tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362352072011-06-08T16:31:20.745+10:00We ... write to heighten our own awareness of life ...<br /> We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection ...<br /> we write to be able to transcend our life, to reach beyond it ...<br /> to teach ourselves to speak with others, to record the journey into the labyrinth ...<br /> to expand our world, when we feel strangled, constricted, lonely ...<br /> when I don't write I feel my world shrinking. I feel I lose my fire, my color.<br /> -- Ana&iuml;s NinVergilnoreply@blogger.comBlogger181100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-36394747384996881312007-03-26T21:48:00.000+10:002007-03-26T21:58:28.591+10:00

Thanks to Matthew Meakin for coming along - at last another bloke has turned up for the meeting! As it was only Matthew and I, we just had a good long chat over a cup of coffee in the Opera Bar area at the quay. I appreciate that it's not always easy to make it on the day, but do try and contribute to the blog anyway. You should have all received an invite to a yahoo discussion group by now,

Vergilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-44133653866701326182007-03-06T11:30:00.000+11:002007-03-06T11:33:52.438+11:00

I've been a bit slack about keeping you up to date on our next get together and theme, but here it is:This coming Saturday, 10th March, 10:30am, Botanic Gardens, (Opera House entrance)(If it rains, we can always repair to the Opera Bar or other convenient place along the quay.)The theme is: Frog.Yes, write a piece about a frog, frogs, or whatever the word frog inspires in you. A short poem or

Vergilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1171098378344486662007-02-10T19:48:00.000+11:002007-02-10T20:06:18.370+11:00

Here is a conclusion for the mystery parcel story. I decided in the end to reveal all, after toying with the idea of never finding out. First, Pam's start (in italics):A knock at the door. Monica comes in carrying a package, sits down, kettle goes on.Monica: Thought you'd like some company.Mrs Griffiths: Not really. I'm OK.M: Well, anyway. Was just passing an....Mrs G: I'm FINE. I'm

Vergilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1168947299827722922007-01-16T22:30:00.000+11:002007-01-16T22:34:59.843+11:00

Hello Everyone, and welcome to 2007!I hope you've all had great Christmas time and New Year. I am hoping we can keep this group going as a way to keep us learning and motivated to write, and to share ideas and what we've learnt.The next meeting is planned for Saturday February 10th, at the usual time of 10:30 am going for about 2 hours.Meet at the entrance to the gardens in front of the Opera

Vergilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1166759017943792072006-12-22T14:41:00.000+11:002006-12-22T14:43:37.953+11:00

First thoughts : people in India grovelling on a rubbish dump for plastic bags to be gathered and sold; waking up one morning in the middle of a rubbish dump in South America, having pitched the tents in the dark the night before, not knowing where the hell we were.Second thought : Folk-singer Joan Baez singing, in the ’60s when I was going through the folk-singing/rebellion/ban-the-bomb/ban

Pam Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11744126838254654601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1165747838140874502006-12-10T21:36:00.000+11:002006-12-10T22:01:20.123+11:00

The December theme "There but for the grace of God go you or I", produced the usual varied and creative responses. Larissa has the makings of an excellent short story or play demonstrating how the smallest decisions in the past have led to who and where you are today. Pam had a wonderfully entertaining and lighthearted story based around the theme, and Vergil wrote a little poem (already posted

Vergilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1165611951834252662006-12-09T07:59:00.000+11:002006-12-09T08:07:28.173+11:00

This was inspired by the theme idea "There but for the grace of God go I"SometimesYou go shoppingAnd you sit down to breakfast and coffeeThen an unknown man with a gunOpens fire and kills seven shoppersWhile drinking coffee.SometimesYou go to the beachAnd you lie down on the lazy warm sandThen an enormous wave rises from the depthsAnd drowns everyone in sightWhile lazing in the sun.SometimesYou

Vergilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1163916851962647402006-11-19T17:06:00.000+11:002006-11-19T17:14:58.573+11:00

November's Photo conjured up the image of "trust"for me, so I have used the cinquain approach (my own variation of) to guide me in a brief poem.'Trust'TrustTo have faith inTo believe, confide and have convictionTo share one's deepest thoughts and emotions withTo coexist in harmony, no matter our differencesPeace

Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04636878599735758980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1163748016752019702006-11-17T18:12:00.000+11:002006-12-09T08:20:38.780+11:00

Our next meeting will be Saturday, 9th December, 10:30am - 12:30am. See you at the entrance to the Gardens at the opera house. Hope you can all make it. Perhaps we should have a Christmas drink/lunch afterward for those who have some time.The theme for december will be this thought "There but for the grace of God go you or I" or if you prefer "There but for fortune go you or I" - you get the

Vergilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1163388836282901022006-11-13T14:33:00.000+11:002006-11-13T14:33:56.286+11:00

Background to written piece.First impression on seeing the picture - peace, tranquillity.Is the child reading to elephant? Maybe singing? Are they praying together? Is the book a religious one – the Koran, a Buddhist tome, the Torah? I don’t think it’s the Bible! Perhaps the boy’s reading from the Jungle Book of Walt Disney, telling the elephant about Colonel Hathi and his troop marching in time

Pam Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11744126838254654601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1163387416744223012006-11-13T14:09:00.000+11:002006-12-09T08:27:17.000+11:00

Hi AllGreat to see everyone on Saturday - I didn't get much further with my elephant poem after you'd left the Gardens - too many squeaking kids around. This is the other bit of writing I need help with - come on, get yer thinking caps on! This carries on from my piece about the lady doing the ironing, missing her departed husband, gazing into the garden.Exercise * find out, or try to tell a

Vergilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1163320107579225182006-11-12T19:18:00.000+11:002006-11-12T19:29:35.130+11:00

Here is the pic for our November get together. Another warm sunny day overlooking the harbour. Here we have (L > R) Pam, Vergil, Katrina & Philippa. Larissa took the photo this time. Don't miss the next one!Don't forget, the themes are only suggestions to get you going. You can bring whatever writing you want, to discuss or just read.

Vergilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1163196116395612002006-11-11T08:51:00.000+11:002006-11-12T19:34:49.903+11:00

This poem inspired by the Boy and the Elephant photo from the "Ashes and Snow" web siteMy Children! Listen!Listen to me now in silent stillnessKneel together in peace and clear your mindsRemember when we were oneRemember when every child of mineUnderstood me, respected me,Loved me.When the greatest and strongestWhen the smallest and weakestKnew the balance of my lifeThe balance of birth and

Vergilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1161605235147916922006-10-23T21:53:00.000+10:002006-10-24T10:32:18.400+10:00

The next meeting in Royal Botanic Gardens will be at 10:30am on Saturday 11th November. We expect to go to about 12:30pm.We thought we'd try a theme based on an image this time. The image is shown below. You can view a larger version of it here.The idea is to contemplate the image for a little while (perhaps do the relaxation exercises described by Catherine Fargher?). See what sort of

Vergilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1161565031066488242006-10-23T10:12:00.000+10:002006-10-23T10:57:11.080+10:00

I had just spent two weeks in the Northern Territory and started reading Bruce Chatwin's book "The Songlines" on the plane. Our first 'assignment' seemed to fit in with everything I was experiencing. I know next to nothing about Aboriginal culture or history and I'm not being particularly enamoured of their art, so it was an eye-opener to be in their environment - the heat, the humidity, the

Pam Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11744126838254654601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1161262508707052302006-10-19T22:51:00.000+10:002006-10-23T11:06:12.740+10:00

This is my contribution to the Nebulous theme. This poem uses the "cinquain" pattern, where each verse has 5 lines, and there is a specific number of syllables per line. The first line has 2 syllables, then 4, 6, 8 and finally 2 syllables per line respectively.(It's easy and I don't have to rhyme it!)Cloudy,Floating through theDay, feeling nebulous,Misty, light-headed and listless,

Vergilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1161261794681967982006-10-19T22:30:00.000+10:002006-10-23T10:23:34.843+10:00

Our first meeting was on October 14th, with the theme "Nebulous". This time we had Larissa, Cathy, Pam & Vergil. This was that really hot Saturday, so we managed to find a lovely shady spot under a spreading fig tree, whose low hanging branches gave us a kind of private space, while keeping the sweeping view of our magificent Sydney Harbour and the Opera House. Each of us read our pieces,

Vergilnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36235207.post-1161228909127290092006-10-19T13:30:00.000+10:002006-10-19T22:20:07.346+10:00

Welcome to our Budding Writers Blog! The aim is to provide a simple way for us all to post our writing samples, provide helpful comments and constructive criticism, and also provide links to useful writing resources. We'll also post details of our next meeting times and "homework" theme to keep us motivated for the next get together. If you can't make it to a monthly meeting in the Botanic

Vergilnoreply@blogger.com5