Happiness is a Converse Tee

This week I had to go out to buy a pretty dress to wear to a wedding. Dress, shoes, wrap, jewelry...the works. I was pretty excited to attend the wedding, and I wanted to look beautiful, of course. But the SHOPPING...ugh.

I realize that, according to the laws of Womanhood, I'm supposed to love shopping, manicures, and a really great pair of shoes. I know it's supposed to be a dream to drift through the stores browsing, trying things on, whipping out credit cards and filling my heart and closet with couture.

Contrary to how most women feel though, this is NOT exactly my idea of a good time. When I go shopping, my philosophy is to get in, get what I need, and get the hell out...hopefully within 10 minutes. Shopping is just not my thing, I guess.

I went to several boutiques and department stores before finding something that was flattering, yet affordable. It was just a chore to be completed, and never once did my heart go pitter-pat.

Later on however, I went to Target to get a few other things. I was on my way to look for some socks and something caught my eye. The new Converse screen-printed tees were in! Butterflies, tree branches, peacock feathers. And all for $12.99 each! For the first time that day, I was truly excited.

I guess I will just never be a couture kind of girl. Pity me or envy me, but in MY world, shopping bliss is found at Target...and happiness is a Converse tee.

Thank you, Universe

Thank you for my husband...he's the best, most wonderful husband. He understands me, and pretends to let me take care of myself while he's taking care of me. He loves me for who I really am, and lets me be ME.

Thank you for my big kids. They drive me nuts sometimes, and I worry about them constantly...being out there in the big world with only my voice in their heads to guide them. I love them more than they will ever understand.

Thank you for my little girls. What an unexpected gift they are. I treasure every single day with them.

Thank you for my sisters, who by turns think I'm fabulous or just plain crazy, and are usually right! They will always be my touchstones. I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't have a handful of sisters to love.

Thank you for my parents, whom I'm lucky to still have in my universe. I don't see them enough, but I love them so much.

Thank you for my new family. I never expected to marry into such a family who, without fail, treat me like another daughter/sister. They're the best!

Thank you, Universe for aligning the planets in my favor once again. I promise to do my best to deserve it.

Flash Mobs

Have you heard of the Flash mob phenomenon? No, that's not an exotic dance routine I'm working on! And it's not a Facebook Mafia Wars thing either.

Flash mobs are those performance-art gatherings of seemingly random strangers in public places. They've been dubbed "mobs" because they come out of nowhere, assault you with their awesomeness for 3 minutes or so, and then take off.

I LOVE them! I don't know if it's the theater geek in me, or maybe that part of my personality that likes to see people smile. I have always been a sucker for any kind of performance art, so this stuff is SO right up my alley!

I love the mysteriousness of it all. I love how the whole performance can be happening all around you and you don't know who's in on it and who's not. You could be watching for 2 minutes and all of a sudden the person you thought was just another observer sitting next to you jumps right in and starts singing and dancing.  I didn't actually know about this craze until last year when I saw this Weeds season 5 premiere, which features a flash mob dance scene.

Okay, so maybe having two back-to-back babies has kept me a little too busy to notice pop culture. Whatever...once I opened my eyes I saw them in the news, on TV, and posted all over the internet. Here are some videos of a few ideas I really liked. The Sound of Music one is my favorite, although a subway station full of pantless people is nothing to shake a stick at.












I think my life is missing some theater geeky adventure. So I've decided to go find a group of like-minded wackos in my city to hook up with. Want to come along? We'll meet at the previously arranged secret rendezvous spot and receive our mission to help cure boredom of the masses!

High Stupidity Warning

What is the stupidest thing you've ever done? Today I had a literal brush with death. Well, maybe not quite death. At the very least it was a brush with stupidity.

I was about to blow dry my hair, and as I went to plug in the blowdryer, I got zapped! Big time. Was this a faulty outlet? Nope. A malfunctioning hair appliance? Huh-uh.

Dumbass that I am, I went and touched my WET hair, then used my WET fingers to plug the blowdryer into the electrical socket! Um, and I didn't do it gingerly or anything. I made sure I stuck my fingers IN the holes of outlet as I inserted the prongs...you know, to make sure I got it on the first try.

Have you ever electrocuted yourself before? When I was a kid I touched my grandmother's electrified cattle fence all the time. And on special occasions my boy cousins were known to convince me to hold a 9-volt battery to my tongue.

But I have never been shocked by an outlet until today. I actually heard it go zzzzzzzZZZZZZZZTTTTTT!!!! And I felt the current run up through my arm. I saw my life flash before my eyes. Well, truthfully, I only saw my death flash before my eyes.

As I stood there with my mouth open, staring at my hand in horror, I imagined the paramedics retrieving me off of the floor of my bathroom. I pictured them coming in with that stretcher thing, and had a second to be grateful I was wearing my robe. Because otherwise that would not have been a pretty picture, let me tell you!

Then, just as I was thinking about how nice it would be if someone were to create a slideshow of my life set to Coldplay and Beatles music for my funeral, my heart started to beat again. And of course, I started crying and went running out to Craig so he could hug me and tell me I was okay.

So, today's life lesson is simple. Don't touch outlets with wet hands. But if you have a dumbass moment and forget, it's not going to kill you, or really hurt you, or even drop you onto the floor. You will live to tell the tale. Probably. So....you will just have to find some other way to get cute paramedics into your home to see you naked.

Also, I really want a slideshow at my funeral someday.

Sunny Days

Sesame Street is celebrating its 40th birthday this week. 40 YEARS...wow! Sesame Street is the longest running and, in my opinion, the best children's show ever conceived.

I remember feeling stunned 10 years ago upon hearing of the sudden death of Jim Henson. Over the course of his career he touched so many lives, and his dedication to children was inspiring. I would consider my own life a success if I were to have even a fraction of the impact on the world that Jim Henson and Sesame Street have had on inner city (and all) children. Here's a video from his memorial service. The singing puppeteers get to me every time. No Ernie or Kermit, though. Some empty shoes just can't ever be filled.




I still love Sesame Street after all these years. Love with a capital L! My earliest memories are of watching Sesame Street. When I was a kid, we played outside, read books, invented games, and didn't really watch a lot of TV...and my dad was a cable guy. There was always time for Sesame, though. When I was old enough to babysit, my little charges always ended up watching Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch.

I think this is probably the reason my girls adore Elmo and his friends. They don't get a lot of TV either, so what were the chances that they'd both fall hard for a furry 6-year-old muppet without a little push from mom? I think kids end up loving what their parents love. And let me tell you, when Jaden and I went to see Sesame Street live this year, I needed no prodding to dance in the aisles!

A few weeks ago, I was looking up some Elmo videos for the girls and I happened upon the "vintage" Sesame clips on YouTube. I'd forgotten all about some of these...and yet, once I began watching, I remembered everything!

Here are my all-time, top 5 favorite clips from my childhood. I hope they bring a smile to your face. I hope you watch them and feel the shag carpeting underneath your toes and taste the Kool-Aid on your lips. I hope they bring tears of nostalgia to your eyes. They did me.

My FAVORITE!!

I love this! It always made me smile :)

It's hard to choose between this and Put Down the Duckie.

Scallywags and Whippersnappers!

Because I believe in how big little things can be.

Jim Henson might be gone now, but the characters of Sesame Street live on, and will continue entertain and educate my children, and their children, and their children, for years to come.

Thank you Sesame, for always being there for me. Thanks for making my life richer. Thanks for teaching me about tolerance, and fairness, and friendship.

Happy Birthday!