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Blog archive

December 2024

November 2024

Event of Remembrance
11/22/2024

Phishing Scams: What You Need to Know
11/22/2024

Pupusas Family Style: Another Adventurous Dining Winner
11/22/2024

Celebrating the Holidays
11/21/2024

Genealogy Group: Discovering Our Pasts
11/21/2024

Nathan Wolford – From Tragedy to Ministry
11/21/2024

Pasadena Village Board of Directors: A Brief Overview
11/21/2024

President's Message
11/21/2024

The Day of the Dead (Dia de muertos)/ Mexican Culture/Community
11/21/2024

Vintage Celebration: Aging Like a Fine Wine
11/21/2024

Review of Racism in Our Local Past
11/20/2024

Creative Juices Flow in The Village
11/19/2024

Checking In by Ed Rinderle
11/15/2024

Eagle Poem by Joy Harjo
11/15/2024

I Shall Forget You Presently, My Dear (Sonnet IV) by Edna St. Vincent Millay
11/15/2024

Pictures From Brueghel by William Carlos Williams
11/15/2024

October 2024

ARBORIST WALK: NOT FOR TREE HUGGERS ONLY!
10/29/2024

Bill Wishner: Visual Hunter
10/29/2024

Can a Village Group Fix Our Healthcare System?
10/29/2024

Community Board Directors Strengthen Village Board
10/29/2024

Connecting with Village Connections: The A, B, C, & D’s of Medicare @ 65+
10/29/2024

Grief is a Journey: Two Paths Taken
10/29/2024

Message from the President
10/29/2024

Promoting Informed & Involved Voters
10/29/2024

What Will Be Your Legacy?
10/29/2024

1619, Approaching the Election...
10/27/2024

Beyond and Within the Village - A Star is Born
10/17/2024

Happiness by Priscilla Leonard
10/11/2024

Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden
10/11/2024

Unpainted Door by Louise Gluck
10/11/2024

In the Evening by Billy Collins
10/10/2024

Wild Geese by Mary Oliver
10/10/2024

Betty Kilby, A Family History
10/01/2024

Betty Kilby, A Family History
10/01/2024

Betty Kilby, A Family History
10/01/2024

September 2024

August 2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

First Anniversary
08/19/2024

Alexandra Leaving by Leonard Cohen
08/16/2024

Muse des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden
08/16/2024

The God Abandons Antony by Constantinos P. Cavafy
08/16/2024

Ch – Ch – Ch –Changes
08/15/2024

Cultural Activities Team offers an ‘embarrassment of riches’
08/15/2024

Engaging in Pasadena Village
08/15/2024

Future Housing Options
08/15/2024

Message from the President
08/15/2024

There Are Authors Among Us
08/15/2024

Villagers Welcome New Members at the Tournament Park Picnic
08/15/2024

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas
08/14/2024

A narrow Fellow in the Grass by Emily Dickinson
08/13/2024

Haikus
08/13/2024

One Art by Elizabeth Bishop
08/13/2024

Poem 20 by Pablo Neruda
08/13/2024

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
08/13/2024

Trees by Joyce Kilmer
08/13/2024

July 2024

June 2024

May 2024

Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?
05/28/2024

Farewell from the 2023/24 Social Work Interns
05/28/2024

Gina on the Horizon
05/28/2024

Mark Your Calendars for the Healthy Aging Research California Virtual Summit
05/28/2024

Meet Our New Development Associate
05/28/2024

Putting the Strategic Plan into Practice
05/28/2024

Washington Park: Pasadena’s Rediscovered Gem
05/28/2024

Introducing Civil Rights Discussions
05/22/2024

Rumor of Humor #2416
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2418
05/14/2024

Springtime Visitors
05/07/2024

Freezing for a Good Cause – Credit, That Is
05/02/2024

No Discussion Meeting on May 3rd
05/02/2024

An Apparently Normal Person Author Presentation and Book-signing
05/01/2024

Flintridge Center: Pasadena Village’s Neighbor That Changes Lives
05/01/2024

Pasadena Celebrates Older Americans Month 2024
05/01/2024

The 2024 Pasadena Village Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
05/01/2024

Woman of the Year: Katy Townsend
05/01/2024

April 2024

March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

Writing Memoirs Together

By Sue Addelson
Posted: 03/25/2024
Tags: sue addelson

Memoir Groups have been happening at Pasadena Village since our inception—and they’re still going strong. Over the years, as members die or move away or just decide to not continue in the group, new members fill the empty seats. In this way, the groups stay dynamic and interesting. 

Today, there are three memoir-writing groups. Correction: two memoir groups and one that recently morphed into a creative writing group. As of this writing, all three groups have a few empty seats.

Think you might be interested? Read on.

Note: Confidentiality is something all our memoir groups take very seriously. All the content in this article appears with permission.

Why join a memoir group?

People join for different reasons: Karen Whitmore was looking for a group to help her write the stories of her childhood. “Grandchildren and youth today won't know how we lived unless we chronicle it,” she says.

Marv Dainoff was motivated by the loss of his wife to write a memoir of their lives together, “And, I wanted a place—and people—to share these writings,” he says.

While one of Sally Asmundson’s reasons was to record her stories for her children and grandchildren, now she’s doing it as much for herself.

Many members have tried writing on their own, only to discover they need the discipline of the group.

 What do you write about?

“We all share our life stories—both significant and insignificant moments in our lives,” explains LuCinda Haagenson. “Some stories are amusing, some heartfelt, all are true.” 

They run the gamut, from a crush someone had in high school to a tragic childhood growing up in Vienna during World War II, to a piece of music that was particularly moving.

One story that Linda Stowitts wrote, “The Burden of the Heirloom,” was about the antique bed her mother was born in. “Later, it was my bed. Then, one of my daughters’ bed. Now it’s in the basement. Everyone is too big for it, but I can’t let it go,” she says. 

Writing personal stories can be, well, personal. Some people choose to share intimate stories, some do not. Either way, these groups operate just like Pasadena Village on the whole operates: non-judgmental, compassionate and with a high degree of trust. 

“One of the most powerful stories I have written and shared with the group is my abortion story,” says Kären Bagnard. “Abortion has always been a heavy subject and, for those of us who have experienced it or gone through it with someone we love, it becomes a dark secret. The secret just weighs us down and festers. I felt a healing power in writing and sharing my story. That was huge.”

Memoir groups promote bonding

In the meetings, members take turns sharing their stories, which often lead to rich and lively discussions. “So far, the only issue for me is the trade-off between continuing an almost always fascinating discussion and not running out of time for the remaining participants. This is a good problem to have!” says Marv.

“Members opening their hearts and telling their life stories has enriched my life beyond words,” adds LuCinda.By sharing this experience, we learn more about ourselves, and we certainly learn a great deal about each other. 

Is it right for you?

Feel nervous about joining a group? Worried you aren’t a good writer? Fear not. 

I joined a group that had been meeting for years, and I immediately felt welcomed and included. As for writing, you don’t have to be a good writer. Or a good storyteller or even have a good memory. People in a memoir group aren’t trying to meet some literary standard. (With the exception of Bonnie Armstrong, who wrote a book, An Apparently Normal Person, that’s about to be published. Congratulations, Bonnie!)

All groups meet once a month. Members of Pasadena Village are welcome to “tryout” any of them.

For the Friday Memoir Group, contact Sally Asmundson.

For the Thursday Memoir Group, contact Sue Addelson.

For Random Acts of Writing, the creative writing group, contact LuCinda Haagenson. 

See the Membership Directory for contact information.

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