Jeffrey Alexander Martin

Kids' stories seem simple. But, they are deceptively complex. Tima seemed a little jaded with the kids' stories we've been reading. He is in his twenties. But, they're a lot more fun than a textbook, and they're better for learning in a lot of ways. Sometimes I forget that other people don't see all of the meaning that I do. It's a good idea to show people how to look deeper. There are entire cultures that miss the true meaning of their most famous and foundational stories. (I'll do an article on the maiden tower stories from the Middle East at some point, which is a good example.) "The Three Little Pigs" is a story that everyone knows. But I've never heard anyone other than me seriously discuss it. Here are some of the notes I took from the conversation Tima and I had about the story. - - - - - - - What's the moral of the story? Or, the meaning of the story? build a strong house don't build a weak house wolves like ...

I recently attended a high school graduation party for the daughter of a friend of mine. Different people choose different ways to memorialize such events. Her older sister had everyone sign a chair when she graduated. It's a cool idea, but apparently there have been some logistical concerns of where to put it since then. So, on this occasion, a book was chosen. I, of course, like books. It's perfectly fine to just put your name down, and maybe a simple statement like "Good job!" or "Good luck!" But, I wanted to try for something that would be memorable and different. Something that could potentially act as a bulwark during those moments when you need such a thing. Perhaps it's too much to shoot for in a graduation book that you haven't prepared for or thought about. Nevertheless, I might have done it. - - - - - - - Life goes up, Life goes down, Life is all around. - - - - - - - When I read this here's what I think. "'Lif...