Archive for March 2011
Ousted zebra
Elysha and I came upon this scene today, left behind by our daughter. As you can see, Yellow Curly Cue and Bathtub Penguin each have seats at the table, but Stuffed Zebra has been thrown a considerable distance from his chair. What did Stuffed Zebra do to deserve this kind of rejection? Only Clara knows.
Read MoreOne-time Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities volunteer imposter
I recently wrote a post about the American Legion-styled pins that I would like to wear denoting some of my past accomplishments and positions in life. I received quite a few questions about some of the items on the list, so I’ll be explaining them in more detail in the coming week. Today I am…
Read MoreA perfect indicator of how you spent your childhood
I love this video. Watching it brings back honest-to-goodness moments of pure joy. The fact that I can identify almost all of the video games featured is indicative of the kind of remarkable childhood that I enjoyed.
Read MoreThrow that atheist down the stairs
I had no idea that I was required to preview nursery rhymes before reading them to my daughter. But apparently so. Last night I read the nursery rhyme below to my daughter and was horrified by the words coming out of my mouth. The modern day translation to this nursery rhyme goes something like this:…
Read MoreThe latest
Some recent writing-related news that I thought I’d share: _______________________ We sold the Korean rights to MEMOIRS OF AN IMAGINARY FRIEND this week, bringing the total number of languages that the book will be published in to eight! My super agent is simply super. _______________________ The rock opera that my friend and collaborator, Andy Mayo,…
Read MoreWe never got to the war part of the Civil War
The problem with American History class was that never got to the good stuff. Take the Civil War. I recall with blinding acuity the days and weeks that we spent studying the causes of the Civil War, many of which are now being debunked by modern day historians who now claim that the war was…
Read MoreThe dead writing about the dead
The New York Times had their Elizabeth Taylor obituary ready for so long that the writer of the piece, Mel Gussow, has been dead for six years.
Read MoreI’m not a Past Commander, but I’ve got some pin-worthy material of my own
While judging an American Legion Oratorical Contest, I noticed a Legionnaire with a large, gold pin on his arm that read Past Commander. A pin denoting a previous station in life. I like this idea a lot. Rather than leaving behind previous accomplishments and positions of significance, why not plaster them across your arm or…
Read MorePost traumatic growth: Making bad guys more lovable and appreciated
Martin Seligman, director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, was speaking about post-traumatic growth on a recent edition of the Harvard Business Review Post-traumatic growth refers to positive psychological change experienced as a result of the struggle with highly challenging life circumstances. It is not simply a return to baseline from…
Read MoreHow to properly eat a Cadbury Crème Egg
There is one and only one correct way to eat a Cadbury Crème Egg. Allow me to explain. In case you have been living under a rock for your entire life, the Cadbury Crème Egg is a brand of chocolate constructed of two parts: a thick, chocolate shell and the liquid, candy interior. It is…
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