Creative Writing Exercise Results

One class began with the instructor asking us to make a list. Each item on the list had to begin with "I Remember...". There was no task other than the list. So I made my list. It was 2 pages full of remembering. We set that aside & went onto something else.

Later in the class she asked us to get our lists out (the lists we do are never just 'lists'). Instructions were: pick one of your memories & write about the feelings we had for 10 minutes. Below is what i wrote:

I remeber the feeling of utter belief the moment the medium started my reading. All my life I'd be entranced by the paranormal and those things that cannot be explained. So when he began to ask questions that made it sound like we were once friends, I knew my experience with him would never be forgotten.

"Was there confusion with her passing?" he asked.

"Yes," I responded, my voice reflecting my amazement.

He continued... "Are you a painter?"
"Do you try & talk to her yourself?"
"She's referring to a 'Bobby' with regard to your husband. Does he know a 'Bobby'?"

Yes! Yes! Yes! To all of it! I wanted to jump straight out of my chair & discuss one-on-one with him how he did it. He was on the money and I was ready to ask for lottery numbers.

Another class a few weeks later we were asked to pull out our "I remember" topic again & write about one specific feeling or moment we had (for 10 minutes). That writing is below:

The room was ice cold. We were advised ahead of time to dress warmly, but they neglected to mention the need for parkas & portable heaters.

Though it wasn't explained, I suspected connecting with spirits is enough to raise someone's body temperature. This meant the rest of us, the paying audience, were plunged into subzero coolness.

I wore a sweatshirt over my long-sleeves & several times wished I'd brought gloves, scarf & possibly a ski mask. I couldn't see my breath yet, but with every click of the a/c turning on, I knew it was only a matter of time.

My mom was sitting nect to me, her fleece jacket zipped to her chin. She's the type who is cold in the middle of summer, so I imagined it took a great deal of willpower not to shiver & shake right out of her metal chair.

The medium looked quite comfortable in the chill, wearing only jeans & a long-sleeved cotton shirt. He wasn't rubbing his hands together for warmth or wiping his nose - a side effect of being in the cold too long. No, it was as if he was radiating his own heat. Too bad it wasn't reaching across the room to where I sat.