Friendship Expectations

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Challenge. I will be posting slices from my life every day in March. This challenge is a part of the Two Writing Teachers blog. Click here to learn more information about the challenge.

Several years ago I learned about the 36 questions to become closer to someone. In the New York Times, the article was titled The 36 Questions that Lead to Love. I am always fascinated by questions. As an introvert, I learned to have a question ready when attending a social event in case the conversation lulled. I prefer to have deeper conversations as opposed to surface level ones. I like to be prepared.

As part of the challenge this year, I will be answering some of the questions and then you have the opportunity to journal about the question, ask a person you want to be closer to, or answer in the comments.

The trait I value most is integrity. I want people to do what they say they are going to do. I guess this goes hand in hand with trust. No one expects a friend to betray you.

I also believe in the emotional bank account as well. Deposits are made by both parties in a relationship and both can withdraw. Just like a regular bank account, it can become overdrawn. If you hurt me before we have established too many deposits then the relationship suffers.

Friendship has traditionally been difficult for me. I have been burned by more people than I can count which is I am sure why my introverted tendencies have showed themselves more over the last couple of years.

March 28, 2020 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Mywriting, Questions, Slice of Life, Writing Exercise 4 Comments

Treasured Memories

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Several years ago I learned about the 36 questions to become closer to someone. In the New York Times, the article was titled The 36 Questions that Lead to Love. I am always fascinated by questions. As an introvert, I learned to have a question ready when attending a social event in case the conversation lulled. I prefer to have deeper conversations as opposed to surface level ones.

As part of the Two Writing Teacher challenge this year, I will be answering some of the questions and then you have the opportunity to journal about the question, ask a person you want to be closer to, or answer in the comments.

In my life I have been blessed with lots of treasured memories within the different compartments of my life.

The first time my son laughed a real laugh.

The day I met my stepchildren and feel in love with them instantly.

Getting keys to my house.

The gift of Dairy Queen blizzards given to me as a wooing technique.

My school winning a national award and a reading program award.

The phone call that offered me my new job.

My first acceptance of a short story to be published.

Receiving notice I had secured a spot in the Boston Marathon in 2012.

Just making this list makes me feel better today!

March 27, 2020 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Justlife, Slice of Life, Writing Exercise, Writing Prompt Leave a comment

I Remember…

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This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Challenge. I will be posting slices from my very own life every day in March. This challenge is a part of the Two Writing Teachers blog. Click here to learn more information about the challenge.

Several years ago I learned about the 36 questions to become closer to someone. In the New York Times, the article was titled The 36 Questions that Lead to Love. I am always fascinated by questions. As an introvert, I learned to have a question ready when attending a social event in case the conversation lulled. I prefer to have deeper conversations as opposed to surface level ones.

As part of the challenge this year, I will be answering some of the questions and then you have the opportunity to journal about the question, ask a person you want to be closer to, or answer in the comments.

Why are the terrible memories the easiest to remember? There are many of these for me as I am sure there are for you as well. One of the most terrible is when I got the call that my Oma had died. The person on the phone told me she was gone. I misunderstood and asked where she went. She had been known to be ornery and get angry at my grandfather. Her getting in the car and leaving wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.

I did not believe she was dead. I drove the 3 hours in desperation to see her at the funeral home. She wasn’t dead until I really saw her lying there.

It was April 1, 2000 when she passed away. April Fools day which she would have found amusing. I still think of her often. She sent me the scent of roses before I opened my eyes that first year anniversary.

She did not meet my son. She did not meet my husband. She did not see me move jobs or states.

But, she did see me jump off the diving board at the Y for the first time. She did see me graduate from college. She did see me get my first teaching job. She saw me do a lot of firsts throughout my life.

Is there a silver lining in your terrible memory? Is there a positive frame to learn from?

March 23, 2020 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Questions, Slice of Life, Writing Challenge, Writing Exercise, Writing Prompt, WritingLife 2 Comments

A Question of Childhood

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Several years ago I learned about the 36 questions to become closer to someone. In the New York Times, the article was titled The 36 Questions that Lead to Love. I am always fascinated by questions. As an introvert, I learned to have a question ready when attending a social event in case the conversation lulled. I prefer to have deeper conversations as opposed to surface level ones.

As part of the Twowritingteachers.org challenge this year, I will be answering some of the questions and then you have the opportunity to journal about the question, ask a person you want to be closer to, or answer in the comments.

My childhood was not full of trauma and I was privileged. My parents have stayed together which was unusual among my friends. When I was little I spent a lot of time at my maternal grandparents. Every vacation and weekend was spent with them til the summer of my 8th grade year in school.

I also spent the majority of my time from age 2.5 to 5 at my Oma’s house. That is my recollection anyway. I had friends in the neighborhood I played with outside every day. They all thought I lived there permanently. I did too. Whenever I went “home” it always felt like I was visiting my parents just waiting to go back to Oma’s.

When it came time for me to go to kindergarten I was upset that I had to go to school in my parent’s town, not my grandparents.

At this point in my life I wish I would have started and continued my school life in my grandparents town. My life would have turned out a lot differently if I had followed that path. When my friends found out I was coming to school with them, the relationship changed. There was a lot I missed out on being there on the weekends after school started.

I cannot go back to that time and the decision was not mine to make but it would have been interesting to see the trajectory if that was the path had been chosen for me.

March 21, 2020 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Justlife, Mywriting, Writing Exercise 5 Comments

Reading and Publishing

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Welcome to Friday!

Today is an exciting one! Big things are happening and my story is published at Storgy! You can read it by clicking the link below.

Artist Folly by Tammy Breitweiser

Throughout the TwowritingTeachers.org challenge (and through the year on Tuesdays) I watch for certain posts to come to my inbox/feed. Here are some of the teachers I read every day:

https://persistenceandpedagogy.com/

https://mschiubookawrites.wordpress.com/

https://litcoachlady.com/

All three write beautifully and have their own style. Another thing in common is they all are inspiring.

Who are your GO TO follows/reads?

March 20, 2020 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Justlife, Reading Life, Slice of Life, Writing Exercise, Writing Prompt, WritingLife 5 Comments

What Do You Want to Know?

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I am up early for #5amwritersclub accidentally. In the first phase of this isolation I am craving books. I am considering ordering this one:

I am writing and reading every day. I did venture out for a short period yesterday with my son because I needed boxes and paper towels. I interacted with some of my writing friends online. I submitted as well.

There is focus when you are in the middle of a self imposed challenge. You can read more about that here.

Several years ago I learned about the 36 questions to become closer to someone. In the New York Times, the article was titled The 36 Questions that Lead to Love. I am always fascinated by questions. As an introvert, I learned to have a question ready when attending a social event in case the conversation lulled. I prefer to have deeper conversations as opposed to surface level ones.

As part of the challenge this year, I will be answering some of the questions and then you have the opportunity to journal about the question, ask a person you want to be closer to, or answer in the comments.

The obvious answer right now is to know how long this pandemic and the consequences will last. To know how long I will be out of school might be helpful.

One of the mantras I live my life by is “Everything is temporary.” I have learned temporary is an amount of time that can feel long but be short or the opposite. Time is a human constraint and Mother Nature has her own ideas about it. I feel the universe is telling everyone to slow down and rest. Life moves forward and I have the choice as to how I frame that time.

Many of my friends are anxious about this whole situation and I feel guilty to admit I am not. I am taking it as it comes in the present moment because I cannot control it. I am honoring this time as the gift it is. I cannot say as time stretches on I will feel the same way. Being told to stay home is not a punishment to me. I know people feel uneasy about this factor but it can honestly be the difference between life and death depending on your health and who breaths the same air as you.

What would you want to know?

March 19, 2020 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, creativity, Justlife, Questions, Writing Exercise 4 Comments

Resource Share

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Yesterday a couple people asked me about the poems I read daily. Here are two resources I use:

Poem-a Day https://poets.org/poem-a-day

Paris Review Daily Poem https://theparisreview.us17.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b6c161007733f0d4c084f3fde&id=35491ea532

Other input from yesterday:

I reread Hills Like White Elephants by Hemingway. and Bullet in the Brain by Wolff

Here is a link to the poetry challenge I do every month.

Podcasts I listened to:

10 Things to Tell You

Fierce Womxn Writing (Kim Krans Episode)

Hope this helps! What are you reading or listening to that you would share?

March 18, 2020 by TammyB Categories: bookrecs, Challenge, Mywriting, Poetry, Slice of Life, Writing Exercise 9 Comments

Friday the 13th #SOLC

Happy Friday the 13th! Today is typically a lucky day for me. With St Patrick’s day around the corner my students and I talked about luck yesterday. Who knows what the conversation will look like today!

The copy of this little poster has been with me since the late 90’s. I do not remember where I first saw it. I have used it as a mentor text with students to make their own posters.

It reminds me of SARK’s work as well. Her posters are more colorful:

I had my first graders a long time ago construct how they wished to be loved. It is an interesting question to ask and answer.

What it is that you truly need?

March 13, 2020 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Writing Exercise 3 Comments

Thinking Thursday

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My coffee is hot this morning and I am thinking about this week. It has been moving along smoothly and quickly. Today is one of those days where I am waiting for answers from other people. I cannot control the situation, but the result will have impact on my life moving forward. We are almost to the end but sometimes it is hard to wait. I am encouraged though! The birds are singing outside my window and I am grateful for all that is in my life.

I attended a new writing group last evening. It was lovely and held at the library. It was upstairs in a board room and I had to be let in a locked door by a library worker. It made it feel very “secret society”. There was reading and critique first. Then we did a 10 minute writing exercise and then read those pieces. There were 5 other people in attendance. Apparently, there are 12 members all together but not all active.

This morning I am super excited that Sarah Selecky is on the Secret Library Podcast. I am listening and writing at the same time. I may have to pause, but I find both Caroline’s and Sarah’s voice inspiring.

Several years ago I learned about the 36 questions to become closer to someone. In the New York Times, the article was titled The 36 Questions that Lead to Love. I am always fascinated by questions. As an introvert, I learned to have a question ready when attending a social event in case the conversation lulled. I prefer to have deeper conversations as opposed to surface level ones.

As part of the challenge this year, I will be answering some of the questions and then you have the opportunity to journal about the question, ask a person you want to be closer to, or answer in the comments.

The superpower I would love to have is to read faster. I have so many books I want to read and although I read quickly it never seems to be fast enough. I need to train myself again to sit and read for longer periods of time. My reading stamina has suffered. With everything in our lives happening in such bursts I find it difficult to sit and read anymore. Sitting and writing doesn’t seem to be a problem, only reading. Part of the issue is reading is fuel for my writing and I often will stop reading and go write something down.

I would love to hear your answer to the question!

March 12, 2020 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Questions, Slice of Life, Writing Exercise 2 Comments

Do You Have a Hunch?

I am participating in the Two Writing Teachers March Blog Challenge. If you would like more information about this challenge click here.

Several years ago I learned about the 36 questions to become closer to someone. In the New York Times, the article was titled The 36 Questions that Lead to Love. I am always fascinated by questions. As an introvert, I learned to have a question ready when attending a social event in case the conversation lulled. I prefer to have deeper conversations as opposed to surface level ones.

As part of the challenge this year, I will be answering some of the questions and then you have the opportunity to journal about the question, ask a person you want to be closer to, or answer in the comments.

This question always strikes me as odd because I do not have a hunch about how I will die. I hope that I live a long life. I take care of myself and eat well so I hope my body decides to stick around. I am always learning and keep my mind sharp too. I would be more upset if my mind starting going then my body honestly.

There are people who think about their death more than I. There are moments of course. There are plans. I want to be buried in a forest with a tree as a headstone, not in a traditional cemetery.

I read The Immortalists several years ago (highly recommended if you haven’t read it) and the children had learned the date of their death from a fortune teller. The story follows the lives of the 4 siblings and how this data informed how they lived their lives. It was fascinating and you cannot help but think how you would react.

In my life I have found that how I think I will react to a situation is sometimes different than when I am in the middle of it. I have learned to not make assumptions and judgements and be a little more graceful with myself and others.

Do you have a hunch about your death?

This might be a question to take to your journal!

https://mailchi.mp/5b56d4ab80fb/lifelonglearningPosted byTammyBMarch 9, 2020

March 10, 2020March 10, 2020 by TammyB Categories: bookrecs, Challenge, Reading Life, Slice of Life, Writing Exercise 2 Comments