Under construction!

​Our August session began with two spritely but aging mannequins, exhibiting their spectacular upper torso garments, reflecting significant events in their life journey and, the display of one baptismal dress, beautifully designed from a beloved wedding gown. 

​The scene was set for, arguably, one of the most engaging sessions this semester.

‘Retirement’ was the theme but experienced via individually unique pathways. It was in fact her husband Don’s retirement that encouraged Carmyl to begin teaching lndonesian to ocal children at her local primary school. James’ forced retirement for health reasons, reflected long term planning and a return to a rural retreat, albeit after a cross-Tasman journey.  Beverley found ‘retiring’ from nursing a sheer joy but a difficult transition due to staff shortages which delayed finding her ‘time in the sun’.  Heather W found the transition challenging as it was not in a manner of her choosing, ultimately though empowering, as a reframe and re-engagement with community became the pathway to personal fulfillment.  

By contrast, Lou offered a teaser to future memoirs as he introduced us to the ‘delights’ of a displaced persons camp and a grieving mother who would go to the other side of the world to advantage her children.

Graham reflected on how the death of his Director, soon after retirement, was an incentive to find a healthier lifestyle and Ray delighted us with his post-retirement European and South Pacific pilgrimages. 
  
Heather H, at retirement, would not stay bored for long. Devastated after an unexpected redundancy, volunteering has been energizing and she is yet to define retirement. Barry now asks, how did I ever find time to work? With seventeen community groups in Swanpool, he has been able to access skills and knowledge in service to the community.

Unlike some in the group, Jill had not planned her retirement. COVID denied her this opportunity. As her organisation closed down, so did the community. The ‘ATGB’ members listened, we emotionally walked with her, and are glad she has rejoined us. 

Graham Jensen

An interesting resource -
​https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/philosophy-retirement
- which includes a link to the following video...

This month we welcomed back Jill from her overseas travels.

Responses to Bev’s invitation to write a brief paragraph on the theme of childhood hobbies varied from those who could list a variety of hobbies sampled, those who had difficulty identifying a childhood hobby given the nature of our childhood and those whose hobby became a lifelong passion or interest.

Thus, to our individual memoirs: Graham shared his addiction to Catan under the previous theme of “I quit” and Barry disclosed why he quit after ‘deep and meaningful’ discussions with his US based managing director who had revealed significant changes in remuneration. 

Within the theme, ‘What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’, Heather wowed us, recounting a time she was the only female scrutineer at the 1985 Grand Prix in Adelaide. In a very masculine environment, Heather was able to create a comfortable niche among the scrutineers and their families when she reassured the men that ‘what happens in Adelaide stays in Adelaide’.

Neville took an alternate track and discussed what historically happened in Vegas. He introduced us to a colorful description of its history and Frank Sinatra’s role in breaking down the colour bar in a very segregated town. Bev intriguingly acknowledged caution in sharing ‘Vegas’ moments from visits in her early twenties to Kings Cross and Bangkok. Looking forward to the unexpurgated memoir!

Jill’s ‘True confession’ memoir found her in the pink! A very welcome pregnancy ‘blessed’ by her husband’s tears of joy, as Toby revealed his gender to his dad and a very surprised mum. Writing in the third person, Ray brought into view the source of his early inferiority complex. Originally very self conscious and shy, Ray celebrated how far he had come from this child with all his accomplishments and public recognition through an OAM.

Heather, ‘changed her mind’, particularly as we followed her intriguing, and ultimately very successful career path across national boundaries and occupations. Will her retirement follow a similar path? That is for another memoir. 

Under the general theme ‘Member’s Choice’, Carmyl's story, 'A Steep Learning Curve', engaged us with the challenges and adventure of becoming a youth worker at the age of 50.  From opening a youth centre, to abseiling, to motorbike riding, Carmyl led us through a cavalcade of experiences that many of us could only imagine. Finally, in a story titled 'My Family and other Animals', Phiona entertained us with a variety of four-legged family pets which populated her homes in Melbourne and on King Island and educated her through farm stays.  She also revealed the challenges of returning pet lambs to a larger flock expecting them to submit to the will of an assertive sheep dog.

Next month’s topics : Topic 1 ‘Retirement’ -  Retirement is a transition which can be quite complex, involve a range of losses, be dreaded, involve celebrations and be looked forward to, indeed all of the above! …  Share the story of your retirement from a role which was important to you at some stage of your life – how did you negotiate it?  How did you feel about the transition at the time?  How do you feel about it now?  or
Topic 2  ‘An item of clothing which symbolizes a time in my life’ - Write a story about an item of clothing you still have (or have a photo of) which symbolizes a time or event in your life.  Tell the story surrounding the clothing, the context in which it appeared in your life, significant moments which occurred while wearing it, what it means to you, why you find it hard to let go.  Try to bring along the item of clothing, or a photo of it, if you can!

Graham Jensen

Our June session began with Carmyl’s overview of Jason Om’s memoir All Mixed Up, followed by an icebreaker in which class members wrote about memories of keeping warm in winter as children.

The June topic ‘I Changed My Mind’, was chosen by Carmyl, whose life affirming story of a spiritual realisation which led to her changing her mind, and prayers, about her daughter Bronwyn’s illness with incurable cancer, moved us all deeply. 

The alternative topic ‘I quit’ proved popular, with James sharing a powerful story about his journey to quit smoking and how an ultimatum by a NZAF medical doctor finally motivated him to take action to do so.  Ray described various instances of quitting, including a delightful story about deciding to quit playing the organ.  Phiona wrote an evocative story about the impact of quitting school early on her life’s journey, while Neville wrote about an instance of quitting which he has always regretted, and another which he has never regretted.   Bev finished her story about working with people with addictions with Henry Lawson’s quirky account of his addiction to alcohol…. “…I get drunk because I am in trouble, and I get drunk because I’ve got out of it. I get drunk because I’m sick, or have corns, or the toothache: and I get drunk because I’m feeling well and grand. I get drunk because I was rejected; and I got awfully drunk the night I was accepted”…
.  
Graham’s ‘Car Stories’ rounded off the session, with each vignette proving a wonderful vehicle to convey memories of people, places and events in his life.

Catch up stories on these topics will hopefully be shared on July 17, along with July’s somewhat outrageous topics, ‘True Confessions’ and ‘What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas’.  Full details of these topics are on the 'As Time Goes By Topic List 2023' (which can be found by scrolling down the right hand column of this page if you can't find yours!) 

Class members Heather Wallace and Graham Jensen have both been attending the Royal Melbourne Hospital while negotiating health issues recently – we are thinking of them and wish them well. 


​Bev Lee

This month we welcomed James into our group. Our session also opened windows onto memoirs yet to be written.

But first we feasted, thankfully figuratively and not literally, on bugs and insects.

Bev invited us to share childhood and other memories of ‘creepy crawlies’. Introduced by an internet account of the destruction of a white cedar tree by larvae of the White Cedar Moth, other group members catalogued home invasions by other infestations. To balance the horror, we were introduced to a pet rat which, for some, did not relieve the discomfort.

Heather began, sharing two personal memoirs on subjects carried over from previous weeks. The first memoir described precious objects which included a gift bible received during Queen Elizabeth’s coronation and black and white photos of Heather’s grandparents. Under threat from natural disasters, Heather shared her priorities of ‘people, pets, photos, and then precious objects….If she had time, clothes were included’.   Her second memoir revealed why Heather is so often invited to deliver an Anzac Day address.

​In Barry’s absence, Bev read his memoir on ‘learning from history’. For Barry, trust in others has been essential in his functioning as a community leader. After some disappointments though, he has learnt to be a little cynical of enthusiastic offers and waits to assess the quality of community service offered.

Bev followed with her memoir of learning to knit from her grandmother. From plain and pearl to rib and moss stitch, Bev shared the joy of making a pom pom for her first knitted beanie.  Learning to knit and crochet taught Bev that perseverance can lead to valued outcomes, whether a beautiful Afghan rug or a website with posts of group newsletter reports and stories patiently compiled each month to record Benalla U3A activities.

Graham followed the theme of ‘learning from history’ by blending his move to Benalla, with the adage that ‘when you look behind you, you see the future in your footprints’. In retrospect, Ray celebrated the Apollo 11 success in landing a man on the moon. Yet also questioned what impact the 100 billion (today’s dollars) spent on this project world have on world homelessness. 

Under the topic, ‘shaped by childhood’, Neville shared with admiration the work ethic of both his mum and dad and his mum’s enjoyment of family and the acknowledgement of his dads ‘war hero’ status. Yet Neville also acknowledged that without a work schedule he has a sense of loss and his dreams reflect his struggle to embrace a post-employment lifestyle.

From a very different perspective, Phil recounted his and his family’s experience as migrants from the United Kingdom. The separation of family between the Melbourne migrant centre and Lady Northcote Farm School would have lifelong impacts on his family, only hinted at within this memoir. What he experienced and what he learnt, has been left for further memoirs.

James ‘reached for the sky’ with a narrative of a journey begun by admiring a top-dressing aircraft as a young boy, and concluded by traversing the Pacific in a Hawker Siddeley Andover as an RAAF pilot. His conclusion acknowledges that which ‘shaped his childhood’, yet also leaves open the door for further exploration.

Finally, Carmyl shared a delightful recounting of ‘making do’ on a limited budget and a plentiful garden. The ‘cook and the gardener’, her parents, were clearly multi-skilled and much of the food preparation and storage skills have been ‘handed down’. If we can source a wood stove, would Carmyl offer a cup of ‘beef tea’?

July’s 500 words topics - ‘I Changed My Mind…’ “Describe a time when you changed, or had your mind changed, perhaps through some advice, direct or indirectly received.  Describe the context in which this happened, and what opportunities (hopefully) resulted as a result of this”. 

Alternative - ‘I quit’   “We've all quit something - a job, a musical instrument, a food group or a bad habit. Tell us your story of quitting. What brought you to breaking point? Was it exhilarating or challenging to quit? What strengths did you draw upon and how did people react? What new opportunities were created once you quit?”

​Graham Jensen

Reading Memoirs –  report backs if available.
​
Icebreaker - Childhood memories/experiences of …’ Insects/creepy crawlies’ https://au.news.yahoo.com/warning-after-aussies-common-discovery-at-base-of-tree-stay-away-003140295.html 
 
Finding your story is losing direction?  Refer back to the key 'slice' you are writing about - the context, your aim.  If in doubt, leave it out! 
 
Catch up stories 
Precious Objects    Heather Hartland
Easter/Anzac Day  Heather Hartland​​
​
This month’s topics
‘Learning from History’  (Barry O’Connor suggestion for 2023)  “History is a marvellous thing. We cannot change it, we can only learn from it.  Tell us about significant life lessons you have you learnt from one or two incidents in your past?”
Barry, Graham, Bev, Ray (also Heather Hartland's Story on Anzac Day)

Shaped by Childhood (First set in May 2016, this topic can be interpreted in many valuable ways) Describe a formative experience from your childhood, and how it helped shape the person you grew up to be. It could be a treasured family ritual, an early friendship, an influential teacher or your first experience of losing a loved one.   Think about an experience or person that’s influenced you and share this with us.
Carmyl,Trish, James, Phil, Neville

While we don't usually share stories about sensitive topics in class, that doesn't mean we shouldn't write them!  Consider, for example, this approach to writing a story about meeting a life partner....
An edited extract from Everything and Nothing, a memoir, by Heather Mitchell (Allen and Unwin, $34.95) The link:  
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/may/14/you-will-meet-a-man-heather-mitchell-a-clairvoyant-and-a-broken-hill-pub
or Download PDF - 'You Will Meet a Man'... Heather Mitchell 

Next Month's Topics - June 18

‘I Changed My Mind…’  Describe a time when you changed, or had your mind changed, perhaps through some advice, direct or indirectly received.  Describe the context in which this happened, and what opportunities (hopefully) resulted as a result of this. 

‘I quit’  Tell your story of quitting. Did you quit a sport, a job, a bad habit? Was quitting your act of defiance or were you giving up? …“We've all quit something - a job, a musical instrument, a food group or a bad habit. Tell us your story of quitting. What brought you to breaking point? Was it exhilarating or challenging to quit? What strengths did you draw upon and how did people react? What new opportunities were created once you quit?”

Our journey in April was populated by friends and neighbours offering a wonderful kaleidoscope of characters and neighborhood experiences that enriched our ‘growing up’ years. There was a commonality across rural and urban landscapes significantly impacting on who we are today.

Prior to experiencing this landscape, Bev introduced an engaging memoir titled, ‘Finding Memories of a Distant Home Through Milo Toast’.   We shared entertaining memories of ‘what a difference’ Milo made, particularly in how it was consumed, cold or hot, freely offered or surreptitiously sneaked, in powdered form or in solid balls. For most of us, Milo was an unforgettable early gastronomical delight.  

Under the heading of ‘precious objects’, Heather recounted the journey of a precious crystal cabinet, which holds special personal memories, particularly of her father. Neville, under the theme of ‘failure’, philosophically and rhetorically delved into the experience successfully leaving us unresolved as to its nature and its weight against a high benchmark for success. Within the same theme, Carmyl described an academic journey where ‘failure’ was a catalyst for a re-focused energy. Ultimately proving a winner
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Ray invited us to imagine the unappealing nature of Easter in Ballarat for a child who had not yet found his ‘family’. On the other hand, Barry took us on a ‘first class’ Easter journey to the Mallee and revealed the special significance of family time at Easter. Finally, Bev enchanted us with stories of the Molyullah Easter weekend populated by participants, past and present. Via the theme of Anzac Day, Graham shared his anticipation of standing beside his grandfather, father and brother, at least in spirit and memory, this Anzac Day.

Then populating our galaxy of ‘Friends and Neighbors’ were Carmyl’s ‘Bet and Jess’, both unexpected visitors and subsequently long-term friends, and Carmyl’s mum, who was not to be reckoned with if you preferred pineapple over custard and stewed apple. Heather acknowledged that it was the kids who often made the first friendships with new arrivals and reminded us of shared television watching in the main street of our towns and suburbs. Barry recounted the early history of Lalor, his family involvement and the unfortunate history of supply shortages and administrative mismanagement. Trish reminded us of spinning wheels, prizes and a family tragedy that reinforced the value of precious neighbours.  Phil transported us to the close knit and ‘wonderful’ little village of Bishops Itchington and a personal validation of his own integrity. Graeme introduced us to London and Auntie Beatie, sea worm grasping and meeting ‘the Mob’. Finally, Phiona introduced us to the delightful, petite and quiet Misses Brooks and then led us to experience a series of locations and next door friends, teaching Phiona the value of accepting differences in culture, religion and lifestyles. Thank you all.

Coming up on May 16 - ‘Learning from History’   “History is a marvellous thing. We cannot change it, we can only learn from it.  Tell us about significant life lessons you have you learnt from one or two incidents in your past?” Alternative topic:  Shaped by Childhood Describe a formative experience from your childhood, and how it helped shape the person you grew up to be. It could be a treasured family ritual, an early friendship, an influential teacher or your first experience of losing a loved one.   Think about an experience or person that’s influenced you and share this with us.

Graham Jensen

We have a new 'show and tell' segment, 'Memoir', a space to share news of memoirs we have been reading, whether in book, short story, or article.  We have a longer framework for in depth analysis of a memoir, however for our new segment, this shorter framework (with example) is suggested for a‘report’ to class, if ever you feel moved...

• Title/subtitle/  'Finding memories of a distant home through Milo toast'
• Book/Article/other - Article (online)
• Author/ Rachel Heng
• Publisher - LitHub - March 28, 2023 - https://lithub.com/finding-memories-of-a-distant-home-through-milo-toast/  or Download pdf
• Subtitle/’lens’ or focus/ - in this case is really spelt out in the title of the article...
• Highlight – (how has this memoir related to something in/about your life; etc).  "I loved Milo, and have surreptitious yet quirkily treasured memories of going to the cupboard and spooning out Milo for direct consumption.  It also developed my appreciation of the history of Milo, as I never realised it was available throughout the world, also that it had socio/political implications."  

​Bev Lee

Bev began our March session by introducing four books incorporating or exploring memoirs. They were  Stet: An Editor’s Life by Diana Athill, The Last Australian Childhood by Kevin Moloney, Bush School by Peter O’Brien and Written by Herself by Jill Ker Conway. .

We were then invited by Bev to reminisce about our experiences of the corner store. Many memories were delightfully unearthed and reminiscences shared.

Trish then read her memoir under the theme of failure. Her failure was in fact the education system’s failure. This ‘failure’ was turned on its head with a will to achieve and a determination to overcome this initial disadvantage. 

Graham introduced his father-made wooden table and tapestry inlay as his ‘special object’ and Phiona revealed the wedding ring of her grandmother and ‘warmed’ us with reminiscences of her first time away from home with her Nana and Popa
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Neville then challenged us with a juxtaposition between his special objects, his wife and children, and the BBC and The Times, which were also designated as ‘special’ when he lived in London and then revealed how they lost their sheen as a result of time, politics and Rupert Murdoch.

Barry ‘opened’ his ‘evacuation briefcase’ and shared badges and medals that reflected a very interesting life journey. Graeme light-heartedly reminded us of the game Bobs, which many of us had played but an illicit game resulted in the disaster of a broken ‘precious’ vase. The implications of that event and the ensuing journey for Graeme, were shared intimately with the group.  Thank you, Graeme.

Ray lovingly shared another highlight of his life with the awarding of an OAM, his precious gift and Phillip passed around his gold nugget, a result of a leftover envelope from his posted Christmas wishes.   On the other hand, Jill shared her determination and focus which resulted in her winning her precious and magnificent mother of pearl cup and saucer.

Finally, Bev shared her special objects uncovered as she prepares for downsizing. The physical records of her academic achievements were unrolled before us revealing a journey of application, growing self-knowledge and fulfillment. A suitable conclusion as our group shared some of the deeper experiences of our lives.

April Topic:  ‘Friends and Neighbours’  A chance to write about your childhood home and neighbourhood, friends and neighbours you particularly remember, friends of your parents, community activities and organisations you and other members of your family were involved with and more.  Use the opportunity to reflect on the social, economic, political and cultural context of the time. 
The alternative topic/s  ‘Anzac Day’/’Easter’  - ‘Anzac Day’  Looking back over your lifetime, write about a memory/your memories of Anzac Day (or other memorial day) and its place in the cultural rituals of your family and the communities in which you have lived, moving from the personal to the political if you wish. Or ‘Easter’ Looking back over your lifetime, write about your memories of Easter or other religious event and its place in the cultural rituals of your family and the communities in which you have lived.

Graham Jensen

MR LITTLE’S GROCERY. WEST PRESTON. MELBOURNE. 1953

Mr Little’s grocery store was on the corner of Gilbert Road and Cooper Street in West Preston, a northern suburb of Melbourne, about 9 kms from the CBD.

Mr Little wears a shirt, tie and white jacket. The customary outfit for store-keepers.

At the time of this photo, the store had recently transitioned into a ’Cash and Carry’ format. That is… it had moved from the traditional arrangement, whereby most of the produce was kept behind a long counter along a side wall, to one where it was stored on shelves in 2-3 aisles and selected directly by customers: a fore-runner to the widespread arrival of Supermarkets.

Here, a customer is being served on a wet day. She wears a damp gaberdine overcoat with a plastic rain-proof bonnet. She will have likely walked to the shop carrying her cane shopping basket and shopping list - and will walk home again, with her purchases.

Of interest, the products in view include…

Laxettes 2/6 (Two shillings & six pence) or 25 cents
Packets of Dolly Dye,
Tom Piper ‘Steak and Vege’s and ‘Wham’.
Imperial Camp Pie 1/10 or 18 cents.
Peck’s Paste 1/8 about 17 cents
Nestle’s Pineapple Creams: 1/10

FOOTNOTE…

I know this store. I was 5 or 6 years of age when this photo was taken and I remember both the old store layout - and the conversion to ‘Cash and Carry’ format. I also remember how impressed was my mother with the new layout. She, like this lady, would walk to the store with me in tow (in my pre-school years) with my younger brother in the pusher.

(photo credit: Laurie Richards) 
​

Source:  FB post on Old Time Photos of Yesteryear' by David Panther on Dec 10, 2022 - ​https://www.facebook.com/groups/672164369508943/permalink/6051159688276024

Our February session began with an icebreaker as each member shared with another, early experiences of dance. Consequently, participants were invited to introduce their interviewees.

Bev then introduced the idea of a memoir by referencing a speaker some years ago at Benalla Library, Kevin Peoples, who recounted his experience as ‘Bob Santamaria’s salesman’, and also referenced guidelines for the class in writing and sharing personal memoirs. In general discussion, Neville recommended ‘Boswell and Johnson’s Scottish Road Trip’ on SBS.

We then moved into members’ memoirs.

Under ‘New in Town’, Heather H explored her families move to Australia, inevitable challenges and occasional cultural misunderstandings. She concluded that moving to Australia, was the ‘best idea’ the family ever had. Heather W celebrated and acknowledged that her move to Winton provided an opportunity to expand and deepen her interest in motorsports. Through resilience and persistence, she has built a life for herself now in Benalla and in both settings, has utilized her natural and enhanced leadership skills.

A variety of memoirs were explored under the theme:  ‘The Season I’.
​
Bev revealed her adventures learning to drive on ice and later, discovering herself at the top of a ski slope. With no idea how to ski to the bottom, she was ‘lucky’ to survive with a few broken ribs.  Her teacher exchange in British Colombia gave her many lasting memories. Michelle, in ‘Under Attack’, shared with us a wonderfully lyrical account of the great Christmas Day water fight, twenty-five years ago. Although the years ‘may have dimmed the accuracy of the detail’, the unbridled fun of the battle stays clear in her memory.  

Neville shared a cavalcade of images and experiences associated with particular seasons and noted how the seasons have changed over the years, not least because of changing perceptions,  a result of the natural aging process. Carmyl introduced us to her friend Cat from Aceh province, the daughter of a former Colombo Plan student Carmyl and her husband Don, had supported while working in Aceh. Carmyl led us through a series of experiences as Cut learnt about the Australian way of life.  

Barry introduced us to some of the challenges of a dry Summer on an Australian farm. Trucking water, challenges of ‘bringing in the harvest’ and the danger of fires when temperatures rose above 40 degrees. Phil introduced us to scenes from an English dairy farm and shared his ‘aha’ moments, as he learnt about the life of a dairy cow. Jill took us back to the summer of 1967, relaying vivid memories of the harrowing impact on her family and community of both severe drought and the lead up to the hanging of Ronald Ryan.  Ray shared how the encouragement of patrons of the country hotel in which he boarded as a young single man in 1958 led him to become a competitive bowler, and described a final in which he participated, winning by match light.  Finally, Graham introduced us to his personal paradigm shift in understanding seasons. He shared information on the six seasons identified by the Gariwerd peoples and a five-schema suggested by the CSIRO.

Topics for our session on Monday 20 March at 2pm -
‘Precious Objects’   Tell us about a memento, an object (or a group of objects) from a time in your past that has been important to you, and why.  You always carry it with you whenever you move and find it very hard to let go of.  Maybe it has a story behind it, or it's been a powerful presence i­­­­­­n your life.  Bring along the item if you can, or at the very least, a photo!
Alternative topic - ‘Failure’ ‘Write about a failure you’ve experienced – from the commonplace to the catastrophic – in 500 words’.

Graham Jensen

Icebreaker - Going to local dances when we were teenagers can be considered cultural rituals which supported our transition to adulthood.  Talk to your neighbour about your memories of such dances - where were they held?  by?  music? memories - 'highs' and 'lows' .... 

A reminder of 'memoir' as 'a slice of life' rather than an autobiography, of our stories as 'slices of life'... a good example....

Some further reading:

• Sian Prior writes about her latest memoir 'Another Round - On Writing a Second Memoir' 
• ​2023_2_sianprior.com-another_round_on_writing_a_second_memoir.pdf ....
• A useful article on memoir writing which distinguishes between autobiography and memoir - https://writers.com/how-to-write-a-memoir​

‘My Life in a Book’ - https://mylifeinabook.com/   Standard price $99 includes a one year subscription to enable you to write your story through the My Life In a Book platform together with a premium keepsake book in lively colours in A5 format that will contain the stories and images you share.  Additional copies $30.  Every Monday you will receive one question prompt to help you to decide what to write about – you will write your story and add an image for each question – you also have the option to email your story to your loved ones after you’ve written it. 

‘Storyworth.com’ storyworth.com     $99 for subscription and one black and white interior book

‘The Life Writer’ – https://thelifewriter.com  offers a format which may work well with our stories, having categories which could work… it is $95 (?US) and it may only be for one copy.  Worth finding out more about!

‘Memlife.com’ An online tool – https://www.memlife.com     I’m trialling it; it looks very user friendly!  It’s free – at least for a basic purpose.  It doesn’t have prompts, but is easy to use when you remember to use it!

Suggestion - we monitor what is happening, take out test subscriptions if they seem to be useful, .... we generally 'watch this space!'

It's ready!   Note the last entry contains ideas for times when you have writer's block!

‘Precious Objects’
(Suggestion by Graham Jensen for 2023)

Tell us about a memento, an object (or a group of objects) from a time in your past that has been important to you, and why.  You always carry it with you whenever you move and find it very hard to let go of.
 
Maybe it has a story behind it, or it's been a powerful presence i­­­­­­n your life.  Bring along the item if you can, or at the very least, a photo!

Sample Life Matters 2022– El’s silver ladle

Alternative topic - ‘Failure’

Although 'As Time Goes By'  is not a ‘skills focussed course’,  feel free to follow the guidelines relating to and share your story on 'Failure' at our next session - ‘Write about a failure you’ve experienced – from the commonplace to the catastrophic – in 500 words’.

A special welcome to new members. If you would like to contribute a 500-word story (topics below) in February, that would be excellent, however don't feel you have to.  It's fine to 'pass' until you feel comfortable. Feel free to use and develop your own writing style, to use your own voice.  While 500 words is suggested as a word limit, there is no penalty if you go over this!   
 
if you haven't written for a while and are finding it hard to get started - I've attached two documents which might be helpful. There's a Tip Sheet on writing your 500 words story published for the ABC Open program which provided the structure for our course when we first started.  There's also a guide for planning a story using the topic 'Failure' -‘Write about a failure you’ve experienced – from the commonplace to the catastrophic – in 500 words’. While these sheets may be helpful, it is not compulsory to follow them.
 
Topic Details for Monday 20th February 

The 500 word topic for February, ‘The (season) I’ , was inspired by Jenny’s story ‘The Summer I Saved a Life’ and Michelle’s 2022 member’s choice topic ‘Summer 1977’.  ‘Develop a title and share a story on a memorable season in your life using the season you remember it happening in as a backdrop or prompt.’ 

Alternative topics for new class members (or members who haven't written on these topics)”
·   ‘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’ or  
·  ‘The Year that Made Me’  ‘Write about a year which made a particular difference in your life’s journey.   Over to you!’ or
·  'I Was There'   'Have you experienced a significant news, historical or cultural event first-hand? Share your personal piece of history in 500 words’.

The topic list for 2023 will be handed out on Monday.  Thank you to class members who sent in ideas for new topics.   
 
I'm looking forward to seeing you on Monday at 2pm.  Please call me if you have any questions or would like to run something past me.
 
 
Beverley Lee
0478 607 838

The topic list for 2023 is almost ready!  Thank you to class members who sent in ideas for new topics. 

The 500 word topic for February, ‘The (season) I’ , was inspired by Jenny’s story ‘The Summer I Saved a Life’ and Michelle’s 2022 member’s choice topic ‘Summer 1977’.  ‘Develop a title and share a story on a memorable season in your life using the season you remember it happening in as a backdrop or prompt.’ 

Alternative topics suggested for new class members - ‘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’ or  ‘The Year that Made Me’ (A topic often used by ABC interviewers with Australian living treasures.)   ‘Write about a year which made a particular difference in your life’s journey.   Over to you!’

A reminder that we have moved to the 3rd Monday – our first session is on Monday 20th February from 2 to 4pm.    Enjoy the remainder of your break!
 
Beverley Lee

'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 flavour of experience, an aspect of life that is most unusual or fascinating.

Each month class members share stories responding to set 500 Words themed writing topics.

New members are invited to share a 500-word story at our first meeting for 2023 on 20th February from 2 - 4 pm, either 'I Was There', Have you experienced a significant news, historical or cultural event first-hand? , or 'New in Town', Have you ever been the new person in town?

​However, it's fine to pass and enjoy the stories shared by others.

Please note that 'As Time Goes By' does not include writing skills sessions or cover writing a detailed, chronological autobiography.


​Beverley Lee

The coming of the Festive Season was celebrated in November, with reminiscing on ‘Christmas past’ and a spread of Christmas fare, from cherries and other summer fruits to shortbread, mince tarts, ginger biscuits, chocolates, cakes, was enjoyed during the break.

November’s topic, ‘Triggers’, provided rich pickings, with the televison program ‘Escape to the Country’ evoking memories of Heather Hartland’s childhood in Wales.  The song ‘I want to be Bobby’s Girl’ reminded Graeme of his childhood barber, ‘Mac’, while a recent direction to ‘Duck’ reminded him of his maternal grandfather exclaiming ‘Duck’ to his grandchildren when driving under a bridge in his Vanguard sedan .  A visit to FCJ Convent reminded Ray of an incident involving Sister Brendan leading to “Poetic Justice (serve her right!)”, while Cup Day reminded him of having serious car accident many years ago after spending a happy day at the Cup with friends.  Neville wrote of triggers which recall engaging memories of each of his sons, with ‘The Simpsons’ featuring more than one once. 

A comment when reading a review of two books on the Vietnam War reminded Graham of purchasing an ‘au dai’ dress for his future wife when he was on a peace keeping mission to Ho Chi Minh city in 1970.  The article also triggered memories of the unanticipated impact of a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Museum on Phillip Island many years later. 

Bev described how listening to a radio interview recently led her to reflect on the impact of the deaths of the Balibo 5 in East Timor in 1975 on people from her past.  On a lighter note, Carmyl shared a delightful story full of memories triggered by a visit from ‘Sharon nee Wilson’, born two days before Carmyl’s son Stephen in Merbein in 1968.   “It was 52 years since I’d had the pleasure of again sharing lunch with Sharon neeʹ Wilson.”  Heather Wallace shared an engaging story about the way in which ‘hearing whistling’ always reminds of her father, and ‘smelling cigar smoke ‘of her maternal grandfather.
 
For the alternative topic,  ‘One Moment This Year’ -  Marg wrote about finding the death certificate and whereabouts of the grave of her great grandfather, Percy Watkinson, who died in Paris in 1907; while Bev Morton wrote about ‘A Chance Encounter’ with a woman passing by and unexpected sharing of happy memories spent growing up in Black Rock near the Half Moon Bay in Melbourne. 

In her catch up story, ‘The Sky's the Limit’, Bev Morton expanded the notion of the sky to the universe, while Barry’s catch up story ‘This (Flexible) Life’ provided a rich overview of the flexibility (and resilience) demonstrated  as he negotiated his working life. 

It will soon be 2023!  The topic list for next year will be available on Enrolment Day, 11 January from 9.30-11.30 am, with the first class in our new timeslot (the Third Monday) on February 20th from 2 to 4pm.  Enjoy a relaxing holiday break!

Beverley Lee

Bev began our October by recommending a chapter from a memoir which a pediatric doctor described as "Excoriatingly beautiful and a punch in the guts at the same time.', Titled 'The Heaviest Pain in the World', the chapter was published recently in 'The Times' in the UK.  We spoke about how our general principle of being protective of ourselves in deciding what to share in class, but noted that this doesn't mean that we should never write about profound and deeply personal experiences.

October's icebreaker involved chatting with another person about memories of trains in our lives, a topic inspired by this photograph of the Flinders Street Clocks during our Melbourne (or visiting Melbourne) childhoods.  Ray's memories of incidents involving trains and childhood friends at the Villa Maria Children's Home in Ballarat were quite delightful!

A delicious range of ‘This (…….) Life‘ stories were on October's menu - 'This (Virtual) Life', 'This (Fortunate) Life', 'This (Nomadic) Life', 'This (Dangerous) Life', 'This (Retirement) Life', 'This (King and I) Life' ,  'This (Number 13) Life', 'This (Reading) Life' and 'This (Long) Life'.   Thank you, everyone, for serving up such intriguing and engaging stories for our shared delectation!

In his story, 'The Sky's the Limit', Barry described the overwhelming response of the Swanpool community to the opportunity to host 'The Bald Archy's' and the outcomes they achieved over a six year period before moving on the design and deliver the enormously successful SCRAP Art Exhibition.   Marg Nelson also shared a most engaging story describing her long anticipated achievement of a 'Bucket List' item in visiting the Grand Canyon in the USA.  

Coming up in November – ‘Triggers’ - Our task for our last session for the year is to keep a notebook 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.   

The alternative topic, or perhaps one to keep for December, is ‘One Moment This Year’, The brief -  ‘Looking back on this year, what single moment stands out for you?  Whether it be loss, love, discovery or disappointment, share your unforgettable moment.’


Bev Lee

I promised to get back to you with the Benalla Festival's writing competition topic for 2022 - it has taken time to eventually discover that it's not on the Festival program this year.  This is such a pity, as although only a few of the group usually enter, it is a wonderful avenue for adult writers, also for the young people and children in our schools.   Perhaps next year!

Given a large air show is a feature of the Benalla Festival in 2022, also that a new course  'The Sky's the Limit' is being offered in 2023 to reflect Benalla's long association with aviation, our second topic is a repeat of the brief set for the 2016 Festival competition, 'The Sky's the Limit', prior to the world gliding championships in January 2017.  

"As part of the 2016 Benalla Festival, budding writers in Benalla Rural City are invited to enter a poem or a piece of prose on the topic ‘The Sky is the limit!’ This topic is based on this year’s Benalla Festival theme which celebrates Benalla’s long association with aviation. Your piece might be: 

• a bird’s eye view of our beautiful part of North East Victoria.
• about gliding in Benalla and the World Gliding Championships. 
• about our fascination with all forms of flight. 
• about the future possibilities with space travel. 
• about a time when you or someone else excelled at school, work or on the sporting arena. 
• about a time when your achievements exceeded expectations. 
• about someone who inspires you or has inspired you to always do your best. (This might be your mum, dad, grandparent, next door neighbour, teacher or sporting coach). 
• about organisations that help create a better community.

The possibilities are unlimited. The sky really is the limit!"

I've already received some stories for 'This (....) Life'!    The Brief:  “Create and develop a concept for a story drawing on something which is happening now or reflects on memories from the past”, for example,  ‘This (Downsizing) Life’ by an 80+ year old about planning to farewell loved home; ‘This (Number 8) Life’ about growing up as ‘Number 8’ in a family of nine children.  Stories ‘This (Adventurous) Life’ and ‘This (Fear of Heights) Life’ are among those written last year.

Finally, a reminder  to check out the ‘brief bio’ on your ‘Our Stories’ page to see if you would like to change it to better reflect your reason for writing stories, your intended audience, etc.  


Bev

Our icebreaker activity this month built on a chapter in Martin Amis’s memoir ‘Experience’ relating to the slice of life ‘experiences with teeth’! Members were asked to talk in pairs about a ‘slice of their life’ relating to ‘teeth’—while faces appeared quite unimpressed when given the topic, the room was soon resonant with a quiet buzz of memory sharing; with moving recollections of ‘experiences with teeth’ later shared by each of our two ‘Heathers’. 

The topic “Bucket List” proved popular, with nine stories shared and now available on the website.  Few told of a catch-all ‘bucket list’, however most explored goals, dreams, places and aspirations which have been achieved, some highlighting those which remain to be achieved.  Carmyl wrote of not having had a bucket list, “I can only think that, for me, I lived the life that came along”, while Graham titled his beautifully written contribution ‘There’s a hole in my bucket list, dear Liza’.

Barry’s ‘It’s Never Too Late’ story was triggered by watching the Australian comedy ‘Never Too Late’ while in covid isolation in Perth a few months ago, while Graeme shared two ‘It’s never too late-two vignettes’, one on missing a train that was four hours late, the other about an aunt who proved it’s never too get late to get a PhD when she was 81. 
 
Bev’s catch-up story, ‘No One Left in Limbo’, was triggered by a photograph of a community ‘social causes’ banner containing the letter M she created for the versatile Daylesford Community Banner in 1982. 

Inspired by the Australian’s Weekend Review column which publishes original submissions of 450-500 words, ‘This (….) Life’ is one of our topics for October.  The Brief:  “Create and develop a concept for a story drawing on something which is happening now or reflects on memories from the past”, for example,  ‘This (Downsizing) Life’ by an 80+ year old about planning to farewell loved home; ‘This (Number 8) Life’ about growing up as ‘Number 8’ in a family of nine children.  Stories ‘This (Adventurous) Life’ and ‘This (… Fear of Heights) Life’ are among those written last year and available on the website. 

Once the Benalla Festival’s Writing Competition details have been released – usually around 8 October – I’ll email everyone the details of the second topic for October.  You may also decide to enter the Competition!
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Beverley Lee

This month’s warmup reminiscence involved describing how the music of Judith Durham, Olivia Newton-John or Archie Roach intersected in our life stories. Responses included Michelle's 'lived experience' as a teenager when 'Grease' hit the screens and Marg Nelson’s ‘lived experience’ as the mother of a teenage daughter obsessed with 'Grease'. Ray described his admiration for Judith Durham's voice and the song 'World of Our Own', while Barry remembered Olivia and Pat Carroll coming into the bank branch at which he was a young relieving teller to do their banking.  Marg McCrohan remembered attending a Seeker's concert at the Myer Music Bowl, while Carmyl described memories of seeing Olivia as a young girl, walking in the grounds of Melbourne University with her father, Brin Newton-John, Master of Ormond College.

Bev Lee continued this theme in her ‘Right Here, Right Now’ story about hearing Archie Roach sing at the Labour Day Concert at the Melbourne Concert Hall in 1990.  Jenny's reflective 'Here and Now' meditation followed. Michelle then suggested reading her ‘member's choice’ story, 'Summer of 77', to lighten the mood.  Graeme's ‘Right Here, Right Now’ story humorously aligned anecdotes of the Machiavellian tendencies of a certain ex-Prime Minister with those of his teenage grandchildren as they try to wedge their parents on an issue!  Ray reflected poignantly on a long life, while new to Benalla member, Graham, wrote movingly about what we move towards and what we leave behind.

In another ‘member’s choice’ story, 'How can I keep from singing’, Carmyl delightfully explored a lifetime of taking every possible opportunity to sing, a pattern which continues today with her involvement in our Singing for Fun group.  Bev Morton’s story ‘Gap Year’, which described her memories of very eccentric school master at a one teacher school on Phillip Island, received a round of spontaneous applause. Barry's story 'Options' had a sting in the tale – the choice, avoiding a wife's potential wrath or facing down the potential wrath of a black snake!  Heather's story 'Outback Adventure' also featured high drama. 
 
Catch up stories shared included 'Ritual--Immortalized in film' (Michelle); 'Community--Community Radio’, (Neville); and 'Memories Treasure Chest' (Marg Nelson and Heather Hartland). 

Next month’s topic is ‘Bucket List’ Most of us have a “bucket list” of things we’d like to achieve in life (e.g., ‘Seeing the Northern Lights’ or ‘Writing my memoirs’), a catch-all list of life goals, dreams, places and aspirations. Do you remember when something was first was added to your bucket list, the circumstances surrounding it? Which have you achieved, and which are you still on your list? Share your bucket list stories in 500 words.

The alternative topic is “It's never too late” Do you have an 'It's never too late story' about yourself or someone you know or knew? Share your story in 500 words.

Bev Lee

​Our icebreaker activity in July caused much amusement, with a viewing of the short film 'Smashing Pumpkin' from the SBS series ‘Tales from the Golf’, followed by discussion of themes which resonated with us.

This month’s stories for the topic ‘Ritual’ included Ray's delightful story of his 90th birthday celebrations; Marg McCrohan's memories and photos of her parents’ Golden Wedding celebrations in April 1991; and Graeme's reflections on the funeral of an old friend attended the previous day, and the memories he had shared with him over time.   Graham wrote beautifully about a ritual practice he developed while walking down a favoured bush lane to a lagoon near his home on NSW’s far south coast.

Inspired by an expired passport and the current political climate, the topic ‘Memories Treasure Chest’, brought forward Bev Morton’s gripping story of an attempted landing on an Arctic Island from a small Russian ship.  It also evoked Carmyl’s delightful stories, replete with evidence, of ‘when marbles were in fashion’ and when her 17-year beau (later husband Don) gave her a box of Old Gold Chocolates on their first ‘date’. 

​‘Catch up’ stories this month included Marg McCrohan's ‘Causes’ story of visiting detained asylum seekers at MITA in Melbourne, a story reflecting Marg’s deep and long-term concern and advocacy for refugees.  Marg Nelson’s story of participating in the Farmers' March through Melbourne to Parliament House on March 26, 1985, was also powerful.  Her ‘Community’ story about belonging to a community of garden club members who enjoy growing and showing Chrysanthemums had an intriguing ending – a Chrysanthemum has been named ‘Margaret Nelson’ after her!  Heather's story, about the senior homeowners’ community at the Lifestyle Village in Sydney Road she has grown to love and advocate for, also related to our ‘Causes’ collection, as did Barry's 'Rebellion' story involving rebelling against a CFA policy affecting access to ‘loss of income compensation’ when advocating for an older volunteer CFA fire fighter injured in the Lurg area during the 2014 fires.

Next month's topic is 'Right Here, Right Now’ ‘A time capsule of the present which incorporates reflections on the past. Write a story about a situation currently unfolding in your life, right here, right now'.

The alternate topic: ‘Member’s Choice’ 'This is your chance to develop your own ‘500 words’ topic and share it with others!'

Bev Lee

On ‘Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery’ this week Marcia Hines described her mother as having a wise saying for every occasion. ‘Wise sayings’ became the prompt for our icebreaker – the stories shared were precious!

We moved on to read a beautifully written Facebook post by writer Arnold Zable which began ‘Election Day.  May 21, Mid Afternoon.  I make my way to Canning Street, Carlton North…’.  Bev explained how using Arnold‘s post as a prompt and model had encouraged her to write in a more creative way for this month’s topic ‘Causes’ -- ‘Election Day. May 21.  7.45 am.  I make my way from Benalla to the Tatong Polling Booth, …
’
Carmyl’s ‘Cause’, ‘The Multi-Cultural Program’ was triggered when chatting to a young Japanese woman who had married a local and had lived in her town for four years - “I walk down the street and nobody notices me. They think I’m a tourist. It’s as though I’m invisible.”

Jenny’s ‘causes’ related to activism in fighting for the staff ‘Car Park’ at the Benalla Hospital and, as a parent of primary age school children, acting when ’The Raison d’Etre for 15 Mile Creek Camp was threatened’. 
 
New member Graham combined ‘Causes’ and the alternative topic ‘Rebellion’ in ‘A Rebel with a Cause’, a story about conscription set in the Vietnam War era which left us all desperate to find out ‘what happened next’!  Ray’s story of rebellion involved his adhering to ethical principles despite a power imbalance.  Bev then delved into the archives, sharing Elizabeth Kearns’ delightful story of a childhood rebellion in Ireland.

Catch up stories were also shared, Jenny reading her poem ‘Trees’ and Bev Morton her ‘prose poem’ on ‘Community’ with the mysterious title ‘We Only Meet On Dark Nights’.   We look forward to more catch-up stories being shared in July, including Marg’s ‘Causes’ story on refugees and Barry’s story of ‘Rebellion’.

Our topic for July is ‘Ritual’… “Write about a memorable ritual event in your life (or in which you were involved)- it could be a 21st, making a debut; engagement, wedding, child ‘s christening, first communion, confirmation or other cultural milestone Why did you choose this particular ritual to write about?  What is there about it that is so memorable for you”.

The alternate topic is ‘Memories Treasure Chest’ (1) Create/Draw upon an ‘Memories Treasure Chest’ in a shoe/other box containing objects and artefacts such as maps, menus, theatre programs, an old report card, vials of perfume, a garment, treasured photographs, a souvenir, an expired passport…(2) Select two items from the treasure chest 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)

On a final note, during the session we shared Carmyl’s excitement at her son Michael Winkler’s shortlisting for the Miles Franklin Literary Award for his book ‘Grimmish’.  We wish him well!
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Bev Lee