Sure, we’re all writers here, but why do we write? For relaxation, for pleasure, to keep others informed, for creative expression? Or as Joan Didion famously said, “I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear.” Think back … about the role writing has played in your life. Share your Why We Write stories forward.
Words often fail to have the same meaning when translated into another language. Sometimes the result is frustrating, as in trying to assemble something made in China with directions that have been translated into fractured English. Often, the result is funny, as the translation changes the intended meaning of a phrase. Think back … what experiences have you had with something that was lost in translation? Have you or someone you know struggled to communicate in a foreign country? Do you know foreign-born people whose words were misunderstood, mistranslated, or not translatable? Share your Lost in Translation stories forward.
On this Father’s Day weekend, our thoughts turn to our fathers, as they did to our mothers last month. Fathers can also be sources of advice, wisdom, or warnings, as well as family stories. Think back … to some memorable account, caution, or counsel that your father gave you that has stayed with you all these years. Share your What My Father Told Me stories forward.
As children, we couldn’t wait for each birthday to come, but now some of us might dread this sign of advancing age. Think back … to your most memorable or special birthday. Was it Sweet Sixteen? Twenty-one? Or sixty-five and eligible for Medicare? How did you celebrate then? How do you view birthdays now? Share your Special Birthdays stories forward.
In the British Underground, the signs on the platforms say Mind the Gap (between the train and the platform). But the gap we are minding is the generation gap. Remember when we said “Don’t trust anyone over 30” … back when we were under 30? Think back … What did you think of your parents and their generation when we were young? Were they squares? Sell-outs? Did they understand you at all? Did your thinking change as time passed? Are you closer to your children now than you were to your parents then? Share your Mind the Gap stories forward.
For many of us, childhood memories of go-to-sleep rituals were warm baths, lullabies, or bedtime stories. Think back … what were your treasured activities before going to bed? How were you comforted after bad dreams? Did you maintain those rituals for your own children? These days, as we age, a good night’s sleep can be elusive. If that’s the case, tell us about what you do when sleep just won’t come. Share your Sleepy Time stories forward.
You may have read them, or maybe your children did, but they are now banned in many parts of the country for today’s young readers: To Kill a Mockingbird, Beloved, The Handmaid’s Tale, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, 1984, The Catcher in the Rye, Huckleberry Finn — the list goes on and on. Think back … what banned books have you read and how did they affect you? Why is book banning so prevalent? What is its impact on society? Share your Banned Books stories forward.
On this Mother’s Day weekend, our thoughts turn to our mothers, our own mothering experiences, or even our adult daughters as mothers. Mothers can be sources of advice, wisdom, warnings, and family stories. Think back . . . to some memorable account, caution, or counsel that your mother gave you that has stayed with you all these years. Share your What My Mother Told Me stories forward.
Whether boisterous or silent, auctions engage your bidding skills. You might pay a bargain price—or way too much—for that coveted item, or end up with something unwanted. But maybe you prefer raffles and leaving a win to chance. Think back … what was your biggest win, or most painful loss, at an auction? What was your favorite raffle prize? Or, are you the person who never wins anything? Share your Auctions and Raffles stories forward.
