Imagine the Possibilities

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Story Challenge. Thanks to the co-authors of              Two Writing Teachers for creating this  supportive community.

All our bags are packed…we’re ready to go…

but not on a jet plane. In a little while we will be setting off on a road trip that will take us to North Carolina, Charleston, and eventually Clearwater and Dunedin. With Cyrus (our Bernese Mountain/Rottweiler furry companion) along, there are bound to be adventures.

Looking for the sun

Making discoveries on a

Travel adventure

I am hoping to keep up with my slices, but there may be a few missed days here and there.

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Story Challenge. Thanks to the co-authors of              Two Writing Teachers for creating this  supportive community.

Showers are a great place for thinking. I’ve solved world problems, family crises, planned meals, and discovered an idea for a story all while taking a shower. So it stands to reason that this morning, while in the shower and trying to come up with an idea for today’s slice, I decided to pay tribute to showering.

When I was growing up I always took baths, but during college that was not a possibility, so I learned to take a shower. I guess it was at that time that I also learned how convenient it is to wash your hair in the shower. In all the places I lived in before I was married, there was only one that didn’t have a shower. There was an old claw-foot tub that was great for taking a bath, but not for washing my hair. For that, I had to hook up a special hose and lean over the edge of the tub. I was glad I only lived there for about a year.

Then there are the many types of showers you can take – quick showers, long showers, outside showers at the beach, steamy showers, cold showers, even showers with a friend (hopefully a very good friend) or a pet. To get a shower when my kids were babies I would often bring them into the bathroom and sit them on the floor while I stepped inside the stall. Those were definitely quick showers.

But my favorite kind of shower is long and hot. Maybe it’s the way the hot water cascades gently down my back. Maybe it’s the scent of the lavender soap as I lather it on my arms and legs. Maybe it’s that unbeatable feeling of warmth and cleanliness. Maybe it’s all of those things, and more. But whatever it is, a wonderfully wonderful hot shower is luxurious, and certainly something not to be taken for granted.

Enjoy your shower today!

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Story Challenge. Thanks to the co-authors of              Two Writing Teachers for creating this  supportive community.

The wind was blowing a bit as I left the post office yesterday morning. I lowered my head and made my way to my car, came around to the driver’s side, and opened the door.

Good morning!

            Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry!

            I saw you coming and thought to myself, “No, she’s really not going to do that.”

            Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry!

            I think you’re looking for the other blue CRV over there.

            Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry!

            Don’t worry. My wife does that all the time.

Most of us have probably done it before – tried to get into a car in a parking lot that looks just like ours. But I must say, I’ve never before actually opened the door and found someone sitting in the car! Allan and I are at the age where we keep track of our senior moments. We had a good laugh over that one! I’m sure the gentleman in the car and his wife did, too.

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Story Challenge. Thanks to the co-authors of              Two Writing Teachers for creating this  supportive community.

I didn’t do any prep work for slicing this year – jotting down ideas, rereading old slices, etc. I wanted to concentrate on finding those small moments from each day. So in the evening, sometimes as I’m trying to fall asleep, or in the early morning, I reflect on my day. Yesterday evening I was somewhat in a panic because there was nothing I wanted to write about! (I know, we’ve all been there.) But I got an idea after reading a few slices.

Kevin (Dogtrax) over at Kevin’s Meandering Mind is using the six word strategy to write his slices. I’ve noticed some other slicers trying it out also, so last night I decided to give it a try. Six words? Not a problem! Turns out it’s easier said than done. First of all, there’s deciding on a topic – signs of spring? shopping? trip preparation? Nothing was grabbing me. So I asked myself what has been the focus of most of my days recently, and I found my topic – physical therapy.

I’ve had over twenty physical therapy sessions in the past few months, and this morning I had a re-evaluation to see the progress and plan the next steps. But now I had to try to condense all of that into six words that would somehow capture the essence of my experiences or feelings. Again, easier said than done. Here is my attempt:

Physical therapy

Transformative

End in sight

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Story Challenge. Thanks to the co-authors of              Two Writing Teachers for creating this  supportive community.

Last night Allan and I watched Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much. That one, along with Rear Window, are two of my favorites from Hitchcock. (Of course, it probably has something to do with Jimmy Stewart, too.) As I watched, I thought about how much movie making and book-making, especially picture books, have in common.

There is a classic scene in The Man Who Knew Too Much that takes place during a concert in London’s Albert Hall. Doris Day and Jimmy Stewart are frantically trying to find their son, but in the process realize that something else very sinister is about to happen. Jimmy Stewart rushes in and realizes Doris has figured something out. They talk, he runs up to the balcony, argues with the guards, runs to each door. The scenes cut quickly back and forth from character to character, and all the while the only thing heard is the beautiful music in the concert hall. There is dialogue, but we don’t need to hear it to know what is happening. Everything is in the visuals and the music. That is what makes us feel anxious (no matter how many times we have seen it). That is what carries the story forward. Just like in picture books, the illustrations enhance the text and are so often used to evoke emotion and advance the story.

After the movie we watched the “behind the scenes” to learn more, much like the back-matter in a book. To me, it was like reading an author’s note that explains the process. There is so much we can learn about story and writing from watching movies, especially the classics. Sometimes we just have to approach it through a different lens.