"Music and Lyrics"

Watching the movie Music and Lyrics is like reading a Harlequin Romance while listening to really bad music.

I like Hugh Grant and I like Drew Barrymore. I even like them together. I just don't like them together in this movie.

Have you seen a commercial for this movie? If so, then you have seen all the good parts and you've heard all the good lines. Interesting, as I listened to the audience laugh, I noticed that they really only laughed at the lines that were in the commercial.

Sadly, as bad as the movie was, it still must have captured a small piece of my heart, as in the climax at the end - you know, the part where the Harlequin male lead truly captures the heart of the female lead by doing something totally romantic and unexpected (although everyone expects it) - I still shed a tear or two. I'm such a softy.

Of Cabbages and Kings, Toilets and Lightbulbs

This li'l ol' Oscar party of ours tends to cause a fair bit of stress in the days leading up. Both Main Man and I are concerned that things be great for our guests. Notice I don't write that we wish they were perfect; we know that's impossible.

Often, we have at least one knock-down, drag-'em-out argument during this time.

***I must take a brief commercial break to point out that my philosophy of arguing in front of the kids is that it's fine as long as two conditions are met: 1) No name calling or swearing, and 2) they should also see you make up. ***

Thursday morning, Main Man went to use the washroom just before leaving for work. It irks him to no end when one of the boys forgets to flush, so - sure enough - he blows a gasket because the toilet isn't flushed.

I'm a little irritable myself, so I point out that whenever his little pet peeve happens, we all have to jump to make it better, but when someone leaves a light on in an empty room (my pet peeve), I must go and turn it off myself.

Suffice it to say - we discuss this at length all the way in the car as I drop him off at work.

After we arrive at his office and he jumps out (You all would have been very proud of me; as angry as I was, I still slowed down for him to get out!), #3's voice pipes up from the back seat of the car, "Okay, are we finished arguing about toilets and lightbulbs yet?"

A Glimpse into the Empty Nest

Main Man and I had the house to ourselves for five hours on Saturday evening. It felt like an out-of-body experience, almost as surreal as our Saturday evening out two weeks ago.

#1 was out babysitting for friends of ours.

#2 was on a weekend ski trip with his Cub Scout troop.

#3 was on his first sleepover.

I know what you're wondering - probably exactly what a girlfriend of mine asked last evening when I was relating this story to her - if we had the house to ourselves for five hours, what did we do for the other four hours and 45 minutes? ;-)

Anyway, as I'm sure you'll consider going down that particular road to be just ever-so-slightly TMI, I will turn the corner...

Main Man and I cannot complain in the least about our social life. Now that #1 can so capably babysit, we get out once every week or two - more than we have in years. Still, being alone together in the house is extremely rare - so rare that I can't remember the last time it happened.

Unfortunately, this rarity fell at a time when it was difficult to take full advantage. Our family was in the middle of preparations for probably our biggest night of the year - the Academy Awards.

Every year since we've been married, Main Man and I have hosted an Oscar party. We pride ourselves on certain traditions peculiar to this particular gathering. Every guest goes home with at least one doorprize. When an acceptance speech goes on too long or someone undeserving wins a statuette or a production number is just too bizarre (Remember Rob Lowe and Snow White?), guests delight in throwing marshmallows at the television. Every guest fills out a ballot indicating who will win each category - yes, every category, right down to best documentary short and best sound mixing - and throws two bucks in the pot. Whoever gets the most picks correct wins the pot. For second and third prizes, we provide donated restaurant gift certificates. We just don't consider it a successful party unless at least five or six guests are sitting on the floor. We simply don't have seating for everyone. And food! Well, basically, I don't sit down at all, as I'm kept busy keeping the kitchen smoking (so to speak) as the snacks and appetizers make their way guest-ward.

Anyway - I digress. Back to our evening alone together...

As I was saying, Main Man and I were busily cleaning house for our big night. I often say - if it weren't for the Oscars, my house would never be thoroughly cleaned!

We did take some time for ourselves, though. We ordered in from our favourite East Indian place and enjoyed a delicious meal of Samosas, Channa Masala, Butter Chicken, Basmati Rice, Naan, and Raita with a fine red wine. Our boys aren't big on East Indian, so it seemed like the perfect thing to do with them gone.

Still, as wonderful as our romantic meal was, it didn't take long for my heart to feel the stabs of hunger pangs. I really started to miss the boys. Finally, about 9:00, I gave in and phoned #1 to see how his babysitting job was going. He was doing just fine; he had tucked in the little girl he was looking after and had settled down to watch some tv. Main Man wouldn't let me call to see how #3 was making out at his sleepover. As it was his first, Main Man was worried I would make him homesick. But I missed him! Maybe I wanted him to be homesick!

Oh, not really... I know that isn't healthy.

Still, I've never really considered before then just how empty that empty nest can be.

Band of Brothers and Sisters

Last night was "February Blues" at our local high school. Performing were various jazz groups from the school community.

The first act was a little group called "Junior Green and Gold". They happen to have a very talented first saxophone called #1.

It was a lovely evening. There were tables laid out with blue tablecloths and flickering candles. Exotic coffees and caloric cheesecakes were available. Main Man and I felt as if it was date night, even with #3 sitting between us.

Although the acts on stage - both orchestral and vocal - were spectacular, I enjoyed the entertainment offstage just as much. Watching these music students with their friends touched my heart. This is the culture I want my boys to be a part of when they enter that big scary place called high school.

When I was their age, I attended a tiny rural high school. There were six students in my graduating class. Although I admit wholeheartedly that that situation gave me distinct advantages with regard to things like student/teacher ratio and social situations (It's hard to maintain a "clique" with only six kids.), occasions such as last night's "Blues" give me pause to consider what I might have missed out on. How wonderful to have a music program at all, let alone a jazz program comprehensive enough to provide an entire evening of entertainment. And even more wonderful to have a group of friends who live for the same things you do. Imagine being able to choose your friends based on interests and values and not on geography. It would have been unfathomable in my high school experience.

The high school our boys will attend is perhaps the largest in our city. Last night, in addition to #1's elementary group, two jazz bands and two vocal groups performed. These ensembles were formed only from students from the high school. The population of the school is huge, and the talent is immense. The friendship and camaraderie amongst this particular group of kids, though, is palpable: the way they cheer each other on, the way they send an encouraging glance or smile after a friend performs a solo, the way they wave to one another on and off stage.

Because #1 is part of the jazz band, he is getting to know kids from other elementary schools in the high school area. These will be his friends when he enters those formidable hallowed halls. He will have a safety net that other kids may not have, because he is beginning to weave that net now, two years before he really needs it.

Last night, I could see that he is already amongst his band of brothers and sisters.

Bracing News

My #1 got his braces today. He's doing pretty well.

I think he's adorable. As a teenager, I always thought the guys with braces were cute. Guess I still do.

Funny the little things kids worry about. A new girl in #1's class has braces, and she has a bit of a speech problem. #1 thought her speech concerns were caused by her braces, and he worried that his braces would do the same for him. He's relieved that they haven't.

Tomorrow evening, # 1's jazz band has a concert. I hope he'll be able to play. We've been told that it's much easier to play the sax than the trumpet after getting braces, so I have my fingers crossed.

Tomorrow is also career fair at his school, so he'll be presenting all afternoon. I hope he'll be okay.

I'm pleased that he's not shy about smiling with his new grills. Actually, I think he quite fancies them. Maybe he believes his old mom that he looks cute in them.

Bracing Update: When #1 came home for lunch, one of his front brace brackets had come loose. I rushed him to the ortho over his lunch hour to get it fixed. The ortho is really a great guy - he fixed it right away and was very apologetic for the pain caused as he did. (BTW - He's a real cutie too. I think #1 will need his mother to accompany him to all future appointments. Dad just won't do.) #1 still had time to eat lunch at home before heading back to school. He seems to be coping with career fair pretty well.

Teachers' Convention

Today was the first day of our two-day convention. I know that the event takes hours and hours of work for the organizers, and I do appreciate their efforts, but I still wonder what the point is.

The day consisted of greetings from various important people, a miserable motivational speaker who shrieked at us about living our dreams and remaining positive, a business meeting in which the powers that be really did try to make the discussion pertinent to the four hundred or so attendees, and then one more motivational speaker who actually wasn't bad.

By the end of the day I was numb. I missed my students desperately.

Time for Some Comedy Relief

First ... a good joke.

And now ... a funny story about #3:

We have a college-age nephew who is studying engineering. He has really great marks and has worked on teams that have created some award-winning projects. I must admit that many of his projects are beyond my brain's comprehension capabilities.

One of his teams is developing a "space elevator". From what I understand it is a method of transporting materials to and from space without the use of a Space Shuttle.

#3 is fascinated by this idea. After listening with rapt attention, his little voice piped up, "Wow, that would be one long elevator ride! You'd get really sick of the elevator music!"

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for...


... life.

One of my colleagues was home sick this week for three days. The woman filling in for her was a mom from our school community (I've taught both of her kids.) who is now a retired teacher.

We had the chance to renew our acquaintance this week. We chatted over lunch and I helped her with questions she had on our school routines. She filled me in on what her kids are doing now; they're in their late teens, early twenties. She told me excitedly about her upcoming trip to Puerto Vallerta. She had recently celebrated her sixtieth birthday.

This morning, on her way to substitute at a different school, her car was struck on the driver side full force at an uncontrolled rural intersection by a car driven by a seventeen-year-old boy. She is fighting for her life as the doctors struggle to control her internal bleeding. I think the boy and his mother, also in his car, are doing well.

Evidently, the first vehicle on the scene after the accident was a school bus full of students. The scene was horrific. Counsellors were called to the school to help the kids deal with the trauma.

All I can think of is the look in her eye as she told me about how much she loved Mexico.

Just a lesson, I suppose, in making each and every day count.

Am I in David Lynch Film?

Some surreal observations from our evening out on Saturday:

- a woman at least seventy years old dancing among the college crowd. She danced alone, and she appeared to be sitting alone. She had the figure of a prima ballerina and she danced beautifully. It was difficult to take your eyes off of her.

- two young women with serious big hair, dancing suggestively with drinks in their hands. Did I say suggestively? It looked like they were about to switch into lap-dance mode at any moment. One of them appeared to be pregnant; however it could simply have been what she was wearing. Still, the surreality of it all was too much to bear.

- a young woman with dwarfism who was with two very tall friends. Perhaps from our vantage point up in the balcony, the height difference among the three of them was exaggerated, but, added to the other incidents, it bore retelling.

And now for the piece de resistance....

- as we left the warmth of the building and walked out into the brick wall of frigidity (we're still in the deep-freeze here), we passed a rather dumpy young man bundled up from the cold, speaking into his cell-phone. The phrase we overheard as we passed?

"Yes, but you hurt me too, Mother!"

I'm on the Prowl!

I have just had so much fun!

Main Man took the boys to an early movie. I think they went to see Eragon.

We have plans to go out for a couple of drinks to our favourite Irish pub after they get home.

I have just spent the last hour or so getting ready for our date. I mean, really getting ready, just like back in my college days.

These days, getting ready to go out means making sure the supper dishes are off the table and the last load of laundry in the dryer is folded before I fix my lipstick and try to find a shirt that isn't too spotty or wrinkled.

Tonight was a different story. I showered, shaved, spritzed, brushed, moisturized, blow-dried, curled, sprayed, tried on a few outfits, and applied real honest-to-goodness make-up, not just lipstick. I feel like a million bucks.

Move over Heidi and Tyra - Library Mama is in fine form tonight!

Random Friday Thoughts

I came home from work exhausted and slightly headachey today. It seemed like an awfully long week. After supper, I fell asleep on the couch while reading (not a comment on the book). I was told later that Main Man had fallen asleep on the other end of the couch. Meanwhile, our kids were having a grand old time eating popcorn and watching tv in our bedroom. I know I'm going to be sleeping on popcorn crumbs tonight.

The boys locked themselves out of the house today in -27 degree Celsius weather. Luckily we have an amazing neighbour who fed them lunch and looked after them after school until I could get home. I often wonder what I would do without our wonderful neighbours.

Last Friday and again tonight, we had a family game of Kaiser, an old card game I used to play as a kid on the school bus. Ever played it? It was a blast from my past. I'm a player, though. When I'm playing a game, I like to play the game. Main Man and the boys would rather joke around and distract each other. By the end of the evening, I was quite tired of people speaking just to hear their own voices. I know, I know...I'm a party pooper. They've already informed me of the fact. My question is this, though - why even play a game if you're constantly going to forget whose turn it is?

So it's Valentine season. How does everyone feel about that? I don't mind it. It's kind of a nice day for teachers. I'll get lots of little "for the teacher" valentine cards and maybe even a few chocolates. Still, here at home on the other end, I'm not sure how much I like supervising a kindergartner printing out the names of all his friends. Grade 1 is so much better. Guess I can look forward to that. #3's biggest concern is that he wants to write "I love you" on the valentine for one specific girl in his class, but he's a little ambivalent about the thought. I figure he's just another male who is afraid to commit.

And is it just me, or was Anna Nicole Smith more than just a little creepy?

Overheard at Chess Club

Not sure of the background of this conversation. Wish I knew.

Two fifth graders, as they contemplated the vagaries of life and planned their next move:

"There's nothing worse than a mad mom."

"Oh yes there is!"

"Oh, right - a mad dad."

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful...

...that yet again, after our furnace shut down in the middle of the night, I managed to get it started again yesterday morning. I'm especially thankful for this because the temperature was -28 degrees Celsius outside.

...that I survived having my teaching observed by my principal on Monday. I know I'm a fairly good teacher. I've never really had complaints - at least nothing serious - from students, parents, colleagues, or administrators in all of my eighteen years of teaching. Still, I experience nervous shakes whenever I'm observed. One more lesson to have observed, and I'm done for four years or so.

...for books on CD. I've been borrowing them from the library and listening to them as I drive to and from work. It's so great! There are only 2 downfalls: my car CD player skips when it's really cold, so I miss the occasional word and phrase - at least until the car warms up. And I have to choose my audio-books carefully or I could make a fool of myself. I was listening to Mitch Albom's For One More Day, a story in which the main character is contemplating suicide and is taken on this spiritual journey to spend one more day with his mother, who had died years before. Well, as I mentioned in my comment on the previous post, I tend to be a weeper, so there I was, bawling my eyes out on the highway to work. Luckily I had a touch of a cold at the time, so when people at work asked, I chalked up the red eyes to that. Not sure what that trucker who passed me on the road was thinking, though.

...for#1's band teacher, who has encouraged him to join the jazz band. He couldn't play earlier in the year because the practices were the same time as his volleyball games. She needled him and needled him until he finally joined last week and he loves it! I told him it was an honour to be so persistently recruited by a teacher. He said, "Well, she kept telling me that she was sure I would like it, that jazz is in my bones, whatever that means." I think it means that she knows him very well.

...that #1 still gives me a hug and a kiss and tells me he loves me before he goes to bed. He's 12 now, and I expect that may stop soon, but I sure hope it doesn't.

...that when #2 asks what's for supper and I reply, his response is almost always,"Yes!" He is by far the least picky of the three.

...that, on cold mornings like we've had for the last week or more, my little car still starts. It's an amazing little vehicle.

...that when my blogposts are few and far between, as they have been lately, people still drop by to see what I have to say. I'm especially thankful that some see fit to drop off a little comment. Thanks, folks!

Have a great week.

My Latest Guilty Pleasure

Beauty and the Geek

Only problem is - my favourite couple, Nadia and Mario, were eliminated this past week. I actually cried!