Blog 11/05/13
Storyman
Update
I had
intended to do a lot of things recently but have been so busy with my life and
storytelling that I just plain failed miserably. I had intended to film at
least two more videos for my youtube efforts but that never happened but will
eventually. I had started writing again but my I discovered that until I retire
I just have too much on my plate to seriously pursue it. I need a new lap top
and have been scouring the internet in search of that and there is always the
proverbial squirrel that drags me off of my good intentions which includes
family and other activities.
This
last October was one of the busiest I have had in years and surprisingly only a
small portion of it had to do with ghost stories and that is awesome. One of
the programs I became involved in is an after school program called Aspire. It
is an after school educational activity prone program. I did one program for
the younger kids of my Tall Tales shiny Buzzard Program and in pre-program I
educated the kids about the concept of the tall tale before going into my act.
Shiny was a big hit. The second program was for the older kids grades 3-5 and I
was asked to do my Mountain Man program. In preparation for this program I gave
the kids a short history lesson regarding the background that lead to and
encouraged the mountain man trade before launching into the true stories. I
also involved the kids in the stories by having them use pick up phrases. I had
explained how Mountain men had their own kind of
language ( as all groups seem to do) and
when I would use a particular phrase the kids had a refrain to repeat in follow
up. This way the kids had to follow what was being said more intensely and it
worked beautifully. As an example I would say “Old Ephraim” and the kids would
respond.” Got Griz” or I would say,” Hold On!” and the kids would respond “I’m
a comin!” The response was so good that I am considering adding the
program back to my website once again. I love doing the True Mountain men
stories because there is such a sense of adventure and survival involved in
them that today we really have no concept of.
My
most delightful experience was my drive down to the TTL Temple Memorial Library at Diboll Texas ( south of
Lufkin) where I performed an hour and a half Ghost Story Concert. I love
these small town libraries and librarians. These libraries facilities are often
excellent and they almost always generate a decent size audience. Mary Howell,
the Librarian who hired me was as sweet as apple pie and took great care of me.
My set up was excellent and so was my audience of around 60 adults and kids. It
was just lots of fun. After the concert the Director of the library, Brenda
Russell, who had attended the concert even stopped by afterwards to talk with
me about my programs and to tell me how much she had enjoyed it. Just
doesn’t get much better than that. She promised me I would be back and that she
would be telling others about me. That is all I ask. I asked Mary if she
could send me a review that I could post on my website and I had it in just a
few days. I wish I could get the same reaction wherever I went and if I
did my website would be full of peoples thoughts about my storytelling.
Lastly I would like to mention my PTA program
at Grapevine Elementary that I did last month. I was asked to do my Fire Pit
Tales program which is a collection of personal stories. I had a good
size audience for that program that night and got a very good response to the
stories. None of the stories were meant to be knock down funny but there was
lots of humor in the stories. Both stories were focused on my childhood and
youth. I tied the two stories together with the theme of Exploration
(frontiersmen) and imagination. I really enjoyed telling those stories
because I have a lot to say in them and I seldom get to use this program. I
shaped these stories so that they are themed and they are making statements
about life. I don’t do preaching. It is not my goal or intention but
storytelling is about sharing ideas and morals and I think that all stories
should ( even ghost stories) should reflect something about those concepts. I
plan to devote more time to writing more of my Fire Pit Tales. I was a strange
little kid and me and my best friend got into a lot of mischief.
Lastly
back to the videos. I plan to post a video of Medieval Max hopefully before the
end of the year. I also intend to post a video of one of my Fire Pit tales
early next year. I have yet to decide which story I will post but I am leaning
towards Space Cadets.
I want to thank all who take time to read my blogs and to
follow my facebook fan page and who are my friends on my regular facebook page.
I appreciate your following and your time. A storyteller lives by word of mouth
and without that I am nothing. If you like what I do and appreciate my efforts
then please let others know. I may be little more than dust in the wind
when all is said and done but that doesn’t change the fact that some of what I
do makes a difference in someone else’s life.
God Bless and Keep Safe
Gary Whitaker the Storyman
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