I've been slack again this week. Today's poem is over 15 years old and only marginally fits the Poetry Thursday prompt, which was to write a poem around a phrase that we use frequently in daily life. My poem is about a daily routine, but not a common phrase.
The usual disclaimer for old poetry applies: This was written when I was young and dumb. I suppressed the urge to rework it. Feel free to tell me what wrong with it.
Ode to the Young Professional Male
O What a glorious sight you are!
Streaming down the highway
In your Volvo, Volkswagen, or Audi,
Feeling at one with the barely harnessed
Power of your sleek German automobile
As you expertly swing your trusty steed
Into the arena of your daily battle.
O How splendid you look!
Wearing the armor of the Young Professional Male:
Your hair flawlessly groomed with not a strand
Touching the collar of your impeccably starched
White cotton shirt;
Your trendy-yet-retro tie done
In a crisply executed Windsor knit
And anchored by a tie tac decorated
With the company logo;
And your perfectly tailored suit
Which cannot disguise
The emphasis you place on physical fitness.
O How rakish you are!
Appearing to be nonchalant
As you lean against the filing cabinets
And casually run your fingers
Through your burnished golden locks
Yet knowing all the while
That the young office temporaries
Are giggling behind their terminals
And blowing furtive kisses
In your direction.
Yet, at the end of the day,
My Great White-Collar Warrior,
When all the paperwork has been shuffled
And shuffled again,
And you emerge victorious
If only because you survived,
Who takes your head with its gently curling locks
And cushions it against her ample bosom
And asks, "How was your day?"
Who has dinner waiting when you get home,
And who scrubs your back as you unwind
In a hot aromatic tub?
O What I would have given
To be the one!
Had I been younger,
smarter,
prettier,
But I am not;
So I watch you from afar
And wish you well.
--Dani Sanders, 12 October 1990
28 June 2006
What I Like: So You Think You Can Dance
Yes, So You Think You Can Dance is a reality show. Yes, it is on Fox TV. Yes, it was created by the same people behind American Idol. Please don't hold those facts against this show. I am ecstatic that there is dance on primetime television. Dancing with the Stars has the fromage factor, which is appealing in its own way, but I prefer to watch the newcomers dance. I think a show like this will inspire someone to get off the couch and shake her groove thang. I know it works for me.
Just in case you are interested, I am pulling for Benji and Donyelle. Benji is a good boy who started a charity for orphans in Mexico and Donyelle is representin' for all the thick girls. His main style is West Coast swing and hers is contemporary. They are both great dancers who pick up the new styles quickly and they have personality to spare.
25 June 2006
Growing My Own Gamers #6
Sunday, I had an unexpected opportunity to test out a couple games. My husband and his friends were watching a pay-per-view sporting event. M and one of the wives were willing guinea pigs, so we tried out two more games from Invisible City. Once again I chose games that used bits I had on hand rather than printing out a custom board.
M and I started with a round of Ziggurat. This is a domino building game for two or four players. You start by taking turns building a four-by-four foundation square. Each player gets one point for every domino half that touches a matching domino half. Once the foundation is finished, you continuing adding dominoes and earning points based on the matches you make multiplied by the level you are building on. It was fun, but it dragged on a bit too long with a double-12 set of dominoes for only two players. I would recommend using a double-9 set for two players.
After Ziggurat, we played two rounds of Dungeon. This game uses standard playing cards -- one deck for two players and two decks for three or four players. Each player has a joker in front of her that represents a dungeon. To get out of the dungeon, you have to build a passage starting with a 10 and going down to 2. You can only play one card per turn, either to lengthen your passage or to collapse someone else's by playing a creature card (J, Q, K) on them. The jack and queen also have additional powers that let you dig through the discard pile or pick a card from an opponent's hand.
Dungeon was OK with two players, but better with three (we played both ways). I imagine it would be even more fun with four. My guest and I were both curious to see how ABM would like the game, but we couldn't tear him away from the TV. She has played with us several times in the past, so she knows how impatient he is. She thinks he will hate Dungeon because there are too many rules. I think he might like it because of the "take that" aspect. However, even if he does like it I know he won't be able to resist tweaking the rules a bit.
I'm trying not to let the summer slip away without playing more games with the kids, but I am always so tired when I get home from work. Still, I am going to make more of an effort. The next game on my list is Towers of Wyoming, another game from Invisible City. All of the IC games have rather spartan entries on BoardGameGeek. I want to post comments on as many of them as possible because I've had good luck with them so far.
M and I started with a round of Ziggurat. This is a domino building game for two or four players. You start by taking turns building a four-by-four foundation square. Each player gets one point for every domino half that touches a matching domino half. Once the foundation is finished, you continuing adding dominoes and earning points based on the matches you make multiplied by the level you are building on. It was fun, but it dragged on a bit too long with a double-12 set of dominoes for only two players. I would recommend using a double-9 set for two players.
After Ziggurat, we played two rounds of Dungeon. This game uses standard playing cards -- one deck for two players and two decks for three or four players. Each player has a joker in front of her that represents a dungeon. To get out of the dungeon, you have to build a passage starting with a 10 and going down to 2. You can only play one card per turn, either to lengthen your passage or to collapse someone else's by playing a creature card (J, Q, K) on them. The jack and queen also have additional powers that let you dig through the discard pile or pick a card from an opponent's hand.
Dungeon was OK with two players, but better with three (we played both ways). I imagine it would be even more fun with four. My guest and I were both curious to see how ABM would like the game, but we couldn't tear him away from the TV. She has played with us several times in the past, so she knows how impatient he is. She thinks he will hate Dungeon because there are too many rules. I think he might like it because of the "take that" aspect. However, even if he does like it I know he won't be able to resist tweaking the rules a bit.
I'm trying not to let the summer slip away without playing more games with the kids, but I am always so tired when I get home from work. Still, I am going to make more of an effort. The next game on my list is Towers of Wyoming, another game from Invisible City. All of the IC games have rather spartan entries on BoardGameGeek. I want to post comments on as many of them as possible because I've had good luck with them so far.
22 June 2006
21 June 2006
Poetry Thursday: She Knew Not Her Own Beauty
"Faineant" instead of "trifling"
"Presenter" instead of "host"
"Trainers" instead of "sneakers"
These are the words I love the most.
This week's suggestion was to create a poem using words you love or hate. I enjoy slang from other English-speaking countries, but it was difficult for me to work phrases like "dead common" into a poem. I mulled it over all week and the four lines above were the best I could do.
Since today's four lines barely constitute a poem, I am going to share one of my old poems from my youth. I chose this poem because it contains some of the feeling I have for Jill Scott, even though it was written many years before I ever heard of her. I had to resist the urge to edit the poem as I typed it up; I would have written it much differently today. Perhaps I should take up that challenge for next week.
She Knew Not Her Own Beauty
The brilliant adoration emanating
From his amber-tinted gaze
Startled her at first.
She was but a simple girl
Who did not deserve such attention
As she padded quietly
Across the hardwood floor
To refresh his iced tea,
Her skirts swishing gently
Against her smooth, coffee-brown legs.
She recovered swiftly, however,
With a quick, almost defiant
Toss of her head, causing her braids
To tumble from their silver clasp.
Then she cooly returned his gaze
With eyes that spoke of
All that is womanly,
And dared him to love her.
--Dani Sanders, 22 Jan 1990
"Presenter" instead of "host"
"Trainers" instead of "sneakers"
These are the words I love the most.
This week's suggestion was to create a poem using words you love or hate. I enjoy slang from other English-speaking countries, but it was difficult for me to work phrases like "dead common" into a poem. I mulled it over all week and the four lines above were the best I could do.
Since today's four lines barely constitute a poem, I am going to share one of my old poems from my youth. I chose this poem because it contains some of the feeling I have for Jill Scott, even though it was written many years before I ever heard of her. I had to resist the urge to edit the poem as I typed it up; I would have written it much differently today. Perhaps I should take up that challenge for next week.
She Knew Not Her Own Beauty
The brilliant adoration emanating
From his amber-tinted gaze
Startled her at first.
She was but a simple girl
Who did not deserve such attention
As she padded quietly
Across the hardwood floor
To refresh his iced tea,
Her skirts swishing gently
Against her smooth, coffee-brown legs.
She recovered swiftly, however,
With a quick, almost defiant
Toss of her head, causing her braids
To tumble from their silver clasp.
Then she cooly returned his gaze
With eyes that spoke of
All that is womanly,
And dared him to love her.
--Dani Sanders, 22 Jan 1990
20 June 2006
What I Like: Jill Scott
Once upon a time, I fantasized about trading lives with Bonnie Raitt. I adored everything about her looks, her voice, and the way she came across in interviews. Unfortunately, I have trouble daydreaming about anything that doesn't have at least one pinky toe in reality, so it bothered me that the object of my adoration was not black. Then, I discovered Jill Scott.
It is difficult for me to verbalize what I like about Jill Scott. Her music takes my breath away. It is sensual without being vulgar. The first time I heard "A Long Walk", I wanted to go make out with my husband in the grass somewhere. Her songs are jazz and poetry and R & B in the most delectable mix you can imagine.
Jill Scott's physical bearing is regal without being off-putting. Her singing voice has incredible range, while her soft speaking voice only hints at its strength. No matter what she is talking about, the sound of her voice embodies the good feelings that I get from many of my favorite things: cotton skirts in springtime, backrubs from my husband, dark chocolate. Then there is her beauty. Look at that face! Who wouldn't want to wake up one morning and look like that? Beyond her natural good looks, she gives me hope that I can be attractive right now at my current size. Jill Scott has definitely dethroned Bonnie Raitt as my fantasy replacement.
17 June 2006
14 June 2006
Poetry Thursday: The Transformation
There is no suggested prompt for this week; the ladies over at Poetry Thursday have left the participants to their own devices. I was going to dig out another poem from my teen years, but that didn't seem right. I started participating in this to stimulate my creativity and posting a poem I wrote 20 years ago felt like a cop-out.
Today's poem was written as a submission to a sci-fi podcast. It is the first time I have attempted to write anything in that genre. I'm still not sure if I am finished tweaking it or if I am going to submit it.
THE TRANSFORMATION
This is not the world of my grandmothers.
This is not the world where female
Means only
Mother,
Sister,
Madonna,
Whore.
Female is now the backbone
Of the new world order
And tomorrow I will be taking
What I have been bred to believe
Is my rightful place.
Tomorrow, in this world
Science will make me strong
Where God intended me to be soft.
Tomorrow, in this world
My senses will be heightened
But for duty, not for pleasure.
Tomorrow, in this world
I'll be ready to serve and protect
Rather than nurture and love.
Tomorrow, in this world
I will be cyborg
Where I once was woman.
But that's tomorrow.
Tonight, oh tonight.
I want you to touch me there
and there
and there.
Don't miss even one bit
Of my supple flesh.
Glide your tongue
Across parts of me
That will never be caressed again
And listen to me moan with delight.
Tonight, I need you to transform me
Into a lover
For the last time.
--Dani Sanders, Jun 2006
Today's poem was written as a submission to a sci-fi podcast. It is the first time I have attempted to write anything in that genre. I'm still not sure if I am finished tweaking it or if I am going to submit it.
THE TRANSFORMATION
This is not the world of my grandmothers.
This is not the world where female
Means only
Mother,
Sister,
Madonna,
Whore.
Female is now the backbone
Of the new world order
And tomorrow I will be taking
What I have been bred to believe
Is my rightful place.
Tomorrow, in this world
Science will make me strong
Where God intended me to be soft.
Tomorrow, in this world
My senses will be heightened
But for duty, not for pleasure.
Tomorrow, in this world
I'll be ready to serve and protect
Rather than nurture and love.
Tomorrow, in this world
I will be cyborg
Where I once was woman.
But that's tomorrow.
Tonight, oh tonight.
I want you to touch me there
and there
and there.
Don't miss even one bit
Of my supple flesh.
Glide your tongue
Across parts of me
That will never be caressed again
And listen to me moan with delight.
Tonight, I need you to transform me
Into a lover
For the last time.
--Dani Sanders, Jun 2006
13 June 2006
What I Like: The Hype Machine
This week I want to talk about The Hype Machine. It bills itself as an audio blog aggregator. Remember the mp3 blogs I talked about? Well, this site has a list of blogs it checks regularly and lists all the songs that appear on those blogs. That's nice, but it's not the best part of this site. The Hype Machine has a Flash player so that you can listen to the song without going to the original site. Just click "listen" next to any track and a player pops up with the top 50 tracks already loaded. While the track is playing, there is a box on the side that shows the name of the blog where it was originally posted and a link to the post. There are also links to buy the track from Amazon and/or iTunes.
The site is frequently updated, and old tracks drop off the front page after three days. The archive goes back to April 2005 but most of the tracks prior to Feb 2006 are disabled (most likely to avoid copyright issues). Another cool feature is the Now Playing link. It brings up a list of tracks that other visitors have listened to in the past five minutes. You can also create an HTML badge to go on your own blog that shows the top tracks.
What is the music mix like? It is a bit heavy on the techno dance mix stuff for my taste, but that is the nature of mp3 blogs in general. The mood can change from day to day. For instance, many blogs featured Billy Preston tracks when he died last week which gave The Hype Machine more of an R & B flavor for a couple days. Even after skipping over much of the punk and techno stuff, I still found plenty of music to entertain me for the past five work days.
The site is frequently updated, and old tracks drop off the front page after three days. The archive goes back to April 2005 but most of the tracks prior to Feb 2006 are disabled (most likely to avoid copyright issues). Another cool feature is the Now Playing link. It brings up a list of tracks that other visitors have listened to in the past five minutes. You can also create an HTML badge to go on your own blog that shows the top tracks.
What is the music mix like? It is a bit heavy on the techno dance mix stuff for my taste, but that is the nature of mp3 blogs in general. The mood can change from day to day. For instance, many blogs featured Billy Preston tracks when he died last week which gave The Hype Machine more of an R & B flavor for a couple days. Even after skipping over much of the punk and techno stuff, I still found plenty of music to entertain me for the past five work days.
11 June 2006
07 June 2006
Poetry Thursday: Choices by Nikki Giovanni
This week's optional prompt was to pick snatches of conversation out of the air and turn them into a poem. The problem with that is I would have to take off my headphones and actually listen to people. The only way I get through my days is by drowning them out :-). Instead of following the prompt, I decided to share a poem that fits how I wander through my days sometimes.
CHOICES
if i can't do
what i want to do
then my job is to not
do what i don't want
to do
it's not the same thing
but it's the best i can
do
if i can't have
what i want then
my job is to want
what i've got
and be satisfied
that at least there
is something more
to want
since i can't go
where i need
to go then i must go
where the signs point
though always understanding
parallel movement
isn't lateral
when i can't express
what i really feel
i practice feeling
what i can express
and none of it is equal
i know
but that's why mankind
alone among the mammals
learns to cry
--Nikki Giovanni
CHOICES
if i can't do
what i want to do
then my job is to not
do what i don't want
to do
it's not the same thing
but it's the best i can
do
if i can't have
what i want then
my job is to want
what i've got
and be satisfied
that at least there
is something more
to want
since i can't go
where i need
to go then i must go
where the signs point
though always understanding
parallel movement
isn't lateral
when i can't express
what i really feel
i practice feeling
what i can express
and none of it is equal
i know
but that's why mankind
alone among the mammals
learns to cry
--Nikki Giovanni
05 June 2006
Growing My Own Gamers #5
Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned; it has been three months to the day since my last gaming report :-). We have had several short game sessions since then, so I'll just hit the highlights.
Dutch Blitz/Nerts/Racing Demon/Pounce: Whatever you want to call it, we played it -- a lot. It has become our opening game for every game night. Even though there isn't much skill or strategy involved, it puts everyone in a fun yet competitive mood. I'm just surprised that none of us have ever played it before. You would think with a game this old that is known by so many names, at least one of us should have heard of it. By the way, we call it Pounce.
Give Me the Brain!: I've played this game four times since I purchased it. The kids love it, Rabbit and her husband like it, but ABM hates it. This pretty much guarantees that it won't hit the table again, at least while the adults are playing. I thought that the unpredictable reverses of turn order would appeal to ABM because they are similar to those in Uno, a game he likes. I was wrong. He dislikes the randomness of the game.
Bang!: I bought this game at the same time I bought Give Me the Brain, and I don't think it is going to get much play with the adults. Again, the kids like it. ABM thinks he might like it with a few tweaks, but Rabbit didn't care for it. I think it will be more enjoyable with time because there is a bit of a learning curve with this game. My guess it that it plays much more smoothly after about five sessions with it.
Pokino: This is a game that is part of the print-and-play category. You download the .pdf file, print it out, and either cut out the game board or provide your own pieces. Pokino is of the latter variety; the file just contains rules and you provide all the game pieces. In this case, a double-12 set of dominoes, poker chips, pennies, and a deck of cards are required. I'm not going to go through the whole rule set here, but you can read my review on BoardGameGeek. Suffice it to say that this has a good chance of being played again. There was more strategy than Poison, but it wasn't as confusing as Bang! Strangely, it is a little too complicated for the kids -- the same kids who have no problem with Bang! I'll have to wait several weeks until we have adults over to play this again.
Black Cat: This is another game from the people at Invisible City, which also houses Pokino. It sounded good on paper, but it was just a mess of grabbing cards. If anyone can figure out what I am missing in this game, please tell me.
Blokus: This is the latest game that I've added to my collection. The kids have played it but we had too many people to bring it to the table this past Saturday. I want to try it with grown-ups because it dragged on and on with the kids. They had trouble finding spots for their pieces toward the end, so I had to just call the game.
That's it! School will be out soon, and I look forward to playing more games with the kids. Perhaps I'll even find time to post about them :-).
Dutch Blitz/Nerts/Racing Demon/Pounce: Whatever you want to call it, we played it -- a lot. It has become our opening game for every game night. Even though there isn't much skill or strategy involved, it puts everyone in a fun yet competitive mood. I'm just surprised that none of us have ever played it before. You would think with a game this old that is known by so many names, at least one of us should have heard of it. By the way, we call it Pounce.
Give Me the Brain!: I've played this game four times since I purchased it. The kids love it, Rabbit and her husband like it, but ABM hates it. This pretty much guarantees that it won't hit the table again, at least while the adults are playing. I thought that the unpredictable reverses of turn order would appeal to ABM because they are similar to those in Uno, a game he likes. I was wrong. He dislikes the randomness of the game.
Bang!: I bought this game at the same time I bought Give Me the Brain, and I don't think it is going to get much play with the adults. Again, the kids like it. ABM thinks he might like it with a few tweaks, but Rabbit didn't care for it. I think it will be more enjoyable with time because there is a bit of a learning curve with this game. My guess it that it plays much more smoothly after about five sessions with it.
Pokino: This is a game that is part of the print-and-play category. You download the .pdf file, print it out, and either cut out the game board or provide your own pieces. Pokino is of the latter variety; the file just contains rules and you provide all the game pieces. In this case, a double-12 set of dominoes, poker chips, pennies, and a deck of cards are required. I'm not going to go through the whole rule set here, but you can read my review on BoardGameGeek. Suffice it to say that this has a good chance of being played again. There was more strategy than Poison, but it wasn't as confusing as Bang! Strangely, it is a little too complicated for the kids -- the same kids who have no problem with Bang! I'll have to wait several weeks until we have adults over to play this again.
Black Cat: This is another game from the people at Invisible City, which also houses Pokino. It sounded good on paper, but it was just a mess of grabbing cards. If anyone can figure out what I am missing in this game, please tell me.
Blokus: This is the latest game that I've added to my collection. The kids have played it but we had too many people to bring it to the table this past Saturday. I want to try it with grown-ups because it dragged on and on with the kids. They had trouble finding spots for their pieces toward the end, so I had to just call the game.
That's it! School will be out soon, and I look forward to playing more games with the kids. Perhaps I'll even find time to post about them :-).
04 June 2006
New Classics?
The rural area where I grew up didn't have cable television service. We picked up three local channels and that was it. It was a miracle that I even discovered old movies since this was also pre-VCR. When I finally moved to the closest metropolitan area, I fell in love with AMC and TCM. These two channels enabled me to get my black-and-white movie and musical fix every week when I was a single gal. Once I married ABM, I phased out my viewing of old movies. Black-and-white film hurts his eyes and the songs in musicals interrupt the flow of the plot for him :-p.
My desire to watch movies has been rekindled, so I've been checking out the offerings on AMC and TCM. Those channels aren't as black and white as they used to be. Today, right after airing "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", TCM showed "Honey I Shrunk the Kids". Huh? That movie was released in 1989. While I agree that it is a pretty good movie, I have trouble thinking of a movie that is only as old as my marriage as a classic. ACM is showing newer movies, too, and even worse: now they show commercials!
You could argue that '80s movies are classics to my kids and you probably would be right. I can't wait for M to watch "Breakfast Club" and "Pretty in Pink". However, AMC and TCM are the only two channels that focused on those old black-and-whites and I feel like they are being pushed off the prime-time schedule by the newer stuff. Why can't they branch out like radio stations? In my area, we have an oldies station that plays music from the 50s and the 60s and then another one that plays music from the 70s and 80s. On TV, we've got three Disney channels, four Nickelodeon channels, and several different HBO channels. I want AMC and TCM to start channels for new classics so that I can get my oldies back!
My desire to watch movies has been rekindled, so I've been checking out the offerings on AMC and TCM. Those channels aren't as black and white as they used to be. Today, right after airing "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", TCM showed "Honey I Shrunk the Kids". Huh? That movie was released in 1989. While I agree that it is a pretty good movie, I have trouble thinking of a movie that is only as old as my marriage as a classic. ACM is showing newer movies, too, and even worse: now they show commercials!
You could argue that '80s movies are classics to my kids and you probably would be right. I can't wait for M to watch "Breakfast Club" and "Pretty in Pink". However, AMC and TCM are the only two channels that focused on those old black-and-whites and I feel like they are being pushed off the prime-time schedule by the newer stuff. Why can't they branch out like radio stations? In my area, we have an oldies station that plays music from the 50s and the 60s and then another one that plays music from the 70s and 80s. On TV, we've got three Disney channels, four Nickelodeon channels, and several different HBO channels. I want AMC and TCM to start channels for new classics so that I can get my oldies back!
"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"
Can anybody watch the filibuster climax of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and not have their emotions stirred? The movie is dated and idealistic, but I love it. I'm watching it right now. I already know the ending but my eyes are still welling up with tears.
Sunday Scribblings: Earliest Memory
My earliest memories
Were like shards of glass.
They pricked me
When I swallowed them
As first experience
And they shredded my esophagus
Each time I threw up a piece
As verbal remembrance.
Years of spewing bile
Have allowed me to rid myself of them
And all that is left
Are pretty glass stones
That I buffed and polished
And gladly share.
--Dani Sanders, 04 Jun 06
Were like shards of glass.
They pricked me
When I swallowed them
As first experience
And they shredded my esophagus
Each time I threw up a piece
As verbal remembrance.
Years of spewing bile
Have allowed me to rid myself of them
And all that is left
Are pretty glass stones
That I buffed and polished
And gladly share.
--Dani Sanders, 04 Jun 06
03 June 2006
Mi Familia
My sister K told me that she was going to start reading my blog so she could find out what's going on with us. I guess that means I should probably post something about the family, huh? There hasn't been much going on, but I'll do my best. If you only come here to read my scribblings or find out if I'm still exercising, then feel free to stop reading now :-).
School: We haven't gotten final report cards yet, but I'm sure that all the kids will be promoted. There was a bit of a dip in grades during the second reporting period, but I instated a "no TV" rule for school nights that helped a lot. I tried for a "no friends" rule on school nights as well, but they only have one little girl who comes over and from what I've seen she doesn't have any other friends on the street. I didn't have the heart to tell her to stay away.
Our school year ends on 09 Jun. We don't have any special plans. ABM has Tuesdays and Wednesdays off on his current schedule, so I am hoping he will take the opportunity to do a few small activities with the kids while I am at work. There are several cheap options here in this area that the kids would love. Most kids probably go bowling or play Putt-Putt as a regular weekend activity, but my kids don't so it will be a treat for them.
Work: ABM hates his job and I don't blame him. Having worked in a call center environment before, I remember the stress and the headaches. Dealing with angry or thick-headed customers is only half the problem. In my opinion, dealing with unrealistic demands from the supervisors is worse. He's not going to look seriously for another job unless he is forced; he dislikes job hunting as much as I do, although he won't admit it.
As for me, I have learned to tolerate my job. The job itself isn't that bad. The work is boring but I entertain myself with music and podcasts. The fact that I have to be there at all is what I have trouble accepting. I tell myself time and again that it is selfish of me to think I should be able to stay at home when so many other women have to work to keep their families afloat. Somehow, it doesn't help. To stop myself from wallowing in unwarranted self-pity, I have shifted my focus to what the money is doing for our family. If Allen and I can learn to be more efficient with our funds, then perhaps I won't resent working so much.
Kids:
--DJ is my little man and he is taking that to heart. Lately, he has been announcing to the house that he is the man. I think he is trying to assert himself in this houseful of women. He will say things like, "I am a boy so I should be doing this." I wonder if another kid teased him about being too girly or if he is just trying to figure out what being a boy means to him.
Other than trying to be the man, DJ has been doing a lot of reading. I suspect he was doing it to earn enough AR points for a CD player. Hopefully, I can get to continue to read over the summer just for the fun of it.
--C2 is my quiet sweetheart. At least she is until someone steals her turn on the computer! She and DJ have an equal passion for computer and console games. C2 can get to the end boss or final puzzle on a game quicker than anyone in the house. The games designed for kids are almost no challenge for her. She's also good at board and card games; she catches on to rules quicker than the other kids. Whenever I get worrisome notes from school about her not being on grade-level, I just think back to some of the games she's beaten. The intelligence is in there; we've just got to figure out how to get her to apply it to schoolwork.
C2 is starting to get teased about her weight. Mostly it seems to be coming from her sister, but she may be getting teased at school, too. She looks fine to me, but we all know that I have blinders on when it comes to weight. The whole family could use less food and more exercise. Changing the habits of the entire household should keep C2 from feeling singled out.
--C1 is my little bean pole. She is shaped just like her Aunt N was at that age, just straight up and down. Ever since they had the nutrition class at school, she has been focused on weight and healthy foods. Of course, that doesn't stop her from eating cookies! If someone told me that one of my kids was going to have an eating disorder, I'd put money on her.
--Where do I start with M? She is basically a good kid, but I feel like I am banging my head against a wall when it comes to getting her to do housework. I know now that I should have started sooner in training her to help around the house; the three younger kids barely whine about chores as long as they see that everyone else is working, too. M is a different story. Unless I am standing over her and pointing out every thing she has to do, she won't do anything. Please tell me it is just the age!
That's enough of an update for now. I told you nothing much goes on around here!
School: We haven't gotten final report cards yet, but I'm sure that all the kids will be promoted. There was a bit of a dip in grades during the second reporting period, but I instated a "no TV" rule for school nights that helped a lot. I tried for a "no friends" rule on school nights as well, but they only have one little girl who comes over and from what I've seen she doesn't have any other friends on the street. I didn't have the heart to tell her to stay away.
Our school year ends on 09 Jun. We don't have any special plans. ABM has Tuesdays and Wednesdays off on his current schedule, so I am hoping he will take the opportunity to do a few small activities with the kids while I am at work. There are several cheap options here in this area that the kids would love. Most kids probably go bowling or play Putt-Putt as a regular weekend activity, but my kids don't so it will be a treat for them.
Work: ABM hates his job and I don't blame him. Having worked in a call center environment before, I remember the stress and the headaches. Dealing with angry or thick-headed customers is only half the problem. In my opinion, dealing with unrealistic demands from the supervisors is worse. He's not going to look seriously for another job unless he is forced; he dislikes job hunting as much as I do, although he won't admit it.
As for me, I have learned to tolerate my job. The job itself isn't that bad. The work is boring but I entertain myself with music and podcasts. The fact that I have to be there at all is what I have trouble accepting. I tell myself time and again that it is selfish of me to think I should be able to stay at home when so many other women have to work to keep their families afloat. Somehow, it doesn't help. To stop myself from wallowing in unwarranted self-pity, I have shifted my focus to what the money is doing for our family. If Allen and I can learn to be more efficient with our funds, then perhaps I won't resent working so much.
Kids:
--DJ is my little man and he is taking that to heart. Lately, he has been announcing to the house that he is the man. I think he is trying to assert himself in this houseful of women. He will say things like, "I am a boy so I should be doing this." I wonder if another kid teased him about being too girly or if he is just trying to figure out what being a boy means to him.
Other than trying to be the man, DJ has been doing a lot of reading. I suspect he was doing it to earn enough AR points for a CD player. Hopefully, I can get to continue to read over the summer just for the fun of it.
--C2 is my quiet sweetheart. At least she is until someone steals her turn on the computer! She and DJ have an equal passion for computer and console games. C2 can get to the end boss or final puzzle on a game quicker than anyone in the house. The games designed for kids are almost no challenge for her. She's also good at board and card games; she catches on to rules quicker than the other kids. Whenever I get worrisome notes from school about her not being on grade-level, I just think back to some of the games she's beaten. The intelligence is in there; we've just got to figure out how to get her to apply it to schoolwork.
C2 is starting to get teased about her weight. Mostly it seems to be coming from her sister, but she may be getting teased at school, too. She looks fine to me, but we all know that I have blinders on when it comes to weight. The whole family could use less food and more exercise. Changing the habits of the entire household should keep C2 from feeling singled out.
--C1 is my little bean pole. She is shaped just like her Aunt N was at that age, just straight up and down. Ever since they had the nutrition class at school, she has been focused on weight and healthy foods. Of course, that doesn't stop her from eating cookies! If someone told me that one of my kids was going to have an eating disorder, I'd put money on her.
--Where do I start with M? She is basically a good kid, but I feel like I am banging my head against a wall when it comes to getting her to do housework. I know now that I should have started sooner in training her to help around the house; the three younger kids barely whine about chores as long as they see that everyone else is working, too. M is a different story. Unless I am standing over her and pointing out every thing she has to do, she won't do anything. Please tell me it is just the age!
That's enough of an update for now. I told you nothing much goes on around here!
02 June 2006
"So You Think You Can Dance"
So You Think You Can Dance is my summertime treat. For a girl in the boonies who grew up loving movie musicals and '80s dance videos, the show is a bright spot in the dance-less TV schedule. I have no rhythm to speak of -- not all black folks can dance. Still, I feel inspired to move after watching a great dancer. The new season started last week and it was perfect timing because I needed a shot of inspiration to help me stick to my exercise routine.
Last season, I didn't start watching the show until after the initial audition phase. I made a few observations while watching the auditions this season. Although in most areas the saying "You can't judge a book by its cover" is sound advice, it didn't apply in this case. It was obvious from first glance which people could dance and which ones couldn't. The toned bodies were a dead giveaway, but it was more than that. The bad dancers didn't dress like dancers. They were either in street clothes or costumes that they thought were dancewear. Also, the bad dancers lacked grooming. The men had scraggly hair while the women had bad hair and makeup. It was almost as if the good dancers cared more about their bodies and it was showing in their appearance.
Another thing I noticed was the explanations. The good dancers talked about when they started dancing and how much they loved it. The bad dancers, on the other hand, focused on irrelevant details like what the parts of their costumes represented or the deep meaning of their choreography. The truly poor dancers bragged about how good they were! A big warning sign about the upcoming performance was how the dancer described their style. If she said something like, "I use a combination of jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, and ballroom.", then I knew the dance was going to be awful. The good dancers would say that they knew how to do those dances but they picked one style for their performance.
Luckily, the audition phase is over. The judges picked 125 dancers to go to Las Vegas and participate in classes. A lot of dancers have to be eliminated before the partnering phase, so this is where the drama and personality clashes start showing up. If you want to watch a reality show, tune in for the next few weeks. If you prefer a talent competition, wait until they narrow it down to 24 contestants.
Last season, I didn't start watching the show until after the initial audition phase. I made a few observations while watching the auditions this season. Although in most areas the saying "You can't judge a book by its cover" is sound advice, it didn't apply in this case. It was obvious from first glance which people could dance and which ones couldn't. The toned bodies were a dead giveaway, but it was more than that. The bad dancers didn't dress like dancers. They were either in street clothes or costumes that they thought were dancewear. Also, the bad dancers lacked grooming. The men had scraggly hair while the women had bad hair and makeup. It was almost as if the good dancers cared more about their bodies and it was showing in their appearance.
Another thing I noticed was the explanations. The good dancers talked about when they started dancing and how much they loved it. The bad dancers, on the other hand, focused on irrelevant details like what the parts of their costumes represented or the deep meaning of their choreography. The truly poor dancers bragged about how good they were! A big warning sign about the upcoming performance was how the dancer described their style. If she said something like, "I use a combination of jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, and ballroom.", then I knew the dance was going to be awful. The good dancers would say that they knew how to do those dances but they picked one style for their performance.
Luckily, the audition phase is over. The judges picked 125 dancers to go to Las Vegas and participate in classes. A lot of dancers have to be eliminated before the partnering phase, so this is where the drama and personality clashes start showing up. If you want to watch a reality show, tune in for the next few weeks. If you prefer a talent competition, wait until they narrow it down to 24 contestants.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)