A little before I settled in for writing, running through a mental of list of zero topics, one dropped into my phone. E, my 23 year old, started the conversation. He loves pulling pranks on me, making it difficult to know whether he’s serious or not.
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He drove through The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Gotta love how builders select names for subdivisions and stick to the theme. Stories manage to find their way into every part of our lives. I read about a Friends themed subdivision being built a few years ago in a nearby town. Friends in Texas.
Today may be a good day to hunker down with a good Western.
As promised, I’m tagging his tumblr post here. *language alert
How’s it going? We’re in double digits like champs! Thank you for reading my posts. The seem blah this week, but it happens. For the 7th consecutive year, I haven’t planned a theme or focus like other slicers. On second thought, fly by the sesat of your pants is a plan. Anyone else with me?
Some of the plans I’ve noticed (I wish I had time to read them all) are those from Carpe Fabula,Pedaling Poet, and Horizon 51. Ryan Graybill’s Phoning Home to 3rd Gradeled me to Carpe Fabula’s school reflections. Both Ryan and his pal have taken me back to my own school memories. Thanks, you two! Sharon Roy of Pedaling Poet is not only a first time slicer, but she’s also reading War and Peace and rewriting in haiku, a chapter a day. Wow! Chris Margocs of Horizon 51, who invited me to SOL, pairs her slices with daily walks. Check them out.
Connection story: after reading one of Sharon’s posts, I discovered we live in the same area. Small world.
I’m on staycation mode this week. SXSW has downtown Austin crammed with visitors, and while I welcome their presence, I’m staying away. I no longer have patience for large crowds. It has also become something completely different. Gone are the days where you’d line up at a bar, pay the cover, and see an up-and-coming band. You. might even buy a CD, have it autographed and see them at the Grammys the following year. “I saw them before they were famous!” I didn’t line up outside of bars during spring break at SXSW though—I was underage and didn’t run around with the fake ID crowd—but that’s what it was. Now it’s a big celebration of people who can drop over a grand for a conference badge to listen to a bunch of tech, movie, and music execs, stars and influencers. It’s where the unknowns came to become known, but now they seem overshadowed by the big names. That was the whole point.
There are some family-friendly *free* events, but it’s too much work orchestrating an outing of that magnitude. I’ll visit other places instead. Maybe. I’m currently mulling over the tile my husband and I chose for the kitchen backsplash. We didn’t bicker much about it, so I’m second guessing myself, wondering if I should visit more tile stores tomorrow or let it be. Maybe the tile chose us.
I’m enjoying sleeping in, morning puttering, and not having to worry about having to be anywhere but here. Call me a homebody.
Heading into week 3, what are you looking forward to writing or doing? Here’s to another week of slicing!
Be well,
-Alice
P.S. I’m currently reading The Space Between Here and Now, a YA book about time travel. I’m beginning to see a pattern. What are you reading?
Well, not really, but I love that line from A Christmas Story, so it’s useful. Yesterday, I received a work chat that I was randomly chosen to join our library directors for a possible lunch (getting details) with middle grade author Gordon Korman at our annual library conference. “Reply by the end of the day if you want to join us, or we’ll choose someone else.”
It was 6:48 p.m. Although I don’t like to check email at home, I checked email at home and saw 4 chat notifications. Huh. I worked online all day catching up on back end tasks requiring a computer in addition to checking books out to steady streams of students who came in for more books. How did I miss them?
My internet wasn’t connecting well. It happens on cloudy days on top of the fact that the kids’ devices and non-allowed phones suck up bandwidth. I reply anyway hoping the end of the day means later than the end of the workday.
This morning, I received details. Two of us were selected to join our directors. I don’t know how many other people are invited, but I’m in! I get to have lunch with Gordon Korman at the end of the month. What a fantastic surprise. With over 100 books published, there is no way I can read them all before the big day, but I have a soft spot for Schooled.
Thank you for reading my posts. Year 7 is one I almost skipped. I’m glad I didn’t. This is a challengeiing task, but its all of you who keep me coming back each year. New Slicers, I hope you enjoy being here as much as I do.
I considered writing all of my posts in letter form. However, it’s more time consuming gatheriing my stationery (I’m not an early prepper-I fly by the seat of my pants), scanning, & uploading said letter, and then inevitably I’d falter and maybe even quit. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter, but I also didn’t want to rush through the process.
Lately, I’ve reserved my Sundays for slowing down. Since I started the Sunday Letter Project (I wrote about it last week), I loof forward to writing Sunday letters. I’m penning this letter with a jazz playlist swaying in the background while teen girl mixes up a batch of chocolate-chocolate chip cookie mix for boyfriend’s birthday tomorrow. It’s an overcast day with drizzle willing itself to stay locked int the clouds while we recuperate from the lost hour of precious time.
How are your slices going? I find myself writing mini-slices as comments sometimes. I’ll either save these posts or take screenshots. I may or may. not revisit them for the inevitable writer’s block. Shout out to Cindy of mschiubookawrites whose deftly drafted comments tie in with the post. If you haven’t already done so, check out the inspirational posts each day, but also those highlighted by other writers. Writer’s block is ALWAYS an appropriate slice and definitely “counts.”
Spring break is next week for me, so I plan to read more posts. I’m also saving some for later. Some possible slice topics:
my late uncle’s 18 wheeler based on a comment another slicer’s post (I need to look for it)
“Information is disposable”-from a discussion with 8th graders
Amelia Earhart, Helen Keller, and a Bessie Coleman Barbie-8th graders again
Isn’t everyone “a creative” from a crafter I follow online
What’s in my analog bag
Eight days down, twenty three more reps to go. Hang in there. Have a fabulous week. I’ll attempt to wrangle the rest of this day and tell it to SLOW DOWN!
Sincerely,
Alice
P.S. I recently finished Twice: A Novel by Mitch Albom. It’s about time travel. What are you reading?
P.S.S. Is anyone interested in receiving a Sunday letter in the mail?
She struts on stage with small quick steps, wearing a snug black long sleeve shirt, high-waisted turquoise and navy polka dot capris that zip up the back, black kitten heels, and bobby socks. Another girl accompanies her, stage giggles and conversations over a menu summon empty red drink glasses from a waiter. They take their drinks and move from a table to a diner counter, backs to the audience, continuing their conversation.
The plot continues across the stage until the end. Cast members, hand in hand, take center stage. Bow. Applause.
We stop for ice cream on the way home.
A late night for a Thursday. Time to decompress. The dog sniffed us all, reassured of our presence. She’s gone her way. Myth Busters keeps my husband company. I’m tapping away at my laptop. Her backpack sits in her chair at the kitchen table.
Strewn across the table, a yellow envelope holds notes of encouraging words from her directors. Yes, I read them. Two white long-stemmed roses rest next to a long plastic nose.
Cyrano ’26 is written on one side of the nose, Sophie on the other.
I take the roses, sniff their scent, and fill a white bud vase with water.
There was once a credit card company commercial asking what’s in your wallet. Today’s answer isn’t a specific credit card, it’s a phone and in that phone there’s a “wallet.”
Have you heard of the craze? My son, along with people I watch in thirty second blips while doomscrolling, introduced me to the term. An analog bag is a tote, backpack, basket, messenger bag, or any other type of portable container for storing items one can reach for instead of those little devices that are so much more than phones.
My son’s bag contains an MP3 player, wired headphones (they sound so much better, Mom!), a journal, a sketchbook, an actual book (he stopped reading for funsies in high school), pencils, a pen, a vintage Polaroid camera, and his Nintendo DS. There are still electronic devices, but said electronic devices can’t access the internet. The camera can only snap photos. The MP3 player only plays music. The DS only allows playing solo games.
The trend is popular among many Gen Z’ers. I’m hopeful the trend will trickle down and gain popularity among middle and high schoolers. I’ve gotta give my boy credit, along with everyone else doing this, for recognizing the need to slow down. I believe people are at a breaking point with the negative effects of device and social media overuse. People are exhausted from noticing how much time is spent online.
Gone are the days of surfing the net. We’re now drowning in the abyss of information and misinformation and short form video and endless subscriptions to everything we could ever want and everything we don’t need.
I’ve noticed many social media accounts run by those who became accidental influencers become silent, change, or disappear altogether. Some people behind said accounts announce they either stepped away or will be closing them in favor of getting back in touch with themselves. It must be exhausting putting your life online all day every day.
I may have laughed at the idea of an analog bag because it seems so logical. Grab a bag, put your favorite stuff in it and take it with you. However, Gen Z is accustomed to taking everything in one tiny pocket sized device. Seeing someone reading a book, knitting a scarf, writing in a journal, playing solitaire, or doing anything other than being on a phone is a great conversation starter. People are wanting more in-person connection.
If it’s analog bags that get us there, then I’m all for it. I hope it isn’t a short-lived trend.
How’s it going? I wasn’t sure I’d slice this year, but I’ve neglected my writing and I NEED it, so here I am.
Tuesday slicing tapered off for me, not for lack of ideas, but lack of follow through on my part. I’m not the morning type, so by the time all of the things that need doing get done, I’m the one who’s done. I’m hoping this helps me course correct.
Do I have a plan or strategy this year? I’m still mulling it over. I don’t want to say what it is yet-I don’t want to jinx it, even though I’m not the superstitious type. Except maybe I am, just a little.
I started my fall posts-when I “started” posting on Tuesdays again-writing about the last time I did something for the first time. I started (actually, my brain did this) overthinking and arriving to at the conclusion that it’s impossible for me to keep up with the last time I did something for the first time because something else would knock it out of place. However, the real me just said-NO ONE CARES-pick one of the many on your list. Perhaps those will be revisited for future slices.
I like to see where the writing takes me, if I let it. (Still working on that one). Last year was tough for me. I can’t figure out why. Here’s to LUCKY #7! I’m okay with not having a plan. Why change what’s worked for me? As me this on Friday and I’ll likely have a different answer.
One thing I’ve been up to is writing a letter every Sunday (except I skipped one already, so today I’ll write two. I found the Sunday Letter Project some time in December. I’ll sign up for the reminders as if I need reminding that Sunday is coming. Its’ the only solid day of structure I have (ooh, didn’t see this one coming-saving it for a poetential slice). The point is to write a letter to someone-anyone, even yourself, on paper with a pen or other writing stick. Mail it or keep it. Do this for a year. Slicers, you get #8. #9 has a yet to be determined recipient since I skipped a week.
Thing #2: I randomly chose The Correspondent by Virginia Evans as an audiobook read. It’s an epistolary and enjoyed peeking in on Sybil Van Antwerp’s life. Chick it out, you might like it. This book, paired with The Sunday Letter Project led me to listen to the nudge to get back on track with writing. I signed up for SOL’26 and here I am, writing letter #8, giving a nod to a book I finished, and writing my first slice. Cheers to year 7!
(This is where I raise my glass to to toast with an orange mimosa)
Sincerely,
Alice
P.S. I’m currently reading I See You’ve Called in Dead, by John Kenney. What are you reading?
One of the last things I did for the first time, aside from riding a train to New York City, was making a paper doll. One of my sisters, we call her Spidy, wasn’t able to join us on this trip. Disappointed, she made a suggestion that could work.
“Maybe you can turn me into Flat Spidy!”
So we did.
Angie brought construction paper and markers. I planned to make Flat Spidy the night before departing, but it became impossible. So there I am at our Airbnb scrawling out my most second grade looking drawing of Spidy, flattened so she could join us while riding in my bag.
Join us, she did. At the train station, Danny, our funcle asked a guy named Eddie about tickets. He tinkered on a machine others were grateful he was fixing while he gave us travel tips. In Texas, we pretty much only drive everywhere. We chatted about visiting places that aren’t conducive to urban hiking and public transportation. Great guy. Once I pulled Flat Spidy out of my bag, he about lost it.
“Whaddya mean? Of course I’ll take a picture! This story just keeps getting better. I’ll even let her wear my hat.” A die-hard Deadhead, that’s exactly what he did.
Her company added an element of playfulness we didn’t expect. Taking care not to get her soggy in the rain, we missed some photo ops, but it was one of the best ways for her to be present. In the evenings, we sent updates of her travels. Next time, we hope none of us need to become flat versions of ourselves to take that sisters trip we’ve been trying to make happen.
Here we go!Grand Central StationEmpire State BuildingCentral ParkTimes SquareSullivan’s Country MarketThe gazebo in New MilfordMystic
I happened across a great little book by Irene Smit & Astrid Van Der Hulst called Know Yourself: A book of questions. Actually, I’ve purchased copies of their other books, chock full of hygge: paper crafting, letter writing stationery, mini-notebooks, book marks, postcards, sketching ideas, tips for relaxing and self care. My Amazon feed suggested it. I bought it. One night I popped it open, you know, to relax and perhaps learn more about myself. I answered the questions without writing anything down and realized these are fantastic writing prompts.
Since it’s cozy season (anywhere else but in central Texas where we’re still at 90+ temps), I’ve decided to turn down the AC and attempt to create cozy fall vibes.
It starts with Gilmore Girls. Last fall, I started watching the series for the first time. My thoughts on Gilmore Girls can be an entirely separate set of posts I’m saving for later–yeah, had I written more consistently I could’ve knocked ’em out by now…
My sister, Angie, is a die hard fall girlie, Gilmore Girls fan, and has dreamed of visiting New England in October.
“So, what’s the verdict?”-Rory
“I am an autumn.”-Richard
I am a summer. I’ll take the heat. Until it’s almost November when cool weather should be the norm. We chat about making a trip happen. Inspired by Gilmore Girls. My niece, her oldest daughter, joined us. Last week, we finished up our first trip to Connecticut and New York in all of its fall foliage glory.
We arrived on Friday, October 10th. We decided to visit New York on Saturday because we’d soon experience our first nor’easter. A guy named Eddie, who worked on a ticket machine at the train station in Milford, assured us we didn’t need to panic. Cold rain and strong wind. He gave us tips and great conversation while we waited.
The one thing I had to see was NYPL. We walked over and noticed a demonstration. Banned Books Week! I had finished out my work week leading up to this trip teaching all of our eighth graders about intellectual freedom and censorship. I asked for a picture with someone wearing one of my favorite childhood books. We chatted about my work as a librarian.
“Better yet,” she suggested, “would you like to wear it?”
How could I refuse? Bonus points for the last time I went to NYPL for the first time. I also got a library card.
When was the last time you did something for the first time? This question taps my shoulder on days I feel myself falling into the mundane. It also guides me when I-don’t-know-what-to-write-itis strikes.
Nerds Beget Nerds 