Samurai Teaching ~ Sensational Living: My Name is Jack

Showing posts with label My Name is Jack. Show all posts

2007-04-08

Happy Jack

This is the latest book in the "My Name is Jack" series. It's up-tempo, and meant to be read in a sing-song way. If you have kids, read it to them and see what kind of rhythm and dance is created from your two personalitites.

This book is a perfect example of how our thoughts create our world (paraphrasing enlightened souls from Buddha to Ben (Franklin) to the modern day phenom "The Secret" and "Law of Attraction". I started writing it on the airplane as a counting book using body parts. I kept a picture of Jack in my head and just wrote how I saw him react. I saw him kinda dancing, so I added the sing-song rhyme.

Then a mother and her three sons got on the connecting flight in Charlotte (This is my mother with one of her two sons; the really, really good son (me) who shaved his ugly old goatee because his mother asked him to).

One of the boys, named "Jack", sat directly in front of me. He was more lively than the previous seat owner from Orlando to Charlotte, and instead of letting it distract me, I allowed it to interest me, and lines such as ....."Stompin' to the beat, With my two feet, Clappin' hands together and Shakin' in my seat....." were born.

Hopefully I've been able to plant the seed that one can get themselves out of their own "grumpy" state (good message for children AND adults),

as well as, and I really took my time on this last stanza, the idea of a forever, eternal and unconditional love existing between a parent and child.

Here it is................

HAPPY JACK

Ten tiny toes

One button nose

A couple of fists

And two elbows

One bright smile

A grin worthwhile

Showin' all my teeth

Just like a crocodile

Wigglin' my ears

And gettin' rid of all my fears

Creatin' happy music

Snappin' my fingers

Stompin' to the beat

With my two feet

Clappin' hands together

And a shakin' in my seat

Jumpin' up and down

Body turnin' all around

Got my hands raised up

Gettin' rid of all my frowns

Eyes shinin' bright

Reflectin' from the light

Feeling good inside

Everything is allright

Songs of joy and laughter

Just a bouncin' in my heart

So much love I'm feelin'

In my happy, happy heart

Cover me in kisses

And make this dance complete

From my knibbly-knobbly knees

To my pinchy-winchy cheeks

Cover me in kisses

And make this dance complete

From my knuckly little knuckles

To the tickles on my feet

Cover me in kisses

And look me in the eye

Tell me that you love me

And you will for all time

The Wolf and The Owl

"The Wolf
The Owl

Rising through the snow

Rising above the clouds

Singing songs of danger,

and of Glory

One hoots
One howls

Shaking the snow off feathers and fur

They stand triumphant in the the world."

- Adam Stuart

This was a spontaneous poem inspired while nearing the completion of the latest "My Name is Jack" book, which I'm writing here in Chicago at Jack's home while visiting him for Easter. The poem came to me while spontaneously "dancing" around the room while taking a break from trying to write the last page of Jack's book. Luckily, none of the family was at the house, allowing me be free and just have fun.

I have no idea where it came from or what it really means, making me believe I saw and wrote this for one of you reading it right now. Ironically, right after I wrote this poem, the ending of Jack's book came to me.

Ahhhhhhh....Native American visions have mysterious powers of clarity......

Copyright © 2007 by Adam Stuart
All Rights Reserved

2007-03-14

In a Father's Pockets

My daughter brought a book to me and asked me to read a story to her. I said "sure" and she proceeded to climb into my lap. To make her more comfortable I began to empty my pockets and we laughed at all the things we found:

~ a tape recorder for story ideas, a bluetooth ear piece for calls I receive, puppy dolls and the capes I can't put back on, a protein bar for when our tummies growl, a piece of chalk to draw hopscotch, and a dime that will grow into a mountain of gold, allowing us to travel the world

We had just come back from playing at Lake Eola with friends,

which was a wonderful time.

Thank you Holden, Veronica, Nicholas and Liz!

Then we went to "The Tree". I watched Sofia play and let more of the "Once Upon a Tree" story develop.

Then SHE read "My Name is Jack" which I always carry with me in the car. She's only 5 but knows the story so well she can "read" it (this is her favorite page,

"I'll grow so tall that I'll TICKLE the moon!") I took video clips and thinking of posting them on MySpace ~ have no idea how to do it on blogspot.

Then of course before daddy could get things done there had to be time for a game of hopscotch (BIG smiles coming to my face right now).

A father's pockets contain all the things of real life; a mixture of things that need to get done and the making of time to show his love.

I enjoy being a father very much, like holding hands while we read. I hope there's time for you to get everything done that needs to get done today, ........especially the playing and reading part.

****If you haven't read "Love You Forever" by Robert Munsch, please go to the library or bookstore right away and read it tonight. It might make you cry, but it definitely will make you stop having excuses for not finding the time to read to your children.

Click Here for the slideshow of the children.

2007-01-14

"My Name is Jack" has it's first sale!

It's here! It's here! Finally, "My Name is Jack" has become available for on-line purchase and already has had it's first sale. Last night, January 13, 2007, my good friend and neighbor, T.J., went online and bought the first book.

It's available through Lulu in both paperback and ebook. Log on to wwww.lulu.com and search for the book by its title or by my name. Or, click the link on the left of this page and it will go directly to my storefront.

I've been dreaming about this for years. But that's all it's been, a dream. It's taken working on it from 5:00-7:00 every morning for the past month, but the dream is now my reality. And when I woke up this morning another book had been purchased. I feel as if I'm a brand new person living a brand new life. The flow of abundance in all areas is just beginning, and it all began with having brand new thoughts.

I've learned to focus only on what I want to have in my life. Thoughts of negative circumstances and people that used to come in and out of my brain have been eliminated and replaced with thoughts of positive circumstances and people. It's that simple!

Surround yourself with good people and good thoughts. In as little as one month, your life can change for the better! DREAMS DO COME TRUE!!!!!

DREAM BIG!
DO BIG!
BE BIG!

2006-11-15

My Name is Jack

Here is the actual book; my "first-born", my baby. I wrote it while holding my godson in Chicago and drew the pictures back in Florida (except for the ones my children drew for the book). His name of course, is Jack. I'm working on the second book with the working title, "My Name is Jack and it's Christmas Today".