Dear Alice,
I love the annual Slice of Life Story Challenge, but this year, my ideas are as elusive as a rope of sand. I know, every day provides a chance to find brilliance amid the mundane. The universe has certainly not been stingy with fresh material, either. But maybe that's the problem. There's too much to take in. Too much to process. It's March 7, and this Teacher Town citizen is frankly daunted by the 24 days ahead. What should I do?
Sincerely,
Out of Ideas
Dear Out of Ideas,Don't feel bad--you can't be alone. All you can do is take this month one day at a time. You make a good point about system overload. Every day, we are all taking on unprecedented challenges, and it's not easy to make sense of it all. But remember that every time you sit down to write, you are taking a chisel to the granite. It's hard to see the figure that lies beneath, but based on your blisters and the dust at your feet, you are making progress one word at a time. Sure, you may just end up with a pile of rubble by the end. Go easy on yourself. Write a little or write a lot, be creative...or not. Every slice is a good one.Yours,Alice
I'm struggling to find ideas this year too. Your playing around with form is so entertaining and creative! "Every slice is a good one"- truer words have never been spoken.
ReplyDeleteYou had me at Dear Alice!!! I am thoroughly enjoying your Teacher Town column and this advice column takes the cake. Can I write to Alice? She gives fantastic advice! My favorite- "But remember that every time you sit down to write, you are taking a chisel to the granite."
ReplyDeleteAlice and George Washington see eye to eye on the rope of sand!
ReplyDeleteThat dust at your feet tells the tale— your writing continues to be fresh and entertaining.
I so enjoyed this -so many powerful sensations, like the "rope of sand" and "taking a chisel to the granite." Keep on keepin' on in Teacher Town!
ReplyDelete"rope of sand" the quote of the day! LOVE!!!
ReplyDeleteI needed to hear Alice's advice today. I have no idea how to keep up my slicing once I return to the classroom to teach concurrently.
You are such a clever writer, Leah. You make your posts seem so effortless and natural!