A Twist of Things to Come

Ouch.

We went on a field trip to a recording studio called the Music Shed on Euterpe street. (My goodness, how perfect is THAT? I love that New Orleans has streets named after Muses (even though they do not pronounce them correctly, generally speaking), but I especially love that people grok how awesome it is to have a recording studio on a street named after the Muse of music. I mean, that can't have been accidental, could it?)

It was amazing to see the different booths and teh different things they use to finesse the sound. And teh guy who runs it? Very open about how cool it is to do something you love, as well as about all the technical and people skills needed to do what they do.

William spoke up and answered when he asked if anyone knew who had first recorded voices and how. We recently had discussed Thomas Edison, and William duly impressing the unschoolers with his passion for the topic. Of course, he went on to share lots of only semi-relevant bits of minutia whenever possible, but he was certainly engaged.

Afterward, a bunch of us walked to a snow ball stand, but it wasn't open. Then we divided up in three cars at random and drove to two more closed snowball stands. I guess we just picked ones that don't open until April. Finally we all met up in Uptown's single strip mall and had coffee and smoothies. Hence my massive sugar and caffeine headache.

But still. I got to hang with three of my favorite Unschool moms, while our kids had a good time together. It's absolutely crazy how much I love this city, these people.

Oh! And we now have to choose whether to take Chess, German and Piano classes with the group, all for minimal fees, or free. On top of that, an old friend from college contacted me on Facebook, and her oldest son is really into digital animation, using blender. If Robert could get into Blender and take music lessons and language courses and all that stuff... I could home school him and still get him all kinds of cool training he wants.

I'm stunned, actually. So much coolness is being crammed into my life just now. :)

Yesterday at GC we had a review/deconstruction of The Crazies by Pearce (with some help from her Chemist boy-toy) titled, Oops! Our Bad!

Then today we had another great article by our own jedi_diplomat called Is Apple Making Us Stupid? My guess is... yes.

***

Writing today:



and the Progress widget:



This was a big scene I want to go well, but I'm not sure yet whether it has/will, because I didn't finish it yet. Oh, well.

***

First belly dancing lesson today. I'm complete crap, but you gotta start somewhere, eh? The place we were supposed to meet was taken over by filming Earthbound but a PA told us it was wrapping tonight. So, yays, we get our park back. They made us move from our picnic table because it was in the shot, and a band was playing "When the Saints Go Marching In" which isn't the best tempo for the belly dance, I think. But the teacher was very good and very patient, even though it cold and there were trombones.

I mean, of course I have a life, and not just within the parameters of clinical definition. I am living, and I have a family. I've done lots of stuff for my family, including moving to a new city where i pretty much didn't know anybody. I've had a great time exploring said city with the family, but I didn't have what I would call a social life. Due to the hubby's job, we got invited to a lot of parties, but that's not the same thing.

Then last night, the kids and I got invited on an outing that would conflict with out regularly scheduled Homeschooling group activities today. I consulted with the family, and we made our choice. Then I had to call three other families -- one to confirm our plans and two others to let them know that the boys would be missing the activity scheduled for today. I needed to let them know because I suspected one boy would be sorely disappointed and wanted to schedule a make-up activity, and another call because I had told another mom I would be there, and since her son (who gets on so well with Wee Boy) has Asperger's, I KNEW advanced notice for a no-show would make her life a LOT easier.

So, for the first time since I've been here, a change in my plans required more than one phone call and a chat with the Family Unit.

I... I think I have... friends? At the very least, a social circle. How did THAT happen?

***

Writing continues. I feel it beset with suck, but I'm getting close to the good part now.



Overall:

We had unexpected plans pop up yesterday, and today we had actual plans that went poof, but in a good way.

It opened up our time for a walk through the park, across St. Charles and up to The Maple Street Book Shop, which is actually two houses, side by side. One sells used and rare books and the other new books. We went in both, and it was lovely. I bought four books (including one for the kiddies) and ordered one. I know where I am going for books from now on. Sure, I might have to order genre titles specially, but Amazon continues to piss me off and this book shop is a dream.

On the way home we passed three nice places with For Rent signs, and hope for larger digs swelled within me. Then, my phone rang and it was my dear friend Andrea (whom some of you know as Jenny Gardener). I haven't seen her in years, though she's still someone I consider a close friend. We talk about once or twice a year, but I'm going to change that. It was so awesome to hear from her. She was the first one to expose me the whole "Follow Your Bliss" thing, which seems to be working out pretty well for both of us.

Seriously, a week doesn't pass that I don't think about her. The giant live oaks in the park remind me of her workshop story tentatively titled "Naked Man Falls from Tree." Which, yeah, maybe you had to be there. But she's awesome - take my word for it.

Then we made chicken for dinner, and Big Boy filmed me cutting up chicken breasts his next short film project, which seems like it should be pretty funny.

***

Got my words in, too:



For a total of:

Woke up this morning to a call from K, a mom from the unschooling group whose son gets on well with my boys, and whom I really enjoy as well. Her daughter takes ballet at NORD, and they often get offered reduced price tickets to dance performances. She was hoping teh boys and I could come to one at the theater near Louis Armstrong Park. Some confused and sleep-slurred conversation later, and it was a done deal. I think that another mother had bought extra tickets thinking someone else would be able to attend, and ended up stuck with three extra tickets.

In any case, the boys and I got to see a performance by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. It was nothing short of stunning. (I'd had no idea who was performing when I agreed to go, so this was a huge treat. Five dollars a person for $30.00 tickets. SCORE!

if you explore that link, you can see a glimpse or two of the amazing athleticism and gorgeous choreography we witnessed today. Just lovely. A mix of obviously very vigorous multi-discipline dance training that was physically impressive and still quite accessible. It was wonderful to see really gifted male dancers do things that made the audience gasp and applaud spontaneously. It was very strongly rooted in traditional ballet, but they let the men show their stuff instead of just the usual lifts and such.

It started with a tribute to Otis Redding, then an impressive three-man dance set, followed by a series of performances to spirituals called "Revelations. Especially moving for me and for most of the NOLA audience, was "Wade in the Water" with the memorable line "God's gonna trouble the waters." I had flashbacks to Katrina and I wasn't even here back then. It brought tears to my eyes.

So, I had no plans and ended up scoring tickets to the best touring professional dance troupe in the country. Well, okay. One of them. Still, it amazes me that I could start a day with no expectations and be so blessed.

We regrouped at City Park afterward, and i got the hubby to meet K and her husband and kids, so now he can put faces with the names. We're supposed to meet up with S and her boys tomorrow. Her husband comes in from England Tuesday, so I expect we won't see that much of her for the ten days he's visiting.

Then there was dinner at Corky's Barbecue, which was cheap and tasty, followed by a trip to the grocer store and laundry. Whee! I got my words in, too. So a good day all around!

Mardi Gras was fun for me, though I did not stay downtown for much of the parades and drinking. It was terribly cold downtown and very windy. I was surprised to find that Uptown is actually warmer than the French Quarter. I don not know what that is, but downtown I could not stop shivering and slowly could not feel my feet, but Uptown I found it a lovely day.

My Beloved and my boys and I bought some bread and went to our favorite duck-feeding spot in teh park, and it was utterly lovely. Not what most would consider a typical Mardi Gras experience, but for me it was utterly lovely. Besides, not being Catholic I have no need to give up anything for Lent. So, I have no drive to over-indulge in anything Fat Tuesday.

But watching part of the Zulu parade from a giant fifth floor window was nice, though it was still very cold.

***

Now to the lame part. I've essentially had nothing to put up for several days, and so I've been posting wee articles about random things that interest me, and probably only me, which is bad. Still , I'm happy to share "Fear of the Boom and Bust" a Hayek vs Keynes rap anthem, a video that is a lot more fun than it has any right to be.

***

My stats for this morning on the writing front:


It came pretty well. Still needs refinement, but first drafts usually do, I reckon. (Maybe the folksy thing doesn't work for me so well. heh.)

Total progress:

I hadn't posted since Thursday because I've been busy like woah, and I hadn't got my word goals, so I was waiting to post until I caught up. So here goes.

On Friday I posted Standing on my Last Nerve, which is mostly about how gender slapfights don't sell cars. Thanks to lauramcewan forth the link to the Queen of Shake-Shake, who is really funny and honest, and I'm glad to send some traffic her way.

Today I posted an article by KitchenJedi, How to Locate the Geeky Male Vascular Organ (I think she means 'heart' *wink*) just in time for Valentine's Day.

***

Today I skipped Endymion to take the boys to see Percy Jackson. Big Boy enjoyed it, but disliked the many way in which it was inferior to the book (which pleased me in my geeky, book-loving way). A good time was had by all.

We'd got our fill of parades last night, what with the cold, the crowds and the obnoxious, drunken frat boys smoking pot. (I so wish Muses hadn't been rained out on Thursday, because it was scheduled behind Hermes, D'etat and something else, and I didn't last through all of them to see it.) We watched Endymion on a live stream over the internet and called it good.

Thoth runs right past our house tomorrow, and we're ready. This is a good one, and we're going to have some fun!

***

Okay, here's the writing catch-up for Friday and Saturday:



and the totals:


If this keeps up I'll be half way there by the end of the month. Whee!

What a day. Got through the kids' conferences and schooling. Called and got them in the database of a local pediatrician, so we'll have a place to go for their yearly check ups. Was just about to start writing when I realized that the rain would not cancel the park day this afternoon, because our Park Day had been turned in for a field trip to Swan River Yoga.

That was fun. The boys got to see their friend J. and sign their friend K's cast. Also, Wee Boy LOVES yoga and meditation. I discovered that I am not as inflexible as I thought. Literally, not figuratively. Figuratively, I'm quite flexible. Literally/physically, not so much. More than I thought, but I've never done Yoga before. I am going to be feeling this tomorrow, I bet.

They did manage to convince Wee Boy that yoga and meditation will give him super powers, but I'll take it. Then we walked to a coffee shop (oy, were the patrons shocked to see two women and four kids pop in at 3:45) for some hot cocoa. One of the girls (we went with my friend L, her daughter H and H's friend S) told Wee Boy she thought he was 'hot'.

O_o

So not ready for my ten-year-old to be 'hot.' I think both S and H are Big Boy's age, making them two years older than Wee Boy, but he looks their age because he's tall. H is reserved and quiet like Big Boy, but S was quite pushy/flirty with Wee Boy. He was mostly oblivious, and slightly annoyed that S kept trying to steal his hat.

It was cold and rainy, but still fun despite that. I found out L is teaching a belly dancing class starting next month. I'm so there. I love L. She's quiet, intelligent and really very calming to be around.

***
Came home, did the dinner thing and THEN finally got the time to write. It was like pulling teeth. With pliers. Through the nostrils.

But I got my 750 words and change, dang it. here's the stats.



and the progress meter:

GeekaChicas' numbers are up again, despite a certain amount of site neglect on my part, whilst I have been doing other things. That's pretty cool.

Today we have a new article by Pearce, The Ultimate Word Problem Nightmare, a review of the movie 9, which gave me the giggles.

Also, in the GC Techie Femmes of TV poll, Penelope Garcia of Criminal Minds has pulled WAY ahead of the competition. Not terribly surprised, since CM fandom is pretty active/rabid. *wink*

***

They are letting school out two hours early so the whole city can get downtown for the Saints parade. I'll let you know if we make it. It's bound to be wild.

***

Still keeping up with my word goals using Write or Die. The one drawback of Write or Die is that I end up writing things a tad out of order, or realizing later that things need to be shuffled around. Still, not a big deal in the overall scheme of things. I always do some editing before I let people read it, anyway.



Then for the overall progress graph:



That's a third of the way there!

Not bad, for another interstitial. I even came up with lyrics for a country song that I (perhaps naively, considering how little love I have for the genre) allowed to become a major plot point. On the fly, too. Because Write or Die is unforgiving, brothers and sisters. (That's why I love it -- no popping over to wikipedia or dictionary.com to check something and realizing 45 minutes later that your writing time has gone *poof* and it's time for someone's doctor/tutor/dental appointment, etc.)

Overall Form and Void widget:



***

We also went to four different Mardi Gras parades this weekend. I must agree with the consensus that Metaire parades have the best throws, but the Uptown ones have a certain spirit to them that seemed to be lacking in the ones on Veterans Hwy that we attended. And the live music was better.

I'm glad they didn't. :)

Went to the quarter for Barkus ( a sort of mock Bacchus parade with dogs in costumes) and to absorb the revelry. Then we went to WOW Wingery to watch the game, imbibe cheap but delicious margaritas and eat the wings I've been dreaming of days. We were home before the whole city went crazy. ;)

I have never been in a city so in love with its team. The local grocery stores around here replaced their usual piped in music with locally produced football carols right after Christmas. These songs, including "When the saints go marching in", were prominent in every single Mardi Gras parade we've attended.

There was almost nothing along the lines of "the Colts suck" just the joyous euphoria of "Holy COW! Our team made it to the Super Bowl!" I believed they would win, just from the massive waves of love and positivity pouring out of the ground around here. I didn't see how they could lose.