Running Away with the Big Apple Circus

Posted on 2019/04/11 by circuskitchen

Thursday, April 11th 2019

 

My kids have asked me to “not get any more jobs.”  But the Big Apple Circus is in town, so alas I must!   A few of us have been lucky enough to perform with this wonderful institution for pre-show audiences.

Today I had the honor of performing for audiences of Circus of the Senses; a special presentation of the show for audience members with visual and/or hearing impairment.

img_3209

Connecting with one of our visually challenged friends. 

♥

img_3187

With a wonderful kid of an old buddy; so grown up!

 

img_3203

For 25+ years I’ve been singing a song that includes imagery of being “All Alone in the Empty Big Top” … and today for a moment it actually happened. (o:

 

So happy and psyched for my colleague, Stephanie Monseau; this year’s Big Apple Ringmaster.  Go Stephanie!

del Big-Apple-Circus-Ringmaster-1.jpg

“May all your days be circus days!”

(o=

♥

Posted in art, family, health, juggling, learning, love, making art, money, parenthood, Performing Life, Secret Juggler, travel, work, work-life balance | Leave a comment

Hospital Clowning: City of the Unicorn

Posted on 2019/04/04 by circuskitchen

Thursday, April 4th 2019

So this amazing child, 🌈 Reem 🦄, wrote this song, City of the Unicorn.  And through the wonderful work of the Boston Children’s Hospital Child Life Specialists, Music Therapists, her medical team, the technicians from our in-house Seacrest Studio and clowns from the Laughter League, we produced this professional-grade music video.

And today, to my amazement and delight, I learned that this video is now PUBLIC and can be SHARED WITH THE WORLD.

So here she is folks, it’s REEM and the City of the Unicorn!!!!!

The City of the Unicorn [2:18]:

Boston Seacrest StudiosPublished on Apr 2, 2019
SUBSCRIBED 276
Our friend Reem wrote and performed this beautiful original song recently and it’s bound to be the next big hit! She even choreographed a dance to go along with it! Go, Reem!
Note:  As of this posting her video has been public for two days and she’s already received over 1,000 views!  GO REEM!!!

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

I’m just glad I thought to suggest her song for our April Fools Clown Show or this might not have happened.  Now if she will only teach me the rest of the lyrics!

🌈🦄

♥

Posted in animals, art, childhood, comedy, faith, family, fight, Friendship, health, Hospital Clowning, Laughter League, learning, love, making art, mental health, nature, patience, Performing Life, ukulele | 2 Comments

Hospital Clowning: What is Child Life

Posted on 2019/04/04 by circuskitchen

Thursday, April 4th 2019

del child life trauma

 

Today is the first time I saw this image and it frankly has me a bit choked up and gobsmacked.

Of course it’s a hilarious image but if you think about it from the perspective of a child landing in a hospital possibly undergoing the scariest fucking thing in your whole life, maybe just maybe it matters to have some proverbial Big Bird waiting for you in the midst of the Imperial Army.

I am grateful to be one small part of Child Life at Boston Children’s Hospital.

♥

Posted in activism, animals, art, childhood, comedy, faith, health, Hospital Clowning, Laughter League, love, making art, mental health, Performing Life, work | Leave a comment

A Little Merengue Before School

Posted on 2019/04/02 by circuskitchen

Tuesday, April 2nd 2019

Before school this morning I spy my son teaching his sister some social dance steps he learned in gym class.

fb heart emoji

Yes they came out of my body and I like to spy on them sometimes.

♥

Posted in art, childhood, domestic life, education, evidence they get along, family, Friendship, health, learning, love, making art, mental health, patience, school, siblings | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Hospital Clowning: April Fools

Posted on 2019/04/01 by circuskitchen

Monday, April 1st 2019

For April Fools this year we got ALL CLOWNS ON DECK.

 

Instead of the usual two clowns on rounds, we had twelve.

How many clowns does it take to make a phone call?

img_0098-1

 

Or to ride an elevator?

img_3084

 

Here we are after “helping” in the cafeteria during lunchtime:

img_3091

 

Here are some shots from our Big Clown Comedy Show:

 

As for my part in the show, long story short we ended up producing a professional music video of a patient-friend performing the World Debut of her original song, City of the Unicorn.  I got to introduce it and share this example of how our spirits are lifted by those whose spirits it is supposed to be our job to lift.  To that point:

The City of the Unicorn by Reem [2:17]:

 

Joy and Jay also performed an expertly executed clown battle over a chair:

 

Which Dr. Mal Adjusted won in the end:

It’s like watching a real life cartoon.

Such a privilege to share this wonderful time with our hospital family and superstar patients!

♥♥

Posted in art, childhood, comedy, education, evidence they get along, faith, family, fight, food, forgiveness, Friendship, health, Hospital Clowning, juggling, Laughter League, learning, love, making art, mental health, music, patience, Performing Life, ukeoke, ukulele, work, work-life balance | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

ClaraJane and Mommy Dream a Little Dream Again

Posted on 2019/03/31 by circuskitchen
Sunday, March 31st 2019

This time we get to sing for the birthday celebration of my “Russian Father” and incomparable colleague and friend, BENJAMIN ELFANT!

 

2019 03 31 ClaraJane & Mamma DREAM A LITTLE DREAM for Benjamin’s Birthday [3:56]:

 

And here for posterity are the rest of the photos and videos from this historic night. 

 

Happy Birthday and much love, Benjamin. 

We love you so much!!

♥

Posted in art, childhood, comedy, family, health, love, making art, mental health, music, parenthood, parenting, Performing Life, Secret Juggler, ukeoke, ukulele, work-life balance | Tagged | Leave a comment

Home Making: From “Ew!” to “Ooh!”

Posted on 2019/03/30 by circuskitchen

Saturday, March 30th 2019

 

I’m amazed at what one good NAP,  $29 worth of wallpaper, plus reading instructions can do for a wall in your dining area that was previously blah, scuffed up and chipped.

I didn’t take the “before” photo, but here is the “after.”

 

Honestly this was a thrilling transformation.   Our wall went from “Ew!” to “OOH!”

Sometimes I pinch myself at what a beautiful and peaceful home we have been able to cultivate and afford.

Here are the children adorning the environment with their beauty and peacefulness.

img_3035-1

Creating his next D&D Quest.

 

Absorbed in the latest Roald Dahl novel (The BFG).

 

#IMMEASURABLEBLESSINGS

♥

Posted in domestic life, faith, health, learning, love, making art, marriage, mental health, money, patience | 2 Comments

Hospital Clowning: Giving Blood

Posted on 2019/03/28 by circuskitchen
Thursday, March 28th 2019

Although I have given sweat and tears for this job before, until now I had not given actual blood.  Today included all three.

img_3016

Dr. Be Bopper, Doc Skeeter & Dr. Mal Adjusted

 

It’s as easy as making an appointment and reclining in a chair.

img_3168

Just noticed Dude throwing the peace sign behind Dr. Mal! (o;

 

I wish everyone knew about practicing this life saving action.

That’s $650 worth of blood right there. One pint. That’s how much the hospital doesn’t have to spend on buying it (from the Red Cross).

A bag bag of platelets costs $2,200!

Even a clown can do it.  How about you?

♥

Posted in comedy, health, Hospital Clowning, Laughter League, learning, love, mental health, patience, Performing Life, Secret Juggler, social justice, work, work-life balance | Tagged | Leave a comment

Face Up Tape

Posted on 2019/03/25 by circuskitchen

Monday, March 25th 2019

Peter Parker: BEFORE

Peter Parker kept sitting on the computer, so Gavin started leaving “Face Up Tape” as a deterrent.

Peter Parker – AFTER:

The Face of Disappointment (in Triplicate)

Gavin: 1

Peter Parker: #nope

Sorry kitty!

Posted in animals, childhood, comedy, domestic life, evidence they get along, family, fight, forgiveness, Friendship, health, learning, love, mental health, nature, parenting, patience, siblings, work-life balance | Leave a comment

At Rise: But Life is FUN!

Posted on 2019/03/23 by circuskitchen

Saturday, March 23rd 2019

del fun group-kids-having-fun-cartoon-35468862

 

AT RISE:  After the “Good Parents” discussion, dinner is wrapping up and the kids are still chatting.

Gavin:  Olivia, but life is fun!

Olivia:  Yeah it is fun.

Gavin:  But I wonder what would happen if you just kept on committing crimes?

Olivia:  I know.  I had over a hundred babies at one point.

[It is at this point that Mom realizes they are perhaps no longer talking about real life.]

SCENE. 

delete bit life

A Video Game, Apparently

♥

Posted in At RISE, childhood, comedy, cousins, domestic life, education, evidence they get along, family, food, Friendship, health, learning, love, mental health, parenthood, parenting | 2 Comments