big girl talk

OK so I picked up my children last night after they came home from a two week vacation to Mexico with my Mom and her hubby.

I have to say that as much as I missed them, I think that spending two weeks away from Mommy, and going to another country (which is very different to our own), was a very, very good thing for them both.

They both seemed to grow up a little while they were away. I noticed it as early as the car ride home, when my 5 year old actually patiently waited for a break in the conversation, to say in a normal "un-whiney" voice, "when do I get a turn to speak ? ".

If I had been standing, I might well have fell on the floor.

I have been TRYING for the last year to teach her to learn to wait her turn, to not interrupt, not whine or cry to get attention. And here she was, finally waiting her turn.

I was gobsmacked.

Though I was doing the happy Mom dance on the inside, on the outside, I answered without much fanfare, as if this IS the way it is supposed to be. I just spoke to her like the big girl she was acting like, "Yes dear of course its your turn", then I focused my attention on what she had to say.

Was this really happening, a big girl conversation with my big girl?

Well, she did turn 5 while she was away, and for the last two months I have been using her upcoming birthday as a marker for her, warning that once she turns 5, its time for her to stop the baby behavior. Maybe, once she actually hit that milestone she finally decided to try a bit of grown up communication out for size?

I did ask my Mom to reinforce the ongoing message that the 'whiney-cry' is unacceptable, I asked her to maintain to my daughter that if she wants to be with the group, she will have to learn to use her words and not her tears. I am certain they did so, because my daughters whiney-cry is so fricken unbearable, and the only way I have found to deal with it (short of cutting my ears off), is to suggest that if she really needs to cry, she can certainly choose to do so, but then she is going to have to go and cry in her room where no one else has to hear it.

Perhaps she was finally tired of having to remove herself to have a moan about something. She certainly never got a single reward from me for crying, maybe she finally realized it was a bad investment of energy.

Perhaps, just the whole experience of travelling somewhere new broadened her world enough for her to finally realize that she is not the only one in the room.

Who knows, but I am delighted to see some progress. We talked about it later as we were unpacking her suitcase. I told her that she seemed like she had grown really big while she was away, and I told her that I was very proud of her during the car ride home. She looked up at me with a proud smile and said "I know".

I asked her, "how do you know? What do you think I am I proud of?

She said, "my waiting for talking".

Wow, wow, wow, wow.

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cro-magnon education system

My favorite books are a series of historical fiction novels called the Earths Children. Clan of the Cave Bear was the first and is the most widely known of the series.

The story would have taken place around 28,000 years ago in Europe, where it explores the possibility of Neanderthals and early humans (Cro-Magnon) interacting and intermixing. The story was so interesting because it examines the various aspects of the differences between the two branches of humanity, and considers the possible reasons for the demise of the Neanderthals. Jean Auel did a great deal of archaeological and paleontological research for this book. It is said that she based her description of the Neanderthal characters on a burial cave site found in Iraq called Shanidar .



What I like about these books, aside from admiring the heroine of the story, is how clearly the different human societies were presumed to be set up, how they were run, what was important, what were their values, how did they pray, who did they pray to, who or what did they honor, what were their rituals, how did they practise medicine, etc.

In so far as the group dynamics, its interesting the similarities to todays modern societies. Everyone had their place in the group. Leader/and or Head Woman, Holy Man, Medicine Woman, Shaman, Hunter chief, Hunters, Caregivers, Artisans, Craftsmen, Cooks, Weavers, Gatherers, Speakers, etc, Elders, Children, they all did their thing and they all contributed their part.

I like the way they are presumed to have educated their children. It perfectly reflects that old saying, it takes a village to raise a child. They didn't stick the kids in a room and give them all the same tests. No, they taught each child according to where he was most gifted, and they gave the children real practical experience to learn from.

If a young boy showed a talent for carving, he would apprentice with the carver, if he were a strong athlete, he would go train with the elder hunters, if she were a cook, she would help with the cooking and be sent to gather food and berries, if she had the gift of foresight as well as insight, she may be sent to train with the Medicine Woman. The kids worked/helped all day long, and actually applied the skills they were learning.

Too bad we can't do that for children and youths today. Specialized schools that approach ALL the various types of intelligence traits, abilities, and personal tendencies would be the bomb. Get those wild boys out of the classroom and teach them some useful skills, maybe introduce them to the trades. Teach them to build a treehouse, or paint fence surrounding a non-profit facility somewhere. You can still teach skills they will need to know, get them to factor in what they will have to do to complete the job, estimates, budgeting, doing taxes, filling out forms and applying for permits.Let them see the results of their actions in some way. I think it would be more impactful on a young mind, to have to divide and then saw a board into five equal pieces, than it would be to sit at a desk and divide 1 by 5 a hundred times onto a piece of paper that will eventually be discarded.

Why not have a hefty round of gym classes and sports for young athletic boys to get all that rambunctiousness out. Why not make some use out of the energy, put em to work in the community. Kids can do these things, that's what my Grandma did on the farm, her brothers and sisters as kids, were put to work to help the farm operate. Cleaning barns, collecting eggs, painting fences. Man, the kids in my grandmas era sure didn't have any Mommy entertaining them all day, those kids explored freely, figured things out, and they took the knocks as they came. And Mom, while loving, never apologized for being busy, and she didn't worry if you liked her or not. (Theres something to be said for that but that's another topic).


You could go on and on with this education idea, for artistic kids for instance, why are there not more schools for younger people, like the school in the old TV show fame? What about an all tech school for the kids that are interested in technology, computers, graphics, why not save them the horrors of drama class.

I know, I know the logistics of applying such a system would be monstrous, I realize that its just a silly dream. Besides, the moment we got such a thing up and running, some bleeding heart busybody complainer would feel sorry for his kid having to work hard, would find a problem with something, foresee an accident, lodge a complaint and clog up every system by asking for more laws, rules, bans, restrictions, etc .......all those complainers ever manage to do is put up more red tape for the rest of us to deal with.


By the way, accidents are going to happen, special interactive school or not, I will never forget sitting in the lunchroom of my (normal) school, and witnessing a boy blast his way right through a glass door, because he was being a doofus on a skateboard. And, yes I do realize there are inherent safety issues sometimes, yes, a kid in a construction school, could saw off his finger, but................ he can also learn how NOT to saw off his finger.




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abba- cadabra

Just thought I'd share a pic from my delightful new gig as Ana Frieda in Abbacadabra, (which is produced by Mooncoin productions)! My first show was in Alberta, it was at the start of that ridiculous cold snap we just went through.
Those prarie folks are very hardy, despite the crazy weather, there were two fully attended sold out shows. I was impressed, and we gave them a great show, they were wonderful and appreciative.

Doing the show for the first time was brilliant, I loved it, the costumes, the choreography, the receptive audience. Plus the fact that ALL I had to do was show up and perform. I had no production, backline, gear, sound, lights, management, travel, hotel, band member issues or ANY sort of worries other than making sure me and my platform boots were polished and ready to go.

My favorite sort of gig. Here is to an Abbalicious New Year.


Lets see then, a couple of goals to foster for this year would be to keep working on doing studio work doing demos for people, and also to somday secure a groovy gig doing BG vocals for a great inspiring artist or band on a larger tour, yes, that would be the bees knees!

my gig in Japan ; )

Ha!

This video was just sent to me today, there is a bar in Japan, Live Music bar JET, which shows You Tube videos from the Original Music DataBase project ( the OMDB collect and promote / feature original music on You Tube). At the JET bar, I believe they play these videos on the band breaks, I am the second artist in this promo video (about 40 seconds in), I have been featured at this bar before and I must say I find it quite hilarious. I am wondering, can I say that I've played in Japan now, or is that stretching it? ; ) hehe

By the way the video they chose to feature was from a live performance for a fundraiser for an incredible and inspiring actress named Babz Chula, who is fighting a mighty battle against cancer, Babz is highly regarded and well loved in the acting community. I was so proud to be a part of the first Annual Babz.

For more info on theBabz Chula Lifelife for Artists Society:http://www.babzchulasociety.org/

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sueandsteveshow .com

Sue and Steve are a very groovy couple with a plan. They don't know what the plan is exactly, they just know it will make them millionaires.

They chart thier journey as the plan unfolds and they share it with us on thier blog, facebook, You Tube, and other social media platforms. As they develop thier concept they consider the Law of Attraction, the Secret, Wayne Dyer, and others with positive connective messages. Sue and Steve also share important links and information about the social media tools they discover along the way.

Below is a link to thier blog. Please go and meet them, they are delightful.

http://sueandsteveshow.com/2008/12/28/twitter-do-you-tweet/#comment-73





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digging out from under

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!



My brother wont let me take a pic with him, even on Christmas, he makes it his mission to avoid all pictures at all times.

I must confess, I make it my mission to GET that shot! :)












I made it out of the driveway today, so that I could enjoy Christmas dinner with the family. It was a lovely afternoon, so full of laughter that it was even worth the great deal of effort it took to dig out from under several days worth of snow.



As I struggled and sweated to clear the deep snow off of my driveway, all I could think about, was how ticked off I was with myself, for choosing the little shovel because it was the cutest one in the shop.

Suzanne Gitzi

I just love Suzanne Gitzi. She is inspiring to me in every way. I love the incredible tone of her voice and her complete control over it. She is impossibly beautiful. She has a sparkle when she performs onstage, and has a charming and clever wit offstage. Especially loved by me, are her hilarious descriptions of the occasional onstage issues, mini disasters, train wrecks, and/or near misses. It happens to us all, but she just seems to find the funny, and she delivers it with a sparkly bow. She has me laughing so hard I sometimes have to concentrate in order to hold my bladder. I love talking with Suzanne, and I especially love hearing her sing. Every once in a while her husband Russel, sends me a song or clip of Suzanne, and I am so grateful.

This was the latest clip to come to my inbox, it's gorgeous. Make sure to watch and read till the very end.

merry christmas~