With my children grown and independent I am able to ask the question, “What’s next?” Tied to that answer is the other question, “What do I want ?” This question has led me to ponder the inevitable question, “What do women want?’ This query has been asked for ages by pleading bewildered men with arms [...]
I recently watched Toy Story 3 and loved it! I reveled in its clever, creative, warm, surprising, and sophisticated storyline. I want a friend like Woody who is loyal no matter what (I’ve got two actually). When Buzz does the Latin number I thought about going out and buying a little Buzz Light Year of [...]
This past week I worked with 17 elementary students at the Hangar Theater Next Generation Camp in Ithaca, NY. I decided that I would work only with oral stories rather than the traditional method of teaching children stories through the written word. I told a story, then we practiced the bones of the tale, and [...]
Once, a little river turtle went for a walk away from the cool water. “I am on an adventure!” he said to no one in particular. He walked and he walked and he walked and he walked. He walked all morning, looking at one thing and another. Feeling the hot sun upon his back, he [...]
My father was a passionate man. Quick to temper, quick to touch, quick to slap, quick…. He was also quick to love and it was his love that saved us all. His inability to be quiet and slow saved us because regardless of what happened, we knew we were loved. On this Father’s Day I [...]
I’ve had my dog Byron for eight years. I got him for my son, Sam. Sam hated elementary school. I mean, he HATED elementary school. I knew my kid needed to talk to someone and who better than a dog? So, we went to the pound to look. I said, “Let’s get a small female [...]
The 12th annual Ojai Storytelling Festival was a wonderful success. We were in a brand new venue and had to build a festival literally in an open field. Everyone pitched in and created a village of tales. One of best parts of the festival was Regi Carpenter. Her stories were so alive and boy can [...]
Dear Friends, I was on the plane to St. Louis to tell some stories and listen to more when my plane was rerouted to Lansing Michigan. My aisle mate, a young woman, pulled out two devices, talking into one and using her magic finger to command the other. I was impressed. She said, “This is [...]
As I listened to Regi Carpenter’s CD Bendable Barbies, I thought to myself, storytelling doesn’t get any better than this. Too bad lightening doesn’t strike twice. But sometimes lightening does strike twice. Diving and Emerging goes a step beyond Bendable Barbies to combine Carpenter’s glorious singing voice (think Judy Collins), her beautifully crafted stories, and [...]
I am in Watertown, NY today for a series of workshops and storytelling performances at the Roswell library and the arts center. Watertown is 22 miles south of Clayton, my home town. As I was driving north from Ithaca I noticed the imperceptible change of geography and sky that happens right around Adams. The snow [...]