I am excited to be the May calendar girl for Arkansas Women Bloggers. And really, I never thought I would achieve this honor because I live in Texas. BUT, my Arkansas blogger friends know I’m an Arkansawyer at heart. Lately it seems I spend more time in Arkansas than Texas, either at our family farm in the Mississippi River Delta area or in Fayetteville. Or Little Rock. Or Mountain Home. Or Eureka Springs. Or Jonesboro. Or Piggott.
Really, I consider the entire state my home and count myself lucky to have dual blogger citizenship.
Once the excitement of being asked sank in, the most difficult part settled over me—writing an intro post about myself. This post. Writing about myself is not something I enjoy. Give me a crazy prompt, a first line, a strange word and I’ll throw together a piece of flash fiction or a poem. But tell us a little about yourself leaves me staring at a blank piece of paper.
What’s worth telling?
Last year while attending a writing retreat at Hemingway-Pfeiffer, I was charged with writing a six word memoir. Only six words to describe myself? Yikes! But here’s the thing…the beauty of memoir writing is the story can be an epic journey covering birth to death or a teeny sliver of time. As in six words’ worth…
The memoir I wrote provides a quick introduction to my current life.
Our nest is empty. I write.
Yep, these six words sum me up quite well.
Two and a half years ago, I left my banking career of twenty-plus years to write. The time felt right. (See, I even made a rhyme.) Our two children had flown the coop. T is finishing up his junior year at the University of Arkansas, and K is nearing the end of her first year at the University of Texas School of Law. (Can you say house divided?)
So now with an empty nest— and trust me you will survive toddler years, teenage angst, college entrance essays—I spend time pursuing my dreams. Writing. Gardening. Cooking. More writing. My cup truly runneth over.
I’ll be hanging out here during the month of May, and I hope you’ll join me. What will I write about? I’m not sure. But I can promise my posts will be in keeping with my general life theme of living simply and finding beauty in the ordinary, because that’s what I know these days.
If you’d like to check out my social media obsessions, here they are:
Instagram (new favorite thing), Pinterest (where my world is perfect), Facebook (the place I post too many dog pictures), Twitter (for stalking the Dallas Mavericks and Robert Griffin III), Google+ (which I don’t quite understand), Bloglovin (I sometimes forget I have) and of course, Grace Grits and Gardening.
See you soon!
Grace Grits and Gardening
Congrats! This Oklahoma girl adores you! Can’t wait to see what May has in store for us!
Awww thank you Rachel:) Looking forward to seeing you are AWBU this year!
Love seeing you here! You are most deserving. I love your work and being your friend. Looking forward to reading your posts.
Thanks Dorothy! I appreciate your support:)
T-I am so thankful our paths crossed I will always remember you with a big smile only face. Go for it all.
Thank you, me too! But let’s make sure our paths cross again okay?
This is awesome!
Your sis (who is not the writer) LOL
Another great job!!! Although when you love your work it’s not really a job… Such a great writer you are….I wish I could put in words my true meanings as artistically as you do.. I am very proud to see you continue to get more and more great writing experiences like this one!!!! I bet your Mom is really proud of you also! Tc.. A fellow Arkie,,
So true. This is the best kind of work!
What a great 6 word memoir. 🙂 Always love what you write Ms. Talya!
Thank you! I so appreciate your support and encouragement.
No one more deserving, congratutations Talya I ‘m so very proud for you!
This was great! You are so very talented!
You’re a perfect choice for this honor, Talya. Congratulations!
This is such a nice summary about yourself Talya! You are living your life to the fullest and fulfilling your dream. I’m so glad our paths have crossed.
Thank you Colene. You are such a wonderful supporter and I am grateful.
This is wonderful T.!! I am so proud for you and loved your post! Looking forward to the rest of May!!!
Thanks Dana. I better start working on something – LOL.
This is awesome! Congratulations:)
Thank you Danna! So great to see you and your mom at the Johnny Cash event last weekend. xo
May is the perfect month for your color and sunshine. I too did the 6 word memoir at HP. Only problem I got so fascinated with it I wrote 25! Am inspired to start my own blog after meeting Bethany Stephens and Barbara Taylor at HP in April. Now if I could just choose a name from the 100 or so I’ve written. Thought I had decided on one — not on the list — but hubby pooh-poohed it. So it’s back to ground zero!
If I recall, you wrote about 45 six-word memoirs:) I think you should definitely blog and join Arkansas Women Bloggers! Yay!
It’s great to be claimed by Arkansas, Talya, and I’m glad you are. I hope one day to meet you, and share retirement/writer stories. Thanks for accepting the hard challenge of writing about self. I get that. 🙂