The Creative Classroom Experience book

My 4th book, The Creative Classroom Experience, is now available on Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle. It's a collection of some of my work on this site as well as some featured short stories that I've written**, along with some classic short stories from authors like Mark Twain and Ray Bradbury. And a commentary from--yes, it was "him"--Groucho Marx.

Here's the table of contents:

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1.    Commentary on the Creative Classroom Experience: p. 9

2.    “Welcome to the Creative Classroom”: p. 12

3.    Ground Rules and Principles of the Creative Classroom: p. 17

4.    The Creative Classroom Mandate: p. 21

5.    Grammar – Fundamentals of Reading and Writing: p. 25

6.    “Use to/Used to”: p. 27

7.    English is a crazy thing: p. 29

8.    Lay or Lie?: p. 35

9.    Numb about Numbers?: p. 37

10.  Homophones, homonyms, Synonyms, and Antonyms: p. 38

11.  The Perilous Points of Punctuation: p. 41

12.  Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?: p. 44

13.  Underlining and italics: p. 46

14.  Apostrophe marks show ownership: that’s mine!: p. 48

15.  That’s a Capital idea!: p. 51

16.  Quickly qualify quotes!: p. 53

17.  Clever, Crafty, Creative, and Calculating Commas: p. 55

18.  Writing is a good thing!: p. 59

19.  Oh, no, it’s ‘the dreaded Outline’!: p. 62

20.  THINK and brainstorm out your ideas!: p. 66

21.  “A Thesis is a powerful statement,” I declared: p. 70

22.  Who-What-Where-When-Why-How for a Thesis: p. 74

23.  Classic social archetypes (role models) for a Thesis: p. 77

24.  Four Motivating Factors of Society in Literature: p. 79

25.  The Creative Classroom Part II: a focus on literature and short stories and writing: p. 86

26.  Fluid Learning concepts for extrapolation and juxtaposing ideas: p. 87

27.  “What do you do well and how did you learn this?”: p. 89

28.  Topic Sentences are paragraph starters (and cues): p. 93

29.  Planning a Successful Tent Camping Trip: p. 99

30.  Learn to be a student: take notes and be responsible: p. 102

31.  Use transition words like a ladder for successful writing: p. 106

32.  Read good literature to develop critical thinking: p. 111

33.  “The Jungle” – a lesson in critical thinking: p. 113

34.  Using myth as a theme for a paper: p. 116

35.  Odysseus: the man and the myth: p. 117

36.  A myth: “A Modern Woman for the 21^st Century”: p. 123

37.  Go to college and find yourself a career and life: p. 131

38.  Haven’t I seen you somewhere before? Aren’t you famous?:   p. 134

39.  Bird Facts: p. 137

40.  The Renaissance – an outline for 8^th grade: p. 140

41.  Let’s Meet the Renaissance: p. 148

42.  The Renaissance Guild Assignments: p. 151

43.  “I’m (not) Afraid of Public Speaking: p. 171

44.  Poetry for Fun and Learning: p. 174

45.  MLA & APA – how to cite information: p. 179

46.  MLA & APA (and more) citation lessons: p. 182

47.  Even MORE Citation help for MLA/APA: p. 185

48.  Signal/Action Verbs show how an idea is presented: p. 188

49.  Sources for potential reading: science fiction, humor, fiction and more: p. 192

50.  “They Bite” by Anthony Boucher: p. 194

51.  “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury: p. 217

52.  “Jim Wolf and the Wasps” by Mark Twain: p. 250

53.  “Not Wasting a Watermelon” by Mark Twain: p. 255

54.  Great Builder: the Lady and the Brooklyn Bridge: p. 260

55.  “Manna From Heaven” – A one-act play: p. 273

56.  About the Author: p. 296

Harvard Business Classes online (Part II)

 This is Part II of my MBA delivery that I provide to my new students.

I call it "The Job Interview Twist," where a potential candidate turns the heads of the panel who is asking questions. It runs like this:

Them: "Tell us what you've done to prepare for this position in our company."

You: "I have researched and watched/engaged in the Harvard MBA business lectures videos to learn more about successful management. I felt that if I could succeed at Harvard, then I would gain knowledge that would help me improve myself as a manager beyond my MBA."

Them: "Wait. You took it upon yourself to watch lectures from Harvard Business School? Was this required in your curriculum?"

You: "No. It was my own initiative."

Them: (Sideways looks at each other)

You: "I'm very glad for the insights I gained and the broader social and economic knowledge I acquired."

Them (leaning forward): "Tell us more."

You: "I also had access to download them so I could keep and review as possible." {I'll do that for you if you ask.}

Harvard classes

Critical Thinking = Successful Problem-Solving Results

I can not say this enough times: if you know how to critically think and look at problems, the answers will come. Example in real-life for me: On Oct. 13, 2023, I was involved at 3:00 a.m. in a car accident in heavy fog coming down from the mountain where I live where a large rock had dislodged. I was enroute to a flight scheduled at 6:00 a.m. I coasted to a stop, contacted my insurance company, and then called for an UBER driver--which I hadn't used prior. So I had to open and validate an account online right away. I also had to make sure the insurance company would send a tow truck and make sure my car went to a repair facility. I made the flight. People asked me, "How were you so calm and prepared?" I answered, "I had no choice. 

I HAD to make that flight."

 

Rock 'n' Blues Stew II: The Musings of a Music Journalist

Paperback     Also available in Kindle. 

Just a few faces that you'll find in the book, along with Danny "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues" O'Keefe, Koko Taylor, the J. Geils Band, Bobby Whitlock, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Albert King, Rory Block, John Lennon, Led Zeppelin, Buddy Guy, and others.

(Hint: The Allman Brothers Band, Leo Kottke, Janiva Magness, Danny Kirwan and Peter Green, Delaney and Bonnie & Friends, George Harrison, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Levon Helm)

The Creative Classroom Kitchen is now open!

And now, the taste you've been craving from "The Creative Kitchen!" See? It PAYS to go to culinary school and learn things. 

The benefits of reading extend for a lifetime

 

Reading has an unlimited number of rewards; one of the most important of which may be that it stimulates the brain and simultaneously, the power and capacity to think and use one's imagination. It also encourages and promotes the power of the mind to connect and synthesize ideas in higher levels of thought--as I've used in vocabulary, "to extrapolate and juxtapose." 

I'm extremely grateful that my family encouraged my thirst for knowledge when I was a child and twice bought me volumes of encyclopedia. It also laid the groundwork for my fascination as a child for the subject of Greek and Roman mythology, and also that of Egyptian, Babylonian, and Norse myths as well. This certainly influenced my decision to pursue my undergraduate degree in psychology along with my life choice of professional work as a psychological consultant and Life Mentor in education. And now, especially because I can read and comprehend, I am teaching in an entirely new capacity as a graduate business communications professor, helping my students achieve their MBA (master of business administration). Furthermore, I can advise them on job skills and achievement beyond graduation.

And because I learned to read, I was able to advance my capacity to write--including teaching composition at a college and university level. (And along with that, 11 books.)  I'm so lucky I learned to read. It has helped me, more than anything, learn how to think.

Poetry to/from the stars

Yes, I write poetry: 

"Upon this Earth"

Upon this Earth
Thy day of birth
Was ascribed to thee.
Would’st  thou mind
And be so kind
To render such to me?
I know it not;
There is no plot,
And thus I say by letter.
Would you do so
And help me know
To understand you better?
The real key
Which I can’t see
Becomes the exact time.
And so on wings
Of written things
I say these words in rhyme

(c) MDLOP8 2022

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"Star Light, in sight" (for Alix Bogart)

In a time quite long ago
You were one who yearned to know
The secrets of the Universe
A person who was sometimes terse.
With someone else who loved to ponder
Things that happened here and yonder.
Both of us would wonder why
Things occurred up in the sky.
And further out; we tried to see
Splendid things that seem to be
Hidden from the average soul
To learn them all became our goal.
I was one who had intentions
Make good use: my mind’s inventions.
You would read and contemplate;
Between us two, we did debate.
Others thoughts in ancient Greek
We scientists did learn to speak.
Powdered wigs upon our head
We challenged what each other said.
You have returned; I’m glad to see
Your name, I think is known to me.
But who I was, I’ll let you guess,
But worry not, nor feel duress.
I told you then of what I know
And now I see ingrained to show.
You did not know the thoughts I shared
But I am glad to see you cared.
Enough to wish to learn them now
I’m back again; I’ll show you how.
But be of cheer; you made your claim
And what you found has kept your name.
It does appear: it seems to burn
Samuel Clemens: he did learn
That when it came to see his birth
He knew his time allowed on Earth.
So solve this riddle and you’ll see
Identities: both you and me.
The Guiding Stars will tell the clue
The hint of what I said to you:
“I studied it (our tempers hot);
I know it, Sir, but you do not.”

(c) MDLOP8 2004
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Psychologically, the Moon represents how we perceived the quality of mothering from our primary care-giver, whether or not she actually gave birth to us. Through the years, many women have given me training, nurturing, and wisdom.

  
     This poem was inspired by a friend whom I miss very much, the late Jill Smith of Greenville, South Carolina:

"On a Full Moon,You can See Forever"

Madam, I’m Adam,

But I’m not the First

Man that’s been called that;

My ego would burst.

Your skills I would reckon

Will surely provide

The answers I’m seeking

From the sea’s rising tide.

For the moon has the stories

To the things that I need

And the stars high above

Have the lessons I’ll heed.

For your words I will ponder

All these life episodes

And I hear that direction

Comes from North and South Nodes.

So shortly I’ll forward

All the facts of my birth

And ask you to translate

My mission on Earth.

It comes once again

In April each year.

The news that you’ll give me

Is worthy to hear.

So render your fee

I’ll look at it twice

But act on it timely

And take your advice. 

(c) MDLOP8 2002