Biting off more than I can chew? Maybe.

Last night, I took a Lyft home. I was happy and tired and happy some more. The finale show of an event I cohost had been particularly wonderful, and then I’d gone out for a drink with some of the folks who help make the show wonderful. So I was mellow and smiley when I climbed into the car. (Also, why are SUVs so tall?! I’m 5’10” and sometimes have a hard time getting into those things!) The young, South Asian man driving greeted me and confirmed that I was his fare, and we were off. As we turned to take the “secret” route behind Greenwood, I noticed the gorgeous moon, huge and low in the sky. I pointed it out enthusiastically.

“Look at the moon!”
“Yes,” my driver said, laughing. “It is the moon. I can see you like nature, all things natural.”
“Well, yes, but what makes you say that?”
“I see your profile picture in the app, the beautiful flower, and I know.”
(My profile picture is a blossom from my Christmas cactus.)
“Yes,” he said. “I see that picture, and I know: she likes the flowers, likes nature. I think yes, you have many plants.”
“Ha! I do have many plants!”
“Yes, I know it. And then you notice the moon, want to be sure I notice the moon. I am not surprised. I know who you are.”

I like that he would imagine, from one tiny photo of a cactus flower, that he understands who I am. And I also like that every bit of the story he made up for me is 100 percent accurate. And I like that I had that gentle encounter to close out a wonderful evening … and to start my first SOLSC post with!

Today is the first day of my 17th year as a Slice of Life Story Challenge writer. Seventeen years! I am an unabashed sucker for a writing challenge, for any creative challenge. Here are some that I participate in (or try to) every year:

SOLSC
NaNoWriMo
NaPoWriMo
24-Hour Project
InkTober/DrawTober

It’s a little crazy to always jump in, but I also really enjoy taking on all of these competitions with myself.

I’ve just added a new challenge to the list: The 100 Day Project. It started on February 18th and will run through late spring. Three+ months. The amount of time that is supposed to be needed to form a habit. We shall see.

My project for the 100 days is to get and stay in shape for the 24-Hour Project. Every year, especially since the start of the pandemic, I am so rusty by the time the Project rolls around. I isolated hard during the height of Covid, and I haven’t yet returned to anything resembling my former levels of out-in-the-world-ness. So I’ve gotten out of the street photography groove, which means the first half of my 24 hours is spent relearning how to be out and about taking candids of strangers. And I certainly still have plenty of fun doing the Project, but I also have to fight some frustration with the fact that I’ve let myself slip out of habit so completely.

So I’ve decided to post at least one picture story a day for the 100 days. It’s not realistic to say that I’ll be taking new pics every day, however, as there are days when I’m entirely at home. So I’ve given myself a little grace: the pictures can be taken whenever (I’ve been trying to “load up” on raw materials whenever I’m out), but the stories will be written each day. We’ll see how I do.

Here’s one that I posted earlier this week:

Kenrick both hated and loved the texts. They came all day every day. “I’m thinking of you, baby,” or “This made me laugh so hard I could have cried,” (insert nonsensical meme or inappropriate emoji). All day every day – except during school hours. She was strict about that. He hated when his friends would see them, see the silly and sappy messages and all the hearts. But he couldn’t resist opening the each one as soon as it arrived, even when he was with friends as cynical and snarky as Toby. And he had to answer immediately. What other option was there? Was he supposed to leave his great-grandmother on read? As if.

#LoveAndOtherComplications #Family

4:11pm #NewYorkCity #USA “Another Cat Video” by @girlgriot
#The100DayProject #PicsAndStories #CreateEveryDay #CreateTheEveryDay
(#24HourProject_InterstitialPics)

Two challenges at once … should be interesting!

---

It’s the 17th annual Slice of Life Story Challenge!
Head on over to Two Writing Teachers
and see what the rest of this year’s slicers are up to!