The following reflective examples are in response to Bernay's and Painters' (1990) exercise titled Mining Memory. In this exercise, B&P encourage writers to view their lives as far from boring and dull. Instead, the authors suggest that writers take the time to "store away for future use the odd, funny, sad, and suspenseful things" that happen to them (28). After all, you never know what little thing can spark a detailed story!
-------
Over about the past week...
Things that pleased me:
1.) The observation that all morning doves (at least I think they're morning doves) sing the exact same two note tune.
2.) Ginger "asking" me to let her outside by barking and spinning in a little circle vs. just peeing (or worse) in the house.
3.) Annie "asking" Ginger to play by barking and moaning like a board little child, only to be completely ignored as Ginger simply isn't in the mood.
4.) Ginger looking at me in complete bewilderment (or is it defiance?) when I throw her the ball.
5.) Hearing hidden frogs croak over the noise of "Dancing Nancies" playing on my iPod.
6.) Tasting my first home-made, grilled "No Name" steak of the Spring.
7.) Paying less money for a delicious imported beer than I would for a mass-produced Diet Coke at the Kitty Cat Klub's daily happy hour.
8.) The cashier at Trader Joe's double-bagging my groceries without my having to ask.
9.) Being offered a small gig at the Dunn Bros. coffee near my home.
10.) My machinist father fixing my broken iPod case vs. myself having to replace it.
Things that made me angry:
1.) Annie biting at bees (and usually getting stung in the mouth at least once) EVERY Spring since I've had her.
2.) 65 pound Annie getting herself hopelessly tangled on a tiny stick, bush / tree branch, and / or one of her own turds.
2.) Ginger trying to "sneak" rabbit turds, even though I repeatedly yell at her for eating them.
3.) Waiting for at least one dozen cars before I can cross Hadley Avenue.
4.) Teenagers vandalizing the Oakdale Nature Center - MY suburban getaway.
5.) Walking into any Walmart in the United States. Enough said.
6.) Facebook status updates fishing for sympathies.
7.) Getting furiously passed by BMW man while stuck in a traffic jam on Highway 36.
8.) Listening to how much money has been offered to MN Twins player Joe Mauer.
9.) Getting "no-showed" by a client who begged me to fit them into the schedule.
10.) Not being able to find pre-made hamburger patties at Trader Joe's.
No comments:
Post a Comment