MotherReader

Another in the songs as poetry series, Shop Vac by Jonathan Coulton was requested specifically for inclusion by TeenReader. Well, it is a favorite of our family. Suburban angst, yo.

We took the freeway out of town
We found a place to settle down
We bought a driveway and a swingset and a dog
You got your very own bathroom
I got my very own workshop in the basement
We sit around staring at the wall-to-wall
Take field trips to our favorite mall
Waiting for the day
When all the kids grow up and leave us here

So if you need me
I'll be downstairs
With the shop vac
You can call but I probably won't hear you
Because it's loud with the shop vac on
But you'll be OK
Cause you'll be upstairs
With the TV
You can cry and I probably won't hear you
Because it's loud with the shop vac on

Check out the Poetry Friday offerings with our host Ed at Think Kid, Think!.

Thanks to Ms. Yingling everyone who needs their 48 Hour Book Challenge fix will - I repeat, WILL - be accommodated. Along with help from Abby the Librarian, they will bring that weekend of guilt-free reading your way starting on June 7th. Check back in with Ms. Yingling for details, and kudos to her for taking on the challenge behind the challenge of running the challenge. While I delayed in figuring out what to do with this community event, I am glad and grateful that it can continue. Read on, dedicated readers. Read on!

Thanks for all of your comments of support and friendship on My Most Morose Post. I feel ya, my blogging bros. At this point, I intend to post as I have books to share and things to say. But I felt that my slowing down was too obvious to not address in some way, especially in not arousing concern among regular readers. I swear that I am fine.

Lately I'm not often feeling either a rush from writing or a real satisfaction with having written. What I do feel, if I could pinpoint it at all, is a sense of anticipation. That there is something for which I need to prepare. Honestly, with my mom's poor health it could be a bad thing OR with my girls' successes academically and semi-professionally, it could be a good thing. Maybe it's a new direction for my own writing. Or it could be menopause, who knows?

Or there is this analogy. The V formation of migrating geese allows for reduction of wind resistance down the lines, and the birds take turns being in the front, falling back when they get tired. So guys, I'm admitting that I'm tired. But the other benefit of the formation is that allows the group to keep track of every bird, and I know that we do that for each other too. In fact, it's what I love best about our crazy connection of community we call the KidLitosphere. Fly on.

Look, I know I've been phoning it in and I know that you know I've been phoning it in, but what I don't know, really, is why. It's bigger than malaise and smaller than depression. It's not something drawing my interest elsewhere so much as not being interested in much of anything. Seriously, I don't want to do anything. Even reading seems... tiresome. The easiest, best part of my day is just hanging out with the girls hearing about their days at school. A close second is petting my cat for a questionably long time. These are not scenes that lead to grand plans.

With that, I've held off on such honesty here because I didn't know where to go with it. Such sentiments seem to require a statement of some sort. An ending. Or a renewed purpose. Yet I'm not ready to commit to either.

The only decision I've made is not to do the 48 Hour Book Challenge this June. I just... I just don't want to. I'd hoped that the possibility of Book Expo America would wake me up a bit, but I think I'll be skipping that as well.

This sounds melancholy, but it's important to say that while I am struggling with my feelings about blogging and reading and what-to-do-next, I'm happy about other things going on this year. Truly. My daughters have had wonderful successes in theatre, music, and academics. I'm so glad to be working again and within a mile of the school. In my job, I was able to shape the summer reading list for my Fair County, getting some great authors some exposure. Those are good things.

So I'm not sure that there was an essential purpose in writing this, except that I don't like to leave my people hanging - or worse, worrying. Nothing's really wrong, I just don't feel quite right. I'm not sure if in saying this that I'm asking for patience or forgiveness, or maybe just what I've always enjoyed in this community - friendship.

Blog on, friends. Blog on.

Today I planned to share some actual poetry from a book and everything, but I've been set upon by a terrible cold that's sapping my concentration. I started feeling unwell on Tuesday, and am pretty annoyed that the worst of it has been yesterday and today. Last night I was so sick I dreamed I was sick. It was like Inception for the hapless.

So you're getting another song as poetry and another Smash song. The poetry of this one isn't solid - lots of repeats in the song - but the few lines are haunting, especially in the music. Even better is the video of the pop diva with some beautiful ribbon dancing.

Tonight when the bright stars
are burning high over Manhattan,
All washed out in neon
And hidden from view.
But when the power goes out
and you look up from Brooklyn,
Will you reach for me
Reaching out for you...

Sorry about the cut to the show's storyline at 2:24, but if you stick it through you'll see some daring moves. TeenReader has given her endorsement to this as one of the hip songs that I share to illuminate those among you not so blessed with teen music knowledge.

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Laura Salas. Stop by there to enjoy the best from around the web.

Road trips always sound like a spectacular adventure, but I know my limits. Specifically, five hours. That is the longest I can spend in a car without going crazy. Yes, I've had to stretch that on occasion, but it wasn't pretty for anyone involved. One traffic-plagued trip back from Virginia Beach, I spent the post-fifth hour pointing out houses that looked like they might provide weary travelers with comfort. (Though I did later discover that I had a high fever which may have been part of it.) In any case, I have to limit my love of road trips to books, and this teen title did the trick.

Reunited
by Hilary Weisman Graham
Simon & Schuster, 2012 review from library copy
At the end of senior year, one girl instigates a road trip with her ex-best friends to see their favorite band reunited for one concert only. Despite their estrangement, they each have a reason to bridge their differences and take to the highway. Alice sees this concert as fate, Tiernan is looking for an escape from her mother, while Summer joins after being dumped by her boyfriend. On the trip, they cautiously reconnect while also avoiding the discussion of why they separated from each other in the first place. The book starts off a little awkwardly – like a pilot of a show introducing the characters in obvious ways. But once the girls hit the road, the book hits its stride. There are plenty of obstacles on the way and lots of character conflict, leading to a fun read. I can't help thinking that it would be a great movie, especially considering that there is a real band, Level3 to use in the flick.

What an awful week it has been. As I write this, police are searching for the second suspect in the Boston bombing. It's hard to get away from the feeling of a world gone wrong.

So today for my song as poetry series, I wanted a piece of escapism where the video is as engaging as the words and music. This song from Smash is part of the "new" musical that they are creating on the show portraying the love of a regular guy and a girl on a path to stardom. The song is amazing, but I'm obsessed with this video because the dancers as obstacles is perfection.

Nothing comes easy when everyone's rushing
The signal's got speed but there's no real connection
I tried reaching out but it was just my reflection
'Til I heard your voice in a dream

So sing to me and I will forgive you
For taking my heart in the suitcase you packed
Sing to me like the lights didn't blind you
Like you blinded me when I heard your voice in a dream


Poetry Friday is hosted today by Irene Latham. Be safe, everyone. Be well.

This won't be a usual Thursday Three as I couldn't find such picture books as "Don't Shoot Your Friend in the Face!" But I felt compelled to write today in what can only be called outrage. With a touch of depression, I suppose.

Boston's terroism didn't strike me to my core as much as this Senate vote on gun control. As horrible as the bombing was, I could see it as the evil act of a terrible person. I could witness humanity in the caring acts of strangers and the efficiency of our police and federal investigators. I found comfort in the words of Patton Oswalt's statement that made the rounds of the Internet, and honestly, is one of the most insightful, intelligent things I've ever read.

This is a giant planet and we're lucky to live on it but there are prices and penalties incurred for the daily miracle of existence. One of them is, every once in awhile, the wiring of a tiny sliver of the species gets snarled and they're pointed towards darkness.

If you haven't read the whole thing, please do and allow yourself to get to the part where you'll find my new mantra. "The good outnumber you, and we always will."

My faith in humanity was challenged by this Senate vote in a way it wasn't by the bombing because I continue to believe that we go through a process of finding good people to represent our interests in making laws for the country. Even through the worst, most useless Congressional session in history, I have held onto some naive hope that these were good people trying to do the right thing, even if the votes were politically motivated. At least they believed they were representing their constituents.

But even politics have nothing on the vote for universal background checks. It was the least they could do after Sandy Hook. Seriously, the least they could do. And they couldn't manage that. So my Thursday Three?

1. Universal background checks are supported by 90% of Americans.

2. Universal background checks are supported by 88% of gun owners.

3. Universal background checks are supported by 76% of NRA members.

Universal background checks have a higher approval rating than Mother Teresa. Universal background checks have a higher approval ratings than kittens, baseball, and apple pie. Personally, I am for much stronger measures of gun control, but am absolutely outraged that the Senate could not pass this piece of legislation for fear of what the NRA would do. The NRA that doesn't even represent its own membership on this issue. Well, expect the dirty little "secret" that the NRA doesn't speak for gun owners or individual members of its organization, but gun manufacturers.

For once, my state of Virginia is on the right side of this issue. But if your senators are not representing you - and it seems that they are not - please call/email/write and let them know. If you need an extra boost of outrage, read Gabby Gifford's op-ed in the New York Times.

Some of the senators who voted against the background-check amendments have met with grieving parents whose children were murdered at Sandy Hook, in Newtown. Some of the senators who voted no have also looked into my eyes as I talked about my experience being shot in the head at point-blank range in suburban Tucson two years ago, and expressed sympathy for the 18 other people shot besides me, 6 of whom died. These senators have heard from their constituents — who polls show overwhelmingly favored expanding background checks. And still these senators decided to do nothing. Shame on them.

Yes, it was a pretty shameful day in Washington..