Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Short and sweet




In these times of instant feedback, short is in. Finally, those of us in the front row of every school photo have come into fashion.

[Oops, I guess that's not the kind of short that's in. Maybe some other time.]

One of my friends, writer and educator, Jo Mele of Diablo Valley College, introduced me to a book called "Six-Word Memoirs." I fell in love with the concept, and also latched onto "I Was Told There'd Be Cake."

Another example, written on a tombstone: "I told you I was sick."
Then there's the famous six-word story by Hemingway: For sale: baby shoes, never worn.

I started to think how I could sum up my life in six words.

My first attempts were very bland: (oh, dear, is that my memoir?)

• Mother was wrong; I am okay.

• First science, then fiction -- the same.

• Boston to California, oops, wrong direction.

Eventually, I got to the point: (oh, dear, is THAT my memoir?)

• The knife was not sharp enough.

• The glue couldn't keep it together.

What are your six words?

15 comments:

Monica Ferris said...

Stitching together a good life.

Anonymous said...

First fiction, then the real world!xoxoxo

Beadknitter said...

Everyone knows I'd rather be knitting.

Anonymous said...

All hors d'oeuvres- next life entre?

Camille Minichino said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Camille Minichino said...

These are wonderful .. each one the title of a memoir!

Anonymous said...

parents, husbands, wrong. I made it.

Betty Hechtman said...

Who knew crochet would be the key?

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

Now for my next trick...

Camille Minichino said...

You 5-word writers are really pushing the exercise! Congratulations.

Kathryn Lilley said...

I ate, I dieted, I published...

Camille Minichino said...

lol Kathryn!

Ann Parker said...

How did I end up HERE? ;-)

or

Brownian motion, from beginning to end.

Camille Minichino said...

Great Brownian reference, Ann!

Anonymous said...

Now, I think I should have.