Two life lessons

Two items in the media really struck a chord with me recently and brought to mind some important life lessons.

Life Lesson #1:  If you jump into a den of hungry polar bears, you should prepare to be EATEN!

A woman inexplicably jumped into the moat of the Polar Bear habitat at the Berlin Zoo during feeding time.  Guess what happened? 

Someone actually got a picture of the attack and it is disturbing.  But you know what?  SHE was the one that jumped in there!  What did she think was going to happen?  (Although I wonder if there may not have been extenuating circumstances compelling her to jump.)  It made me think about all the times I have done silly, reckless things and then felt sorry for myself when I suffer the consequences. 

Life Lesson #2:  Different can be good!

Have you all seen this?  I have watched it countless times and still get emotional. 

I am officially a HUGE Susan Boyle fan now.  I hope she sees ALL her dreams come true. What a brave, talented woman!!! 

As a mother of a child with special needs, who sometimes does not match that perfect little model that the world would impose upon him, this clip spoke to me on a VERY deep level. We live in such a fickle, shallow society.  People are often automatically dismissed if they are deemed too different.  It broke my heart to see that crowd make fun of Susan, and I felt triumphant WITH her when she brought them to their feet.  She SHAMED them.  It made me weep because she doesn’t fit the image that society thinks is cool and yet she ROCKS!!! 

The internet is buzzing about Susan’s performance.  CNN even reported on it today, “Never-kissed woman wows Cowell, becomes YouTube sensation”.  You should read the comments people have made, they are wonderful!  The video also showed up on Give Me My Remote.  I love the comment by Catherine, “You have proven in a showstopping moment how we should not judge anyone on first appearances, nor should we ignore middle aged women and dismiss them as ‘invisible.’ You are magic.”

And as for the audience that made fun of her… well, maybe we should throw them to the Polar Bears!

“internet love song”

I found this clip on YouTube, it’s too cute and the guy is actually quite talented.  His lyrics are quite  tongue-in-cheek and crack me up, yet somehow seem to hold some truth.  Here’s an excerpt (you can read the rest at www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gSJpeZslqo)…

Please don’t block me,
Please don’t go offline.
I wanna be with you
all the time.

BRB, OMG, LOL.
ROFLMAO.
BRB, OMG, LOL
ROFLMAO.

Here’s his MySpace page.  Gotta love a guy with a ukulele.  Anybody else think he looks like Rupert Grint from Happy Potter?  Maybe that is why I like him so much…

O Fortune…

Throw open the windows during a thunderstorm and let this music rage with the storm.  When I feel all angst-y that is one of my favorite things to do.  It seems as if I am the conductor, waving my baton, and directing the thunder and lightning to obey me, the storm and the music echoing my inner turmoil.

Maria Sue Chapman

This morning I was saddened to hear the tragic news that the youngest daughter of Christian music artist Steven Curtis Chapman was killed yesterday.  Maria Sue was 5 years old and the youngest of 6 children in the Chapman clan, three of whom were adopted from China.

Do de duck (rubber duck duck rubber duck rubber duck rubber duck duck)

Here is another of those “chocolate & peanut butter” moments, where two great things come together to form something even greater.  Two of my favorite things– Sesame Street & rubber ducks (AND music!). 

Music Together

Once a week my sons and I attend a class called Music Together.  We have been doing so on and off since Thomas was 20 months old and they absolutely love going.  Last week in music class I ended up crying, but not for the reason you think. 

An Orchestra of Voices

 

While I was studying music in college I had the amazing opportunity to see a live performance by the all-male a capella group Chanticleer  http://www.chanticleer.org/ 

It was one of the most moving musical experiences of my life, and truly awe-inspiring.  This group of men weave their voices together seamlessly, and their countertenors can hit notes higher than most sopranos!  They have been dubbed “An Orchestra of Voices”.  My favorite piece was Ave Maria by Franz Biebl.   I have it on CD now and when I need peace and beauty I put it on and close my eyes and float over the flowing waves of music as they rise and fall. 

On a funny side note, when I was in graduate school I played this piece for my boyfriend at the time, saying, “This is one of my most favorite beautiful things.  I want to share it with you.”  We listened together and I waited excitedly for his response…which turned out to be- “But I didn’t understand anything they were saying!”  Well, yeah, it’s in LATIN.   He spent the whole time listening being distracted by trying to understand the words and missed out on the beauty and passion of the music.    It was different to him so he didn’t give it a chance.  So I say to YOU– even if you don’t like classical music, and don’t think you can listen to Ave Maria even one more time, you should click.  It is unlike anything I have ever heard, and is a truly unique arrangment.  Try something new today!  And give it a minute…it takes a bit to get to the best parts.  I would love to hear what you think!  Happy listening!

No Day But Today

 

 

   

There’s Only Us
There’s Only This
Forget Regret Or Life Is Yours To Miss
No Other Road No Other Way
No Day But Today

Excerpt of lyrics from Rent’s “Finale B” by Jonathan Larson

Forget regret or life is yours to miss… That is something I have been thinking about for a while now.    Why is the sting of regret so much more potent than the warmth of satisfaction?   Let me give you an example.  Quite often when I look at my wedding photos my first thought is NOT how lucky I am to have had such a special day and married such a wonderful man… I think instead about our underachieving photographer and the fact that there are no good photos of us together in our wedding attire where we are not posed like “American Gothic”.  

 

The Day Chocolate Met Peanut Butter

 

   

 

At this time I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the person who first had the inspired idea of combining chocolate with peanut butter—two of my favorite foods, I might add.  They are the perfect compliment to each other: salty yet sweet, creamy yet…well, you get the picture.