​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!
​
Bev Lee

The memoir 'vignettes' which were written for May’s warmup activity, 'Gone Fishing', were varied and precious.  Neville and Graeme then reminisced about childhood memories of Anzac Days which have stayed with them, with Neville's story also honouring his father and Graeme’s story describing decades of participation in Anzac Day marches as a band member.  
​
Under the theme of 'Friendship', stories of great warmth were shared about the rediscovery of 'A Long Lost Friend' by Carmyl, Heather, Joan and Marg.  Ray chose 'A Friendship Tested', reading his father's poem, 'The Stockman's Lament', a poem which powerfully illustrates the way in which young people can test friendships using peer group pressure involving risk, danger, and in this case, death. 

With two months to catch up on, a longer session with an afternoon tea of slices, biscuits and chocolates was the order of the day.   During the break we celebrated Ray O'Shannessy's 90th birthday.  Ray has been a member of the memoir writing group since February 2017 and has written many stories about his life since then.   Happy Birthday, Ray!

The topic, 'Community', resulted in stories set in geographic communities, such as Barry's story of growing up in Wollert and Ray's record of his extensive involvement in the Benalla community. Stories about ‘communities of interest' were also shared - Marg's participation in “Tennis Playing Communities” from County Tipperary to Benalla; Carmyl's beloved cottage industry community at Tallangatta; Bev's reflections on educational communities, and Heather's story about the RAAF– “I have been in a number of places where I have developed a real sense of community, but none affected me more than my years of service with the RAAF”… 

During the session we listened to a new story on Life Matters from the ABC’s current ‘500 words’ project.  Writers now submit stories recorded on their smart phones!  We talked about adding their new topics to our list, with the group clearly in favour of 'Precious Objects', but not so sure about 'True Confessions'!   We also checked out the positive comments Marg’s story ‘Annamult’ has received on the website from people living in Ireland.

Our topic for June is 'Causes' - the brief "Tell us about a time, or times, when you have taken on a cause you were passionate or concerned about. When did this occur; why was it important to you, how did you go about addressing it - with what result?"
 
The alternate topic for June is 'Rebellion'- The brief, "Have you ever challenged authority, defied expectation or fought for your beliefs?  (Each month we offer a popular, previously used topic as an alternative for newer members and those wishing to revisit and perhaps edit a previous story.) 

On a final note, kudos to new members Graeme and Joan, who have now taken the leap, sharing engaging stories to commence their collection of 'slices of life' stories for 'As Time Goes By'.


​Bev Lee

We did not meet in April as our session fell on Anzac Day, however we have extended our meeting time on Monday 23 May to 1 to 4 pm.  Please bring one if not two 500-word stories and a small plate of afternoon tea or some chocolates to share! 

The topics?  ‘Community’ (April’s topic)- “Write about a community you participated in, taking this opportunity to write about a slice of your life’s journey which may be of interest to your family. It could be a community in which you felt a really ‘good fit’, a community which changed you, perhaps even a community you were glad to leave behind.  Share your reflections in 500 words.  ” 'Community' can be a geographical unit - a region, a town, a neighbourhood, a street, but it can also relate to a 'community of interest' you belong or have belonged to.

The alternate April topic is ‘Anzac Day’ – The Brief - 'Looking back over your lifetime, write about your memories of Anzac 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. “A chance to reminisce about memories of Anzac Day (or Days) which have stayed with us over time”. 

‘Long Lost Friend’ (May’s topic) – “Have you ever come across a long-lost friend years after first meeting them? Tell us about the time when you first knew them, how you lost touch and the major changes in your life since, how you met them again, and your reflections on doing so. Are you still in contact? Explain what has happened since you came across them again.” (‘long lost’ could also be a family member).

The alternate May topic is ‘A Friendship Tested’ - "A true friend is there through thick and thin, but not all friendships survive under pressure. Tell us about a time when a friendship was put to the test. Did it strengthen your relationship, or push it over the edge?"

Bev Lee

It has been wonderful to return to class this year, with five new members joining returning students in sharing stories in class. 

​February’s topic, ‘I Was There’, elicited fascinating ‘slices of life’, including meeting the Queen in New Zealand as a young Girl Guide; hearing President Soekarno speak at the opening of a new university in Aceh, Indonesia in 1962; and being there when the Russell Street bombing occurred on March 27th1986.  Stories written for ‘One Moment, This Year (2021)’ described the deep disappointment of continued absence from family during Covid and unforgettable moments of pure joy at eventually being together again. 
  
‘Tree Stories’ proved to be a delightful topic in March, incorporating many captivating memories of childhood.  Other ‘Memories of Childhood’ were also shared, memories of a happy childhood in England and ‘the big adventure’ of migrating to Australia;  also ‘early 1940’s’ memories of train trips to wartime Melbourne, visits to the department stores of Foy and Gibson, Buckley and Nunn and the Myer Emporium and a father’s departure from Spencer Street on the ‘Spirit of Progress’ before leaving for the war in Europe. 

We will not be meeting on Anzac Day but have extended our meeting time in late May to from 1 to 4 pm.  Please bring two 500-word stories and a small plate of afternoon tea or some chocolates to share! 

The topics?  ‘Community’ - “Write about a community you participated in, taking this opportunity to write about a slice of your life’s journey which may be of interest to your family. It could be a community in which you felt a really ‘good fit’, a community which changed you, perhaps even a community you were glad to leave behind….” and ‘Long Lost Friend’ – “Have you ever come across a long-lost friend years after first meeting them? Tell us about the time when you first knew them, how you lost touch and the major changes in your life since, how you met them again, and your reflections on doing so. Are you still in contact? Explain what has happened since you came across them again.” (other ‘long lost’?...eg. family member, item, pet…)”. 
​
The alternate topics are ‘Anzac Day’ and ‘A Friendship Tested’. 

The detailed list of topics and alternates for 2022 is always available - see RH column.  


Bev Lee

Icebreaker/Reflecting Back
Interview another class member about their own, their mother's or perhaps grandmothers experience of being a housewife.  Do you think they led a dull or exciting life....?   What other questions might help them to open up....

The Writing Process
What to share?  Looking after ourselves emotionally.

Topics - March
​
‘Tree stories…’ The brief – “Reflect for a few minutes on the role or presence of trees earlier in your life, brainstorming a list of your thoughts. Draw upon your list to write about two or three of these memories of trees, taking us back into your world at the time, the meaning of these trees to you then, and perhaps even now”. 

The alternative topic is - ‘A Childhood Memory’ or 'A Childhood Experience' “Some childhood memories stay with us despite the passage of time. Some of these memories involve something which happened which inspired and built on our imagination. Share a story taking us back to one”.

Upcoming Topics

'Community' can be a geographical unit - a region, a town, a neighbourhood, a street - . but it can also relate to 'communities of interest' you belong or have belonged to.  I often think that our U3A groups represent 44 different 'communities of interest'.  I'm not interested in gardening, but  avid gardeners join and enjoy Garden Team and Garden Appreciation!  Sometimes people are in two or three areas of similar interest and often find themselves going out for coffee together as well as meetig at U3A.  

The topic was inspired by a story in the Tatong Tattler a few weeks ago titled 'Community'. While it relates to a geographic community, it also relates to communities of interest, in this case, in people sharing power lines; people who have animals on their farms!
​
‘Community’ The Brief - 'Write about a community you observed and participated in, taking this opportunity to write about a slice of your life’s journey which may be of interest to your family. It could be a community in which you felt you were a really ‘good fit’, a community which changed you, a community you were glad to leave behind….' Share your reflections in 500 words.

The alternate topic ‘Anzac Day’ – The Brief - 'Looking back over your lifetime, write about your memories of Anzac 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. “A chance to reminisce about memories of Anzac Day (or Days) which have stayed with us over time”. 

Introduction - Course Description ... "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".   The course is memoir based - it does not cover writing a detailed, chronological autobiography.

A memoir is a slice from a person’s life which focuses on a particular theme or lesson or flavor of experience, an aspect of life that is most unusual or fascinating.   

Icebreaker/Warm up - Interview another class member... what do you remember about your first day at school?  Suggestions - eg. Use open ended questions.... "Can you tell me about".... Use Minimal encouragers - nods, 'mm's', repeating last few words said, and more. 

Sharing of February's stories:

#1 One moment, this year (2021)
Marg McCrohan
​Margaret Nelson
Joy Shirley

#2 Memoir
Barry O'Connor
 
#3  I was there -
Michelle Aitken
Neville Gibb
Heather Hartland
​​Bev Lee 
Bev Morton
Carmyl Winkler

A Personal Experience
Jenny Monger

Stories have started to be sent in for sharing at our ‘post newsletter deadline’ class on Monday 28 February.  The topics - 
 
#1 One Moment, This Year Looking back on 2021, what single moment stands out for you?  Whether it be loss, love, discovery or disappointment, share your unforgettable moment. 
#2 A Memoir - ‘Head for your bookshelf, the library or an online book-store to retrieve a memoir, preferably one which has meant something to you.   When did it enter your life?  How did it then, or does it now, relate to your life story?’ 
#3 ‘I Was There’… Have you experienced a significant news, historical or cultural event first-hand?    Share your personal piece of history in 500 words.

We are looking forward to meeting new members, who have the added option of sharing stories of being ‘New in Town’.  We’ll also be distributing and discussing the topic list for 2022.
​
Bev Lee

We are looking forward to hearing memories from last year's members on one of three topics set for the holiday period on our return on Monday 28 February at 2 pm - 
​
#1 One Moment, This Year
Looking back on 2021, what single moment stands out for you?  Whether it be loss, love, discovery or disappointment, share your unforgettable moment. 
#2 A Memoir' -   ‘Head for your bookshelf, the library or an online book-store to retrieve a memoir, preferably one which has meant something to you.  When did it enter your life?  How did it then, or does it now, relate to your life story?’  (If you would like a more detailed framework to write your memoir review, check out ‘A Memoir which has meant something to me’ from the ATGB web page.) 
#3 ‘I Was There’…
Have you experienced a significant news, historical or cultural event first-hand? Share your personal piece of history in 500 words.

New members are also encouraged to bring along a story, either 'I Was There’ (#3 above) or ‘New in Town’, a great topic to share to introduce yourself if you are relatively new to Benalla.  The brief ‘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'.  However, it’s fine to ‘pass’ and enjoy the stories shared by others.

Looking forward to seeing you all on Monday 28 February at 2 pm in meeting room 1!

Bev Lee

November's warmup activity, 'I very nearly... ' resulted in the sharing of gems, including 'I very nearly photographed Gregory Peck', 'I very nearly won Tattslotto' and 'I very nearly died in a car accident''.   The reading of an article 'Secrets Big and Small - Beneath their chestnut wigs and moralising, who were these people?' by Monica Dux, The Age, October 24 1924 provided a fertile base for discussion of dilemmas which can come up in memoir writing, which at times relates to difficult and complex family matters which family members can have different views about.  

This month's topics  were 'Found' and 'Triggers'.

It has once again been a great delight to convene this group and to share their stories on the website.  I'm looking forward to hearing stories selected from the following topics at our first session in late February:
One Moment, This Year 2021
Looking back on 2021, what single moment stands out for you?  Whether it be loss, love, discovery or disappointment, share your unforgettable moment. 
'A Memoir' -  The brief – ‘Head for your bookshelf, the library or an online book-store to retrieve a memoir, preferably one which has meant something to you.  When did it enter your life?  How did it then, or does it now, relate to your life story?’ 
' I Was There’… 
Have you experienced a significant news, historical or cultural event first-hand? Share your personal piece of history in 500 words.


Bev Lee
​November 2021

October's session began with an exercise using this month's topic 'This (....) Life', to draw upon current preoccupations, joys, frustrations.  Short 'slices of life' stories were written and shared including 'This ('Jigsaw Playing Lockdown'), ('Proud Mother's), ('Grass Cutting'), 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'), ('Vexatious'), ('Frustrating Technology Monday'), ('Bureaucratic B.S'), and ('Frustrated Shareholder's') Life'.  
​
In danger of the group drowning in despair over technology related bureaucracy and covid (the complexities of registering vaccination certificates on the QR check in app having taken a toll) - Bev Lee shared her feel good 'This (Time Travelling) Life' story about time spent immersed in the lives of ancestors while adding recently discovered photos to ancestry.com.  Neville's 'This (Royal) Life' story drew us in to the imagined life of the young Queen Elizabeth when she travelled to Benalla in 1954.  The daughter of a doctor with a fascination with Ireland and travel, Margaret shared 'A Fortunate Life' - with apologies to A. B. Facey', a story of life in a large family which moved frequently, an ‘inbuilt support group’ endowed with good genes and ‘a good sense of humour’.  Barry's story 'This (Confusing) Life' addressed the confusion of the messages in the news around the pandemic he has experienced while journalling about it over the past 18 months, and his concerns about the opening up and the journey to follow.

Bev Morton's evocative, quietly humorous story about 'Courage' addressed her fear of heights and its impact on her, particularly during her many travels in Greenland.   Elizabeth's Right Here, Right Now - I'm Thinking of Saturday Nights' story took us to Ireland from 1946 to 1956 in a beautiful story about how her resilient family shared Saturday's working together, of bath time on a Saturday night, of her father's skills and philosophies as the family's cobbler.  In her story 'Found' Joy reflects on finding a career as one of the early graduates taking up work in the computer industry as a trainee programmer, a career which culminated in roles in project management, quality control and senior team management.

Some stories on previous topics were also added this month to 'Our Stories' on the website.

Topics for our next class on 22 November – 
‘Found’   Use the simple prompt ‘Found’ to write about something of lasting importance to you which you discovered at some stage of your life.  What led up to it, what did you find out, what has it meant to you since?  It can be a thing, an idea, a person, ….. the sky’s the limit! 
‘Triggers’ (alternative topic)Keep a notebook close by this month in which to note any ‘triggers’ which led you to reminisce about a time in your lives.   You may have been talking to someone, watching television or a film, driving somewhere, reading a book.   Choose one to three of these and write about the memories evoked – keeping the total words to 500 – 750 words.
​
Bev Lee

A range of stories have already submitted for October's class, with more to come!

'This (Confusing) Life' (Barry O'Connor)
'This Life' - 'A Fortunate Life' (Marg McCrohan)
'This (Time Travelling) Life'  (Bev Lee)

'Courage' (Bev Morton)

'If Only' (Gary Edwards)

'Right Here Right Now ...I'm thinking of Saturday nights' (Elizabeth Kearns)
​
'Found' (Joy Shirley)

Next month's topics for class on 22 November - 

‘Found’
Use the simple prompt ‘Found’ to write about something of lasting importance to you which you discovered at some stage of your life.  What led up to it, what did you find out, what has it meant to you since?  It can be a thing, an idea, a person, ….. the sky’s the limit! 
​
(Alternate) ‘Triggers’ 
Keep a notebook close by this month in which to note any ‘triggers’ which led you to reminisce about a time in your lives.   You may have been talking to someone, watching television or a film, driving somewhere, reading a book.   Choose one to three of these and write about the memories evoked – keeping the total words to 500 – 750 words
​

Our first session in the U3A meeting room for over three months began with the sharing of earthquake and lockdown stories!   After a warm up activity, 'Share a story with another class member about a time when you got into trouble...', Neville and Val shared Right Here, Right Now ' stories, with Neville responding to being in lockdown, and Val writing about the house she is living in right here, right now, including her recent experience of the earthquake! 
                       
Sometimes our monthly topics are rather tricky - 'If only I...' was one of these. Marg McCrohan described her ambivalence about writing on a topic which had caused anxiety and loss of sleep, while Joy reframed the topic by beginning ‘If only I had NOT… I would not have … (positive outcome)’.  Barry’s story could have been titled ‘If only I’d … listened to my parents’.  Ray wrote two captivating vignettes – ‘If only I’d known … (there were 263 steps to the top of the tower)’ and ‘If only I … (hadn’t become distracted)’, while Bev’s story ... 'If only I'd... learned French at School' had a humorous twist.  In a memoir piece written at a deeper level, Michelle shared a moving story ... 'If Only I'd ...stayed with my aunt and uncle'.

It was lovely to welcome Marg Nelson back and to hear her 'Crash', 'Curved Ball' and 'Stock and Land' stories.

Coming up in October, our first topic ‘This (……) Life’ draws upon The Australian Weekend Magazine’s ‘This Life’ story format.   The brief - Write a 500-word story under the broad theme of 'This Life', inserting your theme in brackets in the title as the topic emerges.  Examples in the Weekend Magazine have included ‘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.  If you are having trouble getting started, check out last year's stories at ​u3abenalla.weebly.com/this-life.   

Our alternative topic is ‘A test of courage’, the brief - ‘Has your courage ever been tested? Tell us a story of your bravery, or when you should have been brave but couldn't summon the courage'.   
​ 
Some additional information:  Has life ever presented you with a situation that forced you to dig deep, to do something that put you at risk? Maybe it was a split-second reaction when you helped someone in harm’s way, or something you deliberated over for years, like a love letter. It could be as personal as telling a friend a difficult truth, or as public as protesting against what you believe is wrong.  What was at stake, and what strengths did you need to draw upon in the face of pain or grief? What did you learn about yourself from doing something that was frightening?

If you would like to read some stories on 'A Test of Courage', here's the link to search results from our home page -  https://u3abenalla.weebly.com/apps/search?q=A+Test+of+Courage.
​
It’s taster time – if you would like to join us in October and November, perhaps bringing a story chosen from one of our monthly topics, you are most welcome.

Bev Lee

With only two days notice, we moved from a pilot Zoom meeting in June to a scheduled Zoom session in August.  We had been looking forward to meeting together again in the U3A meeting room, but that wasn't to be!  Zoom actually seems to suit our sessions rather well, as we can follow the stories on screen while the writer is reading their story to us.   

Despite a technical hitch at the beginning, which saw David waiting to join during the break, we had a session rich in story telling and responses from the group.  'Crash' stories were shared by Barry, Ray and David; with 'Stock and Land' stories shared by the two Bev's, Val, Marg McCrohan, and David (about his 'other life' as a shearer), and a thought provoking 'Cringe' story shared by Helen.  There are new stories on the website from Michelle and Elizabeth - 'Crash'; and Marg Nelson's 'Curved Ball'.   

​Being at home, we had an additional activity inspired by Bev's 'show and tell' of a bottle of tomato relish made by Swanpool's Joan Warnock which reminded her of her Grandmother's tomato relish and meals of corned beef with relish from her childhood.  Class members were sent to raid their kitchens, returning to hold up and visually share bottles of preserved lemons, relishes made by friends, home made tomato sauces, yo yo's 'almost as good as my aunt's lamingtons', a cauliflower 'which we always had in Ireland with a salted pork cut'; an old 'knife sharpener used by my father', finishing with Greg's piece de resistance, a bottle of methylated spirits, always used to treat cuts during his childhood, and even now!

With 'Right Here, Right Now' a topic next month, we checked out last year's 'Right Here, Right Now', stories.  With us being once again in a hard lockdown and with most of last August's stories responding to the pandemic during a hard lockdown, even a quick overview of them had quite a powerful effect on us.  If you would like to read them, here's the link - ​u3abenalla.weebly.com/right-here-right-now

Coming up on Monday September 27  '

‘If only I’d…’ Even though we are advised not to dwell on ‘if only’s’… we often do!  Write about an ‘if only’ moment in your life in 500 words, describing the context surrounding it as richly as you can.  Choose something which won’t make you depressed, something you feel you have ‘dealt with’, but at the same time something which shares the impact of even a brief moment in your life

‘Right Here, Right Now’ (R) (F) ‘A time capsule of the present.  Write a story about a situation currently unfolding in your life, right here, right now.’

​Bev Lee

With the sudden lockdown announced yesterday Saturday 21 August, the opportunity to meet together in the U3A room suddenly disappeared!  So - it's on to Plan B and/or Plan C (you choose)!  Plan B is to send your stories to me at bevlee47@gmail.com for sharing on the website as we did in 2020, while Plan C is to send your stories to me at bevlee47@gmail.com and join in a Zoom meeting to read stories through together and provide responses to the story teller in a supportive environment.  

If you would like to join our Zoom session - here is the invitation/link: 

Topic: As Time Goes By August Meeting
Time: Aug 23, 2021 02:00 PM 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9208279060?pwd=L0t4cDQ1YmNkdDEwL3N4UjJFOEhkUT09

Meeting ID: 920 827 9060
Passcode: m2G814

If you would like some help learning to use Zoom, please give me a call on 0478 607 838 or email me on bevlee47@gmail.com.

A reminder of the tomorrow's topics:  

The topic for Monday 23 August is ‘Crash!’ The brief - 'It could be a car crash, it could in fact be any other crash.  Write about a crash, from the sudden moment of impact to its impact on your life, in 500 words.'

A popular topic offered as an alternative in August is ‘Stock and Land’  - 'Tell us about a significant memory involving farming, agriculture or rural life.  You must include mention of at least one animal or crop and one piece of farm equipment.  If you haven’t lived on a farm, you might like to write about a long-remembered visit to or experience of a farm or agriculture, something referencing rural life, ideally set in the northeast.  It could even be about memories of a visit to an agricultural show or about backyard chooks in urban settings.  Write about something you haven’t written about before which you’d like to share with your family and others'.

Coming up on Monday September 27  '

‘If only I’d…’ Even though we are advised not to dwell on ‘if only’s’… we often do!  Write about an ‘if only’ moment in your life in 500 words, describing the context surrounding it as richly as you can.  Choose something which won’t make you depressed, something you feel you have ‘dealt with’, but at the same time something which shares the impact of even a brief moment in your life

‘Right Here, Right Now’ (R) (F) ‘A time capsule of the present.  Write a story about a situation currently unfolding in your life, right here, right now.’

Looking forward to reading your stories and perhaps chatting with you on Zoom!

Best wishes,

​Bev

Back in isolation!  What to do?  We reverted to adding shared stories to a  'collection' posted on the website, as we did during 2020.

Stories on July's topic 'Cringe' are still coming in.  The brief -  ‘Your eyes squint, your cheeks burn red, your teeth grate. Share a personal cringe-worthy tale of woe that you can’t quite forget’.  Stories sent in to date by Elizabeth, Bev Morton, Barry and Margaret have been added to the 'Cringe' story collection on the website -  https://u3abenalla.weebly.com/cringe.

With the possibility of future lockdowns likely, four class members already comfortable with Zoom joined me at short notice to trial an optional 'Zoom' session at our usual time.  Sharing stories on line worked well - Barry's stories featuring 'Hypol', 'Milk of Magnesia' and childhood dentists resulted in hoots of laughter; while Margaret's and Val's stories of cringe-worthy experiences involving feeling humiliated generated squirms of recognition. We all agreed it is  worth working towards offering sessions via Zoom during future lockdowns. 

A list of topics for the remainder of the year has been e-mailed out to class members and is available on the website.  The list includes previous topics too, just in case you missed one or have one you would still like to share.

The topic for Monday 23 August is  ‘Crash!’ The brief - 'It could be a car crash, it could in fact be any other crash.  Write about a crash, from the sudden moment of impact to its impact on your life, in 500 words.'

A popular topic offered as an alternative in August is ‘Stock and Land’  - 'Tell us about a significant memory involving farming, agriculture or rural life.  You must include mention of at least one animal or crop and one piece of farm equipment.  If you haven’t lived on a farm, you might like to write about a long-remembered visit to or experience of a farm or agriculture, something referencing rural life, ideally set in the north east.  It could even be about memories of a visit to an agricultural show or about backyard chooks in urban settings.  Write about something you haven’t written about before which you’d like to share with your family and others'

Stay warm and keep writing,

Bev

We began our June session with Bev introducing the concept of Six Word Memoirs developed by Larry Smith (refer Ted talk below). Bev's six word 'slice of life'...'Ageing, not for the faint hearted'!  Bev asked the class to develop a six word memoir both  before watching the video, then after, with some really perceptive, thought provoking 'six word memoirs' being shared by class members as a result.

All members chose to write about 'A Childhood Experience' this month, with wonderful stories shared evoking memories of learning to ride a bike, a first homes, a treasured day out with a loving grandfather, a child's vivid imagination, hairwashing day with grandma, 'the boogeyman', an Irish childhood, including stories of 'banshee's' and more, a first concert "Peter and the Wolf', Deniliquin childhood memories of floods, dust storms and more; of spending time  with 'my cobber, Uncle Doogie'; not so loving childhood memories with the 'Sisters of Mercy'; and, still to be shared, David's memories of pets with wonderful names and rabbiting with his mate 'Bantam Jim'.  These stories can be read by following this link...'A Childhood Memory'. 

We had some fun thinking about the concept of our next topic ... 'Cringe'... with a few 'aha' moments as people thought of an idea which might work.  The brief -  ‘Your eyes squint, your cheeks burn red, your teeth grate. Share a personal cringe-worthy tale of woe that you can’t quite forget’.  

The alternative topic, recommended for newer class members, is ‘Ideas Piggy Bank’.
 
1) Create/draw upon an ‘Ideas Piggy Bank’ such as a shoe box or other box or drawer 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.  
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(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)

A list of topics for the year is now available.  It flags the topics for the remaining months, which and can be downloaded from the link below.
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We are looking forward to hearing and sharing stories on ‘A childhood experience’ or ‘My Other Life’ on Monday 28th June.  The story collection at https://u3abenalla.weebly.com/childhood-memory will be added to after the class.

The topic for our next session Monday 26th July is ‘Cringe’ – ‘Your eyes squint, your cheeks burn red, your teeth grate. Share a personal cringe-worthy tale of woe that you can’t quite forget’.   The alternative topic, recommended for newer class members, is ‘Ideas Piggy Bank’. 

1) Create/draw upon an ‘Ideas Piggy Bank’ such as a shoe box or other box or drawer 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)


Beverley Lee

Our May session began with a new routine - a 'Slam' list on the whiteboard - with people's contributions for the day added as they arrived.  Stories were listed on the two topics for the day, 'Curved Ball' and 'The Year that Made Me',  earlier topics including 'Someone who Shaped Me', and 'other' topics.   
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As last week was Volunteer Week, we began with two fascinating stories about volunteering - David Lowing's 'Someone who Shaped Me' and Barry O'Connor's 'The Year that (made) Challenged Me' - 2013.    

'Curved Ball' challenged us to write about some of life's difficulties, about being thrown a curved ball.   Marg and Helen shared moving stories about serious health issues; Shirley a mother's story of a car accident in which her son was critically injured; Elizabeth a story about  difficulties selling a business,and Joy a story of of her husband being suddenly posted overseas when her children were small and she was about to begin a Diploma of Education at university. The writing and sharing of these stories was made easier by the writers revealing how they were able to deal with the curved balls they were thrown. 

The alternate topic, 'The Year that Made Me' (A topic drawn from an ABC programs which sets this task when interviewing actual or future Australian living treasures.) - drew forth not only Barry's story of volunteering in 2013, but Neville's story which described a fascination with Mary Quant which led to his life changing move to London in 1968!

Catch up stories included Val's 'Someone who Shaped Me' and Moira's memoir review of 'Salvation Creek'.  Our adventure travel writer extraordinaire Bev Morton shared spellbinding memories of camping in Greenland with polar bears in the vicinity.  Ray and Judy read stories which related to a number of  topics/themes - Ray 'Turning Point' and Judy 'A Day for Annie', a beautiful story which won a statewide U3A writing award some years ago.  

Next month' topics  (Monday 28 June)
‘A Childhood Memory’ -  Some childhood memories stay with us despite the passage of time.  Some of these memories involve something which happened which inspired and built on our imagination.  Share a story taking us back to one of your earliest memories. (Checking out Helen’s story at https://u3abenalla.weebly.com/helens-stories/we-have-fairies-in-our-family-a-childhood-memory ​may to help to stimulate your memories).
 
Alternate topic (a previous topic for newer members to class)  ‘My Other Life’ –  Are you a collector of model trains, a swing dance enthusiast or a weekend activist? Share a story about something unusual you get up to outside of work, or a side of yourself that other people don't normally see… Tell us about your unusual passion and how you first got involved in it. How does your ‘other self’ contrast with the side most people see?  What satisfaction does your other life offer you that you don't get from your day-to-day life? How does your passion contribute to you as a whole person?


Bev Lee

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This year we are exploring ideas about memoir writing in addition to sharing our stories.  In March we considered memoir writer Louisa Deasey’s recommendation to prepare a key sentence when writing memoir as a way of retaining focus, and the role of universal themes in memoir.  

Our sharing of stories on the topics ‘Too Hard Basket’ and ‘New in Town’ was most enjoyable – common experiences often emerge as our stories are shared.  Most writers overcame the problem in danger of remaining in their too hard basket, while those choosing ‘New in Town’ reflected on strategies used to successfully settle in, to make connections with others, when new to town.
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500-word topics for our next class on Monday 26th April from 2 – 4 pm:
‘A memoir which has meant something to me’   Head for your bookshelf, the library or an online bookstore to retrieve a memoir which has meant something to you.  When did it enter your life?  How did it then, or does it now, relate to your life story?   What might have been Louisa Deasey’s key sentence for the book?  What universal truth/s does it relate to.  
Alternate topics (for newer members to class)
‘Someone who shaped me’ - How did you become who you are?  Think about someone who has influenced your life and start writing.
Additional topic – ‘Anzac Day’ – perhaps Anzac Day triggered, or often triggers, particular memories for you, or reminds you of a story you heard as a child.  Share this story in 500 words.
 
Beverley Lee
 

How wonderful to be able to meet in the U3A meeting room again to share our writing, to welcome returning and new class members and to thank those who contributed to the wonderful collections of stories published on the website over the long 2020 Covid break. 

After an introduction to the course and the nature of memoirs as ‘slices from life’, stories were shared on the first of our summer break topics, ‘One Moment, This Year’ (1920).   These beautiful stories largely drew on lived experiences during the Pandemic.  Stories shared for the second topic ‘A love letter to travel’ took us away to ‘Trim on the banks of the Boyne’, Ireland; Hans Heysen’s home ‘The Cedars’ at Hahndorf; to Barcelona; Yosemite National Park; Scotland; Morang homestead in central New South Wales; and Annamult in County Kilkenny, Ireland.   These stories can be found, with Claire’s early submission ‘Bali’ and some soon to be added ‘love letters’ to Marong station homestead in Central New South Wales; to the Camino de Compostelo in Spain; and to Mexico, on the website. 

This year two 500 word topics will be suggested each month, one new to intrigue longer term members, the other a previously offered ‘gem’ for newer members to add to their portfolio of stories. 

The new topic for March is  ‘Too Hard Basket’ – write about a time when you faced a dilemma which might have to be put into your ‘too hard basket’.  Unravel what happened, whether it was a ‘problem solved’, was resolved over time or perhaps remains in your too hard basket to this day.  

The alternate topic is ‘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.  
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An aura of joy and contentment seemed to be in the room as we said farewells at the end of the session, perhaps because we had been reminiscing about treasured travel destinations, perhaps because we could be together again. 
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Beverley Lee

This update email was sent to members by email today (15 Feb)

Hello everyone,

Welcome to 'As Time Goes By' for 2021.  I am hoping we will be able to return to meeting in the U3A Meeting Room next Monday 22nd February from 2 to 4 pm as currently scheduled.  Covid restrictions may, however, make this impossible, added to which we are still waiting for final confirmation that the room has been readied for occupation following building renovations/maintenance.  

We need a fallback position!  Last year's submission of stories by email to be added to a story collection each month proved to be quite effective.  Let's make the submission of stories to bevlee47@gmail.com by the fourth Monday the plan for 2021.  Members have described enjoying reading each month's 'collection' online.  We can still bring along stories or almost completed stories each month, even if incomplete or in the 'ideas' stage requiring input from the group.  

A special welcome to new members!  It is wonderful to have you on board.  If you would like to take the plunge and 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.  

Two topics were set over the holiday period - 'One Moment, This Year' and 'A Love Letter to Travel'.  A few stories have been sent in already so you can click on the links to receive inspiration.  I've also added a topic 'Grandparent/s', which has proven to be an enjoyable way to begin writing reminiscence based stories.  (It may also appeal to existing members who are keen to look at another side of their family.)  
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Topic Details for Monday 22nd February 
'One Moment, This Year'  “Looking back on 2020, what single moment stands out for you?  Whether it be loss, love, discovery or disappointment, share your unforgettable moment.”
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‘A Love Letter to Travel’   
This topic was suggested by the New York Times... "while the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted global travel in unprecedented ways ...and we can’t know what lies ahead, we can still share the places we’ve loved, and continue to inspire curiosity, open-mindedness and awe for the wider world." 

The brief:  "Write a love letter to travel about one place in the world that is special to you. It can be a popular tourist destination, or a place that’s largely overlooked.  You might inspire someone else to go there one day, or to reconsider their assumptions, or to spark their inquisitiveness about a new piece of the world — all the empowering things that travel brings to our lives.  (Some additional prompts to help you:  How did this place change your perception about something?  What do you wish more people understood about this destination?  Did you have an experience there that couldn’t have happened anywhere else?  What would you miss most if you couldn’t visit this place for a long time).

Grandparents 
Describe your relationship with a grandparent using one fond memory. Draw on your senses to recall specific details and reflect on the impact he or she made on your life.   It may be the time Gran nearly set the kitchen on fire with the Christmas pudding, or the time your 92 year old Grandpa rode the Octopus with you at Luna Park. It could be a story about your Grandmother’s heritage and how she came to Australia. Your story could be about the era your grandfather represents, and the role he played in your upbringing or a special ritual you shared.
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If you would like to dip in to the website for some Covid Lockdown reading and/or inspiration, here is the link to the  'Our Stories' page.  

I look forward to seeing you at the U3A Meeting Room next Monday at 2pm (fingers crossed) and/or to receiving emailed stories in my inbox.  Please do not hesitate to call me if you have any questions or would like to run something past me.

Best wishes, 


Beverley Lee
5762 8171 or 0478 607 838

Attachments:
Tips for Writing 500 Words Stories
Planning a story for 500 Words Topics - sample

‘As time goes by’ – Memoir Writing sessions provide an outlet and support for members keen to write about their lives.  The ‘500 word’ topics for writing over the holiday period which will be shared at our first session in the U3A Meeting Room on Monday 22 February at 2 pm are:

1.  'One Moment, This Year’  ‘Looking back on 2020, what single moment stands out for you?  Whether it be loss, love, discovery or disappointment, share your unforgettable moment.’

2.  ‘A Love Letter to Travel’  ‘Write a love letter to travel about one place in the world that is special to you. It can be a popular tourist destination, or a place that’s largely overlooked.  You might inspire someone else to go there one day, or to reconsider their assumptions, or to spark their inquisitive-ness about a new piece of the world — all the empowering things that travel brings to our lives’.
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Beverley

A reminder of the topics to be share at our first meeting in late February, which hopefully will be held in the U3A meeting room.

1.  'One Moment, This Year’  ‘Looking back on 2020, what single moment stands out for you?  Whether it be loss, love, discovery or disappointment, share your unforgettable moment.’ Elizabeth Kearns has submitted her story for ‘One Moment, This Year’ already.  It’s so pertinent, we thought we’d include it with this newsletter.  Thank you for letting us share it Elizabeth

2.  ‘A Love Letter to Travel’  ‘Write a love letter to travel about one place in the world that is special to you. It can be a popular tourist destination, or a place that’s largely overlooked.  You might inspire someone else to go there one day, or to reconsider their assumptions, or to spark their inquisitive-ness about a new piece of the world — all the empowering things that travel brings to our lives’.

Did anyone else receive a ‘memoir’ as a Christmas Present?  I’ve just finished reading ’Your own kind of girl’, by Claire Bowditch.  This beautifully written memoir is underpinned by a quest to provide reassurance and support for people who, like Claire, suffer from Anxiety.
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Bev Lee