Welcome to this week’s Bite Size Memoir,
This project is designed to help anyone record and share some personal memoir in small manageable bites. For anyone new to my blog, I post a prompt every week. There are some constraints to keep it small to encourage you to keep the task manageable and fun (with a reminder of the rules at the bottom of this post). The variety of experience we share each week is becoming a wonderful glimpse into other’s lives as well as a good exercise in making every word count, to cram detail into mere morsels.
If you want to catch up on how it started, please read here. If you have your own blog and want to participate, please feel free to incorporate links to and from your post to encourage readers to blog hop. There’s growing bunch of stalwarts rising to the challenge regularly, but please feel free to dip in and out as a prompt grabs you and time allows.
This week
Following calls for an emotional break after reliving Childhood Illness, I’ve had my thinking head on, racking my brains for a totally neutral and fun topic for this weeks’ Bite Size Memoir. After the past weeks, I’m beginning to doubt there is such a thing – I’m just playing Russian Roulette waiting to see which one of you has the ‘bad’ memory that goes with the prompt!
I went through family photos to see what themes sparked a consistent joy and almost immediately came up with ‘Dressing Up’. Max has just secured the part of Oberon in A Mid Summer Night’s Dream for the UK’s Shakespeare’s School’s Festival and looking back, it’s easy now to see how early his dramatic tendencies were on show – I can’t resist including a few early photographs at the bottom of this post. You may wish to do the same in your own posts although to manage my time compiling your submissions I beg to only include one per player, so please indicate which one you’d like if you have more than one!
‘Dressing Up’ is not however, meant to constrain you to childhood, so please go with what pops into your head. It can encompass anything and anyone you’ve been directly involved with, from parading around in Mum’s high heels when you were little, to top hats and tails for a day at the races – and if you’ve ever seen it – the parading of the Ladies at a race meet (grim..)
Regulars know, I usually start everyone off with examples of 10 x “I remember..” statements as well as 150 words of prose (I have yet to attempt the poetry, which for me would require a considerable amount of extra time!)
Due to other commitments, my time is more limited this week and I’m rushing this post out without either example for the first time.
I’m curious to see whether this helps or hinders your recall, anyway – I certainly find reading other’s pieces, sparks memories I didn’t find during the exercise. Comments on this are very welcome. If you’re new here and want some examples of the different formats have a look at earlier posts by clicking the tag #BiteSizeMemoir left of this post.
Meanwhile, some photographic clues of the likely route I’ll follow including Max aged 9 as Dick Whittington with his first leading lady..
July 3, 2014 at 1:09 pm
Oh Lisa, here I am skating in…and I told you you might be in for a surprise but sadly I couldn’t get in here any earlier, darn!!! But I did my best and here it is…thanks for this prompt, I’ve had a blast and hope everyone else has!!! http://sherrimatthewsblog.com/2014/07/03/dressing-up-my-favourite-thing/
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July 3, 2014 at 1:21 pm
Feelings seem mostly of joy though some sadness with it’s passing..
but then clearly some of you have never stopped dressing up!
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July 3, 2014 at 1:28 pm
Yes…I can see there would be some sadness in that respect…I certainly missed it for years. Think I made up for lost time when we moved back…and haven’t stopped, you’re right 😉 xx
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July 2, 2014 at 9:10 am
For some reason my ping backs aren’t getting through to you.
http://irenewaters19.com/2014/07/01/bite-size-memoir-number-8-dressing-up/
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July 2, 2014 at 9:22 am
I have this now. And actually given my attention to detail.. It’s quite good when links come in as a comment because then I get a picture of your face which is easier to spot for the compilation !
Just looking now.. This is my favourite of your bites so far! You are so cute trussed up for that photo on the ship! A reminder to us all to take and keep photographs to remind us of so many things. I love what it may say about your personality and confidence that you are brave enough to play a male lead in a musical -professing not to sing – and then sporting a beard made of your own dogs hair! Nice itchy face after that one?! Hee Hee! Lxx
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July 1, 2014 at 11:22 pm
It is great reading through all these posts; the prompt has certainly released the inner camp in a lot of people. I wonder what is behind this urge to be someone else? Do any of your memoire-nibblers have a theory, Lisa?
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July 2, 2014 at 8:59 am
Well – let’s throw that one open – I’ll invite more comment with the compilation.
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July 1, 2014 at 9:34 pm
I wonder why!? Funny that. My Mum loves shoes – all colours to go with all sorts of outfits whereas I find one or two comfortable ones, wear them til they wear out and then if I can, replace them with exactly the same!
I remember a bit of dressing up and certainly role playing things like Charlie’s Angels but I’ve had more fun creating costumes for Max !
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July 1, 2014 at 6:29 pm
I was never one to dress up in my mother’s clothes or shoes. I’d have caught a clip around the ear if I’d tried. She would not have been amused. She had dozens of pairs of shoes and matching handbags and all I could do was to look at them – not touch. Soft suede, highly shiny black patent, courts and sandals. In Grammar School I took Drama and we had to put on a few plays. I remember a couple well, for completely different reasons, but in one – the Willow Pattern story – I played a Japanese school girl who had to sit on the floor listening attentively to the ‘Storyteller’. My mother, not one for sewing, allowed me to wear her beautiful silk dressing gown which looked like a kimono. It had pink and red peonies and tied with a soft pink silk belt. I felt like a beautiful princess.
Jude xx
Oddly enough I don’t collect shoes. I wonder why? I have a few pairs and when they wear out I replace them. I don’t recall dressing up for fun either. My grand-daughters on the other hand have an amazing dressing-up box and love to pretend to be a cat or a princess – and the youngest is a proper drama queen 🙂
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July 1, 2014 at 5:03 pm
I will never forget the white shoes. They were too tight, but they didn’t have a larger size, so I pretended they fit, of course I had painful blisters the next day, but I didn’t mind. It was a small price to pay for feeling like a princess. I wore a long white wedding-style dress with veil that my mother made. I had so many photos taken at home and at church that I felt like a star. I was a very excited seven-year-old princess, for one day. After the ceremony we had a party in the Church Hall, at St. Joseph’s, Harrow Weald. I was at Primary School then, and I’ve lost touch with all the other girls in the picture, which saddens me. I have met many people along the way, but few have remained as part of my life. Perhaps if we had had Facebook, and Blogs, and smart phones, we’d still be in touch…?
***
I’m afraid my memoir is a bit different. I don’t actually remember dressing up for fun (this is a bit like camping, I guess my family weren’t into having such fun!), but I do remember my First Holy Communion very vividly. There are a couple of pictures in the blog entry which I dusted out of an ld photo album. What memories…!
http://lucciagray.com/2014/07/01/bite-size-memoir-no-8-dressing-up/
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July 1, 2014 at 6:27 pm
But still totally on topic! Dressing up for such a momentous day. Thank you for sharing such wonderful photographs as well. No wonder you remember it vividly.
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July 1, 2014 at 8:23 pm
Thanks. Yes, it was memorable.
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July 1, 2014 at 9:06 am
Just to say how much I loved your pics here Lisa, welcome back! I can think of so many things to write about for this prompt…good job it’s only 150 words, haha! This is fun, will be back, in the words of Terminator (and yes, my youngest son did ask me to dress him up as him once…but that’s another story!). As for your son, methinks you have a budding actor in the family…congratulations to him on securing the part of Oberon 🙂 See you soon…
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July 1, 2014 at 11:23 am
I’m wondering how to constrain mine too – seeing if there’s time to attempt poetry! But here’s Tuesday already and my summer is totally full already! How did that happen?
Max’s career plan is to be an actor and far from an ‘idle threat’, we’ve been working at it for years – he’s at the right school, doing all the right things. He also sings rather well but it’s probably not the place on here to go into his life’s details! Much as I’d love to..!
Looking forward to your hundred and fifty sprinting across the line on Thursday, no doubt!?
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July 1, 2014 at 6:22 pm
Yes…how did that happen? Time is whizzing by…
Wow, that’s wonderful! I really do wish Max (and you!) every success! My cousin, now almost 50, gave up his successful web design business to pursue a career in acting about 10 years ago. We saw him in The Ladykillers at The Mayflower in Southampton and he’s been in a few TV Films. But…he is waiting for his big break, like so many of us…hey ho…
You might just be surprised this week Lisa…hold on to your hat… 😉
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July 1, 2014 at 6:53 pm
We saw Lady Killers in Leeds last year – was he touring?! I hope his big break does come but that his work is nevertheless more fulfilled than web designing!
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July 3, 2014 at 1:12 pm
Just getting back to you about LadyKillers, yes, he was touring so you would have seen him! He was the policeman, his name is Marcus Taylor 🙂 And yes, he loves it and I’m so very proud of him. Thanks Lisa 🙂
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July 3, 2014 at 1:20 pm
Fab! Wish I’d known you at the time – we might have got a back stage pass!
He was excellent by the way 🙂
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July 3, 2014 at 1:36 pm
I know, that would have been wonderful! Interestingly, his family live up north, his brother in Leeds and my uncle and auntie (the ones I mentioned funnily enough in my post whose bridesmaid I was) live in Sale. I know that the whole family watched him in Leeds so you would have been there with them! Small world isn’t it! I’ll tell him what you said, he will be thrilled 🙂 xx
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July 1, 2014 at 4:53 am
This was fun! (And, I have photos this week too.) http://wantonwordflirt.com/2014/07/01/playing-princess/
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July 1, 2014 at 11:14 am
Fun and Fabulous! Great photos and what wonderful dresses! Even the tomboy in me would have loved to put those on!! 😊
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July 1, 2014 at 2:39 am
I have a really great dress up story but I’ve been so busy getting ready for my cover reveal this week I almost forgot about your wonderful bitesizememoir! I will try to get it written tomorrow and share the link. Sorry mine is so late this week.
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July 1, 2014 at 11:03 am
Good Luck with the cover reveal – it’s all looking fantastic and I can’t wait to see what you’ve decided on in the end! 😊
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July 1, 2014 at 9:22 pm
Thanks Lisa! I am frantically working my fingers as I finish everything up today! 😀
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July 3, 2014 at 7:03 am
Here you go Lisa, hopefully in the future they won’t be so late. Oh and I know you were trying to lighten things up a bit this week but most of my childhood was not so bright and cheery.
http://morgandragonwillow.com/2014/07/falling-into-the-imagination-bitesizememoir.html
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July 3, 2014 at 2:45 pm
Thanks Morgan – You convey that absolute cataclysmic disappointment so very well. And anyway, no need to apologise. I do think the contrast reminds the rest of us to hang onto our joys. Lisa x
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June 30, 2014 at 12:56 pm
Mines coming.
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July 1, 2014 at 10:54 am
LOL ! 😄
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June 30, 2014 at 12:31 pm
Hi there everybody. Great to be back on track and reading all your snippets of Bite Size Memoir again. Here’s my Dressing Up contribution 🙂
http://traceyscotttownsend.com/2014/06/30/dressing-up-bite-size-memoir-no-8/
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July 1, 2014 at 6:21 pm
Love it – perhaps we could see the blurry photo of the pushy knees?!
Any of the hills being alive?
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July 1, 2014 at 11:27 pm
I might get my mum to look it up. I knew every line of every song from that film, not to mention all the dialogue! (We also had the record of Jesus Christ Superstar, probably 10 years later.)
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July 2, 2014 at 9:03 am
LOL! I have a friend you should meet! She’s even been to Sound of Music ‘events’ and I think Lloyd Webber has redone it as a show, hasn’t he?! But Jesus Christ Superstar – I think we put that on a school!
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June 29, 2014 at 10:14 pm
Hi Lisa; I posted mine earlier today on my blog and then crashed and burnt so only just now getting round to putting it here. Loved this challenge (and the Archaeologist has already responded) as I knew he would)).
http://wp.me/p4ziei-cm
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July 1, 2014 at 10:53 am
I have it and it’s fab. I love all the extra history behind your ‘bite’ – I love the way a seemingly simple topic can provoke such unexpected insights about you and your family. Perhaps the archeologist might be persuaded to do the odd guest post until the bug strikes?! Max wanted to be an archeologist after watching Indiana Jones and took some persuading that the job required more patience than bravado! But I might be wrong..
When I’m next stuck for a topic I’ll be having the thought ‘hmmmm, what would I next like to know about Geoff’..
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July 1, 2014 at 11:59 am
Oh goodness. A guest blog? Does wordpress have a word limit for posts? Mind you that would be fab idea. I’ll suggest it. Maybe I’ll challenge him to link say Jane Austen with Terry Pratchett and the eating habits of the Spanish Armarda or something.
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July 1, 2014 at 11:12 pm
A great bite of Le Pard family insight! I’d enjoy a post by the Archaeologist, too. 🙂
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June 29, 2014 at 12:14 pm
Love the photos! How cute!
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July 1, 2014 at 10:47 am
I could bore you with another 30 or so through the years but it would be even more self indulgent !
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July 1, 2014 at 2:06 pm
It’s your blog – you’re allowed to make it whatever you want!
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June 28, 2014 at 6:59 am
This is a bit off-topic – but Spiderman rules! 🙂
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June 28, 2014 at 9:35 am
Totally on topic for one week only!
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June 27, 2014 at 5:51 pm
Lisa, the instant I saw the prompt heading in my e-mail inbox I knew what I would write about this week. Stay tuned for one of my favourite childhood memories and finally a photo to go with it!
Glad to see you are back. Please take care.
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June 28, 2014 at 12:51 am
Hurrah ! I cannot wait Sue and thank you, I’ve been missing you all! Lisa xx
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June 27, 2014 at 5:13 pm
Oliver – UK
Shakespeare had it right. I had only to don the cheap, brown, felt stetson and leatherette bandolier, and wave my chromed six-gun and I was the original man-with-no-name. Not Clint Eastwood. ’Who was that masked man?’ I was the Lone Ranger. And don’t try to tell me that ‘Pale Rider’ was not inspired by him. Then, heroes were all black and white. So why was my outfit brown? Back then, people didn’t question the relationship with ‘Tonto’. It was, after all, an age of innocence.
I moved on, of course. Virtue became defined by the shine on my shoes, the straightness of my woggle, and my ability to protect my sixer from attack from the rear by purple troop. Then later again, carrying an unloaded automatic rifle, I had to march up and down in a blue baize uniform practicing to unquestioningly serve my country. History was repeating itself. I was ‘the man with no name’.
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June 27, 2014 at 5:16 pm
Fantastic Oliver! And talk about quick off the mark.. breaking all records here. Thank you, Lisa xx
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July 1, 2014 at 10:29 pm
Wonderful writing! The comparison of childhood dressing up to military dress creates an interesting reflection of one upon the other.
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