Record of meeting 18 September 2013

Present

Lynn, Terry, Geoff, David R, Helene, Wendy, Terry, Elizabeth, David C, Sue, Cath

News

Geoff – went to Sydney for the weekend. Sue is editing a booklet for her Sydney writing group. David C drove to Sydney and had a flat battery at the airport. Leonie has finished her garden. Elizabeth had a lovely time at the Russian ballet.  Lynn has done things. Terry has been researching for his crime writing. Cath has been painting and replacing globes. Wendy is going to Canberra for the weekend. Helene travelled to Canberra and Wollongong. David R has transformed his back garden.

 

Words of the day

Obtuse = dull or stupid, blunt or not sharp

Enfilade = a long line of rooms

Adumbrate = foreshadow in a faint way

Insouciant = unworried, slap happy

Solipsism = the theory that the self is the only reality

Gingerly = cautiously

Laggard = slow, falling behind

Nugatory = of no value

Captious = making much of trivial things, fault finding

Pas de deux = dance for two

We produced a great selection of stories from words of the day - The parking lot, the dancer at the end of the line, Put your dancing shoes on, Leading the man, Missing Kevin, At the end of the evening, ballet at the round about, The dancing partner, Admired by the critics and A fuzzy poet.

 

Homework

Choices was the topic and a lot of people made the choice not to do homework. Those who did homework wrote about - What’s for free – magical glasses, Learning to fly, Family and media influences – a thoughtful piece from Leonie, The right choice, Delicious choice and his best choice to join our writing group from Garry in Thailand.

 

Reading

David C – In Coventry – part of a longer story

David R – Private eye and Next time – poems

Leonie – Hanging rock – a free verse poem

Wendy talked about Robert B Parker's writing including his detective character Spencer

 

Quick write exercise – the gift

Following a few prompts on the topic of gifts we wrote about A pack of dogs, I’m a septic, One way ticket to WA, A good luck charm and the black car, The dating site, The large brown envelope, how to survive boot camp, a blonde bimbo, A crystal necklace, Speed dating venue and the sharp knife.

Homework

Write a couple of paragraphs depicting a character without describing physical characteristics, allow the reader to use their imagination to visualise the character.