Postcards from the Funny Farm

I’ve written about many of my heroes here at the Funny Farm but none of them are quite as special to me as Dr. Seuss. Maybe it’s because he is a proponent of reading or maybe it’s because he is wacked out of his mind (like he’s from the funny farm here with us). Whatever the reason, I get inspired by Dr. Seuss and inspiration is the most valuable thing when you’re setting a goal for greatness. You are doing that aren’t you? Check out his life:

When Theodor Geisel was a young child, long before he would become Dr. Seuss, he used to mark in books. He had a set of books he had made his own by putting drawings and writings in. This should have been a clear indicator to his parents that one day his books would change the world. I am sure in their wildest dreams they never would have imagined what this young boy would one day do. Letting his imagination run wild was the first thing he did to set his dream in motion. These pictures made him happy. Following what made him happy would eventually make millions happy.

When Theodore got older and graduated college, he decided he wanted to write children’s books. He spent a lot of time and energy making his first book, an ABC book. No one published it. He felt rejected. He did not write another book for four years. This is identical to the experience of another great artist I have writ.... Neither gave up altogether though. Both rose to great acceptance after a major rejection. I think this is very important for us to note. Have you been rejected at something? How many years will you let pass you by before trying again. While we’re at it, can you imagine how cool it would be to have a copy of that ABC book that got rejected? Something to remember when people reject your work.

In 1936, Dr. Seuss was on a boat to Tudor. He heard the engines “talking to him” in the sounds they made. Standing there at the engine he “heard” the idea for another book attempt. This is probably one of the most quirky stories I have ever heard. That’s why I love it so much. I am like that. I hear my car creak and talk to me, I hear lots of strange sources of inspiration every day. I am also quirky. Are you? Don’t look at it as a bad thing. Being from the “funny farm” so-to-speak is a good thing. Just ask Dr. Seuss.

The quirky book that was borne out of the engine sounds was And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street. Now 50 years later it is one of Dr. Seuss’ most favorited book by children all over the world. After that is time in a blender history. Dr. Seuss has published hundreds of books since then, as you likely already know.

Theodor Geisel had a goal: he wanted to write books that were easy to read. As he worked for that goal he brought millions of people happiness and taught millions to read: including me as a young child!

Currently set for release is Horton Hears a Who. A major motion picture created from another Dr. Seuss masterpiece. When millions watch it they will be seeing a product of a quirky writer who had a vision and kept at it. The message of this book is that even the smallest person can make a difference. What a message!!! We all wish he could have given us more. He is a lesson to me to never stop giving. No matter who tells you you aren’t good enough or smart enough or _____ enough, just remember Dr, Seuss and how the Funny Farm, or our quirky thoughts, can become the bank and do a lot of good on earth as well. March 6th is Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Read one of his books and start making your crazy dream happen!

Has the life of Dr. Seuss affected you?

Yes, you read it right: 100 free postcards for your group or business! They come from a company called VistaPrint and they are running a deal right now where you get 100 free custom postcards printed just for you. Do you run a business? How about a small interest group that has a mailing campaign? This could be an awesome way for you to promote your group or your work through marketing. I remember one year we were worried here at the school I work at that not enough kids would show up for summer school. To help market the opportunity we printed and sent out postcards that read “Good News its Summer School Time.”

So what happened?

We got so many kids that year we had to turn some away to neighboring programs. This company is great, I have used them myself. They give you online templates to choose from or you can create your own artwork. Their website also offers rubber stamps, address labels, magnets, and a variety of other fun tools to make marketing your group or business a cinch. You could also of course use the postcards to send to your family or friends for announcements or other broadcast information. Think you might want these freebies? Okay, in closing, let me tell you how to get the postcards promotion:

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In this hectic world of ours I am drawn to people who smile and have a peaceful spirit about them. Being around these people is like an oasis. Since I know this to be true, I myself try to BE one of those people. Having a custom CD of songs I like in my car and in my classroom is one way there.

Music has both a hedonic component and an ethereal effect on the body and mind. When you hear your favorite song come on you body relaxes almost effortlessly. Having a full CD of these can be better than any medicine for fatigue or other mental ailments you might come up against. People in your sphere will be glad you are near them because your heart will be full of song and your posture will reveal someone who is truly involved in life and sensing all that’s around.

My music CDs also help me ward off what I call “bad energy.” Those people who are always negative don’t affect me as much when I am still humming my tunes.

Sometimes when I get to work I don’t know where to begin there are so many projects begging for my attention. Putting on the CD’s first tune, currently Del Amitri’s “Roll to Me,” gets me in that zone where I can laugh and think straight. Get yourself a CD made before you leave the house tomorrow, the whole world will thank you and you will thank me for suggesting it. Make your own peace and well-being a priority.

What are some of your favorite tunes?

This is a screenshot from my son’s favorite game, Soul Caliber II. Since I promised him an hour just me and him doing stuff once a week in attempt to bond more, this game has become a weekly endeavor. The beast reminds me of the beast of sleepiness attacking me right now: unyielding, ferocious, unmerciful.

I think the worst torture we do to ourselves is sleep deprivation. Why is it so hard sometimes to just lay down and take a nap? When we’re tired it’s hard to stay positive. Usually there are times in the day we can sleep more and we just don’t. And then of course there are the many times it just isn’t possible with all we have to do. Spain and Mexico used to have a siesta in the day when all the stores closed and everyone taking a nap. I love the Hispanic culture, you can read more on that at my Cheese Enchiladas article here. In Soul Caliber II you have to strike the beast down to kill him. In the case of the sleepiness beast, you have to stop and do nothing do defeat him… why is that so hard to do?

Back to what I was saying: The tired feeling when you have things to do but keep nodding off is the single-most brutal beast in my life. It makes me cranky, impatient, grouchy, and uncomfortable. Maybe it’s because I spend too much time working, maybe it’s because I have recently been cutting way back on coffee … whatever the reasons, I’m a tired dude today and I think it’s probably mostly my fault.

I need to face it: It’s not possible to be a possibility thinker when I am too tired to think.  See you on the other side of a much needed nap.

Have you come face to face with the most brutal beast?

It’s my daughter’s 3rd birthday today. We’re heading out the door for Chuck-e-Cheese then my parents are taking s out tonight. My camera is changed and will be quite busy today. Stay tuned for the online diary photoblog to come this everning. Hoep everyone is well, sorry I didn’t post much I figured out how to make Sandbox skins and I went to another place, it was so exciting.  I made my 2nd theme this month, a Sandbox skin, “Messy-Matthew”yesterday and I am really jazzed on it.  Eventually I will will clean up the code and make it public.

My TT is based on this week’s article at Cheese Enchiladas, “Leave Work at Work.”

1. Life is too short.
2. Kids need a “present” parent.
3. 98% of work problems work themselves out.
4. You are a better worker when you refresh at home.
5. The best ideas for work come when you are not thinking about work.
6. Prolonged stress can hurt your body.
7. Your work doesn’t think of you.
8. Work will come and go, but your family will always be there.
9. Worrying about work will not change anything.
10. What a difference a day makes.
11. You don’t have a stapler at home LOL (13 is a lot!)
12. Think of old people, do they worry about work?
13. You will appear as if you have your act together, even if you don’t ;)

[blenza_autolinktt]

I made this post mostly for my kids in future years. When they start having jobs of their own, they may find this set inspirational. It’s a such a beautiful set of views every day, my hope for them is that they always stop to take pictures.

And it’s another wonderful work day filling the minds of eager youth! Use it while it’s here.

Hand-painting - That was funny

This is just one of a long page of these: hands painted and posed as animals. My wife stumbled it and sent it to me. I had to share.

A long running hobby throughout my life has been songwriting. I think I wrote my first song in 7th grade, the chorus went something like this:

You’re out of reach, out of reach
I try to reach you try to make you believe
But you’re out of reach . . . to reach your peak.

Okay okay, so it isn’t “Every Breath you Take.” I hadn’t lived or read much but I had the music bug in me . . . the drive to write. After years of studying songwriting and spending time recording in the studio I can tell you that the drive and inspiration is the thing that can’t be taught. BUT other things can be, so let’s take a look at those:

Songs are not just one part, they have several. Breaking songs into parts is the first thing to teach about songwriting. The example above was, as I said, a chorus. The chorus is the singable melody, or the bit you can’t get out of your head on the golf course or at work. Have you ever just had a dumb song stuck in your head? Chances are that’s because they wrote a catchy chorus.

Next is the verse. The verses are where you develop the main idea (chorus). For example, if a girl is singing in the chorus about tears on her guitar, then in the verses she is tellin us why she’s cryin’ them.

Next is what the British call “The Middle 8.” I have no idea why they call it this. It could be because it comes in the middle to take the attention away from the chorus and verse. This is a short part you come up with that serves to bring back the sweet chorus and welcomed verse again.

Instrumentally, there is usually a solo and then a return to the chorus again and a fade or stop.

This is just one example of a song structure. It’s a fairly common one though. –so– How do I write songs?

Wow, quite a question. Let me explain how I wrote one song, my song “Talk to Me:”

1. Had an idea for the chorus in my head (this is a common way that songs come to me)
2. Sat down with a yellow pad and wrote an outline of the song.
   Chorus: “When you’re ready oh please talk to me.”
   Verse: “As we’re drivin’ there has grown a great big wall . . .”
   (repeat)
   Middle 8: “Don’t you tell me . . .”
   Solo: —-
   Chorus
   fade/stop
3. Worked it / recorded it / slept on it / changed it / (repeat bazillion times)
4. Book the time and do the final recording!!!

I’ve given just one example of how a song is envisioned and born. There are many ways to Rome. I’ve also left out elaboration in inspiration which is really the most important part in song creation. Anyway, I hope that took you to a new place, if it didn’t . . . all I can tell ya is that : Hey, I’m a simple man and a simple songwriter. Below is the song as it was recorded back in 1993 with some production help from Dave Sharp and all my buddies in my band back then.

Talk To Me ‘93

More of my recorded tunes and info at damienrileytunes, a MySpace Page:

I started teaching at age 27. Though I thought I was old then, I look back now and see that I was most assuredly still a very young adult. Back then I was very much a self-starter. After subbing in a district for 3 months I managed to get hired on a year’s teaching contract with NO credential based purely on my wit and candor and my ability to speak Spanish and English. In California, this is called an “emergency credential” and it’s rarely done nowadays . . . for good reason. I had absolutely no classroom management skills, apart from being a sub which is vastly different from being the only grown-up in charge of 36 ten year olds for 185 days. Those first 3 years were very tough, but I got by on the inspiration of my twenties. It seems like my thirties have required more strategy than instinct to find success.

Now, 10 years later with a full credential and a Master’s degree, I still often find myself at a loss for inspiration. I never give up though. On those days that I am discouraged and unmotivated, I try and get away from the daily routine. I put aside the lessons I had planned (as much as is possible to stay within my responsibilities) and I focus on the things that I truly enjoy: guitar, art, poetry, reading, songwriting, nature, etc. Then I tap into that wonder I have for those things and bridge it to the material I have to teach. For example: if I have to teach reading data on a graph, I make a graph about the different guitars there are.

I adapt my lessons that day to whatever is really giving me personal inspiration at that moment. All people (even small ones) are attracted to a leader or performer who is passionate about what he is doing. Kids want to emulate that energy. I remember going to see REM in concert in my 20’s and being so drawn in to what singer Michael Stipe was doing onstage. I didn’t understand the wierd symbols on the screen or the strange movements he made, like hitting a metal chair with a wooden rod on the off-beats on “World Leader Pretend,” but I tapped into his passion and energy for what he was doing, and when they left the stage I screamed for an encore. It was like a moth to a lightbulb, the lightbulb was passion. The world is so full of boring people. It’s important for leaders, teachers, writers, performers, and artists to share an influence that is NOT boring with this starved-for-passion world.

Discouragement that saps inspiration is the teacher’s biggest enemy. By tapping into and bridging my passions with my students, I am able to get through those tough days when I have to methodically put one foot in front of the other and keep remembering that I got into the profession to make a difference. With a brief look inward, it works every time. Group Project: Source Of Inspiration » Inspiratio...