Comments for Half Empty for Now

Comment on Loss of Stories by Ms. HalfEmpty

Ms. HalfEmpty — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:53:54 +0000

I think you’re more ahead of the game than most people. For my 30th birthday, my mom created a book about me with stories and photos from my life. It was an enormous undertaking especially since the old stuff wasn’t digital.

Your awareness about wanting to preserve stories is a great first step!

Comment on Loss of Stories by Sarah Dunning Park

Sarah Dunning Park — Mon, 13 May 2013 01:15:10 +0000

Ah, I see what you’re doing there! Thanks for linking!

I’m definitely grateful for Twitter and FB as ways to document these things, although I’m not entirely trusting that those sites will be reliable when I want to access everything down the line. The poems, thankfully, are more within my control. Even so, it feels like there are many, many stories that slip away, each week…

Comment on Loss of Stories by Ms. HalfEmpty

Ms. HalfEmpty — Sun, 12 May 2013 23:58:50 +0000

Thanks, Sarah! Mr. HalfFull and I do have a great relationship and complement each other nicely. I never thought I was a very good listener, but if he thinks so, I'm good with that! I do find it amusing when couples simultaneously tell stories from each of their perspectives. You probably already have a great record of stories through your tweets and poetry.

Comment on Loss of Stories by Sarah Dunning Park

Sarah Dunning Park — Sun, 12 May 2013 23:47:51 +0000

I love this, Ms. HalfEmpty. I love the relationship that you and Mr. HalfFull have, with the listening and storytelling give-and-take. I agree that stories are so important… and my memory is getting worse by the day. I used to journal regularly, and I think I should probably get back to it.

You make a really poignant point, here, about how suddenly we can lose access to these stories that mean so much to us. I’m sorry for your family’s loss! Thanks for the reminder to listen and preserve these important stories.

Comment on Loss of Stories by Ms. HalfEmpty

Ms. HalfEmpty — Sat, 11 May 2013 13:04:57 +0000

You are quite the storyteller! Sometimes I try to impart a little more reality into the stories to your dismay.

You are also an amazing teacher and coach. Your students are so lucky to have someone who makes concepts relatable through great stories.

I think you’re already a good listener too, but I’ll allow you to continue to improve. =)

Comment on Loss of Stories by Ms. HalfEmpty

Ms. HalfEmpty — Sat, 11 May 2013 12:58:28 +0000

Oral history is interesting to me, but the editing of hours of audio seems daunting!

I’m not always a huge fan of memoirs and biographies. Sometimes they can be slow and drag out the details, but they do have moments of awe and inspiration. I guess my preference would be based-on-a-true-story fiction or fiction with the potential to be real.

Comment on Loss of Stories by Mr. HalfFull

Mr. HalfFull — Sat, 11 May 2013 12:03:37 +0000

The more I retell old stories, the better they get…”he never lets the facts get in the way of a great story,” says Ms. HalfEmpty, describing my performances. Storytelling is such a crucial piece of my life as a teacher and coach, because stories allow me to more easily connect with my student-athletes and parents alike. Yet, telling stories is a double-edged sword, because they cut into the finite amount of time we have for listening to one another. My professional goal for next school year is to improve my balance between speaking and listening. I must admit that increasing and improving my listening skills has been extremely challenging for me personally! Fortunately, I live with Ms. HalfEmpty, who models excellent listening skills on a daily basis. Many of the funniest moments in our life together arise from her literally using the words I’ve said against me, humorously demonstrating how ridiculous I can be at times!

Comment on Loss of Stories by Kathleen

Kathleen — Fri, 10 May 2013 22:13:49 +0000

You are a great story teller and I hope that you will have other opportunities to tell interesting stories. I am involved in an oral history project with a young woman who is doing her MA at Columbia in this field and has a son with Down syndrome like me. She is recording our interviews and publishes snapshots on cowbird which is a very friendly environment to share experiences. The audio is preserved and the University of California, Berkley will host all of the data. In fact, I love to read memoirs and biographies and imagine the lives of people from all over the world. It is fascinating how similar, although distinct because of culture and experiences, we are.

Comment on Loss of Stories by Ms. HalfEmpty

Ms. HalfEmpty — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:10:23 +0000

Aida, I’m glad you enjoyed the post. I heard that you delivered a beautiful eulogy; sorry I couldn’t be there to hear it.

Comment on Loss of Stories by Ms. HalfEmpty

Ms. HalfEmpty — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:08:35 +0000

Karen, I’m so glad the album helped create more stories in your family!