11 May 2011

I remember

Found this interesting exercise on http://coffeesandcommutes.com/
One of the many thought-provoking exercises that Dani Shapiro gave us while at Kripalu was to write for 10 minutes, without stopping, sentences that begin with “I remember.” (An exercise inspired by Joe Brainard’s Classic, I Remember). Lisa, Denise, Lindsey, Sarah and I all found this both fun and surprising – we discovered that we wrote down both long-cherished memories and ones we had not even realized we remembered.

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I remember...

I remember ....I'm trying to remember and it's taking me a while to get started coz my daughter keeps interrupting my thoughts.

I remember being in a car accident and bruising half my face. I cried when the doctor told me that the scar would disappear and I'd be ok.

I remember going to school on a public bus, when a mad man sat behind me and tried to touch me with his hands. I was too scared to even let out a scream. I was relieved when he got down, but before he did, he smiled a wicked toothless smile.

I remember knocking on my dad's door often in the wee hours of the early morning when I missed my ride to school again.

I remember the first time the nurse brought my baby to me and said "now here's your little one, it's time to nurse her." Despite the pain from my C-Section, I managed to turn onto my side, and nursed her. I nursed her till she turned 2and a half.

I remember seeing a girl stuck between the elevator door, lying down and shouting "help me, help me!" she was too drunk to even stand up!

I remember landing in Illinois, smack in the middle of a horrid winter, desperately missing my family in Malaysia, and crying.

I remember the day I passed my Masters Thesis, and calling my family from the public phone saying "I did it!!! I did it!"

I remember the day  my husband proposed to me over the phone while I was stuck in horrid jam. I was surprised and told him to try proposing again, properly with flowers. He did, several days later with a bouquet. :)

I remember how I used to be so afraid of trekking, and now I love it more than anything.

I remember the day my dog died, and how I cried and cried. I snipped off bits of my hair and put it together with bits of my dog's hair in a mini urn which I kept for a long time.

I remember how when after just changing my baby's diaper, she pooed again. I opened her newly soiled diapers, and she did another shower of poo which flew across my bed, soiling my bed sheet.

I remember calling my mum from the States just to ask her "mum, how do you turn on a stove? Next, how do you cook Chicken with Oyster Sauce?"

I remember my first time making ginger bread man with a friend. The result was biscuits so hard it wouldn't break even when stomped on or thrown against a wall. I remember laughing so hard!

I remember me and my husband running hard with heavy backpacks on our backs, trying to catch the train to Basel on time. I remember the joy of meeting Leena on the platform. I still keep her sms's sent to me on that day of arrival in my phone inbox.

I remember the joy of bringing my first born home, dressed in a new pink suit, sitting in a brand new baby car seat. Oh the joy of introducing her to my parents and all at home. I remember.

I remember many more things, but I'm tired. This will do I guess.
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 Kiddothings lovelinked this post today at  Free Fringes

11 comments :

Denise said...

What a wonderful collection of I Remembers. The mad man on the bus was particularly vivid for me...your fear was palpable. So glad you participated!

Lindsey said...

Oh I love these memories! So vivid. Thank you for sharing them. xox

Martha Jin said...

thank you Denise and Lindsey, I really enjoyed this exercise!

Christine @ Coffees & Commutes said...

So glad you joined us!! I remember nursing both my children for the first time, I cherish it closely so thank you for reminding me!

Sarah @ Momalom said...

I love how in one instant we are scared with you (toothless man) and in the next we are transported back to early motherhood again (feeling all warm and fuzzy)

Thank you for joining us!

Anonymous said...

I love this exercise. Whenever I'm stuck in my writing, I turn to this. Amazing what it can generate in 10 minutes.
And since Blogger insists upon keeping me anonymous today, I'll tell you that I'm
Kelly Garriott Waite
http://writinginthemarginsburstingattheseams.blogspot.com/

Julie said...

This is a great writing exercise, and your memories are vivid, sincere and often funny!

Oh, and I'd cry if I was stuck in and Illinois winter as well.

Martha Jin said...

tx Anonymous Kelly and Julie for stopping by. Yes, I enjoyed this exercise, and catch myself still doing it mentally every now and then.

Ms. G said...

I like this exercise. We learned a lot about your life almost like looking at snapshots.

Carrie said...

I love the proposal. Glad he did it right later on :)

Alexis said...

I think I had that same creepy bus experience. I wonder if it was the same creep? ;)

Nice written.

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