(Black/White Copy, 94 pages) -- What is the ordinary life? With technology surrounding us daily, does anyone really live an innocent life anymore? At a time when technology is on the rise, Brian Wayne Maki, an Upper Michigan author and poet, takes us back to the finer things in life. One Innocent & Ordinary Life describes in short stories and poems the simple innocence we have lost in the last twenty years. Through themes of Nature, loss, marriage, death, celebrities, love, and even rainbows and dreams, Brian challenges readers to realize how life has changed and to take more notice of the world around them. His words return us to the pure, basic emotions surrounding our daily lives. From first-hand accounts, Brian takes us on a thought-provoking journey into his life as a basketball official, his personal short stories about growing up as a child, his reflections about how technology affects our lives, and his never-ending fascination with Nature and the universe. One Innocent & Ordinary Life reminds us of the many ways to live a happy and productive life in a very innocent way. Rather than letting the day-to-day stress of life bring us down, sometimes we just need to step back and look at ourselves to gain a new perspective and meaning. As a refreshing new voice, in a demanding, stressful world, Brian Wayne Maki is a poet to read again and again as he reminds us of what truly matters.