As I sit here this morning writing this, I am in pain.  My back has gone into spasm again.  It does that from time to time.  It’s a drag having a bad back.  Anybody can tell you that.  So when I get up to go into the kitchen to get a soda or something, I’ll be walking like Groucho Marx ( I realize this reference is lost on younger folks—go watch A Night at the Opera—it’s really funny).  Oh well.  It happens.  It will get better, please God. There have been plenty of times in my life when I’ve been in trouble, broke, in danger, scared, sick, worried, and I’ve prayed, prayed...

Let me tell you a story about something that happened to me when I was six years old. We lived in the back of my parent’s business, Wilson’s Plastic Engraving. There was a shop in front, and, attached to the shop, was a two bedroom house. Behind the house was a back yard. Behind the yard was a small apartment building with two apartments downstairs and one apartment upstairs. I don’t think I ever saw our downstairs neighbors, but our upstairs neighbor was an elderly lady. One day, I was playing in the back yard doing typical six year old boy stuff when the old lady walked up...

Sometimes people can be a bit thick. I know this. I’m a teacher. I’m a professional. So you can take it from me that people, well, kids at least, if you want to call kids people, can be a bit thick. For example, the other day I was teaching the kids about prepositional phrases. Don’t worry. I’m not going to try to teach you about prepositional phrases. Anyway, I told the kids that a prepositional phrase consisted of a preposition and a noun. I said that prepositional phrases always, as in ALWAYS, begin with a preposition. So then I asked a kid to identify the prepositional...

It was my youngest son’s birthday yesterday. He’s thirty-three years old. He once told me that what he remembers most from his childhood are the stories I used to tell him. I wasn’t even aware that I was telling him stories. I was just trying to be a good dad and help him grow in the right direction. So I told him stories in order to teach him lessons. That was long before I became a teacher. Once I became a teacher, I learned that was a good way to teach. You should start with what you know. If a person can see how one thing is like something he or she already knows, it is...

I used to be a store manager a long, long time ago in a different life. I used to manage a dime store. For those of you too young to know, a dime store was a variety store that carried a little bit of everything and sold it cheap. It was the kind of store you could buy batteries and underwear and hamster food all in the same place. Yeah, I know you can do that at Target or Wal-mart, but these were little stores. I didn’t start out as a manager, of course. I worked my way up, from stock boy to department manager, to assistant manager, and finally to manager. Now one thing you know...

Once upon a time, a group of people were cast away on a deserted island in the middle of the Ocean.  They had no radio.  They had no supplies.  They had water, and the lagoon was teaming with fish.  So they could survive, but there was no way off the island.  They dreamed of going home. One day, a battered life boat washed ashore.  The castaways rejoiced at their find.  Once they examined the boat, however, they found it full of holes.  The wood was rotting.  There was no telling how long it had been carried by ocean currents until if found its way to the lonely island. The castaways held...

When I was much younger, I met a psychic. It was a very interesting experience, to say the least. I did not intend to get a psychic reading or anything. It just sort of happened. My girlfriend at the time invited the friend of a friend over to my house to give me an acupuncture treatment, as my bad back had been acting up. I was glad to get the free treatment. I was not prepared for what I was to hear. After treating my back, this fellow took me for a walk, and proceeded to tell me everything about myself, things he never could have known, things I barely even admitted to myself....

I would have to say that the first time I decided to run a marathon, I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. First of all, I did it mainly to be supportive of my wife. She wanted to run a marathon and I encouraged her to do it. So I said I would do it with her. Now I like to think I’m a good husband and all, but I have to tell you, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Had I known, I might now have been such a supportive husband. We joined L.A. Roadrunners. Over 98% of everyone who trains with them finishes the race. They’re a great group. We trained for six months....

One day, back in the fourth grade, I was sitting in my seat as calmly as you please, more than likely drawing pictures in my notebook instead of diligently working in my grammar book, when the teacher brought one of the boys up and announced that the young gentleman was going to play guitar for us. I looked up to see Roy (yes, Roy—boys could be named Roy back then) standing at the front of the class with a white Fender Mustang electric guitar plugged into a small amplifier. Roy proceeded to play the surfing classic, “Wipe Out.” And that was it. From that moment on, I knew I was...

About thirty years ago, I performed at an open mic night at a local bar. I got a really good response. The manager of the bar kept motioning for me to do one more song after another. And when I finally finished, I got a good round of applause. Even if I do say so myself, I’ve always been good at putting on a show. Being able to play guitar and sing is one thing, but it doesn’t really matter if you are not entertaining. Let’s face it, the whole point of performing is to entertain. That’s why people come to see you. Anyway, I put on a good show, and after I left the stage,...