Slice of Life Challenge

    • A ch*** in the armor

      I really love my book club. I can’t remember how many years we’ve been together, but there are many. And because we’ve been together for so long and have a genuine love and caring for each other, our conversations are easy, even when we talk about difficult topics. During our…

    • Separating the art from the artist

      As my husband and I sat under the full moon at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, we watched the advertisements for upcoming shows, while the crew transitioned the stage for the main show. I wasn’t paying close attention because I was still trying to process what in the heck…

    • Shangri-La (aka California)

      My husband likes to say he grew up in Shangri-La and when we visit his hometown of Carmel, California, it’s easy to see why, even with all of the changes that have happened over the last five decades. Amongst the new McMansions you can still see pockets of forest that…

    • Atrophy

      Two weeks have passed without writing a slice. Ideas hide themselves deeper and deeper in the mind. The time ticks away before the tablet gets opened. The time ticks away as eyes stare at the screen. The time ticks away as the brain reaches for strategies. Distractions creep in–a quick…

    • Outlaw Part 2

      This is the second part of a story I started last week. You can catch up here. Sydney’s mom dropped off us at the front of the mall, reminding us not to be late for our pick up time. Free at last! We started meandering down the walkway with no…

    • Outlaw

      This is the very first draft of a story I’m trying to write for The Moth, a hint of an idea formed as I washed the dishes this morning. As I write this intro, it’s already starting to fade! A friend and colleague has been encouraging me to attend a…

    • Breakfast of champions

      One day in my late 20s or early 30s, I can’t remember when exactly, I suddenly had a hankering for some Count Chocula cereal. On my next trip to the supermarket I scanned the cereal aisle looking for the sugary treat I needed to satisfy my craving. No luck. A…

    • People who need…dogs

      Shay Shay was the first dog I ever owned as an adult. When she passed it was devastating and I didn’t think I could ever have another dog. How could I possibly go through that pain again? But one of my friends, a fellow dog owner, insisted that we should…

    • From the Mixed Up Files…

      “Shhhh!” I warned my cousins, Nan and Jay. The three of us are crouched in a women’s bathroom stall in Foxy’s, a coffee shop owned and run by my a-gong. I was maybe 8 and my cousins were 6 and 5. Those two extra years gave me enough authority to…

    • Procrastination

      Last week I said I’d try my hand at intentionally practicing one of the writing tools from Roy Clark’s Writing Essentials book. Here’s an attempt… “Procrastination is the thief of time.” — Edward Young, Night-Thoughts on Life, Death, & Immortality That was one of many quotes we were required to…