Sunday, March 22, 2009

Six Word Memoirs

Six-Word Memoirs: The Legend

Legend has it that Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in only six words. His response? “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Starting in 2006, SMITH Magazine re-ignited the recountre by asking their readers for their own six-word memoirs. They sent in short life stories in droves, from the bittersweet (“Cursed with cancer, blessed with friends”) and poignant (“I still make coffee for two”) to the inspirational (“Business school? Bah! Pop music? Hurrah”) and hilarious (“I like big butts, can’t lie”).

It's fun. It's addicting. Can you scrunch your story into six words? Try it and see. Here's the site. Six-Word Memoirs at SMITH Magazine.

And, to get you started, here's a few of my own:

* Bank funds low. No movie night.

* Grownup dreams of motherhood. My inspiration.

* Hearts flutter from heaven sent angels.

So, what is your six-word memoir?

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Fashion Sense or Nonsense?

I started out reading an article on the 6 Rules of Cleavage and it led me to the Top Ten Items You're Too Old to Wear which led me to a book on Amazon titled How Not to Look Old by Charla Krupp. Back at the articles, I followed another link to Mom Jeans, Visible Panty Lines and 8 other Fashion Disasters, when it occurred to me, how in the heck did I ever survive dressing myself without the help of these women all my life?

Seriously ... NOT!!

I mean, come on. It's all a matter of common sense, really, isn't it? But, apparently not. There are still women out there, everyday, who want to dress like they're still in their teenage years, and they're pushing 40, 50, or older. I shudder just thinking about it.

I'm mean, come'on. Give it up, ladies!

There's "Daytime Cleavage" and there's "Nighttime Cleavage" right? Be respectful and the older you get, the more support you need, am I right? No one needs to see granny au'natural! I know that my "twins" have changed shape and size many times over the years and I'm giving them all the support I can -- they appreciate it and I do too. Gravity has not been kind. Not to mention, I'm sure someone like the grocery clerk appreciates it as well, not having to see me "hanging" in the wind, if you know what I mean.

When it comes down to it, though, if there's a list of don'ts, then there's a reason for them. Someone had to be told, "Hey, I think you're too old to wear Mickey Mouse barrettes in your hair." Or, "Mom, you can't borrow my Mary-Kate & Ashley glitter nail polish anymore!"

Do we need the Fashion Police to measure the number of inches of cleavage we show or announce to the world that everyone over 30 must now wear boot cut jeans to compensate for our "mom" butts?

Hardly.

All we need are just some good common sense fashion tips and we can still look trendy without looking like the last lonely "Material Girl" from a Madonna video.

Take t-shirts with messages on them. There's an age and body for glitter and shine on t-shirts. Especially with flirty messages like "CUTIE PIE!" and "I'M A FOX" And, sorry, but that age has to have a one or maybe a two in front of it. Any older and you're just a cry for help.

The same goes for those micro-mini skirts! Oh my God, I saw one on a woman at a concert the other night. Please, if you have to keep pulling on it to make it longer, then it's TOO SHORT! When she sat down, the skirt completely disappeared! Hello! Nobody wants to see that! According to the "Top 10 Items You're Too Old to Wear" the cut off age is 40 for micro-mini skirts, I say that's pushing it, but then that's me.

Like I said before, it's just a matter of common sense. But, just in case, read the articles. If anything, they're good for a few chuckles.

And, ladies.. watch those VPL's!!

Monday, March 09, 2009

My Favorite Pet

Won't you please help my American Eskimo, Jack win in Redbook's Furry Face-Off ??!! Jack's the one posing in the Easter Bunny ears!! Isn't he such a cutie??

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Never Too Late

I'm a Red Cross Volunteer at my local hospital. During our break the volunteers would get together in the hospital cafeteria and have a snack and something to drink. We'd talk about this and that and the other. We'd share stories about our lives, past and present.

One day an older woman, another volunteer, came to me and asked me when I started writing. I'd made mention in passing at one of our breaks that I was an author. I told her that since 2000 and she was surprised I had not been writing my whole life. I explained that I actually was a technical writer for fifteen years before I started writing fiction, but I really had only been writing novels for less than ten years.

I asked her why, and she told me she had a story in her but she said it was too late to write it. She looked so woe-be-gone that I felt instant sympathy for her.

Again, I asked her why, and she said she was too "old".

"Old" is such a relative term. To her it meant she was too used up; too late to start something new; especially something "long term" like writing.

She felt so overwhelmed with the daunting task of putting words to paper. All of the words locked inside of her. She didn't know where to begin and she turned to me to help her. She sighed that all of those words in side of her would be lost forever. I asked her why and she said she would never have the time to write her story.

I'll tell you what I told her. It's never too late. I asked her to start small. Only a few minutes each day. Write a few words, a sentence or two, and that's it. Nothing more. Nothing less. Just something to get her started.

She didn't know where to begin. I told her that she didn't have to start at the beginning of anything. Just sit down. Get quiet. And start writing whatever comes to mind first. Take it from there.

She seemed hesitant but said she'd try.

The next day she was like an eager schoolgirl wanting to show her best report card. She had actually written something and best of all she sent it to her family in an email and they enjoyed it! She couldn't wait to get back home and try again. What she had written had spurred more memories that she was eager to capture. She's more organized now, keeping her memories tucked away in electronic document files, but she still sends them to her family to read. It gives her so much joy.

Her interest in writing and the small steps she took gave her the incentive to start and to continue. And that is how she's writing her memoir to her children.

It wasn't too late for her, and it's not too late for you.

It's never too late to start writing.