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?