Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Six Word Memoir Project’

Bringing back an old friend today.  Been so long since we did Six-Word Memoir Monday, I thought, ‘well why not try again?’

For those of you who have forgotten or are new to my blog, let me give you  a little background on this project.  My Six-Word Memoir Monday is my way of unofficially participating in the Smith Magazine project.  I am going to post an article from their web site which describes the idea and origin of the project:  “…We quickly popped in a new idea we had been kicking around: giving Hemingway‘s legendary six-word novel (“For sale: baby shoes, never worn”) a personal twist. We combined the classic storytelling challenge with our passion for nonfiction confessionals and dubbed it “Six-Word Memoirs.” Then we called up some guys we met at a tech conference about this new thing called Twitter and asked if they wanted to partner up to send one daily short life story to anyone who followed our @smithmag feed.   Four years and more than 200,000 Six-Word Memoirs later, we continue to be blown away by what people are capable of saying in just six words, the ways that others have adapted the form, and — not to get all Chicken Soup-y here — the unexpected little gems and gifts that launching this project has brought into our lives.   In classrooms from kindergarten to graduate school, educators have found the Six-Word Memoir an inspiring writing lesson. From a third-grade classroom in New Jersey, we heard “Life is better in soft pajamas” and one student’s precocious Zen observation: “Tried surfing on a calm day.” In Charleston, South Carolina, a creative writing teacher named Junius Wright makes a series of Six-Word Memoir videos with his students each year.”

There is a lot more about this project that you can read about on their website; Just google SMITH magazine.  Articles extolling the fun, creativity and virtue of this ongoing project have appeared in the New York Times and New Yorker magazine. The idea and concept has grown and expanded into many forms such as the third-grade teacher in New Jersey and in college classes across the country.

That’s the gist of it, let’s give it a go!  Remember it’s Six Words, No More, No Less!

“Missed the meeting, late to office”

“Rain Saturday, Sun Monday, Not Fair”

“My get-up-and-go, went”

“Lazy Sunday morning slid to Monday”

“Monday is a four-letter word”

Well there you have some examples of just what I’m talking about – and this time I made MONDAY the theme.  I would  love to see some entries from my readers.  So easy, just put your thoughts, inspirations, cares, sorrows, loves into six words.  Distilling our story into just six words, no more, no less.  The subject matter is up to you – my theme was Monday, what’s yours?

Read Full Post »

Im sorry I have to announce that Mental Health Monday has been suspended (temporarily I hope).  Dr. Barry Lubetkin has told me he has to take a break from his weekly Mental Health tip.  He has a very busy practice and is also in the process of writing a new book.  I hope he will return to us in the Fall.

In the meantime, while I figure out what I’m going to do with Mondays, for today I thought a Six Word Memoir would be appropriate in light of the fact that we will no longer benefit from Dr. Lubetkin’s wise advice.

Six words, no more, no less

It was great while it lasted!

Reread the text to heal thyself

Mental Health Monday Goes On Vacation

Mental Health Monday Goes On Vacation

 

 

Read Full Post »

English: Six-Word Memoir book cover image

English: Six-Word Memoir book cover image (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hey I’ve tried a couple of times and so far have failed to ignite my readers to just think about things; like life, love, kids, work, places, people, death, relationships and to put it down in just six words.  You know what I always say, “Just Six Words, No More, No Less”.

I thought of a few today so I’ll post mine and see what comes forth!!!

1.  I thought this week was over:(

2. Full moon, frost, flock of robins!

3. A new beginning began today. YES!

4. Renewed in spirit, refreshed in hope.

5. Craks, dots, Damn! I need Bams.

As you can see there is no real thread or theme here.  Just emote.

Read Full Post »

I was pleasantly surprised this past week when two readers sent in their own SIX WORD MEMOIR.  As promised here they are:

1. “Less humidity, more energy and fun”  Susan

2. It’s simple, we kill the Batman” – Joker – Anonymous

3.   September is to remember summer’s fun – Me

4.  Facebook: Old lovers, new-found friends – Me

5.  Summer is over-September reality check -Me

The Joker as he appeared in The New Batman Adv...

The Joker as he appeared in The New Batman Adventures (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Read Full Post »

Love & Heartbreak Cover

Six Word Memoirs

As the title of the Six Word Memoir book states, this week was not quite what I was planning. I didn’t receive any contributions from the readership, soooo rather than try to write several Six Word Memoirs all by myself, I’m just going to let the book do it for me and for you.  BUT how about everybody just think about a Six Word Memoir to send in.  Maybe we need a theme;  Spring will have sprung, we may get snow this week in the Northeast or anything you want to write about will gratefully accepted and certainly appreciated.

Now I blog and drink winePeter Bartlett

Egomaniac with inferiority complex defies oddsLynne Vittorio

I thought I was someone else Tysa Goodrich

Dancing for now, one day farming – Eleanor Carpenter

Amazing grace: born naked, clothed others – Mark Budman

Followed rules, not dreams. Never again – Margaret Hellerstein


Read Full Post »

I love these guys!  I’m so lucky to have three readers who love the challenge of the Six Word Project and they consistently send me contributions.  I wonder where the other writers are, I know some of them are regular readers.  Reminder to everyone, go check out the real Six Word Memoir Project on Smith Magazine‘s website:  http://www.smithmag.net/sixwords/

As the sun lowers in the sky, the temperature drops a bit and it gets dark earlier,  a couple of the memoirs reflect upon the oncoming Autumn.

country road, fall, fall foliage, turning leaves

Autumn is Almost Here

Let Apples Replace Doughnuts, Bagels, Chips – Celtic Lady (Susan H)

Chill in the Air – Feels Fabulous – Gail

... and then I’ve got my buddy lost out West, who clearly needs to come home (read New York City)…

Middle Age: Worse Than I Imagined! – Weez

One day, Two Parties, Too Tired – Me

Read Full Post »

Here we are again at the beginning of another week except this time, it’s really the last week of the summer.  I just never got out of the school calendar mentality because I HATE to see summer end.

Clutching  tightly sands of summer days! – Lori

However, not all of us feel the same as evidenced by this contribution to the Six Word Memoir Project:

Boiling summer finally over? Enough already! – Gail

And one from a Fab Foto Friday fan:

Keep the photos coming – they’re great! – Susan H-aka  Celtic Lady

What are you last or lasting thoughts of this summer? Can you distill them into just Six Words, no more, no less.  It’s a challenge but not as hard as you might have thought.

end of the summer, sand chair, shore, beach days, beach chair

Endless Summer

I LOVE to post your contributions!!!!


Read Full Post »

Vector image of the Las Vegas sign.

Image via Wikipedia

SIX WORD MEMOIR MONDAY

And the responses keep coming in!!!   This is so cool and I KNOW I have a few more followers out there who are writers and YET….

Stuck in Vegas, like Gilligan’s Island – Weez

RELAX – Everything happens for a reason – Kevin

Buying a swimsuit, shoot me now – Gail

New man-enjoying the ride together – Susan H.

These contributions are terrific.  If you’re just tuning in – The Six Word Memoir Project was created by the editor of Smith Magazine. Everyone has a story to tell and if you channel the Hemmingway in yourself, you will be able to share a Six Word Memoir with us all.  It can be a summation of life, a fleeting feeling,   a day in the life of, a passion, a problem – whatever!  Please send it to me here at the blog or at pbenjaytoo@gmail.com

Have Finny, bite, squeeze, hug, kiss.

Read Full Post »

What do you think of starting the week with a six word summation of your life? The gauntlet was thrown down, the challenge put forth AND this week I have THREE more contributions from my readers!!! YES I am EXCITED!!

I know this sounds like a daunting task; when I first read about it in an AARP magazine, their challenge was a Six Word Memoir – Cheating Death.  NOW that’s hard.  From there I looked up Larry Smith who is the founder of the Six-Word Memoir Project which led me to:  http://www.smithmag.net/ (you will have to cut and paste because for some reason I am not grabbing a live link) and there, is a whole world clever witty memoirs sent in by people all over the world.

So here published for the first time anywhere:

The dog ate my homework – Gail

Memoir? My life isn’t over yet – Dani

There’s a shimmy in my spirit – Cynthia

Many of the readers of this blog know who Dani and Gail are and I think they deserve props for so graciously sending in their thoughts. Cynthia is a SITS-za who happened across my blog through the wonderful bloggy world of SITS-The Secret is in the Sauce.  You can read all about this Northern Californian kindred soul who is a photographer and loves to dance, eat chocolate and go to flea markets – YES this is my kindred spirit, you know it.  Here is a link to her blog – A Shimmy In My Spirit.

Read Full Post »