Somehow, we have made it to June and all the month brings with it — the summer solstice, graduations, Father’s Day, vacations and, traditionally, weddings.
After a year of postponed celebrations, and with a CDC advisory that fully vaccinated people can walk around unmasked, this June seems extra celebratory. So let’s celebrate celebrations. What are you celebrating this June?
For June, please share with the IJ a six-word story of celebrations. Please make it a story with a beginning, middle and end, and not just six adjectives — make us laugh or cry or at the very least feel something.
If you want your story to run in the IJ, please:
• Write “Six-word story” in the subject line
• Send one story. Just one
• Include your full name and Marin town in the body of the email (not in the subject line)
• Write your short story in the body of the email (not in the subject line or in an attachment)
• Use proper punctuation (check the dictionary, please)
• Use sentence style (no capitalization unless a proper name)
• Use correct spelling (check the dictionary, please)
• It does not need to rhyme and ideally shouldn’t
Send your story to lifestyles@marinij.com by June 18 with “Six-Word Story” in the subject line. Then look for your story in the June 29 lifestyles section and online.
Last month we asked IJ readers to share their short tales on guns. Here’s what they had to say.
More stable persons: Fewer gun tragedies — Kathy Barrass, San Rafael
Insanity; who needs an automatic gun? — Shirley Gottesman, Greenbrae
Guns and leaf blowers; toxic karma. — Mary Geving, Woodacre
Bullets fly, children die, mothers cry. — Jim Bridgeman, Novato
Emoji guns banned, automatic weapons legal? — Katherine Ware, Belvedere
Age 11, took gun safety course. — Sharon Eide, Novato
Guns are too easy to get. — Madeline Kellner, Novato
Friend shoots herself with daddy’s gun. — Sarah Forsman, San Rafael
“I hear gunfire,” said the kindergartner. — Alexis Garcia, San Rafael
Common sense gun laws; come on. — Scott Gerber, San Rafael
Guns and opioids: America’s lethal addictions. — Judy Baldassari, San Anselmo
Nerf guns are the better alternative. — Kendall Johnson, Larkspur
Aim, shoot, kill: it’s so easy. — John C. Sakellar, Point Reyes Station
Dad taught me proper gun safety. — Darren Schivo, Novato
America, the beautiful; America, the shameful. — Lucy MacSwain, San Rafael
Shooting sports are fun. Try some. — John Neuenburg, San Rafael
Have gun, eat venison, pheasant, duck. — Dee Vela, Novato
Worship peace and love, not guns. — Marty Barry, Novato
Beautiful gun, walnut grips, H&R 922. — Diane Cokely, San Anselmo
Child found gun. Chased friend. Bang. — Judy Gomoll, Mill Valley
Desperate attackers reasonably choose defenseless victims. — Matt Amadea, Novato
So many innocent lives needlessly lost. — Scott Kempf, Novato
Luger from war, stolen by neighbor. — Eliza Buffy Fullerton, Mill Valley
Kid finds unlocked gun, brother dead. — Jessica Gerber, San Rafael
Shiny and new. Whoops, no ammo! — Mike Popovich, Larkspur
Irrational obsession, might turn out badly. — Marlis Jansen, Mill Valley
Dead kids, not burglars, more likely. — Greg Brockbank, San Rafael
Speared French angel fish. Felt stupid. — Jerry D. Moore, Novato
Vaccine needed to prevent gun violence. — David Curtis, Novato
Don’t need gun, don’t want gun. — John Berg, Fairfax
Trophy hunting is an unacceptable perversion. — Beverly Allison Novato
Gun supporting anti-abortionists are actually hypocrites. — Peter Bohan, Novato
Slaughter continues without sane gun laws. — Barbara W Grieco, Mill Valley
Gun violence, a public health problem. — Ann Woodward, Greenbrae
Searching for motive minimizes the AR-15. — Greg Walters, Mill Valley
Fine, keep your guns, outlaw bullets. — Meredith Hilton, Novato
America’s unique gun obsession: dangerous, pathetic. — Jenny Wood, Mill Valley
Bang! A life snuffed out instantly. — Alison Jauch, Novato
Second amendment: follow Ginsberg’s revising now. — Rev. George McLaird, Mill Valley
Firearms, like automobiles: make licensing mandatory. — Hank Simmonds, Kentfield
Ban all guns. Make love instead. — Gailya Magdalena, Lucas Valley
Second Amendment, nanny state, don’t equate. — Jackson L. Barker, San Rafael
Automatic weapons not same as muskets. — Rich Greene, Novato
Give peace a chance. Drop guns. — Sam Fleeger, Marin City
Everyone needs an antique 1787 musket. — William Nicholson, Ross
Guns gain rights while we die. — Marita Daly, Kentfield
Forefathers had no foresight of future. — Karin Granados, San Rafael
Kid bulletproof backpacks, only in America. — Kathy Malaney, Tiburon
No, no, no, no, never; why? — Helen Hayes, Ross
Weak gun laws are killing us. — Jen Reidy, Corte Madera
Beautiful boy shoots self in head. — Candy Gratto, Novato
Foam “bullets” everywhere; my mommy tears pour. — Tara Riley, Novato
Guns kill 30,000 annually. Any questions? — Norm Levin, Terra Linda
Active shooter drills beginning in kindergarten. — Kate Larson, San Rafael
Target shooting, hunting, since age 10. — Walter Schivo, Novato
Guns; part of life. Watch out. — Karen Arnold, San Rafael
Gunshot wounds, patients surprised. Very painful. — Heidi Larson, San Rafael
Guns give unfortunate, negative security always. — Charlotte Winters, Corte Madera
Taken hostage. LAPD “intervened.” Gunplay fatal. — Kenn Kovitz, Novato
Boy aimed playfully. Gun was loaded. — Mary Gilstrap, San Rafael
Ban most guns, Make us safe. — Jo Ann Berman, Novato
Americans, have gun, will travel. Anachronism. — Irene Tabet, Mill Valley
My life has had no guns. — Cece Jonsen, Novato
Don’t worry. It’s not loaded. Bang! — Pamela Harris, Larkspur
Allowing muzzleloaders only would save lives. — Veronica Callister, Novato
Never accidental shooting. Always negligent discharge. — Jim Koger, San Rafael
Fewer guns in the USA, hallelujah. — Betsy Geraci, San Anselmo
Omitting fauna, AR-15s prey Homo sapiens. — Keith Buchignani, Novato
Shootings every day; Republicans support NRA. — Pamela Lunstead, Novato
Hug a child, not a gun. — Laura Miller, Novato
Hands up, don’t move, I’ll shoot. — Dora Knell, San Rafael
Well regulated militia: the National Guard. — David Reinstein, San Anselmo
Never liked guns, not in my home. — Stacy Burroughs, San Anselmo
Close Novato gun store. Selling violence. — Lois Wise, Novato
After Bobby, Mom tossed all guns. — William Dewey, San Rafael
Another senseless death; this is preventable. — Alana Kapust, San Rafael
Most dangerous gun is your own. — Pellie Anderson, Tiburon
The signers never imagined modern weapons. — Sue Beittel, San Rafael
Guns kill people. Make sellers liable. — Barbara A. Begley, Mill Valley
A “well regulated Militia” — got that? — Karen Hazlehurst, San Rafael
Suicide: Teenage boyfriend used father’s handgun. — Kim Bromley, San Rafael
Guns destroy lives, they bring tears. — Michael C. Vogel, Mill Valley
Law enforcement offers free gun locks. — Barbara Rowe, Mill Valley
My family is protected by Ruger. — Gigi Bibeault, San Rafael
No flash, no bang, but gone. — Tony Porter, San Rafael
Robin alit. I squeezed. Dead. Why? — Dave Ewing, Mill Valley
Father, daughter, laughter, silenced by gun. — Mary Lee Bickford, Sausalito
Guns make killing easy. No return. — Susan Savage, Novato
Your hopes and prayers do nothing. — Randi Bryant, Greenbrae
Deaths, public health crisis; work together. — Nancy Greenfield, Larkspur
Muskets to assault weapons; revise amendment. –Diane Forster, Corte Madera
Member United States International Rifle Team. — Roger Johnson, Corte Madera