Daydreams, nightmares, dreams of a better future… Although there are many different categories, we all have dreams. Whether we like it or not, our subconscious is constantly contemplating new possibilities and reimagining reality. Despite how elusive dreams may seem, they’re usually worth chasing. As the cold icily cracks down, winter sometimes feels nightmarish and dark. So huddle up with these SMITH Magazine and SMITH Teens writers’ fiery dreams, and be inspired to plow into the stormy unknown.
This week: Golden Globes for the stars, a birthday for Betty White and a blackout for Wikipedia. The headlines led to colorful imagery, but have nothing on the torrent of self-expression that poured out from the Six-Word Memoir community. Below are the best memoirs of the week. For more to read, click on each author’s name.
Most Writerly: “My muse must be a freelancer.” -TeaTopper Most Self-Aware: “I’m not handicapped until I’m reminded.” -Heavens_Mantra Toughest Narrative Arc: “I am hiding behind a username.” -radmadandconfused (profile image above) Most Surprising Turn of Events: “Mom, dad, I’m not gay. Sorry.” -scarecrow Best Wordplay: “Shame scarred me more than cuts.” -Contemplative from Six Words on TWLOHA Most Timely: “Bring Wikipedia back. Project’s due Friday.” -mangafreak101 from SMITHTeens
Plus: Read about the Six-Word Memoir project in the February issue of Oprah Magazine.
Whatever happened to awkwardness being a prepubescent phenomenon we were supposed to “grow out of”? Whether 12, 22 or 52, awkwardness still seems to cling to us like a separation anxious child. Consider this a shout out to the anti-suave, the accident prone, the gangly, gawky and socially stunted for making life a humorously colorful place. Read the Six-Word anthems to awkwardness below and rejoice in the fact that whether you walk briskly into glass doors, misread romantic signals or tell racy jokes at conservative parties, you (and your ever-present pseudo pet, the awkward turtle) are not alone. Click on an author’s name to read more of his/her Six-Word Memoirs.
This week, apocalypse predictions, Tebow crushes and a celebrity baby named Blue Ivy ruled headlines. The SMITH community wrote about these and their own personal headlines via thousands of Six-Word Memoirs. Below are the best stories of the week. For more reading, click on each author’s name.
Best Backstory: “Now my sister, once my brother.” -k-lou (profile image above) with a backstory Best Source Material: “Aspiring to Betty-ness, Crocker, Page, Friedan.” -StacyJane Most Candid: “Only porn I seek resembles her.” -renegade Most Self-Aware: “Had a cookie. Resolutions be damned.” -treehugger from Six-Word Resolutions Most Writerly: “Write lightly, since I always erase.” -lacrossemiddie from SMITHTeens Best Imagery: “Relighting old flame with new matches.” -MelMellyM from Six Words on Love & Heartbreak
Language arts teacher Lacey Boland keeps her classroom fresh and modern at Independence Charter School in Center City, Philadelphia by combining the benefits of literature and technology. She has taken language arts to the blogosphere.
For the past two years, Boland has had her 7th graders write Six-Word Memoirs within the context of a blog with the short, yet all-encompassing title, 7Speaks. The blog assignments vary each week, and cover a wide-range of topics: Six-Word Memoirs, controversial current events, reflections on independent reading/shared class novels, and other prompts to get her students creatively cooking.
“Writing and responding to one another on the blog is a great equalizer,” says Boland. “Students who might be less inclined to raise a hand to share their writing aloud with the whole class can share their thoughts more easily on the blog. In fact, many of my students have said that sharing their writing on the blog has helped them to get to know one another better—which I hope helps to make 7th grade just a little easier.” As a painfully shy kid in class, but with plenty to say, I wish blogging had been around during my middle-school years—with an inventive teacher like Ms. Boland at the head of the class.
The blogosphere not only gives the stage-frightened an accessible platform with which to share their written thoughts, but also gives each student an opportunity to go public Read more »
This week, SMITH kicked off the year with a new book release and a six-year anniversary to celebrate, and the SMITH community expressed excitement with praise, good wishes, and resolutions to write more Six-Word Memoirs. Below are the best memoirs of the week. For more stories, click on each author’s name.
Best Revision: “Boyfriend, career, happiness. No resolutions. Demands.” -ksmolnarzs (profile image above) Best Wordplay: “Insomnia’s got me down. Er, up.” -bbhead Most Self-Aware: “Some days, more Lucifer than Lucy.” -ctgoods2 Best Riddle: “Teaching Six to seven and eight.” -Believe with a backstory to explain Toughest Narrative Arc: “War finished early. Met wife’s boyfriend.” -HappyTummyNinja Best Opening Act: “Funny Jewish girl. Not Sarah Silverman.” -amymich, from Six-Word on the Jewish Life.
2011 is to 2012 what a ratty old coat is to a brightly colored, new one.
New Year festivities celebrate getting rid of the layer of excess, bad habits and questionable decisions that build up over the course of a year. Love them, hate them, make them or break them, that’s what New Year’s resolutions are all about. Resolutions are good-spirited, harmless, well-intentioned fun whether we devote ourselves to them, start strong with enthusiasm that fizzles out on Jan. 2, make them in jest or not at all.
So here’s a toast to 2012, fresh starts, new beginnings, and that irresistible draw to ring in the New Year with a resolution or two. Whether you’ve raised your champagne glass with friends at a confetti covered club, a family party or sitting comfortably on your couch, be sure to check out the Six-Word resolutions below. Click on an author’s name to see more of his/her Six-Word Memoirs.
This week, most dined, some whined, and some tried to unwind. At SMITH, the Six-Word Memoirs reflected all of this holiday activity. Plus, memoirists have been writing up their New Year’s resolutions in six words in preparation for a new beginning. Below are the best memoirs of the week, all taken from the Six-Word Resolutions section. Click on each name for more reading.
This Hanukkah, SMITH teamed-up with Heeb Magazine, to choose a different Six-Word Memoir on The Jewish Life winner each night, a contest. Each of the eight winning scribes will get a free copy of our upcoming book, Oy! Only Six? Why Not More? Six Words on the Jewish Life, which will be available this March.
Here are the eight winners, as chosen each crazy night by Heeb editors, in chronological order:
“We bonded over our deviated septums.” - Alessandra Rizzotti
“I’ve got more complaints than Portnoy.” - David Wolkin
“I have a fetish for altakockers.” - AmySohn
“Bar mitzvah video used for blackmail.” - Jon Papernick
“Shortened my name and my nose.” - George Kaplan
“Smash the idols, mend the world.” - j2232554
“Latkethon at my mother’s gynecologist’s home.” - PaleOfSettlement
“A pronounced weakness for smoked fish.” - StringJuggler
We put the names of each winner into a shtreimel and randomly pulled one out to receive a bonus, the Six-Word Memoir Game. And the game recipient is David Wolkin. In addition to being a brilliant short-form writer, we’ve learned that Wolkin is executive director of Limmud NY, a multi-day conference-meets-festival celebrating Jewish life.
Heeb and SMITH are mishpucha by way of our comics-editor-in-common, Jeff Newelt, aka JahFurry. His six words on the Jewish life, of course, “Hid comics inside Hebrew School textbooks.” Read more »
This week, some rushed to do last-minute shopping, and others started baked-goods gorging. Some slowed down to light candles, and others plugged in their lights. Tis the season for sixes at SMITH, a time of preparation, celebration and reflection six words at a time. Below are the best memoirs of the week. Click on each author to read more stories. Most Dramatic: “I knit. In lieu of murder.” -Believe with one of the most favorited memoirs this week. Funniest Realization: “Last year’s fruitcake, this year’s too.” -wackjob Oddest Seasonal Disorder: “Hanukkah. 8 nights of performance anxiety…” -Betsy,
from Six Words on Jewish Life. Best Wordplay: “Wanted: Pear tree for unemployed partridge.” -TeaTopper Sweetest Comment Section: “Turned 63, 63 body parts broke.” -Bevvie, who was warmly welcomed back with encouraging comments after an absence from SMITH. Most Self-Aware: “Resolution list is looking awfully familiar…” -Susan Breeden
Daydreams, nightmares, dreams of a better future… Although there are many different categories, we all have dreams. Whether we like it or not, our subconscious is constantly contemplating new possibilities and reimagining reality. Despite how elusive dreams may seem, they’re usually worth chasing. As the cold icily cracks down, winter sometimes feels nightmarish and dark. So huddle up with these SMITH Magazine and SMITH Teens writers’ fiery dreams, and be inspired to plow into the stormy unknown.
