Part of Slice of Life by Two Writing Teachers

From my chair, at my desk at 6:00 a.m.

From my chair, at my desk at 6:00 a.m., I see
coffee, almost done
water bottle, waiting
a stack of books
a stack of bills
so many post-it notes
flair pens in
and out of their organizer
paper clips
a new pack of Sharpies
a mini typewriter pencil sharpener
a glasses cleaner cloth
notes my 9-year old left himself with
lego and pokemon passwords
notes I left myself:
“Reflect”
“Pen on the page”
“Stop Googling”

From my chair, at my desk at 6:00 a.m., I see
my floor,
(even though I try not to look)
bags packed for school
the dog’s tiger toy
the tiger’s stuffing in bits all over
the dog’s giant rope, frayed
a bin of printer paper
a stack of books
an extra bag

From my chair, at my desk at 6:00 a.m., I see
the dark hallway
the vacuum around the corner
the lit kitchen
where I know the empty lunchboxes wait
and maybe another drop of coffee

Part of Slice of Life by Two Writing Teachers

A Saturday in your early 40s. 
before these
there were stories
of Saturdays in your early 30s
with all your baby, toddler, preschool worries

Now you have older kids
and a Migraine
you just wake with it -
must be the pressure - barometric 
finally give in take some excedrin 
and then you live again 

Barnes & Noble
buying books time
but you also buy slime, 
expensive chocolate mousse and a blondie at snack time
and, admit it, a coconut milk vanilla latte - that's sublime

Overhear: 
someone asking about Wishtree - 
"Is that in the Magic treehouse series?" (Nope)
What is it about that desperate need 
to tell a stranger that the book in their hand
is one they should read?

Rush home so you can take the almost 16-ager
secondhand clothes shopping 
where you hold her t-shirts and jeans,
calmly trying to explain: 
"Yes, the line is long but even if they are only $16, you should definitely try them on."

These are some of the stories
of a Saturday in your early forties

Part of Slice of Life by Two Writing Teachers March Slice a Day Challenge!
I’m slicing every day this month. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

Writing Habits

I'm a wiggler.
I'm a doodler. 
I'm a jotter. 
I'm a writer. 

My fingers are wiggly
they want to type
while walking to my car
or hovering over the keyboard
as if wiggling will give them a running start

I doodle what I've always doodled
my name, borders, random shapes and figures
in margins and on post-its
wasting paper just to feel the pen 
on the page

I jot moments
quickly before the words leave
sometimes it isn't quick enough
sometimes I try text to speech
sometimes I can't tell what I was trying to remember

I write
every day in March
and lots of other days too
slices and joys and stories
wiggle, doodle, jot right out

I'm a wiggler.
I'm a doodler. 
I'm a jotter. 
I'm a writer

Part of Slice of Life by Two Writing Teachers March Slice a Day Challenge!
I’m slicing every day this month. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

Everyone in my house can sing, loves singing.
Last night we went to the cabaret
“I’ve always wanted to be able to sing” I said. I thought. I always think.
Really.

I try to have a growth mindset, I really do.
But, I can’t really sing.
You can ask my family if you want confirmation.
Really.

In high school, I joined the choir with a request to the director
“I want to act, so I need to learn some singing skills.”
She made me sing the Star Spangled Banner, I think.
Really.

I realized quickly that I could kind of sing
if I was next to other people singing the same exact notes
not in a mixed parts group, like they do in, you know, choirs.
Really.

In a play once, I had to sing a lullaby to another character.
Maybe twinkle twinkle little star.
It took a lot of practice– I can remember my director trying to be patient.
Really.

When I’m teaching, though, I sing.
Rainbow Connection, This Land is Your Land. . .
all sorts of tunes with different lyrics to fit the situation. It’s fun.
Really.