All posts by ihatehardware.

Mom’s Music

I made a very important discovery a few weeks ago – one that will change the morning drop-off forever.  Every morning we get in the car and the kids immediately want the radio on – KISS 108.  Then they complain that there’s too much talking, they’re not playing the songs they want to hear, continuously ask to hear their favorites (they don’t get that I can’t control the radio), and eventually they ask me to turn on the iPod.  That’s when the real fighting begins…they each want to hear specific songs, including a Christmas song about a cat who dies out in the cold but saves a mouse in the process.  What a depressing way to start the day.

Finally, one day I just decided to play my own music.  I hadn’t focused in on the fact that I had done away with listening to music in the car because I use that as some of my “thinking time.”  That’s when I plan upcoming meetings, think about what’s on my to-do list, and pre-write blog posts.  Well, I’m obviously not getting any of that done during morning drop-off, and I think it’s time to get back to sharing the ride with my favorite artists…Susan Tedeschi, the Dixie Chicks, Eva Cassidy, Bonnie Raitt…basically whatever I can sing to.  My parents must have figured this out too, because I still know the words to every John Denver song, and have memorized the Carpenters Greatest Hits, Joni Mitchell – Blue, and Hey Jude (the album) by the Beatles.

In addition to helping me relax, turning on my music means that nobody is fighting over which song is played next, asking me to turn it up or down, or wanting to know what it means to brush your teeth with a bottle of Jack.  If there’s anything going on in the back seat I just turn the music up loud and avoid looking in the rear-view mirror.  I think the kids are actually starting to like my music, and I’m sure they like to hear me singing rather than yelling or crying.  It’s a win-win.

Speaking of music, I ran across this singer on YouTube last weekend – Lisa Scinta.  She has recorded a whole bunch of covers and some originals in her bathroom, and has millions of views on YouTube.  I think she has a GREAT voice, and coincidentally, she is the daughter of Joe Scinta, who is a member of a musical act called The Scintas.  We used to go see the Scintas multiple times every summer when we were in Alexandria Bay.  They were fabulous – I just loved them.  Give Lisa a listen and cross your fingers that more traditional (and lucrative) fame and fortune will come her way.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLsT86nbAVQ&fs=1&hl=en_US]

My Lucky Day

Every year at this time I consider, at least briefly, whether I can handle the Pathways holiday gift drive again.  This is the 6th year I’ve decided that even though my life is perpetually crazy and some of my own family’s gifts don’t get wrapped until Christmas Eve, organizing the Pathways drive is one of my favorite parts of the holiday season.

If you’re new to my blog, Pathways is the local family shelter, and I organize a small army of family, friends, and coworkers to help make Christmas happen for the kids who live at Pathways, and those who have recently moved to permanent housing.  I get a wish list from the shelter and divvy it up between the enthusiastic volunteers, and then host a brunch at my house on drop-off day.  It’s complete chaos, but so much fun!!

Anyway, one of the things on my to-do list for Saturday was to buy 45 Christmas stockings at the Christmas Tree Shop.  On my way there I remembered that last year someone had offered me a coupon but I had already bought the stockings.  I didn’t have a coupon this year either, but figured I’d have to just bite the bullet.

Norah and I had made a full circuit around the store and I had the cart overloaded with stockings, stocking stuffers, gift wrap, etc., when one of the moms from Aliya’s soccer team came up to us and asked if I had a coupon.  I swear, I got a little misty!  I was able to save almost $50, which equates to a gift and stocking stuffers for one extra kid.  🙂

As I was driving Norah around the store in the carriage, she entertained herself and the other shoppers by singing one of her favorites, “From This Moment.”  It cracked me up because it must have been so funny to hear it coming out of a carriage of stuff.  Usually she just makes up her own words but I think she was distracted by the camera.  Here’s a short clip:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjNeqm9VV78&fs=1&hl=en_US]
 

My (Little) Man

To some of you, this may look like a random collection of letters, but if you sound some of the consonants out as the letter names (B= “be”, R = “ar”), flip over the M in the second line because it’s actually a W, squint, tip your head to the right, and concentrate, it’s actually a note of apology from Adlani to his gal-pal Madeleine (you can just hover over the note to see the translation).  Why is Adlani apologizing to Madeleine?  Well, because he hit her.  Why did he hit her?  Because she (allegedly) told him to “try it.”

Ok…so he doesn’t always use the best judgment, has more energy than a litter of golden retriever puppies, and has a very short attention span unless he’s talking about Pokemon, but he’s really a good boy.  A little naive, yes…this morning I heard him singing “Hey Soul Sister, ain’t no banana-kisser…” which he apparently learned at school (he has no clue that it’s not a literal reference to fruit).  Last week he asked me if he was half Moroccan and when I said he was, he confirmed, “So I’m half Moroccan and half Spanish.”  I could NOT convince him that he isn’t half Spanish.  I guess he’ll figure it out someday.

Then there was the report that came home from school about his fixation on pirates killing Indians.  I decided to get to the bottom of it.  Well, I tried anyway…


Paradigm Shift

I try to live with the assumption that people’s actions may be affected by something I’m not aware of.  The person walking slow and holding up the line may have a health problem.  The cashier who’s not being friendly may be carrying a burden that I can’t see.  Sometimes it’s easy to forget this when people don’t meet our expectations, so this video is a good reminder.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlRK1vqcuvg&fs=1&hl=en_US]