The Story Frame Newsletter

The Story Frame

Short and funny personal stories and thoughts on how to write them.

I Have Been to Many 'Get Rich Quick' Seminars

I am a sucker for a get-rich-quick scheme (2/3) Jamal came by on the day of our meeting. He knocked on the door, and I let him in. The person who walked into my living room was a stranger in my friend's body who asked me, "Can any of your knives cut through a Coca-Cola can?" I felt silly admittin...

by Carlos Garbiras — Apr 22, 2025 culture sales satire society

Would You Like to Join My Multi-Level Marketing Group?

I am a sucker for a get-rich-quick scheme (1/3) The stranger made a beeline for my wife and me through the sea of Christmas shoppers, drowning in the desperation to find the perfect last-minute gift in Walnut Creek's open-air mall, Broadway Plaza. "Wow, you have an amazing smile!" He said. "Here ...

by Carlos Garbiras — Apr 21, 2025 culture personal essay sales satire

Don't Undermine Your Storytelling Authority With This Common Mistake

Note to readers: Last week, I sent you an email with a link to this blog post. The link was broken. Moving forward, I will send my blog posts inside the newsletter. You can still find them on my website, but I wanted to include the entire body of the message of the email so you don't have to c...

by Carlos Garbiras — Apr 17, 2025 editing persuasion productivity storytelling writing

Feeling in Your Ankle When a Storm Is Going to Roll by

My mom’s gift of gab convinced me to wear girly roller skates (3/3) All adults in the city break away for a few hours at noon to head home for lunch. My mom would make it home for lunch, but we lived on the fourth floor of a four-floor building—the exact floor limit to avoid building an elevato...

by Carlos Garbiras — Apr 15, 2025 coming of age memoir personal essay relationships satire

My Mom Has Labia In Spades

My mom’s gift of gab convinced me to wear girly roller skates (2/3) And my mom has "labia" in spades. So, I might've had the discerning power to know that the beef round didn't taste in any way like a burger, but I believed her when she told me that our roller skates were unisex. If anyone even...

by Carlos Garbiras — Apr 14, 2025 colombia coming of age culture parenting satire

Rolling Into Trauma With My Fuchsia and Magenta Unisex Rollerblades

My mom’s gift of gab convinced me to wear girly roller skates (1/3) When I was 12, my mom got a pair of roller skates as a gift from a friend who had returned from Miami. The boot was a bright white, two wheels were magenta, and the other two were fuchsia. Rollerblades had been on my list of "Mo...

by Carlos Garbiras — Apr 07, 2025 colombia coming of age parenting personal essay satire teenager

Escaping the Hairbrushing Vortex and a Timeless Parenting Lesson

Or how simple parenting acts can drive you insane (3/3) Eventually, my daughter gave in and let us brush her hair. Instead of the five minutes we thought it would take, it took forty-five minutes. Sure, forty-five minutes is better than sixty minutes, but the fifteen minutes savings came at a co...

by Carlos Garbiras — Apr 05, 2025 parenting personal essay satire

A Magical Structure for Writing Anecdotes and Stories Consistently

In college, I competed in college forensics, a weird word for debate and not a competition to figure out blood splatter patterns. But to travel with the team, you needed to have other events you competed on. I did after-dinner speeches and impromptu speaking. When you watch an Impromptu compe...

by Carlos Garbiras — Apr 04, 2025 editing productivity storytelling writing

Losing My Mind With a Pink Disney Brush in My Hand

Or how simple parenting acts can drive you insane (2/3) I finally picked up my daughter and took her to her room while being kicked and punched. I soothed her and tried to calm her down before starting again. On the outside, I look calm, but I'm feeling frustrated on the side. I'm feeling frustr...

by Carlos Garbiras — Apr 02, 2025 cultural parenting satire

Points of Entry and Tactical Storytelling

Editing and Honing the Universal in Your Story I knew early on in my life I wanted to be a writer. Actually, I wanted to be a reader. I loved reading. But at that time, I didn't think you could get paid for that. So, I switch my dream career from reader to writer. I wrote a lot during those tim...

by Carlos Garbiras — Apr 01, 2025 editing productivity storytelling writing

The Hairbrushing Vortex

Or how simple parenting acts can drive you insane I heard the shouting, "I either brush your hair, or I cut your hair." And I thought, "Who is this asshole talking out of my mouth?" Before I had kids, I believed I didn't need Buddhism because I embodied the dharma. I was Buddha reincarnated, the ...

by Carlos Garbiras — Mar 31, 2025 culture parenting relationships satire

It's Time to Wake Up Early... Tips on Developing a Morning Routine

Free Memoir Writing Workshop Details At The End of Email My favorite season of the year is here. Spring. This is when the New Year should happen. This is when the New Year used to happen until the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar. "April Fools' Day" was created as a holiday meant to mock and...

by Carlos Garbiras — Mar 25, 2025 habits productivity writing

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The Story Frame

Short and funny personal stories and thoughts on how to write them.

The Story Frame

Short and funny personal stories and thoughts on how to write them.

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