I thought keeping a blog would be a simple task. Looking at the date of my last entry says otherwise. To catch up, I have had some terrific telling experiences, I’ve been driving for a town car service, my old partner Rob Hill and his wife Shelia have had a son, my son Kyle has started doing stand up comedy with great success, my daughter Jonni decided that college wasn’t ready for her, buried my grandmother(95 years old) at sea, read at least 50 books(always looking for stories) got a smartphone which had this app called facebook on it(’Let’s see what this does…click…Oh jeez’) and Sabra and I have completely redone (floor to ceiling) our entire 2nd floor including the office which is still being put back together as I struggle trying to decide what goes and what stays. During one of those sorting daysI discovered a list of my old college classmates and since distractions are my friends I began to google they’re names. Sure enough, I found some of them(Thanks Facebook) It’s been fun reconnecting. Might I suggest you(the reader) reach back and find someone you lost. The smiles that are generated are worth the distractions. Heres to 2009.

Peace

True friendship consists not in the multitude of friends, but in their worth and value.

Ben Johnson

Our Deepest Fear Is Not That We Are Inadequate. Our Deepest Fear Is That We Are Powerful Beyond Measure. It Is Our Light, Not Our Darkness That Most Frightens Us. Your Playing Small Does Not Serve The World, There Is Nothing Enlightened About Shrinking, So That Other People Won’t Feel Insecure Around You. We Were All Meant To Shine As Children Do, Its Not Just In Some Of Us Its In Everyone. And As We Let Our Own Light Shine, We Unconsiously Give Other People Permission To Do The Same. As We Our Liberated From Our Own Fear, Our Presence Automatically Liberates Others.

Timo Cruz (from Coach Carter)

I had the distinct pleasure of telling at the Isaac Bear Early College High School Senior Lunchon May 22nd. Kids, parents and teachers gathered to celebrate one another. Heard some very impressive speeches from 17 and 18 year olds. My thanks to Suzanne Mecallef and Tilley Gurley for including me in this program. I told a couple of my favorites and introduced a new program aimed at high schoolers. Lifes Instruction Manual is humrously geared to remind kids that we all have faults to overcome, we never really finish learning lessons, there are no problems only challenges and opportunity and that the answers to most of lifes questions are inside of us. I thought it well received. I will continue to expand and tweak this one. Later that night I presented for the 2nd year in a row to the Ashe County 8th Grade end of year Trip to the Sea. Shared the stage with Joyce Grear and Maxwell Page. Always a good time. Today is my birthday. I’m 39, again…

I had the distinct pleasure to tell a tale and speak for a few minutes to over 300 people tonight at the New Hanover County PTA Awards Banquet. There was my name in the program listed as the Keynote Speaker. That was a first. My thanks to Stephanie Kraybill for inviting me and to all those in attendance for greeting me so warmly. I had a great time and the dinner was good. Especially the chocolate pecan pie. Hope to hear from some of you schools soon. Thanks again.

Huge congrats to the folks who organized this festival in Laurinburg, NC. This was first class and well attended. There was Donald Davis, Len Cabral, Jay O’Callahan, and Diane Ferlatte as the headliners. They also gave 1 hour master classes which I attended both Donalds and Jays. Wish I had time to go to the other ones. I went with my friend and fellow storyteller, Joyce Grear. All I can say is what a time it was. Make plans to attend next years festival and keep checking their calander for other events. These folks do a great job and should be recognized. Thanks for a very special day.

Hello all. I have been traversing around the state tellin tales and talking to kids a lot. What is with our high schoolers. I was reading recently that ” A total of 23,550 students dropped out in 2006-07, representing 5.24 percent of the state’s high school population.”via newsobserver.com. What are we doing? More importantly, what’s going on in their life that dropping out is a good decision.Last year almost 30 percent of highscoolers statewide didn’t graduate. Halting their education before graduating is a promise of a $$12.00 to 15.00 an hour ceiling in any career that can be accomplished with an 11th grade education.. And what are we doing? I’m just saying…

Let me first say thank you to Lisa Battle for booking me. She is the president of the Holly Tree PTA and is doing great things at Hollytree( K-5). Like hiring me. I did 6 shows (30 to 40 minutes each) on Valentines day for all the kids in the school. Each grades show varied a bit. I am always tickled by how sharp kids are when it comes to the subtleties of a story. I am discovering that doing multiple shows is the most effective use of school funds. I am already there, so the cost difference of doing 5 or 6 shows instead of 1 or 2 is a of great savings to a school. Ask me about those breaks next time you call or email. And again thanks to Holly Tree.

PS Disc Golf Rocks!!!

The whole art of teaching is only the art of awakening the natural curiosity of young minds for the purpose of satisfying it afterwards

                        Anatole France

January came and went and the Superbowl was super. Go Giants! I am prepping for 3 shows over the next couple of weeks and trying to get some mailings done. I’m back over at DC Virgo on Thursday, Holly Tree Elementary for Valentines Day and Old Books on Front Street in downtown Wilmington on March 2nd where apparently I’m doing local stories. Can’t wait. Has anyone tried Disc Golf. Some friends are taking me later today for the first time. We shall see.

After 4 months on a movie set (Bolden) and 2 plays later I am finally getting back to what I want. I just finished A Christmas Story for the Thalian Association where I played the narrator( Ralphie as an adult). I spent 90 percent of the play on stage with a total of 46 monologues. It was a huge story to tell. Packed houses filled with very responsive audiences. My hat’s off to Robin Robertson and Michelle Gagliano as the father and mother. 2008 is already proving exciting as I am inspired to build a program around bullying and victims and a program on women empowerment. More on that later. Bookings are starting to happen but I have a lot of marketing yet to do. Happy New Year.

When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. Franklin D. Roosevelt

I have been away for awhile. I promised myself to blog at least once a week. Look at me. 6 weeks have gone by. I have had some great tells this summer and now it’s time to focus on the fall. Let me say thank you to Deana Truesdell and Delaney Radiology for the family picnic gig. I came with a 45 minute program but was cut short by the fact that one of the doctors was getting in the dunk tank and picnic coordinator didn’t want anyone to miss that. Still it was a great time and I got some nice compliments by some of the listeners. Thanks again. Also, thanks to Wendy Dahlin at Murray Middle School where 800 kids were a little disappointed at first that I was their end of the school year treat and not the pizza and coke they got last year. By the time the first story was told, they forgot about the food and by the end, they were wanting more. Hope to see them again. Now it’s on to some new programs and some historical character work. Looking forward to tellin to all of you very soon.

Always do what you are afraid to do.

                                         – Ralph Waldo Emerson