Cecil Murphey

Most adults who win awards in public grin for an instant, then try to look dignified as they approach the stage to accept their prizes. Not Cec Murphey. I happened to be sitting near him at a writers conference when he won an award and rose to claim it, grinning like a little kid. About a year later at another conference I told him he had the most authentic smile I'd ever seen and he told me he prays every day for God to keep him authentic. His prayer is obviously answered.

Cecil Murphey is the author of many best-selling books and an admired public speaker. It would be easy for someone in his position to become conceited, but I'm sure he never will. He has also been through more than his share of troubles but manages to keep smiling authentically and helping others in many ways.

My tagline is "Opening Eyes, Opening Hearts" and I only wish I could do that as well as Cecil Murphey. He can be funny, too.

If Cec sees this post he'll probably be embarrassed, but I can't think resist mentioning him because there's nobody I admire more.

Nematodes

Many years ago I read that scientists had discovered a way to triple the lifespan of nematodes and they thought eventually they might be able to do the same thing for humans. Every stage of the little worms lives was three times as long.

Let's see....

If that happened to humans we'd be pregnant for 27 months and be awakened by crying babies most nights for several years. Potty training and the terrible twos would last three times as long. Eventually we'd have (and be) teenagers for 24 years. Let's not even think about how long we'd have to deal with hot flashes and, for some people, the aches and pains of old age might last for about 90 years.

Thanks, but no thanks.

No wonder we've never heard any more about those experiments! You don't have to be a scientist to figure out that it's better to leave the long lives to the worms.

Prejudice and Bigotry

Members of a Yahoo group for writers I belong to have been discussing the influence of prejudice in our society and how that shows and can be discouraged in children's books. Although we've come a long way since before the Civil Rights movement, prejudice still exists in our society. There's also sometimes a problem with minority people being prejudiced against those in the majority.

The vast majority of humans in most books for kids are white and sometimes the characters are portrayed as animals in order to avoid having them be members of one race or another.

Some people feel that only members of minority groups can write about them accurately, while others think research can solve that problem. And some stories, especially in picture books, are universally true and the illustrations could show children of any race or national background.

I believe the more characters of varied ethnicity children read about and see in illustrations the less likely they are to become prejudiced adults.

Saving Money

These days most of us want to save money. Here are a few ways to do that.

First, we need to buy only what we really need.

Second, it helps to buy large quantities of frequently used bargain items. Some ways to do that are joining places like Costco or Sam's Club where things are sold in bulk, and shopping at outlet stores. If storage space is a problem sometimes two or more families can share the cost and split the purchases.

When something we often use is on sale it's a good idea to buy two or three times the usual amount. But before using coupons or purchasing sale items check the prices of similar things. Sometimes other brands have everyday prices that are lower than the cost of the products on sale.

A clothing swap between families can be fun.

Some people are embarrassed to shop for clothing, books, and household items in second hand stores, but there's no reason to be. I can't buy used clothes anymore because the fragrance in the products the stores used to wash or clean them bothers my allergies, but I used to do that. I always felt proud when I could find something like a gently used designer suit for only a few dollars.

Another way to save money is to cook food from scratch and eat at home. With practice it's possible to cook enough dinners for a whole week in a couple of hours, and just reheat things each evening. Alternating between several kinds of food and freezing extras keeps the menu interesting and the meals can cost a lot less than frozen meals or fast food.

If money is tight there are still a lot of fun things for families to do. It doesn't need to cost anything extra if families take turns inviting each other over for dinner, but they still get the pleasure of eating out. If the kids in each family prepare performances for their guests that adds to the enjoyment.

A picnic at a park or beach, playing games together, or going for walks usually don't cost a thing. Other cost-free things families can do are singing together and reading books out loud - not just bedtime stories, but fiction the whole family will enjoy. Some classics are great to share that way.

There are many ways we can pinch pennies and still have enjoyable lives.

The Soggy Town of Hilltop

I've already reviewed a couple of books by my internet friend, Kevin McNamee, so I was pleased when he sent me his newest one. I love it!

The Soggy Town of Hilltop is a rhyming picture book and, unlike some of those I've seen, the rhyme and meter are consistent without being forced. But that's not the important part. The story is loaded with the kind of humor kids enjoy.

I won't give away the plot, but can't resist saying it gives a whole new meaning to 'trickle down economy.' ;-)

The book also teaches kids a lesson about bullying in a very subtle way.

But I don't want to make it sound too serious. The Soggy Town of Hilltop is a fun and funny story, and the colorful illustrations by Eugene Ruble do an excellent job of capturing that feeling. Children will love it.

Shroud of Turin?

Because my book, The Peril of the Sinister Scientist, is about a kid who thinks he was cloned from the blood on the Shroud of Turin I've been watching for information about the Shroud. Besides the obvious things such as the current display and comments the Pope has made on the topic, there has been a lot on the internet about the validity of the Shroud.

Scientists in the '80s did carbon dating and are certain that it could not have existed before the Middle Ages, but they can't agree on a convincing explanation of how it was created. Apparently some sort of radiation was involved, but it's not likely that there was a radioactive corpse.

Here's a possibility nobody has considered; what if the cloth had been placed over a statue of Jesus Christ that was carved from some sort of radioactive material? That doesn't explain the blood on the Shroud, but it's not impossible that whoever authorized the creation of the statue might have added human blood to make it look authentic and impress people. (Hmmm... Maybe that would make a good plot idea. Too bad I don't write that sort of books.)

A lot of people in the Catholic Church believe that the Shroud of Turin actually was the burial cloth of Jesus Christ. But it doesn't take scientific evidence to make the authenticity of the Shroud doubtful. According to the Bible, Jesus was buried in two separate cloths, one on his head and one on his body. The Shroud of Turin is only one piece of cloth.

However all Christians can be inspired by the reminder it gives of the Crucifixion. I hope my book will also be an inspiration to the kids who read it.

Road Trips

"Are we there yet?"

What parent on a trip hasn't grown weary of hearing those words from a squirmy kid?

Yes, sitting in a car for hours can get boring for children, but there are ways to make it less so. The obvious way is for kids to entertain themselves with electronic games and other devices. Kids and even parents may be texting and communicating with other people on the internet, or reading e-books as they ride.

Those things can help to kill time on long drives, but vacations are supposed to be occasions for families to bond and become closer.

Taking a break from the individual activities and sharing old camp songs, making up a story together, counting certain things you drive past, sharing family memories, or taking turns saying something nice about each other can help create a sense of togetherness on long drives. I'm sure we can think of other ideas, too.