Thursday, June 28, 2012
Another 55 Word Story
Following a little too closely to the car in front of me, I drive down I-25, keeping pace with the flow of traffic. The passenger door on the white Nissan Altima ahead opens slightly and the passenger leans out. Surprised and afraid, I watch cautiously. Out sprays a liquid. Vomit. Now I’m at the carwash.
Jutta has us work with fairy tales and adaptations. I wrote about Sloth--one of the seven deadly sins.
Sitting in the ragged overstuffed chair, she surveyed the wreckage strewn throughout the room. Empty pizza boxes were stacked by the door. I meant to take those out to the trash on trash day, she thought. DVD's, and their empty cases littered the TV stand, haphazardly stacked in no particular order. Bits of paper covered in hastily scribbled notations lay covering the various surfaces of the room. Dust motes rose into the air as she shifted in her seat and sighed. I really need to clean this place up, she thought, as she picked up the remote and began her endless search for something to watch on TV.
Sitting in the ragged overstuffed chair, she surveyed the wreckage strewn throughout the room. Empty pizza boxes were stacked by the door. I meant to take those out to the trash on trash day, she thought. DVD's, and their empty cases littered the TV stand, haphazardly stacked in no particular order. Bits of paper covered in hastily scribbled notations lay covering the various surfaces of the room. Dust motes rose into the air as she shifted in her seat and sighed. I really need to clean this place up, she thought, as she picked up the remote and began her endless search for something to watch on TV.
Rich challenged us to write 55 word stories--here is mine.
This is it, she thought.
She opened the door and walked through.
Expectant faces stared her down.
Good morning, let's begin.
She turned to the blackboard.
The room erupted in laughter.
What? she asked.
Your skirt is tucked in your pantyhose, they cried.
Blushing, she ran out.
Way to start your first day of school!
This is it, she thought.
She opened the door and walked through.
Expectant faces stared her down.
Good morning, let's begin.
She turned to the blackboard.
The room erupted in laughter.
What? she asked.
Your skirt is tucked in your pantyhose, they cried.
Blushing, she ran out.
Way to start your first day of school!
Response to "The Lanyard" by Billy Collins
The other day I was daydreaming in DWP about writing the world's greatest story. I rambled around my mind, sifting through images and came across one of you. Standing at the head of the classroom, your hair disheveled, your scarf askew as you performed the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet for the 25th time, in voices. You gave me my love of literature both great and small. You gave me the inspiration to become a teacher and inspire others. You lit a fire in my soul that burns brightly to this day. You made me think about things greater than me.
and I write you a silly rhyming poem about teenage drama and a crush gone wrong. I was embarrassed to turn it in. So really, I gave you nothing.
The other day I was daydreaming in DWP about writing the world's greatest story. I rambled around my mind, sifting through images and came across one of you. Standing at the head of the classroom, your hair disheveled, your scarf askew as you performed the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet for the 25th time, in voices. You gave me my love of literature both great and small. You gave me the inspiration to become a teacher and inspire others. You lit a fire in my soul that burns brightly to this day. You made me think about things greater than me.
and I write you a silly rhyming poem about teenage drama and a crush gone wrong. I was embarrassed to turn it in. So really, I gave you nothing.
Elsa had us describe a villain for her demo-I thought of the early Frankenstein movie.
I remember the first day I met him. I was in a colorful field of wildflowers by the bank of the sleepy river and his shadow loomed up before me like a cloud full of rain. I was startled, so I dropped the wildflowers I was holding onto the grass.
"Uhhhh," he said.
"Uhhhh," I replied, "hello."
He pointed at me with his long, pale finger and grimaced. I was only 6 years old so I thought he was smiling. I held up my last flower to him. Tentatively, he reached out and with a jerky movement, crushed the flower in his hand.
"No, like this," I said. I picked a large urple flower and held it to my nose. he watched me closely and mimicked my movements.
"Uhhhh," he said as he sneezed loudly and his nose fell off. I laughed.
I remember the first day I met him. I was in a colorful field of wildflowers by the bank of the sleepy river and his shadow loomed up before me like a cloud full of rain. I was startled, so I dropped the wildflowers I was holding onto the grass.
"Uhhhh," he said.
"Uhhhh," I replied, "hello."
He pointed at me with his long, pale finger and grimaced. I was only 6 years old so I thought he was smiling. I held up my last flower to him. Tentatively, he reached out and with a jerky movement, crushed the flower in his hand.
"No, like this," I said. I picked a large urple flower and held it to my nose. he watched me closely and mimicked my movements.
"Uhhhh," he said as he sneezed loudly and his nose fell off. I laughed.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
An Ode to Pho Duy
If you are a lover of the Vietnamese soup pho, Pho Duy is the place in Denver to go. After you order, the first plate that arrives has all the “goodies” that go in the pho—the pungent basil, the slices of spicy jalapenos, the earthy bean sprouts, the tart limes. Then the steamy bowl of thinly sliced beef and rice noodles arrive. The broth has a faintly sweet taste spiced with garlic and onions. Slowly you add the ingredients, caressing the basil, breaking it up gently, getting a whiff. The bean sprouts get gently plunged into the broth with chopsticks, the jalapenos placed strategically around, and the lime squeezed with delight, a slight mist lingering in the air. Finally, comes the spicy chili paste that gets stirred and mixed throughout. All this mixing and plunging and caressing and squeezing are the foreplay to the act of love you are about engage in while slurping down the beefy broth and vegetable-laden noodles. Pure love in the form of soup! Pho Duy love, that is!
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