Not Quite What I Was Blogging

“Curious to see what happens next” — Six Words from Teens in Bangladesh

Larry Smith — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:42:56 +0000

Dear SMITH:
I asked some of my teen patrons as AISD to try the six-word memoir. AISD (American International School/Dhaka) is one of the top international schools with a population of 700 students (Pre-K-12). Our vision is to prepare students to become stewards of a just and sustainable world.
- Judyth Lessee, MS/HS Librarian, AIS/Dhaka, Bangladesh

Here’s what they came up with.

What happened to the good grades?
- Sky L., grade 6

Just have to keep them guessing.
- Genevieve S.

Horror and mystery is my world.
Dark is mysterious just like me.
- Catherine P., grade 6

I shine like a golden star.
- Zainab M., grade 6

Sad, depressing, sullen, happy, joyful friendly.
- Nathan B., grade 9

Curious to see what happens next.
- Anon E. Mous

I am blue like the sky.
- Amal A., grade 6

I forgave but I can’t forget.
- Tabassum M, grade 10

At least we’re not dead, right?
- Austin D., grade 10

When your friends ditch your hopes….
- Caroline M., Gr. 6

Made many mistakes, but no regrets.
- S.T. grade 12

Traveling around globe unaware of destination.
Winning’s a start. Losing’s no end.
Life is fun. Breakdancers live it.
- Maiwand T., grade 9

I am very happy, sad not.
I love study and fun.
- Maimuna M., grade 6

Love to read, makes me happy.
Happy with great friends and family.
- Ariyana C., grade 6

I live a fairy tale life.
- Anon

I love books. Books love me.
Light is kind so am I.
Boys drool. Girls rock the world.
11 and never went to hospital.
- Ishita S. grade 6

Still here. Can’t figure out why.
- JL (”way old lady”)

A Six-Word Story about a “Significant Object”

Larry Smith — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:01:27 +0000

We know that everyone has a story, but the online project Significant Objects believes every thing has a story, too. Started by Joshua Glenn and NYT “Consumed” columnist Rob Walker, the pair have recruited writers like William Gibson, Nicholson Baker, and Curtis Sittenfeld to craft significance for flotsam purchased on the cheap at thrift stores. They then sell story and object as a pair on eBay to determine whether a great story can make a random object valuable. Their findings say yes, and our newest Six-Word Challenge begs the question (with a extra special nod to original six-word story crafter Ernest Hemingway): Can you create Significance for this Object in just six words? The winning response will be published on the Significant Objects site, and more to the point, on its eBay store. Proceeds from that auction go to the author of the winning submission.

So what about this object, a lighter in the shape of small pool ball? What’s its story? You tell us. Leave your six-word story in the comments area below. The contest is open until Friday, November 6, 8pm EST.

And the Winners of “Six Words on the Digital Life” Are…

Larry Smith — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:00:27 +0000

How do you boil down the essence of your digital life in just six words? More than 850 ways. Hundreds of you sent 850+ entries to SMITH Magazine and FRONTLINE/Digital Nation’s “Six Words on the Digital Life” challenge. Your digital life runs from the highly personal (”Hand on iPhone. Baby on breast”) to the practical (”Never marry a man from AOL”) to the financial (”I wish I hadn’t shorted Google”). You told us about new family dynamics (”One MySpace boy. One Facebook boy”) and modern religions (”There is a creator: Steve Jobs”). And more than a few of you offered variations on a reality that’s become all too evident: “Facebook: high school all over again.”

Which is a long way of saying: it wasn’t easy picking our top six short, short takes on the digital life. These memoirists each win three of Rachel Dretzin’sFrontline documentaries, as well as a Six-Word Memoir book of their choice or a SMITH T-shirt. Thanks to everyone for your amazing stories.

Winners:
Introverted autistic son blossoms on internet.-Claire Luna-Pinsker
Sexting is saving our relationship. -Dana Newsome
Husband won’t confirm my relationship status. -Dana Calvo
MySpace boy. One Facebook boy. -Kellie Fournier
I answer spam with sexual fantasies. -Heath Hardin
I can photoshop my wrinkles away. -Mary McConnell

FRONTLINE/Digital Nation is now creating a six-word digital life video gallery of people reading their memoirs. Submit a YouTube link and find more details at Digital Nation.

Our next challenge launches tomorrow: Six Words to describe a Significant Object.

Creative Commons licensed photo courtesy of Flickr user photocology. The caption: “I’m not washing that milk off either.”

Six Words on the Digital Life: An Image Gallery

Larry Smith — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:08:14 +0000

Our partner in the Six-Words on the Digital Life challenge, FRONTLINE/Digital Nation, has put some faces to your half-dozen words. They’re streamed in some of the images you’re posted, as well as added a few Creative Commons-licensed shots, to create a whole new way of looking at some of the responses from our latest six-word challenge. Go to Digital Nation and click on the six words button on the left side of the page for a look.

From recent entries such as, “Blocked my own mother on Facebook,” “My life Flickrs before my eyes,” and “Text specs on your pecs. ASAP,” the Six-Words on the Digital Life contest continues with aplomb. Enter here and tell us your digital story today. Tomorrow it will probably be a totally different story.

CONTEST: Six Words on the Digital Life

Larry Smith — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:08:12 +0000

SMITH Magazine and FRONTLINE/Digital Nation—a PBS documentary project about life in the digital age—want your stories about life in the digital age. In six words, tell us how the web and digital technology are changing how you think, work, live, or love. Whether you’ve done things unimaginable just a few years ago (“I have even Twittered during sex”) or are trying to make sense of how rapidly the world is changing (“Dull persona. Second Life ego enormous”), we want to hear who you are, in your digital life, in six well-chosen words. We’re giving away prizes too … because that’s how PBS rolls. Go to the Six-Words on the Digital Life project to enter.

And the Winners of “Six Words on Water” Are….

Larry Smith — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:01:48 +0000

Nearly 500 of you took the plunge and entered our “Six Words on Water” challenge, inspired by our pals over at Treehugger. It wasn’t easy picking the winners, but TH editor Meaghan O’Neil has emerged with her top three choices. Each writer will receive a Spreadshirt tee adorned by their six wet words.

The Winners:
“Raise a glass, not a bottle,” by Jennifer.
“I’m 60% FULL of IT…You?,” by JB.
“Wet dream: Fresh water for everyone,” by Chica.

To read all the submissions, check out the comments section of my original post. Here are a few more favorites:

“Destructive, beautiful. Tastes good with ice,” by Michelle.
“The ocean roars. I hear God,” by E. Joyce.
“Water? I guess I’d tap that,” by JAH.
“The snowman left a puddle,” by Sasha.
“Pacific tsunami. 2 Hydrogen, 1 Oxymoron,” by Misfortune.
“I almost drowned during my baptism,” by Francis DiClemente.
“Molecules resemble Mickey Mouse, who knew?,” by Jenny.
“Happiness: summer rain on bald head,” by Dan.
“H two…Oh, you’d prefer wine?,” by Sambpoet.
“Oil? Water is the new black,” by Shaunyata.
“Water, like love, impossible to grasp,” by Moo.

Thanks to everyone for the terrific contributions—you’re “water Czars” in the making for Obama’s cabinet. Next challenge: Six-Words on the Digital Life.

Reader Challenge: Six Words on Water

Larry Smith — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:31:06 +0000

Our friends over at TreeHugger and Planet Green have been devoting lots of virtual space lately to exploring our oceans and waterways in their month-long feature, Blue August. That got SMITH thinking about a Six-Word Challenge about one of summer’s treats and earth’s increasingly rare resources: water. Whether your half-dozen well-chosen words are about water worries (”Save water, shower with a friend”) or the joys of jumping into the deep blue sea (”Oldster surfing: Call it ‘Gray Crush’”), we want your six words on water. Three winners will receive a Spreadshirt tee that shows off their six wet words.

Leave your entry in the comments area below. And we’ll tweet some of our favorites along the way. If you tweet this contest or your own entry, please use the tag #6Wwater.

The contest ends on August 31 (5pm est), and winners will be announced on September 8.

Creative Commons photo, “Through droplets,” from Flickr user hamedmasoumi.

79 Years and 364 Days

Larry Smith — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:34:08 +0000

If a life is a sum of one’s stories, than with each year our own story becomes a little richer. It’s no surprise then that some of SMITH’s most passionate members have been around a while. The above image is a scan of a card I received from Joan Marren of Dunellen, NJ. I don’t know if Joan heard about the Six-Word Memoir project from NPR or AARP, if she has a computer or simply prefers the old-school post. But I do know that receiving her purple-flowered card in the mail has been among the best moments of 2009. Inside the card, Joan writes: “I have a day left of 80! So:

Eighty— Fast, Furious, Funny, Fruitful—Forward—.

Wearing the SMITH Mag tee we’re sending to Joan’s return address, we hope she’s the hippest octogenarian on the block.

The House That Six Built

Larry Smith — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:29:41 +0000

From the mail:

Dear SMITH,

Have to tell you the six story of the day.

My wife and I attended Yankee Stadium last Wednesday to see the Yankees beat the Orioles 6-4. We entered through Gate 6—as you see. The Yankees center fielder (Swisher—jersey reads 33) made a spectacular catch in the sixth inning—saving two runs that would have tied the game.

The victory (6-4) was the Yankees sixth straight victory, having won on Tuesday by 6-4 also.

(Note the bystander in the picture predicting there would be 2 six game
victories).

The victory on Wednesday brings the Yankees published winning percentage to
606 (two sixes)

The power of six,

Craig J.

Six More Words From Frank McCourt

Larry Smith — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:47:49 +0000

As reported in the New York Post’s Page 6, I had a brush with fame with a very special storyteller who recently passed away, Frank McCourt. Since the Post had space limitations, and you highbrow SMITH readers may sometimes miss many New Yorkers’ guilty Page 6 pleasure, here’s the longer version.

When Rachel Fershleiser and I put together the six-word memoir books, we always try to have about 10 percent of the memoirs from celebrities—super famous names every knows like Stephen Colbert (”Well, I thought it was funny”), and lesser-known but nonetheless fascinating types like the British math genius Marcus du Sautoy (”Eureka! Margin too small for proof”). All that being said, it’s no secret that the kind of celebrity we both adore above all is the celebrity memoirist: someone who has risen to the top of his or her craft and serves as an inspiration to SMITH’s community of personal storytellers. Someone like Dave Eggers (”Fifteen years since last professional haircut”) or Nora Ephron (”Secret of life. Marry an Italian”). Or Frank McCourt.

Which is why I’ve been trying to chase down six words from McCourt for almost two years; for whatever reason, I could never reel in six words from this beloved writer. Finally, I noticed that the foreword to a new anthology, Brothers: 26 Stories of Love and Rivalry, was penned by McCourt. The editor of the book is Andrew Blauner, who’s always been a fan of SMITH. So I asked Blauner if he could pass along my request (which was more like out-and-out begging). He said he’d give it a shot.

On a Sunday morning in late March, I woke up to find an email from an address I didn’t recognize in my in-box. Subject line: DEEP SIX.

And then:

Larry: Here is my half dozen.

“Miserable childhood leads to royalties.”

Frank McCourt

I was elated. Then I realized: it’s only five words! I immediately sent him a note back, hoping he’d respond, yet freaking out that that one email was all I was going to get. To my delight, he wrote back right away:

I thought I’d get away with it. (”Brevity is the soul of wit,” said
that English bard.)
So…”The miserable childhood……..”
Frank

And that’s how we came to have six original words from one of our favorite memoirists. His short, short life story will appear in It All Changed in an Instant: More Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure, out in January 2010 from Harper Perennial. We always say that all six words are equal in our books; but Frank McCourt’s half dozen holds an extra special place in this six-word world we share with so many readers and writers, famous and obscure.

Creative Commons photo from Flickr user elenatorre.