Theater Kids

We have been going to plays this last year with my friend Lovely L and her daughter. It is fun to share something I love with my girls.

Peter And The Starcatcher

We aren't very good at selfies but we have fun together. We saw Peter And The Starcatcher tonight as part of Two Fish's birthday date. I was a little disappointed- three goofy plays in a row.

Santa At The Symphony & Elf The Musical

 We went to the symphony's Christmas concert again this year.  The girls love it when Santa conducts.  Red Fish said that she likes the symphony better and New Fish thought the ballet was more fun this year.  I'm glad they both enjoy cultural events for the most part and it is fun to see their own tastes develop.

 We straightened Red Fish's hair for the first time and I couldn't believe how long and pretty it was.  I love her curly hair but it was fun to see her with a different look.  It made her look much too grown up.

After a day out with the girls seeing the symphony and hanging out downtown Two Fish and I had date night.  We went to see Elf the musical.  We have never seen the movie but we loved the stage production.  It was kitschy and funny and a great Christmas activity. We had a fabulous time.

Family Nativity Play

 More Christmas outfits.  Each of the girls got a new dress and a hand me down dress this year.  Red Fish's dress was mine when I was little. We had a birthday party for the December birthdays on my side of the family.  When the girls found out that we wouldn't be able to do our nativity play on Christmas Eve this year they decided that it absolutely had to be done ahead of time.  They are definitely starting to share my Christmas obsession.  The girls called everyone and discussed which parts should be played by which people for weeks. They spent a good part of the morning picking out props and costumes to take for everyone.  They even picked out the book they wanted read as the script. I had no idea they were quite so attached to this fairly new tradition.  It is the third year that we have done it with the kids but my brothers and I did it with our cousins a few times at our Great Grandfather's annual parties.

Thing 1 as Joseph

Hopefully the play will serve as a good reminder of the reason for the season but it ends up being pretty comical every single time.

 Mary (Red Fish) and Joseph (Thing 1) rode to Bethlehem on the donkey (Two Fish) with a little push from the angel (New Fish.)

 When Joseph fell off the donkey at the manger the donkey was highjacked by the angel.

 Joseph was pretty worn out by the birth and took a nap in the manger. The angel brought good tidings of great cheer.

 
The shepherds (M.E. Doo and Pop Pop) were comforted and made their way to the manger, complete with Pop Pops cane. Thing 2 was a fabulous sheep complete with Baaa sound effects.

 Red Fish made sure we had a star to guide the wise men who came bearing their gifts. J looks particularly thrilled doesn't he?

Thanks to my family for humoring the girls and having fun with things. The girls were thrilled.

The Good Parts

 I recently read "Olive Kitteridge"  by Elizabeth Storout and then also saw the play "Other Desert Cities" with my husband.  Neither the book or the play were my favorite but I have thought about them quite a bit.  Both deal with a lot of the family dysfunction, mental illness and the general difficulties of life.  They both made me sad because they seem to miss all of the really happy parts of being a parent or being part of a family.  I agree that everyone is dealing with a lot of really difficult things that tend to hide behind the surface.  Everyone is fighting a hard battle and most of the time the people around them have no idea what happens inside a person's life.  The part that was left out of this book and this play is a look at all of the tiny moments that just make life wonderful.  The extra minutes in the morning that one of my girls come in to cuddle before we have to get ready for the day.  Teaching my kids something new or seeing them understand something for the first time.  The peaceful evenings or the laughter filled dinners that occur every once in awhile and you connect with your family in what seems like a perfect few hours.  The way it feels to see your child do something truly kind. These missed all of the invisible strings and intense bonds of love that connect a family.  It didn't show any of the people who reach out a hand to help when you need it most.  There are so many things that make life wonderful and I have so much to be grateful for.  I'm hoping that recognizing the great things about life and the important parts of relationships will make sure they wouldn't be written as a tiny part of my own story.

In The Heights

I had a fabulous night at the theater with a darling friend.  Our husbands were busy watching football and we went to see In The Heights.  It was so fun.  The music was fun and vibrant. There were raps and salsa numbers interspersed with hip hop.  I have always enjoyed musicals but I think I love them more all the time. The dancing was energetic and fresh and the story line was light and humorous.  In The Heights is the story of a neighborhood of mostly Latino immigrants and their daily struggles to find employment, relationships and happiness without abandoning their roots.  Aside from one very flat soprano it was a fabulous show.

Wicked Again

Two Fish and I went to see Wicked last night (second time for me.)  When we arrived I was really excited and said: "I can't wait for it to start, this is one of my all time favorite musicals."  Two Fish said: "What?  This is a musical?"

If I could have my way, I would dress like a character out of this play.  Everyday.  Can I just start wearing super frilly gowns and huge head dresses now?

Shakespeare Weekend

Last weekend I took off for a few days with the ladies from my bookclub.  We stayed in a beautiful house for the weekend and saw two plays.  We saw Richard III and Romeo and Juliet.  They were wonderful.  I've never read Richard III but I really enjoyed the play.  Richard's character was fabulous.  He was quirky and evil and still likeable.  Romeo and Juliet wasn't quite as good but I still enjoyed it.

Other than the plays we pretty much spent the whole weekend gabbing.  It was fun to discuss life, spirituality and motherhood with so many intelligent and accomplished women.  It made my brain feel a little less dusty.

Sunset Blvd.

Last night, Two Fish took me to see Sunset Blvd.  I loved it.  Two Fish was a little bored, but he is a really good sport to take me to see so many plays and musicals.  Norma Desmond's character was fabulous and she stole the show.  The over the top mellow-drama was entertaining, the set was great and the costumes were fabulous.  Now, I want to drape myself in beaded caftans and wear a turban around my house. The story line was a little dark and disturbing but I find Hollywood in general disturbing.  I will definitely be adding the movie to my Netflix cue.

World War 2 Art

This week, everything I read and the play and art show I saw were all about World War II and the Holocaust. The Diary of Anne Frank- I read the book and saw the play this last week. I'm actually a little taken aback at how much I loved the play. The play notes promised to deliver the girl, not the myth of Anne Frank and that was exactly what we got. I wasn't expecting it to add so much dimension to the story. Anne was brought to life as this annoying loquacious young girl. Her theatrical personality and need to show off endanger the people around her. She doesn't totally graps the seriousness of their plight or the danger of the world she is hiding from. But how could she at such a tender age? Anne is constantly writing every personal detail of her life along with details about the people around her. It is poignant and sad and perfectly captures the identity of a young girl who is coming of age in disturbing circumstances. The play and book are both heartbreaking and beautiful. It may have been my favorite play I've seen this season.

During the show's intermission we saw the art show: Testament to Topaz featuring art by internees from the Topaz Internment Camp during WWII . It was a powerful experience. A great reminder of the importance of art and it's place in history. It was inspiring to see how these people chronicled their internment experience and interesting to read of the main teacher's need to share art and it's healing qualities with the people around him. It's is frightening to think that this internment camp ever existed. Terrifying to know that this incredible violation of rights occured on US soil. It seems unimaginable to me that the constitutional rights and civil liberties I often take for granted were stripped from these people because of racial bias, public sentiment, and wartime hysteria. Yet in April 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066 sanctioned the immediate evacuation and internment of more than 112,000 people of Japanese ancestry living in coastal areas from Washington to California and as far inland as southern Arizona. To see artwork created during this time is a revealing experience.

The art school taught over 600 students ranging in ages from 6-70. Sixteen teachers taught 95 classes per week on 23 subjects, including figure drawing, still life, architectural drawing, anatomy, and commercial art. The show we saw had a very small sampling of some of the artwork created in these classes.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I wanted an easy book to get through. I've read too many heady books lately so a young adult novel seemed like a good choice. This World War II story is narrated by Death, who tracks the story of a nine year old girl, Liesel Meminger living in Germany. Liesel steals a series of books that move her story along starting with The Gravediggers Handbook. This morbid bedtime story is very apropos to the events going on around Liesel and her foster parents. I liked the addition of Max, the Jewish man they hide in their basement and I loved the character of Liesel's best friend. He was the most relate-able person in the book. Overall, I liked the general direction of the book. I didn't get quite as attached to the characters as I would've liked but it was worth reading.

Great Weekend

I had the best weekend with Two Fish. We went to our play on Friday night and stayed in a fancy hotel downtown. Then we went skiing Saturday and went out to dinner. We went to look at the new laptops at the apple store. Not to actually purchase just to look. We saw Harry Potter finally. We don't see a lot of movies anymore because I don't usually think movies are worth the price of a babysitter. We went to an amazing brunch. I think I tried to eat myself to death. I had quiche, sushi, strawberry crepes and chocolate crepe, waffles, chicken, pasta salad and a peach smoothie. Two Fish practically had to roll me home after that meal. Best brunch ever!

It was so great to be able to spend two days with my husband uninterrupted. Thanks to my mother in law, my parents and a babysitter we were away for a little less than 48 hours.
We saw "In" by Bess Wohl. A young tutor named Sara has been working on her novel for five years. She tutors for the afluent Pammie and her son Jordy who she wants to get into Harvard. The dialog was funny and the three actors in the play were great. They nailed the characters perfectly. I liked it better than the Bess Wohl play we saw last year.

I wish the characters hadn't become quite so black and white in the end. I think it would have been more interesting if the rich people hadn't turned out to be straight up evil. I thought the play was sharper and wittier when they were still kind of all in the gray area.

Reviews

Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture

By Ariel Levy

I loved the first chapter about the rise of raunch culture and the decline of the women's liberation movement. Women have become equal opportunity chauvinists. It's as if someone said we couldn't be seen as equals of men so we decided to become "one of the guys." Women can objectify other women just as well as other men. Women wear accessoires emblazoned with playboy bunny logo. Porn stars like Jenna Jameson and Paris Hilton are idolized. Girls Gone Wild has become an empire built on women desperate for attention. These are not the self confident, powerful free individuals that the women's liberation movement fought for. It's an important topic for women to address and I feel like it is especially important because I am raising two daughters. The pervading raunch culture is not what I want for them.

I loved the comparison of chubby Jay Leno wearing a suit everynight on the Tonight Show, but when Katie Couric (One of the highest paid people on tv) guest hosted she had to cut a hole in the desk to show her legs and wear a low cut dress. If a celebrity with that kind of status cannot be seen for as a witty host without pimping herself out, how are women supposed to be taken seriously?

Now that we are "in on it" and can objectify women as efficiently as the neanderthol men we once fought against- have we really risen to a new level? I have to say, I think we have taken a dramatic step backwards. I'm not a traditional feminist, I wouldn't have voted for the ERA and I felt a little dizzy and ill when I went to see the Vagina monologues in London ten years ago. The hardcore girl power isn't exactly what I'm going for. However, even though I am a stay at home mom (by choice!) I don't fit into the fifties extreme. I most definitely agree with total freedom for women and equality (although in my mind this does not mean the sexes are exactly the same.) I'm sure somewhere a hardcore feminist is screaming at my definition of equality.

I have been known to defend myself as not a "true girly girl." I don't like chick flicks and I'm not afraid of getting dirty hiking and camping. Why I feel the need to defend my status as "less of a girl or not a wuss like some girls is a reflection of the status I see women as having. It has been interesting to think about my own actions and how they reflect my view of women.

This is a rather jumbled review because my thoughts on this topic are as varied as they are passionate. The book was witty and well written. There are a few chapters that were a little too much for me. I actually skipped after reading the first few pages. There is some foul language in some of the quotes. I found it really interesting though and would love to discuss the book with anyone else who has read it.

Black Comedy

Our play this month was funny but kind of on the stupid side. I liked the main convention used. For the first 5 minutes of the play the lights are completely out. When the power in the play goes out the lights turn on and the players spend the rest of the time stumbling about like they can't see. It was silly simple comedy.

A Few Cute Things

There is way too much to write about everything we've been doing. I've had several blogs started that I haven't been able to finish. So here are a random smattering of pictures and things that I've wanted to blog about. Just a download of my brain.

We've been doing all things Christmas like. We've listened to music, watched all of the classic movies, wrapped all of the presents and made decorations galore. On Friday, Two Fish took me to see Irving Berlin's White Christmas. I LOVED it. My face hurt from smiling so much. The tap dancing, the music, and the costumes were all fabulous. I even loved the giant cheesy Christmas ball gowns at the end. It was so fun.

Baking cookies with Great Grandma.

Dancing with Great Grandma.

When I was a little kid, Santa used to ride a fire engine to all of the school bus stops and give us each a bag with candy and an orange in it. It was awesome. Holidays in small towns are the best. Now that our town is not nearly as small Santa can't come to each neighborhood anymore. This year they started a new Christmas festival and we got to go to a local mall to see Santa ride in on an engine and greet each of the kids. We didn't get the goodie bags because we didn't want to wait in line but Red Fish did get to hug Santa and remind him that she wants a bumble bee and some meat for Christmas. (Little weirdo.)

Red Fish has been begging to go see "the cute dinos" so we went to the Dinosaur museum. It's the first time New Fish has wanted out of her stroller and really gotten into visiting the museum. It was fun. Two Fish came and met us after work and we got some dinner at the deli. Then we saw some live reindeer. It was a fabulous night.

Red Fish learned to play Shoots & Ladders and Candy Land this week and she is completely addicted. She tries to convince everyone to play with her. Tonight she had "Pop Pops" play both with her. Santa is bringing Red Fish a bumble bee game that I'm pretty sure she is going to go crazy over.

"MeMine" and the girls.

We tried stamping on construction paper to use as wrapping paper yesterday. It turned more into a very messy finger painting session but the girls had a blast.

I keep wanting to blog about all of the babies we've been able to meet lately. My sister in law L got a new baby and we've had two good friends have babies. There is nothing better than seeing these little miracles come into families that have been waiting for them. The girls have loved meeting the new babies. Some of these pictures are from back on Thanksgiving.

Red Fish meeting Cousin P.

Meeting Cousin P. New Fish was MAD as could be at Uncle J for changing cousin P's diaper because he kept crying and she was convinced he was hurt. She is very protective over babies.

Here is New Fish loving on M&A's new baby. Red Fish has nicknamed him "Elmo."