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?

GROUP REVIEWS and COME SALSA

ANY- ONE for SALSA?
Janet Jones had booked us a long table at the Village Hotel that night drawing largely on the Jive group especially those who also belong to MOTO. Apparently 250 tickets had been sold for this sell out event. It included a not very inspiring meal of paella, but no-one faulted the dancing, a samba display in skimpy Brazilian costumes with full Rio carnival headdress, a display of Salsa by Nelson and Alba who teach at the Dragon on Thursday nights, but above all the mass crash course in Salsa by Nelson with everyone called onto the packed floor to learn four basic steps together with Nelson shouting out the rhythm 1 2-3 (pause) 5 6-7,  1 2-3 (pause) 5 6-7, open-close, open-close, in a sort of multi line-dance to an infectious fast Latin beat.
Sky-Diving/jiving Rita was there, Gerwyn was there, so was the jiving chess tutor Ken and wife Julia, so was our Secretary Pat and Barn Dance Joy, Enid and Wyn from jive, and, and, all having a memorable evening. Thanks above all to the energy and feeling for fun of Nelson - I don't think he will be retiring any time yet , but boy would he make a good convenor!

GROUP REVIEWS

True for once to my avowed intention to visit and get a feel for the activity in more groups. Monday started with Italian for me and Chess for Joan, in the afternoon I went to try my hand at bowling.
SHORT MAT BOWLING 1, every Monday 1.30 at West Cross
I had no sooner entered the room than Jim decided to take me in hand, teach me about choosing bowls, how to stand - in a way no one else did!, how to swing bowls, forehand and backhand, line and weight and length.
My second practice attempt with a Number 3 sized bowl stopped within millimetres of the jack was to be my high point (perfection would have just made contact and the added reward was having my bowl chalked to confer it special status as a 'toucher'). After that using the heavier Number 4, which according to Jim 'fitted my hands better', was all downhill.

Some may be suspicious that Jim, who turned out to be the opposing 'skip', was not entirely on my side. Throughout the game he kept encouraging me with the thought that my line was correct - pity about the weight as they thudded one after another into the backstop and were promptly removed from the field of play. Get the weight just short of perfect and I kept discovering the vagaries of the pitch (a fine flat looking gym floor) - as they bent from the right edge of the mat to the far left before going right off the mat - so those bowls too were removed before they broke any-ones leg. I then began to understand why the group's new convenor Angela Ball, at our Convenor's Meeting way back before the first Wednesday lecture, was so concerned about the possibility of accidents! She was very fulsome in welcoming me and gave me an extra biscuit for paying! That day the group were still below the ideal number, so any-one interested should go along to try/watch or better still after contacting Angela on 412701.


So far as I'm concerned it is a game of frustrations to rival golf  - another game where consistency under pressure is of the essence. I'm not a quitter and found it a good way to spend an afternoon in pleasant company - so when time allows I will resume my apprenticeship.
We did have one other first timer on our team, Angela Bridges from Politics & Citizenship. Luckily my skip Dilys was the best player on our mat (she only plays every day) and nearly always won the frame with scarce help from the rest of us.

WELSH LANGUAGE & CULTURE, every Tuesday at 10am in St Mary's Vestry.
Not being Welsh and without a word of Welsh, though my main interests since retiring have been languages, essentially as an aid to travelling. I phoned Convenor Marjorie Vanston just before going, nervous that speaking Welsh was a prerequisite, and was told that by chance she would be handing round copies of an article in English from an American newspaper on the Welsh Community in Patagonia for discussion. On hearing this Joan decided she wanted to come as well and we hastily raided our files to find a few titbits gathered on our travels there almost three years ago, and especially those relating to our meeting with Welsh community in the Welsh speaking town of Trevelin, immediately east of the Andes just over the border with Chile.


Whether this was a typical session is difficult to judge, surely it would have modified in some way to accommodate us English speakers. On this occasion the Welsh language interest seemed to be mainly in the Welsh vocabulary to be gleaned from a St Fagans pamphlet written in both languages. Although I characterised it earlier with the French and Italian groups this is definitely not a language learning group.



There were 10 members beside us and on the Convenors Questionaire Marjorie indicated that she would like another six members. It would seem to be an ideal opportunity to widen the age band of the group. There must be some fervently Welsh younger members in this organisation who would enjoy helping ensure Swansea U3A continues to address this vital aspect of Swansea's culture.


BEGINNERS WATER COLOUR
On Thursday morning after the French Conversation class I showed Brenda Sweet the Craft Room at Hazel Court  and she agreed it was ideal for the small class of Beginners Water Colours she had in mind. I have therefore booked the Craft Room weekly for Thursday afternoons from 11 March to 26 August, though the exact starting date is still to be confirmed.
Please note that Brenda Sweet is on 850518 (note the number because until now my records were incorrect).

ART/PAINTING meet at 2pm the 3rd Thursday afternoon on Ravenhill Road just north of Carmarthen Road.
Val Day the Convenor was on holiday in Spain but Brian Davies, convenor of Armchair Travel was standing in. About 8 people (12 is a more typical number) were doing their own thing, for this is a class without formal tuition - the main objective being to create an environment in which members feel encouraged to paint.
I was pleasantly surprised by the spacious room in a demountable cabin just behind a snooker hall, it is fitted with around 7 sturdy modern desks intended for two computers each but which double well for for painting. 
Mary Manning was there for the first time - she is one of several new members Val has discovered since she and husband John started with the Jive Group. These jivers get around! I need to find out if the room has wireless broadband, because it might be an alternative for Internet work, though overall less attractive than Hazel Court.


TAI CHI

I finished off Friday with my usual 9am Tai Chi class, the numbers are still a little short of those ideal for each of the three classes run that morning. On this occasion we were 8 rather than the ideal 11, but I know a couple from Thursday's French Group were intending to start that morning at the Beginners session at midday. Once members get involved in one class they are soon looking for other activities to try.



A GEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON CLIMATE CHANGE
Wednesday's lecture made me think. I had been prepared to expect that the colossal climate changes in hundreds of millions of years of the earth's life in which the comparatively recent ice ages were only one feature would lead to a sceptical reading of current climate change. But no, Dr Geraint Owen showed that today's rate of change of temperature was quite unprecedented. 
Long term changes had been huge but the rates of temperature change up and down had been a miserly 0.04degrees C per hundred years, whereas the rate during the industrialisation of the last hundred years has been up 0.6 - 0.74C in the last 100 years, 15-20 times as great, and the rate is predicted to rise up to 1.1 - 6.4C in the next hundred years, more than 100 times the historic rate. It seems unavoidable to conclude that this is the result of man's ever increasing demand for energy, satisfied so far by combustion of wood and fossil fuels.
What was chilling was the feeling, I gained from him during questioning, that other than discarding our life style there was little we would, or could, do about it. Maybe a massive population cull is around the corner.
Natural cynicism, from a life full of  basic measurements like temperature might lead me to question how accurately we can measure the average temperature of the earth today or how safe is our derivation of temperature from geological records, but for the rate to be 100 times out is very unlikely. Cynicism also about the application of dynamic process modelling (intended to predict future trends) which is made to fit the past but so often fails to predict future trends, eg weather forecasting - remember we were expecting last summer to be the hottest on record, were we not!

COMMITTEE

Bob Hughes, the Chairman who has overseen so much positive development of Swansea U3A during his three years in office, is standing down at the next AGM. He wants enquirers, nominators, volunteers, or press-gangers, to come forward immediately offering to fill the vacant posts of Vice-Chair (men or women, one or several) so that they can be trained up with a view to a smooth take over in June 2010.

He also warns that over half the Committee will be standing down at the same AGM, including it is rumoured Mrs Swansea U3A herself -  Secretary Pat Herbert, having served one or several three year stints.

So it's over to a younger, newer, age-group to take us forward 


AN EARLIER MEXICAN EVENING AT THE MONKEY CAFE

Sheila Grey and Pat Herbert caught on picture with Mexican Pirate Gerwyn Thomas



CHRONICLE
Derrick Jenkins writes in asking me to remind you all that the Editorial Sub-Committee are ready to accept articles for next years Chronicle, and pleads that all will make the best use of the cold dark winter with writing and submitting articles to

Derrick Jenkins

122 Belgrave Road

Gorseinon

SWANSEA

SA4 6RB

or emailed to derrick.jenkins@ntlworld.com

BOBBY WELLINS AT JAZZLANDS
I have missed a couple of nights but I am not going to miss any more before Christmas. This Wednesday Bobby Wellins will be playing at the club with the Dave Cottle Trio. Some may know the Under Milk Wood Suite composed and recorded by Stan Tracey in 1965, which was also featured in a revival at the Taliesin with Stan Tracey at the piano some years back. Bobby Wellins was the lyrical tenor saxophonist who made sure of his place in posterity with his work on the original recording. He is one of the leading British tenor players of his time, a little younger than me, very much associated with contemporaries like Don Weller and guitarist Jim Mullen both of whom have appeared several times at Jazzlands. I expect him to feature 'cool' melodic modern jazz which will be an excellent introduction to the genre

Bobby Wellins to my knowledge only came once before to Swansea, in the days before the break up of the Swansea Jazz Club when they met in what once was Munday's wine cellar behind the 'No Sign Bar', and before the movement to Ellingtons and the break off of traditional jazz to Mumbles. Unfortunately Bobby stormed off the set without playing a single note, leaving an inadequate trio to entertain us for the evening. He is lucky to be getting a second hearing from me, though there is the consolation that if needed the Dave Cottle Trio would entertain excellently by themselves.

Quite a few U3A members now attend Jazzlands, some 7 or 8 at the last count, though they do not form a group.



The year culminates on 16 December with Alan Barnes my favourite British alto saxophonist, who appeared a few years ago with the suite he had composed in Tracey's Under Milk Wood fashion, his being called Sherlock Holmes (2003). Each suite combines reading and music, unfortunately the narrative palls after many listenings.




COMING SOON - repeated from last weeks blog
Friday 27 November Annual Wine Tasting at Nic John's (wine merchant) 90 Walter Road from 6pm. Contact Cecily Hughes on 363875

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 HC 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.

NEW MEMBERS COFFEE MORNING

Swansea U3A continues to evolve at a rapid rate. Last year I was impressed by the buzz at the event, and perhaps in sheer effervescence it was not surpassed, but as an introduction for New Members to the U3A it most certainly was. That was thanks to the power point slides prepared in the Digital Media Group by Tony and Esther Searle and the verbal presentation by Bob Hughes, which brought out not just the range of activities available via Swansea U3A but also the fact that that such success is predicated on the willingness of members to contribute to those activities and the running of our organisation. U3As including ours are expanding at a rate which can only be sustained if volunteers continue to come forward to guide the organisation via the committee (sadly lacking at the last AGM), as lecture program organisers, social organisers, and above all as convenors (leaders) or tutors of activity groups.

Whilst everything starts with the leaders, the success of groups depends on positive participation. It is no surprise that the 'lend me your ears' type of groups are particularly popular whereas those requiring more active participation are much more difficult to run until they achieve critical mass. One of the valid cliches from Bob was the thought, I too have voiced, that you get out of an organisation what you put in. 

Some examples, first the need for the participation of men in activities requiring a balance of the sexes in an organisation which is predominantly female, though that too is altering according to Pat Herbert our cheerful, hard working, Membership Secretary. Modern Jive, perhaps the first success I was involved with - though the real credit goes to Gerwyn who teaches the routines and rapidly integrates newcomers. They numbered 38 last week but with a huge imbalance in the sexes. Men, you don't have to return to teenage years or agility to enjoy this activity as the women are increasingly realising,  give it a try.
They meet in the Monkey Cafe, Castle Street, at 10.30 every Wednesday, a cafe which has the additional advantage of selling the best and cheapest coffee in Swansea.
 
Singing for Pleasure, also well supported, is another group which would like more male voices.

I see a vital part of my job as Group's Coordinator is to foster new groups until they reach take off. Three above all are grabbing my attention currently, each newly formed last year, each need additional members. They are Creative Writing 1, Italian and Chess, all meet at Hazel Court on Monday mornings, Italian every Monday, Chess 1st and 3rd (tomorrow 16 November) and Creative Writing 1 on 4th Monday 23 November. Each have tutors with the highly specialised ability, who encourage thoughtful input from participants. The members of each group need to work together to eliminate pressure, to allow individuals to relax whilst they improve their skills - what is the point if at our age we don't collectively set out enjoy activities.

The French class was reformed last year from the point of collapse and is now flying, thanks to excellently gauged thoughtful tuition from Beryl and Celia and a very positive well matched cohesive group. Without discouraging anyone who particularly wants to pursue their French Conversation that group is close to its ideal size at present.
I appealed recently for help and Christina Barker stepped forward and assisted me firstly with rapid computerisation of the information gathered at Open Day.  I  have now asked her to write a section for this blog.

TINA'S BLOGETTE
My Experience as a New Member Joining a Group
I joined U3A in April 2009 and I thought it may be helpful to other new members if I wrote a short piece about what it is like to join one of the 40+ Groups currently running in Swansea U3A. I attended my first lecture at the Grove and felt rather nervous about walking into such a large domain, but I need not have worried. I was warmly welcomed by Pat (U3A Secretary) and introduced to several fellow members. After a friendly chat about my interests my first choice was the Literature Group which is run by Lawmary Champion.

I attended their meeting at St Mary's Church Vestry and was warmly welcomed by Lawmary and the other group members. We were first shown The Convenors Newsletter which is full of information about what is going on in U3A and then were given a list of proposed works of literature for reading. Lawmary explained how we could purchase the books cheaply and that there was a charge of just £1 at each meeting to cover the hire of the room. We enjoy round the table reading a section of the book at our meetings followed by a chapter at home before the next meeting. I have found the group very sociable and informal. We had a lovely lunch in the summer and are shortly to meet for a Christmas lunch. So in my experience I would recommend you take the plunge and contact the convenor of any group you are interested in and go along for a 'taster'. You will be pleasantly surprised and you can always try another group if that  one does not suit you. In addition to learning you will have the happy experience of meeting new people.

Tina also sends this link from the BBC site which may help less experienced computer users
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/technology/8353465.stm


NOTE from Brian, friendly was written in italics because it is the first adjective I would choose if asked to describe Swansea U3A. Tina was indeed lucky to be greeted by Pat at her very first appearance at the Wednesday lecture - we are not all so fortunate, but I think it is good advice to contact the group convenor in advance by telephone, because being alerted they will introduce you to the group. At the recent Convenors Meeting they were all asked how they dealt with newcomers, in the computer Lawmary's technique  for Cards for Pleasure is described by the acronym GIN (Greet, Introduce and Nurture) - what more could you expect but a can of tonic! (Though for Literature it was Welcome, Introduce and Encourage - there's a linguist for you).

NEXT WEEK
Monday
Italian in craft room Hazel Court (HC) at 10am
Chess in Exercise room ground floor HC from 10am
Reading 2 (check location with Barbara Ellis) at 10.30am
Bowls 1 at the Wet Cross Community Centre at 1.30pm



Tuesday
Bowls 2 at The West Cross Community Centre at 10am
Literature at St Mary's Church Vestry, centre of city, 2pm
Painting for Pleasure at All Saints Vestry Mumbles at 1.30pm (full but register interest in painting with Mary Lane)
Welsh Language and Culture at St Mary's Church Vestry at 10am


Wednesday
Bridge at the West Cross Community Centre at 10.15am
Modern Jive, Monkey Cafe, city centre, from 10.30am
Research 2 into Local History via archives at Swansea old Museum from 10am (check time with Margaret Hammond)
Lecture 'A Geological Perspective on Climate Change' at Grove, University at 2.00pm

Thursday
French Conversation at HC Craft Room at 10am
Art/Painting at Welfare Hall Fforestfach at 2pm

Friday
Tai Chi at HC Exercise Room, 3 one hour sessions starting at 9am, 10.30 and 12 midday for beginners
Singing for Pleasure, West Cross Community Centre at 2pm 


COMING SOON
Friday 27 November Annual Wine Tasting at Nic John's (wine merchant) 90 Walter Road from 6pm. Contact Cecily Hughes on 363875


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 HC 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.



Thursday 21 Jan 2010, 4 week Calligraphy course at HC 2pm in Craft Room. Register interest with Maureen Thomas on 401132. She ran two very successful short courses last year.



Thursday say 11 March 2010 (date TBC), weekly New Watercolour Group for Beginners run by new member Brenda Sweet at HC Craft Room at 2pm

MY GROUP of THE WEEK
POLITICS and CITIZENSHIP
They meet on the Second Monday of the month at West Cross Community Centre contact Marian Howells 477691 or Marjorie Vanston 296375.
Last week's meeting on MP's Expenses was informatively led by Roger Knight who had concluded that the start of the saga was the failure of Harold Wilson's Government to grant MPs a pay rise and link it to a Civil Service Grade, so taking their pay out of the political arena. In recompense was a more lax system of pay augmentation by 'expenses' was introduced with a nod and a wink, which was increasingly more abused by some MPs until the present day when the whole issue exploded into whipped up public anger - to the detriment of the whole political process. 


Readers of this blog will know I derided this reaction as quite out of proportion to the problems then facing this country in the Financial Sector. How we nationally took our eye off the ball to such an extent still amazes and depresses me. For more than six months the only political issue in town was MP's expenses and their soiled reputations, whilst ignoring the thousand times more serious events which were then staring everyone in the face, and may well not yet have played out . 

A factor of a thousand turns thousands into millions, it contrasts the starvation £1/day (£250/year) earnings of billions of poor in the undeveloped world with those earning a quarter of a million pounds a year in this country. Even that is dwarfed by the international collapse of banking that came very close to taking the whole world back from  money to barter.


Unusually I took no part in the discussion of the group that day, but what emerged was very interesting. Nobody, myself included, had any sympathy whatever for the more extreme claimants but there was a widespread feeling that the dispute had brought all politicians of all parties, regardless of their behaviour, into disrepute and that had had very bad consequences for parliamentary democracy in this country. Expenses were quoted for local MPs, who had been blameless in this regard.

There was a widespread feeling that MPs were underpaid for what ,when done properly in respect of both Westminster and Constituency, is a demanding job and that their pay should be increased and their expenses should recompense them for twin bases often hundreds of miles apart. We must allow for the less financially privileged to serve as MPs and help them guard against family breakup. Perhaps the number of MPs elected to parliament should be reduced to compensate for the cost increase.



There were suggestions that there should be a Job Description for MPs to help ensure they gave the requisite time to their duty as MPs, though there was also widespread concern that MPs needed experience of the life of work to act for the populace as a whole rather than the present trend for people to move straight from Political Studies at university, via research posts to becoming MPs.


It was commonly agreed that, partly as a result of the expenses row but also because there would be wide swings in the make-up of the next parliament, there would be a high proportion of newly elected MPs, but a good deal of nervousness over whether we would be better served as constituents as nationals and as democrats.


It was good to see several new members who will add salt to the very civilised discussions in this group. But even I can't avoid being disturbed by the Old Labour - Liberal bias of the group, they need people with right wing views to balance the debate if the group is to reflect the current political spectrum. So join in if you are serious about politics, I promise you will get a fair hearing and enjoy the forum.

WATER OF LIFE

Never before have I started this blog with an impression of a Wednesday Lecture, but I must talk about the last one which I had the pleasure of introducing. The subject could hardly appear simpler 'The Water of Life' but gave a clear account of such fundamental mysteries as how water gives plants rigidity by encapsulating cells, or gets to the top of a 100 metre high tree in the rainforest when we know that air pressure alone will only support a column of water a tenth of that height. Add the philosophical end to her story, touching on the definition of life itself, expounding what I think of as the near impossibility that other life forms do not exist elsewhere in the universe, though we probably wouldn't recognise them as such.


Helgi Opik was able to draw on over 30 years lecturing at Swansea on such topics plus years of research into plant physiology, and it showed. As someone who spent a large proportion of his career in steel (a material synonymous with strength) I am still getting my head around the concept that water has strength in tension, provided it is constrained in narrow tubes.
For me it was by far the most challenging lecture so far this term and we should be proud that it came from a U3A member sharing her deep knowledge in such an approachable fashion - the very essence of this organisation.

COMMENTS ON BLOG

A couple of interesting comments were left on the previous posting,  simply scroll back to the end of that posting and click on the 2 comments in order to read them. Unfortunately the second comment has been cut off in mid flow, this is because Google (not me) place a length limit on comments, judging by this entry it is around 300 words. 
As regards the thought that 'U3A is [supposed to be] non political' that does of course not apply to individual members, and I have always acknowledged that what is known informally as 'Brian's Blog' expresses my own interests and opinions, not those of the organisation.


MONDAY MORNINGS AT HAZEL COURT
Italian and Chess

I am happy to report signs of life in both the Chess and Italian Groups, and once again that is coming from new U3A members, perhaps apt in that these groups have been going for only twelve months. Both however would still welcome say 6+ more members, you simply need to turn up to try out these groups. Women are on the verge of outnumbering men at Chess, so that taboo is lifting.


Both meet at 10am, Italian every Monday but Chess only the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month, thus the next Chess meeting is a week later on Monday 16 November.


Book Group 4

Dorothy Little's group, also formed last year, is well very well supported and like Book 1 does not want additional members.
Other members wanting to join a Book Reading Group are invited to the Inaugural Meeting of Book Group 5 which will be on Tuesday 1 December, presumably also at 10am - contact Cecily Hughes for further information, we assume those who signed Interest Forms on Open Day will form the core membership.
Some may prefer a Book Group which meets on Wednesday in which case contact Barbara Ellis whose home based group could accommodate another 1 or 2 people.


Creative Writing 1
This is run by Jill Govier who set up the highly successful original writing group and then handed it over (as Group 2) to concentrate on this newer less experienced group. She is very hopeful of getting further support from those who signed the Interest Sheets at Open Day at their next meeting which is at 10am on 23 November (the 4th Monday of the month). She emphasises that members are expected to actively write every month and bring fresh work for discussion to each session. Above all this is a learn to write better workshop, and there is only one way to do that, as I am discovering, and that is to write more often.

Pantomagoria
Jill Govier is still waiting for volunteers for minor roles in Sleeping Beauty, needing 6 more fairy godmothers of either sex and five newspaper readers for a scene at Verdi's. She would especially welcome new U3A members. Taking part is the only way to ensure a ticket for one of the U3A's highlights of the year - don't miss out. They normally meet at the Monkey Cafe, High Street just opposite the Castle, at 2 - 4 pm every Monday. Please contact Jill Govier on 455303.


EXPLORING GROUPS
One of the attractions of this job is the freedom to visit group meetings unannounced just to get a flavour of their activities. There is every reason for new members to have tasters in this fashion until they discover the groups which really work for them - please contact the convenor in advance who will help ensure you are made to feel welcome.


History
The session I went to may well not have been typical but it was a  fascinating tale of artefacts found in the fields of Northamptonshire with the help of metal detectors. Alan Standish, the eldest son of Audrey Standish, gave a talk using slides and brought along a hundred or more of their finds, which ranged from coins, rings, ornaments and thimbles to clay pipes and pieces of glass discovered as a by-product of digging to unearth metal objects. Many finds stretch back to Roman times.

The talk was particularly interesting to Joan and I who were each born in Warwickshire, Joan comes from Rugby on the border of both Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, whereas I come from Warwick though the major part of my Grammar Schooling was in Rugby. I stress that we would not exchange Swansea and the wonderful scenery of South-west Wales for the land locked Midlands, in spite of its rich history.
Alan's talk followed on well from the previous Wednesday lecture about Richard the 3rd and the battle of Bosworth Field in Leicestershire, which heralded the arrival of the Tudors and modern Britain. Anna Nicholas told us the traditionally accepted location and nature of that battle (arrows or bullets) was being challenged by the discovery of metallic military artefacts in a nearby field.
Alan spoke of the demise of permanent museums in Northamptonshire and the way in which his small group of enthusiasts had formed a mobile museum to take their finds around the county, including interesting school children in local history.

MUSIC & THEATRE
I must say I was thrilled by Pete King on alto sax with the Dave Cottle Trio as promoted here in the last posting. Beautiful tone, faultless technique and my type of exciting music.
Had I blogged last week I would have recommended the the following week's concert at Jazzlands by young jazz singer Claire Martin which pulled in even more enthusiasts and also had at least half the audience standing to applaud at the end. She concentrates in singing from a lessor known modern repertoire of songs though she started with 'Witchcaft'. Wonderful diction at high speed and full power, matched well to her genre which was essential fusion, the meeting of Jazz and Rock - not quite my cup of vocal tea. Her technique reminded me of a youthful Shirley Bassey - which may well be praise in some eyes!  In spite of the reception the most applause went to the one slow quiet number displaying the full range of her voice which was backed only by Laurence Cottle on bass guitar.
No offence to Rock, I like outstanding performance over a very wide range of art genres. Just after Match of the Day the other evening I turned over to the 2008 Madison concert by Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton which caught them at their peak.

UNCLE VANYA by Chekov
Last year's readers will remember me raving about the performances of Shakespeare at The Tobacco Factory (sattf) in Bristol. Yesterday Joan and I made a day trip to The Old Vic at Bristol to see a collaborative production of Uncle Vanya directed by Andrew Hilton who has directed 19 0f the 20 the sattf productions. It was another very enjoyable top class production with several actors who have previously appeared in sattf productions.


Joan remarked last night that the play often reminded her of Samuel Beckett's 'Waiting for Godot', waiting for something to happen (which it never did) to relieve miserable, boring, lives. Though unlike Godo it continually highlighted the play with overt wry humour, a beautiful young woman, morphine and a gun. In Saturday's Guardian, which I assure you we only read after returning home, their theatre critic Lyn Gardner giving it four stars, rarely does she award the full five, remarked that the 'dry-as-a-martini translation feels like a 19th century Russian Beckett'. This production runs until Saturday 21 November, if you want to attend given that review you will have to act quickly.



We went there not only attracted by the play and sattf but also by the opportunity to see how they were getting on with the restoration of the 240 year old Theatre Royal, the oldest working theatre in Britain. The Bristol Old Vic dates back only to the immediate post war period of 1946 - in 1955 it featured Derek Godfrey, Moira Shearer and Eric Porter in this very same play, and in 1973 Peter O'Toole starred as Vanya. A few years ago the theatre closed amid a cloud of despondency in the national press that it might well never reopen. Apart from the unsafe state of the building at that time the man next to us said he felt that by continuing to concentrate on long runs, as in the West-end but as opposed to the Theatre Royal in Bath who now feature week long productions, they had lost their audience. Though restoration of the auditorium is still a case of work in progress the Theatre Royal re-opened about nine months ago and on the basis of yesterday's enthusiastic full house it is well on the way to restoring theatre to its rightful place in Bristol and the Bristol Old Vic, perhaps the most important Drama School outside London.


February through April 2010 Shakespeare at The Tobacco Factory will be presenting extensive runs in Bristol of firstly Midsummer Nights Dream and then The Tempest, Shakespeare's last play which he ends by inviting applause - for his life's work. Anyone interested in Theatre, and especially minimalist Theatre in the Round, is encouraged to attend this fine drama. By attending a matinee yesterday we were able to take advantage of a day return on National Express for just over £6 each.

City of Swansea Concert Band
Keith Roberts who plays with them writes to say their Annual Concert is being held at The Taliesin on 11 December at 7.30 pm for £6 (£5 concessions). Tickets from Keith or at the door. Guest Artists will be Swansea Singleton Singers, who I believe includes Jan Phillips and maybe other U3A members.


MY MAILBOX
Since perhaps unwisely I use a single email address and because an increasing number of you are sending me emails of general interest often including large files of photos or video clips I am continually being reminded that my mailbox with a capacity of 30MB is almost full, and this weekend it actually rejected further mail, but is now once more clear following wholesale deletion. Sorry I'm sure I would have enjoyed much of it.

I would ask readers to send me only mail that refers directly to the U3A, or my blog. I still invite people to submit photos of U3A groups that I might like to use on the blog, though ideally these should be of reduced definition (file size) as used for email.