CREATIVE WRITING PLUS

CREATIVE WRITING
On Monday morning I joined a far livelier session with Group 1 than I had been led to expect, the difference results from expansion, around half the group were new and all write enthusiastically. Jill Govier started by letting us each select a Happy Families card and then giving us just five minutes to write about our character in the first person. I chose Mrs Hose the Fireman's Wife pictured on the card with her bucket and luckily thought rapidly of the terrible floods of Cockermouth and contrasted a recent BBC program on the bombing of Coventry in November 1940 which had set the medieval city centre ablaze and yet by bursting the water mains left the firemen, of whom my father was one, without water for their hoses. There must be a tragi-comic story there somewhere, though I didn't succeed in nailing it in five minutes. Several others also read out their pieces and all had made much more polished attempts than me. As an excercise it was quite new to me, an excellent a way of forcing writing brains rapidly into gear.


The rest of the session followed the much more predictable path of getting the others in turn to read their pieces out and have their work discussed by the group. But before starting Jill handed around a page of advice prepared by the national U3A, the most important tenet of which was don't think criticism - THINK FEEDBACK , make sure it's constructive and delivered in a helpful manner.

I can't quite recall the exact theme on which all had been working but it was something like Remembrances. Sue Gilson wrote of a school reunion, husband Chris of his wheelwright great grandfather, Steve Johnson of his boats and wife Susan philosophically almost in poetry. Apologies to the rest of the group but these were the new group members I already knew so their stories stuck. There were obvious signs of helpful feedback, suggestions of how to expand, improve and to Susan the suggestion of writing one sentence on each line and reshaping it as a prose poem. I know Jill was delighted with the newly expanded group, I left with the feeling they are going to enjoy working together.

The original writing group now designated Group 2 is run by John Barber and he sent me an email about their activities. He was very pleased with the contributions made by group members to last years Chronicle, I have already expressed the opinion that it was the best for several years, thanks in large part to the writing groups. He mentions particularly new group member Doreen Davies, Esther Searle's work following meticulous research into her family history (similar motivation to the work of Chris Gilson and Eddie Ramsden in the other group).

Both Groups will share the December slot of Group 2 in the Exercise Room at Hazel Court between 10am and midday on Tuesday 8th December. Both sets have been working on 'An Expression of Christmas' for this event which will finish with a Literary Quiz set by John Barber.

Anyone else interested in writing regularly in a group should contact Jill Govier on 455303 or John Barber on 774741. Either Group will accept additional members, the only qualification is a commitment to write for the group on a monthly basis.

CHRONICLE 2010/11



Editor Derrick Jenkins is already seeking articles for the next edition and reminds ALL Swansea U3A members that writing is a good antidote to cold dark winters. Please sent copy to him by email or post

Derrick Jenkins

122 Belgrave Road

Gorseinon

SWANSEA

SA4 6RB

or emailed to derrick.jenkins@ntlworld.com

JIVE
A not so private email!

We must have some of the fittest members of the U3A in our class at present, the way the classes have gone over the last few weeks, it gives me great satisfaction and pleasure with the new moves they have learnt. (Don't tell them, otherwise they will become big headed)
I am glad to say there is not a geriatric in sight.
Gerwyn 
What about me, I all but knocked out three partners trying the figure of eight Pretzel, talk about Octopus! I shall have to start commenting on my own blog soon.
Over 20 at recent sessions but More Men always needed, and we thought women had taken over the world. Just reading a John Steinbeck travelogue in which he explains that he grows a beard because it's the only thing men can do better than women these days. We still have our uses - even it's only as a Jive partner or a male voice in the Singing for Pleasure choir!

Brian

BOWLING
Sorry I forgot these photos when writing last week

CHESS for FUN Monday 7 December at 10am
This group is getting stronger but would still like more members. This meeting is the last of 2009 and an ideal chance to try chess in a friendly atmosphere.

 Ken (tutor) seated, Paul, David, Mari, Peter and Joan


BOBBY WELLINS
For my money this was one of the great nights at Jazzlands and I was well repaid for the time years ago that he didn't turn up. At the outset I thought it would be a flop, here he was this saxophone legend, a small pigeon chested ageing man who looked scarcely strong enough to carry his tenor, stretching as though suffering from back-pain, playing 'My Funny Valentine' unenthusiastically as a last waltz. My Best Man, and Billy my other flat mate in Canada, went on holiday to Bermuda and they came back having spent two weeks as a cabaret stars, so for Joan and I this is always known as 'Kenny's Song' and Bobby had made it boring.
But as so often the jazz got better and better, almost always slow tempos, if not outright ballads (jazz for slow songs with dreamy melodies), but the space left time to think and develop the variations and the Dave Cottle Trio responded as always. The last tune of the first set 'When I wish upon a Star', culminated with an astonishing duet between the sax and Paul Smith the drummer of a kind I have never heard previously with magical soft short seamless interchanges, Paul admitted afterwards that he too didn't know what was going on - but he knew it had been special. (Quite distinct to the usual interchange between soloist and drums which I find an irritating cliche, with little going for it except bringing the drummer into play as a soloist.)
After the break a long series of improvisations on Autumn Leaves Dave played several minutes of solo keyboards in a Bach like series of variations with a harpsichord tone, that in turn brought an unusual solo from bass guitar Alun Vaughan. They ended with a long lively set of variations on Duke Ellington's Caravan, the fastest number of the night. 
Throughout the concert I had been watching as Bobby Wellin's face, as he sat on a table resting his sax and listening to the others soloing, it changed from initial tired boredom to grinning approval as he realised his ability for thoughtful improvisation was being matched by the soloists in the trio, they were firing each other.
At the end of the concert the audience too was grinning, they usually go home happy, often excited, but these wide grins caught the mood of the evening. 
This Wednesday the Cottle Legacy Band (Dave, Richard and Laurence plus other siblings and guests) play in tribute to their Mumbles father Peter Cottle, who died of a heart attack ten years ago soon after the last time they appeared in the club as a family unit. It will be an emotional night, with more than a hint of rock I guess. Finally Alan Barnes, my favourite saxophonist and arguably Britain's finest, will as usual play with the trio and a guest on Wednesday 16 December for Christmas - £20 for non members.


JAZZ and POETRY Meet FOLK

Marian Howells a member more regular at Jazzlands than me is promoting this concert 7.30 pm on Thursday the 3rd December at the Dylan Thomas Centre, tickets £6.50 with concessions (which usually includes AOPs) at £4.50. I do not know any of the musicians who range from Swing Band to solo guitar Terry Clarke, Steve Simmons Duo, the poet Simone Mansell Broome, Helen and George on fiddle and accordion.
What I do know is that it is for a good cause 'The Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture', an offshoot I believe of Amnesty International.


COMING SOON - partial repetition from last weeks blog

Monday 30 November, Pre-Concert Talk by Clive John on 'The Five Decades of the Swansea Philharmonic Choir', in Council Chamber Civic Centre at 2.15pm. (associated concert is Sat 5 Dec tickets from 371665). Contact Cecily Hughes on 363875

Tuesday 1 December, Inaugural Meeting of new Book Club 5 in Hazel Court at 10.30am. Contact Cecily Hughes on 363875

Friday 4 December , Armchair Travel in Evangelical Church immediately south of HC at 2.30pm when Alan Penhaligan will talk on Tuscany and Italian Riviera. Contact Brian Davies 520927 who was disappointed that after having so many express interest at Open Day only one new person turned for his first lecture. 
All too frequent a complaint. Where are you new members?