November 1st
In honor of Dia de los Muertos, here is an absolutely charming short animated film capturing the true meaning of this amazing tradition. Hopefully you don’t weep through the entire thing as I did when I first saw it [3 mins, 41 seconds]:
October 31st 2015
This is the face Gavin maintained all through the conclusion of our Trick-or-Treating that night. I’ve never seen him smile like that. It was so goofy and cute all I could say is, “Careful don’t break your face!”
“I can’t stop smiling!”
After all the hubbub around Fenway, we made it back to our neighborhood to Trick-or-Treat there for the first time in the three years since we moved in. Fortunately we had our fabulous neighbors who’ve lived there for life to guide us. (They are moving soon so we will really miss them.)
Loki, ‘Nique, Arlette & Chunky Butterfly
And these these young Goddesses:
Anylah, Jade, Baby Kaya & Bella
Speaking of Goddesses, it didn’t take long for these three to form a coalition:
Anylah, ClaraJane and Bella
It’s so cute we Can’t. Even.
aka: (Monster High‘s) “Draculara,” (HerSelf Styled) “Warrior” and (Descendants‘) “Mal”
It didn’t take long to fill their bags…
Trick…
And poop out…
or Treat
Before returning home to our festive humble abode, even as others were just heading out.
Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman is leaving the building
After this epoch day I was ready to EAT.
Spooky Spread
Eat BARF & BRAINS that is:
Guac “Barf” & warm Queso Dip “Brains” in Pumpkin Chafing Dish
Thanks as EVER to DH Paul for putting all the finishing touches of The Magic. (Not shown: Vat ‘o Chili.)
The kids had mixed reviews on one of my attempts to fool them with health food. (Young neighbor Zacharais: “Um no thank you, but you made it look really awesome though!”)
Froyo Banana Ghost Pops
But my fellow mom neighbor Arlette was tickled at discovering the Magic Touch my hubby has not just with food but with BABIES. In this case, hers:
Paul: “This Frankenstein hat is comfortable.” Kaya: “This *Frankenstein* is comfortable!”
Suffice it to say Halloween was a success. Let’s dial back in on that FACE shall we?
(o:
Saturday, October 31st 2015; 1-5pm
Before the melee, Fenway!
Daddy’s Girls
It was my honor and pleasure -as ever- to work Fenway Park this Halloween, especially with so much of my family swinging by to partake.
Crime Scene Corpse under the Shadow of Pesky’s Pole
Here I am getting ready with a couple colleagues:
Big League Brian Zombie, Grim Reaper and Fenway Wench
And we’re off:
Welcome to my Office
Then comes my family:
Karate Gavin stabs nearest cousin
Zachary with all three of the Red Sox World Series Trophies from this millennium:
2004, 2007 & 2013
Paul in the Home Team Dugout:
The only shot where he looks short
Paul by the famous Pesky’s Pole:
Also making him look short by comparison
(Not shown: Olivia, Liz, Grandma Z.)
Check this out: Once when the cameraman came over, I told Amanda to get her camera ready, and VOILA:
Fenway Magic
Look closely in that haunted park you will see me, Amanda, Gladiator-Miles, Ladybug-Mary and Most of James up on the Jumbotron! You will also see that corpse *sitting UP.* Spooky!
If that wasn’t magic enough, when I was finally all packed up and (the last to be) leaving the park, Paul came to fetch me. He *knew* when I was done because he could *see* me inside the park from this place heretofore unknown to me by the name of BLEACHER BAR, where if you’re lucky you can sit right next to Center Field:
JTJ, Paul, ClaraJane, James, Mary, ‘Manda & Miles
Although the bar operates outside the ballpark, you can see right inside it (even from the men’s *urinals*). Unbelievable.
ClaraJane models Fenway Park
Soon it’s time to bid adieu to cousins:
Princess Warrior and Gladiator Knight
Daddy goes to fetch our ride, leaving me to enjoy a moment’s rest with my daughter and a beer. After a bit, this realization dawns on me and I notice her anew…. at 6pm on Halloween Night.
“Don’t you have someplace to BE?” I ask her. “Aren’t you a KID? Isn’t it HALLOWEEN? What are you doing in a BAR?”
She giggles.
“C’mon,” I say, grabbing my Giggling Princess Wolf Warrior Kitty. “Let’s get OUTTA here!”
And we do.
Night Night Fenway Park (PS: You’re GORGEOUS)
We gotta get CANDY!
Friday, October 30th 2015
You’d never know it’s only the day BEFORE Halloween, starting with the Halloween Party at School:
Yours Truly, ClaraJane, Aunt Amanda, Baby Mary
Gavin and Miles test out their Sparring Ninja & Gladiator costumes, while the Ladybug and Warrior Girl snuggle. Or as my Mom says;
“Yin & Yang”
Four Fierce Warriors. (Q: Which one do you think is most lethal?)
Miles, Darwin, Gavin, ClaraJane
(A: I don’t know about you but my money’s on ClaraJane.)
Magic Show Ladies
When we came in and sat down, the boys moved away from us to another aisle:
Leave us alone; We’re Warrior Guys
Young Victor dominates the bouncy house:
Dragon Victor
While his mom waggles a witch finger at me:
You don’t mess with Oksana
Next we blitz through the business district of our neighborhood for “Inmanween,” starting at our favorite toy store, Stella Bella:
Trick-or-Treating in our favorite toy store, Stella Bella
The bank on the other hand was not expecting us to come in Trick-or-Treating, so ClaraJane sneaked into the bank manager’s office -like she always does- to sneak some doggie treats from the secret stash.
“Shhh!” CJ tells me
My bank buddy Eder takes it upon himself to go dig some candy out from the back office somewhere. Kids gotsta get paid! (In candy of course.)
How’s that, kids?
Next stop, our Mayor!
Trick-or-Treat, Mayor Maher! (“Mayer Mayer”)
Mayor Maher was out campaigning for re-election this coming Tuesday. Paul saw this photo and asked, “What is Gavin standing on?”
My answer: “The Mayor!”
Gavin, Mayor Maher & ClaraJane
Gavin told the Mayor: “If you get re-elected, you should tell the (U.S.) President to make some laws to protect us from all the guns!”
And Mayor Maher said, “Good job! You know what that is, when you tell people how you feel about issues like that? ADVOCACY. Keep doing that!”
(I also mentioned to Mr. Maher and a our neighborhood cop that Gavin’s mom *might* have just composed an angry song about the lack of gun control…)
Next up for ClaraJane, “face painting” by Naveo Credit Union‘s own Snow White:
A horse? OK let’s see. Hmm…
Nice job Snow White (o:
Moving right along, we’re off to the Marriot Hotel by the River. First a quick joust with Captain America, who told ClaraJane “You’re too strong for me.”
Taking on the Captain in the Lobby
Why the hotel?
Why, the pièce de résistance; a COUSIN SLEEPOVER WITH GRANDMA Z!!!
Fresh in from Florida just for this occasion:
Where even 12 year-olds still Jump on the Bed
And 7 year-olds land in their Granmda’s arms
And Grandmas marvel at your latest missing tooth
Holy crap. So much more to come in such a short time… I can hardly stand it!
October 29th 2015
In The Spirit!
ClaraJane’s Scary Monster
Even the Bun House is Haunted
Gavin carves his pumpkin (all by himSELF)
Pleased as Pumpkin Pie
I come home to find my three doing art
Including CJ painting her own face
“I’m Evil” she says:
Spooky Gallery
Halloween Artwork
Speaking of artwork, here is a piece by our cousin Henry:
Pumpkin by Henry (age 11)
Table Scape (#nerd)
Nummies
Ya Caught Me
Coming SOON
Thursday, October 29th 2015
“On your Spot, Get set , Go!”
The kids’ gym teacher, Ms. S., puts on a special theme related physical activity every month, and today Daddy & I were lucky enough to peek at ClaraJane’s participation in the “Pumpkin Dash” extravaganza. (Sorry that schedule didn’t allow us to see Gavin’s.)
Ms. S hands Victor a (lightweight fake) Pumkin
CJ makes sure we’re watching her Inflatable Pumpkin Dash
Cute (blurry) photobomb during balancing portion of the dash
Run CJ Run!
October 28th 2015
Caught in the Crosshairs, Naturally
As God is my witness this song has been coming through me for the past few days, in the interstices of my activities. I even previewed it last night at Open Mic in Lynn, MA after I got off work. It was inspired 100% by a real events in the news along with pervasive views in our culture. It has been a gripping experience to have tripped upon such an unadulterated channel through which to pour my moral outrage. It has a melody and everything and I can hardly wait to record it.
Hold on to your chaps. Here is a rough recorded version, followed by the lyrics:
The Armadillo Song [8:59]: Recorded at Local Music Unplugged, Billerica on 2016-01-30. (Yes, that’s NINE minutes… there’s a reason this song basically NEVER ENDS. Guess the reason.)
by Jennifer Oberhauser
C F
When I shot that armadillo in Amarillo
C G
Well the bullet ricocheted back in my face
C F
So I guess that armadillo in Amarillo
C G C
Sho nuff put me right back in my place
If you ask me why I shot that armadillo
I spec’ you ain’t done never had no kinda fun
Cuz although there’s blood drip’n in my sarsaparilla
‘Least I’ll always have a best friend in my gun
‘Nen there’s this other guy who shot an armadillo
N’ the bullet bounced on through the double wide
He musta been a pretty darn right lucky fella
When it plowed on into his maw-in-law’s side
F C
GUNS GUNS FOR EVERYONE
C G
FREE TO LIVE AND DIE THAT A’WAY
F C
STRIPES AND STARS NOT GUN CONTROL WARS
C G C
JESUS GOD BLESS THE N.R.A.
N’ there’s this guy named Tex who liked to drink his own pee
Said it tastes like real warm flat and salty beer
Shot his leg and then the bullet came out his knee
How it did that from his thigh just ain’t quite clear
But like he says when the zombie appoc’lypse comes
We’d better finally have some equal rights for girls
Survivors need girls leftover to be moms
Or I s’pose we can just let’m shoot at squirrels
S’Like my friend who needed food upon her table
N’ats why she found herself inside Walmart that day
Her baby found her gun as soon as he was able
And then that there baby blew his mom away
If you’re gonna shop with guns beside your baby
Don’t put them down in the same portion of the cart
‘Cuz if’n you do then don’t you know just maybe
You’ll get a bullet from your baby through your heart
Like from the .22 caliber Crickett rifle
Single-shot gun sized just right for kids is best
To a boy of just five years it was a trifle
Shot his 2-yearold baby sister in the chest
Well the coroner called the accident just crazy
‘Splainin’ how it happened to an angry mob
I bet some folks find his explanation lazy
When in fact all those guns help him keep his job
The cashier said “you can’t put kids inside a bubble”
Nat’s why she’ll always keep guns in her home
Start ‘em young with guns and keep ‘em out of trouble
Just pray to Jesus they don’t play with ‘em alone.
Like the boy who took his toy gun to the playground
The cops shot him in the front or in the back
For just a toy he fell dead right there on that ground
Or I s’pose he just got shot for being black.
Then there’s the baby kill’n a cop’s wife at a cookout
‘Nother’n blew away his 6 year old playmate
They’were playin’ cops and robbers on the lookout
That’s the risk you take when havin’ a playdate
If a kid is huckin’ rocks out on the playground
Then all the other kids should get rocks too
‘Cuz the only thing’ll help when standin’ yer ground
Is if you huck your rock before one’s chucked at you
Ain’t nobody should be made to put a rock down
And teachers need to learn their way round firearms
With all them babies huddled tight in lock down
S’like fish in a barrel with no alarm
But what with all these babies shootin’ babies
I’m s’prised Big Brother doesn’t mind somehow
Least they dyin’ from they bullets and not rabies
N’ praise Jesus they’re all up in heaven now
Our white founding fathers must have been elated
Swearin’ on bibles that we’d always have our fun
Even though we’re s’posed to be well regulated
I wave that point with the smokin’ barrel of my gun
[CHORUS]
GUNS GUNS FOR EVERYONE
FREE TO LIVE AND DIE THAT A’WAY
STRIPES (BARS!) AND STARS NOT GUN CONTROL WARS
JESUS GOD BLESS THE N.R.A.
I MEAN GOD F#@% THE N.R.A.
GO TO HELL AND DIE N.R.A.
GIVE US BACK THE U.S.A.
Death by Crickett
Baby’s First Gun
‘MURICA!
SHORTHAND NOTES TO SELF:
October 2015
Wonderful techniques for interpersonal Restorative Justice from the movie based on the book, Planting Seeds: Practicing Mindfulness with Children, by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Begin Anew [1min, 9secs]:
Anger [1 min, 24secs]:
JASPER´S MINDFUL JOURNEY IS A MOVIE BASED ON THE BESTSELLING BOOK PLANTING SEEDS OF MINDFULNESS FOR CHILDREN BY WORLD RENOWNED ZEN MASTER THICH NHAT HANH.
Sunday, October 25th 2015
All in a Day’s Work
After a grueling blitz of high-demand juggling gigs (the immensity and cacophony of which defy description), come Sunday afternoon I’m finishing the last of face paint customers and tasting the “finish” line. Then suddenly like magic -TA DA- up shows my family. Daddy timed it perfectly, intersecting with me and bringing me joy just before I pack it in there at the world’s greatest technology school -M.I.T.- conveniently located in our proverbial backyard.
ClaraJane is ready for face paint. I may have painted a thousand faces lately but alas not my very favorite ones:
Perfect Canvas
Gavin forgoes face painting by his Mamma today (*sniff*) and the boys wait patiently outside.
Boy on a Dad on a Bench
While the girls… you know:
Mommy & Little Pig
Then get this, my kids are fired up to go to JUGGLING CLUB. It happens every Sunday afternoon at MIT, but you’d hardly know around my house ‘cuz my life is all Gigs n’ Kids, not actual communion with my Tribe or -god forbid- *practice.* But this day we’re already there, everyone’s game, so off we go. (Daddy departs for a “vacation” trip to the grocery store; more on that later.)
It’s handy when you have nothing to prove
Sure enough my trusty associate JIM is there, a mathy-computer guy and absolute stalwart juggler. He is as devoted to juggling as I am to performing. We are so different yet enjoy a compatibility when it comes to juggling. Specifically I love to pass clubs, and he loves passing clubs in unconventional, tricky little mathematical patterns that I don’t even know what they are. (Blonde Card: pretty sure they’re called “3-2 count” and also “3-2-2 count,” on the off chance any juggler nerds are reading this.) The delight is; a) juggling outside of gigs at all, b) being able to do the patterns at all, c) how symmetrical these are compared to most traditional passing patterns, d) how balanced and lovely they feel.
I guess if you’re ‘holding up your end of a passing pattern and someone else is holding up their end with you, that is equilibrium at its best. Even if for just a few moments… (CRASH!) [Enter secret to juggling AND life HERE.]
Relatedly, most jugglers I know are nice, especially when it comes to juggling. (Unlike magicians for example) they are happy to share skills and tips. Eg;
Jim demonstrates diabolo for Gavin
Jim then suggests to the kids that there’s “no way” they could possibly get any of those colored boxes out of that cardboard display left haplessly in the environment. At M.I.T. Probably by some engineering students or something. You know, where the jugglers practice.
Kids at play:
Gavin and CJ seize the challenge
Kids at work:
“What’s gonna work?” [TEAMWORK]
[Mom Note: I love in this photo how ClaraJane is retrieving exactly the color her brother is looking for next.]
Jim waits to see if I will (stop taking photos and) remember to resume passing.
Competing Forces
For me, looking at this image is what I imagine A.D.D. to feel like. My attention is completely split and I don’t know where to focus; juggling on the left, kids on the right.
ClaraJane has the right idea. She shows signs of fatigue and accepts my offer to make her a “nest.”
Resting Nest
That’s all our jackets with a girl inside (she immediately took off her own shoes and climbed in, wise that she is). The mess behind her is my bags of food, cast off costuming, juggling props and other essential detritus. (I had been so delirious upon arrival I had to eat sandwiches and rub my weary eyes before I could even imagine juggling. Apparently the company and environment piqued me plenty.)
Next a young man tries juggling some of the boxes. (Pfft; jugglers.) Gavin is thrilled and immediately pressed into service.
Gavin & Zev playing with boxes
I love any exposure my kids get to other jugglers especially because naturally I don’t expect them to pick up interest in it on account of *me.*
Building all different configurations, Zev tosses the last box way up on to…
What would happen if…
CRASH. The whole thing collapses.
(Laugh and) Shake it Off
I come to realize this lovely Zev guy is the son of my greatest mentor: Avner the Eccentric. (Last time I’d seen Zev in person he was a young boy at a juggling festival attending one of his father’s performance workshops; about 15 years ago. Now he’s all grown up and married and playing with… my son!)
If that isn’t enough, in walks Shoehorn -a colleague-friend and legendary saxophone tap dancer- all the way fresh in from Portland Oregon, by way of Denmark and Brooklyn, respectively. Just happened to be passing through, tonight, the one night I happen to be there.
It was so lovely to catch up with Shoehorn, and then he entertained my son questioning him through every instrument in his possession at the time (after performing all day no less):
VIDEO: Command Performance for Audience of One [15 seconds]:
Shoehorn then invited Gavin to experiment with placing his hand all the way *insiide* the bell of the sax while Shoehorn blew, and observe what happens to the note when Gavin puts his hand in or out. (In = higher, out = lower… but it was fascinating and awesome to witness.)
“This is physics,” Shoehorn said then added “Which is why we’re doing this at M.I.T.”
(“Mom why aren’t you recording this?” Gavin asked me. “Because my phone battery is dead and the best moments always happen off camera,” I reminded him.)
It was magical.
Gavin and Shoehorn
If Gavin looks freaked out in this shot it’s because he just saw a real life scary clown who was also at Club. For reals. (Long story.)* I meant it when I said *most* jugglers are nice.
Meanwhile ClaraJane wanders maybe two steps afield from the practice area and finds herself in a corridor that is a gallery in homage to technology itself. “Wo-o-o-w, so cooool….!” she gushes.
“Tech Life”
It’s so late; past kids’ bedtime on a Sunday night late. They have to catch the bus in less than 12 hours. We take leave and beat our retreat for home. Back in the car the kids personally attend to a couple of props leftover from my day of gigs:
Little Pig & Two Bunnies
I ponder the richly textured childhood my kids are having, even if it is -by no coincidence- as bizarre as their mother. I also ponder how much trouble I might be in with Daddy, who has issued clear warnings against keeping the kids up past bedtime unnecessarily.
Turns out, a LOT of trouble. Almost as much trouble as he’d gone through preparing a beautiful meal for us that was WAITING when we arrived.
Oh Daddy You’re the Best
Yes I know the kids NEED their sleep, and it’s not cool to keep them up unnecessarily. Yet on this strange and wondrous evening, it was so… necessarily.
.
Thursday, October 22nd 2015
Bloop.
As I am studying Mindfulness and heard Jon Kabat-Zinn interviewed on NPR’s “Here & Now.” Here is the 10 minute interview titled “The Science of Mindfulness and Meditation.”
Here are some points I loved:
What is Mindfulness?
– To go from DOING to BEING
– Resting in the domain of your own being.
– Getting in touch with being *embodied.* (Your physical body here and now.)
– Saying, “Oh! I’m not fully present; let me come back.”
– You can’t change the circumstance around you, but you can change your relationship with it so it doesn’t erode the quality of your life.
– Observing thoughts like weather patterns.
– Learning to surge the wave of these psychic events (without having to react).
…the present moment…
Incidentally:
Here are Jon Kabat-Zinn’s guided Mindfulness practices.
Here’s a free trial of his popular app, Headspace.
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