Tag Archives: memory

CALLING ALL WRITERS!!!

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When I was in high school, I didn’t know how to be anyone but me.  Looking back, that wasn’t the case for everyone.  Teenagers tend to fall into cliques, subcultures, or certain behaviors in order to feel that sense of belonging that we all yearn for.  Looking back, I am under the belief that the best way to experience high school is by being yourself.  I would love to share this idea with teenagers getting ready to enter high school or already in high school.

So here’s the plan.  I am looking for 15-25 people who are willing to share their high school story.  I want to know what kind of group(s) you fell in with.  I want to know how you stood out as an individual.  I want to know when you found it hard to be yourself.  I want to know when you found yourself conforming at times.  How did it affect your academic life?  How did this affect your social life?  How did this affect your romantic life?

The plan is to make an anthology of these stories.  I am looking for stories between 3,000 and 6,000 words (these aren’t set guidelines, but don’t go crazy).  If your story is among the best, I will contact you and let your know that it will be included.  Once the anthology is set, you will have an opportunity to buy a severely discounted copy of the book.  Also note that, should the book ever be professionally published (it’s incredibly difficult to do so, but who knows), the profits will be split evenly between all chosen contributors.

Send you story, information, or questions to FFman@comcast.net

Make sure to include your name, contact information and name/location of your high school.  I can only accept stories until Christmas Day 2012—so get started!

Feel free to reblog to spread the word.

 

My 9/11 Story

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I’m getting back to working on Elance.  I got a few big jobs that will keep me busy for a few weeks.  In the meantime, however, I am going to continue working on my memories.  I really enjoy working on my writing via these memories.  I will be pretty busy with work, but I can’t give up on creative writing.

Today’s memory is long overdue.  I’ve never written my memory of September 11th, 2001 on paper before.  This is my first real attempt.  As I wrote, I realized this would be one of my longest memories.  It’s difficult to tell the story without explaining the events side-by-side with how I reacted.  In the end, it turned into a long, but amazing memory.  Please feel free to share your story as well.

Day Nineteen: My 9/11 Story

 

The End of Baseball Season

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My family and I went to the Rockies Game last night.  I wanted to go to one last game before the Peace Corps.  My family was more excited about the fireworks after the game.  In the end, so was I.  We lost the game…15-5.  It was quite a terrible experience.  But the fireworks after the game were amazing as always.  This is one of the worst seasons we’ve had in a while.  Now, with the end of the baseball season upon us, I have to find a team to root for…while I continue to root against the Yankees.

To go with the theme of baseball, I decided to share one of my best memories at Coors Field in Denver.  This is a memory I haven’t shared until yesterday.  It is a memory that I cherish…and I hope you do to.  Enjoy!

Day Eighteen: Batting Practice

 

How to Write Memories

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Getting back into the swing of writing has helped me immensely.  I love these memories more than anything right now.  I am going to make a bit of a change to the Memory Challenge…although you will not notice.  I am starting to talk about private things.  Although I am okay sharing my private memories…I don’t want to share other people’s private memories.  As a result, I am now changing all names.  Unless you know me personally…and pretty well…you should not know who I am talking about.

I spent three and half hours today talking with my favorite teacher for high school.  My mind has erupted with activity from the intelligent conversation.  She also gave me a book to read.  As soon as I’m done reading Mockingjay, this will be my next challenge.  It is Stephen King’s alternative history book about the failed assassination attempt on JFK.  I can’t wait to read it.

Day Seventeen: Losing Your Mother, Again

Live from Connecticut

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This has been a long day.  I woke up at 4:30a so that we could be at Denver International Airport for a 8:30a flight.  We ended up having to deplane because the plane wasn’t in working order.  Luckily we only had an hour and a half delay.  I got to see the NYC skyline as we flew in.  God I love that city.  Now there is talk of doing NYC tomorrow with my family.  Only time will tell.

I wrote a memory while on the plane.  Since I told you about the announcement of my sister’s pregnancy yesterday, it felt right to tell you about the day she was born.  A side note: My niece is here in Connecticut with me…about to turn seven years old.  Time really does fly.

Day Fifteen: Birth of My Niece

 

Leaving on a Jet Plane

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I should be landing in New York in about 24 hours.  It is the start of a very long month.  I can’t wait to be in Connecticut with my family and celebrating my grandmother’s 80th birthday.  I’m so lucky to have the ability to go see my family at least once a year even though they live so far away.  It looks like this time almost the entire extended family will be there–from Florida, Colorado, and D.C.  I can’t wait.

I am going to try to continue giving you guy at least one update a day while I am away.  I feel like I am straddling a thin line when it comes to internet addiction, so I am going to be careful.  If I disappear for a day or two, it is for my own sanity.  I know most writers go insane eventually…but I would prefer for that not to happen until I am at least 30.  Until next time, here is a new Memory for the 50-Day Memory Challenge.

Day Fourteen: My First Girlfriend

 

Strangest Week Ever

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This past week has been different on such a level that I have a hard time understanding how I got here.  The shooting in Aurora underlined a lot…but there was so much more.  The coming realization that my closest friend is leaving the state in a month.  Worries about my mother, my grandmother, and my dog.  Trying to write something entirely new.  I think I may have strained my brain.

Today I revamped the website.  It should not be much easy to get around and find what you are looking for.  I also updated my About Me section so that you can contact me or find me elsewhere on the internet.  Let me know what you think.  I will likely have more free time in the evening.  Expect a late update of a memory, political, or flash fiction piece (I haven’t quite decided yet).

With Love,
Richard

 

Back to Writing

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I’ve been at a bit of a standstill the last two or three weeks.  I’ve been writing memories, yes, but I do not have an overall project.  I hate not having a project to work on.  Although I love writing memories, poems, and flash fiction, they often feel like filler.  I like have a big project going at all times–whether it is the editing or writing of a large piece or novel.  Now that “The Stagner Chronicle” is in the late editing stages, I need something new.

I found that something yesterday.  I started writing as a reaction to events that occurred yesterday.  A few hours passed and I realized I couldn’t stop writing.  My word count is already at 4,000 and I am showing no signs of slowing down.  Due to the nature of what I am writing about, I cannot share the subject matter.  To be perfectly honest, it may not even be okay to share the final product.  It doesn’t matter.  I still need to write it.

With Love,
Richard

 

Hold Your Breath

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It’s be an interesting few days.  I cannot talk about most of what is going on.  I can tell you, however, that the next few weeks promise to hold almost as much intrigue.  I have less than a week until I start of month of exploring this country.  Connecticut.  Iowa.  Washington.  All in five weeks.  I cannot wait.  I will do my best to continue updating as this Summer carries on.

Two updates today.  First and foremost, I have a new memory for the memory challenge.  I realized I had far too few memories about family.  This one should make up a little ground on that level.  I have also started adding videos of myself reading my stories and poems.  This started off as a Kickstarter supplement, but I love to idea too much.  Let me know what you think.

My Sister’s Wedding

 

Genealogy, Scripts & Geese

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Today has been quite an interesting day.  I have 17 days before I fly out whit my family to Connecticut to celebrate my Grandmother’s 80th birthday.  I have a bunch of geneology stuff that I’ve gathered over the years that I want to be able to give them as a present.  One is an audio diary that they gave to the entire family a couple decades back.  I’ve started transcribing it and hope to finish before the trip.

I also just received a ghostwriting job.  The job is to write a script to a seven minute short film.  I got the job because I bid way to low for such a job…because I really want to try writing a script. I can’t wait to get started.  I have a week to write it.  So, I’m going to go start working on that.  Here is day eleven of the 50 Day memory Challenge.  Enjoy.

Day Eleven: The Injured Goose