Friends

Without friends, no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods. ~Aristotle

These last few months, I have come to believe this more and more. And really, as I look over my entire life, it's always been this way. Each trial, trauma, challenge, celebration and accolade I've faced have been made easier, smoother, richer and immeasurably better because of my friends.

I couldn't even write out for you all the ways my friends (I'll talk about my family another time) have supported me, encouraged me, taught me and blessed me. This past week alone, I've been struck particularly by the everlasting nature of friendship. What I mean is this; that when you have good friends, true connections with people, you can go for a long, long time without seeing them and then when you get the chance to be together again, it's like no time has passed.

What a blessing that is.

And what a great joy it is to have friends you can see often, people who will meet you emotionally wherever you are. Friends will comfort you when you're sobbing, pat you on the back when you're being brave, encourage you when you're scared and help you see the best in things when you're uncertain. Friends pray for you, even when they don't agree with your choices. Friends what what is best for you, always.

I am so blessed, so lucky, so overjoyed to have such good friends. Thank you all for making this dark, dark time so livable. Every little email, tweet, note, smile, listening moment, hug, etc, helps me make it through these days.

Thanks, also, to those of you who trust me to help you carry your own burdens. It is an honor I do not take lightly. Loving others is the best way to get past my own woes.

Thanks for helping me move along . . .

List #11 DATES

What things do you enjoy doing with your time and friends? Today's list shares some of my favorite things to do with DH, friends, son, etc. (dates, in a broad sense):

• out for a meal! I would list fave restaurants in Cbus, but often I like to try places I've never been before just as much as going to old favorites, so a list is hard here. Maybe that will be it's own list before the month is out.
• movie- This may seem like a cop-out, but I really do love going to movies, and I love talking together about them afterward.
  
• Zoo!
• Museums - here in Cbus we have the Historical Society, the Wexner, the Art Museum, etc. Heck, I like finding art exhibits around town, too, like at the Main Library (great gallery space). Again, I like chatting about it after viewing it together.
• going to the park - picnics are lovely! My friend, Bu-ying and I will sometimes take our instruments and play music outdoors there, too - doubly wonderful!
• Interesting speakers - (I got to take Si to hear Matt Groehning last year - fabbo!)
• live music (making our own or going to hear it made by others)
• karaoke (I can't resist performing!)
• live theater!

That's all for now. Tonight I'm going to see Sweet Honey in the Rock with friends! Yahoo! The sad part is that I had to give up going to a performance of Shakespeare at Si's HS and also a Karaoke party. Months of nothing special and then all of the sudden there are 3 events on one night!

List #4: Playlist

Here are the songs I've sought out this past week:

• I Know What I Know - Paul Simon
• 1, 2, 3, 4 - Feist
• One More Day - David M. Bailey
• The Story - Brandi Carlile
• Fix You - Coldplay
• The Angel of Death Came to David's Room - mewithoutyou
• Pictures of You - The Cure, sung by PS 22
• Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell
• Come to Jesus - Mindy Smith
• New Soul - Yael Naim
• You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon
• In One Ear - Cage the Elephant
  

American Idol, making dreams come true and my bucket list

Do you have a bucket list? I don't have one written down, but I do sort of have a list of things I've always wanted to do and would like to accomplish in my life. One of those things involves music.

I have always loved making music. I'm told by my family that I pretty much started singing right when I learned to talk. My sister complained that I would wake her up in the middle of the night (we shared a room) because I'd wake up and sing myself back to sleep. Of course, being a little kid, I wouldn't sing a complete song, but would mindlessly just sing snippets from every song I knew in a sort of random fashion. I'm like that.

I like all kinds of music: folk, rock. church, classical, opera, hip hop, rap, Christian alternative, Jazz, blues, etc. I enjoy singing it all, too. The other day, Si got in the car and said "what are you listening to today, Mom?" thinking I had a book in, as per usual. I turned the CD player on and he got a blasting earful of Beyonce. I embarrassed him by singing and dancing along to Single Ladies as we went down the road. I did some musical theater in college and right after college, and I hope to again some day. I have sung in church choirs and I love karaoke. And I get together with 2 colleagues for our little band and play now and then for some traditional music (folk, gospel type stuff).

I don't know why I never really watched American Idol until last year. I don't like all the drama-building they do and the commercials and stuff, so we DVR it and watch it at our leisure, FFing past Ryan Seacrest and commercials. If I were younger I'd dream of going on that show, only struggling with what kind of music I would want to claim as "my own". I've enjoyed hearing about Susan Boyle and her rise to stardom with her amazing voice. It gives me hope that ordinary folks can do extraordinary, dream-quality things sometimes.

So that brings me to my bucket list. Someday, I'd like to front a blues band. I'd love to really sing all those great songs made famous by Bill Withers, BB King, Etta James and others, and have back-up singers and musicians around me. Mmm mm mm, wouldn't that be fun?

If you could sing in a band, what would you want to sing? What is on your bucket list?

Walk Walk

Don't have much to say, but a friend sent this link to me via twitter, and I have to admit it makes me smile - I think it's my new theme song. Some of the lyrics are hard to hear, so I also listened to the Destiny's Child version, which is very clear, but not quite as snappy, IMHO. And besides, I think pigs are getting a bad rap at the moment - this is great positive publicity for the little darlings.

Excellent vocal group!

My MIL sent this to me today, and I just have to share!




I'm trying to find information about this group, but haven't been able to find anything online yet other than this vid and a link to the agency that is apparently their agent? Help?

IMHO this group would be much more entertaining if they weren't in all white with those whimple-like things.

Sing-along books

So, after posting yesterday about sing-along books, I just can't stop thinking about them. I've been a fan of singing through storytime for over 20 years, now, and if you ask my family, well, they'll tell you that I've been singing my way through life (slightly longer than 20 years - haha).

So, I'm going to start a list of other favorite sing-along books, and I'd be pleased as peachy punch if you'd add your faves into the comments!

• Charlie Parker Played Be-Bop - Raschka
• Mama Don't Allow - Hurd
• Seals on the Bus - Hort
  
• Skip to my Lou - Westcott
  
• Lady With the Alligator Purse - Westcott
  
• 5 Little Monkeys Jumping On the Bed - Christelow
• The Motown baby love board books: Sugar Pie Honey Bunch, How Sweet it is to be Loved By You, My Girl, The Way You Do the Things You Do, etc
• Barnyard Dance by Boynton (I really just chant this one, but it's great!)
• There's a Hole in the Bucket - Westcott
• Miss Mary Mack - Westcott (she's really the illustrator of all these books, but honestly, her versions are the best!) - this also makes a fun flannel, which I made years ago for the Main Library's collection, so CML folks can borrow it.

I know that there must be dozens of other books I've sung . . . but this list is off the top of my head. Do you have others to add?

PS - isn't it nice to think about something other than my recover? yes! it is!

Reading material

Well, I'm finally interested in reading again. I've read through some back issues of The New Yorker, donated to me by my good friend Elizabeth. I have to admit I didn't read too many of the articles, but I did enjoy the comics and the covers and the editorials.

Then I started reading novels at bedtime. I grabbed the first thing I put my hands on; an old Lawrence Block novel, Burglars Can't be Choosers, about Bernie Rhodenbarr. I love these books! Bernie is a burglar, and also runs a used book shop in Greenwich Village. I first met Bernie listening to the books on tape, read by the author, and I fell in love with him (Bernie, not Lawrence, although LB also struck my imagination 'cuz he sounds so much like my dear Uncle Dick). A few years ago I was able to hear Block speak at a conference, and I got several of his Bernie books autographed. My copy of Burglars Can't be Choosers is one of those signed books. LOVE IT!

So, reading that one, and the others I made Mike find around the house, got me to reserve all the rest from The L. Yay! I've now read 4 of them, and I'm on my 5th! I'm actually reading them mostly in order, so that's new for me. LOL

But the book I really want to talk about today is When Louis Armstrong Taught Me Scat by Weinstein. One of my twitter buddies recommended it a while back, and I immediately ordered it. Those of you who know me know that I love jazz music, and if you've seen me do storytimes much, you might also know that I have a long-abiding love for the book Charlie Parker Played Be Bop by Raschka. I love singing that jazzy book for kids because, even if they're jaded, street-wise Middle School Kids, if you sing it well you can win the kids over. I haven't tested the Louis book with kids, yet, but I feel confident saying that it could be another great sing-aloud book. The thing about the Louis book, though, is that it's going to take considerably more practice, IMHO, than the Charlie Parker book takes. There is a lot of scat in the book, and it's got great potential for being delightful, but if you plan to sing it - practice first!

I would sing this book along with the song Scat Like That from the old album On the Move by Greg and Steve. These 2 great books, the great song, and fill it in with a flannel or two, and you've got a whiz-bang storytime, I tell ya! I'd also play some of the music by both greats. Fabbo!

Thanks, Beth, for sharing the new title on twitter!

Post-Op Playlist

Good Stuff:

• friends have been so kind - so encouraging - emails, FB notes, flowers, tweets - thank you all so much
• Hubby and Son are both wonderful, kind, loving, the best, really!
  
• surgery is done, bone is repaired (screws and a plate)
• pain is under control, as long as I don't move much
  
• got up already! can hobble across the room, even . .. with the walker
• my surgeon (a.k.a. Dr. Cajones) is fabbo
• the nurses and the assistants are all fantastic - excellent customer service from everyone so far
• my PT was way fun and inspiring and got me up and moving, Bless him
• this wifi at the hosp is amazing - what a blessing to be able to be online!
• good music through blip.fm (Chuck Mangione at the moment)
• sunshine coming in the window - looks beautiful!
• phone calls from Mom, sister, MIL . . . and friends - yay!
• new issue of Interweave Knits came in mail yesterday and DH brought it to me!
  

Bad Stuff:

• nearly all the ligaments in my knee are torn, and I will need more surgery once the bone is healed - maybe even a knee replacement
• pain still hurts - go figure
• I hate the way the pain meds affect my brain. . . but I guess that's the point of what they're supposed to do, right? Sigh
• our home still has no power - Mike and Si went to a hotel last night, and might need to hotel until Sunday!

Isn't it cool how the good stuff outweighs the bad? God is good.

Black ice, however, is evil. My buddy, JB, declares a word of the day on twitter every day, and today's word is EVIL. This inspired me to write the following poem for Friday, the day before Valentine's Day . . . surely you'll figure out how this all connects (you're a smart bunch).



POETRY FRIDAY!

E is for the exit lines you gave me
V is for the very vicious pain
I is for the injuries to my knee, and
L is for the limping once again

Good Day - and Poetry Friday!

Greetings, my friends! I know I haven't been posting often lately. I've been thinking a lot about work and about my role at work and about what the role of my work is in the community - lots of big stuff, and let me tell ya, it wasn't all grins and giggles! However, this has been a phenomenal week, Tuesday was fabulously historic, and it's all good! Here we are, nearly at the end of January, and I've not even shared with you my goals for the year or anything! You know I love lists, so here goes (even though some of this won't really fit in a traditional list . . . but hey, y'all know me well enough to know I don't care about being normal, right?):

• I will think about the food I eat, eat healthier, and not let one bad food decision keep me from making a better decision with the next bite (this is my version of WW - you do it your way . . .)
• I will care less about what is on TV than I care about who I'm with when I'm watching (in other words, bring on the geek stuff, Honey, I'm just there to be with you . . . well . . . and to knit!)
• I will not worry about "how it looks to other people" when I make decisions about my career (it's not about moving up, it's about doing what your best at and serving the customers well, or, as our NEW PRESIDENT said, it's about making the hard decisions and doing what is right to change things for the better)
• I will share more book thoughts on my blog (I feel like I've not done a review in a long time!)
• I will exercise more often (which, honestly, won't take much)
  

OK - that's it for now. ON to POETRY FRIDAY!

Today, I give you an old college pal, David. You can read his story and see more of his music, if you like:



Check back in a few days, and hopefully, you'll see a book review or two. :-)

You Tube

I don't know what number Thing this is, but I just had to jump on the bandwagon and share a few of my fave Youtube clips. This vid of the Tuttle Kids (Molly Tuttle has a CD out now with her dad, that I love!).




I also like this song a lot - by Molly and Jack Tuttle . . .


And, for a bit of difference, this great and moving song by Labi Siffre:

FO, growing boy and Long Overdue

FO = Finished Object (knitterly terminology) Here you go - Simon's sweater! This is the Ravelympics event I tried to compete in. I did a lot of knitting during the Olympics, but still didn't finish. It is now done, and Si loves it. I purposefully made it too long so he has room to grow.





Yes, he is a growing boy! Sometimes I wonder if we could actually see him growing if we sat him on the couch and used time-lapse photography for a week. LOL Here he is in my dad's old fatigue jacket and hat. Dad was part of the Korean Conflict. He doesn't talk about it much, but his old fatigues all ended up in our "costume box" and Si has taken bits recently to use for actual clothing.






What would you call a group of 3 Librarians who are performing music together in public? We tried out a lot of names, and in desperation settled for Book Notes for this gig at the Clintonville Farmer's Market yesterday. While we were playing, Jami's hubby and our friend Joe came up with "Long Overdue", which we all like better than anything else we've thought of, so for now that's our new name. We have no other gigs booked, but boy, did we have fun!


Mike took the pics, of course.

Hi-fi, Sci-fi - Library

Great music video about how libraries are changing! Be sure to watch all the way to the end - cute kid!!!! Who knew guys from Kansas could be so cool? Don'tcha just love Library Staffers?

Things 1 and 2

Lifelong Learning - I love it! I love thinking outside the box and learning new things and evolving. Here are a few of the things I've been learning this week:
* playing the mandolin
* new song lyrics
* cooking gluten-free foods (for a friend)
* how to live with a teenage boy (I learned that sometimes they sleep PAST 12 and won't wake up when the phone rings!) "That energy which makes a child hard to manage . . . afterward makes him a manager of life." - Henry Ward Beecher

Using technology - I also love using technology to learn! I learned to knit with a website. I find song lyrics (and the songs themselves) online. Last night I was practicing a new song with YouTube! Of course, it sounds a bit different with my voice and my mandolin. LOL Of course, I have a clear goal for this - not looking ridiculous the next time our little group plays in public. Ha!

So - this is my first actual "thing" of the 23 things. I've now finally completed last week's exercises. I'll go log this progress and come back for this week's activities!

(thanks for reading!)

Nintendo A Capella

I love music, and I used to love playing Nintendo . . . so when I found this video I just had to share!

Thurber Docent and Library

Simon has been training to be a Junior Docent at the Thurber House. James Thurber spent a good portion of his life here in Columbus, and the Thurber House is where he lived for part of that time. Simon is now a Thurber expert, and will be leading tours at upcoming events. Yesterday was the graduation. Here he is - isn't he handsome?

This was part of the ceremony - you can see the two teachers there, saying wonderful things about our kids.

This is his whole class of kids. Aren't they great looking? He's slouching a little, but he was the tallest one there! It's amazing!

After that event, we headed to the Main Library for the Centennial celebrations. They had authors in every division, cake and ice cream, and lots of live music. One of the groups was me and some friends. Nick, Jami and I play traditional music, folk music, etc.

We had a lot of fun there. Nick is on Hammered Dulcimer, Jami on guitar, and I played Mountain Dulcimer, washboard, and spoons, depending on the song. We also all sang. It was fun! All of the other groups were professional musicians who happen to have some connection to the library . . .we are professional Librarians who happen to play music as a hobby. There is a rumor that we'll get paid, but as of yet we've seen no check. LOL

We're talking about playing some Farmer's Markets around the area someday. Hey, nothing like having a second source of spending money from your hobby, right? and I have a lot of hats we could set out!