I am often considered a nerd. It happens to be true. I’ve read a wonderful essay about the history of manhole covers and another about garum, a fermented fish sauce Romans used quite liberally to season their food. I troll Game of Thrones forums and read everything involving dragons. I sometimes think I’m addicted to letters. If I see print, I have to read it. Watching subtitled movies is a nightmare because I only see the words. Whatever it is I’m compelled to read, I always find something to spark my imagination, and this week I read a fascinating article about the Mongol Derby which took place between August 2 and the 15. The Mongol Derby is considered the longest and toughest horse race in the world. At 1,000 km (621.371 miles), the Derby follows the route of Genghis Khan’s rather ingenious postal system that spanned the entire Mongol Empire. Implemented around 1200 B.C.E., way before the Pony Express, the postal service delivered important news and information across the vast empire in an efficient and timely manner. The Mongol Derby gives 30 riders a chance to sleep under the stars, camp with herders, and survive the arduous track and brutal…

I checked my Facebook feed earlier this week and was confronted with a bitter reality. Pumpkin Spice Lattes are on their way back to Starbucks. I walked out of Baskin Robbins today and a sign on the door told me September’s flavor of the month is going to be Pumpkin Cheesecake. I even saw someone post one of those digital cards the other day, declaring the imminent start to Everything Pumpkin Season. We must be getting close to Fall. Here in North Texas, school starts next week, but aside from that and those Starbucks lattes, there aren’t many other hints of the season. Temperatures are still hovering around the century mark. You’re far more likely to find me doing the backstroke in my backyard pool than looking for my leaf rake. It’s funny to me how much excitement there was around the notice of the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte. I remember the same excitement not too long ago for sunny days and trips to the beach with family. Now that we’ve got the warm weather and sunshine, it seems like people are looking for something else. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all sit for a moment…

I’ve spent years enjoying every and any chance to speak at schools, focusing on the importance of story as a way to motivate literacy. My points to students are simple. One, great stories are like great songs; great stories and great songs grab our emotions. Two, we love to mess with other people through their emotions. Three, reading and writing is a delivery system for story. Conclusion? Use this amazing delivery system to enjoy a story in a book, or to write a story and have fun messing with your teacher’s emotions, as long as the words and content of the story are appropriate for your audience. In short, telling story is one of the best ways to connect with people. To tell story is what makes us human, and to be human is to tell story. Then came the day when I learned something that totally shifted my foundational view about story, without diminishing my understanding of the importance of story. My friend, an orthodontist, told me that if he has an emotional bond with his young patients, they are much more likely to follow his advice in the weeks between appointments. He said he connects by doing what…