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FRONT PAGE
More hours have been spent designing and redesigning the front page of our works site than any other feature on our sites but at last we have something which is acceptable to all. Please take an early opportunity to see for yourself. Shortly we will have an updated sidebar with simple links.
CRITICAL MASS
Wikipedia describes a critical mass as the smallest amount of fissile material needed for a sustained nuclear chain reaction. I like to describe it as "the smallest number of members require to sustain a group" of U3A members. The number will vary depending on the subject of the group but at the time of writing we need extra members for most of the proposed groups in vU3A . The vU3A is your club as much as it is mine and I am asking for your help to create a critical mass for our groups by recruiting one or more new members. If you get members now then the groups will be operating by the end of the summer, or winter for those in the southern hemisphere.
15th OF THE MONTH CLUB
This group is now well established and its inspiration came from reading about the Mass Observation Project and a couple of books by Simon Garfield. The contributions demonstrate that the ordinary lives of ordinary people can be interesting, instructive and entertaining. You are invited join in and submit a contribution soon after the 15th of each month. It is entirely up to you what you choose to write about – your own personal life, external events on that day, your thoughts, your hopes or your fears. There are no rules. An advantage of joining this group is that it need not take up too much of your time. You need only look in once or twice a month to make your contribution and read those of others. You may join for a short while only or end up a life-long member. It should be a way of getting to know other people in the Virtual U3A and perhaps, in some cases, following their fortunes as time passes. This is a group that can be joined at any time so drop in and say hello next time the 15th of the month comes round. We’ll be glad to see you.
WALTER SARGAISON
It was with sorrow we heard that Walter passed away last month. Walter was one of the original guinea pigs, otherwise known as The Windmillers and from the Scottish Islands, to New Zealand he is remembered for both hilarious conversations and deep discussions on ancient Greece.
Walter was educated at Dulwich College, to which he got a scholarship in 1938 .and eventually he became headboy. He then obtained a scholarship to read classics at Magdalene College Oxford. He took the Civil Service exam in 1946 and then joined the Revenue and in 1964 he was District Inspector of Taxes in Bury St Edmunds where he met Lorna and soon after married. In 1967 he was transferred to London, moved to Boxmoor, then in 1978 moved to Berkhamsted. Walter retired in 1991 and then enjoyed life with the family, singing with various choirs and working on the computer in a multitude of ways.
Lynda reflects our feeling by writing “Although I never met Walter he was no less a friend than any with whom I have shaken hands and I mourn his passing. We had swapped many e-mails and spoken on the phone and these conversations were always a joy. My heart goes out to Lorna and Walter's family but I am sure we all feel very blessed to have known him and benefited by his wisdom and friendliness.”
COFFEE SHOP
U3A members usually have a coffee break midway through their meetings giving the opportunity to chat to fellow members. Our coffee shop is intended to replicate that contact and the next time you make coffee/tea logon to our wiki and click on the heading "Drop into the coffee shop" which you will find near the top of the right-hand sidebar. No need to register, just type a note of your interests or plans for days ahead or your aspirations for vU3A. Repeat the procedure the next day and hopefully you will find members with like interests. The coffee is free!
Introducing Your Committee Representatives – this month
Cecilia Norman joined the committee in 2006 and has been involved with the development of vU3A. She has a long career as a food writer, is a member of U3A in London and gives instruction in computers two days a week. Her professional life was also in the education field, and as a writer and involved in publicity. In vU3A much of her time is spent communicating with new members by e-mail and voice. Cecilia is available on most days if members would communicate by Skype to keep each other on free phone calls - CISNOR
REACHING OUT TO MEMBERS
Duncan is experimenting with a Skype group meeting on Mondays at 11.30 am, no subject, just getting acquainted. If interested please Skype Duncan on duncantrbute. Dare I suggest meeting at 11.30 p.m. for those in the southern hemisphere. Peter is replacing the 8pm Chatzy meeting with what Charlie called an appointment system; e-mail Peter on petervu3a@btinternet.com.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor
First wanted to thank all those who are working so hard to make this wiki varied and successful. It will be very interesting to know how many visit the site who are not yet members. There are subjects enough to entice most people. I think there will always be a variable number of comments due to seasonal activities and other commitments.
Best wishes
Rosemary (rosemary_t@mac.com )
Dear Editor
I am very pleased that you have invited me to become a member of the vU3A. I am not, nor ever have been a member of any U3A and did not know quite what to expect so it was with some trepidation that I dived in at the deep end, so to speak!
At the back of my mind I half expected people to be a little aloof and much too erudite for me but, far from it, I have found nothing but help and kindness from everybody. I recommend that any other newcomer reading my letter do what I did, jump in with both feet and see what happens, it doesn’t hurt and sometimes you can make quite a splash!!
Continued in next column
Continued from previous column
I am not only new to the vU3A but new to computers and have now learned something about them whilst realising that there is an awful lot more to learn and I get confused and frustrated when I cannot do what seems to come easily to others, however, I do not want my involvement to be all about computers. They are an end to a means and perhaps this is the time to say that I appreciate all the work that goes on in the background and acknowledge that things need to be organized but I sometimes feel that the ‘package is taking precedence over the contents within’. Groups seem to get started and then grind to a halt because, I think, they are not allowed to develop more before they are re-organized.
What I would like to see for myself and other newcomers is information about what is available to vU3A members, not only on this wiki/work but in general. For example I did not know, until Duncan Tribute mentioned it in passing, about Wikipedia. Joan told me about free courses on the OU. Perhaps a list of some of these things could be included in the Newsletter.
Finally, I would like to say that I am enjoying myself very much.
Yours sincerely, Kate Western.
Editor: JohnMW (wariner@waitrose.com)
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