Search Results for: blog storytelling the lost art

My Grandfather Was a Purple Heart

It really is possible to learn something new each time you have a chance to go and visit family. This weekend, I went to visit my mom and dad and during my trip I also attended a baby shower for my cousin and visited with one of my uncles. While we were sitting in my uncle’s living room, I noticed a very nice picture of my paternal grandfather, whom I never met because he had passed away before I was born. Until this weekend, I never really knew how he had passed away. I had assumed that it was cancer, … Continue reading →

The Art of Family Storytelling

Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the nuts and bolts of genealogy research – the names, dates, and records that you painstakingly search and record in order to preserve your family’s history for future generations. There are many other aspects of genealogy, and today I would like to take a closer look at one that is becoming a lost art – family storytelling. The phrase “family storytelling” may bring back memories of those times that your Grandpa got that twinkle in his eye and began to tell his most recent hunting story or the time when your … Continue reading →

The Magic of Storytelling

Once upon a time, before Mario Party, Zelda, and World of Warcraft, before Nintendo DS Lights, Wii, Sony Playstations, and video I-pods, and even before television and radio, there lived storytellers. Now, storytellers were an interesting breed of human beings, who looked pretty much like everybody else, except for a certain mysterious sparkle in their eyes. People, especially children, would eagerly gather around to hear their tales of enchantment, misfortune, romance, adventure, and luck. The storyteller was animated. The storyteller was passionate. She made her voice dance with magic and her face glow with expression. She took every listener along … Continue reading →

Storytelling – The Lost Art

Storytelling is a lost art in our modern day society where we can flip on the boob tube and see just about anything we want. It wasn’t all that long ago that fears surfaced worrying about the Internet and electronic books were going to be one of the last nails in the coffin for the books themselves. For families looking to emphasize the time spent together, but wanting to avoid the enticing trap of just sharing the same space to stare at the television – storytelling might be a great option for your family to explore. Reading Together When my … Continue reading →

Teen Summer Reading: Birthday Suit

I don’t know if you have the same problem as I do, but finding good reading material for teens over the summer can be a challenge. In fact, just getting teens to read at all can be difficult. I was recently sent a copy of the “Birthday Suit” written by Tyler Durman. I decided to preview the book before handing it off to one of my teens. Well it didn’t take long before I was laughing out loud. He takes the long lost art of storytelling and brings it alive again. It is comprised of nine short stories that take … Continue reading →

Top 10 Ways to Get Your Kids Excited About Reading: Go Public!

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Do you want to get your kids excited about reading? If so, get ready for the countdown: ten days of ideas that will get you and yours into reading! Now, by going public with reading I’m not saying that you need to stand on a street corner reciting Shakespeare, although that would certainly make life interesting. No, by making reading public, I mean that you and your children can enjoy reading that takes place in a public venue. From story times to world famous authors, from poetry slams to a visit to the children’s bookstore, there are many ways to … Continue reading →

Spring Break Survival Tips

Did you watch the news tonight? All three major networks led their shows with the scary news that we’ll likely be paying $5 per gallon for gas by the time Memorial Day weekend rolls around. If you are planning to take a road trip this year, now is the time to do it. Spring break is an ideal time to load up the family and hit the road to explore our great nation; however, if you don’t plan properly the adventure could turn into vacation purgatory. To help you survive what could be a very, very long trip, consider stocking … Continue reading →

Mommy Addictions

Two words: Downton Abbey. After a hard day scrubbing filthy floors, washing stacks of soiled dishes, sorting mountains of dirty laundry, chasing unruly kids, cooking, chauffeuring, and calming crying babies, moms deserve a break; a chance to relax, unwind and indulge in something that brings them peace, repose and otherwise rejuvenates their spirit. According to an unscientific survey, these days, those highly anticipated (though extremely rare) Mommy breaks are being spent in front of a television screen fostering an addiction to Downton Abbey. The entire universe is reportedly enraptured by the ITV/PBS drama set in early 20th Century England, but … Continue reading →

Family History Is Fascinating

If you have ancestors that lived in America during the Great Depression, they may talk freely about how they survived those tough times. Some people don’t want to talk about it, but if you are lucky enough to know someone who does then you may want to spend some time interviewing them so that you can preserve their stories and their wisdom for future generations. When you talk to someone about how they got through the Great Depression, you may be surprised by what you hear – their tips for frugal living are usually relevant even in today’s economy and … Continue reading →

Memorial Day Celebrations

If you are planning a trip to visit family this Memorial Day, why not attend a Memorial Day parade or other activity in the local area that you will be visiting. Local communities offer many unique ways to remember those who gave their lives for our country. You may be surprised by what you find when you look into what activities are planned for the place that you are visiting. For example, today I learned about a Memorial Day event that is scheduled for my local community which really took me by surprise. The event is being held in honor … Continue reading →