that was serious, but it wasn't anything like this!'  

To be on the safe side, and with regulations about social distancing being expanded out in terms of available room size just today, it seems best to cancel our U3A meeting room based sessions until further notice.  

It would be wonderful, however, to keep writing.  We could use the U3A website to share our stories.  I would initially up a page with a password for group members to share and read stories on our monthly topics, perhaps making this available for other members to read when everyone feels comfortable about sharing their story more widely.   

To make this work, all you need to do is to attach your story - for Monday's class 'Making Waves' - to an email and send it to bevlee47@gmail.com and I'll set up a page to include them.  We could of course trial reading them into our phones and sending them as audio files.... but let's not get ahead of ourselves!  (If you have difficulty attaching documents to emails, give me a call and we will sort out a way for me to access your story.)  

How does this sound?  Feedback welcome, otherwise I look forward to receiving an email from you with your story/stories attached each month.

Bev 

PS - if you missed the first class, you can find out about the topics for the next three months, along with some back up topics, in the posts below this one.   

There’s something quite special about reminiscing through story telling!  It was wonderful to welcome new and welcome back returning class members this month.  Class members who had tackled the holiday topics of ‘Something in my life I’m really proud of’ and ‘Auntie, Uncle or cousin’ shared stories which were often moving and evoked memories for other class members.  

​Our topic for March is Making Waves – the brief:
Is there a time in your life when you've been accused of making waves?  It could be in your personal life, the workplace, socially...even politically.
So, what have you done that's caught people's attention, and changed the usual way of doing things? It can be funny, sad, poignant, illuminating— it just needs to be a captivating!

Do you enjoy writing poetry? You are most welcome to join ‘As Time Goes By’ to share poetry inspired by our monthly topics, something which one of our members often does to great effect.   
 
Beverley Lee

Welcome and Introduction to ‘As Time Goes By’ 2020
​
From ‘Benalla Writers’ to ‘Writing Workshop’ to ‘As Time Goes By’   
 
Considerations

• An overview of the course structure and use of topics
• Developing our own voice – encouraging and supporting others
• Editing suggestions – our very gentle approach to editing suggestions
• Word Limits – aiming towards the target
• Considering confidentiality issues and personal well being
• Handling gender in our stories
• Publishing stories on the web site ‘As Time Goes By’ on our Website – Introducing/group page/’Our Stories’/using the U3A website search engine
• A word about Poetry as Memoir... from Paula Alice Lee to Wilma Elizabeth McDaniel...-Paula Lee,  Betty Milligan, Wilma Elizabeth McDaniel

Holiday topics 

February:  

'Something in my life I'm really proud of' .....
Interesting example:  Young muslim woman engineer who worked on mining sites in the Pilbara...  'On the Rigs'... note the way Jasmine writes dialogue into her memoir...

'Auntie, Uncle or cousin.... '  
Interesting examples:  ​Isabelle Allende.... noting the colour/dimension of her descriptions of her aunts/ uncles

Upcoming Topics  -  from Life Matters '500 words' projects

March:  Making Waves 
Is there a time in your life when you've been accused of making waves? 
It could be in your personal life, the workplace, socially...even politically.
So, what have you done that's caught people's attention, and changed the usual way of doing things?
It can be funny, sad, poignant, illuminating— it just needs to be a captivating!

April:  'Taking a risk and winging it'....  'Winging It' or 'Taking the Plunge' - 

Do you have a story about taking a risk and winging it?     You can find some stories contributed to Life Matters on this topic at ... 

May:  'Turning Point'  .... an example from 500 words 
.... https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/features/turning-point/life-in-500-words:-marjan-mckeough/10585802  

Substitute Topics

Don't forget to keep an 'Ideas Piggy Bank'   also a little book of 'triggers'....  If a set topic doesn't appeal to or 'work' for you, choose two elements from either of these sources and write a story of about, each of 250 words or so on each.  

Other wonderful substitute topics - 'The year that made me'; 'New in Town'; and 'Someone who Shaped me".

Reference:

Carmel Bird 'Writing the Story of Your Life - the Ultimate Guide' by Carmel Bird.

At our first session on Monday February 24 at 2 pm we will be sharing reminiscences of 500 words or so on 'Something in my life that I am really proud of' and/or 'An Aunt, Uncle or cousin who has a special place in my memory'.   

At our meeting on Monday October 28 we will be sharing stories using the theme set for the Benalla Festival Writing Competition - 'Fiesta of Festivities'.   Our stories can be about fiestas and festivals from other places and times, however if we want to enter our story in the Benalla Festival Writing Competition it needs to relate to a festival/festivals in the Rural City of Benalla and its villages such as Molyullah, Goorambat and so on.  

The details of the Festival's Writing Competition were released at the beginning of this week.  The time line is very short - entries are due on the third Monday 21st October, not the fourth Monday as usual.  Only 10 days to go as I write.

Here is the brief: 

"The 2019 Benalla Festival Writing Competition is now open. The theme for your piece is 'Fiesta of Festivities' - a celebration of events and festivals in Benalla Rural City. Writers from Benalla Rural City are invited to enter a poem or short story. Your piece should reflect on the theme.  
(Check the flier below for some examples of topics)

​1. Entry is free and participants can have a maximum of two entries. The pieces of prose can vary in style (biographical, expository, discursive or narrative).
2. Entries close on Monday 21 October 2019 at 5pm and can be submitted: n in person at the Benalla Rural City Council’s Customer Service Centre; or at the Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop Learning Centre (Benalla Library), Fawckner Drive, Benalla; or posted to Benalla Rural City Council, PO Box 227 Benalla 3671 with ‘Writing Competition’ clearly marked on the outside of the envelope.
3. The category you will be entering is Open (word limit of 800 words)
4. The piece of writing must be the entrant’s own work and not have been previously published. 5. Entries must be typed and on A4 paper. The information below must be attached to the entry. 6. The judges’ decision will be final and no correspondence entered into.
7. Staff members of Benalla Rural City Council and members of the Benalla Festival Advisory Committee are not permitted to enter the competition.
8. Winners, runners up and encouragement award recipients of the six categories will be notified by telephone on Monday 28 October and asked to attend a presentation on the evening of Thursday 7 November 2019.
9. For further information contact the Benalla Rural City Council on 5760 2600."

So - there's no time for writers' block!   I'm looking forward to hearing all stories, whether entered into the Festival or not, on Monday 28th October at 2 pm.  

Beverley Lee

Our topic for September was 'If Only?' We found that 'If only?' stories didn't have to have sad endings; could be part of a journey which eventually became positive; could be lighthearted; could range across the spectrum from personal to the political.  A link to some of our 'If Only?' stories will be added to the website shortly. 

We are still awaiting for the fine detail of Benalla Festival's Writing Competition to be released before beginning stories for our October session.  We know it will relate in some way to Benalla Festival's theme for 2019 ‘Fiesta of Festivities - a celebration of events and festivals that bring the community together'. 

Our task for November is to keep a note book close by in which we note any ‘triggers’ which lead us to reminisce about a time in  our lives.   We may be talking to someone, watching television or a film, driving somewhere, reading a book.   We are to choose one to three of these and write about the memories evoked – keeping the total words to 500 – 750 words. 

As it's taster time - please feel free to join or rejoin us on 28 October and/or 25 November from 2 to 4 pm.  You might like even to bring a story to share!
​
Bev Lee

The U3A memoir writing workshop program has, from its inception, drawn extensively upon the ABC Open's online '500 Words' project.   '500 Words' has provided inspiration and a framework for our sessions four years, providing suggested topics, tips, and links to other people's stories.
The ABC recently discontinued and archived ABC Open's '500 Words' Writing Projects.  For the record, this program has proved to be a wonderful resource for U3A Benalla's memoir writing group.

Details of ABC Open's writing topics have been kept for use over time and we have begun to draw on other resources.  Semester II's 500 words topics have largely been selected from Joy's book 'Creative Boot Camp'.  For example, on Monday 25 August we will be sharing stories on 'Fear of Failure'  and on Monday 23 September  'If only?' stories.  As always, we write about something which, upon reflection, we feel we can comfortably share with others, rather than something which is likely to open old wounds and cause distress.

Our October topic will be the topic set for the Benalla Festival's Writing Competition and relate to this year's festival theme, 'Fiesta of Festivities:  a celebration of events and festivals that bring the community together'.  Fliers with full details of the writing competition topic should be available in the community shortly. Some members go on to enter the contest - with a member or two each year typically receiving awards! 
​
Bev Lee

​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

Our new schedule commenced on 26th May, providing a dedicated time-slot to support people keen to write their memories with a view to publishing them for family and friends.  The sharing of 500 words projects now begins at 1.30 pm.  This is followed by a break from 2.50 to 3.10, when 'Writing and Publishing Our Memoirs' begins, facilitated by Noelle McCracken, who worked in publishing for many years.  Members can attend either or both sessions.
 
Our 500 Words stories in May explored ways in which we use the word 'Time'.  Some members enjoyed teasing out concepts about time in a quirky way.  Joy wrote about a loved family member’s different concept of time;  Jenny  about memories of the time she was the same age as her grandchild, who had asked her about this; and Wilma about a recent, now cherished experience in which she observed the passing of time through the eyes of mural artist Rhone at his evocative exhibition at the decaying but soon to be restored Burnham Beeches mansion.

The 500 Words project for June is to (1) Create an ‘Ideas Piggy Bank” in a shoe box to bring along containing objects and artefacts that enliven your memories, through scent and feel.  Maps, menus, theatre programs, an old report card, vials of perfume, a garment, treasured photographs, a souvenir, an expired passport can sometimes trigger a work rich with detail”. (2) Select two items from the piggy bank as creative prompts – what do they mean to you?  What were you doing, why; what were you thinking at the time this object related to your life?   (250 words for each object)

The "Writing and publishing our memoirs" group began last month with an avid group of writers keen to make their family story a story their family will want to read! The group will focus on a memoir or family history with a view to publication, with a format and quirks more in style of a novel than perhaps the usual, dare I say boring, family tome.

​Bev Lee and Noelle McCracken

We are still busily writing our 500 word stories on the topic ‘Faking It’, with stories to be shared after the newsletter deadline.   I wonder what people are writing about?  More news later!

Our topic for May is based on the theme 'Time'.... There are so many ways in which we use the word 'time'...'We talk about spare time, stolen time, free time, time well spent, leisure time, wasted time, quality time, holiday time, extra time, not enough time.  We say time is precious, for all time, time is short, it was such a waste of time, time flies, time and eternity, we had a good time, take your time, time stood still, where does the time go?  How much time do you have?  She'll do it in 'her own good time' and more.  The brief is to choose and write about an element or two relating to the theme 'Time' which has meaning in terms of an event or events in our life stories.

Late News:  Next month we are piloting a separate group facilitated by Noelle McCracken to focus on Writing and Publishing Memoirs.  Classes will be scheduled as follows: 
1.30 to 2.50 '500 Words Stories' - Bev Lee - May topic 'Time' (refer above)
3.10 to 4.30 'Writing and Publishing Our Memoirs' - Noelle McCracken
It is possible to attend either or both sessions.
​
Bev Lee

News:
Memoir Writing and Publishing – how best to support members keen to do this? A suggestion to consider (Bev and Noelle)
Other:
 
Sharing 500 Words stories
 
April -  ‘Faking It’    
“A somewhat challenging topic – one which actually resulted in some wonderful stories a few years ago!  Over to you”
Have you ever inflated your credentials to land a coveted job, told a silly lie to save face in front of a new acquaintance, or felt well and truly out of your comfort zone when you tried something new?
Perhaps faking it helped you gain the experience or tools necessary to bring about real change, whether you were pretending to the world or just deluding yourself.
How did you feel at the time, and how do you feel about it now? Did your fakery ever get found out? Did you surprise anyone, even yourself?
Other topics to share?
 
May - Our next 500 words topic– ‘Time’
 
Activity –for class if we have time, otherwise to do at home…. Prompt:  the items Collectors took along to a session themed ‘Time’…. ‘begin by reflecting on and recalling a specific clock or watch from early childhood and writing a description of that, keeping writing for 20 minutes. It doesn't matter where the writing takes you eventually, it may take you a million miles from clock or watch but you start with the clock and the clock is ticking.’
 
Brief .... There are so many ways in which we use the word 'time'...'We talk about spare time, stolen time, free time, time well spent, leisure time, wasted time, quality time, holiday time, extra time, not enough time.  We say time is precious, for all time, time is short, it was such a waste of time, time flies, time and eternity, we had a good time, take your time, time stood still, where does the time go?  How much time do you have?  She'll do it in 'her own good time' and more. 
The brief  is to choose and write about an element or two relating to the theme 'Time' which has meaning in terms of an event or events in your life story.
 
Writers' Block?  Reminder of some back up topics, particularly for new members -  topics to include when you are ready, or if another topic doesn’t seem to work:

1. ‘The Year That Made Me’

1. ‘New in Town’ Have you ever been the new person in town?  Or did someone else’s arrival have a profound impact on you?  Share your story in 500 words.  
2. ‘Someone who Shaped Me’ 
3. Any topic from previous years – refer to website!​  

 We are still busily writing our 500 word stories on the topic ‘Faking It’, with stories to be shared after the newsletter deadline.   I wonder what people are writing about?  More news later!

Our topic for May is based on the theme 'Time'.... There are so many ways in which we use the word 'time'...'We talk about spare time, stolen time, free time, time well spent, leisure time, wasted time, quality time, holiday time, extra time, not enough time.  We say time is precious, for all time, time is short, it was such a waste of time, time flies, time and eternity, we had a good time, take your time, time stood still, where does the time go?  How much time do you have?  She'll do it in 'her own good time' and more.  The brief is to choose and write about an element or two relating to the theme 'Time' which has meaning in terms of an event or events in our life stories.

Late News:  Next month we are piloting separate group facilitated by Noelle McCracken will  focus on writing and publishing memoirs.  Classes will be scheduled as follows: 
1.30 to 2.50 '500 Words Stories' - Bev Lee - May topic 'Time' (refer above)
3.10 to 4.30 'Writing and Publishing Our Memoirs' - Noelle McCracken
It is possible to attend either or both sessions. 

Bev Lee

We began our March session by hearing from group members who are writing their story for family members using a timeline or life stage approach. Ray O’Shannessy distributed copies of the book he had written and printed for his family and  spoke about his process, which involved using themes as well as life stages.  Ray shared lessons he learnt along the way, particularly ‘Don’t rush’.  Noelle McCracken also made a valued contribution, drawing upon her history in publishing to talk about a way of printing and publishing a work that is going to be added to over time

We then revisited last month’s ‘Family Traits’ topic - Betty and Neville shared their stories followed by a small group activity prompted by selecting a trait from a pack of Strengths cards.
​ 
After the break fascinating stories were shared on our March topic ‘I Broke It’ – reflective stories about all the things we can break, from broken head gaskets miles from anywhere, to broken nails, high heels, ankles, backs, hearts and more.  There were quirky stories and stories which broke our hearts. 
 
Our April topic is ‘Faking It’ , a topic which resulted in some enlightening stories a few years ago. The brief?  ‘Have you ever inflated your credentials to land a coveted job, told a silly lie to save face in front of a new acquaintance, or felt well and truly out of your comfort zone when you tried something new.  Perhaps faking it helped you gain the experience or tools necessary to bring about real change, whether you were pretending to the world or just deluding yourself. How did you feel at the time, and how do you feel about it now? Did your fakery ever get found out? Did you surprise anyone, even yourself?’
​
Bev Lee

REVIEW
Family Trait - Nature or Nurture? A story with an interesting take on this -‘Nature or Nurture’
Betty’s story; any others?
Strengths Card activity.
 
RESOURCES
Writing up your family story - some resources from the web:
The Family Historian An e-book $9.99    Free Handout:  Interview questions
http://thefamilyhistorian.com.au/product/my-story-my-life-e-book/
An idea about preparing a digital story – a local history story  Refer Facebook page and scroll down to the post from Benalla Migrant Camp post about Georgina’s restaurant.
 
LOCAL RESOURCES
Benalla Library
Writers’ Corner – last Wednesday of month at the Library 5pm  Contact Carla Gardner Regular Guest Author Presentations – this Wednesday 27 March at 6 pm local author Chester Hart from Euroawill speak about his  adult fiction book ‘Screwd’, a tale of toxic work culture and how the best of intentions can go horribly wrong. A novel inspired by real-life experience inside one of Australia's prisons, 27th March 6 – 7 pm.
 
SHARING TODAY’S TOPIC   ‘I Broke It’
A broken plate, a broken bone, a broken record, or even being broke.  Tell us about a time you broke something, and what repercussions you faced. 
 
NEXT TOPIC   APRIL  ‘Faking It’    
Have you ever inflated your credentials to land a coveted job, told a silly lie to save face in front of a new acquaintance, or felt well and truly out of your comfort zone when you tried something new?
Perhaps faking it helped you gain the experience or tools necessary to bring about real change, whether you were pretending to the world or just deluding yourself.
How did you feel at the time, and how do you feel about it now? Did your fakery ever get found out? Did you surprise anyone, even yourself?
Some samples from our website – search under ‘Faking It’
​
BACK UP TOPICS
Some topics to include when you are ready, or if another topic doesn’t seem to work:

1. ‘The Year That Made Me’

1. ‘New in Town’ Have you ever been the new person in town?  Or did someone else’s arrival have a profound impact on you?  Share your story in 500 words.  
2. ‘Someone who Shaped Me’ 
3. Any topic from previous years – refer to website!  
4. A topic you make up yourself to meet a need – eg. ‘Memorable people I have known’…. etc

 
Bev Lee 5762 8171 bevlee47@gmail.com  25 February 2019 

At our first session we explored the history of writing groups at U3A Benalla; the development of the memoir writing course and our regular use of ABC Open's 500 Word topics as a focus for our writing each month.  We considered optional approaches such as 'Stories from the ….’ or 'Stories my …. told me'; then looked at the 'Our Stories' area of the website.
 
Before breaking for coffee we each interviewed a person we didn't know well, introduced them to the class and described their memory of 'the closest they have been to receiving an Oscar, winning an Olympic medal or being in the Guinness book of records'!  This was relaxing and demonstrated the gentle art of reminiscing with others. 

After the break fascinating stories were shared of 'Family Traits'. Some writers reflected on genetic traits, others behavioural traits. 

A group of members keen to write a memoir focusing on themes such as life stages gathered together after class to share their ideas, agreeing that they will do this each month to support one another and share progress. 

The topic for the 500 word task for March 25th is 'I Broke It' - with back up topics to choose from if necessary such as 'The Year That Made Me', 'New in Town' and a 'A Person who Shaped Me'. 

The brief for ‘I Broke It’ - A broken plate, a broken bone, a broken record, or even being broke.  Tell us about a time you broke something, and what repercussions you face.
​
Bev Lee