Tuesday 14 April 2009

For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn.



“For sale. Baby Shoes. Never worn.”

Back in the 1920’s, the great writer, Ernest Hemingway. made a bet for $10 with someone, where he stated that he could write a complete story in six words. He won the bet with the above words. Never have six words been more thought provoking, or conveyed such strength of meaning.

Smith, the American online magazine , has used the Hemingway anecdote to inspire its readers to write their own life stories in just six words, culminating in a book of the best contributions, entitled "Not Quite What I Was Planning".

It got me to thinking about how could I sum up my own life in six words. What is my six word life story? I’ve been so many places and had so many varied experiences . . . some good, some bad, other’s boring and often sad, many happy . . . always exciting, well at least to me anyways.

Here are some of the wonderful examples of six word lifestories that people submitted. I found them quite fascinating.

Trust me, I did my best.
Ray Kemp

Head in books, feet in flowers.
Heather Thomson

Slow lane. Fast lane. Hard shoulder.
Alex Hansen

Conceived, implored, employed, adored, retired, ignored.
Joy MacKenzie

Four Weddings, Three kids, then cancer.
GillianJohnson

Aspirations compromised by procrastination, then children.
Harry Beighton

If only I had turned left.
Robin Pickering

And so, this morning, I am pondering what would my six line life story be. It’s a lot to take in. (and although that last line is just six words . . . that’s not it!) And then it came to me . . .

I AM HERE FOR A PURPOSE.

I think that about sums it up quite nicely.

So now I toss out the challenge to you. What are your six words? Care to share?

Oh yes, I can think of a two word sentence that really make one think even more than six words ever could . . . it’s in the bible.


(art by Liz Lemon Swindle)

"Jesus wept." ~ John 11:35

I have to apologize if any of you came here this morning looking for Tuesdays With Dorie. I worked so many hours this past weekend that I just didn't have time to do the challenge this week. It was the Chocolate Amaretti Torte on pages 276-277 as chosen by Phe/MOM/enon by Holly . You can get the recipe on her page. Also you can see a whole bunch of other Torte creations by hopping on over to the Dorie Blog Roll.

I did make Todd this delicious Curried Chicken Salad though. It's one of my old standbys and something that is quite quick to throw together, not to mention a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken or turkey.



*Curried Chicken Salad*
Serves 4 - 6

This is a wonderful salad full of complex flavours and textures. The dressing is spicy and somewhat sweet. The crunch comes from toasted nuts and celery. And then there is the fruit . . . this is a real winner in all ways.

6 chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
A drizzle of olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 ½ cups good quality mayonnaise (I use hellman’s or homemade)
1/3 cup dry white wine or apple juice
¼ cup mango chutney
3 TBS of curry powder
2 large stalks of celery, chopped
¼ cup chopped spring onion, both white and green parts
¼ cup sultanas
1 cup salted roasted cashew nuts

Preheat your oven to 160*C/350*F. Place the chicken breasts onto a shallow baking pan and rub the skin all over with the olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and black pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, just until the chicken is cooked and the juices run clear.

Set aside until cool enough to handle. Once cool, remove the skin and discard. Dice the chicken into bite sized pieces and put it into a bowl.

Combine the mayonnaise, wine (juice), chutney, curry powder and 1 further tsp of salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth.

Add enough of this dressing to the chicken to moisten it well. You may not need it all. Add the celery, spring onions and sultanas. Mix well.

Chill for several hours to allow the flavours to blend. Stir in the cashew nuts just prior to serving.
Serve on chilled salad plates with a garnish of lettuce if you wish. Delicious!

21 comments:

  1. Interesting idea for a book.

    I think I might be one of those people who is 'why use 6 words when you could use 60...'

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  2. That was great for now All i can think of, I would have to take from a song.
    Once was lost now I'm found.

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  3. Very great book idea, my friend...you are always so clever! I use too many words all the time. I should practice paring things down to the essentials--LOL! Great salad today. Oh, and hope so much we get to chat this evening! A busy day here...after the Easter break it's been hard to bounce back to "normal"! LOVE YOU HEAPS ((HUGS))

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  4. Thought provoking. I will be engaged in this exercise all morning! I liked your response of "I AM HERE FOR A PURPOSE".

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  5. Good moring Marie
    Very poignant words. I'll have to think about mine for awhile....I am working on a king size quilt all day today,and as I sew I'll be listening to your playlist!
    Rhondi xo

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  6. i love your six words! perfect. mine would be, i eat too much every day. :)

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  7. I love checking in with you each day...or as often as I can. Tomorrow we will be traveling so I won't be able to... and I will miss that.
    This has been such a wonderful trip. Can you imagine getting a new grandchild as an Easter surprise!!!! What joy. I love looking at our Calan... but I enjoy looking at Erin and Patrick while they are holding Calan even more. They are beaming from ear to ear...it is just pure joy.

    We are so thankful.

    I think of you often throughout the day. I pray for you often. I drove past the Draper temple twice yesterday...a smile came to my face and my heart as I remembered our visit together there.

    I am sending love... I can't think of 6 words to sum up my life... but I will give it some thought when I don't have a sweet baby to care for. That is all I can think of today.

    Have a great day. I miss not being able to call you this Tues... but I will be back on schedule next Tues. XOXOX Lura

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  8. Sorry I stalk your blog all the time and never say anything, but today I just had to because the 6 words I came up with, I think sums it up for everybody.

    I AM A CHILD OF GOD

    Have a great day and thanks for the inspiration!!!

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  9. I like the head in book feet in flowers one ,what a lovely story ..love Jan xx

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  10. I entered that contest last year but never one! I still love those six words!

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  11. Gosh, I would have to think about that one.

    My sis is being guinea pig for Todd's chicken salad. She doesn't know t yet but...if she will invite herself to lunch midweek.....

    love, Angie, xx

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  12. Aborted life plan. Starting new one. ~Mary

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  13. Very interesting! I can't imagine trying to do that. But the ones you listed are great. And I love yours!

    That is definitely something to think about!

    XOXOX
    Jen

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  14. A few weeks ago, I heard an NPR interview with the couple behind Smith & "The Six Word Project". It was fascinating, both to hear the interview & the people who phoned in to give their stories. It really made me thing as I listened & mopped the kitchen floor.

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  15. This is my kind of chicken salad! With curry and mango chutney...mmm...

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  16. Next time I won't remember either.

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  17. Hi. I was just looking this up on google i have an assignment to write up this. (im only in 8 th grade) i have 2 so far though neither are very good.
    1. Never be trapped by only yourself
    and
    2.Why complain when you could help.
    Yours was very good. I AM HERE FOR A PURPOSE. I think everyone has a sox word story that is very intresting to listen too. it gives a challenge, and gets you thinking.

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  18. Marie this is so interesting...I am going to have to think about it and get back to you. You know me I can never say anything in six words but I am going to try. It will be a stretch! LOL!

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  19. I have to say... You put the title wrong. It's "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." Because not only did he write a complete story in six words, he did it with one sentence. I just had to clear that up. :D

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