FUN WITH BEER

[pstewart]

I wrote a little book and illustrated it with some of my photos. It's about a girl and her experiences with beer. It's a kids' book! I like it a lot. I hope you will too. If you do, please give these sweet kids a vote. But not a beer!

http://www.pbase.com/pstewart/fun_with_beer

To read it, click the cover thumbnail to open the large version. From then on keep clicking "next" to turn the pages.

Please let me know what you think. I am planning another book, but I want to see how this one goes over first.

Thanks.
Phyllis

[pstewart]

I will do what Amazon.com does with books--show you the cover and a page from it as a teaser. Now this is a "must read" book for sure, right?
Move over Hillary, soon I'll be right behind you on the best sellers list!




It has a Dick-and-Jane style like the old readers I grew up with (shows you how old I am!) Kind of out-dated style, perhaps, but it's silly so it was fun to do it that way. If you have young children at home, why not let them read it? For a kids' book, they are the most important critics after all and I'd really love to know what they thought.

Phyllis

[pstewart]

Disclaimer: No children were intoxicated during the making of this book.

I have had a few notes from folks who were shocked that these kids drank beer and that I would exploit it. I guess not everyone understands that adults often give kids a sip of beer at gatherings just for fun, to see them make icky faces and say yuk, because they inevitably hate the taste. That's all these photos were...just your typical, "Let's have some fun and give the babies beer!" A great photo op usually. And usually the kids don't fall for it a second time!

I think, I hope, most understood the origin of the pictures in this way. But if you didn't, that's all it was. The book is tongue-in-cheek and pure fantasy. It's meant to be humorous, and I think most people do realize that. But, even if you were to take it seriously, at least it has a message for kids at the end. Beer loses...kids learn it's not "fun."

Thanks.

[minoltaman]

I thought and still think this is not appropriate subject matter. I am not afraid to say it here. Kids and beer do not mix IMHO. This book is the oddest and strangest thing I may have ever seen. It's time has way past if it ever had a time IMHO. You sure you can't get arrested for this type of publication? I am not the politically correct sort usually, but this even gets to my gut.

My 25 cents US.

[thresholdprod]

it is a joke, a parody. calm down

Many parts of the world it is no big deal for a kid to have beer or a glass of wine.

I remember as kid being given hot brandy for a cold.Its amazing how far we have come to the no no bad bad bad. Did the moral majority win this much? Are you sure you aren't letting past issues reflect in your statements.

[minoltaman]

it is a joke, a parody. calm down

Nobody is upset but you and the people that complained to her Bill....

You have got to be kidding right....maybe you have not let the past go.

She bumped this thread with two posts some pics and this comment.....

I have had a few notes from folks who were shocked that these kids drank beer and that I would exploit it.

I did not message her...OBVIOUSLY others were offended by this material as well . Myself, my son, my wife and almost everyone I know that has viewed that book from front to back think it is very silly, stupid and entirely inappropriate.

It does not do anything for me. Some of the kids shots are cool but the context they are shown in just ruins it for me.

Don't post here if you don't want critical comments. Don't bump your threads and complain either.

You should raise or lower the threshold Bill...seems a bit out of tolerance maybe.

I do not change my opinion....these pics are very aged, the thesis and subject of this project is hoaky and in my opinion kids should not be exploited in this manner. I do not see the good in this book. Humor or not. All of this my opinion of course.

Cheers

Ps...A couple cute pics is one thing.....this seems more like a drinking (or drunken) project....it's just too much for me. Honestly.

[minoltaman]

UPdate....the drunk looking kids have zoomed up the 7day list.

Obviously some on both sides here....

[pstewart]

Everyone of course will form their own opinions, but just to set the record straight, only three people complained about it so far out of all who have viewed it, two directly and the one complaint here. On the other hand, I also got some notes telling me how much people enjoyed it, including this fifth one just yesterday:

A realy page turner! I couldn't stop laughing. The picture of that red headed guy on his face was so funny I couldn't breathe, and a perfect caption. It was a surprise for the reader and that's good writing I say. Its hard to say whether the words or the pictures were funnier, what a great style. I can't see how anyone could be offended by it but maybe some people just don't get absurd humour. Well you have one fan at least. It says 'to be continued' so please let me know when you write another one.

Well, I guess I've written my first "controversial" book. But at least more folks seem to like it than hate it, so that's encouraging.

Phyllis

[jchambers]

I thought and still think this is not appropriate subject matter. I am not afraid to say it here. Kids and beer do not mix IMHO. This book is the oddest and strangest thing I may have ever seen. It's time has way past if it ever had a time IMHO. You sure you can't get arrested for this type of publication? I am not the politically correct sort usually, but this even gets to my gut.

My 25 cents US.

Arrested??? What redneck part of the world do you live in?

Seriously, this was some totally harmless fun, and to be honest, I don't think I've read anything so prudish as to what you wrote in my entire life.

I would hate to live in a world in which you are the master censor.

@pstewart. I thought this was an interesting idea. Not great mind you, but I still had a chuckle and I like the originality.

I look forward to seeing some other "books" you come up with.[/b]

[minoltaman]

Arrested??? What redneck part of the world do you live in?

Seriously, this was some totally harmless fun, and to be honest, I don't think I've read anything so prudish as to what you wrote in my entire life.

I would hate to live in a world in which you are the master censor.

I live 45 minutes from Chicago in a community that has a very tough department of child protective services.

Everyone has an opinion. Guess you took offense at mine huh?

Saracasm or not.....have a good day.

Cheers

BTW...look in my galleries I would be a fine master censor.

[jchambers]

Arrested??? What redneck part of the world do you live in?

Seriously, this was some totally harmless fun, and to be honest, I don't think I've read anything so prudish as to what you wrote in my entire life.

I would hate to live in a world in which you are the master censor.

I live 45 minutes from Chicago in a community that has a very tough department of child protective services.

Everyone has an opinion. Guess you took offense at mine huh?

Saracasm or not.....have a good day.

Cheers

Well good for you. I live 10 minutes from downtown Frankfurt, and this city has a fraction of the crime, child related or not, than your's it seems, and yet we don't have to be so over protective of children to think such a harmless bit of fun such as this book is a problem.

There will be things where I draw the line, and we would see eye to eye on them, but like you had your opinion on the book, I have my opinion on your opinion on that book.

Anyway, not wanting to cause a serious riff or anything, so peace.
best wishes.... Jo'

[minoltaman]

Our criminal justice system as well as many other systems have a major problem in the US currently. This is just a touchy subject with some. No biggie. Take it easy.

Cheers

[pstewart]

I thought this was an interesting idea.[/b]

Thanks, Jo. It's funny how ideas come to us. It's not that I set out to make a "perverse" book about kids and beer and then looked for pics to go with it...just the opposite. I was going through my photos for some to add to my Kids gallery and found the one of my cousin's husband face down by a can of beer, and his facial expression was so perfect I just had to use it somehow! But it didn't fit any of my categories, so when I found the ones of his kids playing with the beer box, I got the idea of putting it together this way.

You know, despite the criticism I got from a few people, the fact is many kids live in families where the parents drink, and sometimes see their parents tipsy. The people pictured in this gallery are nice happy decent folks who love their kids more than anything, and the kids all grew up to be fine happy decent people. They were certainly not alcoholics or bad parents in any way! Just because kids live around beer, or even taste it once, doesn't make their family life a bad situation. If, as MM suggests, people got arrested for such things, we'd have to build a jail on every corner to hold all the "offenders."

Phyllis

[minoltaman]

If, as MM suggests, people got arrested for such things, we'd have to build a jail on every corner to hold all the "offenders."

My stepfather
My brother in-law
My aunt
My cousin

All killed by drunk drivers (not themselves) in seperate accidents. I am only 38. Two were ran over by semi's. One on a motorcycle the other iin a car both stopped at red lights. My cousin died as a college freshman with 5 other area college students. Hit head-on by a drunk that crossed the center line. My stepdad was killed by his drunk son when he drove them off the road and broke his neck in the crash.

Cheers

[pstewart]

You cannot equate drunk drivers who cause fatal accidents with folks who drink beer occasionally and responsibly.