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A Christmas Message from our U3A President
As this is the last newsletter for 2009, I would like to wish all our members a very happy Christmas and all the very best for 2010.
I hope that in the coming year we at U3A Nepean Blue Mountains, can continue to provide all our members with all they expect from our Association. A variety of learning opportunities, a choice of social activities, friendship and support.
U3A worldwide is painting a picture of a dynamic, flexible and accessible adult education and social movement, which is meeting the wants and needs of rapidly growing number of seniors.
We at Nepean Blue Mountains U3A fit nicely in that picture, indeed we complement it. With the help and co-operation of all our members we will carry on and attempt to improve on the good work of 2009.
From myself and all your U3A committee, all the very best to you and all your loved ones, have a good and safe Christmas. See you all next year.
Jim Tiberi
Our U3A Annual General Meeting on 12th November at the Penrith School of Arts, 3 Castlereagh Street, Penrith.
There are several photographs on our website’s Photograph Album of the 54 members who attended our AGM. This must be close to a record turn out for one of our AGMs. Well done, Members. Your Committee appreciates your interest.
The U3A 2009 Year ends and the Office Closes on Friday 11th December
Why not renew your membership before the Office closes? This will save you having to stand in a queue on one of the Enrolment Days and will help to make the Enrolment Day less hectic and more enjoyable for all concerned.
Why not also register for the 2010 U3A Conference before the Office closes? This will ensure your place and will avoid some of the Organising Committee getting excessively stressed out over the Christmas Holidays. We have received confirmation that the Governor of New South Wales Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO will open the Conference.
You do NOT have to be a member to attend the Conference. So bring your friends too.
Holiday Courses
The following U3A courses will continue during the holidays:
Yoga at 11.00am to 12noon on Tuesdays at Suite 2/352 High St (Entry on Castlereagh St), Penrith - (closed between 23rd December and 18th January).
Canasta 5 at 1.00pm to 3.00pm on Fridays at Penrith School of Arts - Room 1
Movie & Supper Night will resume at 8.00pm on Saturday 23rd January at 136 Jamison Road, Penrith.
Enrolment Days
Wednesday 13th January at Lawson & Friday 15th January at Penrith
The U3A 2010 Year Starts and the Office Opens on Monday 1st February 2010
The U3A 2010 State Conference is on 9th & 10th March 2010
U3A Courses 2010 Handbook and Class Time Table
The Handbook and Class Time Table are available on our website.
U3A Photographs – On Line Photo Album
Our U3A photographs are available at Google's On-Line Picasa Albums facility. The direct link is rather lengthy to type: SO JUST CLICK HERE to view them.
In addition to the photographs of our AGM, recent photographs include:
Bird Watching
Creative Writing Class BBQ
The Japanese Class
The Snails' Walking Group
The Italian Class Luncheon.
Please email your U3A photographs to our Webmaster Dave Evans at footfoose@tpg.com.au or post copies to the Curriculum Convener at the U3A Office.
A Note from Noel Borland
It is when one’s being is really in the present, thinking and absorbed in something you care about, that you are really living.
For the past 16 years, I have been absorbed in the U3A’s plethora of interesting courses including Law, Acting, Health, Tai Chi, Computing, All disciplines of Art, Lino Printing, First Aid and Camera Technique.
My particular love is Pencil Drawing of which I am a tutor. This incorporates the art of happiness in its compassion and altruism through helping and connecting with others.
Windows Movie Maker
Bryan Blake: 4721 8878
Email: doreen.blake@bigpond.com
Penrith City Library
Thursday: 11:00am – 12:15pm
Weekly – Commencing 4 February – 6 week course
Maximum 10 students
Windows Movie Maker is a pre loaded feature of Windows Vista or XP’ that enables you to create home movies and slide shows on your computer. You can add professional-looking titles, transitions, effects, music, and even narration. And when you’re ready, you can use Windows Movie Maker to publish your movie and share it with your friends and family.
This new course will also be available to members of the Penrith Valley Seniors Computing Club at the Penrith Seniors Centre at 11.00am on Tuesdays starting on 2nd February 2010.
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ASCCA Creative Writing Competition Our Creative Writing class had great results in ASCCA's Creative Writing competition this year. There were three topics: Someone Who Inspired Me, Caring, and A Special Place. Each of these topics could be treated as prose or poetry, making six sections altogether. In all, eighty-one entries were received from across Australia and we managed two wins, two seconds, a third and two Special Mentions. Fran Fisher was our winning writer with her thoughtful Ask George—a story about her grandfather's influence on her life. I was second in that one with Twenty-Twenty—a story about a blind friend who died in the Himalayas while training to climb Mount Everest. John Clarke won the prose section of A Special Place with his clever combination of prose and verse with Ada's Place and The Loquat Tree. They have been published in our Poet's Corner on this web page. Robyn Nance also won a poetry section with her Caring and Sharing. I don't know much about Robyn and don't have a copy of her poem. She was with us briefly in Term 1 but I haven't heard from her since. Chris Behl received a Special Mention in that section with a poem called, My Pop. I managed third place with Couples in the Park. I snagged another second (a second second?) with A Voice in the Tanglewood, in the poetry section of Somebody Who Inspired Me. George Conyngham scored a Special Mention for The Lolly, a story about caring. To put the icing on the cake Fran was awarded a gift voucher for $100 as her prize and, as if that wasn't enough her husband, Bernie, won the lucky door prize. It was quite a day. Congratulations Fran, Robyn, Chris, George and, oh yeah, Bernie! The winning entries have been posted on our U3A Creative Writing Web Site. Click on the links below to read them there.
I'm stepping down as tutor of the creative writing class next year and will be ably replaced by Richard Lamb. (That's him on the right.) He's a very skilful writer and I'm looking forward to being part of his class. —David Evans
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John Clarke from our German Class also won a First Prize in the ASCCA Creative Writing Competition.
Shown below is an email that he received from ASCCA:
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I am sure your fellow club members will have already told you that your wonderful story "Ada's Place" was awarded First Prize in the "Special Place" category of the Creative Writing Competition. Congratulations on a beautiful piece of writing. I am preparing an eBook of the winning stories and poems for the ASCCA Website. If you are willing to have me include a photo of yourself in the book would you be able to send me one in the next day or two. I would prefer one that can be cropped to appear as just head and shoulders but I am happy to do that if you can email me a suitable picture. We would like to have the stories up on the website as quickly as possible so people can enjoy them along with the winning photographs. Kaye Fallick who judged the competition would also like to publish your story on her About Seniors website and when she sends me a copy of the permission form she would like you to sign if you agree to this I will pass that along to you also. Kind Regards, |
Anyone for Tennis?
We have some members who would like to form a Social Tennis Group.
We also have a Table Tennis Table at the Penrith School of Arts.
If you are interested in joining a Social Tennis Group or a Table Tennis Group, please contact Alan Lees on 4736 5541 or alanlees@y7mail.com
Walking with a Touch of History in December
Full details are available elsewhere on this website. CLICK HERE to see them. The Term 1 walks will be posted as soon as I receive them from the group leaders.
Position Descriptions
All members of the Committee have been allocated specific Positions and tasks. The Position Descriptions will be shown on our website so that members who wish to nominate for a Position on the Committee will be able find out what is involved before nominating.
Newsletters:
The closing date for submissions to the monthly Email Newsletter is one week before the end of each month. However, if you miss the date, your submission will go in the following month’s newsletter – if I remember. Submissions should be sent to the Office – Attention Curriculum Convener or preferably emailed to alanlees@y7mail.com
Next Committee Meeting
The next Committee Meeting will be held at the Penrith School of Arts at 1.30pm on Tuesday 8 December, 2009.
Disclaimer – Articles contributed to this Newsletter and published as a service to members; do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of this association. Articles are intended as opinions and items of debate only and should not be acted on without expert advice
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Down-load from the Internet supplied by Brenda Emerson THIS ONE IS SOOOOOOOO TRUE I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less grey hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant. I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging. Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 and 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will. I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They, too, will get old. I know I am sometimes forgetful. I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning grey, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong. So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it). |
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