First, huge thanks and a hug. Second, I’m sharing my plan for March slicing.
I was sitting with my schnoodle Boo Radley in my favorite chair in the living room when the text notification came on Valentine’s Day. My friend, fellow Slice of Life blogger, travel advice guru, fellow Schnoodle Mom, and Stafford Challenge small group buddy Glenda Funk of Idaho sent a Valentine full of smiles and hugs to our writing group that meets the first of each month to catch up and write! One of the greatest blessings of a writing community is finding common interests among those with whom we share some of our deepest feelings and so much of our day-to-day lives. A huge thanks to Glenda today, to all the writers here at Slice of Life, and others in writing group crossroads for making life more friendly and for helping me find the smiles in unexpected places.
Valentine’s Day hugs
arrive from across the miles
arms wide as friendship!
A plan has been brewing. It’s been in my bones, and it has finally taken root. I find that if I have a plan for the Slice of Life Challenge, I’m more successful at completing the challenge ~ and not just finishing it, but actually enjoying it the same way some marathon runners are actually smiling when they cross the finish line.
My Plan
Living poets are near and dear to my heart. I want to not only read and celebrate them, but also have an opportunity to share their work. That will be my own personal March Slice of Life Challenge plan. Each day, I’ll feature a collection of poems by a living poet, and I’ll compose a short Cento poem each day from that collection. Cento poems are some of my favorites – they’re a form of found poetry where lines of existing poems are arranged to create new poems. I’m still curating my featured list, but I wanted to share this idea in case there is anyone reading who is struggling with an idea and needs a place to start. Perhaps there are seeds in this idea. Some of my favorite reading is about books and how they have changed lives – poetry collections included.
I’ll see you at the starting line on Sunday, ready for the journey!
Common Threads 
Writing friends are the best! I may participate in your idea when I am not sure what to write. I usually don’t make a plan and let the Slices come to me, but I like having a few on the side I can lean on if I need to. It’s a great idea because I, like you, have many poetry books, and by creating a cento, there is synthesis of the work.
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Kim, your “curated list” sounds like an amazing, but challenging way to write every day! I do have a back up plan to write from a stack of family pictures if I get stuck some day, I then to be more of a day by day participant. Yet, I really look forward to reading your poetry inspiration and I might try to join you in a Cento poem some day(s). Your post really has me thinking about the differences in our students and how SOME want more guidance and OTHERS want a more open invitation to write. It is so important to encourage both and to embrace what we each need at different places in our journeys.
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I have never gone into the SOL challenge with a goal, except to ‘literally’ write about a slice from that very same day. Sometimes, it seems there is nothing worthy to write about, so upon your advice I am forming a back up writing plan of ideas. Thank you, Kim! 🙂
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Kim, thanks for your thoughts. I am ready for the March SOLSC but I am not sure how many days will be uncluttered by the amount of paperwork and PT I have. I know that I will write poetry. I started bereavement therapy so I might open with that thought and why. I would also like to find a poetry writing group that will support me during my difficult time (besides Spiritual Journey Thursday and Poetry Friday). Best wishes with your plan. Those valentines are adorable.
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Kim, nice idea! I’ll look forward to meeting some new living poets. I like the stack of books you share, and I was trying to read the spines as a poem itself. It almost worked in places, but I couldn’t see them all. Thanks for sharing your idea as seeds for other writers. You are a leader in ideas, to be sure! I love the introduction you made of Glenda and her sweet Valentines. Fun post!
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Great plan, Kim! I was thinking of Boo Radley last week because Robert Duval died, the actor who played Boo. I’m glad Boo could offer some planning advice in addition to Glenda’s encouragement. I’ve been thinking about my plan for March. So far I’ve wriitten 31 bird poems, 31 flower poems, 31 food poems. This year – not sure yet. I’m still thinking…
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Kim,
Thanks for the shout-out. I had fun creating that V-Day message. I often miss holidays until they’re right upon me. Re SOLSC plans: I don’t go into the challenge w/ a specific theme or structure, but I do make a list of ideas for slices based upon actual moments from my crazy life. I haven’t blogged much about my travels this past year, so I might focus on some specifics from the places I’ve been some days. I do try to write a few humorous posts from time to time, and having the pressure of writing every day tends to work well for finding my funny bone. I hope Stacey chooses a kitchen disaster day for us. I think I’ll reach out and see if she has one planned. Anyway, I often find myself abandoning the list for whatever happens in the moment. I’m always surprised by what bubbles to the top of my “I want to write about ____” mind. I think this comes from my speech background, always looking for unusual topics.
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