I'm Cheating

I have a MILLION things I could be writing about.... like, the results of our week with no computer or play station, the projects that the kids and I are currently working on, the horrific PMS that I have... Instead, I am going to post the same thing that I just posted on facebook. This is for all of you that are not on facebook to see my ramblings :) Enjoy... 

Editor's Note: Please note that people DO change as they grow. My actions as a teenager aren't necessarily reflective of my adult activities =) 

My Musical Influences

Okay, so I was tagged to do this at least a month ago. I have spent the entire time thinking of my answers. You may not think that this would be very consequential, but music has deeply shaped my life. My responses are somewhat in chronological order of my musical awakening. Now, a little window into me....

Think of 15 albums, CDs, LPs (if you're over 40) that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life. Dig into your soul. Music that brought you to life when you heard it. Royally affected you, kicked you in the wazzoo, literally socked you in the gut, is what I mean. Then when you finish, tag 15 others (or more!), including me. Make sure you copy and paste this part so they know the drill.


1) Beastie Boys - License to Ill
Yeah, I'm sure this will get a chuckle or two... I was 8. We were living in New York. This was during my mother's snake handling days so music was the devil. I was, however, blessed with a sister who was 8 years older than me & very rebellious. I can remember the first time she put the tape in. We were dancing around the house, doing our chores, to this album. I don't have too many vivid memories of my childhood, but the ones that are vivid (& good) involve music. I mainly remember the elation I felt with every beat. 

2) U2- Joshua Tree 
Christmas of 1987. I had just turned 9. This was my Tiffany/Debbie Gibson stage. I suppose Lisa @ 16 knew that I needed some real musical influence. She gave me this tape for Christmas (or was it my birthday?). I listened to that tape until I wore it out and it came apart. I *still* love this album. It evolves with me. 

3) The Doors - Soft Parade/Morrison Hotel 
Okay - it is really just one song off of Soft Parade. Again, I was in the 7-9 age range. I was not allowed to have anything to do with MTV (see #1 above). I would sneak it in the afternoon when I was home alone (or with my sis). I remember seeing the video for Touch Me. This is now one of my least favorite songs by The Doors, but at the time I was mesmerized by Jim Morrison. A few years later, when I was 12-13, my friend, Diz, rekindled my fascination with Jim Morrison when she played Morrison Hotel for me. I have been in love ever since. The man was a genius.....

4) The Beatles - White Album 
Moving on in the time continuum, I was in the 7th grade (12-13) when I discovered this tape in my sister's collection. I ganked it from her & never gave it back. I listened to this tape every night before I went to bed. It fit my angst beautifully at the time. 

5) Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here 
This was my first CD. It came my way when I was 13.5. This coincided with me watching The Wall with Diz. Again, the CD & the movie fit my angst & obsession with hallucinogens....

6) Jane's Addiction - can't narrow it down to one: Triple X, Nothing Shocking, Ritual de lo Habitual were all continuously playing & influential. Perry Farrell has a beautiful mind. This band helped me realize that I didn't have to fit into any mold but my own. Read "To The Mosquitoes" if you haven't already : http://janesaddiction.org/discographies/disc_details.phtml?discID=34

7) Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes 
Another introduction by Diz. I seriously owe so much of my musical awakening to that woman! Anyway, my clearest memory is of us wandering the streets of Diamond Springs, screaming Violent Femmes lyrics at the top of our lungs, namely "Blister in the Sun"

8) Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes 
I was at a raging house party when I heard "Silent All These Years" for the first time. It was on MTV (still can't remember why the friggin' TV was on at a party) and I made the people in the room shut up so I could hear the lyrics. So much of this song was reflective of my childhood, it moved me to tears. She is still one of my favorite female artists to this day. 

9) Nirvana - Never Mind 
Okay... I was 13 when this album came out. It rocked me. It introduced me to the world of punk, grunge, & teen angst. Need I say more? 

10) Pearl Jam - Ten 
I just loved Eddie Vedder's lyrics. It wasn't really the music that moved me. It was his voice and words that spoke to me. His music speaks to me today as well as his lyrics & voice. The man finally has it right.....

11) Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill/Black Sunday 
I know what you're thinking - say what? :) I was 12 when I heard their self titled album. It was just a different style of rap & it stuck out to me. I LOVED their beats. I was 13 to 14 years old when Black Sunday came out. Diz's parents were in the Navy. They both had a six month cruise over summer vacation & they left her home alone. We woke up every afternoon & put this album on as we made our breakfast.... 

12) Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever 
I'm random, I know... Back to summer of '92...and back to Diz... There was one night in particular that this tape was played over and over. I still love this album. It is just a great sing along album, even if I can't sing....

13) L7 - Bricks are Heavy 
This is when I discovered that women can kick ass & take names too. This opened me up to all kind of feminazi rockers. i ♥ Donita Sparks. 

14) Grateful Dead - American Beauty 
I was all kinds of late in my discovery of Jerry Garcia. I had *just* started to listen to them when Jerry died. This album, again played on repeat with psychedelic influences, opened up the doors to blue grass, phish & festivals. I am forever grateful.... 

15) Bob Dylan & Joan Baez 
Okay, I'm kind of cheating on this one by combining two artists. I am also stepping out of my chronological order as well. Prior to age 4. my mother listened to these two artists the most. Folk music was a HUGE influence in my life prior to Mom finding Jesus. I didn't realize the influence until I was 14 to 15 years old and started listening to each artist again on my own. It was this weird experience where I would be able to sing along with the lyrics although it was my "first" time hearing the song. I remember the day I discovered Bob Dylan's song "Sara". I called my mom all excited to ask if that was where she got my name from. Not so much... Anyway, I digress. I love both of these artists. They introduced me to the world of grass roots movements.....


Okay, this does it. Obviously this list does not encompass every single artist I love. There are SO many more: Dead Kennedy's, Soul Coughing, Bjork, etc. These, however, document my awakening to the world around me. Hope you have enjoyed this little window into my world... 

About that Sabbatical....

Okay, so Teddy took the play station away from Evan for a week without really consulting me first. Not that he has to - he's his parent too. It was just that I was going to do it in a little more smoother manner and it wasn't going to be as a punishment. This has botched my plans a little. My ability to procrastinate has been taken away from me (ha ha!). Furthermore, Evan is going to be CLAMORING to get it back in a week rather than enjoying his time away from the video games. Well... maybe not. Maybe if I make it fun he won't notice it's gone. Wow - that sounds like wishful thinking!

Teddy surprised the kids this morning with one of those throw rugs that has the town and roads on it. They are busy playing with matchbox cars on it and creating some type of pretend story line to go with it. They are currently occupied but I plan on introducing a few other ideas to them. Here they are...

1) Make a loaf of banana bread.
     Both Evan and Kaya have been enjoying their newfound love for cooking. I have been loving every minute of this because it allows me to bring math into our day to day without forcing the subject on them. I have learned SO much about their math strengths and weaknesses by observing them through this process. Evan (9), who attended public school for three years, has a REALLY hard time wrapping his brain around fractions. Kaya (5), who has never had any formal education, grasps the fraction concept very easily. I am realizing that Evan missed some logic development during his mathematical education in the public school setting. I have also observed that he clamors to give me the right answer rather than use logic to problem solve. We have been working on basic logic skills so we can get him over his hang-up of giving the "right" answer. 

2) Make a bird feeder. 

Spring is here. The children and I are ecstatic. This winter was particularly harsh for us having spent the last two winters in Phoenix, AZ. To make it all the more difficult, we have been a one car family since July. It would be days on end that it would just be too cold & wet to walk anywhere these last few months. We have truly had cabin fever. In the last three weeks, we have moved into our new place and have enjoyed some great and not so great weather that comes this time of year, especially here in Hampton Roads.  We have a really neat Holly Tree that is outside the Northwest side of our duplex. You get a great view of the treetop from the kids room and the bottom from the living room. There is a Mockingbird (or a cat bird - does anyone know if they are two different names for the same bird?) that lives in the tree. She is VERY territorial over the tree and its berries. Every so often though, the other birds invade. The other day we spotted five female blue jays! Anyway, I digress... I think it would be a great idea for the kids and I to construct a bird feeder  to place somewhere  away from the tree for the other birds. I'd like it to be at good place to view from the interior of our home so that way the cats can get some entertainment as well. The birds are a sure sign that spring is here and I want to embrace this :) 

3) Explore two new books. 

 Meet James a.k.a. Uncle Jimmy: 

This is Teddy's Uncle. He lives in Tucson, AZ. We became very close while we lived in Phoenix. James has never had any children. When Teddy and I first married, he told me about his Uncle who "hates kids". This made me anxious when we first had him for a visit in Phoenix. I am not one to put up with my children being treated in a ill manner, especially in THEIR home. Well, long story short,  he LOVED (and continues to love) our children. This was a metamorphosis that shocked Teddy and pleased me very much. We have all missed James very much since leaving Arizona. James has missed us as well. He has sent the kids two books in the last three months that are just out of this world. 

The first one he sent was "Make it Work! : Native Americans. The hands - on approach to history" 

The second book he sent was this one: 

The first book has multiple hands on activities on every page. I think that if we dive deep enough into this book, we could stay busy with it alone for two months. I am not expecting it to hold my children's attention exclusively though. The second book features a different jazz artist for each letter of the alphabet. I for one know NOTHING about these wonderful artists. I was thinking we could read the book, head to the library and see which CD's we can find by each artist. Again, depending on how enthralled the kids are, we could really dive deep in this book as well. 

Well, I could keep going, listing all of my ideas, but the children are done being occupied. Time to log off for the week! I'll let you guys know what the results are when we are done :) 

Wish me luck!! 

National Grammar Day

http://spogg.org

March 4th was national grammar day. Obviously, I am a week late; however, better late than never, as they say!

My grammar has become ATROCIOUS in the last few years. I blame it on the rapid-fire world of the internet. I no longer proof read prior to hitting send. I just type and go. This has resulted in a few minor embarrassments for me. I do believe I am going to brush the dust off my Little Brown Handbook and make an honest attempt to return to the proper grammar I once knew.

Perhaps you will too!

Taking a Sabbatical

Okay, so maybe I won't be signed off for THAT long... I am going to sign off for a week. I'm challenging my son to do the same - no electronics for either of us for an entire week. I want to see what all we accomplish and do together once our electrical vices are removed. I just haven't decided when this week will start. I am thinking I will start it tomorrow, but I may find that I need a little propaganda time to make it seem like a challenge to Evan rather than a punishment. Kaya really doesn't care much for video games or the computer so she will be easy to convince. Evan and I - well, that's a bit more challenging.

Our family has done this previously, with the TV, back in 2006. We went a week without any TV whatsoever. We found that we didn't miss it at all. Teddy and I accomplished more around the house. The children, Teddy, and I spent much more quality time together as well. The eventual result was us getting rid of cable first, then finally getting rid of our large family TV altogether. I don't think it will be realistic to think that this week free of electronics will result in us ridding ourselves of a computer or a playstation. I DO think it will help us realize the importance of limiting their day to day use. Well, this is my hypothesis at least.