Okay, so NPR came up with a six-word title for this piece too, but still I like mine more than theirs. If I were really competing I'd try to make each sentence in this blog entry only six words, but since I never know where the period goes anyway it seemed futile. Finance has been particularly quiet these days as the only extrovert in the department has been off on vacation. The long strecthes of silence are really only interupted by machines: shredding, faxing, or ringing. So accordingly, I have been listening to a lot of NPR, Radio Lab and this American Life. NPR had a piece on an online magazine, Smith, that recently asked its readers to write their life story in six words. They then compiled these (along with the submissions of well known authors) together in a book called, Not Quite What I Was Planning. (NPR labeled their piece Six-Word Memoirs: Life Stories Distilled). The original idea came from Ernest Hemingway, who was once asked to write a story in six words and he wrote: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." Which reminds me of the Craigslist documentary that was made in which they visited a woman who had a garage filled with baby carriages that she was selling.  Well, I liked the idea of writing a story in six words and during the drive to Santa Cruz today my BF and I tried to come up with some. I thought his was the best, "Method Man fell on my rabbi," which apart from the technicality that he is not my BF's rabbi, is a true story, and could even be somebody's memoir. In fact, if given the liberty to add three more words, "A true story" would add just the right sentiment. Mine for summing up my life was, "Still copying my neighbor's answers." (which okay is only 5 I know!!)

In the same vein of things we saw what I thought was the perfect sign on our drive today.  We had just come to the ocean after driving through the windy roads curving around the mountains and as we came upon the oceanfront road, a sign by the side of the road said "Drifting Sand," which I just loved. No "caution" or "slow down", no explanation of any sort, just those two words. We passed in silence, each taking in drifting sand.

(Too bad it's 9.)