Using memoir to generate memoir

Here is an idea that I received from poet and workshop facilitator Sandi Stromberg, who teaches wonderful classes at the Jung Center in Houston. She selects a memoir book to read and then writes prompts that come to her after reading the book, which she then shares with the women in the class. In the class I took, we read Writing a Woman's Life by Carolyn Heilbrun (Ballantine, 1988), and it was an extraordinary writing experience. Sandi would quote a passage or summarize the one of the points Heilbrun makes in her book, and then she would give us a prompt to get us writing. What a phenomenal journey.

I am reading Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott, and I plan to write prompts inspired by Lamott's words. Stay turned...

It's all about you

I got an e-mail from my cousin today. I usually delete those daisy-chain type e-mails that are sent to all one's friends and relatives, but this one was really cool. It had a list of questions and all of her answers on it, and then directed me to delete her answers and add my own (see below) and send to my e-list. Well, what can I say? I thought I knew my cuz, but she surprised me with some of her answers.

If you like the idea, copy and paste this little survey to your blog or an e-mail and send it to those people you think you know and to those you'd like to know better. Fun and harmless. Here is the copy of the e-mail with my answers:


Welcome to the 2005 edition of getting to know your friends. What you aresupposed to do is copy (not forward) this entire e-mail and paste it onto anew e-mail that you'll send. Change all the answers so they apply to you, and then send this to a whole bunch of people including the person who sentit to you. Put your name in the subject line. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little things about your friends, if you did not know them already.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 9:30 a.m.
2. Diamonds or Pearls? Diamonds
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Flight Plan
4. What is your favorite TV show? CSI Miami
5. What did you have for breakfast? oatmeal with blueberries
6. What is your middle name? Elaine
7. What is your favorite cuisine? TexMex, espeicially cheese enchilladas (it's a Texas thing)
8. What foods do you dislike? cooked cauliflower
9. What is your favorite CD? Willie Nelson's Greatest Hits
10. Who is your favoirte author? Karleen Koen (her new book Dark Angels will be out in Fall '06--buy it!)
11. What kind of car do you drive? turbo-charged Beetle
12. Favorite sandwich? chicken salad from Whole Foods Market
13. What characteristics do you despise? Cruelty
14. What are your favorite clothes? jeans
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Italy
6. What color is your bathroom? marshmellow white
17. Favorite brand of clothing? Chico's
18. Where would you want to retire? Texas hill country
19. Favorite time of day? Dusk
20. Where were you born? Rome, NY
21. Favorite sport to watch? Basketball
22. Coke or Pepsi? diet Coke
23. Are you a morning person or night owl? Neither, but I'd rather stay up a little later than get up a little earlier
24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with everyone? I just published my first book on memoir writing!
25. What did you want to be when you were little? Writer, teacher and movie star... 2 out of 3 ain't bad.
26. What is your best childhood memory? going on family car trips and staying up as my dad drove through the night and asking my mom and dad to tell me stories about their childhoods
27. What are the different jobs you have had in your life? Popcorn popper in a dime story, babysitter, newspaper proofreader for small town weekly, ticket sales associate for the Ringling Bros. circus, receptionist for offshore culinary company, high school teacher, freelance writer, college professor, marketing and public relations director, columnist, lifestyle editor for monthly urban magazine, author
28. Nicknames: Jerse, Dr. B, JoyceAnn
29. Piercings? Ears, a single in each
30. Eye Color? Hazel
31. Ever been to Africa? Not yet
32. Ever been toilet papering? Yes, several times in high school
33. Been in a car accident? Yes
34. Favorite day of the week? Sunday
35. Favorite restaurant? Vietopia
36. Favorite flower? Gerber daisy
37. Favorite ice cream? Blue Bell's Great Divide
38. Favorite fast food restaurant? Pronto's Italian
39. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Zero for auto; once for motorcycle
40.Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? None
41. Bedtime? 10:30'sih p.m.
42. What are you listening to right now? rain
43. What is your favorite color? red
44. How many tattoos do you have? None, but I would like one on m y ankle if it wouldn't last the rest of my life
45. What counts most in a partner, good looks or good sense of humor? Humor--he wouldn't even be in the running for partnership w/o a good sense of humor!