Slice of Life Story Challenge 2020 Day 2

Today, March 2nd, 2020, I’m participating in Two Writing Teachers’ Slice of Life Story Challenge.

“Who’s this?” queried my daughter.

“Cyndi Lauper,” I responded.  From the wireless Bose speaker in our living room, the carefree lyric emanated clearly, “Girls just wanna have fun!”  Placing my hand on the banister, I purposefully turned the corner and headed up the stairs to grab an armload of laundry.  Although I hadn’t looked back at my 8 year-old daughter’s face, I imagined it showing an expression of complete confusion – “Who’s Cyndi Lauper?” she probably wondered.

As I scooped up the laundry, another 80s song, “What a Feelin'” began to play on the Bose speaker.  Suddenly I felt myself transported back to that time.  The 1980s was the era I attended and graduated both high school and college.  Images of sock hops, my 1968 Volkswagen Bug, my 18th birthday party flashed into my mind.  Time used to pass so differently, I thought to myself.  Songs like, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” used to sound like an important claim from a daughter to her father.  Now I find that a year can pass and feel like the blink of an eye.  What is it about growing older that makes the passage of time feel so baffling?  Some have told me that perhaps it’s the lack of milestones associated with coming of age.  Maybe that’s it.

Arms now filled with clothes needing to be washed, I carefully made my way back down the stairs.  Life is good, I thought.  But for a moment, I missed those days of ‘Girls just wanna have fun.’ ‘What a feelin” has taken on a new meaning now.  But I suppose that is part of the journey…isn’t it?

Author: Lanny Ball

For more than 29 years, Lanny has taught, coached, presented, staff developed, and consulted within the exciting and enigmatic world of literacy. With unyielding passion and belief in the possibility of workshop teaching, Lanny has worked to support students, teachers, and school administrators around the country in outgrowing themselves as both writers and readers. Working first as a classroom teacher, then as a coach and TCRWP Staff Developer, Lanny is now a literacy specialist, working and living in the great state of Connecticut. Outside of literacy, he enjoys raising his three ambitious young daughters with his wife, and playing the piano. Find him on this blog, as well as on Twitter @LannyBall. Lanny is also a former co-author of a blog dedicated to supporting writing teachers and coaches that maintain classroom writing workshops, twowritingteachers.org.

8 thoughts on “Slice of Life Story Challenge 2020 Day 2”

  3. Love this! Songs do have a way of transporting us back in time and eliciting those emotions that were with us when we heard them long ago.
    Every season has its moments. Enjoy them all, Lanny.

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  4. Time does pass and yet when I look back I can see time. Often things seem both like yesterday and ages ago. I love how you shared your passing, deep thoughts amidst laundry and Cyndi Lauper — seems about right.

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  6. Time is funny that way. One moment we’re blasting Cyndi Lauper without a care in the world and then with a flip of the switch we’re older and reminiscing. I find myself doing the same kind of thing with certain TV shows.

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  8. As always Lanny, great post. In few words you transported me to the 1980s, going up and down the stairs of your home, the music in your head, the puzzlement of father and daughter. I really enjoy the way you create in such brevity an atmosphere and a suspenseful ending.

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