Recently I had a very satisfying phone "conversation" with Allison. She was at home mending her jeans, while I read to her from my new favorite book. It is fun to be together when we can't BE together. The book is called "Thinking About Memoir" by Abigail Thomas, a writing teacher and successful memoirist. She counsels her readers to have a habit of daily writing as a way to "seed the clouds in the front and the back of your mind." To keep a notebook handy and "scribble in it everywhere." In August, on a visit, I was reading excerpts of this book to my son-in-law, Mike, who is studying Creative Writing at Utah State University. On my next visit in November, one morning he surprised me with my own moleskin notebook and Tul pen. With the best of intentions, I began writing, but loved this notebook so much that until today, I have kept it in a ziploc bag in my nightstand so that nothing could harm it. Today I liberated it and put it in my purse so that I can do as Abigail counsels: "Everything goes in: grocery lists, things to do, random observations, knitting patterns, recipes, overheard dialogue, everything....Think of it as the written equivalent of singing in the shower." Her book has inspired me to follow through on my desire to someday write my memoir. One of the entries in Abigail's diary is "What I Am Not Buying Today", and she has a list of things she saw and wanted to buy, but didn't. Here is my list of things I saw last night as Frank and I were out picking up a few things....things I thought about buying, but didn't.
No Curious George book about phonics
No package of 3 pairs of garden gloves in 3 attractive shades of green
No flax seed
No red spring baby outfit, 12 month size
No peach pie
So I'm curious....what did you not buy today?
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