After 69 episodes, I’ll be taking a several-month break from hosting Once Upon an Upset to figure out what Season Two will be, and also to heal my throat from a minor problem that developed. I’ll also be working on my next book, an illustrated compilation of many of the episodes from this past year. If you’re interested in finding out more about that, you can sign up for the email list at OnceUponAnUpset.com or follow my Facebook page, Once Upon An Upset. It’s been such a rewarding experiencing creating this podcast and i hope you and your family have enjoyed it. I look forward to connecting again soon! In the meantime, please be well.
A short story about how hurt feelings took over the world.
(Suitable for all ages.)
When my son was four, he kept telling me he had an imaginary friend named Mahabba Mahabba Mahabba Mahabba Mahabba Mahabba and when I looked it up, I found out it means love. This story was inspired by some things my son told me about his imaginary friend.
(Suitable for all ages.)
A little boy climbs the Titan Tree, even though he knows he’s not supposed to.
(Suitable for all ages.)
A story about a little boy who takes something that isn't his.
(Suitable for all ages.)
A story about a little boy who gives a rain cloud some time to get his feelings out.
(Suitable for all ages.)
(Suitable for all ages.)
A little bird is afraid to leave his nest because of all the dangerous things that could happen.
(Suitable for all ages.)
What would you do if you found a box of bad guys?
(Suitable for all ages.)
A very short conversation about understanding what might be behind bully behavior. This piece is not intended to condone violent behavior. Just another way to reframe mean behavior.
(Suitable for all ages.)
“This is a story about the wickedest witch in all of the land. They didn’t even make a movie about her, that’s how wicked she was. She had so many people in her dungeon, she had to hire a big company to make her a second dungeon. That’s how wicked she was.”
A wicked witch falls from the sky due to a broom malfunction. After landing in a cornfield, she meets a farmer and they wind up helping each other in surprising ways.
(Suitable for all ages.)
“Once upon a time there was an anguished cave mother who finally couldn’t take it anymore.
Every night, she’d arrive back to her cave after hunting and gathering all day long, ready to fall asleep on her cozy boulder, but every night, without fail, her little ones would insist on a story before bed.
And back then, without a book to close, a goodnight story could go on and on until almost dawn.
In fact, it wasn’t uncommon for poor prehistoric mothers to miss out on sleep entirely because of little ones begging and pleading for the thousandth time, “Please Mama, tell us what happened next!!! Please, Please, Please!!”
But one day, this particular anguished mother just couldn’t think of what happened next.”
(Suitable for all ages.)
“Once, there was a man who had a secret. A pretty big secret. You see, even though he looked like a regular man, inside he was really a pigeon.”
A Pigeon At Heart is a story about a man who felt it was easier to pretend to be someone he wasn’t. Until someone found out the truth of who he really was…
(Suitable for all ages.)
“Robert Baker had the flu, so he stayed home from work. He was told by his wife and also by his doctor to rest. But he couldn’t. He tossed and he turned and then gave up to watch TV in the living room.”
Channel 15 ½ is about a man who fears the whole world is against him and discovers it’s true. Sort of.
(Suitable for tweens, teens and adults.)
“Once upon a time in a town called Thornling, sass and backtalk were taking over. Kids wouldn’t lift a finger and the moms were going gray from stress...”
The Shears of Thornling is a story about a town that discovers their old-fashioned ways of solving behavior problems aren’t always the best.
(Suitable for all ages.)
“Once there was a boy who had OCD symptoms and tics. He would have to say certain things at certain times and clear his throat if he had the urge. His mom was pretty good at being empathetic but sometimes she got impatient. Especially when other circumstances in her life were adding additional stress. At those moments she’d say,” You have to be stronger! You have to delay that urge and learn to cope!” It sounded like the right thing to say, but underneath were different words, more truthful words: “I’m scared that my son is behaving like this and I’m tired. I wish he’d just stop.”
A story about a mom who feels frustrated by her son’s OCD symptoms but then realizes that he’s really only doing the very best he can to cope with stressors out of his control.
(For adults only.)
“Flacko and his buddy Nacho were two of several teenagers in the village. But unlike the others, these two had a reputation for rarely doing as they were told. They pondered during work-time and raided the dessert cave during the village ponder.
And because they’d been born in the village as opposed to the wild, the elder members of the community were forever fed up with the both of them. “You don’t know how it used to be!” the elders would lament. “We used to have to sleep on a different boulder every night! Sometimes walk five miles just for a single berry!”
“Jeeze dad,” Flacko would roll his eyes. “It’s not my fault you guys didn’t know what you were doing.”
When a group of early humans discover a gift from The Great Wind, their lives are forever changed. In Part Three, the villagers begin to have more free time than ever before, which leads them to pondering for the very first time, but their pondering quickly leads to wondering why they are even alive on earth. With this uncertainty, the entire village soon begins to panic. Luckily, one teenager figures out the answer.
(Suitable for tweens, teens and adults.)
A very short story about hiding the truth.
(Suitable for all ages.)
“Days turned to months in paradise, and though no one discussed it openly, it was clear no one was planning on leaving.
People went about their days, avoiding eye contact with one another, hoping no one would breach the subject.
But one evening, as the villagers were sharpening their jagged rocks preparing for the night’s protection, the eldest member of the village took it upon himself to walk amongst the villagers, asking everyone to join him in the communal cave for what would be their very first town meeting.”