Sunday, March 21, 2010

Amen and Alleluia

The choir director and three women came out and warmed up the crowd. We clapped and swayed and sang along. Then the choir came out - resplendent in purple robes - and the congregation went crazy with singing and clapping. The minister didn't even appear until after fifteen minutes of singing and praying. His sermon did not disappoint. I was led through a reading of the King James version of the gospel and then the minister's version of the gospel. "How many times do I have to put up with his crap before I kick him in the tail?" The congregation laughed. We repeated his words and he had us talk to our neighbors and we gave him an "Amen" when he asked for it.

I was surprised to see Bill standing on the end of my pew. "We need to go," he whispered. I gathered my things and followed him out. That's when I learned that I had been in church for two hours.

Bill and Joe spent the morning in Hyde Park while I was in church, but we needed to meet Amanda downtown for tea, so it was time to go.

"Come back next week!" the ushers called after us as we left.

Amen and Alleluia.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Script Frenzy

Ann and I had an idea for a script years ago. It will be a three actor piece with multi-media backgrounds. We were heavily involved with the Xanga blogging community at the time and our idea was to take three people who know each other in real life (IRL) and who also read each other's blogs and interact on the internet.

Blogs have fascinated me for years. I think the most surprising thing that happened to me was after I invited a good friend of mine to read my blog and she went off on a rant about how the internet is ruining interpersonal communication and friendships and that she would NOT read my blog.

I would note that while she and I have remained friends, she knows less about what is going on in my life than my Internet Friends, most of which I have never met.

I'm in Chicago this weekend and offered to meet Justin, a long time Internet Friend of mine. Justin and I have mailed each other small gifts, we exchange Christmas cards, and really, I know him pretty well. It's reccomended that you meet someone from the Internet for the first time in a safe, public place. That's why I suggested that we meet for church on the South Side of Chicago on Sunday.

But yeah, Ann and I are going to finally write this script! I am going to work on some ideas while I am out and about today and tomorrow. Travel is my muse. I actually think it is the lack of kids/pets/house/job. I mean, it's easy to write when you have the time.

Also, we have a space to do the reading! Some friends and I are creating a creative co-op. The primary purpose is to have a place to dance. I would like to add other performing arts, and I think that this show would be fun to do there.

The Renaissance Award

"The Renaissance Award recognizes those among us who demonstrate extraordinary amounts of effort and preparation in their solutions or outstanding skill in engineering, design or performance."

As a parent who is sick of participation trophies for 5 year olds who can't pay attention long enough to remember what direction to run around the bases, I am particularly pleased that some kid activities refuse to do that. Destination Imagination is not perfect, but I really appreciate it that awards are reserved for those that deserve them. The different challenges are all judged by specific criteria. Some, like the structure weight and how much it holds, is concrete. Some, like the skit or the approach to the problem, are subjective. And some awards, like the Renaissance Award, are awarded only if the judges decide they should be awarded.

As I heard the announcer read the nomination for The Renaissance Award aloud, I recognized my daughter's team. They have a skit about the bombing of Nagasaki. Mary plays the role of a tree that survives the bombing and advises some school children. The skirt is made of elaborate newspaper loops. They have to remake the top portion of the costume for every performance.

"This costume was just plain cute, but also played a central role in tying the team's skit together. It was clear that much time and effort had been spent on both design and construction. The team used this costume to schowcase much of their research."

I watched the kids react as they too recognized their creation. They bounded forward to accept their special award.

The team did not do so well overall. After an impressive structure and skit performance, they fell apart in the Instant Challenge portion of the competition (they get a problem, tools, and a short period of time to solve the problem under the scrutiny of judges) and placed fourth overall. They still qualified for State and they have already begun talking about how they can improve their team skills so that their Instant Challenge doesn't impede their overall score.

"I want to make the skirt even bigger!" Mary exclaimed. "And make something for my head!" She turned the skirt upside down and the loops of newspaper fell over her face. They all laughed.

It is said too often, but I really do feel it is true about this activity, the benefit is in the process, not the result. But the awards are nice, too. ;-)

A Blog About Blogging

I am in Chicago in my brother and sister in law's condo. My brother in law had some errands. My sister in law had a meeting. My husband is sleeping. In other words, I AM ALONE! :-) I am sitting on the couch with an afghan that matches the decor and a cup of coffee with the blinds open. It is snowing.

This is how I picture myself when I write - cozy, quiet, everything is clean (and seriously, everything matches! I love this home and I want to live here, but then I remember that I have a giant monstrosity of my own filled to the brim with kids and that is wonderful, too). I do think that the best vacation for a mom is this, though. Quiet and clean and matching dishes.

I have had a few blogs rattling around in my head and I am going to crank them out while I have time and quiet and coffee.

Last night we landed at 7:30 and we were whisked to a Greek resturant in the back of a bar with a cave ceiling. "The show starts at 8," Joe said mysteriously. "You're here for Elvis?" a waitress said as we walked through the kitchen. I joined in the conga line of Elvis trailed by women. We went out the back door and down the sidewalk and then through the bar and kitchen before making it back to the restaurant for the finale. Oh Chicago, how much I love you. On the agenda today is lunch in Chinatown, a tour of the public housing buildings from "Good Times," and then a trip to the Hancock Building where there is a bar that reportedly has a view just as good as the Sears Tower without the fee.

I wanted to add pictures to the blogs I am about to write, but I don't have my camera cord with (though I have all kinds of cords). I guess not everything is perfect today.

Monday, March 08, 2010

Simple Bean Recipe

I thought that black beans and rice was the easiest dinner ever. But lately I have been into polenta and black beans. I make a 9x13 pan of polenta. The in a sauce pan I heat up a can of black beans with a jar of salsa. Cut the polenta in wedges and top with beans/salsa. Delicious! Frank thinks the polenta is mashed potatoes.

Saturday, March 06, 2010

The Berlin Wall

On Thursday night, Anna and I went to a therapy session and then stopped at the Home Depot to buy power tools. We added a carpet, a mirror and a bathroom cabinet to the cart.

I was grinning as I sawed that damn bed frame down. For months it has eluded us all as we tried half heartedly to get the bed out of the room that Anna claimed after her step sister abandoned it. The loft bed frame would not fit through the door. The bolts spun in place as we twisted them. So for months Anna slept under it - the bed frame looming over the mattress on the floor like a metaphor. I mean, it WAS a metaphor.

Until I physically and metaphorically cut it down. I was gleeful as I pulled the legs out from under the bed and we sat the platform on the floor. Anna spread the sheet and comforter over the mattress and we noted how much brighter the room is this way. We carried the loft bed legs to the trash. The bed - and the room - and the relationship with my kid - and the whole Thing in some ways - is on the ground now.

I thought of the Berlin Wall. I was celebrating as I tossed that damn bedframe in the alley. I felt set free. But, like East Germany, the rebuilding has just begun here. There are structural problems that require intense work. It is too delicate for power tools, but the power tools had to come first.