I really dig my kids. I’m sure they were in the midst of a pitched Bionicle vs. Hot Wheels battle… or rocking out the the Ramones, Flogging Molly, or The Figureheads… or reading to each other… or arguing with each other.
Mom to kids: Hey, let’s go see a movie today!
Kids: No, thanks.
Mom: But “Cloudy with a chance of meatballs” is out in 3-D! It’s one of your favorite books. Please, please, please… Let’s watch the trailer on my computer.
[play trailer, kids laugh, begin quoting the trailer to each other.]
Mom: So, are we going to go?
Kids: No, thanks.
Dillon: Maybe when we’re a bit older.
Mom: Aaaawwww…
I really was! Ask anyone. I was cool. Super-cool, even… but no longer.
Today I found myself driving my maroon minivan, full of kids (some mine, some not), from gymnastics. to my house for a play date. On the way, I actually had a conversation that included what is and what is not Music. I realized, following a series of reminders not to throw things in the car and that it is important to share, that I am significantly less cool than I used to be (and to be completely honest, I wasn’t exactly the coolest cube in the compost to start).
A co-worker who shall remain nameless (Dan) made a comment that I found interesting. I played a music video for a Lupe Fiasco song that featured a giant robot (and Jill Scott). This unnamed co-worker (seriously, it was Dan) commented that good Mr. Fiasco is ‘pop-y’ based on the fact that he’d seen the video played in an Abercrombie & Fitch (2 points: Dan’s opinion may not have based strictly on this, and what was he doing shopping at Abercrombie & Fitch?). The thing is, I know I’ve done this…often. Mark something as bad just because lots of people like it, or because, in the case of music, it get air time on the local Clear Channel affiliate. I’ve always said that this makes sense because most people are dumb and wouldn’t recognize quality if walked up and stood on their neck.
In my old age, I’ve come to recognize the flaw in this…I’m still basing my initial opinion, in part, on the behavior of a bunch of dumbasses (see previous paragraph). I submit that what most people (read: dunbasses) think is good or cool may not be, but then it might be. It is possible that something could be good and dumb people could like it. Additionally, maybe minivans, gymnastics, and play dates are cool…
On the other hand, my Dear Daughter told me I am Beautiful.
Seriously, it was…[audio:http://momonox.free.fr/divers/goodday.mp3]
I managed to get my workout in before heading off to work. Did some slick jQuery shit at work. Got the kids fed and had a little time to hang out with them. I even got my guitar down and tuned it up (popped a seven-year old string in the process)
I also managed to get my left grip off my handlebars without any real trouble and without cutting them off. Just slid a bit if plastic under the rubber, squirted in a little household lube, and gave it a twist. No problem. I pulled the left hand controls as well, but stopped there… that’s as far as I wanted to go without having another look at the shop manual.