Well, I finally left the couch! I was afraid that, if I stayed too long, I would become a Howard Hughes-like recluse. Fearing the daystar and anything that wasn’t one of our cats or Kristian, I would have become more hermit-like over time. And my roots would have grown in something fierce, because I doubt Kristian would have known which type of dye to pick up for me at the store.
Also? Any more sick days and I would have needed a doctor’s note to keep HR from getting all “you missed too much work blab blah blah short-term-disability-cakes.”
So, if I was going to leave the house to go to the doctor, I might as well go back to work instead. Besides, I can breathe through my nose now. It’s nice to be able to breathe. I like breathing. I missed breathing.
As a trial run of this whole “not being a shut in” thing, we went to see two of my step-siblings perform in their school’s winter concert. It brought back many a memory of winter concerts past. Even if this particular concert was not held in a cafetorium and didn’t feature small children from Somerville singing Must Be Santa in a vocal style that can only be described as “screaming at the top of their wee little lungs.”
You haven’t lived until you’ve heard my mom’s impression of kids with thick Boston accents “singing” Away in a Mange-ah.
Seriously. You just might pee yourself. It really is that funny.
“Away in a mange-ah, no crib foah a bed. The little Lawd Jee-sus lay down his sweet head….”
Anyways, the concert that we attended last night featured less screaming and more musical instrument playing. My sister, Violet, sang with the World Jazz Ensemble while our brother, Oliver, played drums. And then we heard a couple more jazz ensembles before Oliver came back to play with the school’s drumline and concert band. I know that I’m all biased and stuff, my Violet and Oliver seriously kicked some ass.
This family’s got talent, yo.
It was a nice feeling of family solidarity to sit with my sibs’ cheering section in the first couple of rows. We were all so proud of them and we definitely let it be known! (not rudely, just enthusiastically) Something about going to see a school performance reminded me about how my own Dad used to show up with flowers, which is what prompted me to make Kristian stop for a couple of bouquets on the way over. I’m so glad that I did, because you could see how happy it made them to walk around after the show with their flowers.
Sometime, when we go to see my younger siblings do something cool, I like to indulge in a little day-dreaming about what it will be like when we have kids of our own. I mean, those kids have better be musical or Mommy “no more wire hangers” Dearest won’t have nuthing on me. I mean, er, we will love and support our children no matter what… even if they turn out to be completely tone death.
I swear.
Also, talking about our future children tends to make Kristian break out in hives and he gets made when I do that. So, nothing further will be said about holiday concerts in cafetoriums. Even if I do get to listen to the shouts of Away in a Mange-Ah.
Did you have holiday performances when you were a kid? Do you remember them fondly?
I remember being upset that I never got to play Mary because I’m blonde and blue-eyed. I still don’t see what that has to do with anything, I don’t know that a story about a virgin birth is a time to get all historically accurate about something like haircolor.
My daydreaming was in the bookstore while I was picking out books for my niece. I started thinking about reading bedtime stories to my kids, and teaching them how to read… Never tell my husband I said any of that, he breaks out in hives too.
I’ve never heard Oliver play the drums, but I just bet he’s great. As for Violet, well, I’m on record as believing that her performances of Hallelujah are the best ever, bar non. I saw a show with Bon Jovi singing the song and thought, “Not bad, Jon, but you should hear Violet’s version.”
“tone death”?! rofl.
according to my parents, at my kindergarten christmas concert (which i vaguely remember learning we wish you a merry christmas for) i lifted my dress and adjusted my stockings while i was on the stage in front of everyone. aww how cute.