It's said that Hemingway was challenged to write a short story using six words. He came back with this:
For sale: baby shoes, never worn.
This legend sparked an idea. In 2006, the online storytelling magazine SMITH asked their readers to submit their own six-word memoirs. In one of my classes, we tried this exercise on our own. It's really difficult to describe your life when you only have six words to do so--every word, every punctuation mark is vital!
It was really fun to do, though. I ordered a book online full of six word memoirs by famous and obscure authors (remember that Amazon obsession I have?) Some are beautiful, some are funny, some are sad/poignant. I love it. Here are some memoirs that I particularly liked:
Retired music teacher enjoys life's symphonies.
In a city that never sleeps. Sleepy.
New roommate. Fake cleanliness for today.
Never really finished anything, except cake.
Type A personality. Type B capability.
Well, I thought it was funny. (Steven Colbert)
Found true love, married someone else.
Followed white rabbit. Became black sheep.
Afraid of becoming like my mother.
I sell hamburgers and french fries.
Here's the one that I came up with:
Optimistically assuming people value my opinion.
I wish I were more witty. Hey, I guess that sentence could be one too.
So try it yourself! It really makes you think, "What is the essence of me."
P.S.--that One Direction fan from the class I'm observing is starting to weird me out. She carries a book about One Direction, her conversations revolve around One Direction, she plastered her binder in One Direction pictures, and she screamed—yes, screamed—when the announcements mentioned One Direction’s name over the intercom (I don’t know the context in which they were mentioned—I was spacing. Guilty.)
On a side note, a cute little nerdy girl in my class today complained that she got grounded from reading.
I hope all my future students are like her.
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