Sonder

When I’m feeling sorry for myself, I think I am the only one living such a complex life. Nobody else has family with a homeless son, addicts, and prisoners. They aren’t raising a grandchild. In my writing groups, especially in Story Circle Network, I discover I am not so unique. I begin to realize that each passerby has a life story as vivid and complex as mine.

Recrudescence

I started this blog to focus on writing – mostly as accountability for my memoir process. Leaving the old blog behind makes me feel disconnected, scattered and thinking maybe I should have revived the old Witt Bits. Any advice? Should I try to import the blogger blog into WordPress, put a link on the current site to the old one, or just let it go and move on?

Quidnunc

Admit it. We all like to hear a juicy bit of gossip. As long as it is not about us. Or our family. Or our best friend. The important thing to remember, however, is that most gossip is simply idle talk or rumor.

Writing memoir requires cautious editing and removal of anything which could damage others. Quidnuncs are invited to read my memoir. They may be disappointed.

Pejorative

Homelessness is uncharted territory for most of us. Sadly, it will come up in my memoir from a parent’s view. Pejorative words that inflict insult or destructive thinking about these people are better left unsaid. Mark your calendar and watch Dogtown Redemption on your local PBS station May 16th. Watch it with compassion – just because someone is homeless does not mean they are undesirable, damaged or inferior.

Obelus

The memoir manuscript grows to 100,000 words. How could I be so self-centered to expect an audience to appreciate such a lengthy narrative? The next step becomes a task of removing the redundant or insignificant passages – or those which may be doubtful memories. The obelus symbol used to mark these passages in ancient manuscripts is now commonly used as a division sign ÷ . Divide and conquer – final execution.