Garry Homes "I still call Australia home"

Garry Holmes writing group member in Malaysia and Thailand singing "I still call Australia home" sends his Christmas and New Year wishes for 2017- 18.

Record of meeting 20 December 2017

The writers

Terry, Helene, Pat, Pauline, Jenni

New location from 17 January 2018
Terry announced that we will start our new writing year at the Vincentia Golf Club at 1 pm on Wednesday 17 January 2018.

The words of the day
Bagatelle – a trifle

Judicature – a body of judges

Pegamold – imitation leather

Experiential – experience and observation

Beetling – of a rock or a person’s eyebrows overhanging

Writing from words of the day

After tidy up the bagatelle of the writing group, the writers used the words of the day and wrote about – An inheritance, The Chinese tourist, Annoyance, I love a good trifle and The animal lover.

Reading of homework

Four writers read out their homework on the topics - In this room – a great poem about former characters of the writing group, Drifting in the ocean – a nightmare, Jehovah’s witnesses at the door and Blue eyes.

A suggestion from Pat

Use the topic of travel for our proposed anthology.

Exercise – I don’t care what the tape said – I didn’t say it

Jenni selected the topic then the writers wrote about - Rap music on the I phone, I never done it, It wasn’t what I meant, Trying to frame me and Coopers let them go.

Homework

Christmas

meeting Dec 13th 2017

Attendees
Trevor, Jenny, Pat, Terry

Terry read out a letter proposed to be sent on to the St. Georges Basin Uniting Church advising of our intention to move on rather than continue under the new charter they had proposed. Everyone present was in favour of what was incorporated in the letter and it will be sent to the church Minister.

Terry had also been in contact with the Country Club (Luke Hodges) re a meeting room. He advised that 2018 will be difficult due to upcoming major renovations but that Vincentia Golf Club is pretty quiet on Wed afternoons and this could work.
He was to talk with their Manager and confirm with me.
It was also agreed that we would return for our first 2018 meeting on 17th January.

Words
iconify...to reduce to an icon
high...several meanings
incogitant...thoughtless, inconsiderate
zouk...exuberant style of popular music (caribbean)
takeaway...not much to say here
denarius...Roman coin of value of 10 asses (not arses)

Lots (4) uses of these words in our inimitable style

Homework.
Homework read by Pat.

Following afternoon tea we had a general discussion regarding what, and how, we want the group to function in 2018.
In essence we agreed that we need objectives.
To that end it is proposed:
a)  we all have a major project to work on in 2018
b) to put another anthology together
c) all of us to actively contribute to the running of the meeting and exercises etc. following afternoon tea.

We agreed to think more about this over the Christmas break

Homework.
"There was a knock at the door..."

Christmas lunch Friday 8 December 2017

The writers

Cath, Helene, Trevor, Elizabeth, Jenni, Pat, Pauline, Terry

The eight cheerful writers enjoyed lunch and desert together at the Pelican Restaurant in St Georges Basin.

Words of the day

Merry Christmas and Happy New year

Homework

Attend meetings on 13 and 20 December

Enjoy Christmas and New Year

Check the blog early for exciting news in 2018

Record of meeting 6 December 2017

The writers

Terry, Helene, Lynn, Elizabeth, Pat

Christmas lunch 

All members are invited to our Christmas lunch from 12.15 pm on Friday 8 December at the Pelican Restaurant. Please let Helene know if you will be attending

The words of the day

Malign – speak ill

Aggravate – make worse

Ozone – condensed form of Oxygen

Atonic – an unaccented word or syllable, voiceless

Scrounge – to obtain with no intention of repayment

Writing from words of the day

The writers did not malign others or scrounge when writing about Smokers, His friend, Asthma, My girls and O words.

Reading of homework

Five writers read out their homework on the topics - My mother, She drinks therefore she is, When I was young, She thinks and How can they say.

Exercise – a quote and other inspirations

The writers used their creativity to write stories about - It was alright for George, Best of friends, The music of the band, Scarlet O’Hara and Gone Global.

Homework

The Lions of the Menin Gates – returning a gift

Record of meeting 29 November 2017

The writers

Terry, Cath, Helene, Lynn, Pat, Jenni, Elizabeth, Trevor

Discussion

The group discussed the Charter proposed by the Church. More time will be required to address this challenging issue.

Christmas celebration

All members are invited to our Christmas lunch from 12.15 pm on Friday 8 December at the Pelican Restaurant. Please let Helene know if you will be attending

The words of the day

Punctilious – fussy

Pelf – ill gotten gains

Abhorrent – detestable, repugnant

Deconstruct – dissect, break down

Legal-aid – legal advice for free

Hallucinate –seeing something not actually present

Orogeny – process of upheaval

Writing from words of the day

The punctilious writers constructed abhorrent stories on the topics - Stories about himself, Man in black, Going to court, Back to earth, Crawling spiders, Down the drain and Difficult people.

Reading of homework

Three inspired writers read their homework on the topics -
The force, Booderee National Park and Pigeon House Mountain

Exercise

Discussion on current social issues

Homework

She drinks

Record of meeting 22 November 2017

The writers

Helene, Lynn, Elizabeth, Cath, Pauline

The words of the day

Curricle - sulky

Fidget – move restlessly

Atonement – reparation, reconciliation

Hubris – arrogance, conceit, haughtiness

Bookworm – a worm that eats books & a voracious reader

Writing from words of the day

Without a fidget the writers wrote about wedding transport, into the country, on time, a refuge and in Huskisson.

Reading of homework

Two hard working writers read out their homework on the topics – Princess Anne and The gods of writing.

Exercise – bottomless pit

The writers teetered on the edge while they wrote about - Call the witch doctor, A pin point of light, Don’t go near the pit, Falling into debt and the deep blue hole.

Exercise - When life gives you lemons throw them back and demand mangoes

The writers grabbed lemons and mangoes and wrote about - All the healthy food, Invisible and responsible, I love to eat my mangoes, Tennis balls and Be yourself.

Homework

Use the following words and ideas to write your story or poem - Late afternoon, thunderstorm, National Park and feeling desolate.

Meeting on 15th November 2017

Homework due 22 November 2017
You meet a famous person - what would you say

Attendance.
Jenni, Pat, Cath, Lynn, Terry, Trevor

Words of the Day
cogitate...ponder, meditate, reflect
adept.......proficient, expert
tocsin......an alarm bell or signal
bungee....flexible connection on aircraft
partlet......female
utopia......imagined perfect place or state

As usual six people came up with (mostly) different slants in a quick-write.

Homework reading
Quite a few variations on being in an elevator with three or more people of different
religious leanings.

Record of meeting 8 November 2017

The writers

Helene, Ron, Terry, Cath, Jenni, Pauline, Trevor, Lynn and welcome to Christine

Two representatives from the Uniting Church also attended the meeting to discuss the relationship with our writing group as we are an outreach program of the Church. Discussions included a Charter, Code of Conduct and stronger communication. The minister will email a copy of the Charter for the group to examine and discuss.

The words of the day

Vapid – banal

Masticate – chew

Brook – put up with

Amberina – art glass

Farouche – sullen or shy

Kiss – caress with the lips

Legerdemain – trickery, deception

Festive – merry, relating to carnival

Recalcitrant – obstinately disobedient

Writing from words of the day

The writers wrote about A Code of conduct, The herd of cattle, A sermon, Ran away to hide, Determined, Pushed me in the pool, The cows, A gathering and The preacher.

Reading of homework

Six motivated writers read out their homework on the topics - The farce, My first Cup visit was Toriffic, Tears in the beer, Souped up nag, Why didn’t I listen and Swirling ashes.

Exercise – The Chaos theory

The writers chaotically embraced the topic and wrote about - Aftermath, On the railway station, No serendipity for me, Hey Pretty insect, The church, Hit by the doors, Where are we heading and The wonder of butterflies.

Homework

Write the dialogue of three strangers caught in a lift. You could try the combination of a born age Baptist Preacher, an Atheist and satanic High Priest or any other characters that inspire you.

Meeting on 1st November 2017

Attendees
Ron, Terry, Jenni, Pauline, Trevor, Cath

Words of the Day
Schism...division into opposing groups
detritus...cast off material
peaky...   pale from illness or fatigue
pearlescent...lustre resembling mother-of-pearl
knell...sound of a bell e.g. at a funeral

Interesting variation for quickly written items

Homework.
From finding something in the garden to only starting out as a casual walk.
Some good stuff.

A bit of chatter after tea time and a writing exercise finished the day.

Homework.

'''The Melbourne Cup..."

Meeting on 25th October 2017

Attendance.
Ron, Cathy, Trevor, Jenny, Terry, Elizabeth

Words of the Day
perturbed... anxious, mental uneasiness
opportune...timely, convenient
felicitous... well chosen, appropriate
heathen...   unenlightened person, not aligned to any particular religion
hedonism...the pursuit of pleasure

As usual a broad offering of quickly written items

Reading of homework.
Everybody had something to contribute based on the line..."What started out as a casual walk..."

Exercise

We chose from a range of words from three groups and wrote a story/poem.
e.g. First word...lava, second word...beach, then a phrase..."if you must know..."
Again we excelled with our efforts...(quick, close the door before the tickets get blown off).

Homework.
TBA

Homework..."At a garage sale your character buys an old antique brass urn. On arrival home he/she discovers there are ashes in it...someone's ashes."

Information October 2017

Bay and Basin writing for pleasure group - Information

The Bay and Basin Writing group was established in 2000.  We meet weekly on Wednesdays from 1 to 4 pm in the building behind the Uniting Church in Meriton Street, St Georges Basin. We’re regarded as an “outreach” program of the church.

To achieve writing experience we follow a structure for our meetings

·         Nomination to facilitate the meeting

·         Word of the day and its meaning from each person

·         10 minute quick write from the words of the day

·         Reading of homework

·         Afternoon tea

·         One or two writing exercises provided by members

·         Setting of homework by members

The person who facilitates the meeting will

1.     Bring and conduct a short exercise for the group. Examples for exercises include:-

·         Share a book review.

·         Read about 500 words or synopsis and ask for comments. *

·         Provide an exercise for the group – there are many examples on line and in books. Or design your own exercise.

2.    Provide a homework topic for us to work on for the next meeting.

We will publish a brief record of our meetings including the homework topic at www.basinwriters.blogspot.com.au 

         

Each person attending a meeting is asked to contribute a small amount currently $1 which is used to cover costs for using the building and afternoon tea.. Funds will also be used to purchase relevant items for the group and for writing workshops, paid presentations, etc. 

If you wish to receive email information about the group and writing competitions, please provide your email address to helene.gaul6@bigpond.com

Your email address will not be shared with other members unless you agree – we will use BCC for email addresses.

*Another option for feedback would be to ask a member/s and provide them with a printed copy or memory stick,

Helene Gaul - October 2017

Record of meeting 18 October 2017

The writers

Helene, Ron, Terry, Trevor

The words of the day

Portend – omen of

Levant – to abscond
Flamboyant – showy
Declivity – downward slope
Pedagogy – theory of teaching
Narcolepsy – extreme tendency to fall asleep
Mussitation – mumbling speech, silent movement of the lips
Cataplexy – sudden physical collapse caused by strong emotion or laughter

Writing from words of the day

The writers grabbed the words of the day and wrote about - Teachers gone, The host knew, The old man and My friends.

Reading of homework

The four dedicated writers read their homework - The thief changes his modus operandi, She embraced his ego, King Henry VIII and Make it gory.

Exercise – out of the box

The writers searched the cupboard and found a box which led to the stories - Broken bones and glass, Day off school, Three days before his birthday and Doing nothing.

Exercise – a cousins wedding

The writers dug deep into family history to tell stories about their cousins including -The cat that got the cream, Uncle Rupert, Nellie and Jock’s wedding and Many kisses and cans.

Homework

What started out as a casual walk ……

Record of meeting 11 October 2017

The writers

Helene, Ron, Cath, Terry, Pauline, Pat, Trevor

The words of the day

Catalyst – something that causes something to happen

Handspring – a cartwheel or similar summersault

Piste – a course or run for skiing

Yahoo – despicable character

Incogitant – inconsiderate

Lave – to wash

Writing from words of the day

The writers sprang into action writing about skiing, despicable characters, remembering that day, Inspired, Removed with a warning & Didn’t fit the norm.

Reading of homework

A wide array of homework stories were read out on the topics of - Wear clean underwear, The north Korean combat zone, President Enrique, Beware of bumps, Outside the Fargo office and Malcolm Turnabout.

Exercise – Love the earth

The writers loved this philosophical exercise and wrote about - Survival, Thick or thin Love the earth, Aboriginal art, Fell over a book – a brilliant story, Anger and Lola the showgirl.

Exercise - Life as a fruit fly

The writers wrote from the position of a fruit fly on the topics - Reconstitute yourself, Being a fruit fly is not easy, My dream to fly, From Politician to Fruit fly, Rotting fruit a brilliant poem & Stolen goods.

Homework

Use the words below in a story or poem

Cold hearted, lustrous, savagery, swagger and watch dog

Record of meeting 4 October 2017

Neozic rock

The writers

Helene, Trevor, Pat and welcome to new member Ron

The words of the day

Psychopath – a person suffering from chronic mental disorder with abnormal or violent social behaviour

Mimic – imitate especially in order to ridicule

Hebdomadal – occurring every seven days

Donald Trump – President of the USA

Pimento – allspice, Jamaican pepper

Smitten – be strongly attracted

Smithereens – small fragments

Neozoic – the most recent rocks

Writing from words of the day

The writers were smitten by the words of the day and created great stories - The gunman, Love that word, From another era & Line from Nazi Germany.

Reading of homework

Two dedicated writers read their homework -We all know someone & avoiding ill people.

Exercise - On holiday as a famous person or stolen goods

The writers embraced the topics and wrote about Carlotta from the Cross, A Crime report, Double to Mark Richard the surfer & A sense of security.

Homework

Write either
A media statement announcing the President’s sudden resignation or

The passenger safety instructions for a stage coach

Record of meeting 27 September 2017

The writers

Helene, Terry, Jenni, Pauline, Cath and welcome back to Trevor

The words of the day

Disabled – limited in movement, senses or activity

Flump – fall, sit or throw down heavily

Captious – peevish, find fault

Tangent – to diverge suddenly

Erudite – knowledgeable

Odd – strange, different

Writing from words of the day

The writers captiously did not go on a tangent but instead wrote about - The kill switch, Women on his mind, Some intelligence, Skid marks, Its what one tends to do & Became tedious.

Reading of homework

Five writers read stories and poems on the topics - Bojangles, Rain and cold living like a settler, my clothes line, A big cook out & Total blankness.

Exercise - Silver and sunshine

The writers took the words and other clues and wrote about -

Watching the Anzac day march, In spring time, A mental leap,

Two lovely perfumes & A diamond necklace

Homework

Visiting a sick friend

Record of meeting 20 September 2017

A very laid back meeting with lots of chatter

The writers Terry, Cath, Pat

Words of the day (2 each)

Antinome…something opposite or contradictory

Swinge…to chastise

decumbent…lying flat on the ground

operose…industrious

castigate…to severely reprimand

feign…pretend

The writers produced Interesting poem/stories from these words

Reading of homework

Terry…The window as an entry to the soul (poem)

Pat…Looking back in the window...not out

Homework

the line was down and if you need more inspiration include an eccentric idea, person or event

Next week’s facilitator

Be prepared to nominate on the day 

Record of meeting 13 September 2017

The writers

Terry, Pat, Cath, Helene

A Phrase and words of the day

The light began to dim

Subtle – fine, cunning

Eclectic – choosing the best of everything

Recourse – the right to claim compensation or to get help

Paisley – intricate pattern of carved feather-shaped figures

Writing from words of the day

The writers did not need recourse to create eclectic stories from words of the day - Overdressed, Maggie T, Walking down the street and The curtain opened.

Reading of homework

Three writers read out their homework - Mr Always Right, Strange Jack, Somewhere in my brain plus Terry read out riddles from Derek in Cooma.  

Terry read the first few pages and recommended the book Jamrach’s Menageries by Carol Birch

Exercise

Pat who was calmly in charge asked us to write for two minutes each on what we could can see, hear, smell, taste and touch.

The writers wrote about black swans, kookaburras, strawberries, salt, sun, lamb roast, shadows, chocolate, air con, bleach, comfortable chairs, how we see colours, pen clicking, tapping on the roof, second hand smells, sweat and feeling the tired

Homework

What you see when you look out a window

Facilitator for next week

Nominations to Terry please before 20 September

Record of meeting 6 September 2017

To start, our excellent facilitator Dennis provided us with the quote

“We saw that life did not narrate, but made impressions on our brains.

We, in turn, if we wished to produce on you an effect of life, must not narrate but render impressions.”

Ford Madox Ford – In a memoir regarding his collaboration with Joseph Conrad

The writers

Helene, Dennis, Juan, Pauline, Jenni, Elizabeth

Phrases and words of the day

In the heat of the night

I saw the face and then

Sensational in the press

I couldn’t find the words

Frustration

Writing from words of the day

The writers were inspired by the phrases and words and wrote about - I’m sorry but time flies, my heart was full, air conditioners were banned, Adonis, Which grapes and what the doctor said.

Adonis

Reading of homework

The writers read and told stories about Travel to a birthday party, My baby wasn’t breathing, The sheep in the plane, Changing the past, The drug bag and Momentous moments.  

Exercise – Update a classic story 

The writers created stories about Natural foods and nature (Mary Poppins), On Phillip Island (from The Great Gatsby), A student journalist meets a robot (pure creativity), Without our knowledge (school bullies), Macy in stiletto heels (Mary Poppins) and Left in the gutter (Richard 111). 

Homework

I’ve never met a person who was wrong

Facilitator for next week

Pat

Record of meeting 30 August 2017

The writers

Dennis, Pat, Lynn, Cath, Helene, Pauline, Terry, Elizabeth

Thanks to Pauline who did a great job facilitating an enjoyable meeting

The words

Diaphanous – translucent

Nemesis – retribution, avenger

Sardonic – smirking, patronising
Pernicious – hostile, unpleasant
Punctilious – fine point, particular detail
Egregious – prominent, inappropriate, outrageous, shocking

Salamander – a lizard like animal, person to endure great heat
Seaweed – large algae growing in the sea or on rocks below the high water mark

Writing from words of the day

The writers grabbed the finer points from the words of the day and wrote about - Saving our society, A cure, A flower in a button hole, Her eyes fixed on me, He fell on seaweed, I see and smell, Abandoned and human enemies.

Reading of homework

The enthusiastic writers read out homework about:  Peter – not sure where he went wrong, Bimbo wore only mink, Remembering a name and skin texture, On the veranda, Sir Gordon, Hockey teams, Cheryl a story teller and Cowboys and Indians.

Exercise – a black dot on a white page

A mysterious exercise which resulted in the stories: Love of white, A peep hole, a well, a dress makers pin, on the mountain side, Donald Trump in deep water, It’s a sign not a song, cotton mills, black holes, a trick, a blunder, a bee, and a clean white sheet.

Exercise – disappearance of soap an international mystery

The writers wrote about soap with the following stories: In Warsaw, Scattered cushions, In Paris, London and Ireland, Barnaby and terra bytes, I sniffed the air, She took the Swiss soap to Kenya and no soap in Vincentia.

Homework

Write about your moods and emotions from a memory of a moment of your life (Professor Brian Cox describes it as a moment in space and time)

Meeting 23rd August 2017

Writers
Terry, Cath, Lynn, Juan, Roberta, Pat

Re Lunch...the lunch planned for Monday 28th August has been postponed until further notice.

Words
Fain...glad, joyful
Fantod...a state, an attack of uneasiness
Sequester...to isolate
Emancipate...to free from restraint
Endeavour...to strive after, attempt
Feral...untamed, wild

A range of stories, poems utilising the words above were read out.

Homework was presented which took us to break time.

The afternoon session involved an exercise whereby we developed a character's name by combining our first pet's name and the first street we lived in. E.g. Pet...Lucky, Street...Nottinghill Rd. So the character's name would be Lucky Nottinghill.
A good way of coming up with character names. The name suggested aspects of the character.

We then used the character in a short story/ poem.

Homework
Come up with another character's name by combining your best friend at school's first name with the suburb/town you first lived in...then...use that character in a story that incorporates the sentence
..."he thought he could find her in enemy territory"

Record of meeting 16 August 2017

The writers at the meeting

Helene, Cath, Terry, Dennis, Lynn, Roberta, Pauline, Elizabeth

Words of the day

Flimflam – nonsense

Avatar -

 icon of a person

Fluorocarbon – a compound

Diabolic – outrageously wicked

Harridan – hag or vixenish woman

Ululate – to howl, hoot or lament

Prestidigitation – sleight of hand

Adamantine – unable to be broken, lustre

Writing from words of the day

The writers ululated and used the words to write about turning, dancing, TV channels, on the web site, an old air con, people living up the road, the red head and An icon.

Reading of homework

Writers read out their stories on the topics – full tilt at life, bitter sweet, E-books, death, 007, Patrick White, John Steinbeck, waiting and terrified.

The exercise

Helene provided happy pills to mentally digest plus an exercise to write about. The writers produced stories and poems about success and wacky weed, when I was young, running away, rabbits mate, music, suspicion, going for it, spring blooms & love, antibiotics, friendship and moods.

Dennis suggested seeing The 8th day – French film about a man with Down’s Syndrome.

Homework

A childhood memory

Facilitator for 23 August - Pauline