Unconscious Mutterings, 357

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. MacGyver :: Hayden
   
2. Garter :: belt
   
3. Wedge :: heels
   
4. Inches :: centimeters
   
5. Code :: breaker
   
6. Water :: Bruce Lee
   
7. Running :: Cool
   
8. Curly :: hair
   
9. Turkey :: gravy
   
10. Stupor :: drunken
    

TP: Building (Memories)

This building means something different to Hayden than it does to me...
For the entirety of Hayden's life, this has been the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science, where his fun tank stopped for a fill-up. From playing with Mitch in the art room, to reminders not to touch banisters and elevator buttons (lest we infect Daddy with some foreign pathogen), to scary-then-fascinating dinosaur skeletons, to lifting a whole car alone, to gigantic movies in the cinedome, to the recent Rodin exhibit (where he came full circle from his babyhood trip to the Rodin Museum in Philly)...for me, the behemoth structure was the institution it was intended to be; this one for poor kids. Washington Senior High School students didn't need available, affordable parking. WSHS students didn't need an effective heating system, nor their coats (wearing them in class seemed disrespectful to the instructors) in the breezy-in-winter classrooms either. Tornado Drills at WSHS were a waste of time, to paraphrase my biology professor, Mr. Jackson, "If this building, in the center of town, is destroyed, there's nothing left in the city to live for." I'm honored I was able to take away my own meaning from this building's intentions; this building where we've all learned so much. I hereby edit only one piece of the cornerstone message, so that it relates to my own family and our memories of this sacred building:

The thing of most value and joy that takes place here is the flow of human interest. It is the spirit of the institution to be human in all of its activities. May the days spent here be filled to overflowing with scholastic attainment, courteous conduct, joy, and happiness, so that as the rest of the journey progresses, each life shall abound with gladness and our high school childhood days ever remain a happy memory.
Placed by old central pupils, June 16, 1932
Rededicated by Diana (Lambert) Jenner, WSHS Class of '86, 27 November, 2009

TP: Building (OMG Brownies)

Just another day at the office...
except this particular day called for a special order of Oh My God Brownies.
And indeed, they are so good you will say
Oh.My.God. I love you forever!
Unless you're like my Aunt Donna, she'll give you her share, & you'll say
Oh.My.God. How could you give this up? I love you forever! It's what I do best, infusing baked goods with love (more to come on this transformational journey). There's something magical about the raw baking materials coming together, much like a construction site, to build beauty for the inside of you, instead of the outside.

TP: Building (for Wolves)

Silly me, I thought I'd never have a chance to share this picture.
Quite a sight, a building surrounded by wolves.
Maybe they're intended to keep people out, I'm afraid they'd keep me in.
And they'd make my heiny clench each time I looked out the windows.
It wouldn't matter that I'd remind myself they're not real.
That's just what makes Venice Beach, well, Venice Beach -
it doesn't have to work for me, s'long as it works for you!

Catching up!

I know I've got 30 things to talk about in my repertoire, indeed I should be blogging them!
So today's a day of catching up and planning ahead.
And laundry. Lots of laundry.
And some Buddha Butt entertainment, just for you!
Yes, they make an application for that.

TP: Orange (Favorite Shirt)

One day in 2005, when Hayden was wearing his favorite Orange shirt (this one a gift from Jorgen), and Hannah was away on a Traaseth Adventure, a newspaper reporter came to speak to us about homeschooling. It was a not a particularly enlightening article; after all, it was the Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, SD) and I was the sole out-in-the-open unschooler East of the Missouri.
This shot of the two of us deep in battle on our Star Wars Chess Board was worth the experience!Hayden's on tip-toes in anticipation of my next move;
the one that will allow him to beat me soundly. again.

TP: Orange (Jake)

If you invited Jake bowling today (like we did in May),
he'd probably dress a lot like this.
And he'd look for an orange ball, too.
He's crazy about orange that way.

TP: Orange (Hugs)

The only thing brighter, in this world, than Jeff's orange shirt,
is his smile! ♥ When not drumming himself, He was hugging, and hugging, and huggingthis little girl, who is not his sister,
captured his heart so intensely, he could not stop hugging her!
She was such a good sport, I ♥ unschoolers

TP: Orange (James)

If you gotta have dirty laundry in your back window on a road trip, at least let it say something!
Like this here bright orange shirt of Hayden'sMary's right, sometimes you just need some more James in your life!
Take a listen here
while reading the lyrics:

Help comes when you need it most
I'm cured by laughter
Mood swings not sure I can cope
My life's in plaster (in plaster)

May your mind set you free
(Chorus: opened by the wonderful)
May your heart lead you on
May your mind let you breathe all of disaster
(Chorus: opened by the wonderful)
May your heart lead you on

These wounds are all self-imposed
Life's no disaster, disaster
All roads lead unto death-row
Who knows what's after

May your mind be wide open
May your heart beat strong
May your mind's will be broken
By this heart-felt song

May your mind set you free
(chorus: be opened by the wonderful)
May your heart lead you on
May your mind let you breathe all of disaster
(chorus: be opened by the Wonderful)
May your heart lead you on, may your heart lead you on
May your eyes let you see all of disaster
May your heart lead you on, lead you on
(Chorus: may your eyes be opened by the wonderful)
Set you free
(chorus: may your heart lead you on)
Lead you on

Good reason this band is so popular among unschoolers ♥
Thanks Tim & the Boys!

TP: Orange (Ninja)

For a boy who's lived a lot of life in a short 11 years,
His biggest Act of Courage, to date, is his ride on The Ninja.
The Orange Badge of Safety, a Rite of Passage.
This one's for Daddy.