Mips: frivolous notes of the Skyylark

Sink or Swim

2010-02-15T16:26:00.000-08:00

Change: it's about as certain as death and taxes. Sometimes it's bad, sometimes it's good, and sometimes it takes a long time to really decipher whether it's bad or good. Bad or good, it gets you out of your comfort zone and either you can swim with it or sink with it. Change has happened. And in result, I have a lot of extra time on my hands. Which, on a positive side, gives me a chance to update this blog:) But on the down side, if I do nothing special with this time, I start to sink. So here's what I propose: I need a project!

These are ideas that I've toyed with for a long time, but never really got off the ground since my energies were focused elsewhere. There's three of them, and I can't seem to decide which is most worth my time, or (let's be realistic here) which I'll actually be able to pull off. I'm going to list them off, along with their positives and negatives. Perhaps this will help me funnel my thoughts, strap my water wings on, and finally be able to get at least a good doggie paddle going.

Missy's Crazy Ideas (or Crazy Missy's Ideas)

1. Perform...Again
Positives - I've been dying to sing on stage again. Singing will always be a great love of mine and I'd give anything to enjoy it again.
Negatives - I'm too picky about projects. I surf craigslist daily for the perfect opportunity to get back in the scene, but not too far in the scene. I want to perform but not too often, with a small group but not too small, in a group not too old but not too young, etc. This all leads me to believe that my pickyness may just be me trying to avoid it all together, since my last experience with performing was quite a messy one. And in result, I honestly don't think I could enjoy performing like I once did...

2. Write a Curriculum Book

Positives - I have so many ideas for curriculum in my field, and I use them a lot for my work. And actually, there are very little curriculum materials to be found for this particular age group. There's a big ol' gap in Early Childhood Music Education and I feel it needs to be explored, so there:b
Negatives - How the hell do you get things published? Haha.

3. Make a Children's Album
Positives - Move over Raffi, Missy's a comin'! Yes, this has been done before. Sometimes very successfully, and sometimes... (well, let's just say there's a LOT of bad children's music out there. But that's a whole blog post on it's own.) Anyway, once again, I've found a another gap. There's children's music that teaches math, reading, spelling, even science. But there's very little children's music that teaches the basic musical concepts. You'd think there would be music that teaches about music, but there's not. I've already written a few songs that I do with my kids. And I know a lot of local musicians who could help me out with this.
Negatives - How do you market stuff like that? Yes, I could get it made, but I have no head for business and wouldn't know what to do with it after it's done. Obviously my audience would be music teachers and preschool/kindergarten teachers. How would I get it into the classrooms?

So those are my crazy ideas. I'd really like some feedback, if possible. Which do you think could swim the best? And even if nothing big comes out of one of these projects, I'll still be better off having accomplished something besides eating ice cream and watching the Olympics. Tootles!

Ladies and Gentlemen: the Great Missini!

2008-04-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

Balance. It's a hard thing to achieve. Balancing the family with the friends, with the love-life, with the band, with the financial obligations, with the career, with the home/self-maintenance, with the extra-curricular, with medical concerns, with religion and politics, with world events, with the me time... And many of these intersect, which makes things all the more confusing. And I must confess, I really don't have as many elements to prioritize as most people do. I have yet to achieve balance, and quite honestly, the people that appear to have it scare the shit out of me. But I don't believe I can begin to have balance until some sort of constancy occurs in my life.

However, when you really think about it, isn't imbalance one of the crucial ingredients to keeping life interesting and fresh? I think the reason that seemingly balanced, perfect people frighten me so, is that I imagine how awfully boring their lives must be. No surprises and no true attachments to one or two focused areas, just routine, unchanging fairness and stability. Bleh. Does balance mean boredom?

So what am I getting at; if it isn't truly balance that I seek, than what is going to rescue me from this crooked merry-go-round of options I continually jump on? Trying seat after seat, seeing which one suits me best. Is there a right seat? Maybe I need to ditch the merry-go-round altogether.
Perhaps the key to achieving balance and avoiding boredom is surrounding yourself with people/things/endeavors that you love and that keep things sparky and interesting. 'Cause I do believe that there are people on this earth and endeavors to pursue that I will never grow tired of. I know it's a very Hallmark conclusion to the mad rantings of a woman who's seen too much snow in one winter, but it's true. I have yet to accomplish the task of fully immersing myself with these people/things, but I think I have a damn good start.

"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

2008-04-10T19:17:00.000-07:00

Well, the weather is absolutely horrid, and I'm stuck at home sipping a glass of cheap wine. It seems only natural to try and spew up a couple of meaningful or amusing observations. So, for the first time ever, I have a career that I absolutely adore. I teach music to very little children, and this job not only makes me look forward to going to work everyday, it also has renewed my excitement in having my own child/children someday, (no time in the near future, I assure you). The kids at my work inspire and crack me up on a daily basis, and I continue to marvel at the funny social norms that occur when one hangs out with young children. What an odd and wonderful world it would be if adults never ditched these social norms as we grew older. My own childhood chronologically creeps further and further from me, though not spiritually. And being around individuals who have only had a few years of experience on this earth helps me remember how exciting seemingly mundane elements of life can be. So here's my list:

5 Things You Can Only Do When You're 3-years-old:

1. Wear snow-boots all day long...inside doors...in the summertime, and still have lots of friends.

2. Stand on your head with your butt in the air in public when you get bored or annoyed with a person or situation.

3. Start running for no reason in particular.

4. Say, "My Dad drives a truck" to a complete stranger.

5. Yell, "I went poop!", and everybody cheers for you.

Word.

Year Done, Lessons Learned

2008-01-31T15:18:00.000-08:00

Dear readers, a lot happened in 2007 for your little blogger Missy. While I'll spare you all the details (good and bad) I came away from the past year with a few nuggets of wisdom. Well, I wouldn't use the word "wisdom", more like steps forward from where I stood a year ago. And so, I'm going to share this list with my lovely readers today, some you may have discovered already, some that may come as no surprise, and hopefully, something new to share.

5 Things Missy's Learned in the Past Year

1. In the world of education, you are NEVER going to make everyone happy. And the sooner any new teacher recognizes this, the better they're going to sleep at night. Whether it be fellow staff, administration, students, or parents, there's always going to be someone that disapproves of how you do things. Usually at least one from every of the 4 categories. You can have the best intentions around, and spend day-in and day-out trying to find new ways to make everything work, and you'll still have someone treat you like you're not trying in the least. Recognize this, don't take it personally, and just be comforted by the fact that you are doing your best, and that you're a positive force in your students' lives.

2. Anxiety/Stress and it's effects on the body CAN be funneled and even controlled. Well, ok, MY anxiety can be funneled and controlled. Over the years, I've grown a bit more anxious compared to the carefree days of my youth. I also come from a long line of very lovely, but very anxious females. A few car accidents, a couple broken hearts, and some injuries later (physical and emotional), naturally one grows a bit more cautious, compulsive, and stressed. And the effects of this anxiety effected me in ways that changed the way I looked at my daily life. I've since learned to face this anxiety and to talk myself out of it. The way I look at it, reacting immediately over uncomfortable situations hinders ones quality of life, and restricts one from exploring things that may otherwise turn out to be positive experiences. I'm still working on it:)

3. The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all. Ok, I stole that from Disney's Mulan. (I really like that movie, I'm not ashamed.) But I'm constantly drawn to people who fit this description, and they end up being the most intriguing and rewarding people to know.

4. Anyone who drives a new Mini Cooper is a CRAZY driver. Well, that's a pretty harsh generalization. But it seems like EVERY person I've seen drive one of these is all over the road. Some may say I'm a crazy driver. I won't deny this. Let's just say I've really learned my lesson;)

5. The music business is as dirty as the art of music is pure. Does this make sense? Anyway, this is something I'm learning and coming to terms with more and more. It's too bad.

Well, I hope the average reader as come away with something from this, even if it's just a little head shake and a chuckle. Any lessons you guys have learned???

...the greatest good that mortals know, and all of heaven we have below.

2007-11-14T20:23:00.000-08:00

To all those who poo-poo music education:
"Music Lessons Pay Off in Higher Pay."
Funny, students of music education end up earning major cash, while the music teachers themselves make diddley squat and get their program funding cut. Go fig.

They're All Gonna Laugh at You!

2007-10-30T20:34:00.000-07:00

Well, Halloween is tomorrow, and surprisingly, it continues to be one of my favorite holidays. Most of the horror movies made these days don't really scare me all that much; I find myself giggling at most of them. Plus, the majority of them are just bad remakes of previously made or Japanese films. It's the creepy films of the 60's and 70's that get me. Maybe it's because these older movies are more subtle in their scariness. They didn't have the technology to create huge monsters and realistic special effects, so they had to be more creative in their effectiveness. So in the spirit of Scary Day, I've constructed the following list:

Missy's Top 5 Favorite Scary Movies!

1. Carrie
In all honesty, it's not Carrie who frightens me most in this movie. Mainly, it's the crazy mother and the brutality of her peers. Probably because these concepts (an extremely religious parent, getting picked on at school, etc) happen all the time in real life, opposed to a person moving things with their mind. But the part that gets me every time is the dream sequence at the very end. I won't give the ending away, but I think it's the music in this scene that creeps me out to no end!

2. The Shining
This isn't just some dumb, gory, gross-out horror flick. This is a well-constructed, tension-building story with complex characters, an amazing isoundtrack, and creative camera shots. My favorite scenes are when the kid is riding through the empty halls on his big-wheel, and when Jack is hallucinating in the ballroom. Oh, and when Wendy finally reads the novel Jack's been writing.

3. Wait Until Dark
"Wait Until Dark" is wonderfully suspenseful and genuinely scary without showing a drop of blood. Audrey Hepburn plays a blind woman who is home alone as three thugs attempt to trick and threaten her into letting them into her apartment to obtain a doll stuffed with heroin. The tension builds to a huge plateau as Audrey Hepburn knocks out all the lights in her apartment to get the upper-hand on the men who are trying to kill her and take the doll. Alan Arkin scares the shit of of me in this one.

4. Halloween

Did anyone know that the mask worn by the character 'Micheal' was a deformed and worn William Shatner mask? I love that little bit of useless knowledge. The scariest parts for me are when Micheal is stalking the girls throughout the beginning of the movie.

5. The Sixth Sense
I admit it: I didn't predict the ending. M. Night Shyamalan got me: hook, line and sinker. This movie is not only makes you jump out of your seat, but you really learn to feel for the characters throughout the movie, good and bad.

Please feel free to share your own top choices, everyone has different things that scare and intrigue them. Happy Halloween!

Back in the game with a bang!

2007-10-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

I'm back!

Hooray!

2007-07-07T08:03:00.001-07:00

Happy 9th Anniversary C and B!!!!!!

T-rex a slow-poke? Who knew?

2007-06-06T22:03:00.000-07:00

This article heading just made me chuckle for some reason:
T-rex article
I guess it just kinda strikes me funny to picture the Tyrannosaurus as being the last one picked in gym class.

Family Ties: sha-la-la-la!

2007-05-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

Hey all, I've been receiving the answers from the lucky bloggers I interviewed, and I just had to share the answer to the best question I came up with in this little game. I had the great pleasure of interviewing my mom, heh. To this day, I find the social dynamic of my family pretty intriguing. And I think outsiders looking in on our family do as well. In particular, the similarities and differences of me and my siblings. Thus, the 5th and final question I asked my mom. Here was the result:

Question 5. Which of your own characteristics do you see in each of your three children? Hmm, that is a little harder question for me to answer. I guess to make myself look good, I will go with the good traits!

I think a good characteristic that S and I both have is the ability to converse easily and energetically with almost anyone. We are usually not at a loss for words, and I have noticed, for some reason, strangers stop and talk to us. We have an easy welcoming attitude, and we usually like to talk to most people. Missy once told me that I shouldn't talk to strangers. I had told her that many times, but failed to follow my own rules. I usually couldn't help myself!

I think that C and I share patience as a characteristic. We probably are not the most patient people when we are doing physical labor, but I think we have the ability to analyze a situation, and wait to see what the outcome may be before we jump to conclusions. I know C does this, and, every ONCE in a while, I do that too. Sometimes to "wait and see" is a very smart move. It also saves a lot of energy. We are not only patient, but smart, too! I think

Missy and I are both stubborn. Now that is not a bad thing. It simply means that we are not easily talked into things we do not want to do, and we are looking at the end result before most other people do. In most situations, I can go from step one to four and never need to think about step two or three because I KNOW I am right, and there is no need. Missy and I sometimes butt heads because two people who know they are right are bound to. We somehow manage to come up with similar results to a problem, although we take our own stubborn route. It all works out! Another trait we have in common is our love for children. We have a genuine respect for children, and for their gifts they have been given, and I think we both appreciate the trivial and flighty nature of the young. I wonder why. Is it because we never grew up? A question to ponder.

So, there it is. I think she's always been honest without filter where I'm concerned, haha. But I love her for it, and I think it's 'cause she knows I take things with a grain of salt. I'm not sure if she wants me to leave a link to her blog so that my happy viewers may feast their eyes on the other 4 questions, so I'm gonna leave that up to her. I also love the paragraph she wrote about my dad, so you all should hassle her for the blog address and check it out.
That's all!

Another opportunity for me to talk about myself...

2007-05-08T18:47:00.000-07:00

Fellow blogger cK was a part of a little game where bloggers interviewed one another, and I wanted in! I've been on a creativity drought lately and I figure this'll get the wheels in motion once again. Plus, I knew cK was an excellent interviewer. About a year ago I sat next to him at a Twins game, and straight out of left-field he threw question after question at me like I was in a Barbara Walters Special. And after each question was answered, he just stared out into the field, with a thoughtful look on his face, responding, "ahhh, yes, I see." I often wondered what he thought of my answers, and whether he was internally uncovering the kind of person I was by the seemingly insignificant questions. Hehe, am I correct in thinking this, ck? So here's the five questions he sent me:

Q: What other city (outside of Minnesota, please) would you like to live in for at least six months?
A: Surely in a European city, and one where I could take up a new language. I've always LOVED singing in Italian, and if I had to choose a new language to learn, that would be it. I can't get enough of the fluidity and rhythm of the language. One could be saying, "screw off", and it could still sound like, "I love you". I'd also want to live in a spot rich with culture and history, but would have cute, cozy little nooks and crannies as well. Rome? Venice? I dunno, I'd probably have to research various Italian cities to decide for sure, but it would definitely be in Italy.

Q: What's your favorite type of shoe?
A: I've just looked over my shoe collection, (which is much more extensive than I'd like to admit), and I've decided that my answer must be divided into two categories: winter and summer.
Winter: I love light, stripey, nerdy tennis shoes. Preferably in a bright color. I have 3 pairs of sneakers that fit that description: orange, pink, and powder blue. I just can't be sad while gazing down at these types of shoes.
Summer: I'm a flip-flop freak all-the-way. All kinds, I don't discriminate.

Q: When did you last draw with crayons?
A: Today actually, heh! I was helping one of my 4-year-olds learn to print his last name:) But honestly, I love working with crayons outside of work. It's really relaxing to draw with crayons. I took a few art courses in college, and I was the only student who carried a pack of crayons with all my pencils, charcoal, paint, etc. I'm not sure what my professor thought of this, but I got an A on all my projects, so he must not have looked down on it too much.

Q: If you could inhabit a cartoon world (with the option to return at any point), which cartoon world would it be?
A: I really liked that "Dungeons and Dragons" cartoon growing up. I just loved the idea of getting on a carnival ride, and ending up in another world! Plus, it ties into my undying fantasy of being a superhero/warrior of some type. My weapon of choice would either be wizard-like powers, or a huge samurai sword. I also wouldn't mind hanging out with the Muppet Babies for a few days.

Q: If you won a contest that gave you the right to remove one television personality from the air, who would you select?
A: I believe I've expressed my intense distaste for Jennifer Love Hewitt on this blog before. And my piercing hatred for her remains undimmed.

SO here's where it becomes EXTRA fun! If you would like me to interview you on your blog, simply leave a comment containing the words, "Interview Me!", and I will send you a set of five questions to answer on your own blog. Have a lovely week everyone!

Where's Ned?

2007-05-06T20:07:00.000-07:00

Blog regular and family member 'Ned' placed 9th in the "Hopes and Dreams 5k" in Memphis, Tennessee! He's shown here rockin' a red bandanna. We're so proud of our Neo-luddite!

Ned: If you are displeased with my posting your photo, feel free to post incriminating photos of me on your site:b

Ahhhh, bugger!

2007-04-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm, in my attempt to make the template pretty, I seem to have lost all my comments:( Crap. Sorry to all of you who were so good to grace my blog with your fun and insightful comments. And I only hope they will magically reappear somehow. As an offering to solidify my apology, I give you this photo:

I especially like the smiling one on the right side in the background. Anyone have a good caption for that llama in the back?

Baby I'm a Star!

2007-04-25T20:27:00.000-07:00

So as some of you may already know, I've decided to name my accordion Apollonia. It just seemed befitting since the first song I learned on it was "Raspberry Beret". Thanks for all the suggestions, I couldn't have done it without you all!

Name my baby!

2007-03-24T22:14:00.000-07:00

Many of you have heard/seen/met my new accordion. And I'm trying to think of a good name for her. It's loud, purple, and beautiful! Any ideas?????

If you leave, don't leave now...

2007-03-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

There's no good set up for this coming list, I've just always wanted to do it. But after I constructed this list I discovered that I'm very 'anti-ultra-happy-ending'. I just despise movie endings that either seem too good to be true, or seem a bit shallow and lacking originality or heart. Anyway, here it is:

Skyylark's Top 5 Most Unsatisfying Movie Endings

1. Pretty in Pink - Screw Blaine, yey for Duckie. It just seemed so silly that the spoiled, two-dimensional character Blaine should end up with Andie. Not to mention that awkward-ass kiss that Andie and Blaine have at the very end. And even worse, they tried to make up for it by giving Duckie some random blond bimbo at the prom. Is there no justice?

2. Vanilla Sky - Wtf? That's all I have to say... Wtf?

3. Breakfast at Tiffany's - Yes, I rave about this movie constantly, but I think the book ending was much better and much more realistic. But then again, in the movie version Mickey Rooney plays an Asian man. How's that for realistic. Just once I wanna see Holly Golightly take off for Brazil at the end.

4. Dead Poet's Society - Well, this is mainly because I've had a big crush on actor Robert Sean Leonard since I was about 12, and I usually stop watching the movie just before his character kills himself. It's just too painful for me to watch such an adorable man waste away:)

5. Closer - It tries to come off clever, but ends up being anticlimactic and...just..blah.

Any other ones??

I'm Chucky. Wanna Play?

2007-02-28T20:03:00.000-08:00

Wow, check out this ad I found. Child pageants have always made me a little uneasy, but now I'm terrified. I feel like the "new and improved" image on the right should have a miniature knife in her little hand.

...how can I keep from singing?

2007-02-14T20:46:00.000-08:00

I'm actually surprised that I haven't thought of doing this list before. Much like a fisherman must construct his top 5 lures, or a frat boy list his top 5 beers of choice, I'm not sure why it never occurred to me to post a "Top 5 Favorite Voices" list. While my voice resembles that of Shirley Jones', I usually lean toward voices that are nothing like mine: raspy, damaged, and having NO business singing in a Rogers and Hammerstein musical. I have no technical format for choosing this top 5, other than the fact that if ever you hear anyone cover these singers' songs, it never sounds right because it was performed right the first time and should never be replicated or attempted again.

So, yo-ho-ho, and-a-here-we-go:

Mips' Top 5 Favorite Voice of All Time

1. Van Morrison
This man's voice chops through my soul like a rusty hatchet. That sounds bad, but it's very very good. His phrasing is so natural and wild, yet attacks each phrase with so much intent. You can't understand a word he's singing, but you know exactly what he is singing about.
Recommended Track: Linden Arden Stole the Highlights

2. Stevie Wonder
Most listeners don't realize how great Stevie's voice is because the first thing you notice is his astounding song-writing. I didn't truly appreciate his voice until I tried singing along with him. Once I realized that my rendition sounded nothing like his, I then asked myself, "How does he do that?" His vocal gymnastics are impressive, but never showy. His upper-range is amazing, he can belt high notes better than most women. His sound is all his, and is constantly copied in music today.
Recommended Track: Ebony Eyes

3. Jolie Holland
I've heard so many other describe her voice has "ugly" or "over-done", but I think it's raw and beautiful. Her scoopy phrasing compliments her thick southern accent, and her tone is vulnerable and honest. She means every word she sings, and in result, isn't afraid to sound 'ugly' at times.
Recommended Track: Stubborn Beast

4. Edith Piaf
She's got one of those voices that screams, "I'm gonna sing this, and everyone, EVERYONE is going to stop what they're doing and listen". Boy, can she belt! It's the only nasal voice I've ever grown to love, and I just adore that rapid vibrato that sounds like she's sitting on top of an old washer.
Recommended Track: Hymne a L'amour

5. Otis Redding
His voice is the epitome of disappointed love, and not being able to sleep because if it. His tone is smoky, worn, and suggests a history; it's like sitting in a tattered, antique chair. He doesn't sing; he growls, howls, yelps and cries. When he performs, it's not a song, it's an event.
Recommended Track: I've Been Loving You Too Long

There:)

Zoom zoom zoom

2007-02-12T21:35:00.000-08:00

I feel like I'm coasting down a woodsy back-road at nightfall. I'm relatively content, the sky is coated with large, rippling clouds that crack open just a bit to let in the remaining ribbons of light. Plus, there's a good song on the car radio. The heater is working well, I even have to take off my mittens. I slowly spin past the occasional car or house, even made a few quick stops, but nothing worth sticking around. The road rolls on and on with a calming, hypnotic hum.

As I'm being swallowed down this curvy, rumbling road where the black trees lean into me like an unfriendly archway, a few questions occur to me. First of all, where am I going, and when am I going to get there? And when I get there, will I be bored or unhappy and want to get back on the road? And most importantly, is there a "THERE" at all? In the meantime, I simply continue to drive, contemplating my next stop....

I guess I'm not sure where I'm going with this, I don't expect answers. and I'm sure everyone feels this way in one way or another; climbing a staircase with no plateau. That's life, I guess.

Chocolate-Covered Disappointment

2007-01-14T07:43:00.000-08:00

I just had a bizarre dream last night that, to me, represents everything going on in my life right now.

I dreamt that I, for some God-awful reason, was at a Republican Convention with my family. Which is odd, since the majority of my family hates Bush and the festering turds he calls policies.

At this convention, I was gnawing on a handful of chocolate-covered coffee beans, apparently they were serving coffee and coffee-flavored snacks at this convention, heh. Anyway, Bush was shaking hands with the public and he got within about 7 feet of me. I recall looking down at my chocolate-covered coffee beans and I desperately wanted to throw my bitter, little pile of beans at him as he came by. But, unfortunately I was too scared to, for fear of getting swept away by security.

When I awoke, I became very disappointed in myself: for even in my wildest dreams, I still didn't have the guts to do what I wanted to do. Most people would KILL for the opportunity to hurl an inanimate object at the President (or animate, come to think of it). I had my chance, and I chickened out.

So that was my dream, and the epiphany that occurred when I awoke.
I need to take more chances...

Congratulations, it's a brand-new, bouncing baby...accordian!

2006-12-15T20:10:00.000-08:00

It's confirmed, I'm officially a major dork. So here it is, my latest purchase: a brand-spankin' new purple accordian! Just had to show it off!

Christmas is going to be extra fun this year, hahahaha!

Ooo, Heaven is a place on earth...

2006-12-11T20:33:00.000-08:00

I'd like to believe there's an after-life of some sort. And I think if music was not an element in this after-life, I'd want no part of it! Actually music, good and bad, can be a bit of hell or hell on earth, at times. Which brings me to my new lists:

5 Songs I Imagine Are Played On "Repeat" in Hell

1. Sleighride - Various Artists
Giddiup, giddiup, g-g-g-get me the hell out of here!

2. Dancin' in the Street - Mick Jagger and David Bowie
I've never liked this song, and just the fact that two great vocalists have joined forces to double the agony just makes it worse.

3. Toxic - Brittney Spears
The high-pitched screech of the string sample in this song would compliment the searing of flesh in the pits of eternal hell-fire.

4. We Built This City - Jefferson Starship
Mwahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa!

5. Anything by Toby Keith
I don't know any Toby Keith song titles, and I'd like to keep it that way. But I'm pretty sure Keith'll be headlining in hell every damn night.
************************************************************************************
and...

5 Songs I Imagine Are Played On "Repeat" in Heaven

1. Beethoven's 6th Symphony
It'll all be a bit like the pegasus scene in Fantasia, 'cept I'm riding the big white one.

2. Bizet's Carmen - Je dis que rien ne m'epouvante
I had to have atleast one soaring opera aria in there.

3. Edith Piaf - Non Je Ne Regrette Rien
'I regret nothing'. I want this played at my funeral. Somebody remember that;)

4. Bob Marley - One Love
I think Bob Marley will be God's musician sidekick. He'll be Max Weinberg to God's Conan O'Brian, if you will.

5. Al Green - Love and Happiness
Woken up every morning by "The Reverand", I could handle that:)

Add your own, please. Good to be back!

Blogging vicariously though Mips

2006-11-14T17:48:00.000-08:00

Over the past months I've had this blog, I've laughed, I've cried, and I've come upon a realization. Some of the wonderful friends and family that write the many comments on my blog are excellent writers who are blogging vicariously through the Mips! It's a crying shame! A few in particular (c and b, sara, little sweetie, ahem...) have so much to say, and say it well. Yet they choose to squeeze their big talents and ideas onto my tiny comment window. Was' up wit dat, yo?

Here's what I propose: these individuals should start their own blogs, thus creating one FANTASTIC circle of blogdom. Doesn't that sound fabulous?

Now, I know what these people will say, "But Mips, I have no time for such nonsense! Blogs take take time and energy that I do not have!" To which I respond, "Suck it up! You think I got time, foo?" If you got time to write a comment on my blog once a day, you got time to write a blog post once in a blue moon.

I dunno, I just think the idea of a happy blog circle sounds grand. Thoughts? Excuses?

"Can you read my mind?"

2006-11-05T16:36:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's just me,... But sometimes I'll hear a song for the first time, quietly listen to the words, and get caught on a lyric that I swear came straight out of my inner-monologue. So I either worship the songwriter for reading my mind, or curse myself for having not written it down first. It's not that they're terribly clever or original phrases, it's just that particular song/phrase strikes a chord with your own personal truth. So I've decided to base my next list on this concept:

5 Song Lyrics I Feel Like I Wrote, or Wish I Had Written:)

1. Cat Power - Colors and the Kids
"It must be the color and the kids that keep me alive. 'Cause the music is boring me to death".

2. Aimee Mann - Save Me
"Save me from the ranks of the freaks who suspect they could never love anyone".

3. Bright Eyes - Poison Oak
"Now I'm drunk as hell on a piano bench. And when I press the keys, it all gets reversed. The sound of loneliness makes me happier".

4. Jolie Holland - Mexican Blue
"I'll remember all the dreams and mysteries you have borne in your crystalline soul, that you sing from your golden throat, that you shine from your sparkling eyes", and/or "I love your songs, I love your sound. Everything is so much better when you're around".

5. Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
"We shall walk and talk in gardens wet with rain. And I shall never, never, never grow so old again."

Feel free to add your own!

"Well, just call me Mr. Butterfingers..."

2006-10-22T21:33:00.000-07:00

Ever get the feeling that something or someone out in the unknown is playing games with you? I ask this because in the last couple days I've been exceptionally clumsey!! One second I'll be smacking my head on the corner of my dresser, and the next I'll be stubbing my toe on an ill-placed pile of books. And everytime I swear to myself, "I don't remember that being there!" I've also banged my elbow on a swinging door and pinched my fingers in several entryways. It all seems to happen in a connected string of events. And while I whince in pain and spit out a couple of curse words, I somehow have the feeling that someone out there is having a good chuckle.

I dunno, maybe it's just that my mind is such a ball of mush by the end of the day that I fail to notice important things like..walls, dressers, and doors:)

Voting for the lesser of two evils.

2006-10-14T07:23:00.000-07:00

In the world of elementary classroom management, there are many speaking tactics that are used in order to acheive the most effective results from a student. One of these tactics is to avoid using negatives:
Instead of "no running!", say "walk".
Instead of, "stop touching your neighbor!", say "hands and feet to yourself".
Instead of "don't do that!", say "try this instead".
Pretty simple concept, yes? Well, in this election season, I'm convinced that politicians have yet to catch on to this concept.

For the past month or so, the majority of campaign ads by both parties have gone as follows:
"Are you aware that Mr. Senate-Pants is a left-wing extremist who sucks eggs? (The absolute ugliest picture ever taken of this candidate now pops up on the screen. Usually with a demonic, flaming red background behind it. And now, the opposing candidate is shown, happily waltzing through a wood to the tune of Beethoven's Pastoral, wearing a fuzzy Bill Cosby sweater and a knowing smile on his face). I'm Mr. Friendly-Sweater-Candidate, and I approve this message."

I then stare open-jawed at the television screen, feeling like I've been cheated out of one or two IQ points having watched the commercial. Ok, so these commercials don't literally inflict ignorance on all those who witness them. But rather, I feel insulted that these candidates don't give the American public a little more credit. CHILDREN don't respond well to "don't do this", so why the hell would adults voters! Is anyone honestly swayed by this smut?

I usually lean toward one side of the spectrum, and my vote is usually just based on some casual fact research on the issues. But while my vote is based on issues, these seemingly moot ads make me want to avoid voting all together. 'Cause all issues aside, there is a huge lack of dignity and trust in the voter on all points of the spectrum.

Here's a little hint, candidates:
Slamming your opponent does not make you look like the better candidate. It just makes it look like you've got nothing good to say about yourself.

Sheesh, (sigh) maybe I'll just throw my vote away and go Independent. They don't have the funding to insult our intelligence via television;)

Yummy clam chowder...

2006-09-05T17:22:00.000-07:00

Here's a few pics from my recent trip to Seattle.

Market Downtown

Me and the girls

Alki Beach

Playing w/ sparklers at Shauna's wedding

More writing to come...

2006-08-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

Is anyone else annoyed by this girl, or is it just me?

Let me explain myself. Everytime I signout of MySpace, there's an add that is shown on the following page. It's usually some fashion add showing off the latest in wife-beaters and tube-tops. Classy, classy stuff. And I'd say about 50% of the time, this girl pops up displaying a scary, painted smile that appears to scream, "Look at me, don't you think I'm pretty? Seriously, aren't I pretty?" I then peevishly fuss with my mouse in an effort to click on the "x" box as quickly as possible, grumbling, "ugh, go away!" Does anyone else have the misfortune of catching these adds?? Someone please tell me I'm not alone in this.

"Physical Challenge!"

2006-07-31T18:41:00.000-07:00

Great Odin's raven! It's a hot one! While stuck in traffic on a day like this, one will think of anything to keep from letting Mr. Golden Sun get the best of them. Thoughts like this are what inspired number one on this particular list. I guess this list is pretty self-explanatory. I would obviously have to wear an air-tight body suit for sanitary reasons...

5 Food Items I Would Like to Swim in a Large Vat of, and Gobble Up As I Swim.

1. Iced Chai - Mmmmmm, cool, spicy heaven. You can keep your DQ treats and iced coffee drinks smothered in whipped cream. I've grown heavily addicted to this stuff over the summer, and yes, I've thought about swimming in it one more than one occasion.

2. Cold Chocolate Pudding - Well, I think the initial dive would be fun, but the swimming and eating would grow tiresome pretty quickly.

3. Chinese Lo Mein - A little pork, some pea pods, a splash of soy sauce, there you go.

4. Barbeque Sauce - I think I would need assistance on this one. I would need people throwing chicken tenders at me when needed.

5. Mayo - No, not really. I just wanted to make my brother cringe 'cause he hates the stuff. I used to chase him around the house with the mayo jar and he'd run away scared.

This list is making me want to go on that old game show, "Double Dare". Hey, did anyone know that host of DD, Mark Summers, was actually an obsessive-compulsive cleaner? Once again, add to list if you want. Later everyone!

"Dooon't stop... belieeeeving!"

2006-07-18T21:32:00.000-07:00

So I figure I should keep the posts coming since I'm on a little bit of a roll, here. But I'm tired and fussy and don't have much to write about. So, to keep things moving until I get some inspiration, here's a pic of the coolest family in the world. Enjoy.

Journey songs start running through my head when I look at this picture.

The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain.

2006-07-15T15:11:00.000-07:00

Words are great. I've always been a much bigger fan of words than I have of numbers. And today I heard one of my favorite words uttered on a television commercial as I was watching "Pop Culture World Series" on VH1 (which is one of the only quiz shows I think I'd be pretty darn good at). Once in a while I'll encounter a word that will have the perfect formula of vowels, consonants, and accents, creating something that is irresistible to say. This following list, mind you, has nothing to do with the actual meaning of each word. But rather it focuses on, quite simply, how much fun it is to say. I'm not going to defend each word with an explanation, like I usually do in these lists. Just speak the word for yourself and see if you agree with me.

5 Favorite Words:

1. Palomino

2. Dollop

3. Luminous

4. Existentialism

5. Diphthong ('ph' is pronouced as an 'f' sound)

Once again, feel free to add your own. And I think ck and c may have to humor the rest of us and add definitions to theirs, knowing those two! Try and keep cool everybody!

Supertracks

2006-07-13T21:02:00.000-07:00

Whenever the quality of a movie is under discussion, others usually bring up plot, dialogue, special effects, editing, etc. The first thing I notice in any movie is the music. And I don't think the average movie go-er recognizes the effect music can have over an image or a scene. This is a bad example, but a recent one: I recently went to go see Superman Returns. There's lots of elements I loved, a few I was disappointed in *cough, Lois, cough*, but the very first five seconds is what I enjoyed the most. When that solo trumpet played a perfect fifth to a star sprinkled black screen (otherwise known as the beginning of the Superman Theme), I felt like I was five-years-old again. Held within those simple notes, lives an image of a kind, blue-eyed, indestructible force working to protect the earth. It just brought a big, goofy grin to my face. Who knew five seconds of sound could be packed with so much power? With this in mind, here's my new list:

5 Favorite Movie Soundtracks (not including musicals):

1. Amelie
This amazing score by Yann Tiersen has no equal. The accordian driven instrumental pieces are filled with the romance, urgency, and creative brilliance that IS Amelie. But it doesn't out-shine the story and the stunning visual images, but rather it compliments them. Whenever I stick this CD into my car player, I find myself driving very fast 'cause the tracks are so irresistible!

2. Kill Bill I and II
These soundtracks are so eclectic. From fast-paced mariachi, to gorgeous Japanese vocals, to Johnny Cash; the boundless range of musical genres is comparable to Quentin Tarantino's wide film influences.

3. Magnolia
This soundtrack is what introduced me to the music of Aimee Mann. I believe I read somewhere that Paul Thomas Anderson (director) based this whole movie around her songs.

4. The Shining
Watch this movie with the sound off sometime, it's not half as creepy. Everytime I hear the eery rolling of that timpani I get chills up my spine.

5. Breakfast at Tiffany's
Ok, this MAY be because it's one of my favorite movies of all time. But primarily it's on this list because of "Moon River". I read in an Audrey Hepburn biography that Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer wrote this song not only for the movie, but wrote it with Audrey Hepburn in mind. This makes sense to me because the song has such a graceful melancholy to it, as did Audrey herself. It just puts a lump in my throat and I have no idea why.

Feel free to add your own choices to the comments, and hopefully it won't lead to the discussion of underoos again:)

ALSO, I have one extra song I'd like to add to my "5 Favorite 80's Songs" list. I heard the song, "In a Big Country" by Big Country on the radio a few days ago. I made a mental note that I must add this song to the list 'cause it rocks, that's all there is to it.

MLB thoughts

2006-07-11T20:34:00.000-07:00

Tonight I watched the 2006 All Star Baseball Game, and I'm sad to say it was the most boring All Star game I've ever witnessed. Correction: it was the most boring BASEBALL game I've ever seen...altogether. Perhaps it wasn't so boring as it was disappointing. I was disappointed that instead of using the All Star game as an opportunity to feature a wide array of the leagues' greatest players, White Sox head coach Ozzie Guillen used this game as a chance to highlight seven, yes, seven of his own players, (compared to the average 2-3 players from every other team). I also feel he used it to gain the World Series home-field-advantage. The home-field-advantage element completely killed the whole game for me.

When I was a youngin' I used to looove watching baseball. And it seemed to me, in the greenness of my childhood , that players played simply because they loved the game. When the baseball strikes started, it pretty much shattered that illusion and I stopped watching major league baseball for quite a while.

And while I know now as an adult that all professional sports have their flaws, within the last two years I've found a renewed love of the sport. I suspect this newfound appreciation comes simply from the overall integrity of the current Minnesota Twins. It seems to me, relative to teams past and present, that this current group of guys genuinely enjoy the game, eachother, and their fans. I must sound like the biggest girl saying this, but I can't truely root for a sports team unless I respect the players as people. Yep, silly and girlish, but that's me.

The first five innings of tonights All Star game went as follows: Derek Jeter, A-Rod, and about four White Sox players got spanked by some decent National League pitching. Brad Penny pitched about twenty 99 mph fastballs in a row since he didn't have to pace himself, and watching this gentle giant take down a couple of American League big-shots was pretty amusing. (On a side note, Jeter and Rodriguez: does anyone really want these guys around anymore? Find me ten sane people who find these two clowns endearing and I'd die of shock. I do, however, like Ortiz and Suzuki, who also got spanked.) And the fielding was just painful to watch because these players don't play as a team, but rather fielded as individual players... Individual players tripping on their huge heads.

Starting at Nationals 2, American 1; The last half wasn't as bad, we got to see a lot of the younger players who truely appreciated being there. And the last inning got about half-way to entertaining when the American League made a quick comeback to win the game. All in all, not much to see.

At the end of the game, a reporter interviewed the Twin's great Harmon Killebrew. At one point Killebrew stated something along the lines of, "Joe Mauer is an example of how more Major League players should act." And I'd have to say I agree. If anything I can use this game as an opportunity to confirm my respect for my hometeam:)

Blah, Blah, yakkity schmack...

2006-06-21T19:42:00.000-07:00

As some of you may have noticed, I try to stay moderately positive on this blog. It would be incredibly easy for this blog to end up a huge, festering pit, filled to the brim with Missy complaints. I have a relatively worry-free life and the last thing people want to hear is how a suburban teacher didn't get a lunch break on March 26nd, 2006. HOWEVER, I'm only human and I assure you this is the first and last post focused solely on a negative subject. This list will be constructed with one restriction only: politics. 'Cause politics is a whole other list on its own, and I'm not about to unleash that monster amongst my loyal and friendly readers. So, here we are, let the negativity begin:

*5 Things I'm Sick of*

1. Forensic Crime Solving Shows - I'll admit, I really liked one or two of them when they first came out. But now the craze has caught on, multiplied, and grown tiresome. I've seen enough autopsy scenes to last me a lifetime.

2. Jennifer Love Hewitt - What sick, evil force is helping maintain this woman's career in entertainment? Just when I think she's disappeared from my life, she'll come out with a painful new album, or a horrible new TV show. A few years ago, I was simply indifferent toward her. But as soon as I found out that she portrayed Miss Audrey Hepburn (my favorite actress of all-time) in a made-for-tv movie, she shot straight to #1 on Missy's Poo List. My favorite actress being played by my least favorite actress; *sigh*...what a cruel joke.

3. Target - I have a feeling I'm about to get a whole lotta crap for this one, as I have many friends who are major Target enthusiasts. But hear me out, people. Just ONCE I'd like to buy a gallon of milk or a bottle of mouthwash without getting suckered into buying 10 other things! If I have one or two items in my hand, and I'm standing next to a glorious display of Milano cookies by the register, you'd better believe I'm buying those cookies. If it's Missy vs. Milano cookies, the cookies are going to win every time.

4. Cheese - I'm normally a huge cheese fiend. And I never thought I'd find myself saying, "I've had enough cheese, for now". But I guess everyone's got their breaking point, and I guess I've reached mine. It's not that I'm going to completely cut cheese out of my daily diet, I'm just not going to place it atop of EVERYTHING that enters my belly.

5. My CD collection - I've been listening to the same CD's/Mp3's for the past two years, and while I'm still in love with several of these albums, I'm so very ready for some new music in my life. Music and DVD's are my one spending weakness, but I'm trying to save money right now so I don't see any new music in my immediate future.

Well, have a great rest-of-the-week everyone, and keep the comments coming!!

Writing/beef taco

2006-06-16T21:53:00.000-07:00

I enjoy writing. I may not be all that good at it, but I enjoy it. However, this remains true only if I'm allowed to write sporadically and without deadline. I've always hated creative writing teachers who made me write everyday. I have a sort of, "if you can't do it well, don't do it", stubborness to my character. So if I feel that I'm going to write crap that particular day, I just avoid writing altogether. I realize this is not a healthy philosophy; I just can't help it.

Today, for example, is a day that I feel I have nothing interesting to share with my fellow human beings. Since it's summer break and I'm no longer teaching, I have more time on my hands, however I have less to write about. Honestly, do you all want to hear me drone on about the beef taco I had for lunch? Or are you all just dying to read paragraphs and paragraphs on how I couldn't, for the life of me, remember how to spell the word, "sporatically"? Not so much.

Conflict is what creates a story. Reality TV producers know this a little too well, which is why you'll never see a calm, rational person on, "The Apprentice: Season 9". However, if I were a cracker-jack writer, and if reality TV producers had one quarter of an average sized-brain, conflict would no longer be an issue. If I were Shakespeare, the consumption of my beef taco would have equal dramatic pull to... say,... the apocalypse: "For I ne'er tasted true beauty 'til this night!"

I'm not sure where I'm going with this. I guess I'm just forcing myself to write in a time when the creativity gods are not smiling down on me. The Conan O'Brien show is now over, the Carson Daly show has just started and I've been too preoccupied to change the channel. Alas, a ray of optimism has just struck me. Whenever I feel particularly mediocre and creatively bankrupt, all I have to do to lift my spirits is remind myself: "Atleast I'm not Carson Daly, atleast I'm not Carson Daly...".

Quacky, quacky!

2006-06-06T18:38:00.000-07:00

So as the school year comes to an end, it occurs to me more and more how much I'm really going to miss a lot of these kids. And something that happened in class yesterday inspired Number One on this list.
Note: this is not a top 5 all time, just a few that came to mind after the initial inspiration.

5 Great Sounds

1. A big group of 1st grade kids laughing.
It sounds a lot like a bunch of baby ducks quacking. I can't help but laugh with them.

2. Cello
It's such a melancholy sound.

3. The sound of someone (anyone) reading Dr. Seuss
Smart things being said through nonsense words. Plus it takes me back. Great stuff.

4. John Lennon's voice
It's not technically impressive by any means, and it's not soothing or terribly unique. But whenever I hear it I know it's a voice that spoke/sang long before I was born, and will be heard long after I'm dead. Pretty amazing.

5. The clapping of a hard-cover book being closed
I dunno, I just like it.

My New Nickname

2006-05-24T18:14:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a short one, I MUST tell you all a little story. Today one of my favorite first graders came up to me as the rest of the kids were lining up to leave class. She blurted out, "Wanna know what my nickname for you is?"
A little scared, I responded, "Uh, sure! What is it?"
"Miss Toothpick, 'cause you're so skinny!"
I immediately burst out laughing, it was one of the funniest things I've heard a kid say about me. It was almost as funny as the time I had a kindergartener seriously ask me if I was an elf. I asked him if he'd been watching The Lord of the Rings. He answered, "Yes, I have the DVD."

"Tu ra lu ra..."

2006-05-21T18:02:00.000-07:00

Lately a certain someone has gotten me hooked on creating Top Five lists. Sure, I've spewed out a couple in the past, it caters to my obsessive-compulsive nature. But now, when I have little more than three minutes of free time on my hands, I find that my idle brain begins to construct useless top five lists. So here's one of them, it's a bit of a counter-post to Beener's last top five, and I strongly encourage all that come across this blog to contribute their top five through comments. Musical tastes say so much about a person:

Top Five 80's Songs That I Am in No Way Ashamed to Admit I Love

1. Come on Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners
I'm not much for dancing in public, but if this song ever comes on, you better believe I'm the first one on the dance floor!

2. Raspberry Beret - Prince
Poo poo Prince all you want, I'm not ashamed to like him:)

3. Tenderness - General Public
No much to say, just catchy as hell.

4. Voices Carry - Til Tuesday
Aimee Mann in a she-mullet, need I say more?

5. Just What I Needed - The Cars
This song, unfortunately, is the background music of every commercial ever made in the last three years. I still think it's great, I just can't resist that little synthesizer hook at the end.

There you go, not ashamed. And I stress that if I don't received atleast five other 'top five's' in comments, I'll torture you all with a "Top 5 Early 90's Song" list. It won't be pretty.

Miss Missy and the F-inheimmer

2006-05-10T16:04:00.000-07:00

As some of you may have noticed, the Skyylark has been on hiatus due to some internet complications. But now that my connection is back on track, and work has grown considerably less busy, I plan to store her to her former glory.

I've been taking a ton of pictures lately. Good or bad, it's a fun outlet for me, and one of few hobbies of mine that doesn't involve music in some way. Since music seaps through every crevice of every element of my life, it's nice to separate myself from it for a spell. So I plan on boring you all with more of my pics, maybe they'll give the casual observer (or lifelong friends and acquaintances) more of an idea of who I am. A very old friend of mine once said that I have layers. I guess i'm not sure whether this was a compliment or not, but I guess I agree 'cause I think there's parts of me that even I have yet to discover. But I guess everyone can say that in a way.

For instance, as a new teacher I find out more and more about myself everyday. Out of pure necessity I have to find a confrontational part of me that has not been explored by any means. I've always avoided confrontation throughout my lifetime, and I think I'm way too patient with people. But this personality trait (flaw or blessing) bites me in the ass at times. So in the last couple weeks I've found myself running against the flow of my nature.
Today I think I've officially become a teacher because one of my students dropped the f-bomb in class today. He not only dropped it, he threw it directly at me. My mom, who has worked in the public schools for as long as I can remember, congratulated me and jokingly stated, "you're not a true teacher until you've been sworn at, kicked in the shins, or called a b*tch." Do I get a badge or a ceremony of some sort? (And I must say, kids are not what they were when I was one. I'm sure everybody says this, but man, is it ever true.) Thus, when placed in a job environment that puts me in the crossfire of such silly verbal abuse, I had to find in myself a person that doesn't simply walk away from confrontation.
Everyone's got layers. Positive or negative they find a way of surfacing. It makes me wonder whether we invent them out of necessity, or if they're there all the time.

I know this last picture is a bit of a mess, but it reminded me of a Monet painting with the dots of color and water ripples:)

Oh, crap!

2006-04-20T09:30:00.000-07:00

MISSING:
One green and white striped hammock!
I just came home from work yesterday and it was gone! Man, that's what I get for bragging about it on the internet. I figure either it blew away during the thunderstorm, or some jealous poopoohead stole it! Anyway, if any of you happen to be in the neighborhood and come across a green and white hammock, please bring him home!

Great weather, not-so-great photography

2006-04-17T13:30:00.000-07:00

I don't care what other teachers say, they're lying if they don't admit that the extra days off are quite a perk. In other words: I had the day off, and I was pretty darn happy about it. Don't get me wrong, I adore my job. But I adore play time just as much.

My roomie put the hammock up a few days ago, and I'm pretty sure this contraption is going to be the end of me. Or atleast the end of my motivation. Since the day was absolutely irresistible, and all my friends and family were at work, I decided to explore the lake across the street and take some pictures.

I know nothing about taking good pictures. And as far as my taste is concerned, I've always been more intrigued by urban images. But today I've taken a fancy to images that have both urban and wildlife images cohabiting. Minnesota's a funny place in that perspective; both urban and wildlife elements exist so close together. In one way, I love MN for it, you get the best of both worlds. But at the same time, you start to wonder how one affects the other, and vice versa. The Twin Cities are growing so rapidly, I can't keep track anymore. And it concerns me at times.

Well, have a wonderful week everyone. Back to work, it is:)

New Blog Name!

2006-04-15T10:51:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed the curious new title to my blog. Friend and fellow blogger cK had a link to my blog entitled: Mips (The Skyylark). And this kinda cracked me up and inspired me. Mips is an old nickname that my family has called me for years. And Skyylark, well, if you've ever met me or are familiar with my musical obsessions, it's pretty self-explanatory. So there you go. Hope you all continue to read; I'm thoroughly enjoying all the funny and insightful comments from friends and strangers. Later!

Thank you, azithromycin, I never could have done it without you.

2006-04-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

Hey all. Sorry I've neglected my blog lately. I'm starting to feel a whole lot better tonight (refer to post title) and I'm back with a vengence! I live for the day that I start feeling somewhat normal after being sick, and as a result, I'm feeling rather plucky. Thus, I've decided to do a sequel to a previous post I wrote on my old MySpace blog: "5 Things That Make Missy Happy." Here we go:

5 More Things That Make Missy Happy

1. When one has been sick for a over a week, the best part of getting better is when your ear pops and all of the sudden you can hear again. This happened to me today while chewing on a sticky bun, and I just felt like a million bucks afterward. It's somewhat of a sad satisfaction. However, when this occurs I feel like shouting from the rooftops, "Glory Hallelujah! I can HEEEEEEEAR!". I dunno, that's just me.

2. The song, "The Beautiful Ones" by Prince. And the live performance of it in the movie Purple Rain is even better. Ah, Purple Rain. It's so bad, it's good. I saw it for $9.99 at Target, and I couldn't resist. Anyway, back to the song. All technical aspects aside, the outpour of emotion in the Purple One's vocal performance is beyond compare. This may reveal me as a big sap, but if a man were to ever sing that song to me on stage, I'm pretty sure I'd marry him and love him forever. I know everyone says this, but Prince is amazing. Has there ever been a man of his physical stature that has ever achieved so much game? I think not.

3. Seasons. As much as I curse this God-forsaken state and it's endless frickin' winters, I really don't know what I would do without its seasons. It's been just gorgeous out lately. The lake across the street from my house has broken free, and has turned from a stiff grey and white to a restless dark blue. Seasons serve as fabulous metaphors for our dispositions. Anything bad that may have happened in the winter can melt away with the snow. An unpleasant occurance in the summer can dry up and hurtle to the ground in the fall. These cycles give us so many chances for renewal. And though I may gripe endlessly about shoveling, rakeing, or whatever hassles Mother Nature may bring, I also can't live without it.

4. Album, "Astral Weeks", by Van Morrison. This record was given to me as a gift by a man I used to date. And honestly, this album is the best thing that ever came of that whole dating experience. That may sound bitter, but on the contrary, I think it's rather optimistic of me. This album blew my mind the first time I listened to it. Usually my favorite-albums-of-all-time are ones that I wasn't nuts about at first, but continued to grow on me. "Astral Weeks" had me at 'hello'. While the core of the songwriting is led by acoustic guitar, the arrangements are sprinkled with flutes, vibraphone, horns, percussion, strings, and a string bass. (Ohh, don't get me started on the string bass. All I'm going to say is that it's one of my favorite instruments). I don't believe that there's a single electric instrument in the whole album. The songs are earthy, passionate, and chalk-full of dizzy, achingly beautiful lyrics and vocals that only Van Morrison can pull off. It's the shiznit. Favorite tracks include "Sweet Thing", "Beside You", and "Young Lovers Do".

5. While sitting at wedding receptions, I like to people watch. Mainly because in any other circumstances certain behaviors would be considered taboo. But because it's a wedding, it's all to be expected. Especially when about half of the wedding guests have had a few, and start to, uh...overestimate themselves on the dance floor. I've seen priests fall on their keisters, aunties, uncles and grandparents nearly kill themselves pulling an ambitious jig, and even a groom who broke his ankle slipping on some beer on the dance floor. (This last one, however, did NOT make Missy happy. Missy is not sadistic:) And along with the funny and treachorous moments, you also observe the loving couples, cute families, and childhood friends that would do anything for eachother. All borders and boundaries are down, and you get to witness a raw display of love and life. How great is that?

*sniffle

2006-04-01T20:51:00.000-08:00

I haven't had much of a chance to gather some interesting thoughts lately. My inner monologue for the past day-and-a-half has consisted of: "Missy don't like being sick, Missy don't like being sick. I want some tea. I can't breathe through my nose. Missy don't like being sick." Well, if I'm going to have to stay home on a Saturday night (while all my healthy buddies go out, poop faces!) atleast it gives me no choice but to get some procrastinated planning work done. And it also gave me an excuse to practice strumming my ukulele. I'm not kidding. I'm a part of an acoustic duo, and we toyed with the idea of me contributing some ukulele magic to a song or two. We'll see how that goes, no guarantees people:)

Here's me strummin my uk. Seriously, I look this good when I'm sick:) Hey, if I just spent a half-hour figuring out how to play Guided By Voices' song, "Game of Pricks" on my ukulele, does that officially make me nutty? This isn't a rhetorical question. For real, I want answers. Well, off to bed I go, night.

Robert Pollard and his flying beer bottles

2006-03-31T13:40:00.000-08:00

Last night, I felt like I was on the verge of getting really sick. (And I am now, thanks for your concern.) Thus, I went to a rock show. In my defense, I think the vibration of the booming bass cleared my sinuses. But I just poured myself a tall glass of orange juice, so I'm good to go.

So I went to First Ave. and saw Robert Pollard of Guided By Voices. Robert, or as he called himself, "Uncle Bob", is a fifty-something with the stamina, stage savy, and drinking ability of a twenty-something. He belted out tune after catchy rock tune for a good two hours, performing each one as though it were the first. His voice was in stellar shape, and it's very reminiscent of bands of the British Invasion. (Which is always good in my book.) I was impressed, 'cause I've seen rock shows where vocalists half his age grow hoarse after the second song. All the while, he smoked, swigged Tequila, spun his mic around like a lasso, and tossed beer bottles. What a pro. Great fun for all.

And I guess this ageless rockstar used to be a grade-school teacher. Needless to say, he's found himself a new fan.

If music be the food of love...

2006-03-28T18:50:00.000-08:00

Due to a pleasant surprise, I am now officially a music teacher. As thrilled and relieved as I am, I'm also faced with a couple important questions: Will I have to start wearing bright red jumper dresses and embarrassingly chunky jewelry? Probably not. Oh Lordy, I hope not.

But that's not what concerns me the most. (Shocking, I know!) Throughout my college career, I was required to write numerous papers on exactly why I feel music is important to every child's life. And for years, even though I knew I wanted to pursue music for the rest of my life, I could never explain why. I usually spat out some over-dramaticized lecture on how music is the universal language. Which I still believe is true, but that's not why I spent four years studying, and another three going through a parade of rejected job-applications and interviews. So after seven years, I feel I must ask myself this same question: why music?

Music was like a second language in my house growing up. There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't sing and dance with my family. And now, music has become just as natural in my daily life as sleeping and eating. And at times, it feels just as crucial to my well-being. I get crabby if I haven't sung for a while, much like I get irritable when I'm hungry or tired. I feel that where self-expression is concerned, music starts where language stops. It's just like that old quote, "Music is love in search of a word". Words can only go so far when expressing sorrow, anger, joy, celebration. When you hear Beethoven's 6th or Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, without a word you know exactly what they were feeling. It's also crucial to the reflection and movement of a culture. Can you imagine a movie, commercial, tv show, party, night on the town, wedding, funeral, etc. without music? Why should I deprive others of this amazing emotional and cultural outlet?

Kermit the Frog once said, "Yeah, well, I've got a dream, too. It's about singing and dancing and making people happy. It's the kind of dream that gets better the more people you share it with." Damn right. Cheesy, but damn right. So I need to stop over-thinking and just enjoy the fact that I get to do what I want to do. Why music? Why the hell not:)

Valentines, lunchboxes and such

2006-03-27T18:20:00.000-08:00

Over the past couple months, I've come upon the realization that I'm growing increasingly out-of-touch with the culture that my students embrace. At times this makes me feel like I should start watching McGyver and going to Bingo every Friday night. But I'm honestly comforted by this revelation. I had always frowned-upon those teachers who desparately dangled to what ever shred of coolness they had left, and I refuse to join those ranks.
On a daily basis, I observe the familiar struggles that my adolescent students are going through, which are ten-times heightened now then when I was a tot. I adore my adult life and there is no amount of money that could lure me back into my childhood, as stable as it was. However, there are a few elements of childhood that I wish I could revisit for a day. Thus, my new list:

5 Things I Miss About Childhood

1. Valentine's Day: Spending V-day in the public schools is a blast 'cause it always reminds me of how great V-Day was when I was a kid. I'd spend about a week decorating my sad little shoebox with red construction paper and glitter, and I'd cut a card-sized slit into the top. When the big day came, we'd get to spend a whole afternoon playing games, getting our faces painted, and eating frosted, heart-shaped cookies. And even though everyone in my class was required to give me a Valentine, I just knew in my heart that the Scooby-Doo valentine from my current crush was extra special. No expectations, no heart-break, no bitterness. Just an afternoon of innocent fun.

2. Lunch Boxes. Do I honestly need to justify this one? I had a yellow, plastic Cabbage Patch Kids lunch box, and I thought it was the shit.

3. Energy: I don't ever recall being tired as a child. And when I was, I resisted the urge to sleep with full-force. I was the youngest of three kids, and thus, put to bed first. I was certain that once I fell asleep, the rest of my family would break out the ice cream, carnival rides, and zoo animals. And I would've missed it all. I'd get up at the crack of dawn every Saturday morning to catch my favorite cartoons. Getting up early wasn't a horrid task, it was a privilege.

4. Enthusiasum: when you're a kid, everything is new and exciting. I think that's what I love about working with kids. You get to re-experience the world through their eyes. I remember shopping at Target with my mom. And when we passed the stratigically placed bakery by the front door, I'd BEG my mom to by me a cookie shaped like Big Bird or Grover. Usually she didn't cave-in. But the day she was too tired to fight me, I'd get my cookie and it would be the best day ever! I can't remember the last time I've felt such pure joy from a mere cookie. I'd kill to feel that sort of enthusiasum again.

5. Black and Whites: this one needs a bit more explaining. When you're a child, complex concepts of the world are simple, black and white if you will. Good is good, evil is evil. God (without a doubt) exists, loves you, and wears a white robe and a great big beard (or atleast mine did). Athletes, Miss America, and the President are the nicest, least corrupt people in the world. Your Dad can beat up anybody. Your whole world is limited to your family, your neighborhood, and your school. And you're just fine with that. When you grow older, the black and white disappears, and is replaced with various shades of gray. Truths are revealed, and the world grows bigger and more complex with every passing day. Ignorance is bliss. That's exactly what made childhood life perfect: ignorance. And it was...bliss.

This is me twirling.