With much love and affection for my numerous nieces and nephews, I wanted to gift them with an entertaining guide to life, with something that would instill in them the strength and courage to lead interesting lives. To create a story that would recapture not only the childhood emotion of being an integral part of the world, but also being a master in the world. To bring back the sensation that every little particle, especially the unseen ones, are absolutely alive with something much larger than ourselves, something mysterious and magical; and that is how Riding a Broken-down Booger, a surrealistic fantasy based on philosophy, science and religion came into being.
My life philosophy is best summed up in the words of ten-year old adventurer Penelope, a main character in Riding a Broken-down Booger:
“You see what I figured out about life, so far, is that it is like a gigantic fun ride at the carnival. You’re strapped in a padded cart travelling at an unfathomable-able 186,000 miles per second. That’s so fast your heart’s about to burst out of your chest and land on the other side of the universe. In the briefest, tiniest fraction of the very smallest second, you recognize familiar faces of the ones you love, whom you want to give a great big squeeze, and those you can’t stand, like Snootles, whom you want to punch. And before you can reach out to them, vvrooom, they’re snatched away from you and hidden in the past.
In bewilderment and wonder you clutch onto the cart’s safety bar and cry with sadness as you dip into cold, dark tunnels. Scream in terror as unexpected things jump out at you. Laugh with delight as you teeter at the very most toppest of the ride. Gasp in surprise as you whip around unpredictable-able bends.
Then sigh with relief when the most splendipulous ride you could ever have ridden is regrettably over and wish you could go around one more exhilarating time — just for the experience.”
