Month: January 2013

  • minimal post about extravagant love

    A joyous sky today. 

    I wanted to remember this phrase (please ignore the old lady hand- it’s winter) so I wrote it on my usual notepad. 

    I had a lot to say about it earlier today.  But I’m thinking of making this a DIY blog post.  What does “extravagant love” say to you?

    The context was the bazillion colors of green in springtime.  How about those individual snowflakes? What about how my daughter’s blond hair is a hundred different individual colors.  (give or take)  That amazing sun on a cold, winter day. The little nubbins on my lilac tree. Full contact hugs. On a day like today, it’s hard to miss the extravagant love in the air.  And to pass it around. 

    What other kind of love is there?

    And now I go back to knitting.

  • rye

    I did it.  I finally read “The Catcher in the Rye.”  You know it’s a classic.  Famous and stuff.  On my list of books I need to read.  So.  I can check it off.  I have to tell you though, the last couple chapters I really didn’t care what he was trying to catch and where.  I really didn’t.  That’s a joke there, by the way.

    I dunno.  Am I unsympathetic to a poor little rich kid who doesn’t care about anything?  Sure, he had the bad luck of being the 3rd kid of 4.  The youngest being the only girl and bright and adorable.  And the eldest wildly talented and successful.  And the most perfect of all who had the nerve to die for some reason.  So Holden is without direction.  Possibly because, at 16, he smokes and drinks like a fiend. (I think that’s a joke too.)

    Am I unsympathetic because I am the most boring person in the universe?  Honestly, a wild time to me is wearing jammies all day long or going to work without brushing my hair.  Am I jealous that this little twit gallivanted all over New York city going to bars and hotels and calling people in the wee hours? 

    One thing I did find some value in was a quote presented by Holden’s former teacher (who may have been thinking about molesting him- Holden certainly thought so).  “The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.”  Wilhelm Stekel.

    Just so you know… I have lost my mind.  I just googled “rye sense of humor.” The dangers of homonyms.

    Also, just found out that the youngest member of the household likes reubens/ ruebens.  (rubens?)  Miss Picky doesn’t like anything, so we don’t count her.  In any case, I need rye bread.  And sauerkraut. Etc.

    (day #6)

  • sisters

    I think it’s probably pretty clear that we have some dramatic moments in my land.  Today was certainly a day ending in “y”, so there was drama.  Building for hours.  Until Spawn was crying her eyes out and I was feeling guilty (because everything is my fault) and showing it by being angry (because everything is my fault.)  But then I went into Spawn’s room and there was LLO, talking to her sister.  Probably hugging her sister.  Being a sister.  And making it all better.  And it was beautiful.

    Then I crawled into LLO’s bed because there’s no place to sit in Spawn’s room except the floor and I’m not about to sit on the floor anymore this week, thank you very much.  Next thing I knew, Spawn and LLO were on either side of me and we had a lovefest as they tried to make me feel better.  (Since by this point, my face had sprung a leak.  Too much week. And too much week.)  And suddenly LLO is singing “Lean on Me” to me.  Then she told me about how she was able to make her sister feel better and how earlier this week the sister had made her feel better and we talked about how lucky they are to have each other and maybe how unfortunate it is that I don’t have a sister and I have to agree on that score. 

    In spite of all the fighting (and there is plenty), there is really nothing better than a sister.

    On a side note, I may not have a real sister, but I have heart sisters.  And I love them.

    Tomorrow my girls may fight the whole day (which I don’t have to experience since they are going on an outing with their daddy- thank goodness) but when it comes down to it, I know that they have each others’ backs.

    On another side note, I got a lump in my throat when the Doctor dropped off Miss Smith.  Just seems terribly wrong.

    [Day 5.  With 22 minutes to spare. :) ]

  • boring and whiny (still)

    I had an interesting morning.  I parked my car and was walking into the building when this lady stopped me to ask if she could borrow my phone.  Her car was parked up the hill, door open, hazards on (I think, but maybe not.)  She said her car wouldn’t start.  I offered to jumpstart her.  She was wishy washy about it, so I lent her the phone because she said she’d call her husband.  No answer.  I pulled my car over, figured out where my cables were (which is more complicated than you might think) and looked under her hood.  Couldn’t find the battery.  She had a VW.  Every under the hood was covered in plastic.  By this point I was pretty much frozen and suggested we go inside to get our handy dandy custodian’s help.  Yes, I’m helpless that way.  Anyhow.  We went in, had to wait because the school was in the middle of a “secure in place”drill and then there was difficulty finding the custodian (probably because he was knee deep in the drill too.)  Anyhow. The lady and I went back outside.  Miraculously, with a heated brain, I was able to find the hidden battery and was attempting to find some exposed metal (everything under this hood was plastic- have I mentioned that?).  About this time, the custodian came out, checked out my connections, and we had her start the car.  We both mentioned that she should keep the car running.  Somewhere in this conversation, I mentioned her husband again and did she want to call him again to get him to help her.  This is when she explained that wouldn’t do much good because he’s in New Jersey.  Of course, I wondered why the heck she’d call him in the first place. 

    I went about my merry day.  At the end of the day, I talked with both the custodian and the school secretary.  They both mentioned that she’d turned off the car, needed a second jump and eventually called a tow truck.  Seriously, sweetie. Why did you turn off the car?  Even I know that you need to leave a car running when you get a jump.  (I have learned this through my vast experience in dead batteries.  I used to have trouble turning off lights. (They are automatic now. Thank goodness.)  The children also have trouble closing doors.

    I was late to work.  Not that it necessarily matters. I suppose I did a good deed.  I have a firm understanding of how to jump a car, which I hope I’ll remember for the next time.  I seem to be pursuing this as a hobby. 

    I nearly have Spawn’s cape done.  Spouseman is taking the children to some Con thing or Com thing or what have you.  The girls are dressing up.  Spawn has spent all week making a stick.  I’ve put off the cape for a week.  LLO needs ears and a tail.  Never-ending good times.  The best part of this is that the people are leaving the house.  Which is most excellent, because I can party all day.  As soon as I get all the stuff done that needs to be done.  Oh, nevermind.

    There. I have managed to keep to this part of my plan for 4 days now. 

  • fair

    Let’s talk about what kids think about fair. 

    A friend of mine is going on a mission trip to Nicaragua.  Among the many things this mission group does is pack backpacks for kids to attend school.  Apparently school is not free to everyone in this town in Nicaragua.  In order to attend school the child must be provided with the backpack of school supplies and tuition.  The mission group is not able to raise enough money to support all the children.  So they choose to pay tuition for the children who have demonstrated responsibility and a desire to learn and work hard. 

    We were talking with a group of 2nd graders last night (a continuation of a conversation from the previous Tuesday).  They find this to be very unfair.  They feel that the kids who most need the schooling are the ones who have not been successful at school.  One kid even suggested that it would be more fair to give tuition to half of the kids who work hard and half of the kids who don’t.  We didn’t make any progress on deciding which of the hard workers deserved to go and which did not.

    I certainly understand where the kids are coming from on this.  In the good old USA, everyone is guaranteed a free public education regardless of the effort the child (or parents) put into acquiring the education.  So their mentality is that education is a right, a guarantee. 

    I agree the mission trippers too.  With limited funds, it makes sense to support the intellectual growth of those who have proven to be serious about education.  Part of me is well aware that the system may not be fair- that teachers may favor certain students, that factors (like illness) beyond the kids’ control may ruin a student’s chance of getting an education.  So it would be great if more money was available to give more kids opportunities.

    On the other hand, maybe they have the right idea. (I don’t mean the poverty.  Of course.) We value more what we have to work for. 

     

    Well. That’s enough of that.  And I have an entire day of doing stuff for other people. 

  • audition

    This is rant.  Run away if you’d like to.

    Background info:  There is a midweek (Tuesday as a matter of fact. imagine that) program at my church which includes choir for kids.  I’ve been helping with choir since Spawn was first eligible- 1st grade.  As she is now in 10th grade, that makes this my 10th year.  Every spring we do a musical. Traditionally this musical is for 1st through 8th grade and a lot of the years I’ve been involved it’s been quite a production.  Acting, singing (of course), costumes, sets. Just a big deal.  And the middle school kids basically carried the show with the extra stuff and the solos and what have you. 

    I’ve heard a speech every year around this time from our choir director, designed to encourage cooperation from the younger kids.  The speech goes something like this “your behavior now is your audition for roles in the musical”.  Or something like that.  I recognize this speech as utter bullshit.  I have from the beginning because I’ve watched the kids who don’t behave get special treatment.  Frankly, it has pissed me off on more than one occasion. 

    It has made me livid on two occasions.

    The first was when Spawn was in 8th grade.  That girl gave me plenty of trouble through the years, but she was always cooperative in choir.  I was with her in choir for 1st through 5th grade and heard for the other 3 years that this stayed true.  She has a wonderful singing voice.  She was excited for her 8th grade year and so was I.  Because her 8 years of “auditioning” meant that she should have had a good part in the musical- if not a lead.  That year our minister was leaving and instead of a regular musical, we did a retrospective of songs from musicals over the years.  My daughter had a solo.  That’s it.  It took me some time to get over that, I can tell you.  It was fine in the end.  Awesome kid that she is, no one would guess she had any disappointment at all.

    I heard the speech again today.  I was not actually in the room at the time he said it.  Which is probably a good thing.  Because LLO is in 6th grade and therefore paid her 5 years of dues to have a role in the musical.  (While she wasn’t always cooperative in choir, that doesn’t matter really, apparently.)  Well.  This year, the middle schoolers aren’t in the musical at all.  The end.  They are doing something else entirely.

    Of course I will get over it.  But today I can’t help feeling like both of my kids got screwed. 

     

    And now I’m going to watch some more Dr. Who and continue knitting my scarf. (And try not to freeze solid.)

  • 1 of 3

    I have a headache hangover and nothing much to say. 

    I didn’t do anything I was supposed to do this weekend.  Eventually I will be sorry about that, but not today.  I went out and played games.  Laughter cures headaches.  Just so you know.

    Anyhow.  I painted this here thing and I’m sheepishly going to share it.  ’cause I got nothing else.

    I had three goals for this week, and I’ve already failed on two of them.  The third one is to post every day.  So I’m a little desperate.  :)

     

  • all wet haiku

    #winsh 10. Write 12 haiku about running water.

    chill in summer’s heat
    gentle creek sounds fill the air
    children laugh and splash

    a waterfall sings
    a song of conquering rocks
    by going around

    yonder river says
    my banks submit to my will
    dreaming of spring thaw

    waves crest far away
    the deep water hides dolphins
    dreams of the ocean

    feet planted in sand
    tide tickles toes soft surround
    sunk deeper- ready

    turn the faucet on
    tub fills with steam and bubbles
    relax and be free

    another foggy
    morning- crawl in the shower
    yay! now I’m awake!

    sink full of dishes
    water eases tired hands
    you’re soaking in it

    a boat on the lake
    oars interrupt the silence
    sending waves to shore

    green murky water
    my girls playing at the dam
    can’t get me in there!

    sweet water drips soft
    into a warm day puddle
    refreshes the earth

    sun forces its will
    on the stubborn snowy ground
    a melted river

     

    Ha.  I can count and I can put words together. 

  • emerald slippers

    #winsh

    11. Sew an accessory or garment. 8 pts

    Another project from my stash of felted wool with a penny rug-ish kinda deal to it.  While I made these bad boys I watched the BBC version of “Pride and Prejudice” (yes, the 6 hour one), a rather interesting Johnny Depp flick “Dead Man”, and several episodes of Dr. Who.  An eclectic assortment of viewing pleasure, if I say so myself.

    For bonus points, I have attempted to incorporate  winsh 28. Create a piece in which your state flower is thematically central. 4 pts.  That would be Mountain Laurel, the state flower of Pennsylvania. Because I say it is.  See?  Mountain Laurel grows pretty wild and free in the mountains near where I live.  It’s quite beautiful in the spring and early summer.  It has the same kind of leaves as a rhododendron.

    Finally going to celebrate Christmas with my p’s this weekend.  Good thing we waited until now, because these slippers are my mother’s gift.  LLO asked me if I’d make her a pair.  I can’t feel my fingers.  She’s going to have to wait a little while.  She wants purple.  Of course.

    I read Hitchhiker’s Guide for the first time.  Laughed myself silly.  And I have reacquainted myself with the reasons I used to like reading Stephen King.  Unfortunately the book is a freaking doorstop.  I prefer my books a little more portable.

    Okey dokey. That’s my life in a nutshell.

  • it bites

    # winsh 2. Write a poem entitled “Dog Bite”. 3pts

    puncture deep in the seat of the problem
    massive storm cloud reveals a
    demon inside spewing the savagery
    that can only happen on a day
    when nice is only a color
    and hope is a flammable twig
    that burns up fast and smelly
    so much barking about what is deserved
    and how your rights are bigger than mine
    and what you say is more important
    and taking one for the team.
    the team is a pain in my ass.

    I had a dream last night that told me I was angry.  So I stayed good and angry all day long.  I’m angry about a lot of things, some of them are even real.  Some fun things I considered today in my fit of temper: 1) my Christmas tree was a fire hazard and could have been very entertaining for a little while had I lit it rather than taking it to the curb. 2) it’s a good thing we don’t have any equipment that goes “boom” because I had a powerful need for target practice today. 3) it is so darn annoying that I have to juggle other people’s crap when I need a nap. 4) some times certain words are more attractive than other times.

    ps. i know it’s garbage.