Record of meeting 5 February 2014

 
Words of the day

Selfie = a self portrait photograph

Angst = feeling of anxiety sometimes associated with depression

Subtle = so delicate

Rebuke = to criticise with sharpness and often abruptness

Hireling = a person who is hired for dubious work

Evoke = to bring forth or recall to the conscious mind

Infallible = faultless, floorless, perfect, never wrong

Gravitas = dignity, solemness

 

Reading of writing from words of the day

We created wacky stories from words of the day about

Fifi taking a Selfie in the bath, Before the wedding, Artistic achievements, Leave the mines, Red hot pants, Promoting himself, A hireling photographer and All over the country.

 

Reading of homework

We read brilliant stories and poems on the topics

Helene – Lost time

Wendy- What the Heck

Garry- lost teeth and glasses

Terry- Memories

Margaret- Colour Blue

David- Sat Nav

Leonie- A Strand of Loose Hair

Melissa- Accent

 

Announcements

Terry – announced Wild about Words (a literature component of the See Change festival consisting of local readings) will occur at the end of May at Boo Books in Huskisson.  Sue Kucharova, an organiser of the event will come to a meeting to give us more info.

 

Book recommendations and discussion

David. R - Questions of Travel by Michelle de Kretser (Miles Franklin award 2013)

Margaret- A Fortune Teller Told Me by Tiziano Terzani

Discussion about words- the wonderful, the wacky, and the weird!

 

Quick write

We spent five minutes describing a person's physical characteristics in terms of food – yummy stuff

 

Homework

George never would have guessed a coffin could hold so many marbles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meeting 29 January 2014

 

Words of the day

Invoke = to call on, address in prayer, ask earnestly

Gobbledegook = confused or unintelligible jargon

Enervate = to make someone feel drained of energy

Cliché = expression or idea no longer effective because of overuse

Skulduggery = underhanded dealings

Recalcitrant = obstinately uncooperative, disobedient

Bogan = uncultured unsophisticated

Specious = looks OK at first sight, plausible

Muzzy = fuzzy or confused

Expatiate = wander at large or roam, speak or write at great length

 

Writing from words of the day

We created some serious stories - I worship the English language, Speechless bad fairy, RBT – I was invigorated, Exposure of skulduggery, A fist fight near the Mall, The group discussions,  Letter to the Housing Commissioner, A phone conversation, The audience was bored and a typical bogan.

 

Reading of homework

We told tales of A taxi in Barcelona - Elizabeth, He was not alone - Margaret, The last trip home - David C, Charles Dickens stories from Geoff, Sir Roger Ponsenby – a boyhood escape from Terry, Borrowing memories from names in a book an intriguing story by Melissa and Surgery from a book from Helene. Sorry Garry mislaid your homework again.

 

Exercise

We wrote creative stories about the colour blue, new national holidays for Bogans, Non Politicians Day and Short Ass day and strange tourist attractions located down steep cliffs and at the end of multi coloured stairs.

 

Homework

This morning I couldn’t find ……………………………

 

 

 

meeting 22nd january 2014

Once more into the breach, into the unknown world of the Bay and Basin Writer’s Group.


Present-----

News of the Day

Melisa Nothing comes to mind

Terry Writing Poetry with a logical mind set

David C Moving On

Leonie Collecting her Mother

Elizabeth Visited a 100 year young friend and the Buddhist Temple

Jo Appointments are wearing her down Permanent Terminal but not Depressed

Cath A Homebody week

Wendy Her procedure cancelled yet again maybe next week

David R Back swimming with the Dolphins

WOTD

Melisa Hegira Journey to escape a dangerous situation

Terry Acquiesce To go with the flow

David C Paltry Worthless, not very much

Leonie Facetious Playfully flippant non hurtful remarks

Elizabeth Satanic Diabolic

Jo Spoonful As much as a spoon holds

Cath Inanition Empty exhaustion from lack of nourishment

Wendy Nellie pot Shoeless barefooted

David R Diddly Squat Very little, non consequential

Quick write using the words of the day

Melisa Escape from a Cult

Terry Sleeping with Poetry

David R Poetic delirium

Leonie Camping with dire consequences

Elizabeth Soul searching

Jo Leaving Kings Cross behind

Cath How to use all the words

Wendy Poem of sandcastles in the air

David C Brilliantly written a gem of a short story {I am writing this blurb}

Homework In Five Years Time Where will I be What will I be doing

Terry Poem about Memories and hopes to be achieved

David C No end in sight

Melisa 5---To---15 you could end up in the Hudson River

David R Diddly Squat and wishful thinking

Wendy Growing old Disgracefully

Cath Will tell all in five years time

Jo Hopes to be finished her killer of a book

Elizabeth Retiring with Style and Grace

Leonie The new depression is coming

Smoko Tea and biscuits or coffee and cookies

Short exercise Sing to me I cried

Melisa CPR for a bird that could not sing

David R Sing like the Angels

Wendy Heaven and Elvis wait for me

Cath Tessa and Mum catch a song bird

Jo Under water Songstress

Elizabeth My Sunny Valentine

Leonie Mum and Baby

David C Maudling along

Terry Stuffed bird in a gilded cage

Homework Without the Book He couldn’t possibly --------dot dot dot

Record of meeting - 15 January 2014

  
Words of the day

Satanic = diabolical

Piccaninny = a small black child

Placate = appease, pacify, conciliate

Moratorium = legally authorised ban or delay, postponed

Sinecure = cushy job, paid job very little work

Sanguine = naturally cheerful, expecting things to go well

Canvases = more than one canvas

Symposium = drinking after a dinner party, a banquet, a series of contributions to a newspaper or conference

 

Stories from words of the day

In a short time we created beautiful stories from our words about The president, The Art Gallery, At the local pub, Did it cause too many tears, I’ve given up, The usual flourishes on canvases, The show did not open and Painting.

 

Reading of Homework

The knife incident from Garry, The toy koala from Helene, Men made of thunder from Terry, Swimming around Australia – pool by pool from Jo, We’ll be neighbours by Leonie, The decision from Elizabeth and Keeping my big sister quiet from Melissa.

 

Discussions and readings

We discussed the apostrophe and pronunciation of the words “Jervis” and “clerk”.  We also discussed Memories of childhood and Terry could remember when he was 2.5 years old and his younger brother came home from hospital.

Terry read - The car club poem and Jo read the feisty feminist story Farewell – I am free.

 

The colour experience

We completed a short exercise to describe our favourite colours in a rainbow of ideas. Helene – blue, Wendy – scary black, Terry – red, Jo – green, Leonie – it changes with my moods, Elizabeth – yellow daffodils, Melissa - Blurple why should I choose one when I love two, Cath – an unknown colour.

 

Homework

Write about what will be happening in your life in 5 years time

Predictions for 2014 from Garry our correspondant in Thailand

I was lying there on my bed wondering what I could share with you on this topic.

Suddenly the room became filled with light and I heard of voice, with a slight Jewish accent, say,

“ tell them about the day when you were 13yrs 10mnths, 5 days old, sitting in class at Crows Nest Boys High, Sydney Australia.”

Yes, the ‘Literature teacher,’ had just read the famous poem by, Rudyard K,

IF http://www.kipling.org.uk/poems_if.htm

I could feel my skin tingling and my hair seemed to be standing straight up.

I think most of you at B & B WG know this beautiful poem but at the end you ladies just have to change the words to – then you are a woman.

That is my prediction – IF – because as sure as night follows day, we will face many of the challenges but members of B & B WG will soldier on!!!

As the light faded and the voice fell silent, I remembered another day at school when the drama teacher had chosen me to be Malvolio in the Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare. I can remember standing on stage, looking out at the audience and uttered those famous words:
’some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.’

That’s my prediction for writers and poets from B & B WG – GREATNESS in 2014.

I hope this is not too serious – I did think of writing about 2014 being, things much the same as 2013 – those afflicted with M A D will continue with their songs, those who write the poetry will do so and ideas will flourish in the garden of ‘words of the day’. Discussions and homework will continue to reflect the creativity resident in the group and I’ll be thousands of kms away wondering how our political situation will evolve – civil war, a coup, or if the people will WIN – fortunately, I live in the far north, far from the maddening crowd and problems but I do feel so sorry for the families struggling and wish they could read, IF

 

Garry Holmes ©

 

January 2014


Homework due 15 January

A sticky situation

 

Record of meeting 8 January 2014

Words of the day

Chronic = long lasting health issue or habit

Acute = severe, keen

Kempt = neat, tidy, cared for

Fetid = stinking,

Intrepid = fearless, brave

Fiat = order or command

Foreleg = front leg of an animal

Conundrum = difficult situation, riddle

Coeval = contemporary, of the same age, having lived for the same time

Pensive = thoughtful

 

Stories from words of the day

After 10 minutes creativity we shared our stories from words of the day about - In our writing group, No cure from Dr No, From the comfort of opposition, Nothing left to eat, Rotten to the core, A rotten leg, You know what I mean, A large animal and My mind.

 

Homework

We presented a range of stories including from Terry – paid for being wrong, Elizabeth – her early cooking experiences, Jo – her lap top and printer experiences, Leonie – leaving without words for a life of her own, David C - Prelude to 2014, David R – haven’t seen the light but Ill eat smoked salmon, Helene – I’ll have a good time and Wendy – I wont do these things. Sorry Garry your homework was mislaid.

 

Discussions

The group discussed ways of raising political issues and how memories feed our writing.

 

A quick write – A room mate

After 10 minutes writing we read out our stories on the topics - A plan, A threat to pests, No room mate, Not the right room mates for me, He’s going back, Packing up for a roommate,  Getting rid of a room mate, A possum room mate, A mad man and I miss my room mate.

 

Homework

A sticky situation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas poem from David R

INTEGRATION

 

I’m grateful for benefaction

It’s a simple way of saying

You make a difference in my life

The love we’re all conveying

Christmas is for families

For friends and close acquaintances

To get together share a plate

And be granted second chances

Integration is the cornerstone

That glues us all together

The writers group’s a family

In bright and stormy weather

Another year has slipped away

Are they really speeding up

We’re here today to celebrate

And share a cake and cup

There’s Terry Cath and Jo Jo too

Margaret Trish Helene and Garry

David C Wendy Geoff and Melissa

And my god and Holy Mary

There also is Leonie

Lynn and Robyn K

Elizabeth and Fifi

And others that got away

To every single one of you

Each and every treasured friend

You make my life complete

And sometimes drive me round the bend

 

Ó

 

David Rudder

14^th December 2013