Saturday, July 4, 2009 at 6:00AM Happy 4th of July from the G-Unit.
Concert in the Park 7.3.09
I'm looking forward to ours--as long as Lexi doesn't have any odd side effects from eating a tub of watermelon.
The red watermelon juice matches her outit so I let it slide
Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 2:50PM Between the summer sun and the summer fun I think my blog is going to suffer, so today's trip to the mail box became eventful & blog-worthy when I realized I should post something so my four myriad readers don't get bored. Here goes...
Step 1: Walk to the box.
Lily: Mommy, why are you running a marathon?
Me: Because I want to get in shape and I want to help people who have cancer by raising money for them.
It is a good thing.
Lily: No it's not.
Me: Why don't you think it's a good thing?
Lily: Because I can't run with you.
Me: Melt.
--
Step 2: Open the box.
Amidst the bills, checks*, fliers and junk, was this week's Entertainment Weekly and I'll give you ONE guess who was on the cover...Yep, our dearly departed King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
The photo made me stop in my tracks as it was one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE images of him, pre-blue cheese nose, pre-dangling infant fiasco and pre-tween boy sleepovers. He dons the famous red Thriller jacket (though the photo is black and white there is no mistaking the red jacket) and his infectious smile shines brighter than the Billie Jean glove. The photo captures an essence of innocence, humility and talent--that is the Michael I remember, and the one I mourn.
But there is so much more to him than that image, than that time in his life, and now that I am a mother of two little girls, I have to wonder how I feel about this bizarre carni ring leader being a legendary icon. This past Sunday, Bob Schleffer, the conservative news anchor on Face the Nation, who seemed to be channeling my dad, closed the show with a commentary on MJ. Essentially his point was that American Pop Idols are NOT American Heroes. And I must say, his words spoke to me. I realized that this absurd level of collective lamenting should be saved for the courageous and the brave. Those that die in the act of a noble deed; not for those who die from OD'ing on pain meds because his fear of life was intolerable.
Though I loved Michael Jackson as an entertainer, I do have to agree he should not be classified as a hero. He was a troubled, tortured soul. He was touched by God with a priceless gift. He gave the world incomparable joy through song and dance. His legacy of countless jammin' tracks, unique dance steps and high-pitched "whoas" will live on forever. But his life was certainly not one to admire or idolize. There should somehow, somewhere be a distinction.
I will cherish this Entertainment Weekly cover as my reminder of the good days, the cherished memories from my wonder years. And when I hear his songs, I will smile.
--
Step 3: Walk home from the box.
As Lily ran ahead of us to grab her binky before nap, I heard three distinct words come out of Lexi's mouth.
Lexi: Bayh Bayh Wiwy.
Me: Inner Monologue--holy child prodigy--did she just say, bye bye Lily? What did you say Lexi?
Lexi: Bayh Bayh Wiwy. (And she waved. I swear.)
Me: Melt.
And that's the way we do it.**
* Just a quick note on the checks in the mail. I read The Secret--that's all I'm sayin'!
** Please tell me you caught my D*ck in a Box reference. I have no idea what the connection is with that song and my post except for the word "box", and maybe the fact that JT was HIGHLY influenced by MJ, but I had a little laugh at it. Hope you did too.
Mary Burt-Godwin
Per the comment below from my dear friend and fellow blog-follower Sean, I must plug a Facebook Group called "Moonwalk to Forget Old Michael," dedicated to the King of Pop. Please click here for more info.
Monday, June 29, 2009 at 8:36PM Summer Fun is in full swing, hence, Monday Momsense is on temporary hiatus until I can get my act together, in between bbqs, concerts in the park, beach outings, family visits and friend reunions.
In lieu of a clever, witty vlog, here are a few summer snapshots of the Godwin crew.
HAPPY SUMMER!
Momsene, Summer in The Godwin Girls Friday, June 26, 2009 at 9:13PM Some of the scariest sounds a mom can ever hear:
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud.
Waah, waah, waah, waah, waah.
Followed by one of the scariest sights a mom can see:
An open safety gate above a flight of stairs.
A change in routine, one little mistake = potential disaster.
Luckily, one year olds are resilient and hard to break.
Luckily, our stairs have carpet and our flights are short.
Luckily, Lexi is just fine.
But I now know fear like I've never known. Those brief seconds,
from hearing the thuds and the earth rattling cries,
to seeing the gate wide open,
to my hubby running over to her aid,
to me gasping and yelling one loud emphatic profane word,
to hearing the words,
She's okay,
shook me to the core.
Due to the tragic news of Farah and MJ's deaths yesterday, I was already in quite a introspective, bizarre mood. But after Lex's fall, even when we realized she was fine and she began playing and stomping around like usual, I could not shake my heavy heart. I lay in bed, tossing and turning replaying the sequence of events. A milion what ifs danced in my head. I thought about the recent tragedy in San Francisco where a father left his baby in the car for an entire work day. It made me realize just how quickly, how easily accidents can happen.
When I saw the clock strike 1:00am I decided to let go of my negative thoughts and I turned my "what if..." to thank god! Taking stock of my blessings helped lull me to sleep finally, but not before I went into her room to check on her one more time.
Being the overly cautious hypochondriac that I am, I took her in to the doctor today just to make sure she was okay--and thankfully she is.
But I am changed forever.
Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 8:58PM On the evening of December 2nd, 1983 I could not eat my dinner for my tween nervous system was in over-drive. As I anxiously awaited the 8 o'clock hour, my mom popped some Jiffy Pop, while my anticipation mounted. At 7:50pm, I grabbed my pillow and popcorn and made a cozy place for myself on the couch. At 8:00pm I flipped on channel 30 and the follwoing words came on the screen.
Due to my strong personal convictions, I wish to stress that this film in no way endorses a belief in the occult. -- Michael Jackson.
And then history was made, in the form of a red leather jacket, zombies and a record-breaking, trend-setting video.
The next day, and nearly every day for the subsequent six months, my girlfriends and I performed the Thriller dance routine on the grade school playground. And my love for Michael Jackson blossomed into a full-blown obsession.
I adorned my walls with his posters, my jean jackets with his buttons. I cried when his hair caught on fire while filming the Pepsi commerial. I cried when he cried in "She's Out of My Life," and I tried like hell to moon walk (to no avail I might add). I followed and adored every move he made, that is before the nose job, the skin whitening and the Jesus Juice, little boy slumber parties began.
My parents never understood my intense crush on this skinny, shimmery singer with a high-pitched voice and an effeminate demeanor. But they supported me in my passionate love affair by buying me his albums and never complaining while Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' played endlessly on repeat so I could figure out what the hell he was saying.
His music was the soundtrack to my childhood.
When I received the call today from my niece Tiffany saying,"So are you crying over MJ?" my heart sank. Though I hadn't yet heard the news, I knew who she was talking about. There is only one MJ. And I knew in that moment that a living legend had died.
It is a little surreal tonight as I reflect on this legendary, world-renowned entertainer, who my kids will never get to see perform. They will hear of him as an icon, but won't really be able to grasp the breadth of his talents, or the impact his career had on an entire generation or on the music industry as a whole.
I am saddened that his life became a carnival and shudder to think that the allegations against him may be true. But tonight I chose to remember the Michael I grew up loving and listening to. The Off the Wall, Beat It, Bad Michael Jackson who gave me joy and inspiration with his music.
RIP Michael!
Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing. Thanks for all the joy they're bringing. Who can live without it? I ask in all honesty--what would life be? Without a song or a dance what are we? So I say, thank you for the music, for giving it to me. -- Abba
Mary Burt-Godwin
I also am laughing a little, imagining my dad having a total field day in heaven right now: throwing back vodka tonics with Ed, ogling Farah, and wondering what in the hell "all those kids" saw in Michael.
RIP Ed & Farah too!
80's, Michael Jackson, Thriler, childhood, death, icons in Random Thoughts Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 7:00AM Yesterday the Godwin Girls got to spend a gorgeous summer day with one of my BBBFFs whom I've known literally FOREVER. She and I were two peas in a pod on the playground in elementary school, like Lucy & Ethel, only 8 years old and in pastel dolphin shorts and knee high socks.
We took dance together for six years and performed in a number of local variety shows known as Showbiz, (one standout performance was when we sang "Matchmaker, Matchmaker", and even swapped broomsticks mid-air). We sang into our hairbrushes to the Grease soundtrack, fighting over who was Sandy and who was Danny. We pined away for Scott Baio, Dirk Benedict and Flash Gordon. We were Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board. We were Bloody Mary in the bathroom mirror. The memories are way too numerous to name. But basically--she gets me. And though we went to different high schools and went our very separate ways after high school we have remained close, close friends.
She now lives in Europe and is on holiday with her husband for awhile in the States. I truly hope her day with the Godwin Girls has not completely traumatized her into not wanting a family. It may have been the most effective use of birth control ever.
The highlghts of the day, besides the aforementioned:
1) Lexi crawling over to her and cuddling.
2) Watching some previously dvr'd episodes of SYTYCD (since she doesn't see them in Europe)
3) Opening up my gift from her, which she brought all the way over from Zurich--an authentic, real-deal, COWBELL.
A few weeks ago I mentioned needing a little cowbell prescription. She didn't understand my reference so I sent her a link to one of the funniest SNL skits EVER.
Thanks T for the good times and the cowbell!
Love ya girl!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 7:01AM Last night I tackled a hill run--a 3.5 mile hill run with one of the hills being 1 mile long and straight UP.
In the middle of my snail-paced struggle up the looooong hill, I thought to myself, what the hell am I doing???
And then I heard my high school volleyball coach who led our team to three State Championships yell, "Let's Go, Burt! Pick up your knees!" and I got a boost of energy.
A few strenuous moments later, I envisioned my dad yelling, "Atta Girl!" from above and I quickened my pace.
Then Urrrshuuurr started singing in my ear, "Yeah, yeah, yeah," and I gained a little kick to my step.
And when I reached what I thought was the peak but then realized I had another couple blocks to go, I remembered a gal from my Team in Training run this past Saturday telling me about her father who is battling Stage 4 leukemia, and I knew I would make it to the top.
Call me elitist, but I really don't want her to join the club.
So I ran harder.
And I made it.
I hope he does too.
Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 10:55PM Happy Monday, dear Readers. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and a light-filled summer solstice.
Summer is in full swing and I love it. I'm feeling my cold starting to come back so I'm downing tea, coldeeze, EmergenC and good ol' water in an effort to combat it. With my marython training and all the summer festivities coming up, a cold just really does not fit into the picture!
This week's version on Monday Momsense is up and running in the right hand side bar. I'd love to hear how you made your father's (hubby's) day yesterday so leave your comments here or here.
Apparently the zoo field trip with Lily's dollies and stuffed animal finger puppets is beginning so I'm off to chaperone.
Have a great week!
