Elvis Costello (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love and Understanding

Nothin' that's what. 

I have always loved this song. And I mean that literally. I have very vivid memories of my dad (the original hipster) playing this song when I was a wee lad (probably three or four) from the vinyl of "Armed Forces." I would sit and look at the record jacket, just soak in the sonic blitz and the song really moved me. Now this doesn't mean that I was unbelievably cool for my age or a prodigy in my musical taste because I have this same feeling from when Foreigner's "Hot Blooded" came on the radio at about the same time and the Sergio Valente Jeans jingle. I was little, give me a break.

Flash forward and this song has cropped up a few times in the past month for me . First I included it on a CD I burned to listen to in the car so I don't have to listen to NPR on my commute in the Morning and then just today this video came into my RSS feed from the Surly Bikes Blog. I've been thinking how great these lyrics are and how true they ring in this day and age. Truely one of the great songs. Now that video, well that's another story. There's something too forced in the Jungle scene. P.S. this song was written by Nick Lowe in 1974 and first recorded by Brinsley Schwarz. P.P.S. Did you know that Elvis Costello has/had a talk show recently? It keeps coming up on my Netflix recommendations. I'm often tempted to watch it but fear the likely disappointment.

Family time is Fun Time on the Mountain or Intro to Adventure 101

This weekend's adventure involved getting the whole clan up to the mountain for our first skiing adventure of the year.  The lack of snow has really hurt motivation to drag three, only semi-willing participants and their gear to the crowded with out of towners ski place, but as the season has dragged on there has been more realization that if not now then when.  At these times it's best not to wait for the perfect snow, just get them out there and the fun will happen.  And happen it did.  I was smart and took just the boy on Saturday this was more of a challenge.

First he is a youngin', just 4.5 years old, and when he's nervous or apprehensive his attitude tends to plummet. So with a mantra of, "keep it fun", we earned every one of our three runs. By the end of the day he was cold and tired but admitted he had fun.  At the beginning of Sunday he was ready to go and as you can see from the picture above in good spirits.  Heck by the end of the day he had enough control, confidence, and awareness that I could relax and just have fun making turns with my kids.

For A___ the day started good and stayed level.  She hadn't been on skis since last March, but after a bit of apprehension about getting off of the lift she pointed her skis downhill and went.  She could only stomach one run of me giving her pointers before she, "just want(ed) to do it."  I did a pretty good job of keeping my mouth shut in the spirit of "keeping it fun."  She gained in confidence as the day went on.  At one point she got pretty far ahead of us while I was helping R--- up from a fall.  I heard her yelling and thought, "oh no she's freakin' out cause we weren't with her."  When we caught up to her I heard what she was yelling: "Come on guys...Let's GO!"  'Nuff said.  Towards the end of the day she started dragging and I tried to interject a little fatherly wisdom which was quickly shot down.  Sorry,  "keepin' it fun here boss."

T___ also was putting in her first turns of the season and seemed 10X more confidant than the beginning of last season.  I am looking forward to February school break when the kids will be taking a vacation to Nana and PopPop's and we will have a little alone time on the hill.  Also, T------ beware the next time we are skiing there will be photos of you taken. 

I cannot deny

Thanks to the great humongous: truth