six word memoir

Wow, the capitol is in a state of uproar today. Hard to find much of anything that can make politicians speechless, but the recent revelation by the governor of the Empire State has thrown the city into a silent stupor. Seriously. Most of the legislative work is at a standstill, the budget is days away from being due, and even the lt. governor has no idea what is next. While Mr. Spitzer is holed up in his 5th Ave mansion, we are all hitting refresh on the NYTimes webpage or watching the march of reporters across the capital to see it unfold...

Trying to find something other than scandal coverage on the radio is tough, but driving back from yet another trip around the city I heard about the most amazing publication-- an anthology of six-word memoirs from Smith Magazine. According to the description: "Legend has it that Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in only six words. His response? “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Last year, SMITH Magazine re-ignited the recountre by asking our readers for their own six-word memoirs. They sent in short life stories in droves, from the bittersweet (“Cursed with cancer, blessed with friends”) and poignant (“I still make coffee for two”) to the inspirational (“Business school? Bah! Pop music? Hurrah”) and hilarious (“I like big butts, can’t lie”)."

After listening intently for nearly twenty minutes straight, it occurred to me that the title of this book is perfectly appropriate for today, not a diversion, but a fitting treatment of how one man's life and his decisions intersect with thousands upon thousands around the state.

Anyway, watch this video, and then see what your six word memoir might be. I'm going to work on mine this evening and would love to see yours in the comments section or link me to your blog so we can all share!