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Apr. 25th, 2013 10:26 amOh my god, do you even have any idea how little I care about anything today? It's a whole lot of little. I'm at work, doing things, and just, fuck it all. I'd rather be drawing.
Every so often, you stumble across the perfect weekend. Once you've realized you're inside it, there's no choice but to hang on: it's going to take you where it wants to go, and fast. Weekends don't have time to waste.
This past weekend was a perfect getaway weekend. The incomparable![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dancingwolfgrrl had taken miz N on an adventure, and for the first time in years, dilletante and I found ourselves with no plans and no kid for two whole days. So, after our Friday parkour class, we hopped in the car and drove to Montreal. Montreal!
The border guard asked what our plans were. I was pretty pleased with myself for even having a hotel reservation, but this question threw me a bit. "To have fun!" So, here are some ways that fun found us this weekend:
There were also lots of fantastic and immediate things we didn't do -- see the igloos, visit the museum of contemporary art right next door, go sledding -- but rather than feeling like a missed opportunity, the whole thing felt like an embarrassment of riches. At Burning Man, the sheer volume of things you could be doing at any moment always frees me from feeling as if I have to do any individual one of them; this was like that. Every moment was fantastic, so there was no particular need to hurry.
Anyway - one gets a few perfect weekends in a lifetime, and this was definitely one of them. I'm happy to be back, but goodness I needed that.
This past weekend was a perfect getaway weekend. The incomparable
dancingwolfgrrl had taken miz N on an adventure, and for the first time in years, dilletante and I found ourselves with no plans and no kid for two whole days. So, after our Friday parkour class, we hopped in the car and drove to Montreal. Montreal!The border guard asked what our plans were. I was pretty pleased with myself for even having a hotel reservation, but this question threw me a bit. "To have fun!" So, here are some ways that fun found us this weekend:
- Read a book aloud to each other and started a second
- Stayed in a delicious hotel connected to the underground city
- Slept in! Spoke French!
- Ice skated on the winding twisty path at Parc La Fontaine - it was very Victorian-date
- Walked across the city to get a delicious Breton pastry, Kouign-amann, which is like a caramelized butter cake (it literally means "butter cake")
- Found The Perfect Game Store (not its real name) and bought a copy of Space Alert. Seriously, I want to import this store. It might be the best game store I've ever been in.
- Walked the city after dark
- Went to see a breathtaking surrealist circus show inspired by Salvador Dalí, including a gigantic scrim painted by Dalí himself
- Walked to the circus via underground tunnels (no coat! how daring!)
- Had delirious stretches of sexy alone time together
There were also lots of fantastic and immediate things we didn't do -- see the igloos, visit the museum of contemporary art right next door, go sledding -- but rather than feeling like a missed opportunity, the whole thing felt like an embarrassment of riches. At Burning Man, the sheer volume of things you could be doing at any moment always frees me from feeling as if I have to do any individual one of them; this was like that. Every moment was fantastic, so there was no particular need to hurry.
Anyway - one gets a few perfect weekends in a lifetime, and this was definitely one of them. I'm happy to be back, but goodness I needed that.
oh I'm a ...
Jan. 29th, 2013 11:39 amLast night, N was dancing around the kitchen singing the Gummi Bear song (warning: do not click that link unless you really, really want to hear a singing electronic gummi bear). But, being a little punchy, and a whole lot 7, she began replacing a lot of the words with "poop" and "pee". You know the drill: oh I'm a poopoo bear, yes I'm a peepee bear, and so on with pee and toilets and poo and all manner of germy unpleasantness.
For some reason, though, yesterday the sheer glee of her wiggly butt dance was making me laugh. Since poop jokes THRIVE on encouragement, I put on my most extremely serious face and said, "Natalie. I'm quite sure that those aren't the real lyrics. Perhaps you should check them."
Then, with her most wide-eyed innocent look, she replied, "Oh, no, mom. They really are. You accidentally downloaded the version that says, in parentheses at the end, "(bathroom words and explicit content)". I meant to tell you that." And promptly turned and wiggled her butt and kept up her poo-infested lyrics.
Also, she makes air parentheses. Do I do this? Did she get it from me? Because she's pretty much exactly my kid.
For some reason, though, yesterday the sheer glee of her wiggly butt dance was making me laugh. Since poop jokes THRIVE on encouragement, I put on my most extremely serious face and said, "Natalie. I'm quite sure that those aren't the real lyrics. Perhaps you should check them."
Then, with her most wide-eyed innocent look, she replied, "Oh, no, mom. They really are. You accidentally downloaded the version that says, in parentheses at the end, "(bathroom words and explicit content)". I meant to tell you that." And promptly turned and wiggled her butt and kept up her poo-infested lyrics.
Also, she makes air parentheses. Do I do this? Did she get it from me? Because she's pretty much exactly my kid.
weeping children
Jan. 22nd, 2013 12:22 pmI'm not sure I've gotten around to sharing this with the world yet, but apparently Natalie has a playground game they call "statues".
So, one person is the "policeman", and everyone else is a statue. And you can only run toward the policeman IF the policeman is not looking at you. Otherwise you have to stand still like a statue.
...presumably, a statue of an angel. I didn't ask.
So, one person is the "policeman", and everyone else is a statue. And you can only run toward the policeman IF the policeman is not looking at you. Otherwise you have to stand still like a statue.
...presumably, a statue of an angel. I didn't ask.
(no subject)
Dec. 29th, 2012 08:03 amIf you're reading this silly journal and I haven't ever heard from you, leave a comment and say hi! (This is postdated so it'll always be at the top, and comments are screened so you are free to say anything you like.)
It's been a day
Nov. 10th, 2012 07:08 pmNext time I start wondering why I don't feel like myself, remind me that I want the following things:
* Punishingly intense physical exercise
* Time alone to read a book
* Hugs
* Sleep
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halloWHEE!
Oct. 31st, 2012 12:31 pmOkay, so maybe I put googly eyes on everything in my office.
Happy lucky 13 to my spooky sweetheart,dilletante. Still thrilled to be married to you. <3
Happy lucky 13 to my spooky sweetheart,
dilletante. Still thrilled to be married to you. <3(no subject)
Oct. 17th, 2012 09:47 amBiking! To work! It really is that great!
This morning I realized that on the way to work, I pass Whole Foods and Harvest, and on the way home I pass Savenor's (for duck eggs) and Reliable Market (for anything Asian). Weird grocery shopping just got easier.
This morning I realized that on the way to work, I pass Whole Foods and Harvest, and on the way home I pass Savenor's (for duck eggs) and Reliable Market (for anything Asian). Weird grocery shopping just got easier.
My first bike ride to work in months, today. It took even less time than I had expected! I took the longer, less-hilly route and it was still well under 30 minutes from walking out my front door to walking in my office door. Having a working bike is amazing.
Finally asked the bike dude (Tyler at Paramount Cycles) what to do about the dings in the paint on my steel frame. He handed me a little bottle of black nail polish. This made me say: oh! no! I bet I have a better match at home! And, indeed, I did have a little bottle of sparkly midnight blue nail polish that matched my frame almost exactly.
I just can't tell you how much more MYSELF I feel when I'm able to bike to work. The depth of this feeling surprises me every time.
Finally asked the bike dude (Tyler at Paramount Cycles) what to do about the dings in the paint on my steel frame. He handed me a little bottle of black nail polish. This made me say: oh! no! I bet I have a better match at home! And, indeed, I did have a little bottle of sparkly midnight blue nail polish that matched my frame almost exactly.
I just can't tell you how much more MYSELF I feel when I'm able to bike to work. The depth of this feeling surprises me every time.
Love that kid
Oct. 14th, 2012 05:31 pmNatalie, upon looking at her cinnamon-bun-icing-covered fingers, and looking at me:
*pause* "Mom, did you know that I carry a napkin around INSIDE MY MOUTH?"
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(no subject)
Sep. 4th, 2012 10:27 amBefore their "official" start at the school on October 1st, the Not Just Lego club will be offering a 3-week "parkour and street art" afterschool program. And I quote:
"Explore the urban environment with kid-friendly Parkour instructor Blake Evitt and leave behind non-invasive art with Kelle Shugrue"
...and yet again I'm left wondering, "can I join this club?"
"Explore the urban environment with kid-friendly Parkour instructor Blake Evitt and leave behind non-invasive art with Kelle Shugrue"
...and yet again I'm left wondering, "can I join this club?"
(no subject)
Aug. 27th, 2012 08:27 pmHappy birthday to dilletante, the light of my weird little life.
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toothiness
Aug. 13th, 2012 10:08 amSo far, five teeth have just *fallen out* of N's head: two on top, three on the bottom. Three of them don't even have viable replacements on the way! I'm beginning to think it's a manufacturing defect.
sometimes I love rainy days
Aug. 11th, 2012 12:27 pmThis morning, four cheerful girls made themselves a hot, healthy breakfast, played in the lake, went for an improbably long, happy swim across the lake and all around, came back to eat lunch and run back outside again. Now, they appear to be having a funeral for the dearly-departed dried mango and inventing prayers for it.
...a kid who on some level is constantly afraid that I'm going to die.
(no subject)
Aug. 1st, 2012 06:36 pmThings the girls have enjoyed doing at the lake this summer, an incomplete list:
- Catching fish
- Eating the fish
- Finding the squishiest dirt
- Being mermaids
- Swimming all around
- Finding underwater rocks
- Picking blueberries
- Making friends (like, literally MAKING them out of paper)
- Jumping off the dock
- Picking weeds
- Taking long showers
- Reading library books
- Catching frogs
- Cleaning the car
- Making their beds (kid-initiated)
- Rubbing the smooshy stuff on the undersides of lily pads
- Protesting our departure
(no subject)
Jul. 25th, 2012 10:46 pmHi, livejournal! I have lots to say but seem to be having trouble saying any of it. Instead, I will show you some jaw-dropping art. Years, by Bartholomäus Traubeck.
I encourage you to go watch and listen.
(Vianex0s.)
A record player that plays slices of wood. A tree’s year rings are analysed for their strength, thickness and rate of growth. This data serves as basis for a generative process that outputs piano music. It is mapped to a scale which is again defined by the overall appearance of the wood (ranging from dark to light and from strong texture to light texture). The foundation for the music is certainly found in the defined ruleset of programming and hardware setup, but the data acquired from every tree interprets this ruleset very differently.
I encourage you to go watch and listen.
(Via
nex0s.)(no subject)
Jul. 11th, 2012 01:45 pmHere's the most interesting paper I've read this week: JAY-Z’S 99 PROBLEMS, VERSE 2: A CLOSE READING WITH FOURTH AMENDMENT GUIDANCE FOR COPS AND PERPS.
I had trouble falling asleep as a kid, so I suppose it should be no surprise that my kid has trouble falling asleep, too. There's just so much THINKING to do, you know?
My mom's trick for getting me to fall asleep was to get me to recite all of the phone numbers I knew in my head, in numerical order. It was sufficiently engaging to keep me doing it, but dull enough to bore me to sleep. But now, I am faced with the task of inventing things for Natalie to do in her head that will help relax her and keep her from popping up every few minutes saying "I CAN'T SLEEEEP".
Sometimes numbers work on her, sometimes stories in her head, sometimes reading to herself with a flashlight, and sometimes nothing. But often, like her mama: numbers.
Two nights ago, I told her to count to 200 by 10s, and then 9s, and then 8s, and so on. She dutifully trudged back up the stairs, only to come down again a few minutes later, clearly frustrated: "Mommy, I CAN'T count to 200 by 9s. I can only count to 207."
My mom's trick for getting me to fall asleep was to get me to recite all of the phone numbers I knew in my head, in numerical order. It was sufficiently engaging to keep me doing it, but dull enough to bore me to sleep. But now, I am faced with the task of inventing things for Natalie to do in her head that will help relax her and keep her from popping up every few minutes saying "I CAN'T SLEEEEP".
Sometimes numbers work on her, sometimes stories in her head, sometimes reading to herself with a flashlight, and sometimes nothing. But often, like her mama: numbers.
Two nights ago, I told her to count to 200 by 10s, and then 9s, and then 8s, and so on. She dutifully trudged back up the stairs, only to come down again a few minutes later, clearly frustrated: "Mommy, I CAN'T count to 200 by 9s. I can only count to 207."
Video games on the brain
May. 29th, 2012 04:41 pmI just got back from an idyllic loooong weekend on the beach, where I stayed up late, played lots of games, ate junk food, swam in the ocean, and rollerbladed six miles with D and N (SIX MILES). So, I was particularly primed to read this article about video games and learning, which has an interesting assertion:
There are plenty of other interesting bits in there - including the idea that games encourage risk-taking, teach problem solving, and encourage kids to love challenges - but that bit above is the one I'm chewing on.
Thoughts? :)
VIDEO GAMES OBVIATE TESTING. The current assessment system forces teachers to teach to the test. Video games hold out a different way of thinking about assessments: namely, that we don’t need it. Compare a student who’s taken 12 weeks of algebra classes to one who’s played the video game Halo on the most challenging setting. The algebra student must take a test to assess what he knows on the day of the test. The Halo player has mastered the skills needed to get to the final level – and that’s his ultimate goal. No need for a test in that context. “Learning and assessment are exactly the same thing,” Gee said. “If you design learning so you can’t get out of one level until you complete the last one, there’s no need for a test. There would be no Bell Curve. It’s unethical to test a student based on one day’s knowledge. We have to change the attitude about testing on a government level.”
There are plenty of other interesting bits in there - including the idea that games encourage risk-taking, teach problem solving, and encourage kids to love challenges - but that bit above is the one I'm chewing on.
Thoughts? :)
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