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Category Archives: Commentary
Storytelling: Global Reflections on Narrative:: A Highly Unusual Conference Format
Ponder this: 70+ people invited after submitting 300-word proposals to present 20 minutes (basically a TED Talk) on something related to the announced conference theme. People from 23 countries come to Mansfield College, Oxford, rooming in the dorm. Those presentations … Continue reading
Posted in Commentary
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What does “freedom” mean?
Last week I convened another discussion on “thoughtful aging.” Amid the talk of life’s mixed gifts, Kathryn C. gifted me with an “Aha Moment”–“When I retired, I was giddy I was so happy! Such freedom!” Something rang hauntingly familiar. When Kathryn said … Continue reading
Posted in Commentary, Writing prompt
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Shame or Guilt?
David Brooks, the columnist I love to hate/hate to love, has done it again–published an essay that cogently covers an issue I’ve been ruminating on for the past half year. The article is titled The Shame Culture. In it Brooks writes, “In a guilt … Continue reading
Posted in Commentary, Writing prompt
4 Comments
Youthquake, Agequake, Entrepreneur: what does it mean to be “unprecedented”?
A blog post I wrote appears today on the Association of Personal Historians’ blog. In it I discuss something that’s been on my mind a lot lately–my cohort of Boomers who are reaching traditional retirement age in unprecedented numbers, with an … Continue reading
Potpourri
The word “potpourri” originated in the early 17th century, when it denoted a stew made of different kinds of meat. Today’s “True Stories Well Told” is a mixed meal of opportunities you might want to take advantage of. Over the … Continue reading
Posted in Call for action, Commentary
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“Be the ancestor you wish you had!”
I heard that phrase from an attendee at a writing talk I gave in Belleville a few years ago, and it stuck with me because it so perfectly captured one of the reasons why I encourage people to write their … Continue reading
Posted in Commentary, Writing prompt
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Return from #APH2015
I spent the last week in Sacramento at the Association of Personal Historians‘ annual board meeting and conference. It was a week that looked a lot like this… and like this… and from wherever I happened to be, like this… … Continue reading
Posted in Commentary, Sarah's memoir
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Looking Forward, Looking Back
The second anniversary of my salon for memoir writers, “First Monday, First Person” is coming up on October 5th. The fifth anniversary of True Stories Well Told is coming up at the end of 2015. This has put me in a … Continue reading
Posted in Commentary, Sarah's memoir, writing workshop
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Reminiscence declared obsolete!
Dateline Madison, Wisconsin: The genre of reminiscence is obsolete, announced an administrator from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Continuing Studies, who declined to be identified because she had not been authorized to speak to the press. “We have enough stories … Continue reading
Posted in Commentary, Sarah's memoir
2 Comments
True Stories Well Told 
Throwing a Perfect Family Reunion Party
By Aimee Lyons Planning a family reunion this summer? Here are a few things to keep in mind before the crowd arrives. Before Aimee shares her tips, let me reminisce… Family reunions can be remarkable moments that bind a family … Continue reading →