Archive for November 2019
Like father, like son
Charlie surprised us yesterday by swallowing a marble. While I was in the shower and Elysha was on her laptop, ordering furniture, Charlie screamed, ran past Elysha, and then quickly confessed to having swallowed a marble. This was unfortunately not surprising. We have been scolding him for years for putting things in his mouth that…
Read MoreSpeak Up #74: “Twenty-one Truths About Love” Book Launch
On episode #74 of the Speak Up Storytelling podcast, we air the launch of Matthew Dicks’s latest novel “Twenty-one Truths About Love.” The episode features stories about the publishing of the book, Elysha playing her ukulele and singing for just the third time in public, and much more! LINKS Purchase Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change…
Read MoreCharlie’s turkey
Charlie came home from school yesterday with an art project turkey, which I‘ve always found a little odd. We ask small children create happy versions of a bird they almost never see alive and will be eating in a day or two. Anthropomorphized, construction paper versions of their future food. Weird. Right? The only real…
Read MoreWomen’s shirts make messaging hard
A woman approached me yesterday and asked, “Do you like my tee shirt?” There was a message on the shirt, stretched across her chest, which is always awkward for me. Her request amounted to something like this: “I’ve purchased a shirt with a clever message that I’d love for you to read and admire. Unfortunately,…
Read More“Twenty-one Truths About Love” Book Launch
On episode #74 of the Speak Up Storytelling podcast, we air the launch of Matthew Dicks’s latest novel “Twenty-one Truths About Love.” The episode features stories about the publishing of the book, Elysha playing her ukulele and singing for just the third time in public, and much more! STORYTELLING SHOWS 2019-2020 December 14: “Crafty” at CT…
Read MoreDeep, seasonal thoughts from my children
In a period of about three minutes: Clara, age 10, asked me to turn down the temperature upstairs. “I’m not getting that crisp, fall feeling that I enjoy this time of year.” Charlie, age 7, said, “I’m so glad we’re human beings. If we were anything else, life would not be so good.” Also, “Dad,…
Read More68 garments?
The average American buys about 68 garments every year. 68 GARMENTS PER YEAR. I don’t wear 68 different garments in any given year. Statistics like this are useful reminders that the lives we lead are not always as mainstream and average as we might think. For example, I’m keenly aware that the average American adult is…
Read MoreTruth
In the spirit of Twenty-one Truths About Love and list-making, here are three things I think are true: Smart people know how little they actually know. Dumb people think they know everything. The more often a person compliments himself or herself, the more vile and moronic that person is likely to be.
Read MoreI don’t like Anchorman. Nor should you.
Sometimes the world likes something – even loves something – but you don’t. Like avocados. I can’t begin to imagine why so many people find these small, shriveled balls of green goo tasty, but they do. In these instances, you can do one of two things: Remain silent, knowing that you will stand in opposition…
Read MoreBooks rock
I’ve been out every night this week, speaking about my latest novel, “Twenty-one Truths About Love” to audiences of readers. At each event, a pile of books awaits me, and after I’m finished speaking, the folks who have purchased a book stand in line so that I can sign them. I can’t tell you how…
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