Can you convey the essence of your life in six words? I got a link from Alternet.org to the promo for a new book called Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure. Here celebrities and the rest of us have submitted six-word life stories, following in the tradition of Hemingway who apparently met this challenge with the poignant:
For sale: baby shoes, never worn.
I immediately fell in love with the form and started composing them.
First I took the global view:
Lived here, lived there; still going.
Then I told the economic truth:
Started poor, got ahead, poor again.
Next I covered my political history:
Sought revolution, got pantsuits, want more.
Finally, I chose to actually post my sexual story:
Fat after menopause gave me cleavage.
Here’s their promotional video, with some great memoirs.
And yours? I’d love to hear.
Mine came to me instantly!
No God
Know God
O God!
Posted by: Susan Corso | 13 February 2008 at 09:52
And this one from my sweetie:
I dream arrive
Always move on.
Posted by: Susan Corso | 13 February 2008 at 09:53
Made mistakes. Grew up. Found myself.
Posted by: Gema Gray | 13 February 2008 at 20:47
my story for daily happiness:
good hair, sensible shoes, dark chocolate
Posted by: sandy | 14 February 2008 at 10:08
Loved Mama
Loved women
Love self
Posted by: Maggie Jochild | 15 February 2008 at 21:22
Hi Sue. Here's mine so far ...
Screwed up
Grew up
Showed up
I read a bunch of these in the 2007 edition of the Best American Nonrequired Reading. My favorite ...
ABCs MTV SATs THC IRA NPR by Jancee Dunn
Keep up the great work on the blog. Love it!
Posted by: Distractions | 16 February 2008 at 12:51
Oh my gawd. These are so much fun. If only there were a paying job requiring me to produce these for my dinner.
Thanks everyone for your brilliance (and, in your case Distractions - the brilliance of others, too.) Keep them commin'.
Sue
Posted by: Sue Katz | 18 February 2008 at 09:04
melancholy
halcyon elm
a cello hymn
The anagram evidence on melancholy is in. I could have said,
Melancholy
calmly hone
local hymen
but that's only 5 words and anagrammas are strict spellers.
P.S. Thanks for the history quizzes. I honor all the greats and try to spread their words here as I teach. In VT, February is a slippery slope, opaque white. Lost my new crampon in a drift.
Nightfall was a timely finale.
Posted by: verandah | 19 February 2008 at 18:42
Have never done this before, but it sounded like too much fun to not at least try!
Here goes:
Life surprises
Wonder why
Never know
Loved ones
Sometimes betray
Forgive anyway
Hard times
Wondered why
Now grateful
Posted by: Anita | 06 March 2008 at 22:14
Anita, there's something so very positive about your memoirs! Thanks,
Sue
Posted by: Sue Katz | 06 March 2008 at 22:36