It strikes me that I seem to have several childhood dancing memories with Lauren Y which is funny because we have never once gone dancing as adults! Last year when we attended a concert together, I barely remember us so much as moving our hips (well maybe we moved them just a little).
When Footloose came out in theaters, it was a huge hit, as was the soundtrack. We listened to it a lot at my house. I loved so many of the songs, especially the title track Footloose. I remember that I begged and pleaded to see the movie, but it was rated R and appropriately so. In other words, a completely inappropriate movie for 7 year old me. My parents finally gave in and let me watch ... the opening credits. The opening credits are actually pretty awesome, just a bunch of feet dancing to Footloose. Years later I finally did watch the movie and it is.... ok. There are some great parts, it's definite an 80's classic, but also some not so great parts. For the record I'm not at all sure why they felt the need to remake it. The original was definitely better than the remake.
I can't remember if it was before or after I saw the opening credits, but in any case, one day Lauren and I were at her house and we decided to make up a little dance to Footloose. There is a line in the song about kicking off our Sunday shoes. So of course, the most important part of our little routine was kicking off our shoes at the moment when Kenny Loggins sings the line. Easier said than done, so we practiced that fun move a lot!
Showing posts with label Elementary School - Concord. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elementary School - Concord. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Sunday, March 9, 2014
PYT by Michael Jackson
As a very young child, I struggled mightily with weak lungs. Allergies, hay fever, bronchitis, and pneumonia were frequent visitors to my kindergarten self and I missed about half of the school year due to the disruptive coughing. The doctor suggested that my mom get me enrolled in swimming posthaste as a way to a, get me away from pollen and b, strengthen my lungs. It helped significantly, but what ultimately did the trick was moving to Twain Harte, located in the Sierra Nevada foothills, away from pollen and pollution. I still have fond memories of those swim lessons and being a Pleasant Hill Dolphin.
My husband tells me that swimming isn't really a team sport. I can see his point in that there isn't a lot of communication while swimming and you aren't really relying on anyone else, except maybe during relay races. Regardless, I remember cheering on my teammates during their races and we had team meetings and even a song about the PHD's. I don't remember any of it, but we got to yell PHD and it was great. I am fairly competitive and I loved winning ribbons and even a trophy once. I also very distinctly remember cheating. It was during the breaststroke which I disliked (so boring, so slow) and furthermore I wasn't very good at it, so in the middle of the race, I decided to go ahead and flutterkick and hope no one noticed. They noticed and I was DQ'd, but I knew I totally deserved it. I also remember my dad usually bringing me a donut with blue frosting and sprinkles. I loved having my parents come to my meets which means I am going to have to sit on the soccer field for hours someday watching my kids, as much as I don't want to now!
We typically carpooled with one mom or another to swim practices. On one of the days my mom picked us up and we were driving home, at least three 6-year olds crammed into the backseat, singing along to PYT at the top of our lungs. My parents had the cassette which I have referenced it before. My favorite part was yelling out "PYT" in response during the chorus and giggling with my friends. I felt super proud of my mom for playing the total "it" song for us, which I guess makes my mom a cool mom, not like a regular mom.
My husband tells me that swimming isn't really a team sport. I can see his point in that there isn't a lot of communication while swimming and you aren't really relying on anyone else, except maybe during relay races. Regardless, I remember cheering on my teammates during their races and we had team meetings and even a song about the PHD's. I don't remember any of it, but we got to yell PHD and it was great. I am fairly competitive and I loved winning ribbons and even a trophy once. I also very distinctly remember cheating. It was during the breaststroke which I disliked (so boring, so slow) and furthermore I wasn't very good at it, so in the middle of the race, I decided to go ahead and flutterkick and hope no one noticed. They noticed and I was DQ'd, but I knew I totally deserved it. I also remember my dad usually bringing me a donut with blue frosting and sprinkles. I loved having my parents come to my meets which means I am going to have to sit on the soccer field for hours someday watching my kids, as much as I don't want to now!
We typically carpooled with one mom or another to swim practices. On one of the days my mom picked us up and we were driving home, at least three 6-year olds crammed into the backseat, singing along to PYT at the top of our lungs. My parents had the cassette which I have referenced it before. My favorite part was yelling out "PYT" in response during the chorus and giggling with my friends. I felt super proud of my mom for playing the total "it" song for us, which I guess makes my mom a cool mom, not like a regular mom.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Thriller by Michael Jackson
Sometimes I wasn't a very nice big sister. My sister and I are very different people and we do not share the same sense of humor. We also react to things very differently. I would argue that I do in fact possess a great deal of sensitivity and empathy, but it cannot be argued that my sister is much more sensitive than I am. She doesn't care for being teased, but I have never minded because I crave attention. I admit it.
In the early 80's, we were living in Concord, CA. Michael Jackson's Thriller album was all the rage. I remember the stereo was in a closet or cupboard in the front room of our house which was the office/TV room. Today, I am amazed daily at Dexter's ability to use the iPad and iPhone. He turns them on, navigates to the folder he wants, and watches videos and plays games. Now I am remembering I was no slouch myself when it came to technology. I knew how to turn on the stereo, insert a cassette, press play AND press rewind! Thriller came out in 1982 and we probably didn't buy the cassette until 1983, making me 5. 3 entire years older than Dexter is now, but still. Technologically savvy! I used this knowledge to torment my little sister who was only 2 at the time. She was absolutely terrified of the maniacal laughter at the end of Thriller, so of course, I rewound that part over and over and laughed hysterically when she would run from the room crying. I was so mean!
Happy Halloween Cato! I hope that nothing scares you today!
In the early 80's, we were living in Concord, CA. Michael Jackson's Thriller album was all the rage. I remember the stereo was in a closet or cupboard in the front room of our house which was the office/TV room. Today, I am amazed daily at Dexter's ability to use the iPad and iPhone. He turns them on, navigates to the folder he wants, and watches videos and plays games. Now I am remembering I was no slouch myself when it came to technology. I knew how to turn on the stereo, insert a cassette, press play AND press rewind! Thriller came out in 1982 and we probably didn't buy the cassette until 1983, making me 5. 3 entire years older than Dexter is now, but still. Technologically savvy! I used this knowledge to torment my little sister who was only 2 at the time. She was absolutely terrified of the maniacal laughter at the end of Thriller, so of course, I rewound that part over and over and laughed hysterically when she would run from the room crying. I was so mean!
Happy Halloween Cato! I hope that nothing scares you today!
Monday, August 26, 2013
I Want a New Drug by Huey Lewis and the News
We were supposed to be coming home from Pinecrest today, but because of the 7th largest forest fire in California's history happening a mere 20 miles away from Pinecrest, we elected to stay home. Why don't travel back in time to get to Pinecrest, back in the summer of 1983 or 1984. Probably 1984 after a quick internet search reveals that Sports hit Number 1 on the Billboard chart in the summer of '84.
My mom and I were walking near the lake, probably not around it as I was pretty young, but just near it. Maybe we were going back to the car, maybe we were just on a walk, not sure. I seem to remember she was already upset about something, so she was listening to Huey Lewis on her Walkman to get a moment of peace and I was being just an extraordinary pest. I wanted to listen to it, too. I wanted to listen to it RIGHT NOW. Please Mom. PLEASE MOM. She would shoo me, say no, but I was relentless. I remember even feeling like I was being a brat, but I couldn't stop. I am pretty sure she finally gave in and I remember it not feeling like that much of a victory because she was upset.
Mom, I apologize many years too late, but I am really really sorry! First of all, I now know that you were most likely upset because you been (once again) left alone at the campsite with 2 kids, while everyone else was off fishing. You probably really needed that quick decompression. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND NOW. Be assured, Dexter is making sure that payback is a ... well it's not great. I should've been less of a brat. Nothing of mine is sacred. No privacy, that's a given. I can barely finish a phone call because he wants the phone, he wants to HOLD the phone, he wants to walk all over the house with the phone, pressing mute, making any phone call impossible. If I am reading, he wants to read, too, and turn the pages before I am ready. He wants Up, Up, Up Mommy, even if I am tired, even if my back or arms ache. Mommy is eating a peach? He wants the rest of that peach. Sometimes I say no, but I am finding myself saying yes too often. He is just so darn persistent...I wonder where he gets that from?
My mom and I were walking near the lake, probably not around it as I was pretty young, but just near it. Maybe we were going back to the car, maybe we were just on a walk, not sure. I seem to remember she was already upset about something, so she was listening to Huey Lewis on her Walkman to get a moment of peace and I was being just an extraordinary pest. I wanted to listen to it, too. I wanted to listen to it RIGHT NOW. Please Mom. PLEASE MOM. She would shoo me, say no, but I was relentless. I remember even feeling like I was being a brat, but I couldn't stop. I am pretty sure she finally gave in and I remember it not feeling like that much of a victory because she was upset.
Mom, I apologize many years too late, but I am really really sorry! First of all, I now know that you were most likely upset because you been (once again) left alone at the campsite with 2 kids, while everyone else was off fishing. You probably really needed that quick decompression. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND NOW. Be assured, Dexter is making sure that payback is a ... well it's not great. I should've been less of a brat. Nothing of mine is sacred. No privacy, that's a given. I can barely finish a phone call because he wants the phone, he wants to HOLD the phone, he wants to walk all over the house with the phone, pressing mute, making any phone call impossible. If I am reading, he wants to read, too, and turn the pages before I am ready. He wants Up, Up, Up Mommy, even if I am tired, even if my back or arms ache. Mommy is eating a peach? He wants the rest of that peach. Sometimes I say no, but I am finding myself saying yes too often. He is just so darn persistent...I wonder where he gets that from?
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