From the trenches

We're in the midst of Texas tornado season. When it's tornado season in Texas, you've gotta be prepared, right?

I have this little O/C routine when the television radar says bad weather is approaching. You can't miss it--it's like a national crisis. All the tv stations go to special weather reports. Usually, the radio stations igore it, though. I haven't figured that out. Oh, and the sirens don't always sound, as I've mentioned. Perhaps the always elusive "they" figure the world is glued to American Idol, anyway, so other warning systems are irrelevant.

Wednesday night, we got the radar reports and I started my routine. I am convinced if I follow it to the letter, the bad weather will pass, leaving us unscathed. So far, it's worked, so I say it's a good routine, even if my husband thinks I'm a little off.

Here's how it works. I fill a small laundry basket with the things I would miss most if my house fell down around me. Into the basket goes my laptop computer and charger, my external hard drive with old files and photos, my purse with my i.d., cards, and cell phone, my old cell phone that functions like a tiny flashlight, and, of course, my wedding and honeymoon albums.

I place the basket in the floor of the laundry room. (The amount of faith I put in the laundry room is nothing to be sneezed at. If it's in the laundry room, it will be fine, okay?) I have an additional plastic tub full of other family pictures, and it slides in beside the laundry basket. If these things survive, along with my husband and children, all will be well. Nearly everything else can be replaced.

Well, this year, I've started adding additional items to the basket as time allows. I mean, if you've got 20 minutes until the storm arrives, why not add a pair of tennies? Socks? Favorite pillow. Water bottle. All practical stuff, right?

When the warnings pass, I unpack everything, and life goes on. If the weather is iffy for the next day or so, I'll sometimes leave the things I don't immediately need in the basket. Takes less energy to pack the next time.

So, we had that kind of night Wednesday. Todd was out of town, and we talked on the phone about how everything had calmed down again, but the rest of the week was sketchy. I went back to my regularly programmed computer surfing and eventually headed for bed. I usually read for a while before I go to sleep, but couldn't remember where I'd put my books.

I'd taken them along to the girls' piano lessons earlier that afternoon, and thought I remembered bringing them in the house along with the fast food we always get when Todd's out of town. Alas, they weren't in the usual spots I drop things.

Oh, well, I thought, I'll get them out of the car tomorrow.

I grabbed another book (after all, I'm reading about 30) and read it instead.

Yesterday, I never made it to my car. Didn't have carpool duty at any time of the day for a change, so never emerged from the house. Late last night, I wanted to read again, and was so frustrated with myself for waiting until it was too dark and creepy outside again to check the car.

Oh, well, I thought, I'll get them out of the car tomorrow.

A few minutes later, I was distracted by other things, but walked by my little emergency laundry basket. Huh, I thought. I had never unpacked the extras. Tennies ... socks ... hard drive ... bottle of water ... yep ... all there. And ...

Pat Conroy's Beach Music. Donald Maass's Writing the Breakout Novel.

I would like to flatter these two men by saying theirs are the two most important books in my life. Unfortunately, it would be a lie. What it boils down to is I get bored sitting anywhere with nothing to do. I always take a book. I guess in my reasoning the other night, I figured if the house fell down around us, I'd be happy to have the two books I was most engrossed in while we were sitting in a shelter.

Or maybe if the tornado was only an F1 or F2, I'd read until it was over.

Extra, extra, read all about it

Just so's ya know I was telling the truth, here's the press! ;-)

Songwriters compete for festival spot (from North Texas Daily)
Arlington freshman Ryan Pickop won this year's contest and a spot to perform alongside more than 100 singer/songwriters like Ray Wylie Hubbard and Terri Hendrix in the festival. Teresa Zacharias, a Houston freshman, was runner-up. The 18-day festival is scheduled to begin May 22....

I also came across this neato article about Seeds of Change (also from NT Daily):

Denton homeless ministry serves poor with food, time
... Seeds of Change held a benefit concert at Art Six Coffee House Friday night to raise money for the shelter, which moved to a house on Fort Worth Drive last week. Nearly 100 people packed into Art Six to hear singers and songwriters Ashley Gatta, Ryan Pickop and The Fitz, while Seeds of Change founder Andrew Walsh collected donations for the shelter in a plastic biscotti jar....

Next up, NYT and USA Today ...

Well, maybe not this week.

All the dirt

Last night, Todd and I drove up to Ryan’s university (about an hour away) to hear him compete in a songwriter’s contest. We have a three-week long folk music festival down in south Texas each year in May and June (Kerrville Folk Festival, like an annual Woodstock, only maybe less drugs. :) Anyway, each year they do a Songwriters in the Universities contest at four (I think) campuses across the state, and one of the contests was at Ryan’s college this year.

So, he submitted his prerequisite CD of two songs a few months ago, and a few weeks ago was notified he was one of the top 10 finalists who got to perform tonight. Each played three songs, and the winner will get to play along with the other university winners at the Kerrville Festival. The winner also received prize money. (Which they didn’t tell ahead of time!)

WELL … MY BOY WON!!!

I am so, so proud. I think there were about 50 original entries for his school, and the announcer said Ryan was hands down the unanimous choice among all the judges, and that the hard decision was the runner up. We were all so excited. He had a big crowd of friends there cheering for him, and I told Todd on the way home that whether or not Ryan ever does another thing in his life with his music (as if), this memory will always be his shining moment. He has played at coffee shops and fundraisers, etc., for several years, but has never entered a contest.

Before we went to the competition, he showed us the ghastly unique house he will be renting with his buddies this summer and next year. Typical college boy digs. Old and saggy and nasty, nasty lovely, lovely carpet. I’m so glad I’m not in college anymore. But, *he* thinks it’s an amazing house, and that's what matters, right?.

The greatest thing about the house to Ryan is the garden in the backyard they have already started (other guys they know live there now). It’s actually one of two gardens he’s working on—there’s another behind the Catholic student center they frequent. He and his friend have been composting and learning all about organic gardening this spring, and planted up all kinds of stuff. (Hopefully, all legal. Ha.) And this is the boy who hardly touched vegetables until this year.

Last Saturday, he and the same boy arranged and emceed a “Bare Your Soles” rally around the Denton’s downtown to raise awareness about homelessness in their area, and got all kinds of businesses to donate food for the event, and entertainment, etc. The rally attendees walked around five blocks barefoot. In his own blog, Ryan said someone stopped in a car and asked if they were promoting socialism, and he answered, "No, just love."

So, his grades aren’t too spiffy this year, but you know what? He is happy, and he is already following his bliss in so many ways. And that makes me happy. It makes me cry. I can learn so many lessons from him.

If you get a hankering to listen to some winning tunes, you can listen to Ryan on his Myspace here. And I will leave you with a few more pictures from our outing! You should be able to click on each to see them bigger.

Garden at the Catholic Student Center

Ryan showing off bikes they collect and fix up for the folks at the shelter to use.

The Amazing House

Ryan chatting with Dave Stoddard after the contest. Dave won the Kerrville New Folk Award at the festival in 2005 and was one of the judges and the guest musician last night. (and that is the backside of another judge, in case you wondered! :)

Dreams can come true

Too tired to say more, but too giddy to sleep, so for now, I'll leave you with this:

So proud.

My bad habit

Should I say this out loud? If I do, you will know about my other reality tv addiction. You will know that I am now firmly entrenched, Monday nights from 9-10 p.m. (formerly 8:30-10, but no more).

Oh, I can't help it. I have to say it!

THANK GOODNESS MATT FINALLY GOT RID OF MARCHANA AND ROBIN!!!!!!

Those girls were just on there for the dramatics.

Now Matt can get down to the real business of finding himself a sweet American girl to take back to London. I vote for Chelsea or Noelle, but I'm leaning toward Noelle. She reminds me a little of Alexis Bledel in looks and personality, only a little less wry. I like how she kind of stays quietly in the background waiting for the right time to make herself known.

Okay, so, now you know. I've been watching the Bachelor. Sorry.

I tell my husband and children it's complete stress relief. I have a love/hate relationship with the show, and I can take it seriously and completely not seriously all at the same time, and forget about it 20 minutes later. (Unless, of course, I blog about it.) I can laugh and yell and roll my eyes. I can pretend to gag myself when Matt kisses three different girls in five minutes. Tonight, I was going to have to jump up and do a war dance if Marchana or Robin got roses.

And Todd was ready to jump up and dance, too. And I think I saw the girls peeking down the stairs through the banister a few times.

This is seriously bad. Oh, but please, don't think less of me. The other 23 hours of my Mondays are completely intellectually appropriate.

Jake joins The Cult of Sincerity

Speaking of Jake Armerding, check out my blog post on An audience of me about The Cult of Sincerity, a full-length independent feature film that premiered on youtube April 8, which features two songs by Jake himself.

Yep, youtube. I watched the whole thing. I liked it. And, like American Idol, if you support it, it even "gives back!"

Embracing the present

And we've come a long way. One of my favorite singer/songwriters now is Jake Armerding.

And he has a fun show on Acoustic Long Island that was podcast(ed?) here. (I think you can even watch a bit of video, too.)

I tend to plan travels around concert dates for the (relatively) obscure musicians I listen to. Sad, but true. Todd and I saw Jake at the Somerville Theatre near Harvard when we went to Boston a few years back. Together with two other folky/bluegrassy combos who were wonderful, but whose names are failing me at the moment.

This was the trip where we drove down to Newport, RI, for a few days, then back for the concert and our flight out the next morning. Seemed easy enough when we bought all the tickets.

We learned our lesson about driving in Boston that night. Don't. Do. It. Ever. Driving into or out of Boston is ok, but don't bother to drive in town, and heaven forbid, NEVER TRY TO PARK.

We finally found a parking space when the concert was half over. After driving past a million and one "parking for residents only" signs, we ended up sitting in the tiny public parking lot waiting for somebody to leave. But, we walked in just in time for Jake to perform, and the other two groups each did a few more songs, so it was still a great experience.

I had never seen him live, and it was worth the headache ... and the drive back to the hotel. It was about six miles, and took us about two hours. I can't even remember why now. But it had something to do with those reasons you shouldn't. ever. bother. to drive in Boston.

We checked into our hotel at about 1:30 a.m., slept for about 2 hours, then got up to catch our 6 a.m. flight make it home in time for Kristen's one and only ever cheerleading competition. Eesh!

Embracing the past

If you'd like to guess my approximate age, but can't because I look soooo young, here's a broad hint.

When I was in junior high school, my best friend and I played this song (on a RECORD PLAYER) over and over (and over again), and cried over the boyfriends we'd never had who had just broken up with us. ?? Yeah, that's confusing to me, too. It must have made sense at the time, though, because there were a lot of tears.

(Thanks to Gabrielle, who got me started and reminded me of my age by posting a Rick Springfield video on her blog.)

EDIT: And also thanks to Gabrielle, who pointed out that this video wouldn't work. Never fear, you can link to it on youtube here!

Middle child

Poor Emilie, I think I don't blog about her enough. She is an easy kid, so dependable, and such a joiner. We have given up trying to keep up with her activities. She has to tell us where and when she needs to be all the millions of places she goes.

She doesn't have a shy bone in her body--at least not that we can find. Saturday night, she and three of her (girl) friends attended the church youth group's annual Thrift Store Prom. The four of them went to Goodwill ahead of time and purchased two suits and two evening gowns. They were each other's dates. Resourceful little chickadees.

She earns a ton of money babysitting, and is in great demand because she actually plays with the kids and does the dishes (like we were expected to do when we were babysitters years ago). She frequently offers to pay for extra items she needs for band or winterguard or school out of her earnings. Sometimes we let her--I think it makes her proud, and she's learning the value of budgeting her money.

Today, however, I got a little worried she might be experiencing middle child syndrome. The mail came, and we had a packet hand addressed to her from the Thomas Jefferson School in St. Louis. A private boarding school.

Should I be concerned? Hmm?