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Category Archives: Other Musings
Other postings about news, writing lifestyle, other authors, etc.
2014 in review
Here’s an excerpt:
A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 5,200 times in 2014. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 4 trips to carry that many people.
Welcome to my new site!
Hello, there! Welcome to my new and improved author website!
On the left of the page you will see all of the usual – My photo, Facebook, Twitter, Archives, etc.
On the right, you will find my latest promotions, contests, and other dynamic content as I create it! 🙂
And, of course, in the middle, you will find my blog!
Look towards the top of the page for links to my Bio, Books, Fantastic Adventures and my Contact Page, where you can book me for readings, conventions, or just drop a line and say hi!
Enjoy!
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Movies For Fathers: Big Fish
Every now and then I like to take time to recognize fathers and provide something enriching. My last entry was about an amazing book for dads with daughters, Oh Boy! You’re Having a Girl! by Brian A. Klems. This time I have a great movie recommendation for anyone who has had a father or father figure in their lives, or anyone who is a father.
The film “Big Fish” by Tim Burton is nothing short of a masterpiece about fatherhood. Coupled with Danny Elfman’s soft, loving score, you are guaranteed to shed a tear. If you’re not familiar with the story, it is about a middle aged man returning to his hometown because his father is gravely ill. Father and son have not spoken in many years because the son got tired of his father’s constant tall tales and feels like he never gets the truth from his dad. He comes back to say his goodbyes and, in the process, learns more about his father than he ever knew, including that all of his tall tales were based on actual events that happened to his father. I won’t spoil the ending, but if you have a father you will call him immediately after the film, and if yours is no longer around you will cry yourself to sleep.
Take some time for yourself and connect with who you want to be as a father. It is a very rare thing here in America for men to get introspective about who we are. We’re told to do certain things and be some sort of caricature of fatherhood. View yourself from your kid’s eyes and build yourself the way you wish to be seen. Be yourself and show your kids that it is okay to have fun, have faults, make mistakes, win, lose, laugh and, most importantly, cry. Go watch “Big Fish”, evaluate yourself as a father, and rejoice in being a father.
Introduce your kids to Shakespeare!
Being that today is Shakespeare’s birthday, why not use that as an excuse to introduce your kids to Shakespeare? Not sure where to start? You’re in luck, because I’m bout to give you a guide!
Start here: The Folger Shakespeare Library has an excellent site for teaching Shakespeare to kids. Filled with activities, facts, challenges and introductory Shakespearean word definitions, this web site will give you a lot of educational content to share with your kids.
No Sweat Shakespeare: This collection of Shakespeare stories are rewritten in simple English that kids can understand. They also pass over all the violence and lewd jokes (no fun for adults) which is perfect for younger kiddos.
Shakespeare 4 Kidz: If you are a bit more ambitious (and you should be), you can get these shortened, kid friendly Shakespeare plays to put on with your kids’ school, church group, friends, etc. Everyone learns and has a great time!
The best thing about all of these options is that they get kids interested in Shakespeare’s stories. The younger they are when they start learning the basics of Shakespeare’s work, the more interested they will be when they have to read that mandatory Shakespeare play in high school. And hopefully they will start taking an interest in not only literature, but theatre as well! Win win!
Choose my next book!
Books for Dads: “Oh Boy, You’re Having a Girl!”
As boys, we grow up trying to get far away from girls. As men, we try our hardest to make up for that lost time in an endless quest to understand women. Somehow, we actually get a woman to marry us and even have our child! Well, guess what? That child turned out to be a girl. That’s right – that elusive gender you know pretty much nothing about! Have no fear, Brian A. Klems is here to help you through it!
How do you have a tea party? Potty train a girl? How does a man deal with so much pink in his life? All these, and other questions, will be answered in humorous anecdotes from a man who is raising not one, but three, girls. Brian A. Klems is a true man’s man. He loves Sportscenter, Fantasy Baseball and having a drink with the old college buddies. You’d think I know the guy, but I don’t. That’s how forthcoming he is in this book and, as a result, is very relatable to the average man.
My message to new fathers of girls: sit back, try to relax and read this book. You will be more knowledgeable for it and have a few extra joked to slip into your repertoire. Thank you for this wonderful book, Brian A. Klems.
“Oh Boy, You’re Having a Girl” by Brian A. Klems
Happy Birthday, Egdar Allan Poe
One of the most imaginative writers in American history, Edgar Allan Poe, was born on this day in 1809. His stories have always had a great influence on me, one I hope to share with you later this year for a short Halloween spooktacular story that will be published exclusively on this blog.
Most know the general story of Edgar Allan Poe, including his history of alcohol abuse. What most people do not know, is that the famous image of Edgar Allan Poe that accompanies his obituary is probably the most unflattering picture of the man ever taken. The man who wrote his obituary, Rufus Griswold, had quite a beef with Mr. Poe and painted him in the worst possible light. It is Rufus who cemented the image of Poe as a drunkard and womanizer in the mind of the public. Of course, his real life was much more tame and normal, but that doesn’t make for as good a story does it?
Happy birthday, Edgar Allan Poe. Your stories live on!
Still alive, mostly
Sorry for the lack of posts lately, folks. Apparently the holiday rush has yet to end for me. Between balancing life as a full-time dad, writer and general housekeeper, I have not scheduled the proper time for my blog. Alas, I think I may have to throw getting sick into this mix. I may or may not have an impending fever and upset stomach. We’ll see what happens!
Rest assured, as part of my new year’s resolutions, I have officially scheduled time to be at “work”. I am continuing work on my two novels, and now that I have scheduled work hours I hope to be extremely productive and creative with both my novels and this blog!
I’m really looking forward to sharing my stories with you, as well as Fantastic Adventures in Family Entertainment, and other tidbits I happen on along the way.
Please leave a comment if there is a particular feature or idea you would like me to cover on this blog. I am always open to suggestions.
See you all (virtually) very soon!
Ryan R. Palmer
Ryan R Palmer, Author 