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Thesis Project: Sample layout

So the layout for my Thesis Project (I'm not ready to call it my novel in progress or short story collection in progress yet) includes three elements:
  • From the Table:  These sections are like author's notes. They are the stories from real life that kind of tell the background of the fictional short story that will follow.
  • The Short Story: These stories are based on real stories told throughout my childhood.  They are linked together to tell the story of my maternal grandparents. I have set it up so each decade from the time my grandparents met to when my grandfather passed away is shown in two stories. 
  • Recipe: Since we're Italian we have a lot of stories linked with food...or food linked to stories. Some of the stories I'm telling involve food or at least have a strong connection to some kind of food/drink from my life.

Here is a sample of my format.

From the Table – Why I Still Live at Home
Traditionally, in Italian households a child lived at home until such a time as they got married. My grandparents lived with his parents even after their marriage.  My great aunts and uncles lived at home until they got married.  My aunts and uncle lived at home until they got married.  My mother lived at home until she got married.  My brother lived at home until he got married.  I still live at home.

The Doting Father (1980s)
This story is going to be about my grandfather and the way he babbied his baby while she still lived at home. He used to make her tea with honey in the mornings.

Recipe – Tea with Honey
Tea with honey is great on a cold day or to help fight off a cold. In my opinion it's good at any time for any reason, if not for the sugar and honey I'd drink it everyday.

There's no real measurements, I've asked my mom how much of everything she puts in and while she can give me and idea it's more of a 'to taste' recipe than an exact measure thing.

Tea with Honey starts off with a simple cup/mug of brewed tea. Any kind can work, but I prefer a simple black tea. After you remove the teabag you add a few teaspoons to a tablespoon of sugar and about one to two tablespoons of honey. Mom adjusts to taste and once she thinks it's sweet enough she adds just a splash of milk.

It sounds kind of simple right? But I can't seem to master this and I think the thing I'm missing is that I'm making it for myself. I have a feeling it tasted different when my grandfather made it for my mother than when she made it for herself the same way it isn't quite the same when I make it for myself. I believe the difference is making it for yourself you miss adding the love that goes into making it for someone you care about. It's probably why I request tea with honey whenever I'm feeling down or sick.

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