Honoring Failure
A couple of years ago I was doing a show for a primary grade audience at an elementary school. After an introductory song, I took a good look at the audience, decided on a particular story and launched into the telling.
A minute and a half into the story, I realized I had miscalculated – [...]
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Honoring Failure
Posted in Children, School culture, Schools, Teachers and teaching, performing for children on September 22, 2009 | 16 Comments »
It really isn’t about me – not tonight
Posted in Uncategorized on September 14, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Not to worry – I’m not doing the four post a day thing.
But..
Just got a message from my producer at NPR that a news item bumped my piece (What’s that about? What do they think this is, a news show or something?) But so many people had already commented they’re leaving it up on the [...]
NPR piece tonight
Posted in Uncategorized on September 14, 2009 | 3 Comments »
Tonight on National Public Radio, All Things Considered is playing a story about my learning experience with the National Anthem at a minor league ball game (yay, McCoy Stadium and the Pawsox!). You can listen tonight during the show (not sure which segment, sorry..) or go here http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112484915. Please comment and spread it around [...]
“I Work With Kids”
Posted in Uncategorized on August 10, 2009 | 25 Comments »
I’ve never been very good at explaining myself when asked what I do. On airplanes, or at arts receptions, or standing in line at the checkout counter. “What do you do?” they ask. I’m a storyteller, I say. (Pretty weird!) Or a songwriter. Or an author. But not exactly any of those things. Whatever [...]
Is Childhood More Dangerous Now?
Posted in Uncategorized on July 3, 2009 | 14 Comments »
I’ve written earlier (The Secret Lives of Children) about the constriction of freedom in children’s lives. One reason we don’t let kids out of our sight is because we’ve come to believe the world is a more dangerous place. It makes us nervous to have children out on their own- things go wrong [...]
Happy Pappy Day
Posted in Uncategorized on June 20, 2009 | 7 Comments »
I have, with some sense of pathetic entitlement, long considered Father’s Day the Great Afterthought in the American holiday calendar. The week before Mother’s Day, I’m down on my knees, begging my sons to do something nice for their mother; I will be held accountable for all their failings.
Father’s Day is different.
It seems Scotts [...]
What’s It All About?
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged arts in schools, Schools, Song, Story, storytelling on March 26, 2009 | 3 Comments »
I turned around the other morning and looked in the mirror to find someone significantly older than who I was the night before. Well, it seems like the night before. Somehow, I’ve spent thirty years singing songs and telling stories to all sorts of people in all sorts of places. [...]
