Tom Kepler's Blog, page 27

"I Write: Being & Writing" Featured in Transcendental Meditation Online Magazine

"Here, have a copy of my new book, I Write: Being and Writing," I told Dr. Richard Beall, the head of Maharishi School, where I teach.

This was several months ago when he was traveling out of the country, so I knew he'd have some air travel time. Dr. Beall is our hands-on advocate of Consciousness-Based education, and his hands are always filled with a million things to do. I shamelessly took advantage of the "opportunity" that he'd be flying across the Atlantic Ocean and dropped off a copy of the book the night before he left town.

The result of my bold little gift was that the book is the focus-point of Dr. Beall's recent article in Enlightenment: The Transcendental Meditation Magazine. Entitled "Waking the Inner Writer: Consciousness in the Classroom," the article focuses on Maharishi School's innovative approach to education, an approach that emphasizes not just course content but also the consciousness of the learner.

"Tom Kepler is an English-Language Arts teacher at Maharishi School in Fairfield, Iowa, who challenges us to look beyond the words to realize the significance of the writer within," Dr. Beall states at the beginning of his article.

That is indeed one of the key concepts of the book, that writing is an intimate and accurate reflection of the consciousness of the writer, and that as writers we must consider not only the word but also the source of the word. I think it no exaggeration to refer to the words of the Bible in John 1:1. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Words are the manifestation of what lies within us, and if we can only clean that channel from which consciousness flows to thought and thought to word, then our writing will be not only more uniquely our own but also more completely cosmic.

“As writers, we have to consider the subject, the ‘I.’ If I am dull or impatient or distracted or unhealthy, what I write will lack my full potential. Like an athlete, I must be fully engaged, alert. I must continue to grow and expand as a person,” is one way I express this in I Write: Being and Writing.

The book is divided into three parts: the writer, the process of writing, and the written word. In each section, I address the relationship between the techniques of writing and the awareness that we bring to writing. Most often writing about writing only focuses on processes or how "how to get into print." I wanted to balance that emphasis with a consideration of writing as a reflection of who we are.

Even for the most mono-focused, obsessed writer, writing is, at the end of the day, just one aspect of our lives. Who we are is the big issue--and is the basis of what we write.

At Maharishi School, I am happy to say, there is a healthy balance of both providing knowledge and expanding the ability to know. In terms of writing, Dr. Beall describes this as the process "to construct a pipeline between the inner reservoir of creativity and intelligence, and the writing process." I send my thank-you's to Maharishi School, to Dr. Beall, and to the students, the parents of those students, and to the faculty and staff with whom I interact every day. I may be the teacher, but I learn something and grow as a person every day at Maharishi School.

As writers, all of us have a new paradigm to follow, not just to increase our "hand-eye" coordination to more quickly type out more words, but also to improve our  "mind-word" coordination in order to write with greater depth and power. We should all follow in the footsteps of Maharishi School's children and start each day of writing with the purity of a clean slate.

Copyright 2013 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

How Kindle Helps Grandpa Babysit

Twenty-five years ago when my son was an infant, it was a juggling act to hold the baby, the bottle, and the book. 

Yes, it was a real challenge to keep that book open and to turn the pages without waking the baby or bobbling the bottle. Sometimes the slightest jiggle would shock the kid, making sleep a fantasy and patting, cajoling, and plain old begging come into play, even though the baby understood none of it. 

Enter the Kindle or any eReader now, twenty-five years later. The Kindle lies on the sofa, somewhat distant from old eyes, but that's OK because the text size has been increased. There's no need to hold the "book," no need to keep the page wings separated with a diligent hand, no need to one-handedly flip the pages. Just ease a hand to the page turn, and with a light touch, we're at the next page--stealth reading.

Yes, I can't wait to tell my step-daughter how easy she has it to raise her little boy, much easier than with my son. No walking through snow and blizzards to get the milk. No washing hands before picking up the kid because of ink print stains from the newspaper. No standing up and walking to the TV to change the volume. No dirty diapers or late-night feeding frenzies . . .

Oops! Guess I was getting carried away.

. . . and then, having finished the eBook, I surreptitiously shop the Kindle store without risk of waking the baby. I'm hopelessly spoiled . . . and comfortable with that.

This ol' dawg is learning new tricks. I might even watch the kid again sometime.

Copyright 2013 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

Temple Grandin: a movie review

We each see the world in a unique manner because of our individual physiologies and experiences. 

It may appear that we all perceive the same world, but similarities in perception only mask our individual perception. Unless we were to perceive the world from that unified field of consciousness that is the alpha and omega of existence, then we are all living, breathing exponents of the one and only this-is-what-I-see.

Voice is that aspect of writing that attests the uniqueness of our vision and the need to find words to convey the utterly new and grand beauty of individual expression. The best cinematographic representation of the need to allow our individual vision of the world its voice is the 2010 movie Temple Grandin .

Temple Grandin was the winner of the 2011 Golden Globe award for the best performance by an actress in a mini-series or a motion picture made for television. (

Biopic of Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who overcame the limitations imposed on her by her condition to become a Ph.D. and expert in the field of animal husbandry. She developed an interest in cattle early in life while spending time at her aunt and uncle's ranch. She did not speak until age four and had difficulty right through high school, mostly in dealing with people. Her mother was very supportive as were some of her teachers. She is noted for creating her 'hug box,' widely recognized today as a way of relieving stress in autistic children, and her humane design for the treatment of cattle in processing plants, which have been the subject of several books and won an award from PETA. Today, she is a professor at Colorado State University and well-known speaker on autism and animal handling.

The true genius of this HBO production is how the film moves the viewer to see the world as Temple sees it and then moves the viewer to realize and embrace that vision. I also appreciated the opportunity the filmmakers gave me to discover Temple's world and its humanity. The movie is understated, not preachy; it leads us to the door but does not push us through.

The taglines for the film are "What made her different made her exceptional" and "Autism gave her a vision. She gave it a voice."

Those sentences are abstractions of the reality that the movie so compellingly presents. That reality, the actual Temple Grandin, interacted with the director and cast in the making of the movie. She is a noted scientist, author, education, and spokesperson for autism.

Temple GrandinRuth C. Sullivan, one of the founders of the Autism Society of America said that when "Temple first addressed an [ASA] audience... people were standing at least three deep... The audience couldn't get enough of her. Here, for the first time, was someone who could tell us from her own experience, what it was like to be extremely sound sensitive ('like being tied to the rail and the train's coming')... She was asked many questions: 'Why does my son do so much spinning?' 'Why does he hold his hands to his ears?' 'Why doesn't he look at me?' She spoke from her own experience, and her insight was impressive. There were tears in more than one set of eyes that day... Temple quickly became a much sought-after speaker in the autism community."  (from the foreward of The Way I See It , Temple Grandin)

My tagline for the movie Temple Grandin is "Autism is a real-life experience, not a medical label." Experience a flavor of that reality by watching the film. It will change how you see the world.

Copyright 2013 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

My Writing Goals for 2013

My teaching job has been so full of activity that for the last four and a half months I haven't written on the Dragons of Blood and Stone series. 

I feel some pinch with that but also feel good that I've been looking after my health and happiness--although writing is a part of my happiness.

Here are my writing goals for 2013:
Rewrite my rough draft of Dragons of Blood and Stone at least once. For me, Draft 2 is always the hardest. If I complete D2, then I will be in good shape to continue with the novel.Clean up my blog and online web presence so that Tom Kepler Writing is more purely about my writing and not a "catch-all" site. This will be easier now that I've started Tom Kepler Bicycling as my alter-ego's writing site. I keep looking at other writers' sites and have some ideas of how I can simplify the overall look.I'd like to start marketing again. The major marketing strategy will be centered on reviews. Last February, I was sick with walking pneumonia and all projects outside of my job and getting well ground to a halt. I published I Write: Being & Writing in September, but the intensity of school minimized any continued marketing of any of my books.As I write for my bicycling blog, I plan to keep in mind the potential for using those articles for a book on bicycling. I enjoyed writing a non-fiction book and publishing it. Doing another should be much easier and faster the second time around.Goals that focus on both fiction and non-fiction writing, on my website, and on marketing what I've published  should just about give me time to sleep and eat. At least I won't be bored because I have nothing to do.

Copyright 2013 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

Tom Kepler Bicycling: a new blog that I hope you subscribe to

Fairfield, Iowa, is a bicycle-friendly town.

Jefferson County is a bicycle-friendly county. And southeast Iowa, with its rural population, its half dozen state parks and even more county parks is also a great place to bike. I'm surrounded by opportunities for bike touring and camping, whether day rides, overnighters, or multi-day excursions.

That means, being me, I'm also surrounded with opportunities to write, research, and share my enthusiasm about bicycles. What better place to do that than one a blog--and thus came the birth of Tom Kepler Bicycling, my blog dedicated to human-powered vehicles and their place in society. I will now have a place to write about bicycling--and that will allow me to focus more on just writing with this blog.

On top of the geographic advantages for biking in Fairfield, enthusiasts and health-conscious citizens have created opportunities for healthy exercise, from biking trails in Jefferson County Park to the Fairfield Loop Trail that circles Fairfield. It's possible to ride the fourteen-mile loop on cement and lime chip trails, only having to cross car-accessed roads a handful of times.

Let me add one more plus for bicycles and Fairfield: A.J.'s Bike Shop. Fairfield is graced with a dedicated professional bike mechanic who stocks his store for all things "bicycular." Need a repair? Take it to A.J.'s. Need a bike-ready grocery bag, a computer bag with rack hooks, a trailer, a new bike? A.J.'s is the place to go.

That's why I've started a new blog, Tom Kepler Bicycling. Fairfield deserves praise for its support of human-powered transportation. It's a chance for me to enjoy writing about my biking experiences and for finding others who want to share their knowledge and experience also. We should celebrate that which we love. I celebrate with words.

Go to my new site. If you like it and think you'll find motivating, enjoyable, and informative, sign up for the site, using the prompt in the right sidebar. That way, when I post a new article, you will receive an email letting you know.

My blog posts for the next couple of months will be on what's possible: book reviews, equipment overviews, possible touring routes in Southeast Iowa. Many future articles will be about places to go for fun day rides--healthy, fun, and free. Don't miss out.

Oh, and there might be a few posts about riding in cold weather--assuming my fingers aren't too numb to type.

Copyright 2012-2013 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

The Art of Tweeting, Including a "Writer's Guide" Webpage

"Pontifex," Pope Benedict XVI . . . is something I'm still pursuing. Like all skills involving language, I suppose.

As the year ends, I want to share my continuing curiosity about Twitter, the most popular tweets of 2012, and a good source of "how to" information regarding Twitter.

Curious about Twitter???

Lots of people use Twitter, post, and follow others. According to All Twitter, the current Pope, Benedict XVI, after a week of tweeting now has more followers than Justin Beiber, who is #2 in the stats, according to Twitter Counter, which doesn't list the Pope. Perhaps an update is needed, or perhaps there is a raging controversy? According to Twitter Counter, the individuals with the top five followers are Lady Gaga, Justin Beiber, Kate Perry, Rihanna, and Barack Obama.

I am curious about what all these people are doing, and I look forward to the time when I have the time to easily figure out what this most current, up-to-the-second social media phenomenon is all about.

The Most Popular Tweets of 2012???

What were the most re-tweeted, or passed on, tweets of 2012. Twitter has passed them along to you, the "golden tweets" of 2012. Here are the top five.
"Four more years" -- Barack Obama, winning the 2012 election“RIP Avalanna. i love you” -- Justin Beiber, memorial to a 6 year old girl“Fuck it NFL.. Fine me and use the money to pay the regular refs.” -- TJ Lang, Green Bay Packers“29 gold, 17 silver, 19 bronze - We finished 3rd in medal table after most successful Olympics for 104 years #OurGreatestTeam RT your support” -- Olympic team Great Britain“…I would like to announce here: I, Koichi Yamadera, have married Ms. Rie Tanaka … I am really happy to have met such a great partner and have our lives come together. We made up our minds to respect each other, help each other and build a home full of smiles…” -- Japanese anime actor Kouichi YamaderaPeople like to stay in touch, and Twitter is a very immediate and timely method of doing so. I don't have a smartphone, though, so my "keeping up" is accessible via my computer--and I have to admit that I don't keep up. I post every now and then, but mostly my posts are automated posts of my blog articles. This post will be tweeted. From what I've read, this is not the best way to take advantage of the Twitter social network, but I recognize my Twitter work lies in the future and not today.

"How To" Source Regarding Twitter???

The first source should be the institution itself, so going to the Twitter Help Center makes sense. This page starts with Twitter 101 and goes on to provide information on how to do everything.

I have found writer and illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi's webpage "The Writer's Guide to Twitter" a fun and readable page about all things Twitter. Debbie's page covers the basics in a question and answer format. The topics include, for writers, "How Twitter Can Help Writers" and "Promotion and Marketing" sections.

As a conclusion, I have to say that as a full-time teacher and part-time writer, this post will now be automatically posted to my Twitter account. Not the best use of a medium that exists to follow the minutiae of our daily activity. Maybe I should get a fancy, smart cellphone. Maybe I should make a plan. Right now, I'm just trying to make a living without wearing myself out. There's always the future, though . . .

Copyright 2012 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

Enjoy the Road with Bicycles

The other morning as I came to work, someone said to be, "Mornings getting cold?"

Probably it was the "layered look" of my biking garb: pants, sweater, jacket--topped by raingear functioning as windbreakers--and a bicycling helmet capped with a rainproof yellow wind barrier.

"Yes, it is cool out." What could I say, that I'd biked in much more severe weather, that once coming home, I'd shattered the frozen sleet from my jacket prior to entering the house, that I'd pushed my bike because the driving snow had gotten too deep? That would sound like bragging--when actually it would just be part of the short, mile-and-a-half ride home as a bike commuter.

I'd rather spend ten minutes riding my bike in snow and ice than spending ten minutes scraping my windshield. It's just much more satisfying.

My commuting is on pavement or a lime-chipped rails-to-trails path near my home, so I miss severe road tests like the one in the video below.


I have ridden through a flooded street that reached my petals, and I have learned to avoid the bike trails after a thaw because of the mud. I have worn my goggles because the sensation of freezing eyeballs is not pleasant. However, "extreme" is a relative term, and after commuting for years, I've grown used to putting up with occasional "adventure."

Knowing home is a short distance away makes it all an adventure, and an adventure that ends with a shower and a chance to watch the weather from inside is fun. It's something I'm glad I can choose to do. And so I hear that the first winter storm is coming tomorrow--I'd better oil up my winter boots!

Copyright 2012 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

Let's Be Honest: I've quit writing--for a while . . .

Author Philip Roth, a few weeks before announcing he was quitting writing, gave some advice to new novelist Julian Tepper.

"Really, it's an awful field," Tepper says he was told by Roth. "Just torture. Awful. You write and write, and you have to throw almost all of it away because it's not any good. I would say just stop now. You don't want to do this to yourself. That's my advice to you."

Now, I suppose it would be very literary to say that I agree and am not writing out of bitterness and angst. However, such a statement, although appealing to the stereotype of artistic sensitivity, would be untrue.

I like to write. At this time in my life, though, I am too tired to fit the rigors of writing into my busy life:
full-time school teacherbrand-new grandfathertired old fartI could probably think of some more (after all, I'm a creative writer), but you get the idea. I am right now the Scrooge of Writing Present--Bah! Humbug! At least I am seasonally correct.

This is not the first time that I have stepped back from writing. When I was the primary caregiver for my first wife during her eight-year fight for life, I wrote rarely, able to count the times per year with the fingers of one hand. That was not wrong; it was the right time not to write.

"To tell you the truth, I'm done," [author Philip Roth] told a French magazine. "Enough is enough! I no longer feel this fanaticism to write that I have experienced in my life."

I'm not done . . . but I am resting for a while. It feels good to admit that I'm tired and adding more busy-ness to the business of being an educator just feels excessive.

However . . . I have to slyly add with a subtle, sideways smile . . . winter vacation begins next week. With two weeks off, I may just spend some quality time in front of a keyboard.

Although I may not be at this moment driven by my passion to write, I certainly do enjoy the process of making imagination become actual words on a page. That is a tangible joy.

Copyright 2012 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

Crazy Guy on a Bike Dot Com

After my wonderful December bike ride with my wife last weekend, I've been enjoying journal accounts of bicyclists who chronicled their tours. The best site I've found so far is crazyguyona bike.com.

With journals, reviews, articles, resources, a forum, and more, it is an online site to gain information or to just enjoy. I know that during the cold days of winter, I'll be spending some time enjoying the adventures of others.

Below are some images from some of the tours I've looked at. So far, I've looked at mostly recumbent tours because I've wanted to see how the bikes and owners fared on their journeys. Most are journals taken on the more traditional diamond frame bikes.

Touring the Southern USABurley Koosah Bikes, like Mine Maine, Northern Route Niagara Falls Bear Glacier, Canada Adventure Cycling Association Tour, Denali ACA Tour, Denali Teslin Lake, Yukon, Canada Trans Am Route, near Baker City, ORReading these journals is quite a lot of fun. The pictures don't mention the grueling climbs, the brutal monotony, the heat exhaustion, the gnats, and the rocky, jarring roads and lumpy campsites. Keep the attention on the positive!

A December 2 Bike Ride

Such a nice weekend with temperatures in the 50's! I checked out our bikes, put air in the tires, and my wife and I went for a bike ride, about 7-8 miles, on Sunday morning.

[image error]Jefferson County Park trail We left our house and traveled the Fairfield Loop Trail (see map), following the old railroad route out to 8th Street (to the golf driving range) and then continuing on the cement bikeway to 22nd St. to Fesler's Auto. The new lime chip re-surfacing of the trail was firm, and the morning was cool and misty.
We continued on 22nd St. to the Cedar Creek entrance to Jefferson County Park, where we rode the trails to the W. Jackson exit at Oakwood Nursery. We met a couple of mountain bikers riding the trails, and they said we were "gutsy" riding the trails with our recumbents. I replied that we just had to go slowly, kind of like driving the Baja 500 in a Buick.
Riding through town, we hooked up with the trail again at the golf driving range and rode back home. We met a few other folks on the trail. Really, the weather was perfect for riding, neither cold nor hot, and with the clouds and mist, there was no worry of too much sun.
We are lucky to have the bicycling trails that we have here in Fairfield--and we were lucky to have a day warm enough in December to enjoy the trails!
Copyright 2012 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved