Comments on: Writing Memoir – Using A Favorite Search Engine as Your Personal Muse

By: Make a Photo Keepsake Booklet For Your Memoir Project : The Calm Space

Make a Photo Keepsake Booklet For Your Memoir Project : The Calm Space — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 06:42:58 +0000

[...] Writing Memoir: Using a Favourite Search Engine as Your Personal Muse [...]

By: Joanne Keevers

Joanne Keevers — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:04:24 +0000

Thank you, Bo, your Memoir Space has inspired me so much! I had started a blog last year, to have a place to record memories of my past, leading into how these memories affected me today.
In February, I shared my blog link with Káren and just after that you started this space…I was in “the right place at the right time”!
Today would have been my father’s 90th birthday and I have thought of little else all day, so today’s blog post was about him.
I’m looking forward to your next points of inspiration.

By: Dee

Dee — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:57:27 +0000

I love this post Bo, and what a wonderful idea, thank you.
I had to giggle sorry at your recount of your first dance together; the visual in my head was just too precious not to

Ah… Laverne & Shirley bring back some fantastic memories for me – can anyone remember the name of the brewery where they worked? (I always hum through that bit of the song )

I too will be looking up the music websites for some inspiration, and on that note Karen.. whats this “Before they go”?!?! Oh you couldn’t and if you can, they’re welcome to come make friends with all my vinyl??

By: Káren Wallace

Káren Wallace — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:26:44 +0000

Bo, I love the idea of using google as my personal muse. I grew up surrounded by music and the making of it was what drove my teen years, and a song on the radio can bring the memories flooding back.

You’ve also inspired me to think that the crate of old vinyl records hidden at the back of our storeroom would probably inspire many, many memories!

Before they go (it’s almost time), I’m going to photograph them so I have the details to jog my memory.

I’m loving this series! Oh, and I love the story of your first dance. Me, being the perfectionist, insisted on teaching my husband-to-be how to waltz. We used to move the coffee table in my parent’s lounge room, and off we’d go. 1-2-3, 1-2-3… round and round. Stories can inspire our own stories too!!!

By: Bo Mackison

Bo Mackison — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:58:08 +0000

Janice, thanks for the insights on how memoir writing is working for you. Quote hunting sounds like a perfect addition.

By: janice

janice — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:13:07 +0000

Your new column is definitely connecting to the menopausal place I’ve been in for the last year. It’s a phase of makeovers, clear-outs and brain rewiring, and I’ve been doing a lot of memoir work in the form of reassessing what’s valuable to me as well as archiving and treasuring.

One thing I did was exactly what you suggested; I went online and found a site which has all the top ten hits and TV shows for every month of the years I wanted to trawl for emotive music.

Another idea Calm Space readers might like is to be a quotehunter. I’ve written articles and guest posts about it (www.http://sharingthejourney.co.uk/quotes/quote-hunting-how-to-improve-your-writing-and-your-life/) and had great feedback. I think it’s a great skill for bloggers and coaches who want to do memoirs.

Over at my blog right now there’s also an old post which advocates setting up a system to garner comments we’ve left on our own or other folks’ blogs over the months and years. They really do contain embroidery worth adding to our life tapestries as well as seeds of inspiration for potential posts. We often by-pass our inner writing critics when we spontaneously reply to other folks’ blogposts or respond to comments on our blogs.

Another great post – thank you!

By: Cactus Pottery » Seeded Earth Studio

Cactus Pottery » Seeded Earth Studio — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:38:20 +0000

[...] second article is on Memoir Space at the Calm Space website, and it tells you how to find your personal writing muse using your favorite search engine. Really! It works. Grab on to those memories and fill up the nearest [...]

By: Bo Mackison

Bo Mackison — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:11:30 +0000

Thank you, Anne.

Yes, that first dance bugaboo. A bit of a worry. SO many first hings are worries until we’ve done them a few hundred times and then they don’t even get a notice. Remember your first time behind the wheel of a car? Woo!

By: Bo Mackison

Bo Mackison — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:05:55 +0000

Thanks, Chris. If nothing else, I’ve learned that I can get lots accomplished with baby steps. Time finding is another subject altogether, though I gained hours a week when I gave my TV away. That’s more drastic than most people want though.

By: Anne Maybus

Anne Maybus — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:34:59 +0000

What a clever idea that is, Bo. Sometimes it is hard to find the starting point, isn’t it? All you need is that trigger. Very clever. I love the excerpt, too. That first dance worry has hung over most of us at some time or other.