May 22nd Meeting
Summary

In attendance:  Mike Redfern, Sue Shaw, Mike Whitney, Heather Wattie and Cindy Postnikoff

Sue facilitated this meeting and provided us with the material.  Thanks Sue!  We were to have read Chapter 4 from the Creative Writing text we are using. It covered the following: writing what you know and don't know, memory/association, benefits of daydreaming/imagination, using our cultural memory and nostalgia plus the invaluable tools of research.

In a nutshell, the assignment was to take something interesting, fiction or non-fiction and ask yourself, 'What if..?'  What if certain details of a character were changed?  Cultural events, gender, family size, job etc. Heather did a few short pieces in a free association kind of style starting with 'What if...', using her own life as a base for possible changes using this technique. Sue shared a piece about the pulp mill where many events were interwoven all on the same day, very intriguing idea with details about a work tragedy, war time protests, shady custom officers and a raven's prediction. Mike R. never did the assignment and for the life of me, (because I didn't write it all down), I forgot Cindy and Mike W.'s contribution!  Thank God for cut and paste so hope to have theirs in eventually.

We then did an in meeting writing session where we had to pick a period in our lives and capture the cultural details of that time period using the techniques from the chapter we'd read. It was varied and interesting, that at least I remember, with details to be added later if I can get them from my fellow members.  Ahhh, the immense value of writing things down. My apologies fellow writers and shan't happen again! See you on Wed. the 12th with pens poised high!  Write on!

Thursday, May 2nd meeting

In attendance:  Mike Redfern, Heather Wattie, Suzanne Shaw, and Sharla Smith

Summary provided by Mike Redfern

The group had studied workbook Chapter 3, Writing What You Know, continuing from our last meeting. Sue, Sharla, & Heather read their response to Activity 3.3, writing down what they had perceived in an indoor location using their five senses. Sharla used vivid imagery to enhance her descriptions of her sensory perceptions. Mike had not done his homework so had nothing to offer!

We then read an excerpt from Seamus Heaney's poem 'Death of a Naturalist' in which sensory perceptions were described with simile and metaphor, not a cliche to be seen, and an excerpt from Laurie Lee's coming-of-age memoir 'Cider with Rosie', in which the focus was on chronological ordering of memories.

We then read an excerpt from Lesley Glaister's 'Memory: the true key to real imagining' in which past memories were written in the present tense and clear memories were mixed with uncertain memories, creating an authentic feel to the memoir. We then each wrote about a personal memory using the present tense, except for Heather who ignored the instructions and did her own thing! (not quite true Mike but close enough) These were shared, discussed and enjoyed.

 

Sue agreed to prepare the next meeting's assignment and studies from Chapter 4 of the workbook. She will email assignments and reading materials to the members of the group.

 

The next meeting day has been changed to a Wednesday to accommodate a prospective group member (whose name I missed) so we will meet on Wednesday, May 22, at 7 p.m. in Centre 64.

 

Nov. 20th Assignment

Hi Enthusiastic Writers:))

Two of the 10 Commandments for writers as printed in Writer’s Digest
March ’96 are:
#1. Put Thy Work first—not the audience or market
#4.    Honour Thy Readers (i.e. Put 'em first, too;)

Keeping in mind these 2 commandments, write about a character's
motivation--it could even be your own.  Think about just one of your
own passions/goals/desires/ambitions or moral motivators—or those of a
fictitious person—e.g., the immoral motivator of a villain, if you so
desire…the ambitions of a Koch Bros., par example.  Or the family pet,
pet ghost, pet rock or the shackled lover in the loft, as the case may
be.

This Assignment must be 900-1500 words.  Not a word more!  This is
counting all the connective tissue:, ‘in’, ‘or’ , ‘this’, 'and', etc..
Put your word count on the top of your piece.  This will ensure
verbal economy and precision.  Think of each word as costing you $5.

You must keep your readers in mind the whole time while you are writing,
for you will be passing your piece to someone else who will read it to
us all.

This way, we will all hear our own writing as our readers would read
it. (Also, we'd each get the same amount of air space and time.)

It’ll also give us an idea if we are doing our best at getting our
ideas, our characters, etc. across to others, while still making it
interesting for most audiences, because we'll each be our own
audience, too.  Hearing our own words spoken by someone else will give
each of us some idea of what we have to do to make our writing more
readable and interesting, don't you think?.

Have fun!

Oct. 23rd Meeting Summary

The Write On Group meeting of Oct. 23, '12 started in the pub with
members with memories. It continued at Centre 64 with the forgetful.
Colin challenged us to write something readable out of certain words
with the proviso: no two of those words in the same sentence. The
diverse results—some lustful, some humorous, some reflective and some
reminiscent—titillated us all.  Next, we read out our individual
manifestos.

Colin’s manifesto expounded on ‘idealism in action’.  He described 8
sentient, advanced communities in the world wherein workshops could be
established to focus on solving world-wide issues, e.g.: environmental
issues;  creating successful families and successful lives, within a
milieu of better understanding of other cultures to ameliorate sources
of conflict, to identify survival issues and to explore resolutions.
His manifesto is worthy of elaboration and pursuit in a larger
work—maybe even several volumes:)

Heather used an acrostic form for her amazing manifesto and then in free form, 
shared a delightful economy of intriguing words and contemplative metaphors,
she conveyed the individual portion of the same sentience Colin was
aiming for worldwide.  Heather’s piece needs to be printed, too,
ASAP, as all progressive change starts at the personal level.  Even in
times of intense personal turmoil, we are allowed to have fun, for
“dance is sacrament”.  As usual, Heather’s writing removes our
psyche-blinders to enable us to view things from many more angles than
before:)

Mike W. described how our possessions can define our individual
manifestos.  People may say politically correct things that give the
‘appearance of truth’, but the slogans which grace (or disgrace) their
T-shirts proclaim their real intentions, politics and characters.
Bumper stickers tout our beliefs, too, and you can tell a lot about a
guy from the level of percussion blaring from his car stereo.  Lavish
lifestyles on paupers’ pittances could describe many young folks
today.  The ‘why’ could be a lazy acceptance of ‘that’s just the way
it is’.  (Or is it a fatalistic belief in earth’s imminent end?) We
had a lot to think about after his piece--mainly how do represent
ourselves in public?.

Sue’s Womanifesto proclaimed social justice, economic equality and
environmental conservation. She vowed to employ her one formidable
weapon to accomplish all this.  Her weapon?   Profound nagging.  In
the wise words of Elmer Fudd (or was it Bugs Bunny?), “Be vewy, vewy
afwaid….” (Summary penned by Sue Shaw)

Summary of meeting Oct. 9th

In attendance:  Mike Redfern, Sue Shaw, Colin Macleod, Mike Whitney, Heather Wattie (and Mike Park's voice in the background rehearsing for a play!)

Writing assignment:  'Revolution'

Mike R. led us on an ideological revolution through his story outline based in El Salvador as experienced in first person through the eyes of two kids or a female school teacher.  Present in the story would be the dark elements one may expect in a tense political scenario; rebel attacks on villages,  attempted escapes, capture, refugee camps and the fight for freedom and basic human rights.  We look forward to seeing how that takes shape.

Colin expounded on a former essay-like piece,'what if my idealism came true?' He included the presence of a Higher Power and an autocratic approach, benevolent leaders, inspiring actions taken community by community worldwide and a big vision for it all.  A healthy environment, effective use of technology for communication, a classless society, rights for all were also present.  He may do it with a voice representing different countries in a fiction story format.

Sue once again delivered in her naturally humorous vein and shared a piece about Che Guevera at Centre 64 trying to hold a meeting with many interruptions and frustrations, spoken with an accent.  There were many chuckles as Che's vision of revolution was lost in the poor dynamics of the meeting!

Mike W. shared his own warm fuzzy revolution of the 24 hours from morning to night on Thanksgiving Day, reminding us of the joys of companionship, cozy beds, the feeling of community in a local congregation, smells of a turkey with all the trimmings, youth at the skate park and the simple pleasure of life to be thankful for and appreciated.

I(Heather) shared a reflection on the bodily 'revolution' that occurs with menopause and how it can compare with adolescence in dramatics on physical and emotional levels!

Mike W. then gave us a writing exercise where we had to give an excuse for not getting the flu shot.  These ranged from mystical walks/discoveries in the woods as the setting for the excuse, old tins in the garage wreaking havoc when the mystery contents were tasted, a duck bite and consequent blood clot from the bruise, looking after the evil grandkids of a boyfriend with designs to dye their cat, and keeping the body as a temple for an international rugby match.  Lots of laughs and fun!  We then got to share a few limericks to finish it all off.  Good time was had by all and we plan on gathering at the Sully 5:45 for burger and beer before next meeting!  Until then word weavers...

Summary of Sept. 25th meeting
In attendance:  Mike R., Mike W., Colin, Heather and Sue

It was great to reconvene after the summer and touch base again with everyone.  We are hoping we will see some new members this year to join the core membership already established.  Our assignment was to share about our summer experiences.  Colin had many adventurous and touching moments connecting with his collection of grandkids and getting to know them better while enjoying the beauty of the West Cost.  Mike R. shared his thoughts of the Platzl being a vibrant place that folks come to and stay if there was enough artistic and creative happenings to pique interest and keep it long enough.  He was able to observe the comings and goings of Platzl life while painting murals on some boring windows which drew curious onlookers cuz' something creative and unusual was actually taking place!  Sue kept us chuckling with her anecdotes of relatives and her trip to Ontario.  Particularly, the peculiarities of rellies who have certain ideas of how to properly use an outhouse!   In the midst of all the family dynamics, she made us feel the 'forlorness' of a town that has lost it's way out and the beauty of the rock and water in that part of Canada.  Mike W. and spouse survived the transition of organizing and moving stuff from their 40 years of life from one house to another as they packed up their belongings, pawned off possessions, dismantled a workshop and came to settle for good here in the Kimber.  Mike will once again grace the ski hill as soon as the snow flies!  I, (Heather) shared my summer experiences which highlighted a trip to the coast for a wedding, 75th b-day celebration, time with grown-up daughters and the annual family golf weekend...a carousel of laundry and guests!  Loved being in nature as always with new trails discovered and shoes broken in.  We finished off by exploring the cool form of the poetic "lune' which Mike R. introduced to us. It felt similar to Haiku but has a 5/3/5 word line format. It wet our appetites to do more! Until next time...

My apologies once again for the tardy blog update! We had some interesting meetings the last few times, wrote/shared some wild and wacky words of which I am forgetting the specifics unless I check my journal notes.  We managed to select and put together our 3rd journal with Mike Redfern at the helm of the whole process guiding us on and putting in numerous hours.  Colin and Heather graciously hosted us in their intriguing abode for our windup potluck in June with stimulating discussion in one of the coolest homes in Kimberley!  Homemade bread was brought by 'Mikey', plus a lovely assortment of ethnic yum yums and of course, drinks for all.  There were house tours and hopeful glimpses for the ghost but she never graced us with her presence. Instead, we graced each other's presence with humorous stories and anecdotes and a few attempts at card tricks by Don(keep your day job buddy).  Grab a copy of the journal around town, put your feet up somewhere and keep word-smything over the summer dear-hearts!

Summary of the May 1st meeting

An interesting assignment with responses as varied as the group...surprise, surprise! Don's ten sentence story reflected on his experiences as a teacher with a female student who was challenging on many levels but who found her place in the school culture, herself and the world by the unusual vehicle of her safe sex presentation. A lot of this made possible with some nurturing and belief by Don. Years later, she invited him to her wedding and Univeresity grad. A touching story of connection and overcoming stigma and exclusion. Sue Shaw led us on an interesting journey with a letter from a certain Evelynn Rothschilds to the lesser 'vassals and serfs' to whom she shares her thoughts on many global issues and social commentary in a highly amusing fashion. Colin invited us in with his story about his ten fave authors gracing his bookshelves and how they had to earn their priveleged place there in his imagination with their wonderfully engaging characters and stories. Mike R. Read a close to real life story about a senior cadet in the Navy who had a dicey encounter at a Texan bar when he was on a break with his mates. A hot babe was involved, a threatening knife and rescue from his buddies. Truly a close encounter of the red neck kind. I shared a story about the life of a rock who was found by a young girl, brought home to her garden and her life and treasured by generations to come. We finished off with a writing exercise starting with the prompt,'If I had more energy I would...' The group responses included, 'gardening, singing, walking, learning, connecting with old friends,becoming an essayist, engaging in sports and fitness, pursuing dreams, cycle trips,and more!

April 17th Meeting Summary

'...and then there were six.'  Two gals, Heather and Sue Shaw, joined by Mike R. and 'Mikey', Don and Colin. We shared bits about our favourite authors, some of which were Mike Redfern's pick of Arthur Ransome of the famous 'Swallows and Amazon' Series, Sue who felt carried away by James Clavell even though he was a 'puke' she says. John Grisholm ranked as one of Colin's top five along with Wilbur Smith and Pierre Burton.  Don Davies recommended reading Khaled Hosseire(sorry for any misspellings gang) of the 'Kite Runner' fame. Mikey said he was too young yet to have a favourite author but was open to 'Poppa Charlie's input as a seasoned reader and our suggestions of which we gave him many!  I shared a different version of the Mother Goose author and the inner lives of the nursery rhyme characters.  Mikey then asked us to take something we had heard that day and write from it.    Don wrote about  his granddaughter who, at only 10 years of age, is already 'rolling in the deep' of her own musical talents which she shares with the world.  Colin was struck by the phrase' economy and environment' and waxed poetic for a bit.  Sue amused us as always with a quick and funny reflection sprung from, 'they don't make life jackets just to save lives'.  I wrote a couple of poems taken from a morning mediation book called 'The Cup of our Lives' and Mike responded to the CBC news that day of a tragic murder. Mikey took 'it's not too late to seek a newer world' from Alistair Maclean and the perspective change that wrought. See you soon word weavers!

Tuesday, April 3rd meeting summary

Tuesday night's meeting was fantastic! Both Mike and Colin produced very thoughtful and thought-provoking pieces on the topic "what if...?" I hope they go onward with these pieces, for they are certainly worthy of being published. "New" Mike played a few songs for us on his guitar:) Next meeting's assignment offered forth by "new" Mike is: A look into a favourite author's past:) Have fun with this one, writers! [Hm! Can I write anything at all without a :) or an exclamation mark? Or excessive commas? I doubt it! Is there a 12-Step Program for Over-Punctuating Anonymous?]

Take care!

Sue the Punctuator

Write On Meeting March 20 Report

Hey there, fellow writers,

Major excitement at last night's Write On meeting was the arrival in our midst of Mike Park, recently returned to Kimberley and keen to join our group which he learned about from Christine after reading issue #2 of our Write On Journal. Welcome, Mike! Good of you to bridge the generation gap and join us old scribblers. ( Exception noted re: "old" in the case of our female members!)

Present last night were Colin, Sue, Mike W., Mike R., and Mike Park. So, with three Mikes at the table, we decided to rename the group Mike On! Just joking.

Colin facilitated the meeting and we first read our assignments about "All the World's A Stage....".

Sue wrote humorously and passionately about the conflicts between the Tudor monarchs of Shakespeare's day. She knows an awful lot about the Tudors whom she describes as being rather like the Borgias.

Mike W. read the whole soliloquay, the Seven Ages of Man, as it is popularly called, and concluded Man is both actor and audience.

Mike R. wrote a short essay positing the same conclusion as Mike W. but pointing out that some people are also innovators and creators of new scenes in life's drama.

Colin reviewed all the possible audiences for Man's performances, including God, aliens, pets, and his own omniscient self, suggesting that people perform to please their particular audience.

Colin then had us write about "My Getaway" for 15 to 20 minutes.

Mike P. write about his music as the place he turned to in times of stress. Later he sang us a song in Spanish that he had just composed. Mike P. is writing in more than one genre!

Mike W.'s getaway was skiing, first in the Yukon and later on Mt. St. Anne in Quebec. He obviously is a ski nut (!) and hopes to move permanently to Kimberley to carry on his passion once he's sold his home in Missisauga.

Mike R. Wrote about returning to Belize in his imagination to escape the troublesome thoughts that keep him awake in the small hours of the morning.

Colin described his family's happy camping holidays on Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron.

Sorry, but I can't remember what Sue wrote about except that it led to an impassioned discussion of American conspiracies, a topic we will probably return to at another time. What was your Getaway, Sue?

Our next meeting is on April 3rd for which the writing assignment is up to 1200 words on the topic, "What If", set by Sue who will facilitate the meeting. Mike W. will probably not be there as he and his wife return to Ontario as soon as the ski hill closes. Mike R. will also not be there as he will be on holiday in the States. But there will still be one Mike at the table!!

Cheers!

Mike R.

missed meeting

Hi Fellow Writers:) Sorry I missed last meeting. Recovered now, so will make next meeting;) See you all then!

Feb. 7th summary

Four males and one female...a reverse harem! Sue Shaw was absent and we are sad to say that Susan D. is not returning this year due to other commitments. We welcome a new member, Colin to the fold and he was a good sport as we mostly edited more journal pieces after a humorous warm-up from Mike where we had to describe 10 people we know. Very entertaining and enlightening! Enjoy the mild temps out there folks and see you next week. Sorry for the tardy blog post and update.

Jan. 24th summary

Blustery night to meet! A nice supper was had at the Pedal and Tap where a few members ran into each other prior to the meeting. Mike and Susan were missed but hopefully will rejoin us again. Mike R. gave us a stimulating exercise about pairing down the use of excess modifiers which was enlightening! We read over a few pieces for the journal with some editing until calling it quits due to fatigue and brain drain. (me bad!) We will be gearing up for 'Cabin Fever Daze' once the journal is done. The snow continues to fall, the pens continue to write and the group continues to meet. Write On!

Tuesday, January 10th meeting summary

OK. I apologize. I should have posted this summary while the meeting was fresh in my mind, but no...here I am on a Monday night sipping a glass of red wine and trying to recall it all. It seems we have a core group now which includes the two Mikes, a Sue(and a Susan we hope still), a Don and a Heather. Hopefully new members will join us this year.

Mike Redfern led the warm-up exercise with the topic of 'Firsts'. Folks shared their scribblings around their first lemon meringue pie making, grade seven slow dance, the classic first kiss with a nurse on a sailor's port break, a first ride on a bull in an alcohol laden fashion, and an unforgettable wipeout on wooden skis which broke in two.

This was followed by the belated christmas assignment. Don shared his poignant journey of healing with us and the importance of cultivating an 'attitude of gratitude'. Sue shared about a disastrous christmas play collaboration that was sabotaged by the flu bug, Heather rewrote a few christmas ditties and a short story. Mike W. made us all teary with a lovely poem written by a State trooper sharing his christmas experiences...plus a hospital episode involving a certain impressive 'member' of the anatomy. The meeting ended around 9 and we all made our way home safely in the snowy dark. Until we meet again dear hearts...

Write On writers group meeting Nov. 29, 2011

Present: Sue Shaw, Heather Wattie, Don Davies, Mike Whitney, Mike Redfern.

Apologies for absence: Susan Dancer

1. Cabin Fever Daze 2012

It was agreed to book the theatre at Centre 64 for March 3rd 2011, if it is available on that date, for a performance of Cabin Fever Daze. Don, Heather, Sue, and both Mikes are prepared to perform and will ask some musicians and other performers to take part.

We’ll go into planning mode for this in January. (Post-meeting: The theatre is booked for March 3rd but is in use for Off Centre Players rehearsals and set building on the previous Tuesday and Thursday evenings and for a slide show on the cyclorama, which must be white, on the previous Monday. So we will need to be very efficient about back-drop painting, set decorating, and rehearsal.)

2. Write On Journal issue #2

Mike R. is receiving items for inclusion in the second issue of the Write On Journal, which we need to publish in January, leaving time for a third issue in April. The $850 grant from the CKCA for this project must be used before May. Poems, short prose, jokes, artwork, photographs, etc., should be emailed to Mike at redruth@shaw.ca. He will compile, edit, and lay them out for final selection at a meeting in January.

3. Meeting format

It was agreed that, starting in the New Year, we will try to take 20 to 30 minutes each meeting to do writing exercises from a recognized course book in order to improve specific skills, techniques, etc. We can then develop writing assignments to be read at the following meetings to include the use of those skills, techniques, etc. that we have learned and practiced. This will, in effect, be very much like what we do now at each meeting except that we will be using a more structured basis for the writing we do, hopefully leading us to become more effective writers. (Members may explore course material that they have access to and present to the next meeting.)

4. The Blog

Heather thinks that the Write On writers’ group blog needs to be kept up-to-date. No one expressed interest in doing it, as no one is sure just how to operate a blog successfully. Heather will try her best and consult with Nicole who set it up originally.

5. The Writing Exercise

Mike R. was facilitating this meeting and set a 10 minute writing assignment to write a poem or short piece of prose on the topic ‘After the Rain’.

• Don wrote about a perilous crossing of a high pass on icy roads in snowy conditions, narrowly avoiding a serious accident, something he had experienced just a few weeks ago in Utah.

• Sue wrote a grisly tale about a body skewered with a pool cue and with an 8-ball in its mouth.

Mike W. wrote about chickens and ducks greeting the fresh green day following the rain.

Heather wrote 2 poems, one in rhyming couplets which included someone choking on his tie and an onomatopoeia poem about the sound of dripping water.

Mike R. wrote a paragraph about driving on reflective wet roads and a poem about a dog shaking itself.

6. The Writing Assignment

Mike had set a writing assignment at the previous meeting that he had culled from Writers’ Digest. It was to create a cliché-free protagonist – you; choose a career you once contemplated; change your age, gender, race; investigate something that intrigues you; invent a situation that boosts your heart rate; send your character to a place you’d like to visit; and write.

• Mike R. rewrote a chapter from his unfinished mystery novel in which the protagonist was a young, black female detective inspector in London, England, sent out to investigate a possible crime scene where she discovers a dead body.

• Heather wrote a piece in which the protagonist was a gay Flamenco instructor and immigrant who met his soulmate in Walmart. There was a thread of loss/angst woven through as he was asked to release his lover who was suffering with Aids.

• Mike W. did not attempt this assignment.

• Sue wrote an imaginative piece set in a polluted and dangerous future with futuristic technologies ( a carpet mower) and society.

• Don’s protagonist was an idealistic 19 year old female high school grad who applied for a position as a patrol officer whose job it was to collect taxes for the Australian government from the primitive tribesmen in the dangerous and isolated back-country of Papua New Guinea during the days of head-hunters. Other patrol officers had died or been killed doing this job. The story was prompted by Don’s own application for such a job before he trained as a teacher.

7. Next meeting

We’ll meet again on Tuesday, December 13th, at 7 p.m. The writing assignment, which was set by Heather, will be to share your assignment about a Christmas Gone Wrong.

8. Contact person

Don agreed to take over from Heather as the contact person for anyone wishing to join the Write On writers’ group or to find out more about us. Don can be reached at davies41@telus.net.

On the cusp of summer...

Well, 'tis almost July. We have had lesser numbers the last few meetings due to the busyness of other activities and the lure of summer-like weather. Margaret Moe, one of our regulars is leaving and will be greatly missed! Members can still participate via the wonders of the world wide web if so inclined. We are putting the finishing touches on the first issue of the Write On Journal which has been a stimulating process to say the least! Sue Shaw has tirelessly put it all together with everyone pitching in where they are able. Hats off to you Sue! Keep your eyes open for copies in locations around town. Till we meet again word weavers and may your summer be abundant, your feet light and your heart open!

And then there were four...

Four of us were present at this last meeting and we dug into the journal pieces with our editing and revisions! A fruitful evening spent together forming the bones for the upcoming journal to be published in June. A reminder to send your revised pieces to Mike and then to Sue for formatting, along with suitable photos and other images/artwork. See you on the 17th!

Super power summary!

We decided to forego the writing warm-up in favour of sharing the prescribed homework, as Nola had to leave early.

Nola started us all off with a clever piece about a woman who wakes up with a headache. (wait for it...) This was a wake-up call to use her super secret powers for the good. Up to that point she had been a bad girl and making others ill so the nasty boss she was working for and bonking, could sell them expensive pills to make them better. She ended the affair with the boss, broke away from the toxic corporate world of the Pillpushers and reclaimed her morals and sense of self! This heroine then used her powers to heal not harm and cured cancer, no mean feat!

Mike Redfern followed with a humorous story about a kid who discovered his unusual prowess in a variety of sports, due to the fact that he could extend his limbs to longer lengths and unknowingly using that to his advantage in the athletic realm, even taking it to the Olympic level in high jump later! This was all interspersed with a very funny part about making out with the most sought after girl in high school who had amazing knockers which he found out to be fake after an unsuccessful grope and mix-up of body parts! Greta helped save him face by sticking with him and liking him for who he was after the 'Barbie' slandered him and his feeble make out attempts. It was faithful Greta who noticed how he could stretch up to look over the hedge and see if her dad was waiting up for them. Wondrously, they started experimenting with what he could do and the rest is history...complete with a ladder-less interior decorating service and a family to boot!

Sue Shaw entertained us again with another funny piece about a woman who had an encounter at Sprout grocery with the 'wicked witch of Wasa' who gave her magic green beans to eat. These wondrous beans could give the partaker 'supercaloric flatulation and expiring halitosis', in other words, gas and breath to knock your socks off, clean any stain, 'make a biker weep' and level any politician's rhetoric flat out. Now that's a super power worth something!

Don shared a more believable story about Charles and Mary, childhood sweethearts who were separated by circumstances and then reunited years later in England. Charle's mother had the uncanny ability to see into the future with premonitions. Charlie followed in her footsteps, even seeing the scene of Kennedy's assassination in a dream which was the usual mode of revelation. He could have used that 'gift' for ill gain and change the course of history but was a humble sort so chose to live out his life with his reunited love in relative obscurity. He did have a disturbing premonition of his friend Bruce impaled by a falling icicle and kept us on the edge of our seats with a tense ice climbing scene, only to reveal Bruce's untimely death under the very eaves of his own front porch as they released the killer ice knife.

Newer member Mike had a Charlie in his story also, with lovely wife Alice and two kids who resided in Boston. Son George was a musician, his sister Gwen, a nursing type. Their parents were T.V watchers, beer and jerky eaters and enjoyers of bedroom fireworks...somewhat dependant on the content of the program and then measured on the 'richter scale'! Alice worked in a bakery with heavenly cheese sticks while Charlie had a certain 'electrical clairvoyance' which allowed him to accurately assess various mechanical problems at work. This was greatly appreciated by his boss and higher ups. Unfortunately, he was also tormented by the same thought patterns that allowed him to shine at work and had to say a backwards mantra to shut it all off in his head...throw in a trip to a local strip joint and more mental stumbling around where he seeks relief, trying to balance the problem-solving gift without the curse of mind replay. A fun bit of work with a lone-liner punch line I forgot to write down! Sorry Mike.

Mine(Heather), involved three generations speaking in first person, who were all related to Clark Kent. They all left a 'legacy of lines' on a variety of surfaces which were wielded by an ordinary looking knife Kent passed on with possible Kryptonite powers. Kent's stepbrother Bob, whose balloon creations were out of this world, (literally) had a daughter who made woodcarvings come to life when she used the knife and later opened her own tattoo shop where her designs leapt off the skin. Her son also discovered the knife could do unusual things for him when he turned 13 (the magical age) and enjoyed skinning animals he had trapped. Their flesh seemed to fall off the bone effortlessly with the humble looking knife. The dark side of it all immersed when he used the knife for pursuits of a sketchier kind, namely to carve up rich dudes whose pools he cleaned and money he stole.

See you next meeting! Bring a few shorter pieces to share which will then be all read and then selected by the editorial team to go into the journal we are putting together in June!

Next meeting is Tuesday March 22nd at 7pm and the facilitator is Don.
Since it is World Water Day the assignment topic is Water.
Write 1000 words on any of the following:
* A water adventure.
* Water - the new liquid gold
* Water disasters (drownings, tsunamis, floods, cyclones, contamination, droughts)
* Imagine yourself as a drop of water and describe your journey.
* May the rain wash away your worries.