BURNINGBIRD
a node at the edge  


August 30, 2002
Five words or Less

Michael Barrish:

    I am alone

Mark Pilgrim:

    I am blessed.

Karl

    Never tell me the odds.

Jonathon Delacour:

    Life is a beautiful dream.

Shannon Campbell

    I reap what I sow.

Steve Himmer

    How did I get here?

Bearman

    I have what I need.

Frank Paynter:

    I continue to grow.

Euan Semple:

    What I am is enough.

Dorothea Sala

    I'll get by.

Will Raleigh:

    False risk is almost enough.

Stavros the WC

    Somewhere there's a place I belong.

Robert Brown

    A work in progress.

And my own story, the story that Michael Barrish says ...we try all of our lives to prove is true and that can be summarized in five words or less?

    I am a writer.

Update:

And so the tapestry unfolds, woven from words which come simply and gracefully across the screen from each writer. Whatever the tapestry is called, though, one thing is certain: it sure as heck isn't named "meme".




Posted by Bb at August 30, 2002 08:46 PM




Comments

Is it really true that you only have one story? Because I have a strong inkling mine's been changing since my life has changed so radically these past few years.

Maybe I need to write some more to continue to dig to find the 'one true story'.

Ahhh, I can get deep on this one. You can take this thread and have some offline conversations with this one :)

Posted by: Karl on August 30, 2002 11:06 PM

I love this exercise. I'm going to be thinking all day about what my 5 words are

Posted by: Jill on August 31, 2002 09:04 AM

i want a red ferrari

Posted by: gary on August 31, 2002 09:55 AM

Karl, it's odd but my answer came very quickly. And saying it, writing it, was oddly liberating.

Jill, stop by and let us know what you come up with.

Gary, you're going to be a papa. New papa's and mama's don't have red ferraris. No place to put the baby seat.

Posted by: Shelley aka Bb on August 31, 2002 11:28 AM

there is one other larger reason why I don't have one. $$$$$$'s

Posted by: gary on August 31, 2002 12:03 PM

I told Beth about this exercise and she looked at me and said: "Beth read many books."

I said, "This isn't an epitaph you're writing. Try thinking of it as your life in progress."

"Oh. 'Beth reads many books' then."

Posted by: Frank on August 31, 2002 03:00 PM

You know, those words read like found poetry. Look:

I am alone;
I am blessed.

Never tell me the odds --
life is a beautiful dream.
I reap what I sow.

How did I get here?

I have what I need,
I continue to grow,
what I am is enough.

I am a writer.

Oh, yeah. This is when blogging gets cool as hell for me. When all the pieces make a whole, so beautifully. Thanks for collecting, Shelley.

Posted by: Shannon on August 31, 2002 05:01 PM

And thanks for spotting the poetry Shannon. It is becoming a lovely song, isn't it?

Posted by: Shelley aka Bb on August 31, 2002 05:07 PM

And with Dorothea's, it gets even better:

I am alone;
I am blessed.

Never tell me the odds --
life is a beautiful dream.
I reap what I sow.

How did I get here?

I have what I need,
I continue to grow,
what I am is enough.

I'll get by.

I am a writer.

Posted by: Shelley aka Bb on August 31, 2002 05:10 PM

It is a beautiful song :)

I felt the same way Shelley. Liberated after writing it. Felt good. And then a long night afterwards... I just felt different, and realized it was just one part of me.

Nevertheless, this is fun. And perfect for soul searching.

Shannon - if you get Shelley can collect more of these.. it would be great to hear your voice and music put to them.

Posted by: Karl on August 31, 2002 05:19 PM

But isn't this the point of the net - the whole is greater than the sum of the parts?

Posted by: Euan on August 31, 2002 05:32 PM

I think that's what's going on here Euan :)

Posted by: Karl on August 31, 2002 05:40 PM

False Risk Is Almost Enough

Posted by: Will on August 31, 2002 06:13 PM

Shannon it would be great, as Karl suggests, to hear your voice and music put to this collective poem.

Assuming, of course, that there's a joint songwriting credit and we're able to reach agreement on the royalty payments... I'd love to be able to retire on the proceeds of a thirtieth share of a hit song.

Posted by: Jonathon Delacour on August 31, 2002 07:00 PM

Hmph. Jonathon, ya big greedy so-and-so. :P

Shannon, I would like a copy of the recording when you make it. MP3 will be fine. The rest, as far as I'm concerned, is all yours.

Posted by: Dorothea Salo on August 31, 2002 08:51 PM

Somewhere there's a place I belong.

Posted by: stavrosthewonderchicken on August 31, 2002 09:29 PM

A work in progress.

Posted by: RKB on August 31, 2002 11:07 PM

Craptastic, that was 6 words, wasn't it?

OK, here's a better one : "Where's the beer, damn it?"

Posted by: stavrosthewonderchicken on September 1, 2002 12:02 AM

I knew the Wonder Chicken must have passed through last night when I woke up and there was a feather, a single feather, delicately placed on my laptop.

Stavros, from you, six words are welcome! Or your five word alternative.

Posted by: Shelley aka Bb on September 1, 2002 07:51 AM

Rootless cosmopolitan.

(Because it's consistent, yet accomodates continual change.)

Posted by: The One True b!X on September 1, 2002 01:52 PM

Where am I coming from

Posted by: PapaScott on September 1, 2002 02:26 PM

I am a rooster, "cockadoodledoo".

Posted by: Ryan on September 1, 2002 04:16 PM

Ultimately remain honest and honorable.

Posted by: Mark Gardner on September 1, 2002 11:24 PM

Learn, then love, then teach.

Posted by: kermix on September 2, 2002 04:19 AM

Walk into the wind.

Posted by: Elaine of Kalilily on September 2, 2002 10:09 PM

How do I do this?

Posted by: ralph on September 2, 2002 10:43 PM

Like Karl, I am not entirely sure that I have only one story. But here's what came to me first:
I am trying to understand.

Posted by: Elke on September 3, 2002 12:32 AM

Okay, officer, I'll come quietly.

Posted by: Joey deVilla on September 3, 2002 04:09 PM

Thanks for new word phrases, I'll add into the 'song'.

Joey, now why is it that I find yours so believably easy ;-)

Posted by: Shelley aka Bb on September 3, 2002 04:50 PM

everything is a story (more on my own weblog: http://www.epersonae.com/blogger/2002_09_01_archive.php3#85402930)

Posted by: elaine/epersonae on September 3, 2002 05:41 PM

I knew the Wonder Chicken must have passed through last night when I woke up and there was a feather, a single feather, delicately placed on my laptop.

What, no missing booze?

I'm only saying this with love in my heart...

Posted by: bearman on September 4, 2002 03:30 PM


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