Check Out a Unique Gift Children Can Grow With
Posted by admin on Nov 14, 2008
I am both a parent and a grandparent. And I am constantly seeking a unique gift children would treasure. Something that is memorable long after the gift is given. A memorable story is that kind of gift. And it is suitable for children of all ages. A CD full of stories will provide hours of pleasure. Think of the glimpse it can give into cultures and customs from countries around the world. World stories
You can find three CDs listed on the “Recordings” page of my website. Fables in Four Minutes contains ten wonderful stories from ten different storytelling genres. For listeners who want to take a virtual trip around the world, World Full of Stories makes a unique present. Parking in Manhattan, my latest project, represents a compendium of hilarious urban folktales, all of them sounding as though they really happened! To purchase my CDs, just follow the directions on the “Recordings” page to place your order.
Looking for a unique gift children will value and cherish? A unique gift children can grow with? A unique gift children can share with their parents and friends? A memorable gift is the gift of story. The kind of unique gift children will treasure for a long time to come. More information..
Keep up the good work.
Rockin blog.
Lovin this blog.
Cautionary tales abound, all of them containing messages to avert disaster. Do not go into the deep, dark woods! Steer clear of wild beasts! Do not talk to strangers! On the other hand, reward and happy endings comprise many folktales. Good is eternally pitted against evil. One can discover the Golden Rule in most plots. No matter what the genre, a good world story brings meaning to the contemporary world as well.
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Which one gives you more freedom to choose your own message? My personal penchant is for finding my own lessons when I listen to a story. The stories I chose for my Fables in Four Minutes and World Full of Stories CDs are good examples of nifty stories with subtle messages.
Nifty stories edify. Nifty stories appeal to a broad audience. Nifty stories travel beyond the culture from which they originate.
I wish I had found this site sooner. Have a nice day.
It alluded to the uniqueness and stylishness of the subject being described. As I grew older I heard the word being used in a wider range of topics: a nifty song, a nifty concert, a nifty evening out. Even later, the word took on a more cultured definition in reference to poems, books, and, of course, nifty stories.
Whenever I heard the word I assumed it meant something good, something attractive. However, it was only when I found myself using the word in my description of my own stories that I needed to define it.
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Folktales, on the other hand, are generated from daily village life. These stories rise out of a rural setting for obvious reasons. The world of folktales is also inhabited by fairy tales. Stories about magic and mystery were apt outlets for questioning minds of preliterate villagers. Cautionary tales abound, all of them containing messages to avert disaster.
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I needed this very information a while ago.
I will come back to this site.
And I hoped my children would do the same.
I am now a grandparent. And I am always on the lookout for a unique gift children would enjoy. Something that is memorable long after the gift is given. A memorable story is that kind of gift.
And one of the benefits is to see how world stories come directly from the cultures of origin. My firsthand experience of a given culture heightens my appreciation of their stories. I have visited countries in Europe, Central and South America, throughout Canada, the United States, and Southeast Asia. I find myself amazed at both the differences and similarities of the various countries.
You can find in every culture notions which they hold as sacred.
As a culture grows, so do its world stories.
I have been blessed by the number of world stories I have found from my travels around the world. I have also had the opportunity to learn a bit about each country. Customs and rituals. Geography and daily habits.
A unique combination.
As you know, everyone loves to laugh. Laughter takes the sting out of life. And as long as we are laughing at the foibles of others (and not ourselves) we find those situations funny. This is priceless humor.
I keep lots of memories from the days when I was a young parent. Some of them are downright exasperating! One of them involves purchasing gifts for my children. Holiday gifts. Birthday gifts. Gifts rewarding good behavior.
However, it was only when I found myself using the word in my description of my own stories that I needed to define it. Actually, it was a listener who called my material “nifty stories,” and that comment sent me to the books. The current Wiktionary defines the word as “good; a general term for anything that is good, useful or beneficial. ” A thesaurus gives synonyms such as “peachy, smashing, dandy, great, keen, and groovy,” all of which strike me as exchanging one jargon term for another!”
So how do I define nifty stories? The stories I tell always have a message, a lesson, a bit of perspective, and they are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making their point. You could say that my idea of nifty stories is stories that enlighten as well as entertain.
Both my mother and my grandfather told similar stories. Once in a while, a teacher would tell a story that held profound meaning to me. I was surprised to find how memorable those stories were. To this day I still remember and follow those messages. Treat others the way you want to be treated.
This is a helpful blog.
There needs to be a message beyond a witty punch line.
Any story with a moral at the end sends the listener a clear message. It teaches using a concrete example. On the other hand, many stories are not so obvious in the lessons they offer. The meaning is hidden in the actions of the characters.
“Service with a Smile” on my Parking in Manhattan CD offers the listener a great hidden lesson. Long after they are told, inspirational stories stay in the memory. I am even inspired by the inspirational stories I tell!
The world of today is a fast moving, complex world. As we head on down the highway of life, we can all use a little direction to guide us. Inspirational stories can help us in our travels.
And I hoped my children would do the same.
I am now a grandparent. And I am constantly seeking a unique gift children would treasure. Something that will last far beyond the moment of giving. A memorable story is that kind of gift.
For centuries stories have been told and retold throughout the world. How come? For one thing, they are entertaining. Another reason is that they deal with the human condition, one way or another. Even stories using animals as characters reflect the situations and actions of our species.
The struggles of life have been with us for centuries as well.
And one of the benefits is to see how world stories come directly from the cultures of origin. My firsthand experience of a given culture heightens my appreciation of their stories. My travels have taken me to Southeast Asia, Central and South America, around the United States, Canada, and Europe. I find myself amazed at both the differences and similarities of the various countries.
All cultures regard certain notions as sacred.
Great blog.
Glad i found this.
The messages of long ago still have merit in the world today.
What’s so important about inspirational stories? First, consider the barrage of daily news and information. Second, the lives we live give us no breathing space to reflect. And without time to reflect, how can we develop insight into the affairs of the day? Here is the place for inspirational stories. A listener can mull over inspirational stories.
A meaningful gift is even rarer. And when I did find a special gift, I regarded it as something of a treasure. And I anticipated that my children would do the same.
I am now a grandparent. And I am always on the lookout for a unique gift children would enjoy.
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I will tell my friends about this blog. Keep it up.
Why seek out inspirational stories? First, consider the barrage of daily news and information. Second, the lives we live give us no breathing space to reflect. And without time to reflect, how can we develop insight into the affairs of the day? Here is the place for inspirational stories. Inspirational stories give listeners something to chew on. They offer something to think about.
Second, the lives we live give us no breathing space to reflect. In the absence of time and reflection, we have precious little available insight to bring to current affairs. This is where inspirational stories serve us well. A listener can mull over inspirational stories. They offer something to think about.
Keep the great blog posts coming.
I am always on the lookout for stories that bring something more to listeners than a clever twist of plot. Something that listeners can take away from the story. Call it a message. Perhaps it gives a hint of direction. There could even be an outright moral.
Modern society is a far cry from rural villages, yet the stories ring true regardless.
Some world stories are downright funny. Other world stories are filled with mystery. Many world stories are full of insight. Often world stories are inscrutable.
Many Thanks.
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A good example is the memories I have of buying gifts for my children. Gifts for the holidays. Gifts for birthdays. Those occasional gifts rewarding good behavior. I would search high and low for something meaningful, something unique.
You could say that my idea of nifty stories is stories that enlighten as well as entertain. I look for stories with certain underlying values that help the listener to set their internal compass when sailing through life.
Any story with a moral at the end sends the listener a clear message. It teaches by example. However, the lessons in many other stories may not be as obvious.
I keep lots of memories from the days when I was a young parent. Not only those high points, but those exasperating moments as well. One of them involves purchasing gifts for my children. Holiday gifts. Birthday gifts.
Simply great.
Gifts for birthdays. Gifts rewarding good behavior. I spent some serious hours searching for something unique, something meaningful. Most of the time it was rough going. It did not take very long to realize that a good gift is rare gift.
Most of the time it was rough going. It did not take very long to realize that a good gift is rare gift. A meaningful gift is even harder to find. And when I did find a special gift, I regarded it as something of a treasure. And I anticipated that my children would do the same.
This was a great site. THank You.
I will be sure to remember this place. Have a nice day.
Keep on blogging.
Great blog. Thanks.
I liked reading this post.
Actually, I hit the books when a listener said my stories were nifty. The current Wiktionary defines the word as “good; a general term for anything that is good, useful or beneficial. ” A thesaurus gives synonyms such as “peachy, smashing, dandy, great, keen, and groovy,” all of which strike me as exchanging one jargon term for another!”
What makes nifty stories nifty? The stories I choose to tell are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making a point, a lesson, a message, a bit of perspective. You could say that my idea of nifty stories is stories that enlighten as well as entertain. There needs to be a message beyond a witty punch line.
Many world stories derive from mythology. They include creation stories along with other stories that explain the world.
By contrast, folk tales spawn from daily village life. Naturally, stories of the folk world are couched in rural settings. Fairy tales also live in the world of folktales.
Actually, I hit the books when a listener said my stories were nifty. The current Wiktionary defines the word as “good; a general term for anything that is good, useful or beneficial. ” The standard reference Compact Oxford Dictionary states: “particularly good, effective, or stylish. ”
What makes nifty stories nifty? The stories I choose to tell are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making a point, a lesson, a message, a bit of perspective. You could say that my idea of nifty stories is stories that enlighten as well as entertain.
I keep coming back to this blog.
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