When I got my acceptance to the University of Maine I honestly didn’t know much about it. The drive for me is a little bit above 6 hours directly north. Taking 95 for about 3 hours, driving about an hour through maine, until we started to see glimpse of the ocean. I remember when I… Read more »
Residing in Maine has given me the chance to observe beauty in a variety of forms. Black waves quietly rising until the triumphant crash breaks the water into a burst of white foam and salty rain. Tall mountains that always promise an adventurous day of flying down a trail. Harbor-side towns that are immersed in… Read more »
I am not a Maine native; I actually first came here at 17, a young man looking at schools and at the future. Before that trip I had no connection to this state, no relatives who lived here, no ancestors who hailed from here. The statue of the black bear in the picture was as… Read more »
The Corner Hearth The Maine winters are often cold and often long, but I’ve always looked forward to them. Undoubtedly the rich juxtaposition of the distinct Maine seasons is one of the states most endearing qualities, with the right preparation of course; rocky beaches in the summer, muck boots in the spring,… Read more »
“Family time” has fluctuated with importance throughout the years. But my mother insisted. At least one hike a year, all four of us, that was the rule. When my brother and I were little we didn’t think much of it. We were just glad to get out of the house and to be going for… Read more »
The forgotten. Houses that have been left to rot, different situations that caused this to happen. I’ve seen plenty in my life time and it never ceases to sadden me. People used to live there, happy families living out their lives until a unforeseen financial situation causes them to forget about what they once had…. Read more »
Tell a story about a time you got yourself out of a sticky situation. We were all 16 at the time, out in Bermuda for a vacation. At this age we were trying to pull away from our parents as much as possible. But to be honest we were stupid, and needed the guidance. We… Read more »
These are not places I have been. Nor are they places I am going. I did not place these pins. What they are, perhaps, is a representation of places I’ve once considered living. Both far and wide. It’s a beautiful thing to be able to do this parlor trick, where I can see myself anywhere in… Read more »
It was mid afternoon on a perfect summer day. I remember the weather was exemplary. I recall the blue skies and bright sun particularly, because nothing tragic should ever happen on a day as beautiful as this one was. I was about twelve and was reading a book on my porch. I remember it being… Read more »
When I was young, I remember the old tree my sister and I use to climb everyday. We even brought up pieces of wood and made a makeshift little tree house. It wasn’t really anything special but it was a place that my sister and I could go and be kids. One day I went… Read more »
Pick: Mad Men As I remember it, the day started out on a great note. It went something like this: Wake up. Look at the clock. Swear profusely. Dress faster than I’ve ever dressed in my life. Grab my keys and wallet and run out out the door to rush to a doctor’s appointment that… Read more »
Don’t Smush the Ants As a kid I liked to wage war on tiny insects. I went out of my way to step on the miniature homes of ant-families. I used a magnifying glass to toast them, or water to drown them. But my father didn’t like it. “Don’t smush the ants.” he would say,… Read more »
Pick: Truth or Dare. Dare? I Dare you to tell the Truth, Start Over, Redo. You just read a haiku story by Caitlin Trafton… In response to a geezlouise on Truth… …from cowbird.com
I went down to Orange, Massachusetts, it was my twenty-first birthday and my stepfather, Todd, told me he’d buy me a ticket to go skydiving. Can’t remember what I was wearing for shoes; but the dude behind the counter pointed at my feet and said, “Those shoes will fall off.” A friendly onlooker peered through… Read more »
A peaceful day in the woods when me and my sister decided to go for a walk. We live up north so there’s a lot more forests there so we had plenty of land to go exploring. The woods are right behind our house and most of the land is marked with very small trails… Read more »
The Leap It was probably five below. Exposed, I sat swinging from the chairlift of the local ski-mountain. I was fine for awhile, but after what felt like an hour I began to get worried. The lift had stopped, leaving me stranded above the ground in the middle of January. I was alone and… Read more »
The summer before college I decided I needed a little extra spending money to fill my pocket with. It all started with me and two of my friends in a cabin up in northern Vermont one night. We got talking and wanted to create something. Something that uses a new type of technology and could… Read more »
It was a Friday, and I needed a camera for a project due Tuesday. Little did I know what a roller coaster that simple task would be. The problems started when I tried to rent one. I went to IMRC first, only to find that the hours of the rental place had changed; instead of… Read more »
In 1991, I travelled to Nigeria to visit a friend who was studying at the Univeristy of Ibadan. During my time there I took a cab ride through Lagos, the largest city in a taxi that had no brakes, stayed in a hostel ECWA that the next night was bombed, got bitten by HIV infected mosquitoes,… Read more »
It was my first day of volleyball practice as a freshman in high school. My coach, a short, cheerful baled man told us to form a circle on the gym floor. We grew silent our, sneakers squeaking as we plopped down in a circle surrounding him. Coach proceeded to explain who he was and spoke… Read more »
It was one of the nicest days we’d seen so far on the trip. It was at least 90 degrees outside in downtown Rio and there were no clouds in the sky for as far as you could see. My parents and I were walking down the beach when it happened. From behind us we hear… Read more »
Traveling back and forth between Down East Maine and Bangor, I experience a lot of interesting things on the road. One evening while traveling from Bangor on route 9, as usual, I was going the speed limit and an out of state new Lexus car was on my tail end, flashing his lights, trying to… Read more »
So when I was around the age of 10 I used to enjoy playing fantasy in the forest. I would pick up a wooden stick and pretend I was an expert in sword fighting and would fight invisible enemies in the forest. One day a boy next door came over. His name was Jimmy. I… Read more »
I think I speak for most when I say falling in public is always a little embarrassing. Well I am a frequent faller. The day when I truly proved myself in the profession of falling was on my high school graduation day. Everyone’s worried about falling as they cross that stage, but it was me… Read more »
At the young and impressionable age of 17 I wanted to get drunk, I had never bought booze just skimmed my parents bottles. I had my money but no one to buy it, so I hit up my friend Matt and asked if he knew anyone who was 21. Like anyone who lives in nowhere… Read more »
BEER What makes a house a home? It’s not the size or whats inside. It’s the memories that bring the real surprise. That make you laugh That make you cry That make your feelings feel alive Its not a place you know at first But find after years of work A place you never… Read more »
