Meeting 28th Oct 2009
Welcome back Mandy
In attendance were: Melissa, Dale, Mandy, Mary, Robyn, David C, Terry, Cath and Helene.
Once again a good meeting with much laughter and with just a smattering of literary genius.
Brag session:
Terry went to the FAW course in town on Crime Writing. He said he found it quite informative and imparted his knowledge throughout our meeting.
Cath said she had nothing to brag about but I’m sure given a few moments she could have come up with something.
Mandy said she read a book. So what, you say but Mandy said it was of a type she’d not read before. It was aimed at younger people with lots of expletives and in their idiom. Well done Mandy for persevering, although I think she said she couldn’t put it down once she got started.
Helene went to Canberra. Had a grandchild fix but also indulged in the arts by visiting the McCubbin display as well as Monet and cast her eyes on Blue Poles. I hope she genuflected. It cost us enough for such behaviour.
Melissa did a stint as a teacher at the local TAFE informing women who want to go back into the work force on how to set up resumes on the computer.
Dale was excited about having to do a book review on her favourite poet. Unfortunately she didn’t say who this poet is. Perhaps we’ll find out when the book is available to the public. I think there is a lot of hush hush here. Sounds like a plot for a novel, ‘Who Stole the Poems?’
Mandy wanted to know how do you get drunk without drinking as she had done a winery crawl. Really Mandy.!!!
Robyn. In my notes I’ve said Robyn knows a woman but I’m damned if I can remember what the significance of this is. I know some women too but don’t need to brag about it.
David C is off to Manly Leagues to be a roadie for the Dynamic Duo. He says with a little coercion he may get up on stage. I’d like to be a fly.
Mary went to Sydney to see Michael Parkinson. She and Rollin used their $2.50 tickets on trains and buses. Also took advantage of the free open Opera House tour.
Words of the day
Terry—muse—spirit that gives inspiration
Cath—miasma—polluting exhalations
Helene—antiquing—(not sure of spelling); making love to an old/older person, throwing flour into someone’s face while they’re asleep and watching the results. ‘strange’
Melissa—codswallop—nonsense
Dale--deracinate—tear out by the roots, expunge
Mandy ???
Mary—chauffeur—from the French to stoke the fire.
Davis—plagiarism—the act of literary theft.
Homework or readings
Melissa none
Dale read more of her novel
Mandy ‘Just one of those days’ well written as always
Mary Murphy’s Law
Robyn none
David awoken from a dream of Kylie, damn shame matey
Terry everything was going wrong, a poem
Cath a surprise
It was decided that our Christmas ‘do’ will be on the Friday 4th Dec at the St Georges Basin Country Club. A 6.30 pm start. Writers only…as partners feel out of the loop when we all get together. All writers welcome, old and new. Let Terry know if you can make it. Not sure if we have to book a table or not matey, so I’ll leave that up to you. O.K?
Terry furthered his crime course knowledge with our exercise. I didn’t copy down all the words we came up with but the deal was to find words that go from ‘calm to ‘horror with 10 points in between. Sometimes our vocab was wanting. Something to work on I feel.
Another point he made was to find plots from just putting a man in one car and a woman in the other. We came up with some quite, innovative ideas. Car accidents, towing, drag racing, liaisons and general murder and mayhem
Mandy brought along some scrumptious scones, recipe below:
300ml lemonade 300ml cream 3 to 4 cups S/R flour Handful of sultanas if desired. I would think chopped dates would be good to.
Mix well by hand. Shape and cook in, I think, hot oven for 10 t0 15 minutes. Ask Mandy for the fine details. All I can say is they were delicious.
Once again a good meeting was had by all.
Homework… Skeleton in the closet. Yours or someone else's. Maybe it's you.
Write about that person in a time of your choosing and include some or all of the following.
Name, physical description, why yhey are the family secret/joke, the way they speak, why you identify with them, remember them, and how the person affects/affected you.
Next week Facilitator is Melissa Exercise by Mandy Homework by Dale
Happy writing and I’ll see you in Dec. Mary

Minutes: 21.10.09

Present: Mary, Kathy, David C, Helene, Terry, Robyn,Jo,Wendy.

Brags: Kathy spoke with pride of her grandson's musical debut in Nowra - Tzar Bomber.
Helene: Saw whales up close on the weekend. Lovely.
Wendy: Wendy went away and saw koalas in their habitat in Strathmerton, Victoria. Koalas very friendly, or else they think we are koalas too??
Robyn's friend, who has been battling cancer for a few years, has been given a ray of hope. Joe has had a good report on his test again.
David went to see Toni Childs at the Country Club, reported it to be extra professional and not to be missed.
Jo won a $20 lottery voucher from local shop for being a loser.
Word of the Week
Kathy's: 'Antipathy': instinctive air of dislike, emotionally-based meanings for this word.
Helene's: 'Mosh': to move as a crowd at a musical function.
Wendy's: 'Uxorious': excessively fond or submissive to one's wife. (mm, a couple of comments from the male gallery).
Robyn's: 'Socialism': pertaining to differing theories, a most untidy word, with discrete connections, some of them dangerous.
Mary's: 'Volcano': odoriferous fumirole, pyroclastic flow.
David's: 'Caucasian'; one from the Caucuses - pertaining to European Aryans.
Terry's: 'Felicitous': one who has gift for speech. Promoting happiness.
Jo asked, who had an explanation of 'tarmac'. Different ideas.
Talk, show, etc: Mary read out a list of probabilities - e.g. drop a screw, it will roll to an inaccessible place. Jo showed two unfinished beadwork slippers and a cardboard picture depicting frame and subject all in one.

Homework was predominently about Lawson's 'The Post Splitter', read and write about the man suggested by the poem. Flesh him out a bit more.
Kathy painted a picture of Lawson's bush in prose. Helene wrote a poem but peopled with newer Australians. Wendy wrote a poem about gen X language. Robyn read out a draft of a story about country life, warts and all and the man's sorrow at the death of it anyway. David read a poem 'Lars', the Scandinavian woodcutter in Lawson's forest - a second migrant experience. Terry, also a poet, wrote about 'Clarrie', a dinky-di Aussie. Cedar cutting, later generations blame these men for forest devastation. Jo read 'My Old Age', a humorous look at getting old. Tongue-in-cheek.
Exercises: Terry outlined the advisability of pleasing all members if possible. This is not easy but commendable.
First exercise: Write a paragraph without using the letter 'e'. Oh, fun, fun, shoot me in the head please. Hard to do. But we tried and there were a couple of paragraphs that actually made sense. It's a good mind-bender and we should do it often. It sharpens.
Then, thirdly, a sentence was given by Terry and each word had to start a sentence. Trying to make a story? Not b.. likely, but of course a couple of clever little things did a good job.
It's all fun sometimes, and we love being silly anyway. Such an homogeneous group. Note 'homogeneous' all, note 'an'. Do you know there are moves about to get rid of 'ans' before 'h's'? I don't know who does these moves but I heard it on TV..SO IT'S GOT TO BE TRUE! 'Bye 'til next time. Jo.