Tiny Truths

Creative Nonfiction runs a fun, little Twitter contest they call “The Great Twitter Experiment.” Tell a true story in less than 140 characters. Use the hashtag #cnftweet.  They pick their favorite of the day and re-post it on their Twitter feed.

There is a wonderful community of supportive micro-essayists who participate. Here are a few of my cnftweets that won the daily contest. The last one was reprinted in Creative Nonfiction’s newsletter a while back.

cello

On riding the bus with my cello:

I rode the crowded school bus with my cello. I sat, slouched and silent, beside its curvy, hollow beauty as kids talked in pairs.

On attending Ballet Arizona’s Swan Lake with my mother:

At intermission, ushers sold autographed pointe shoes. I held one in my hands, surprised by the weight beneath the pink satin.

On our 6th anniversary trip to Las Vegas:

I crane my neck to see the angels on the ceiling of the Venetian. My husband says, “Slots-A-Fun has the 99¢ margarita, right?”

On the limits of love:

He says he would die for me. All I recall is the time at the bar, when I spilled two beers with my pool stick, how he stayed back.

On my daughter’s fascination with sporting a tail:

I roll a paper napkin into a long, magnificent tail, and tuck one end into my daughter’s shorts. She runs from me, growling.


What Type Are You?

type

Try this typography/personality quiz from Pentagram (use password: character). Answer four personality trait questions to receive your “type.” This isn’t a run-of-the-mill quiz. It is the result of over seven years of research with a team of 23 academics across Eastern Europe. I was shocked to discover I am Dot Matrix.

{photos from Pentagram}

Camping in the Catalinas

catalinas

My husband, daughter, and I camped this weekend in Catalina State Park, at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Less than thirty minutes from our house, it was almost like camping in our backyard. We were five minutes from a Wal-Mart and a Red Lobster, but once inside the park, we couldn’t tell we were near the city at all.

As a bookish indoor cat, I spent quite a bit of time in the camper reading Louise Erdrich’s “The Red Convertible” and writing in notebooks. My husband lured me outside, however, and the weather was beautiful. Overcast and in the low 70s, it was the perfect weather for walks and hikes.

We met many dogs, including a blind dog nicknamed “Doofus.” We met even more horses, because of the equestrian campsites nearby. Our daughter played with rocks, rode her tricycle, and dragged a rope behind her which served as a leash for her imaginary dog.


2010 Desk Agenda

0003954_00_item_detailfebruary

One of my favorite Christmas gifts was this Kate Spade desk agenda with vibrant illustrations by Bella Foster. I love the illustration for the month of February - a bookish redhead in front of a colorful bookcase.

It also features a sentence each month featuring often misused homophones. For example, September’s is “Never content to remain stationary, she writes home on her personalized stationery.” Charming.


Two Lovebirds

portfolio_1

I’m so happy she loves them.