I read a short memoir recently. It was recommended to me by Charles who blogs at Moore Genealogy when I posted about a couple of family heirlooms on my family history blog.
A big thank you to Charles because The Secret Life of Objects inspired me to want to write about objects as memoir. Not in a hit or miss way, but purposefully. To choose an object with meaning and to write about its “secret life.” #memoir #flashmemoir
I might do that here on this blog, peeps. So consider yourselves forewarned. Today, though, I’m just chattering. And trying to do a little writing as I can. Here. At my laptop.
Or sometimes elsewhere.
This week I was in California for business. I wrote notes for a poem at my favorite cafe in La Canada: Magpie’s Grill. They leave me alone to write, and they refill my iced tea.
On the way home, I saw a bus burning on the 10. The whole backend was engulfed in flames, and the riders were standing off to the side of the freeway. I think it was their luggage that was burning. According to the news story that I later looked up, 49 Korean tourists and their driver had made it out of the bus safely. I can’t help but wonder if their passports were so lucky.
The week was made more difficult because I washed my phone with the laundry. Before this happened, I could have proudly proclaimed that I wasn’t one of those people who get their phone wet. No toilet mishaps. No accidental falls into the pool. No slipping off the edge of the tub. Nope. But I stripped the bedsheets without noticing the phone lying there and just threw them into the washer. It was probably a goner after the waterfall cascade poured over the phone. It was sopping wet inside and already corroding.
But the upside is I now have a new phone. It’s a rose gold iPhone 7. I got a clear case and a glass cover that has a rose gold frame on it. PURTY! Best of all, the camera is much better than that on my iPhone 5s.
Perry is a great big kitten. He grabs Felix in a wrestling hold, almost smothering him, and licks his ear inside and out before Felix can get away. He climbs on Kana’s cat tree with her and walks across her, pretending he just wants to get to the other tree. What a goof. He will be seeing another vet for his fast breathing, though, as I am getting more worried about it. Here is his “this new life is sometimes mysterious, but I am doing my best to figure things out and please be patient with me” look. Or is it his “what are we gonna do now, Mom?” look?
He is so gorgeous! Hoping he’s ok. I wonder if it’s a sign of aging when we see a disaster and wonder about the things that will require work afterward like trying to get a passport or a visa in a strange country.
I agree that he’s so gorgeous! I am worried, though. Yesterday he chased Felix and then was struggling to catch his breath for at least 30 seconds afterward. It’s been suggested he could have a polyp between his ear and throat. If that’s what it is, it has to come out as it will grow. Re your suggestion about aging. hahaha. You are probably right. My mind immediately went to all the hassles they will have to go through.
I enjoyed reading your ponderings Luanne and will look forward to the object memoirs.
Thanks, Andrea. I am looking forward to trying this “writing prompt.” I feel as if it will allow me to write about the past slightly aslant and might be a productive way to mine for more ;).
Oh my gosh on the phone mishap. Glad you got a new one. I’m knocking wood RIGHT NOW.
Perry <3 Awww! That really does sound like kitten behavior! I'm glad he's such a happy, well-adjusted fella, and I can't give you enough credit for your devotion to him. Does my heart good.
Can't help but feel badly for 49 people losing luggage, but even if the passports are included, better than luggage and passports losing people. That must have been harrowing for them.
I am not good at writing in public. Good to stir the brain's pots with some people watching, but too exposed to focus in public. I reckon I'll envy you that.
He’s a real treasure. I am guessing that since he couldn’t really be a kitten when he was little he is living it up as a kitten now as a big boy–and he is a big boy, bigger than the other cats! I so hope he’s ok with this breathing problem. Appointment next week . . . .
OK, now you have me a little jittery–the writing in public thing. I didn’t think of it that way until you said it. Yikes!
I hope the breathing issue is a non-one, like a mild allergy to whatever blooms there this time of year. Bless him.
Please do not let my neuroses and trust issues keep you from writing in public. I couldn’t bear it!
Hah, well, I do have plenty of my neuroses and trust issues. It doesn’t take much to activate them. I also have a rash streak. Not a red skin rash, but rash behavior, you know.
I hope so re Perry, but I am worried that he would have such a breathing issue. Can cats get asthma, I wonder.
Thanks for your cheery, eclectic musings, Luanne. Fun way to start the week. Glad the tourists, unlike your hapless former phone, escaped damage to themselves. Wonder what caused the bus to catch on fire. Perry looks adorable!
I read that the bus was new. I think it was a problem with the bus itself, not a battery or something that someone brought inside the bus. Kind of like taking the Titantic to read a new bus, I guess! Perry IS adorable, like Mr. Chapman! Have a great week, Elaine. I hope you’re feeling better . . . .
Those poor people. I’m glad they escaped, but how scary that must have been. I’m like you, my mind wanders. What if their life saving medications were on the bus? Sorry about your phone, Luanne. I’m happy to hear you love your replacement. Aw…Perry is so cute! xo
Oh man, I didn’t even think of their medications. Now I’m worried all over again! The gardener says I make up stories in my head. I guess that’s what you do, too ;). hahaha Mebbe why we’re writers?
Awwww–Perry! (And my Perry, too.) 🙂 I hope he is so cute. My boys used to groom each other, but I haven’t seen it recently. They cuddle more when it gets colder though. Haha.
The objects as subjects–interesting. I can see doing that.
And those poor people on their bus. I’m glad they got out safely, but yes, losing their things, especially while being in a foreign country, is an awful thing, and the whole experience traumatic, I would think.
I think you would really enjoy writing about meaningful objects. You might even enjoy Raffel’s book. It’s very short, very lean, which surprised me. Wasn’t sure if I liked that or not, but it did seem as if it would attract more readers being short.
Now Jill has made me worry that the bus riders lost their medications :/.
It does sound interesting.
Hopefully, the passengers carried both medicine and passports in their carry-on bags. 🙁
Love your post, especially the photo of gorgeous Perry! Leave it to a kitty to upstage you, huh? 😀 Congrats re new iPhone, i am slightly jealous though I just got a 6, free with 2-year contract so I’m pretty happy too. What IS it about iPhones that gives us so much joy?! <3
A FREE iPhone, now that is something to be happy about! Woohoo! I am very happy with the 7 so far. My kids have 7s and told me I would like it. It’s a little bigger than the 5s, but not too big for my hand. I guess we use them so darn much that having one we feel very comfortable with and good about is a happy place for us!
Hooray that you’re writing! This is a lovely prompt idea, and one that seems tailor-made for you. 🙂 Added bonus of the iPhone 7 – it’s waterproof! My daughter showers with hers. (Yes, really.) And thanks for the Perry update – the rest of your feline household are probably wondering what hit them! 😉
I heard that about the 7 and wasn’t sure if it was true or not. Wow, that is fabulous, especially if I plan on laundering it . . . . My other cats look at me like they think I’m nuts when Perry prances out of his bedroom. They are happy now because until he goes to the doctor he has to be calm and stay in his room. He had a hard-to-catch-breath episode yesterday after chasing Felix, so no more pushing it like that. Re the prompt: I am really relishing working with it. Really. Are you doing the novel writing next month? So soon after your month of poetry? If so, WOWSA!!!
I don’t do novels, but I plan to take advantage of all that global writing mojo. Our local Wrimo community is very welcoming; they’re happy to have anyone doing any kind of writing join them. I’ll figure out some kind of goal for the month and try to make as many write-ins as I can. Good luck keeping that Perry fella calm. 😉
What a good idea. You are always full of great ideas. I need to tap into some of that “global writing mojo,” although right now I’m exhausted from my trip to Tahoe! Travel is so unproductive for writing!
What progress for Perry, from hiding in a corner to coming out to play. I hope he’ll be okay about that breathing problem. Good that you’re going to look into it.
Yes, he had an episode yesterday after chasing Felix, so I am very concerned. However, I was told by a vet if he rests and doesn’t get too stressed until then he should be ok. His appointment is with an internist next week.
Hoping for the best. He’s had such a long hard road!
He has, poor thing.
Ooooh a rose gold i-phone! That sounds uber posh!! We like our pretty phones don’t we 🙂 But, being girls we like most things pretty I guess. Perry is beautiful and I applaud a second opinion about that breathing. Of course he adores you and he is looking at you just like both my boys look at me ‘what we doing now mumma?’ It’s such a treat to have that devotion isn’t it and you have certainly earned it from that wee fella! I shall look forward to reading your object flashes. There is something stirring far back in the recesses of memory that says I once read and loved a book where the star was an inanimate object – but I can’t say for sure if that is a true memory or a future flash, as no other info follows that thought….. Of course I could just be hitting senility 😀 😀 😀
It’s such a lovely phone. I’m still getting used to having a popsocket on the back of it, but I will soon, I’m sure. Yes, he does adore me, it’s true. I send my daughter photos through text of Perry all the time and she always says, “Look how he loves you!” hahaha A star? or the star? What was it about the star? When I was a kid I loved a Christmas book about a star and I can’t find it by googling. Grrr. Or maybe I am the one hitting senility.
‘The littlest Angel’ springs immediately to mind – or this one https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj9y7XQiPbWAhUDHJQKHZznBZgQFghGMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F1683208.The_Christmas_Star&usg=AOvVaw0qJ6xx0ILelvjowdPcI4kq
Does the angel become a star?
There is a star – look what I found https://youtu.be/FTWAzRveJT0
Yup, that’s it! Gave me chills!! Thanks, Pauline!
I will have to check out this book, Luanne. Thanks for the recommendation.
It’s such a great “writing prompt,” Rudri! Especially for memoir and CNF writers.
Dee-lite-ful post.
Thank you, Rae!
A-DORABLE! (Perry’s look) And, (guilty, too) I have once washed my phone – put it in the back pocket of gardening jeans and then stuck the whole thing in the wash. Remembered 2 seconds after the water filled the tub. – That was a couple of phones ago, and I,too just changed up from iPhone 5 to iPhone 7, happy to have a tiny bit more real estate on my screen. Still getting used to the new OS tho. Always fun to hear what you’ve been up to, Luanne! Have a great week! 🙂
Oh, Theresa, I’m so sorry you have had the experience! I didn’t think of it until the phone was super soaked :(. I am liking the 7, and it doesn’t seem too different yet, thank goodness. I hope your weekend is a good one. I just got back from Tahoe :).
I’ve washed everything BUT my phone with the laundry, Luanne 🙂 Glad you’re having Perry rechecked. Hopefully, it’s just a little asthma ♥
Oh man. You are lucky it hasn’t been your phone! We are hoping it’s just a stress reaction. I wrote today about his doctor visit yesterday. Fingers crossed!