Welcome to the World
of Boomer and Halley!
An Election with Integrity Part 2
Zulah Talmadge, Editor of the Shady Pines Gazette talks to:
Author, Mary Jane Mckittrick and illustrator, Bob Ostrom about the latest offering from the Boomer and Halley© project. A series of Little Lessons. Big Results.™stories for children 4-8 and the adults who love them.
Part Two:
Zulah: Mary Jane and Bob, how do you work lasting values into the Boomer and Halley storylines?
Mary Jane: From the beginning, our intent was not to preach or teach, but to serve up stories that promote conversation – not confrontation – about tough subjects.
Bob: And we do it with humor.
Mary Jane: Yep. Kindness and caring are at the core of every Boomer and Halley story.
Zulah: So you came up with the idea for a mayoral election.
Mary Jane: Politics has gotten so nasty, we wanted to present a better kind of election.
Bob: At least we can control the outcome.
Mary Jane: I had already created the character, Mayor Beauregard Fibbs – so named because he has trouble telling the truth!
Zulah: We ALL know about the Mayor. But not everyone knows his middle name.
Mary Jane: Well, you grew up with him, Zulah, so you have the advantage.
Bob: Everyone else will have to read the book!
Zulah: So how do the two of you come up with the storyline?
Bob: It’s a lot of back and forth.
Mary Jane: And a lot of laughter.
Bob: When we get stuck, I just say, “Mary Jane, that part is up to you!”
Mary Jane: So true.
Zulah: And how do come up with the look of the characters?
Mary Jane: Oh, that’s a whole ‘nother story.
Zulah: Let’s take a short break. When we come back I want to pick up the conversation there and hear more about that. Back in a moment.
An Election with Integrity Part 1
Zulah Talmadge, Editor of the Shady Pines Gazette talks to: Author, Mary Jane Mckittrick and illustrator, Bob Ostrom about the latest offering from the Boomer and Halley© project. A series of Little Lessons. Big Results.™ stories for children 4-8 and the adults who love them.
Zulah: Mary Jane, how did you come up with the idea for the “Boomer and Halley - Election Day” book?
Mary Jane: During a phone conversation with Bob.
Bob: Yeah. We were talking about the craziness in politics and I said, “We’ve got to have an election in Shady Pines.”
Mary Jane: The challenge was to include lasting values, like we do in all Boomer and Halley stories, and make that work in a book about politics.
Zulah: Especially politics in a small town.
Bob: This is why I really like this project. We take topics that people are talking about and make it possible for adults to talk to kids about them in a different way.
Zulah: So true. A book about an election that includes lessons about honesty and forgiveness is a neat trick.
Let's take a short break. We'll be back in a moment.
Time Honored
The good folks of Shady Pines tackle many of the modern-day dilemmas that we do: Dealing with the multiple issues inherent in blended families, corrupt politicians, children who need to be re-directed when they are bored, etc. But they confront these problems - and one another - with compassion, not confrontation. This used to be the trademark of living in American cities and towns.
Each of us longs for that kind of community. We search for it in our spititual endeavors, employment settings, country clubs, and community centers. We talk about it on the radio and on-line. We long for a connection to others that is meaningful. Mostly, all we hear is noise. Most people feel isolated.
That's why I urge you to be mindful of your ability to connect. Pay attention to the person waiting on you in the store, your neighbor, your friend, your child. Random acts of kindness and caring really aren't all that random. They just take time. What have you done for someone else today?
Wheels Of Life
The wheels of life are the same at the beginning - and toward the end. I never thought about it before. The momentum that makes those wheels move is kindness and caring. Children, too young to help themselves, have to rely upon the adults around them for help. We attend to their needs because we recognize they cannot help themselves.
As we become aged, the same truth applies. Without someone to care for our physical, emotional, financial and legal needs - where would be? In the case of my parents - each 88 years old and both in wheelchairs - I find I have to be there for them. I am their advocate in the confusing and sometimes frightening world of elder care.
I think there is something profound to be learned from this kind of service. It is often draining, difficult, and yet very rewarding. As a culture, we are so rarely asked to serve. Military families certainly know this kind of sacrifice. So do many others.
Tell me, what are you doing to serve the ones you love?
From The Heart
My father has experienced congestive heart failure and pulmonary bronchitis over the past six weeks. At 88 years old, he is having a hard time bouncing back. That's why, as I wade through the mountains of red and white confection all around, I am preparing for my second cross country trip in less than a month. Dealing with life threatening illness is always a challenge. Coping with heart disease in the middle of "Heart Month," is almost too ironic.
My dad and I have a complicated relationship. For me, this is yet another journey of obligation mingled with opportunity. There is precious time left to heal the emotional wounds that have probably left both of our hearts with scars from the past. I am also travelling coast-to-coast to tend to the needs of my 88-year-old mother. She is a story for another day. But her 57-year marriage to my dad is testament to the enduring power of love.
And so, as you buy something special for your Valentine, I ask you to consider what have you learned from love? It may not be as easy a question to answer as you think!
Kindness and Caring
As the country continues to spiral into a deepening spin of negative discourse, I realize the power invested in those two words. At the end of the day, parents want their children to grow up to be Kind and Caring adults. Employers want those qualities in an employee. You want your friends, your spouse, your local store owner to have those qualities. They are the basis of a quality person.
It is amazing to me that the humorous stories of a rambunctuous dog and precocious cat learning life lessons as they go, could have this kind of impact. Kids love the fun, adults appreciate the core values imbedded in the story lines.
Ever paid attendtion to the random acts of kindness you see in a day? Are you contributing?
The Four-Legged Approach
When I started writing these stories, I had no idea they would tap a growing angst in this country. Time after time, I hear from parents, grandparents and educators they can't believe how rude we've become as a nation. They wonder how the kids growing up now will learn good values.
I tell them there's a lot to be learned from the four-legged friends who inhabit our lives. Consistent parenting doesn't just happen between the two-legged types. When you see the woman taking her dog to obedience class while her child runs screaming through the pet store - you know we need to take a good look at our own behavior!
Welcome
Welcome to my blog. Please check back soon for new entries.
Bio
MARY JANE McKITTRICK
A native of Los Angeles, Mary Jane grew up in the San Fernando Valley with horses, cats, and an Australian Shepherd dog named Boomerang. She later enjoyed a successful career in television entertainment, broadcast news and corporate communications. Her recent experiences living on a historic horse farm in North Carolina – and her love of communications – inspired her to create children’s stories using her own blend of animals, people, and core values.
