1. I got some major birthday love from my friends and family. Right back at you, guys!
2. I got the majorly awesomely cool Kindle e-reader for my birthday. I can download 1,000 books into one paperback sized machine. I'm like a kid in a candy store. Seriously. It is the greatest present since last year's iPod Touch.
3. I am healthy, happy, and loved. [Furiously knocking on wood so as not to invoke any hubris]
Well, that's the top 3 reasons, anyway. Don't want to get too introspective and soppily emotional...
Showing posts with label Easily Amused. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Easily Amused. Show all posts
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Saturday, March 07, 2009
File This Under: Things That Are Interesting Only To Me
I read an interesting fact about the sleep patterns of giraffes (I KNOW. I'm *such* a nerd.) on Wednesday. (Are you ready for me to share the interesting fact? Well, I'm going to tease you just a bit longer.) Then on Friday, my Discover Magazine arrived and it had the same fact in it. I've never heard this in (almost) forty years and then, POW, twice in one week. I think there should be an official name for this phenomenon, maybe something like Factoid Synchronicity.
Oh! The fact: Giraffes only sleep for an average of 1.9 hours a day. (Look in the table at the bottom of this article for corroboration.) I guess they spend the other 22.1 hours of the day loping around the savannah and trying not to get eaten.
Oh! The fact: Giraffes only sleep for an average of 1.9 hours a day. (Look in the table at the bottom of this article for corroboration.) I guess they spend the other 22.1 hours of the day loping around the savannah and trying not to get eaten.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
How To Know If You're a Sci-fi Nerd
A simple quiz:
Someone gives you an orange tabby cat. You name it:
A) Jones
B) Something besides answer A
Someone mentions the "Kwisatz Haderach". You say:
A) "Arrakis. Desert Planet."
B) "Gesundheit!"
Someone calls you a "nerf herder". You say"
A) "Thank you, Princess Leia."
B) "Huh? A what?"
Someone mentions that they are experiencing a feeling of deja vu. You:
A) Wonder what "They" changed in the matrix.
B) Do nothing and continue on your way.
Someone asks you to make the Vulcan salute. You:
A) Face your palm forward with the fingers parted between the middle and ring finger with the thumb extended and say, "Live long and prosper."
B) Ask, "What's a Vulcan salute?"
Ron Weasley's rat's name is:
A) Scabbers
B) Who's Ron Weasley?
For all A answers, give yourself one point.
For Score 0-2:
Congratulations! You are "normal." Carry on.
For Score 3-4:
You're a sci-fi dabbler. With only a little more effort, you could become a full-fledged nerd.
For Score 5-6:
Welcome to life in the "dork forest"! Can we hang out?
Someone gives you an orange tabby cat. You name it:
A) Jones
B) Something besides answer A
Someone mentions the "Kwisatz Haderach". You say:
A) "Arrakis. Desert Planet."
B) "Gesundheit!"
Someone calls you a "nerf herder". You say"
A) "Thank you, Princess Leia."
B) "Huh? A what?"
Someone mentions that they are experiencing a feeling of deja vu. You:
A) Wonder what "They" changed in the matrix.
B) Do nothing and continue on your way.
Someone asks you to make the Vulcan salute. You:
A) Face your palm forward with the fingers parted between the middle and ring finger with the thumb extended and say, "Live long and prosper."
B) Ask, "What's a Vulcan salute?"
Ron Weasley's rat's name is:
A) Scabbers
B) Who's Ron Weasley?
For all A answers, give yourself one point.
For Score 0-2:
Congratulations! You are "normal." Carry on.
For Score 3-4:
You're a sci-fi dabbler. With only a little more effort, you could become a full-fledged nerd.
For Score 5-6:
Welcome to life in the "dork forest"! Can we hang out?
Thursday, February 28, 2008
A Cornucopia of the Bizarre
Today's post is a veritable cornucopia of random topics and ideas courtesy of the twisted recesses of my brain. Buckle your proverbial seat belts, it may be a bumpy ride.
Transcript from an actual recent conversation at our house
Scene: A lazy Saturday morning--modern-day suburban kitchen. English muffins have been toasted and are about to be consumed. A large spider makes its way across the ceramic tile.
Me: Eek! Look at the size of that spider!
TLS: Yes, he is rather large.
Me: Squish it! Quick, before he goes behind the buffet.
TLS: (rolling eyes and handing me his plate) Can't I just enjoy my muffin without having to kill something around here?
It may not translate well to the written word, but TLS's deadpan, serious delivery of the line about killing something just slayed me. (No pun intended.) I had a serious laugh attack and made him go write down the fateful quote.
Topic Change
Driving in to work yesterday morning, (yes, TLS and I carpool at least two or three days a week - take that Al Gore!) we heard a blurb about a study done by a sociology professor regarding the long-term effects of spanking on children. I'm going to go on record as saying that I was occasionally spanked during my childhood--although I'm pretty sure that it was only once or twice and I'm definitely sure I deserved it. (Interesting side note: The worst punishment I ever received was when I was about 10 or 11. Neither my mom nor I remember what I had done to be punished, but she was trying to determine what would most affect my future behavior. I was really too old to be deterred by a spanking, so no-go on that option. I spent an awful lot of quality fun time alone in my room, so she couldn't send me there. What to do? What to do? And then the light bulb went on over her head. She grounded me from reading (my ultimate favorite pastime then as now). It was horrible! But I did my time in "bookless solitary" and vowed to to transgress no more, I guess it was punishment well given.)
As reported on the radio, a sociologist determined that children that were spanked were more likely to exhibit antisocial behavior later in life--including "risky sexual behavior". (Here's a link to one article about the research, for your reading pleasure.) I'm pretty sure that what they calling spanking and what I call spanking are not quite the same. They've also lumped in hitting and slapping, which to me are two completely different animals, but who I am to say? Anyway, the reason that I'm including this in the ol' blog is to demonstrate how twisted TLS and I really are. Our response to this information was to immediately start framing how people would account for their bad behavior as adults. Case in point, the report directly following the spanking report talked about how a teenager or group of teenagers had set fire to ten cars during the previous night. We looked at each other and said, "Must have been spanked as children." Roger Clemens doing steroids? "Must have been spanked as a child." I think it's officially our new catch phrase. (Watch it sweep the nation...)
Topic Change
I was talking with Youngest last night and ended up telling her a story from a few years ago. The next door neighbors we had at the time owned two dogs. One of the dogs, Ben, would occasionally start some incessant barking in the middle of the night. (The kind of barking that just sounds bored--woof. ... woof ... woof ........... and just when you thought that he was finally done ... woof. Totally irritating.) It was probably about midnight and Ben was doing his thing. Anyone who knows me knows that when I am trying to sleep and being prevented from doing so that I am not a very pleasant person. Whatever you do, don't stand between Inertia Girl and her sleep. I rolled over, punched TLS and said through clenched teeth, "I don't care what you do, just make that barking stop!" Being the loving spouse that he is, TLS got up, got his BB gun and went out the front door in his tightey-whitey underpants. He was merely going to pop Ben with a BB from a safe distance, thereby scaring him into silence. However, things didn't go quite according to plan. Just as TLS rounded the bushes in front of our bedroom windows, he saw headlights coming down the street. He quickly ducked behind the hedges and watched as Johnny Law rolled by in his squad car. In addition to listening to his own pounding heart, he was having visions of the humiliation of being arrested and seeing the headlines from the local paper. "Local Man Arrested at Gunpoint in his Underpants, Story on page 2" He came back, told me the story and said that I'd have to deal with the problem myself or ignore it. Once I stopped laughing, somehow I didn't mind the barking nearly as much anymore.
Transcript from an actual recent conversation at our house
Scene: A lazy Saturday morning--modern-day suburban kitchen. English muffins have been toasted and are about to be consumed. A large spider makes its way across the ceramic tile.
Me: Eek! Look at the size of that spider!
TLS: Yes, he is rather large.
Me: Squish it! Quick, before he goes behind the buffet.
TLS: (rolling eyes and handing me his plate) Can't I just enjoy my muffin without having to kill something around here?
It may not translate well to the written word, but TLS's deadpan, serious delivery of the line about killing something just slayed me. (No pun intended.) I had a serious laugh attack and made him go write down the fateful quote.
Topic Change
Driving in to work yesterday morning, (yes, TLS and I carpool at least two or three days a week - take that Al Gore!) we heard a blurb about a study done by a sociology professor regarding the long-term effects of spanking on children. I'm going to go on record as saying that I was occasionally spanked during my childhood--although I'm pretty sure that it was only once or twice and I'm definitely sure I deserved it. (Interesting side note: The worst punishment I ever received was when I was about 10 or 11. Neither my mom nor I remember what I had done to be punished, but she was trying to determine what would most affect my future behavior. I was really too old to be deterred by a spanking, so no-go on that option. I spent an awful lot of quality fun time alone in my room, so she couldn't send me there. What to do? What to do? And then the light bulb went on over her head. She grounded me from reading (my ultimate favorite pastime then as now). It was horrible! But I did my time in "bookless solitary" and vowed to to transgress no more, I guess it was punishment well given.)
As reported on the radio, a sociologist determined that children that were spanked were more likely to exhibit antisocial behavior later in life--including "risky sexual behavior". (Here's a link to one article about the research, for your reading pleasure.) I'm pretty sure that what they calling spanking and what I call spanking are not quite the same. They've also lumped in hitting and slapping, which to me are two completely different animals, but who I am to say? Anyway, the reason that I'm including this in the ol' blog is to demonstrate how twisted TLS and I really are. Our response to this information was to immediately start framing how people would account for their bad behavior as adults. Case in point, the report directly following the spanking report talked about how a teenager or group of teenagers had set fire to ten cars during the previous night. We looked at each other and said, "Must have been spanked as children." Roger Clemens doing steroids? "Must have been spanked as a child." I think it's officially our new catch phrase. (Watch it sweep the nation...)
Topic Change
I was talking with Youngest last night and ended up telling her a story from a few years ago. The next door neighbors we had at the time owned two dogs. One of the dogs, Ben, would occasionally start some incessant barking in the middle of the night. (The kind of barking that just sounds bored--woof. ... woof ... woof ........... and just when you thought that he was finally done ... woof. Totally irritating.) It was probably about midnight and Ben was doing his thing. Anyone who knows me knows that when I am trying to sleep and being prevented from doing so that I am not a very pleasant person. Whatever you do, don't stand between Inertia Girl and her sleep. I rolled over, punched TLS and said through clenched teeth, "I don't care what you do, just make that barking stop!" Being the loving spouse that he is, TLS got up, got his BB gun and went out the front door in his tightey-whitey underpants. He was merely going to pop Ben with a BB from a safe distance, thereby scaring him into silence. However, things didn't go quite according to plan. Just as TLS rounded the bushes in front of our bedroom windows, he saw headlights coming down the street. He quickly ducked behind the hedges and watched as Johnny Law rolled by in his squad car. In addition to listening to his own pounding heart, he was having visions of the humiliation of being arrested and seeing the headlines from the local paper. "Local Man Arrested at Gunpoint in his Underpants, Story on page 2" He came back, told me the story and said that I'd have to deal with the problem myself or ignore it. Once I stopped laughing, somehow I didn't mind the barking nearly as much anymore.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Move Over, Barry White...
In honor of Valentine's Day, I've put together a list of songs by some of my favorite sexy, sultry women artists. Feel free to use this playlist during a late night rendezvous with your sweetie:
Norah Jones Turn Me On
Sade No Ordinary Love
Corinne Bailey Rae Like a Star
Alanis Morissette One
Jem Save Me
Sarah McLachlan Plenty
Sia Breathe Me
Sybarite Runaway
Skye What's Wrong With Me?
Imogen Heap I Am In Love With You
Radio Citizen The Hop
Moloko Fun for Me
Gemma Hayes 4:35 a.m.
Frou Frou Let Go
Sarah McLachlan Circle
Jem Come On Closer
Anna Nalick Bleed
Claire Bradley Hallelujah
Poe Hey Pretty
Frou Frou Holding Out for a Hero
Norah Jones Turn Me On
Sade No Ordinary Love
Corinne Bailey Rae Like a Star
Alanis Morissette One
Jem Save Me
Sarah McLachlan Plenty
Sia Breathe Me
Sybarite Runaway
Skye What's Wrong With Me?
Imogen Heap I Am In Love With You
Radio Citizen The Hop
Moloko Fun for Me
Gemma Hayes 4:35 a.m.
Frou Frou Let Go
Sarah McLachlan Circle
Jem Come On Closer
Anna Nalick Bleed
Claire Bradley Hallelujah
Poe Hey Pretty
Frou Frou Holding Out for a Hero
Monday, February 11, 2008
50 Odd Things About Me
I'm pretty sure everyone has gotten an email with a list of crazy questions that a friend has answered that asks you to do the same. I thought I'd use the one my friend Pam sent me as fodder for a blog post. (Sneaky, sneaky me.) Her only answer to #25 was my name. Turns out she was right!
1. Do you like bleu cheese? You bet your sweet bippie. I love it.
2. Have you ever smoked heroin? No way. Never even smoked a cigarette
3. Do you own a gun? Yes.
4. What flavor do you add to your drink at sonic? Cherry
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Not unless there is a biopsy involved.
6. What do you think of hot dogs? Had one yesterday topped with home made pico de gallo. Yum.
7. Favorite christmas song? Oh Holy Night. (That "fall on your knees" part gets me every time.)
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Water, although lately I've been drinking decaffeinated English Breakfast tea.
9. Can you do push ups? Not really
10. What do you order at Starbucks? I never go there. (gasp!)
11. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring
12. Favorite hobby? Reading. (Or should I say blogging? Or reading blogs?)
13. How do you eat your eggs? Over easy
14. Do you have A.D.D.? No
15. What's one trait that you hate about yourself? Procrastination
16. Middle name? Erin
17. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment. "I'm pretty sure I'm boring the pants off everyone reading this." "I still can't decide if I like the skirt I'm wearing today." "Do I HAVE another thought?"
19. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Water, Decaffeinated English Breakfast tea, and uh, water.
20. Current worry right now? What am I getting my sister-in-law for her birthday this week
21. Current hate right now? Politics. Wake me up for the general election.
22. Favorite place to be? Grizzly Lake, Colorado
23. How did you bring in the New Year? Comatose. See this post for details.
24. Where would you like to go? Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Patagonia (Southern Argentina)
25. Name three people who will complete this: Not applicable, since I'm not sending it out via email...
26. Do you own slippers ? Yes. Do I wear them? No.
27. What shirt are you wearing? Red, Anne Taylor LOFT, scoop neck sweater
28. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? Can't say as I ever have, but they don't sound very comfortable.
29. Can you whistle? Yes
30. Favorite color?(s) Blue.... no, yellow...aughhh! (I know probably only 4 people got that obscure reference). Blue.
31. Would you be a pirate? No. Swashbuckling, I ain't.
32. What songs do you sing in the shower? Whatever song/jingle is running through my head at the moment. "Look for the big yellow truck..."
33. Favorite girl's name? Sophie Quinn
34. Favorite boy's name? Harper Sean
35. What's in your pocket right now? No pockets, but if I were wearing jeans, there would probably be some random receipt I've stuck in my back pocket.
36. Last thing that made you laugh? TLS. He cracks me up.
37. Best bed sheets as a child? Noah's ark.
38. Worst injury you've ever had? Cracked the top of my humerous while falling off a rope swing in a friend's back yard in the 7th grade.
39. Do you love where you live? Yes, aside from the bad roads and the crazy red-neck neighbors across the side street
40. How many TVs do you have in your house? 4, including the one in the garage that TLS watches when he's working out there.
41. Who is your loudest friend? Matt W.
42. How many dogs do you have? Three. Do you want one?
43. Who do you hope has a crush on you? TLS
44. What are you getting your valentine this year? Probably a card. We've turned into the couple that doesn't buy each other gifts, which seems to work well for us.
45. What is your favorite book? Oh, good grief. That is seriously like asking a mother which child is her favorite. I am fairly partial to Ann Patchett's Bel Canto. Check it out.
46. What is your favorite candy? Before I stopped eating chocolate, it was probably Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, since then it's Starburst.
47. Favorite Sports Team? Dallas Cowboys
48. What song do you want played at your Funeral? I think in lieu of music, that I'd just like people to tell funny stories about me and laugh.
49. What were you doing at 12 AM last night? Having a nightmare about living in a haunted house. It featured a rocking chair that was rocking on its own and it was seriously creepy.
50. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? "Thank God that dream wasn't real."
1. Do you like bleu cheese? You bet your sweet bippie. I love it.
2. Have you ever smoked heroin? No way. Never even smoked a cigarette
3. Do you own a gun? Yes.
4. What flavor do you add to your drink at sonic? Cherry
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Not unless there is a biopsy involved.
6. What do you think of hot dogs? Had one yesterday topped with home made pico de gallo. Yum.
7. Favorite christmas song? Oh Holy Night. (That "fall on your knees" part gets me every time.)
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Water, although lately I've been drinking decaffeinated English Breakfast tea.
9. Can you do push ups? Not really
10. What do you order at Starbucks? I never go there. (gasp!)
11. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring
12. Favorite hobby? Reading. (Or should I say blogging? Or reading blogs?)
13. How do you eat your eggs? Over easy
14. Do you have A.D.D.? No
15. What's one trait that you hate about yourself? Procrastination
16. Middle name? Erin
17. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment. "I'm pretty sure I'm boring the pants off everyone reading this." "I still can't decide if I like the skirt I'm wearing today." "Do I HAVE another thought?"
19. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Water, Decaffeinated English Breakfast tea, and uh, water.
20. Current worry right now? What am I getting my sister-in-law for her birthday this week
21. Current hate right now? Politics. Wake me up for the general election.
22. Favorite place to be? Grizzly Lake, Colorado
23. How did you bring in the New Year? Comatose. See this post for details.
24. Where would you like to go? Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Patagonia (Southern Argentina)
25. Name three people who will complete this: Not applicable, since I'm not sending it out via email...
26. Do you own slippers ? Yes. Do I wear them? No.
27. What shirt are you wearing? Red, Anne Taylor LOFT, scoop neck sweater
28. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? Can't say as I ever have, but they don't sound very comfortable.
29. Can you whistle? Yes
30. Favorite color?(s) Blue.... no, yellow...aughhh! (I know probably only 4 people got that obscure reference). Blue.
31. Would you be a pirate? No. Swashbuckling, I ain't.
32. What songs do you sing in the shower? Whatever song/jingle is running through my head at the moment. "Look for the big yellow truck..."
33. Favorite girl's name? Sophie Quinn
34. Favorite boy's name? Harper Sean
35. What's in your pocket right now? No pockets, but if I were wearing jeans, there would probably be some random receipt I've stuck in my back pocket.
36. Last thing that made you laugh? TLS. He cracks me up.
37. Best bed sheets as a child? Noah's ark.
38. Worst injury you've ever had? Cracked the top of my humerous while falling off a rope swing in a friend's back yard in the 7th grade.
39. Do you love where you live? Yes, aside from the bad roads and the crazy red-neck neighbors across the side street
40. How many TVs do you have in your house? 4, including the one in the garage that TLS watches when he's working out there.
41. Who is your loudest friend? Matt W.
42. How many dogs do you have? Three. Do you want one?
43. Who do you hope has a crush on you? TLS
44. What are you getting your valentine this year? Probably a card. We've turned into the couple that doesn't buy each other gifts, which seems to work well for us.
45. What is your favorite book? Oh, good grief. That is seriously like asking a mother which child is her favorite. I am fairly partial to Ann Patchett's Bel Canto. Check it out.
46. What is your favorite candy? Before I stopped eating chocolate, it was probably Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, since then it's Starburst.
47. Favorite Sports Team? Dallas Cowboys
48. What song do you want played at your Funeral? I think in lieu of music, that I'd just like people to tell funny stories about me and laugh.
49. What were you doing at 12 AM last night? Having a nightmare about living in a haunted house. It featured a rocking chair that was rocking on its own and it was seriously creepy.
50. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? "Thank God that dream wasn't real."
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Geek Alert!
I was checking the programs scheduled to record on our DVR last night and saw that The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show starts next Monday, February 11th at 7 p.m. Central Time on USA. For the uninitiated, this is the premier dog show in the U.S. and goes on for two nights. You get to see each dog judged and for the nerdy dog lover (count me in!), it is the highlight of the year. I'm really not doing it justice, but take my word for it, it's cool. Whatever you do, though, don't call me next Monday or Tuesday night; I'll be on my couch rooting for the Rhodesian Ridgeback to win Best in Show.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Goofy Grin? Check!
As detailed in this post, I went to read to the preschool kids again today. I was greeted, as usual, by "Hello Miss!" and many excited questions about what books I was going to read. I had been warned by one of the teachers that the kids were having a hard week, since one of the teachers had left and they were trying to get used to her replacement. They did seem to be a little less attentive than usual, but as a whole three year olds aren't known for their attention spans anyway, so it was pretty much business as usual--talking over those kids who were doing everything except listening. But by the time I read the last book, Green Eggs and Ham, everyone was following along. When I told them I had to go, but that I'd be back soon, everyone rushed me for one gigantic group hug. The closest little girl latched on to me and held on for dear life. I had to peel little arms and legs off of me to get out of the room. It was a sight so absolutely, adorably cute that I still have a goofy grin on my face.
Monday, January 14, 2008
I'm Not Only LOL*, I'm ROTFL**
My BFF Pam (shout out) turned me on to another blog, The Sneeze. I went out there today and read this entry. Listen to the sound file of his four-year-old son opening a box of raisins Christmas morning. I am seriously keeping this link so I can listen to it everytime I'm having a bad day. (Raisins?!)
* LOL = laughing out loud
**ROTFL = rolling on the floor laughing
* LOL = laughing out loud
**ROTFL = rolling on the floor laughing
Friday, January 11, 2008
UPDATED WITH WORKING LINK: Evidence That I Am Probably More Than A Little Demented
10
Take this quiz or one of many other time wasters. Oh, and there'll be no judging. I'm sure several of you are going to take it yourselves. (You know who you are.)
Don't click on the red square above. Use this link instead!
http://www.howmanyfiveyearoldscouldyoutakeinafight.com/
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
It's The Little Things In Life...
Let me just go on record right now and say that I am very easily amused.
Background for my story:
Through work, I volunteer by reading to preschool kids once a month. It isn't always easy to keep the 3 -4 year olds entertained with Goodnight Moon or The Cat In The Hat (and let me tell you from experience that if you try to read a Curious George book to a preschooler whose primary language spoken at home is Spanish, then you're in for a very long, uncomfortable five to ten minutes), but they are such a ginormous bundle of cute that I can hardly stand it. Adorably cute to me, I'm sure, because I only have to be there for about 30 minutes. But when they all yell "Hello Miss!" when I come in and act genuinely happy to see me, well then, I just melt.
When I'm at work, I park in the garage that is attached to the Dallas Symphony Center.
On to the story...
I was leaving the garage the other day to go read to the kids. Unbeknownst to me, some of the area schools were having field trips to the symphony, so once I was on the ramp going out, I ran into a couple of cops directing buses around the entrance. Naturally, I had to stop and wait and this put my car right at the level of a walkway filled with kids about third grade age. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see them frantically waving at me, so I turn and give them my best pageant contestant wave. They start getting excited and I can see them saying, "She waved!" to each other. Pretty soon I can see one kid doing the international "honk your horn" gesture. (The one we used to give truckers on the highway when we were kids). I turn to them and shake my head with a big "NOOOOO" but now all the other kids have started to chant, "HONK YOUR HORN! HONK YOUR HORN!"
Normally, I don't have any problem playing along with these kinds of things, but I was directly in front of about four of Dallas' finest and I really didn't want a ticket. I started shaking my head, but the chanting just got louder. "HONK YOUR HORN! HONK YOUR HORN!" Well, what was I going to do about that? As the cop in front of me finally motioned me out into traffic, I gave the horn a couple of short beeps and the kids went bonkers. They started jumping up and down, high fiving each other and pumping their little fists in the air. It was fantastic. You'd have thought that I was Oprah giving away cars based on their excitement level.
I giggled all the way to the school and then when the kids all greeted me and started inching close to my chair while I was reading, I felt like the coolest person on the planet. (Or at least like Sally Field at the Oscars years ago. "You like me. You really like me.")
I grinned like an idiot the rest of the day. Nothing bad could touch me--not idiotic requests, not bad drivers, nothing. If we could all keep a real cheering section handy, I guarantee the world would be a much happier place.
Background for my story:
Through work, I volunteer by reading to preschool kids once a month. It isn't always easy to keep the 3 -4 year olds entertained with Goodnight Moon or The Cat In The Hat (and let me tell you from experience that if you try to read a Curious George book to a preschooler whose primary language spoken at home is Spanish, then you're in for a very long, uncomfortable five to ten minutes), but they are such a ginormous bundle of cute that I can hardly stand it. Adorably cute to me, I'm sure, because I only have to be there for about 30 minutes. But when they all yell "Hello Miss!" when I come in and act genuinely happy to see me, well then, I just melt.
When I'm at work, I park in the garage that is attached to the Dallas Symphony Center.
On to the story...
I was leaving the garage the other day to go read to the kids. Unbeknownst to me, some of the area schools were having field trips to the symphony, so once I was on the ramp going out, I ran into a couple of cops directing buses around the entrance. Naturally, I had to stop and wait and this put my car right at the level of a walkway filled with kids about third grade age. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see them frantically waving at me, so I turn and give them my best pageant contestant wave. They start getting excited and I can see them saying, "She waved!" to each other. Pretty soon I can see one kid doing the international "honk your horn" gesture. (The one we used to give truckers on the highway when we were kids). I turn to them and shake my head with a big "NOOOOO" but now all the other kids have started to chant, "HONK YOUR HORN! HONK YOUR HORN!"
Normally, I don't have any problem playing along with these kinds of things, but I was directly in front of about four of Dallas' finest and I really didn't want a ticket. I started shaking my head, but the chanting just got louder. "HONK YOUR HORN! HONK YOUR HORN!" Well, what was I going to do about that? As the cop in front of me finally motioned me out into traffic, I gave the horn a couple of short beeps and the kids went bonkers. They started jumping up and down, high fiving each other and pumping their little fists in the air. It was fantastic. You'd have thought that I was Oprah giving away cars based on their excitement level.
I giggled all the way to the school and then when the kids all greeted me and started inching close to my chair while I was reading, I felt like the coolest person on the planet. (Or at least like Sally Field at the Oscars years ago. "You like me. You really like me.")
I grinned like an idiot the rest of the day. Nothing bad could touch me--not idiotic requests, not bad drivers, nothing. If we could all keep a real cheering section handy, I guarantee the world would be a much happier place.
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