Slice of Life: The WayBack View

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(This is part of the Slice of Life Challenge with Two Writing Teachers. We write about small moments each and every day for March. You come, too. Write with us.)

I was curious as the 2014 Slice of Life Challenge starts today to remember when it was that I first began writing Slice of Life posts. OK. I admit. I couldn’t remember. Luckily, my blog did (thanks, Meandering Mind! I owe ya a beer!), and so I dove into my blog dashboard to see what I could see.

Here’s what I found.

First of all, I have written 238 Slice of Posts over the years (well, now we’re at 239 with this one). That includes the March challenges each year as well as the periodic Tuesday Slice of Life pieces. I wasn’t always a regular writer for the Tuesday challenges. I wrote when the fancy hit or I had a small moment with larger reverberations in mind. I always appreciate the audience, though, and the Slice of Life community is one of the warmest, most supportive group of teacher-writers you can find (this side of the National Writing Project).

So what I realized? I’ve done a whole lot of slicing over the years.

The first piece I did was on March 1, 2008. That’s right. 2008. You can read it here, if you want.

This was the Slice of Life icon back then.

Back then, I was writing about reading The Lorax to my sons. That was a favorite book of ours (still is, I guess). Reading that slice again brought me right back to that moment. Isn’t that interesting? Our writing has power over time, and here is where Slice of Life is most interesting for me: not only does it force me to notice and document the moments of our days, it forces me to keep a record of those days.

I’m now culling through 238 posts because I am interested in doing a sort of auto-ethnography of myself to see what I was writing about. I know there are themes each year. If you read me, you know that Quidditch is about to start, as ell as baseball season. Some things recur in different forms each year in our lives. We just don’t always take note of the patterns.

My aim for the next day or two is to create an infographic of sorts (to be shared out as a slice, of course) But for now, I am going into my 7th year of Slice of Life with open eyes and an ear for the world.

How about you? Come join the Slice of Life challenge. Write every day. Share what you write (use the #sol14 hashtag on Twitter). Invite others into your world. Make your way into the world of others. Make connections.

Peace (in the slice),
Kevin

This might be helpful:

http://twowritingteachers.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/solsc-getting-started-1.jpg

16 Comments
  1. So of course I had to go back and check to find out, but this is my 156th Written SOL: however, I think I could get credit for READING a whole lot more SOLs…..including MANY of your 238….It’s because of your PRODDING two years ago that I have been slicing every Tuesday all year through and every March, all month long. So that makes for 31 (March 2012) +31 (March 2013)+ 40 other Tuesdays (in 2012 – remember I did not start SOL until March that year) and 48 during 2013, and (if I did the math right) that leaves me having done 6 of 7 this year…..maybe I missed one week in two years? Thanks for getting me “addicted”

    • Prodding is what I do best. Well, support is a better word. I am so happy to see you still writing and regret that I have not left you more comments.
      Kevin

  2. That’s a whole lot of Slicing, Kevin! I’ve only written about 70 Slices, but I am already appreciating the nostalgia of looking back on them. I write about my daughters a lot, so I’m especially thankful to have those moments in writing. They speed right past me if I don’t write them down.
    Your voice is such a constant presence in this community – I’m thankful for that.

    • The family is where the most heartfelt and humorous writing often comes from, I found as I read through some of my older posts. Those kids! They keep growing!
      Kevin

  3. Great post! Looking back over old writing is such a great way to generate new ideas. Thanks for participating!

  4. 7 years of collecting slices – three more and it will be a decade. I started slicing just for a month four years ago, but continued writing on Tuesdays and the following March challenges. My world has got bigger and brighter. I like the infographic for SOLSC. I am curious what your personal slicing infographic is going to look like.

  5. That is a whole lot of slicing and I have read much of it, Kevin. I read before I joined which was about 5 years ago. Whenever I run into your name (various places on the web) I always connect you to The Slice of Life. Glad you are still sharing.

  6. I love the auto-ethnography idea. I always tell myself that doing a lot of something matters and makes what you do better. I think about that in terms of the art I play with making and in terms of writing and teaching. I love and how you cycle back through that impressive number of slices in this post! I’m lucky to be a member of your tribe. You inspire my writing and my learning, Kevin. Your words of encouragement have come just when I needed them this year. Thank you for writing and sharing and living the #nwp life.

  7. This is my first year participating in the challenge and I have been slicing since July. I am constantly amazed at the support and friendship that develops because of Two Writing Teachers. I will take your words to heart and go into this challenge with “open eyes and an ear for the world!”

  8. Congratulations on your slicing achievement! It’s a wonderful record for you to look back on. As a new visitor, I can’t help but wonder about Quidditch! ??

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