Your Child-self Makes a Christmas List

Gift-giving. That's what is on my mind, Facebook. Since you asked.

I was just thinking about how drastically gifting possibilities have expanded since I was a kid. I mean, I used to ask for "that toy I saw on TV" and "that toy my friend Chris already has". And the requests and expectations rarely extended beyond that. You could try asking for something outrageous, like a pet reindeer, but you knew that you had a much better chance of getting a reasonably-priced toy from a local store. So that is what I would put on my list. Not because I lacked imagination, but because I did have some concept of how shopping worked. Worked - past tense. We don't shop the same way anymore, and kids know it.

Well mine certainly do. Their lists now include specific stock numbers (and sometimes web addresses) so I can easily find the exact item requested. (They have already done some comparison shopping online.) But that is not the biggest change. In this age of an instantly-connected global marketplace, kids can ask for weirdly specific items that they have NEVER PERSONALLY seen - and have a reasonable chance of actually receiving said item.

For example, my youngest wants a "ushanka" with a Russian military insignia on the front. It's a kind of hat, so implicit in the request is that it fits his 12 year old head. And guess what? That is entirely possible! (Even on a budget.) If that does not strike you as bizarre, then just imagine making that request 30-odd years ago. That kid might get a ushanka "someday" if it shows up in a local thrift store or army surplus, but it certainly won't appear in time for Christmas THIS year.

I have been trying to imagine what I would have asked for, as a child, if such extraordinary technology had been available then. It's a tough thought puzzle, on many levels. I'll have to spend a bit more time contemplating this, but I probably would have asked for - purple cowboy boots. Yeah, I would have worn those with everything.

Maybe I Did Do Something Right?

As parents we always, ALWAYS, wonder whether we are having an impact on our progeny. Did we teach them anything? Set a good example? Will they remember any of this? What will they be like when we are not right there watching them and guiding them?

Once in a while, if you are really lucky, you get a glimpse of an answer. Maybe you have a chance to see your child do or say something SO memorable that you wish you could cross-stitch it, frame it, and hang it on the wall.

My darling daughter came home from college for a visit last week. Even though she is only 15 minutes away, those visits are rather rare and always special. While we were shopping she said something I will never forget:

"Momma, I need some ModPodge."

I hugged her, said "I love you!" and almost started crying. She took it in stride, after all, she has known me her whole life.

The moment passed, but it will never be forgotten. By me.

She even let me help her choose between matte and gloss finish. I am SUCH a proud momma!

Escapist Expo 2012

Matthew finally convinced me to view the videos online. Yep - that is how we spent that weekend!
We met most of those people, and they were all fun and friendly and all of them were SOBER. Seriously!

If you look closely enough, I'm sure you will spot us wandering around in the background somewhere.

I spent a lot of time at the Nos (free) drink booth, while Matthew spent most of his time as a Zombie in HvZ.

Yep, lotsa Gangnam Style goin' on there...

(no, that is not the link I wanted....sneaky YouTube...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S5q3SjWtgg&feature=related

okay - here is the actual video I wanted here....

;o)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1YsH6R7RXg&feature=related

Check out:

1:04 – HvZ tent

2:07 – dude with codpiece wins!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egO4OAnFtpE

and yes, those two guys danced through the entire convention, sometimes with up to a dozen people in tow

inside scoop? – the music was in his pants…

Watching these videos makes me want to create one of those memes:

What most moms and sons do,
What other people think we do,
What we ACTUALLY do.

I LOVE YOU MATTHEW!

Megan is in Alaska!

So....I ended up retrieving my old blog when I logged in to view her NEW blog.

You should check it out:

http://meganpuzia.blogspot.com/

She is an amazing person and a fabulous writer and I look forward to her next blog entry!

SPOTBIGRED.COM - DARPA NETWORK CHALLENGE

SPOTBIGRED.COM - DARPA NETWORK CHALLENGE

Debra's 15 in Fifteen: Books

I couldn't resist this challenge, but the result turned out a bit too long for a FaceBook entry, so here it is.

(original instructions)

Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes. Put your top 3 first. Tag 15 friends, including me because I'm interested in seeing what books my friends choose...(To respond, copy these rules, go to your Notes tab on your Profile page, paste the rules, etc.) Here are my top 15:

BOOK LIST

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark (N)

Persuasion (F)

Jurassic Park (F)

Looking Backward (F)

Strange Interlude (F)

You Just Don't Understand (N)

Fast Food Nation (N) (I have to re-read this every few months to remind myself why I should NOT eat fast food.)

An Anthropologist on Mars (N)

The Mummy (F) (which is SO weird because I don't like any other Anne Rice novels)

Harry Potter 1-6 (F)

Darkness Visible (N)

Much Ado About Nothing (F)

The Princess Bride (F) (SO funny, and even better than the excellent movie!)

The Poisonwood Bible (F) (not something I would have picked, but Rachel needed me to read it and discuss it with her for a project. Long book, but worth the time - thought-provoking, very original, and also sometimes funny)

Frankenstein (F) (if you have never read the ORIGINAL, you should. It is not about a monster, it is about men and science and love and evil and life and death....)

The Dead Zone and/or Needful Things (F)

Into Thin Air - Krakauer (N)

Don't Bump the Glump! (K)

And I couldn't resist adding a couple of my favorite Shel Silverstein poems from that collection.

I did these FROM MEMORY, so please forgive any errors.

Oops!

Oops, we've been caught by a quick-digesting Gink,

And now we are dodgin' his teeth.

Now we are restin' in his small intestine,

And now we're back out on the street.

Gumplegutch

Go over and play with the Gumplegutch, Tommy

The Gumplegutch loves to play.

You can bounce on his belly,

And call him Old Nelly,

And fill up his nostrils with clay.

Don't be 'fraid of his fangs, or his one yellow eye, or the scales on his tail, my dear.

Go over and play with the Gumplegutch, darling, there's nothing at all to fear.

I'll wait for you here. . .

(F) Fiction

(N) Non-Fiction

(K) for kids

Please let me know if you want any more info on any of these EXCELLENT selections!

Back to Normal? not

Yes, it has been a while since I have posted or read anything. Sorry.

Rick died one week after my last post. David and I drove to Tennessee to be with Brynda, and lots (and lots) of family arrived from England. We couldn't stay long because our baby-sitter (my teenage daughter) needed to get back to HER life instead of just taking care of her brothers. (Yes, we did pay her for her time.)

Brynda is surviving. She is even working some. But her life will never be the same. We finally convinced her to come to my daughter's high school graduation next week. (Brynda was living with us 17 years ago when my daughter was born, so she has known her ALL her life.)

She is going to drive Rick's beloved Mini Cooper from Tennessee and we are going to buy it from her. He adored that car, and this way it gets to stay "in the family" but Brynda doesn't have to see it all the time (or randomly spot someone else driving it around town).

I haven't seen her since the funeral, and I can't wait to give her a big hug.

Thank you SO much for all of your support (Eric) and I will try to keep in touch a bit better (Eric).