Robert Young

February 15.  This is the birthday of Alfred Carlton (A.C.) Gilbert, who would turn 117 if he were alive. It is not easy summing up a person’s life,  much less someone as energetic and creative as A.C.  Sure, he helped transform the U.S. toy industry by inventing the Erector Set and developing other educational toys for kids during the first half of the 20th century.  But, he was also an elite athlete, an accomplished magician, an employer who cared the people he hired, a traveler, and a devoted family man.

What stands out the most for me from all the research I did to write my Magic of A.C. Gilbert book was his dedication to fun.  “I have never worked at anything to make money,” A.C. once said, “unless it was fun, too.”  Maybe that’s why he chose to create and sell toys instead of working as a doctor, what he had been trained to do.

I love the “fun philosophy” and gravitate to jobs, activities, and pastimes I find fun. And, when I’m reading, writing, or otherwise working at something that is not enjoyable, I try to find the fun or add some  fun to it.  That usually works.

Long live the memory of A.C. Gilbert!

Traveled to Portland (OR) this weekend and had the pleasure of a personal tour of the downtown area. Every place has a story – really, many stories – that engage and inspire me.

In 1843, William Overton saw this area, which had once been heavily inhabited by Chinook Indians until diseases brought by settlers pretty much decimated them. Overton saw a great opportunity to build a city at this clearing along the banks of the Willamette River, so he traveled to Oregon City to file a claim for the land.  The land was free, but there was a filing fee of twenty-five cents. Having not a cent to his name, Overton asked his friend, Asa Lovejoy, for the money. Lovejoy gave him the money and the two split the 640 acres.

Lovejoy later sold his part to William Pettygrove.  When Pettygrew and Lovejoy were ready to name their city, a problem arose.  They couldn’t agree on a name. Pettygrew wanted to name the city after his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts. Lovejoy wanted to name it after his hometown of Portland, Maine. Neither man would give in, so they agreed to flip a coin – best out of three – to decide.  After three flips of a penny, the winner was…well, you already know that!

The penny that the men flipped to determine the name of Portland is on display in the entrance of the Oregon Historical Museum in Portland.

Greetings, and good cheer to all. New year, new website, and new book. What could be better?

I have had a website and blog for several years now, but I thought it was time to update and upgrade. Thanks to tech genius Cameron Yee, it’s done now so here we are. I wanted a site that was simple, clean, and clear. Check. I wanted a blog that could be categorized for various readers: kids, teachers, and writers. Check, check, check. That way, you can click those categories and focus in on the area that most pertains to you. Some posts will be appropriate for more than one category, so there may be some overlap.

My plan is to blog about writing and the teaching of writing. I’ll add photos as well as links to interesting sites I’ve found. I’d also like to post questions from time to time, and get readers of all ages involved.

It’s my hope that you will become active participants in this blog. It’s easy. All you have to do is leave a comment after a post. Ask a question, share your experience, expertise, or opinion.

Looking forward to sharing with you.