Me With Insomnia
Sep. 4th, 2007 02:24 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
allyndraThis happens sometimes when my husband works nights: despite knowing that I need to be asleep, I simply cannot make myself go to bed. I don't feel tired, don't want to lie down. Doesn't matter that I have to be at work in approximately five hours. So, late night (or early morning) posting.
My son is in 4th grade this year, which is the time when his school starts to offer instruction in musical instruments. I was doing the supportive mother thing, encouraging him to decide on an instrument he was really excited about no matter what it was, while dreading a clarinet (for which early practices usually sound like tortured ducks) or a trombone (tortured cows). He chose a cello. IT IS SO COOL! When he holds the bow properly, he can already make some really nice sounds that aren't at all evocative of animal torture. And we keep dragging him over to the computer to make him listen to songs with good cello. "Hey, come listen to the theme from Angel!" "Oooh, did Daddy play Wonderwall for you yet?" So far he's been practicing every night. I know that's a bit much to expect long-term, but I'm hopeful that he'll stay interested enough to stick with it.
I haven't been to a concert since I graduated high school (how sad is that?), but I was thinking that I might get more opportunities now that I'm living in a major metro area. When I saw that Peter Bjorn and John were going to be here on the 16th, I was like, "Haha! I was right; fun concerts abound, and I shall attend them!" (And yes, I said it just like that, while rubbing my hands together maniacally.) But it turns out that my husband has to work that night, and I really can't see finding a babysitter for me to go to a concert all by myself, where I will doubtless feel old and out of place. So, my first concert since high school is destined to be "Weird" Al Yankovic at the Arizona State Fair next month. It should be a good show, and we'll be able to bring my son, but still ... I'm hoping for some non-Fair related concerts to come my way. I've only been to two in my life, and I feel deprived. (The Cranberries in Las Cruces, NM in 1995 and Crash Test Dummies in Frankfurt, Germany in 1994, if you're curious.)
We're planning Halloween costumes, which is a time always rife with enthusiasm, before the realities of my costume-constructing skills start to sink in. Don't get me wrong, we've done some great costumes in the past. (I might post pictures of past costumes some time, because my Chainsaw Vigilante from last year was a thing of beauty.) It's just that not being able to sew puts a major crimp in many of the more ambitious plans. Our current plan is Dr. Who. My husband would be the Tenth Doctor, my son would be a Dalek, and I would be a Cyberman. As one might guess, none of the costume places around here are much help, but I have high hopes for the thrift shops and craft stores.
Do you have pet peeves that just set you off, while everyone else stares and shrugs, completely un-irritated by the offending whatever-it-is? I saw one of mine at a Halloween store the other day. It was a pair of costumes: Disney's Cinderella and Prince Charming. What is it about these inoffensive costumes that raised my ire, you ask? They were blue. I cannot express how much it bugs me that Cinderella is always portrayed in blue, and seeing Prince Charming in the same shade just ... Grrrrr! Watch the cartoon, and you will see that both Cinderella's dress and Prince Charming's militaristic jacket were white. They simply appeared blue-ish because it was night time. There were shadows. For no reason at all, it completely drives me nuts to see them reproduced in the wrong colors all the time. I'm afraid I ranted a bit in the middle of the costume shop.
Okay, that's all I've got. I may try to head to bed soon, since time is marching inexorably forward. And if I haven't had at least a few hours of sleep when my alarm goes off, I probably won't have the best day. Good night! (or morning)
I haven't been to a concert since I graduated high school (how sad is that?), but I was thinking that I might get more opportunities now that I'm living in a major metro area. When I saw that Peter Bjorn and John were going to be here on the 16th, I was like, "Haha! I was right; fun concerts abound, and I shall attend them!" (And yes, I said it just like that, while rubbing my hands together maniacally.) But it turns out that my husband has to work that night, and I really can't see finding a babysitter for me to go to a concert all by myself, where I will doubtless feel old and out of place. So, my first concert since high school is destined to be "Weird" Al Yankovic at the Arizona State Fair next month. It should be a good show, and we'll be able to bring my son, but still ... I'm hoping for some non-Fair related concerts to come my way. I've only been to two in my life, and I feel deprived. (The Cranberries in Las Cruces, NM in 1995 and Crash Test Dummies in Frankfurt, Germany in 1994, if you're curious.)
We're planning Halloween costumes, which is a time always rife with enthusiasm, before the realities of my costume-constructing skills start to sink in. Don't get me wrong, we've done some great costumes in the past. (I might post pictures of past costumes some time, because my Chainsaw Vigilante from last year was a thing of beauty.) It's just that not being able to sew puts a major crimp in many of the more ambitious plans. Our current plan is Dr. Who. My husband would be the Tenth Doctor, my son would be a Dalek, and I would be a Cyberman. As one might guess, none of the costume places around here are much help, but I have high hopes for the thrift shops and craft stores.
Do you have pet peeves that just set you off, while everyone else stares and shrugs, completely un-irritated by the offending whatever-it-is? I saw one of mine at a Halloween store the other day. It was a pair of costumes: Disney's Cinderella and Prince Charming. What is it about these inoffensive costumes that raised my ire, you ask? They were blue. I cannot express how much it bugs me that Cinderella is always portrayed in blue, and seeing Prince Charming in the same shade just ... Grrrrr! Watch the cartoon, and you will see that both Cinderella's dress and Prince Charming's militaristic jacket were white. They simply appeared blue-ish because it was night time. There were shadows. For no reason at all, it completely drives me nuts to see them reproduced in the wrong colors all the time. I'm afraid I ranted a bit in the middle of the costume shop.
Okay, that's all I've got. I may try to head to bed soon, since time is marching inexorably forward. And if I haven't had at least a few hours of sleep when my alarm goes off, I probably won't have the best day. Good night! (or morning)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-04 04:21 pm (UTC)That is *awesome* that your son is learning cello! I'm afraid that my school didn't offer anything nearly as cool, and I ended up with, yes, tortured ducks. I try to console myself that at least I wasn't one of the ten trillion girls who chose flute.
Oooh, Halloween! I would love to see pictures! I *can* sew, but the last few years have been very boring as Alex was too little to get much out of Halloween, and no one in our social circle was having costume parties, and we get like, NO trick-or-treaters. Now that he's old enough to covet candy, I'm thinking we might do a wee bit of trick-or-treating this year with him.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-09-04 08:42 pm (UTC)ended up with, yes, tortured ducks *grins* I tortured cows for seven years. I've no idea why I stuck it out so long, since I was really horrible at it. But it was fun to be a girl in low brass. My brother went the other route and was the only straight boy playing the flute. Ahh, the band years!
I hope you have more fun with Halloween as Alex gets more involved. We've lived in areas with few Trick-or-Treaters, and our solution was to find the city sponsored parties and festivals. They're usually run by the Parks and Recreation Department (or your local equivalent), and they're a great place to find games, cake walks, costume contests, and lots of other kids. One year in New Mexico we even had a petting zoo and pony rides.