Monday music, 4.12.10

Shakespeare, guinea hens and M&Ms.

No, I’m not playing “one of these things is not like the others,” nor have I lost what small amount of mind I possess.

Working from home, parenting 24/7, and trying to wring experience, music and a little romance from each day can occasionally challenges the most intrepid. What brings sanity and balance to ordinary crazy days?

My vote runs to laughing….. giggling, guffawing, gut-busting, breath-losing laughter.

Some recent moments…..
My 10 year old & I were driving towards the middle school on a misty, rainy afternoon. Suddenly, over on the opposing sidewalk about a dozen guinea hens appeared, waddling down the street in two straight lines, Madeleine fashion. Following this gaggle (actually a group of guinea fowl are called a confusion or a rasp) was a woman running with all her might — calling them to come back. Surprised into giggles, I slowed the car, while my girl and I craned our necks over our shoulders at this bizarre procession. Making it even funnier, my daughter remembered all my stories about the sheer brainlessness of poultry — and thinking about that woman trying to get them to listen to her…..

Every now and then in the hither-thither mom’s taxi that is our afternoon routine, I surprise the girls with a treat of the unhealthy, just plain fun variety. You see where this is going, right? Last week they were divvying up their M&Ms — first by color, and then making sure they each had the same number. Driving Jeeves-like in the front, I listened as they rationalized their choices. They both wanted the brown ones, they are the most chocolaty. The orange reminded one far too much of UT, she would take the blue ones instead. One took red, the other yellow and the lucky green ones had an uneven number so they offered the offending odd to me… Smiling, I took my green candy, and thought of all the times my brothers and I had played out that same scenario. Did you guys sort your M&Ms? What was your favorite color?

And Shakespeare — that’s easy…. It’s April, national poetry month and the birth month of His Genius-ness. And he just plain makes me happy! Enjoy…
Twelfth Night, Act II, Scene III by William Shakespeare
The Clown, singing
O Mistress mine, where are you roaming?
O stay and hear! your true-love’s coming
That can sing both high and low;
Trip no further, pretty sweeting,
Journeys end in lovers’ meeting—
Every wise man’s son doth know.

What is love? ’tis not hereafter;
Present mirth hath present laughter;
What’s to come is still unsure:
In delay there lies no plenty,—
Then come kiss me, Sweet-and-twenty,
Youth’s a stuff will not endure.

laughing songs: Choo Choo (Diane Birch — what a voice, what a fun song); Dancing Queen (ABBA or the version from Mamma Mia! — you haven’t lived, til you’ve seen the Army girls rendition of DQ); Halo/Walking on Sunshine mash-up (from Glee — clever, well-done juxtaposition); Ladies of Cambridge (Vampire Weekend — OK, the band’s name is piggy-backing, but their sound is just cool); It’s Still Rock & Roll to Me (Billy Joel — just timeless); Lost Music Blues (Kasey Chambers, with her father Bill — such a rollicking song); Great Escape (Teddy Geiger — neat-better-than-a-boy-band boy band; not quite the Stiff Dylans, but pretty good); And She Was (Talking Heads — yes….); Sisters (check out the Bette Midler duet with Linda Rondstadt); All I Want to Do (Sugarland — Jennifer Nettles just radiates joy in performing); Come Sail Away (Styx — huge favorite with the girls); He Plays the Violin (from 1776 — this and The Egg just cause complete “hey nonny nonny” laughter); Everything I Own (the old Bread song re-imagined by Vanessa Hudgens, Disney diva mostly talented); Johnny got a Boom Boom (Imelda May — rockabilly, 21st century UK style — imagine the Stray Cats in skirts); Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (pick a version — I like Derek & The Dominoes or Chaka Khan); One Tribe (Black Eyed Peas — the Peas song we all like); From Me to You (Beatles — great harmonies); Lean on Me (the girls love the Hope for Haiti version that features Sheryl Crow, Kid Rock & Keith Urban — it actually grooves some); Africa (Toto — what can I say) and I Love it When you Call (the Feeling — this is one of the happiest songs that isn’t happy, ever)

Love may make the world go round, but it’s laughter that keeps us from getting dizzy. –> Donald Zochert

Take care,
Aly