Children's stories

Over my lifetime I've written hundreds of stories for kids. Growing up amidst my uncles was chock full of tales of glory and mystery. Colorful characters overcoming a broad spectrum of life's situations. True life stories of my ancestors and how they handled every day situations as well as emergencies without the help of modern day science. Horses were transportation, rabbits were food and dogs were often heroes. Neighbor helping neighbor. Imaginative stories for the younger kids usually included some type of moral instruction. Our uncles were, in most cases, the enforcers when it came to our behavioural transgressions. I think their fantastical stories were probably their way of making a different type of connection. I do know that when one of them sat down, looked off into some corner of the room and asked us kids to gather around it was a time of wonder, a time for our imagination to come alive. We knew it was story time, we didn't have to be asked twice. Kids need good stories.

Being a dad and uncle myself I naturally turned to story telling to acquaint my own kids, nieces and nephews with the world I knew. I learned early on that kids were smart and in order to keep their attention those stories better be interesting, and believable. Of course, interesting people was no difficulty at all when it came to true life stories of my family. They made my job easy. But when it came to imaginary children's stories I had to kindle my own imagination. I wrote and wrote, not all of my stories were worth the paper I put them on. Quality replaced volume as time went on. Over the years there have thankfully been many evenings, with the lights turned low I was able to hold the attention of a group of spellbound kids. I remember those evenings fondly. Kids need good stories. That's why I continue to write them. My kids are grown and gone but there are plenty of others in the family to ply my trade with. It's a pleasure to see their eyes when imaginations run wild. Yeah, kids need good stories.

Take some time and tell the kids in your life some good stories from time to time. You won't regret it........................Joe

The game starts without a hitch

After 29 years of this treasure hunting game you'd think I'd be used to it. No, not really. The thrill of opening day is still the cause of tossing and turning during sleepless nights, disruption of normal eating habits, an urge to constantly watch my back to see if someone is following me and the wonder if anyone will be interested in looking for a small metal medallion and claiming a prize of silver. In the past 3 days I've managed to talk to over 700 people who have stopped by in an almost steady stream for the riddle and the rules. I take that as a sign that the popularity hasn't waned much if at all.

Because of time constraints, in depth conversations aren't allowed. It even states that in the rules. Most of the contact with participants is by mail. However, a quick hello during a quick stop for the rule sheet is a real treat for me, validating the effort. I need that sometimes. We all do I think. It's fun to match wits with so many smart folks. The most asked question: "Is anyone close yet?" The second most asked question: "Is there anything you can tell me that will help?" The third most asked question: "Tell me if I'm close?" There are other questions of course but those come up a lot. As always I cannot answer questions that give anyone an advantage. That wouldn't be fair. In my opinion a game isn't fun if it's not fair. So, the game goes on and in the next few months someone out there will win a treasure worth hundreds of dollars and grab up the coveted winner's mug to solidify their win against tremendous odds and thousands of other people just like them. That puts them into a pretty elite group in my opinion. Part of the enticement is that maybe, just maybe, out of tens of thousands of people who play, this year it could be you. How would you feel about that?

I wish you a successful day, no matter what you do...............................Joe

more info at Greg's site www.wyomingriddler.com

Wyoming Riddler free game has begun

Joe Cramer's 29th annual Silver Treasure Hunt and Riddle begins today November 3rd 2009. If you find the hidden medallion you will win a treasure including silver bullion worth hundreds of dollars.

There is a website http://www.wyomingriddler.com/ that is hosted by an avid treasure hunter Greg. He places all the latest information concerning the annual Silver Treasure Riddle along with the rules and some background. There are also a couple of links to YouTube videos of past winners that are fun. You should check it out when you have time. However, due to technical difficulties he has not been able to post this year's riddle just yet. there are also some minor changes to the rules. More specifically: You have to "personally" hand me the medallion to win the treasure. Anonymous winners will not be acknowledged in any way. After serious consideration I believe that since I have put hours and hours of my time and a serious amount of money into this game that is free to you and every one else. And, thousands of people from all over the country put their time and money into trying to solve it. Then we all deserve to see just who won. That's the way I feel.



To get you started on your search as soon as possible here is this year's Riddle.:

"Stopping on my bicycle but not where you'd expect, placing the medallion was a strain. No way is it easy for you to find and bring to me but you must to win."

Well, there it is folks. All you need is a set of rules and a street map of the Greater Grand Rapids area to join the fun. Click on Greg's Wyoming Riddler web site for the rules and further updates as they surface.

Good luck...........................Joe

Remember the danger of CO Poisoning.

A stimulating story for grownups

My father was quite a story teller. Almost every time he had a point to make about the fairness of life and how to survive he came up with some cocka mamie story to drive it home. for some reason, although I may not have understood their meaning at the time, many of those stories stuck in my mind. Often when the trials of life and the pursuit of happiness become encumbered by the opinions of so many others, especially politicians and other people dependant upon the government there is one particular moralistic story that pops up. I'd like to tell you that story to the best of my memory of it.

Long before there were motorized vehicles or major construction equipment capable of building bridges there was a road that crossed a fast flowing river. Travelers were unable to cross the river to the other side to continue their journey. Except for the dedicated help of a huge, strong man that lived at the river's edge. For years, as long as anyone could remember that man lived there and carried the travelers, their wagons, belongings and animals across the river. He accepted whatever pay they wished to offer him, if any. It was just fine with him. He was just happy to help. He was so strong he didn't need any assistance from anyone to carry anything.

One day a young man came by and watched the strong man carry wagons, furniture animals and people across the river. He offered to help but the strong man said no. The young man continued to camp on the river's edge next to the strong man for weeks and months. The strong man did his job continuously whether he was sick or well. He never refused to help a traveler. Each time the young man offered to help, each time the strong man refused. The young man persisted. He was envious of the strong man and wanted to enjoy the travelers gratitude too.

One day the strong man twisted his ankle and wanted to for just a little while but some travelers came and needed help. The young man offered to assist and for once the strong man accepted. The young man wasn't strong enough to carry anything by himself but between the two of them they got the travelers across the river without a hitch. the strong man sort of like the help he got from the young man. Occasionally, from then on the strong man let the young man help him and the young man got stronger and stronger. After several years of this when a large group of travelers all came at once the strong man decided to let the young man carry a few animals, wagons and people across the river by himself. By this time the young man had become strong enough to lift anything. The day went easy for the strong man and towards the end he rested on the shore while the young man took the last group across all by himself.

The next day the strong man took half the travelers across and the young man took the other half. As days and weeks passed the strong man allowed the young man to carry more and more while he rested on the river's edge. One day a traveler came with a large wagon and the strong man couldn't carry it. The young man picked up the wagon without any trouble at all and carried it across. The strong man was growing weaker and weaker while the young man grew stronger and stronger. Soon the young man did all the work and had to take care of the strong man because he had grown so week from not doing anything.

My dad said that the moral of the story was that you should always do all that you are capable of for as long as you can do it or you will grow weak. When you allow someone else to do what you should do for yourself you will also give them your strength, you will become weak and they will have to take care of you.

I think that story is very pertinent concerning the problems we face today. Because some disastrous life situations are terrible doesn't mean we can't overcome them. I appreciate help as much as any one else. But I am afraid that if I accept that help I will wind up just like the strong man. Pretty soon I won't be able to do anything for myself. Just a feeling I have left over from my growing up years.

Of course ,it's just an old story and probably doesn't mean much. But then again, there are millions of people that would rather not work if they are being taken care of by the rest of us. Makes me kind of nervous sometimes. What will the ultimate cost of that help be? I was just wondering.

The holidays are upon us. I look forward to the music and festivities and of course, the food........Joe

Closed adoptions

Recently I've been involved in an effort to trace the heritage of an adult adoptee. At the time, close to 35 years ago, it was what is called a closed adoption. The information concerning the parents is simply not available. Although I can understand the desire and often the need for secrecy, being on the other side of the fence is extremely frustrating. The need for medical and cultural information is becoming more and more valuable. From a medical standpoint, research is greatly assisted by knowledge of one's ancestry. On the other hand, it's always kind of nice to trace your particular cultural path back through history. Closed adoption records don't allow either of those. Finding a way to piece together a picture from what we can gather is quite a challenge.

There are so many people that are trying to help I am almost certain that sometime in the future there will be some kind of breakthrough. It's not so important to find out just who the parents are and butting into their life but more directly what they were all about: Nationalities, health issues, culture, things like that. Of course that is not to say that introductions would be out of the question but that is not the main concern right now. First things first. So many of us take it for granted that when someone asks us a question about our family or makes a comment that we look like or act like one of our parents we can acknowledge or deny it easily. If you know nothing about your biological parents there is nothing to say is there?

So it's back to the drawing board and delving into anything we can get our hands on. Turning pages and making notes and calling here and calling there and writing letter after letter. There is a way. We just haven't found it yet. Everyone believes that some time, some where, some how we will find a crack in the wall and follow it to the information we seek. We are determined.

I wish you a great day......................Joe

Drunk drivers

In the newspaper today there is a terrible story concerning a drunk driver, an accident and the resulting death of his friend. There are hundreds of stories just like it every year across the country. My heart goes out to the family of the man that died. When a seemingly innocent person dies unexpectedly in a most likely avoidable accident, we usually react by striking out at the person that caused it. "The was drunk." The driver was being totally irresponsible." "The law should throw the book at the driver." Lock the driver up and throw away the key." I know, I've experienced the same feelings. It's human to feel that way.

I also know some of people who have driven a car when they were drunk. At least one who drove and had an accident. When an accident occurs, almost all thought of the driver as a regular person sort of goes down the drain doesn't it? They could be the mother of 6 kids who is a cub scout den mother that lives next door or it could be the senator that represents your district or your kids school teacher. When an accident happens and someone dies all of that is forgotten. Suddenly none of that other stuff matters. Suddenly the drunken driver is only that and nothing else. They suddenly become a drunken, murdering monster. Sometimes they deserve that designation. Sometimes they have driven drunk time and time again and it was only a matter of time before they killed themselves or someone else. However, sometimes it was a terrible, terrible mistake made by an otherwise responsible and sensible person just like yourself.

I cannot justify drunken driving. Nothing can justify it. I do not infer in any way that drunken driving should go unpunished in any way. All of our behavior, whether good or bad has consequences. If you or I or anyone else drives drunk we should be held accountable for it. I am simply saying that many drunken drivers are also average people just like you and I. They made a mistake in judgement and someone died. Many of them are not drunken monsters, they would turn the clock back and change their decision to drive drunk if they could. This time they can't. Someone died, they can't change that. Neither can any amount of revenge. No amount of revenge can. Every day, thousands of drunken drivers make it home to their families without killing themselves or someone else and go to work the next day only by the Grace of God. They believed they were OK to drive. They weren't! They just got away with it that time. They still aren't monsters. Not always. I have to remind myself of that, quite often actually.

Free game. Brain food

In a little less than 3 weeks I will be kicking off the 29th Annual Silver Treasure hunt. At last count over 40,000 people a year participate in a fun, free game intended in part to build awareness of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. On the first Tuesday of November a riddle will be announced that describes, albeit rather vaguely, where in the Greater Grand Rapids Michigan area a small, oval shaped, metal medallion is located. This is not to be confused with a popular caching game using specific geographic coordinates. This is my, once mushy brain against yours. (During two CO Poisoning caused years of amnesia I was a dud when it came to reasonable thought. I have since recovered.)

The riddle and rules will be announced on November 3rd, 2009. The riddle tells you where the medallion is. You must physically recover the medallion and return it to me in order to win. The treasure always consists of silver, other items of my choice and the coveted winners engraved trophy mug. A new rule has been added this year, the winner must identify themselves and personally hand the medallion to me in order to win. A clue to help solve the riddle will be announced each first Tuesday of the month until it the medallion is found. Local and national news agencies often place the riddle, clues and updates in newspapers around the country. One person interested in the hunt for years has established a website covering the hunt and related news. www.wyomingriddler.com This is not my website but it is usually quite accurate. He's done a great job. (his spelling could be a touch better though) It also has links to video of past winners. I have to admit they are rather fun to view for me. Brings back a lot of memories. Quite truthfully after the amnesia, memories mean a lot.

So, I invite you and all your friends to join the fun. It's challenging even if you don't win. It's free!!!!! All you need is a set of rules, the riddle/clues and a map of the greater Grand Rapids area. I have spoken with and received letters from people in 48 states, Australia, Iraq, South Africa, Germany and England and last year even in India. Maybe you will be the net winner eh?