Sin of Omission

Forget the song of the bird or walking by the lilac tree: My sixth-grader is reminded of me by a ballad from Bono. This page came from a sweet little book Smalls made for me for Christmas. It made me laugh because it came right on the heels of a recent scolding I got in the comment section of my post about my decade's highlights. Not mentioning my evening of instrumental crooning from The Edge and his best mates is simply sinful (in the eyes of a certain sister who named her son after Bono himself) and the friends I attended the concert with.

No, I did not mention the U2 concert in my list of highlights. Not because I did not have the time of my adult life (because I did) and not because it wasn't exceptional and loud and weird and awesome all at the same time (because it was) but because it really wasn't life-changing in the way that having three of my children was (sorry, Anna- I didn't mean to disappoint you- or leave a bad taste in your mouth) and see, my list was about those kind of moments...along with a little detour re: facebook...

Anyway, these comments and this drawing of me singing "One" in my van during after-school pick-up did remind me that I have yet to post pictures of the U2 concert.

So buckle up. Bono's taking us for a ride on his spaceship.

When you are as famous as Bono you have a spaceship you can haul across the country on your tour. We happened to see it land at the University of Phoenix Stadium where the Cards play.

He brought the Black-eyed Peas with them because with them every night is a good, good night. Plus, Fergie's sweet on the eyes.

My regrets for paying due homage to the Post-Punk Rock 'n Roll God in such a belated fashion. I will never leave Bono off another list for as long as I live.

*Many thanks to my awesome friends for attending this concert with me. It was something I had wanted to do since high school. It happened to coincide with our surprise release from the Young Women's Presidency and was, for me anyway, a timely consolation package I truly needed. And thanks to Anna for letting me know the spaceship had a scheduled landing here in Phoenix. Everytime I sing a U2 song in my van I think of you guys!

Supa Doopa Troopa Fans

New Years' Day we watched Mamma Mia for the first time and have spent 2009 knee-deep in it. The whole family is quite smitten with it. Correction. Blake did not watch the movie and has no inclination to. He would definitely want me to be clear about that.

Yes yes I do realize Pierce Brosnan should never EVER be allowed to hold a microphone, much less use it- an act that gives new meaning to the name Pierce altogether. It really is fitting that he sings "S.O.S." Save us all! And I also realize wardrobe made a huge mistake putting overalls on Meryl Streep. I'm very aware these two things alone were enough to plunge the overall production down to what one critic labeled one of the worst movies of 2008. But even yet. We just can't stop watching that scene. We dig the dancing queens.

All four kids: all fans. At 10 1/2 Smalls is not oblivious to the joys of seeing a cute girl on screen and Amanda Sayfried is definitely cute. His eyes pop at her petite swimsuit-clad body crawling across the sand in the slightly sultry "Lay all your Love on Me" scene, making this song a stand-out fave with him and his best friends, Bridger and Josh (It's ok, Blake, it's not inappropriate). They have no shame in really belting the lyrics on the soundtrack either.

Our Butterfly's favorite is "Take a Chance on Me," and she recently spent an evening jotting down all the words in a notebook while listening to the ipod. You may recall that my children are big Erasure fans so the inclusion of this song sealed the deal for our daughter's affection, but there isn't really a song here she doesn't like.

Padawan requests the "Money money money" song, and Dutch Baby, who's been nicknamed "Honny" by her best little friend, loves the beginning "Honey Honey" scene and is sure it's all about her. I can't pinpoint a favorite, but I pretty much like all the ones that don't include Pierce Brosnan. I can't help but include this video of Pierce's singing, which I realize may turn off completely those who haven't yet seen it. Try it out anyway and stick around for the end: Meryl rips his shirt and exposes his pecs which almost redeems him back to respectability.

In this clip watch for Meryl's look of horror when Pierce starts singing...and then she runs. RUN, Donna, RUN!

Getting High

It's a little embarrassing to admit but before Tuesday we still had dial-up at our house. Now we have finally gone hyper-speed and life is sweet. For the first time we can actually watch youtube videos from our very own home!

I'm so out of that loop. Conner told me to check out the "Charlie bit me" video which cracked me up- I also heard some of my Young Women quoting it. (How do these things get 10 million views?) Ceely had me watch the inspirational lion reunion (search Christian the Lion Reunion) and then I was out of ideas. Tell me your favorite youtube blips so I can be down with basic pop culture.

p.s. We've already seen the Harry Potter Puppet Pals Mysterious Ticking Noise at Grandma's house. We can't queue that one again- Rafe and Claire chanted it for weeks.

If only everything were high speed. I'm quite taken with the idea. Like my oven. Or my washing machine and dryer. This morning Rafe had to wait 1/2 hour post-tub before a clean pair of underwear was dry. Until technology advances that direction I will just have to do laundry more often I guess. Or buy more underwear.

So what youtube videos must I see?

New Series Review: Life on Mars

Blake and I are having fun watching the new ABC series Life on Mars. It's kind of a Quantum Leap/Starsky and Hutch series starring a 2008 cop in love with Denise Huxtable who gets hit by a car and wakes up in 1973. As soon as he awoke to an 8-track playing in his vehicle I knew I would like this show! Instead of Ziggy and Al, our Quantum counterparts, Life on Mars has this mysterious Mars Rover-looking robot which somehow mentally connects him with '08. As he figures out why he's stuck there- and what the rover thing has to do with anything- he decides he might as well stop crime in his leisure suit with the local politically-incorrect police department (they call the only policewoman "No-nuts Norris"). Our time-traveler has to learn to cope with 1973 strategies of policing: planting evidence to convict when real evidence is unavailable, getting punched in the face by his liguor-sipping boss, and breaking down doors without search warrants. I love the 70s setting and the music. Check it out on Must-See TV Thursdays. After The Office and Survivor, what's the harm in one more hour of television?

Dear Autumn,

Where are you Autumn, my fair-weather friend? When are you coming? Summer is still here, can you believe it? Been here since early May. Way over-staying her welcome. Thinks she's so hot all the time. Never lets the kids go outside. Can't she see nobody wants her around anymore?

It's been ages since we've seen you. We miss you and think you are really cool. When you come we can go to the park again and take bike rides too, or maybe go on walks in the evening, like we did last time you were here. The kids need you. I need you. You are welcome anytime and we want you to stay as long as you can.

Love,

Cooped up in 'Copa

Southpaw Shoutout

It's a special day today. It's National Left-Hander's Day, a day all right-handers should applaud lefties for all we've had to overcome to succeed in your world. Think I'm exaggerating our plight? Look down and see what hand you have over the mouse right now.

We deserve this day of recognition for all we have to put up with in a predominantly right-handed society. For example, unless you are left-handed like me, you have no idea how tricky scissors can be. Or learning to bowl from a right-handed teacher. Or writing in a notebook. The binding is right in the way. I also struggle with handheld can openers, but that could just be me personally.

10% of the human population is left-handed and I feel a sense of camaraderie with these people. I can spot a left-hander as soon as there is a pen in hand. Blake gets sick of me always yelling out "LEFT-HANDED!" when we are watching movies, because I always notice- and if you pay attention, you will see that a huge percentage of actors and actresses are left-handed. It's the right-brain, the dominant side for left-handers that's the artsy side.

Southpaws rank among the most beautiful,

the most humorous,

the most influential,


the most re-diddly-igious

and the most talented people of our day.

I'm proud to be among them. My favorite left-handers I know personally include my brother, Brett, Blake's brother Steve, nieces and nephews Rilee, Brennan, and Mason, cousin Chris, and Grandpa K (who's probably genetically responsible for my condition). As well as many friends who are kindred spirits. May you all have a great day and enjoy your uniqueness.

*Other famous lefties include Ronny Reagan, Steve Forbes, Julius Caesar, Napoleon (Bonaparte, not Dynamite...hmmm, maybe?), Jay Leno, Carole Burnett, Michelangelo, Steve Young, Larry Bird, and the Great Babe Ruth.

Oh I wish I were already there...

Your brain does strange things to you when you have been stuck in a minivan for three hours and know that you have 9 hours to go. Our journey back to AZ started Friday, but we spent the night at Blake's sisters in Saratoga Springs. Saturday, after visiting various siblings scattered across the Wasatch Front, we left about 3 p.m. and decided to drive til we couldn't stand it and maybe get a hotel in Page, on the UT-AZ border. We ended up putting the kids in their jammies after a Denny's meal in Page and decided to just go for it.

So I was unwrapping a Rolo for the umpteenth time for Holland when suddenly the jingle, "I was right in the middle of a caramello when I found gold!" burst out of me (even though it was a Rolo - I think Rolo had a jingle. Anyone?), and then Blake and I were off in a mental joust to see who could come up with the most jingles from childhood commercials. Blake remembered good ol "Double double your refreshment, Double double your enjoyment OH no single gum double freshens your mouth like doublemint doublemint gum."

And then there were others:
"Gimme a break, gimme a break, break me off a piece of that KIT KAT BAR!"
"Sometimes you feel like a nut. Sometimes you don't." (Almond Joy's got nuts)
"Juicy fruit: the taste the taste the taste that's gonna mo-ooove ya!"

Then we launched off in the direction of fast food commercials. Remember the Hamburglar? and Birdie? and Grimace? What happened to the "Where's the Beef?" campaign Wendy's sported for a while? We couldn't recall what Subway was doing before Jared lost enough weight to become a skinny mascot, but I guess they are all set now. We had to agree that the best commercial with the most sticking power is the Mcdonald's Piano Recital commercial. What 30ish year old can watch their kid's Baby Beethoven DVD and hear Fur Elise without singing along the immortal "Oh I wish I were already there, instead of here, playing this song..."



How about you? What old jingle can you remember from your childhood? I guess marketing does work.

"It Doesn't Have To Be Like That"

My awareness about the lack of awareness that exists out there about one of my favorite pop bands began with another post a couple of months ago. This one sported Conner and Claire sharing an Ipod. Barb asked me what they liked to listen to on it and I told her that they are particularly fond of Erasure. Her response stunned me. "What's Erasure?" Then I told this story to Robyn who didn't know Erasure either. How could this be?

Erasure sums up my adolescence. I sang Oh L'Amour to my crushes (yes, Blake to you, too, who broke my heart and now I'm aching for you). I hoped that Wendy's would accept my application for employment; Take a Chance on Me. To post-boyfriends: I LOVE TO HATE YOU! (except you, Blake). Every August in high school my friends and I jammed to the whole Pop! 20 Hits album while driving to Jackson, WY to buy our school clothes at Benetton and J. Crew. So many of my favorites in that album, Chains of Love, Blue Savannah, Stop!...

How could such a band fade into oblivion so quickly? With more research with my peers I came to realize that Erasure had a very small window of fame. It seems that most of my friends age 31 and under have never heard of them. Yesterday coming home from a Ladies Night Out (Stake Temple Night) I was discussing this very topic and Leslie, 34, was INSISTANT that the songs I was mentioning were Abba songs. We argued this point for several miles and so this morning I checked it out on Wikipedia and found we were both right. Erasure did some Abba-esque songs, Abba turned around and did some Erasure-esque songs. I had no idea. This was my favorite band and I knew so little about them. AND I came to find out Erasure is still producing stuff but apparently the new century is not as keen on synth-pop.

Ah well, that's the problem with getting old, I guess. The good ol' days get left farther and farther behind. I will hang on though. Erasure is great cleaning music.

High on What?

Would you believe these were taken at a High Priest Party? But it gets even better than that: the guy at the mic is our BISHOP. I told my mom we were headed to a high priest party tonight and she said she was sorry we had to go hang out with old people.
Blake was smoking on the drums. And I can proudly relate that I am awesome on the guitar (on the easy level). I wish the lighting was better. The camera wouldn't focus.
The kids were mad that the adults wouldn't let them play. Like they never get to play electronics. The Amadors have a RAD theater room with surround sound. This is how Rock Band was meant to be played. It was a jamming event and got us all revved up for fast Sunday tomorrow.

Previews

When we were kids we liked the beginning of summer because it means no school. Now as adults we like summer because it means GOOD MOVIES. Blake and I kicked off 2008 Moviefest with Iron Man last weekend. While I loved the flick, the previews were something else. It started with that flick with the guy, you know, from The Office doing funny spy stuff, so we laughed through that as we dug into our popcorn. Then it was that freaky M. Night movie with the falling bodies. One word: disturbing. The Incredible Hulk burst through the screen and tore things up for a while, followed by Will Ferrell and his Stepbrother who just stood there and were funny doing nothing. No one does nothing funnier than Will. A few more scenes of another Will trying but failing to be a good superhero. I was about to stand up to leave after that, having had my visual fill, my $7 popcorn all gone, but then the opening credits started. I had forgotten what I came to see.

Maybe the reason theaters justify charging so much for movies because the trailers are so full of thrills. Not to say Iron Man wasn't exciting. That is one for the big screen, I do recommend attending it and arriving early for the previews.

P.S. you need to stay past the closing credits for an extra surprise.

Happy Movie Watching this summer.

I'm Enchanted

I got the Disney movie Enchanted for Claire for her birthday...or was it for me? I asked her if she likes it but and she said, "Kind of. But it's a little too romantic. Too much kissing." I watched it yesterday without my kids. It was the third time I'd seen it but I still cried at the end, when Giselle and her true love and his daughter are dancing around their apartment, twirling and being all family-like. (That little girl finally has a mother to love her *sniff sniff*!) What a great story! I have found that when I watch movies more than once I become friends with the characters and tend to become more emotional the more I see the movie. Is this weird?

Take Babe, for instance. Everytime Farmer Hoggett closes that gate in super-slow-motion and the awestruck crowd jumps to their feet cheering, I cry right along with The Boss. That will do, pig, I sob to myself. That will do.

Mormon Media Madness

Apparently American Idol is the biggest thing to hit the U.S. since the Emancipation Proclamation. And now two Mormons are in the final 11. While watching this fellow brother and sister perform last night, I was struck by how loyal Mormons are to each other. Even though little David flubbed his lyrics, Young Women nationwide probably stayed home from Mutual to repeatedly call in votes for him and save him from elimination. With all this hubbub I was thinking of past Mormons in reality shows. I decided to test my fellow blogger friends about their IQ in this arena. Can you name all 8 of these Mormon contestants and match them to their reality show?