Author Archives: first person productions
What I Did Last Summer: Teach “Summer Fun & Games for Writers”
I proposed this workshop to my favorite local library branch, the one that hosts my “First Monday, First Person” salons, because I wanted a break from teaching reminiscence writing. I believe in its mandate to write the truth, but I … Continue reading
Searching for a Story
By Sarah Skalitzky How do I tell a story about my family when I can barely remember a time when we were all together? Driving home from class, that’s all I can think about. I’m searching a place in my … Continue reading
Renting a Car in Buenos Aires
by Donald A. Ranard I’m a member of Triple A, I told the woman behind the counter. Do you give discounts to Triple A members? The color drained from her face. Triple A? Yes. I took my Triple A … Continue reading
GAB Theme 3: The Role of Money
This week we conclude our exploration of themes from Guided Autobiography, or “GAB” for short, the reminiscence writing method developed by Dr. James Birren to help individuals explore and document their life stories. The process involves small-group workshops where participants … Continue reading
GAB Theme 2: History of Your Family
This week we continue our exploration of themes from Guided Autobiography, or “GAB” for short. GAB is a reminiscence writing method where you reflect on prompts and write two to three pages on a specific theme. In a GAB workshop, … Continue reading
GAB Theme 1: Major Branching Points
Welcome to our focus on themes from Guided Autobiography, or “GAB” as we call it, for short! Guided Autobiography is a reminiscence writing method in which you reflect on prompting questions on a theme, then write two or three pages. … Continue reading
Let’s just grab a cup of coffee & gab awhile
It’s summer. Time slows down. What doesn’t get done today can get moved to tomorrow’s list. Let’s just sit down and catch up, shall we? What’s new with me? Well, I’m looking for new stories for this blog, as always. … Continue reading
Hung Up on Souvenirs
By Sue Oakes I am a souvenir connoisseur. A sentimental soul such as myself requires tangible mementos from every occasion. I’ve been this way since I was a little kid. I always thought it was a very romantic notion to … Continue reading
Cheers! Madison, or Preaching to the Choir
By Sarah White A friend and I have been talking about our mutual interest in getting singing back into our lives. She’s tried one local community choir and heard about another just launching into its summer cycle. It would meet … Continue reading
The Lucky Ones
By Sarah Skalitzky In the spring of 2009, I didn’t truly understand what was going on in the world. I’d heard the names Bernie Madoff and Fannie Mae in the news but didn’t know who they were. They said the … Continue reading
True Stories Well Told 