41 Responses to “Just Six Words”

1. shmuel
   January 4th, 2012 @ 9:51 am

   G-d in my life, never better.

2. ross
   January 4th, 2012 @ 10:46 am

   1) Unable to repay endless Heavenly kindness

   2) Another world after? Better start working.

   3) Repent, O Sinner! (Forgot yaleh v’yavoh.)

3. Blowing Off Steam
   January 4th, 2012 @ 11:20 am

   Yeshiva tuitions? No one told me

   Kids learn in kollel. I pay

   Half the month nidah isn’t mystique

4. Bob Miller
   January 4th, 2012 @ 11:47 am

   Getting confused on a higher level

5. Judy Resnick
   January 4th, 2012 @ 3:26 pm

   Thanks for wonderful kids, fantastic grandchildren.

   Beauty of Torah Judaism: better life.

   Get Olam Hazeh plus Olam Haba.

   Being Jewish rocks! You try it.

   Learn the Torah. G-d’s instruction book.

   G-d wants us happy. Learn how.

   Lead life right way with Torah.

6. ross
   January 4th, 2012 @ 4:37 pm

   Didn’t someone ask what to put on a BT Handout card? Now you have loads of answers!

7. Nathan
   January 4th, 2012 @ 9:52 pm

   unconditional guarantee of no hope forever
   or
   no hope, no chance, no way

8. David_L
   January 5th, 2012 @ 5:56 am

   Fear G-d more than other people.

9. Mark Frankel
   January 5th, 2012 @ 9:54 am

   Slogans For Torah Could Be Problematic

10. ross
    January 5th, 2012 @ 10:24 am

    Vote for Torah, Take Back America!

    (Right, doesn’t work.)

11. Neil Harris
    January 5th, 2012 @ 11:09 am

    Hashem created you and loves you.
    (Great posting idea)

12. David Linn
    January 5th, 2012 @ 11:33 am

    Mark, I didn’t write the post to encourage commentors to submit slogans for Torah.

    Take a look back at the examples in the post. I’m looking for us to share feelings, emotions, regrets, triumps, challenges, etc. in a format that has proven to be effective in fostering creativity and deep thinking. Going too broad would possibly defeat the purpose.

    In fact, my daughter’s six word memoir was “life’s too complex for six words”.

13. Mark Frankel
    January 5th, 2012 @ 12:38 pm

    David, you know I’m a big fan of the short form and I’m planning some more 60 second (~500 word) guides. I even think there’s value in Twitterizing (140 characters) a thought.

    But to ask people to share feelings, emotions, regrets, triumphs, challenges in 6 words (~40 characters) seems like a daunting task for BBT comments.

    If you could send or post the sources where it has been “proven to be effective in fostering creativity and deep thinking”, I’d like to see in what contexts it’s been effective.

    You Ask Much Therefore Get Slogans

14. ross
    January 5th, 2012 @ 1:03 pm

    Of course it takes creativity and deep thinking to capsulize (or capsulate) thoughts in 6 words. It’s a great exercise. Maybe I’ll use it in my classes.

    Great Ideas Come From Exceptional Creativity.

15. Mark Frankel
    January 5th, 2012 @ 1:47 pm

    Found the source.

    From Wikipedia:
    Six-Word Memoirs is a project founded by the U.S.-based online storytelling magazine Smith Magazine. Like that publication, Six-Word Memoirs seek to provide a platform for storytelling in all its forms.

    History

    Smith was founded January 6, 2006, by Larry Smith and Tim Barko.[1] Taking a cue from novelist Ernest Hemingway, who, according to literary legend, was once challenged to write a short story in only six words, [2] Smith Magazine set out to do the same. Hemingway’s six-word story read: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

    In November 2006, Smith’s editors Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser gave the six-word story a personal twist, asking Smith readers to tell their life story in just six-words. Smith readers submitted their six-words via http://www.smithmag.net, and Smith’s Twitter account. In early 2007, Smith signed with Harper Perennial to create the Six-Word Memoir book series.

    In May 2008, Smith announced three new Six-Word Memoir book projects: Six Word Memoirs on Love & Heartbreak (2009), then a book of Six-Word Memoirs by and for teens (Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous & Obscure), and a second general Six-Word Memoir sequel to the original.

    Looked at the site and it looks cute and fun and it looks like they made some money off it. Personally not sold on the creativity and deep thinking components, but it’s great for tag lines and slogans!

16. Jay
    January 5th, 2012 @ 2:16 pm

    Think what you’re told to think.

17. JDHR
    January 5th, 2012 @ 2:24 pm

    Davening:cheaper than shrink, better results.

18. David Linn
    January 5th, 2012 @ 4:08 pm

    Mark, I have spoken with High School and College English instructors (yes, I live an exciting life) who have advised me that they have found it to be quite effective and have seen the exercise employed in graduate school programs, there is an entire book of six word memoirs of non-professionals, various websites, a story on National Public Radio (not my politics) and several magazine features. Watch me now:

    Life is not an exact science.

    Creativity is not subject to proof.

    Short but sweet can be deep.

    It’s like standing on one foot.

19. Mark Frankel
    January 5th, 2012 @ 5:03 pm

    Writing concisely is a helpful exercise

    Six words good for tag lines

    Websites and books for everything now

    Content is king

    It’s definitely cute and fun

    Conceived before Twitter otherwise 20 words

20. David Linn
    January 5th, 2012 @ 5:47 pm

    Mark has literarily seen the light

21. Neil Harris
    January 5th, 2012 @ 6:32 pm

    Black hats don’t make people frum.

    Disclaimer: I wear one on Shabbos/Yom Tov/Seudos Mitzvos

22. David Linn
    January 5th, 2012 @ 9:38 pm

    Deja Jew: Saw you at Sinai.

23. shmuel
    January 5th, 2012 @ 9:51 pm

    after reading discussion my submission stands

    (my original submission –see #1 above)

24. Ron Coleman
    January 5th, 2012 @ 11:08 pm

    Life with meaning works much better.

25. Ron Coleman
    January 5th, 2012 @ 11:11 pm

    Having said that, it’s a little distressing what a large percentage of submissions here are bitterly negative. Of course I have no idea who’s writing them and what their respective “stories” are.

26. Alex
    January 6th, 2012 @ 12:42 am

    Bagels are great after a fast.

27. Neil Harris
    January 6th, 2012 @ 11:24 am

    Shas is important, so are middos.

28. ross
    January 6th, 2012 @ 11:52 am

    Ignore zealotry, join gentler, kinder nation.

29. David Szego
    January 6th, 2012 @ 12:52 pm

    Always moved forward, never looked back.

30. Belle
    January 6th, 2012 @ 3:33 pm

    I change, family stays the same

    no rest in this world, Yaakov

31. Belle
    January 6th, 2012 @ 3:34 pm

    Seek out the wise, ignore rest

32. Mr. Cohen
    January 6th, 2012 @ 4:10 pm

    Rishonim are the essence of Torah.

33. Tuvia
    January 6th, 2012 @ 4:56 pm

    Is Torah true? Moshiach better arrive

34. ross
    January 8th, 2012 @ 9:52 am

    Nagging doubts lead to empty life.

35. Tuvia
    January 8th, 2012 @ 5:33 pm

    228 more years til we know!

36. Mark Frankel
    January 8th, 2012 @ 8:07 pm

    Fortunate are those who discern truth

37. Tuvia
    January 8th, 2012 @ 11:58 pm

    supernatural resurrection is real truth test!

38. Judy Resnick
    January 9th, 2012 @ 11:26 pm

    Happy are we to be Jewish!

    G-d, how fortunate is our lot!

    Know Jewish mothers are the best!

    Israel for the Jewish people, forever.

    Proud to be a religious Zionist.

    Dovid melech yisroel, chai chai vekayam.

    SHEMA YISROEL H-SHEM ELOK-INU H-SHEM ECHOD.
    (Holiest six words in the world).

39. Chanaleh
    January 16th, 2012 @ 6:36 pm

    I didn’t know I wasn’t Jewish

    I didn’t know who Ramban was

    But I always remembered Rambam’s ladder

    I’m 15, and I’m making aliyah

    I pray for peace in Jerusalem

    Nobody calls me Chana. Just Hannah.

    I secretly love squid, octopus, cuttlefish

    Goyish family members think I’m extremist

    Father, a Jew, I only wish

    Abstincence is harder that I thought

    I hate Messianic “Judaism”, with passion

    The Shidduch Chrisis terrifies me

    Tznius has helped me feel pretty

40. Ron Coleman
    January 17th, 2012 @ 2:53 pm

    I guess we made our points

41. Always a BT
    January 18th, 2012 @ 2:07 pm

    Life is a struggle worth experiencing.

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