Marion Roach Smith’s alternate sisterly reality, with Margaret Roach.
CHEAP NOTEBOOKS ENJOY the singular fame of being one of only two things you need to be a memoirist. The other, of course is a pen. You can add index cards to the list, but if you go out into your daily rounds carrying little more than a pen and a notebook you can write memoir. And you know what? You don’t have to believe me. This time, I’m bringing in a reliable witness. [click to continue…]
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A KITCHEN RENOVATION can go only one of two ways: either to transcendent awareness or to divorce court. And our renovation was not elective. Not a bit. Ours was thrust upon us by severe acute water damage, and suddenly I found myself saying the one thing you do not ever want to say in your own kitchen. [click to continue…]
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IN THE SUMMER of 1924, five sisters worked in Washington, and happily someone had the great good sense to snap their photo. Don’t you just love them? I found this on Flickr, and then did a little research, and found out that they are (left to right) Goldie, Jeane, Marge, Belle, and Vera, all of whom worked as secretaries for five members of Congress from various states. Here they are, having their lunch. [click to continue…]
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A BIG BOOK LAUNCH IS COMING. Actually, two book launches await the Roach sisters of TSP–mine, next month, for my book on writing memoir (left), and Margaret’s for her much-anticipated drop-out memoir due next February, for which preparatory plans are already under way. And what are the sisters doing to get ready? We’re reading other writing websites like madwomen, to see who’s saying what about writing and the steps involved in publishing, and what they all make of it today. Want to read along? [click to continue…]
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ME AND DOGS. It’s a relationship I’ve written about before, referring to it as “the sisterhood of the dog” in more than one blog post. And whenever the subject of me and my dogs comes up, the words just seem to tumble out. But then every once in a while, no words are needed. Don’t believe me? Press play, on the video above.
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THE LAST DAY OF FEBRUARY will bring the Full Snow Moon, rising at the eleventh hour and 38th minute of the day. As with all full moons, the name comes from the Native American tradition. This name is fairly self-explanatory, though among some Native American people, February’s full moon was known as the Full Hunger Moon since winter conditions can make hunting very difficult. How do I know this? I write and record the daily almanac piece entitled The Naturalist’s Datebook, heard exclusively on Martha Stewart Living Radio, Sirius 112/XM 157. Listen up. And see my other TSP almanac pieces here, including a recent piece on how I change my diet at the full moon, as well as at the new moon, each month.
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I WAS ON AMERICAN IDOL. Did you know? Did you catch me? No? Well, I recorded it for you. I think you’ll be really proud of me, sisters. It went really, really well, like this:
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AS SOMEONE WHO HAS PREVIOUSLY purchased Aristotle, you might like…” Thus began a recent email from Amazon.com. I’m thinking of printing it out and pinning it to my dress to wear while I watch The Simpsons, the combo of the two influences really kind of summing me up. Or does it? I’m not sure. Who am I, again? (Singalong now: “Who are you? Who, who, who who?”) Shall I ask Google, or ? [click to continue…]
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DANCING ON TABLETOPS? And why not? On February 5, 1959 Marilyn Monroe, Karen Blixen, and Carson McCullers had lunch. Oh yeah, Arthur Miller was there, too. Taking place in Nyack, New York, the event was hosted by McCullers in honor of the great Karen Blixen, whose pen name, of course, is Isak Dinesen (Out of Africa). The menu consisted of soufflé, oysters, grapes and champagne. After lunch there was dancing. On the table top. On the solid marble table top, to be specific. Or so I’ve read. And I love every word.
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THERE ARE TWO QUESTIONS no husband or partner should ask a woman, and both begin with “How many?” Both inquiries are gasoline on the fire that is a woman’s soul, and while neither question should ever be either asked or answered, I’m sure you’ll agree on which of the two is far more deeply private, far more tied up in secrecy, and way more important to the ongoing health of any relationship. That’s right, sister: it’s the question that ends in the word “shoes.” [click to continue…]
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THE OLD DAYS: In Grandma's garden.
First time here? Here's the idea: The Sister Project is a network of blogs about the many facets of the word sister, and the concept of sisterhood. A sisterhood of sister blogs, you could say. Whatever sister means to you, from identical twin to sister-in-law (or in friendship or in feminism), we’ll make room to listen in about it or express it on TSP. Like the slogan up top on our homepage says, “Don’t you have something to say to your sister?” We've got galleries of art and literature by and about sisters, and a Sisterpedia of sisterly trivia...but now we're getting ahead of ourselves. The quick study: Learn more about TSP, and how to find your way around. And oh—a giant, sisterly welcome.
