Six Word Memoir

The assignment for Kim Klassen's Beyond Layers course for this week was sparked by an idea from Smith Magazine (http://www.smithmag.net/). The assignment is to write a six word memoir. Below are several of mine.

These sentences are not exactly memoirs when I think of what memoirs are supposed to be: life stories. These are more like six word sentences about who I am or what I am like or how I think . . . and for this exercise . . . warts and all . . .

(I know I should write only one because that seems like the point of the exercise, but I went to the Smith Magazine site and I see people are writing more than one, so I decided I could, too.)

1. I dwell on the greener grass.
2. I'm still a nerd. Now proud.
3. I'm not optimistic, but that's okay.
4. Wanting to live simply. It's complicated.
5. I am learning to like myself.
6. I cannot explain myself in six words (see, told you.).
7. Initials: BJ. It sucks. Pun intended.

(Okay, a little dirty on that last one . . . sorry . . . but having these initials did haunt me as an adolescent.)

I know mine aren't as positive as many others will be. It is true that I am not an optimist. I never have been and it's hard to change that part of me, so instead I try to work on how being pessimistic (or, actually, realistic) can be a positive trait . . . yeah, I'll keep working. You can roll your eyes if you want.

I do dwell on what I think of as other people's greener grass . . . all the time. This is something I am trying to stop. My life is good and it always has been. I just wish for things and often have trouble with how to make the things that I want happen. And if I do make something happen, it seems like it is never enough. Also, sometimes, I really don't even KNOW what I want.

I am learning to like myself and embrace my nerdy side.

Also I loved this exercise . . . more than I ever thought I would. Perhaps I am making progress.