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'.