Happy Holidays

 

Happy Holidays to all!

2022

Destination Onward

 

Destination Onward: The Story of Fates Warning.

 

Excellently presented by a writer possessing rich experience in the field along with deep appreciation of the subject.

Wagner's perspective as a skillful journalist and critical fan rings true throughout. He tells the story of the band--obviously one of his favourite musical outfits--with both honour and honesty, apparent that he was not simply interviewing people connected with Fates Warning but rather hanging out with them and relishing the stories they had to tell, thankful they would all trust him to collect everything--every memory and every expectation, every success and every regret, every inside joke and every outside anecdote--and bind the scattered pages together. How enviously I read, even whilst realising with every word that this was the guy destined to write this book. And I am thankful he did.

I sure did learn quite a lot about my favourite band, its members and extended connections.

Only one thing bothered me.

He mentioned the Awaken The Guardian 30th anniversary shows, how folks were singing along with every song, straining for each note.

I was amongst the fortunate few to attend both shows--the one in Germany and the one in Georgia. I must proclaim that I, myself, at each concert, only stood silently...listening. I was there to hear Fates Warning's voice, not mine.

Nevertheless, I truly enjoyed reading the book--listening to each album, chapter by chapter. 

Thank you Jeff Wagner for translating the story of Fates Warning from music to words.

Links:

Order the book here – http://fateswarningbook.com

https://fateswarning.com/2022/03/10/destination-onward-the-story-of-fates-warning-book/

https://radicalreseahttps://www.facebook.com/FatesWarningBookJeffWagnerrch.org/product/destination-onward-the-story-of-fates-warning-book-by-jeff-wagner/

https://www.facebook.com/FatesWarningBookJeffWagner

Pumpkin Patch 2022

Our pumpkin patch was a smashing success this year, in spite of -- or, perhaps, because of -- the strange growing season (late start, weak seedlings, heat waves, wet August, and frostless Autumn).

40 Pumpkins in all.

A far more "smashing" success than last year--when an out-of-control driver "smashed" through our fence and "smashed" through our pumpkin patch!

 Pies, Cakes, and Jack-O'-Lanterns Await!

Banned Books

Banned Books week was last week.

 

Better believe I'm celebrating Banned Books next year too.

As has been said by better readers than me:

A book worth banning is a book worth reading!

 

 

For more resources, visit the American Library Association -  https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/

Library To Library

 

I've accepted the Certified Librarian position at Centennial Junior High School.

It has been my honor to be Crest Hill's Librarian these past years and to serve learners in the elementary setting, helping foster a love of books in so many developing readers.

I'll do my best to continue supporting Elementary Libraries and their Learning Communities any way I can. But now, I aim to work within an entirely different library setting, with a perhaps-not-so-different group of learners, to inspire them and engage them and to make a positive impact for all community members and help them develop onwards...

...so even as I continue my own journey of learning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Late Post Pops Up!

 I do my best to make at least one blog post per month.

This month's is late.

Here's why:

 

Yep! We're Poppin' People!

Anyone who has ever messed with a pop-up camper knows exactly what has been demanding all my attention and effort for the past week.

Nevertheless, we hope to have lots of fun with our new contraption!

 

As the Planets Align

I witnessed June 2022's planetary alignment on the morning of the Summer Solstice. I rose early, drove to the foothills of Casper Mountain, and stood in awe to behold Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury sweeping in order across the sky, all leading to the dawning of the sun above the horizon. Of course, the Moon stood next to Jupiter that morning, and Uranus and Neptune hid in full view as well, although I did not bother with binoculars or a telescope, so I could not see them. The five wandering wonders blazed breathtakingly bright. An absolutely spectacular alignment. Once the Sun was up, I resolved to have my family see the alignment too, while they could.

The morning of June 24th would be the best view, for the Moon would be standing--as if in place of Earth--between Venus and Mars. I bought a bag of Little Debbie donuts, set the alarm, and warned the wife and kids. Awakening early that morning, I stumbled outside to check the sky. Dark and overcast. I awoke the family anyway. While they were shambling into their jackets, I made hot cocoa, grabbed the donuts, and made sure to bring the binoculars--all while hoping against hope that the clouds would break. They did not. Kelly and the Twins were not too terribly upset that I had dragged them out at such an ungodly hour. They did enjoy the donuts and cocoa, after all. Nevertheless, I became even more determined that they had not risen in vain, that they should--and would--witness the planetary parade.

For the next few nights, I awoke at 3:30 and crept out to check the Heavens.

Again and again: Cloudy.

Finally, this morning, Monday, June 27th, I arose to check the sky. Clear as crystal. I awoke the wife and Twins, made some cocoa, snapped up the donuts, remembered the binoculars, and drove everybody up the hill. Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, and Venus blazed forth. We all stood in amazement,a few of us shivering in the cold, crisp, stillness, with the wind but a whisper. So then, chomping donuts and sipping cocoa, we all sat in the car and watched the sliver of a crescent Moon race its way over the horizon. With the first intimations of dawn colouring the sky in crimson orange, we kept watch for Mercury to appear. Little, elusive Mercury is tough to catch in the glare of the Sun. At last, we found it, hiding to the side of the Moon. And just like that, the planets began fading into the faint haze of morning.

I am thrilled that the sky finally broke, that the family got to witness the rare celestial wonder, and that they  don't all hate me for insisting they participate in such a crazy escapade. What an awesomely auspicious way to begin the Summer.

One Verse to Another

I am always amazed at the ways of inspiration.

I have multiple pieces going right now: a handful of short stories, a few poems, and a novel. I try to write on each new piece every day. Some days, it's only a few words apiece, making for horribly slow progress on them all.

Regarding the novel: for the past few weeks, it has almost felt like the story itself were stalling, with the narrator refusing to advance the story he is presently telling, as if afraid to reveal what comes next--but really, it's all because of the writer's own halting pace and agonising indecisiveness. I just wasn't sure how to reach to the next plot point. I was on the verge of putting it aside for a while and re-examining my outlining.

Then, whilst working on a whole other piece (a gift of verse for my wife, it so happens), inspiration struck. And I knew exactly how to carry the story forward. All by applying one verse's ideas to another.

And once again, I was astonished at how each and every word progresses precisely as it should.

And as ever, I am amazed at the ways of inspiration.

Too Busy Reading & Writing To Be Reading & Writing

Seems the theme of recent years has been that I have less and less opportunity to write. For the last while, I have had trouble sparing a few moments to read as well.

Lately, though, it has been all for the right reasons.

I have been directing my local school district's Young Authors Program and also helping out on the team working to resuscitate the statewide program. Working on young students' writing has further reduced opportunities to focus on my own. Not many nobler reasons, though.

Also, I have been working to revive my school library's Spring Book Festival after two years of it existing in only virtual form. The library is leading the school in a celebration of books and reading with a week filled with activities like book swapping, dress up days, and library prizes. We will also be having a community night featuring Books For Dessert: an edible book raffle, a cake walk (with reading rather than music), a book drive, and all sorts of Build-a-Book crafts.

The Library Club will also be unveiling the Little Free Library they're building.

It has proven to be a whole lot of work bringing the Book Festival back to life.

Indeed, I have been too tired at night even to reach for the volumes waiting on my nightstand. But again, what better reason than helping an entire community to celebrate books and reading?

Auroraless

Last night's Wyoming skies shimmered with the Aurora Borealis.

And last night I...I slept through it.

Thankfully, all the day long, folks have been sharing images all over social media. While they are all spectacular, the photographs only help show the astonishing wonder of what I missed, alas.

Perchance when they shine again... 

 

 

Keep the Box

I was raised with:

 

Patty cake, Patty cake, Baker's man,

Bake me a cake as fast as you can.

Criss it and cross it and mark it with a B 

Put it in the oven for Baby and me.

There are plenty of variations.

When the Twins were little, I came up with one of our own:

 

Kick the feet, kick the feet, with no socks

Buy a big appliance and keep the box.

You peak in, and I'll peak out, and we'll have fun.

Imagination knows no bounds til we are done.

 

Well, our dishwasher went out a while back, and we finally broke down and bought a new one.

Even at ten years old, the Twins are still reciting that rhyme and still having fun turning a big, ol' box into a fort, a castle, a space station, a place to play and explore the power of imagination.

 

 

I hope they never lose excitement for all the possibilities to be found in a big box...

...and that they remember to share their weird little rhyme with their own children.

 

 

 

 

Visit to the Library

Local author, Casey Rislov, visited my school library this past week. 

Students loved it.

 

Here's a link to the post from the school library's blog:

https://cresthilllibrary.edublogs.org/2022/01/28/january-2022/

 

The first visit from an author I have facilitated, it proved to be an experience I'd definitely like to provide more often for pupils and patrons.