Jazz Festival

Last Saturday I had to work and K was home working on the yard. The Girl had been invited to go to Palm Springs with a friend, and had left on Friday. Suddenly we were childless again!

While I was at work, K called to say that our friend McNeal had called and said he had 2 extra tickets to the Playboy Jazz Festival. Did I want to go? For free?

Hell yes I want to go! I've never been to the Jazz Festival because it's always seemed too expensive or too hard to get tickets. But then I've never really tried. I love going to the Bowl, tho.

It was the best day. After I got home we went for a swim, and then got ready to go. We took something to drink and bought a Subway footlong on the way. We decided to drive to the LA Zoo shuttle, as parking would probably be jammed at the Bowl. It was surprisingly easy to find, and only cost $3 round trip.

The bus started to load up, and I was surprised at the amount of stuff people were lugging. The guy sitting in front of us had a big suitcase made of wicker, many people had big coolers, and lots of people were wheeling backpacks and suitcases - I guess filled with food. It's like they were taking enough food and drink for a week! Also, one lady had a big comforter, still in it's store packaging.

Another thing I noticed is that most people were very well dressed and looked affluent. The bus loaded up, and pretty soon it drove us to the Bowl. We got our tickets and went to find our seats. Luckily, the K section was first to get shade, and by the time we got there (it started at 2pm I think) we were comfortable in a nice shade.

Everybody there had lots of good drinks already mixed, and had also brought food. We had food too, but felt a little bad as a sub is kindof hard to share. We didn't plan ahead like everyone else, who seem to come every year. They had jello shots and fried chicken and a vegetable platter and everything. Two girls were drinking pomagranite juice with Cristal.

The jazz was really great to listen to. The back section started a few waves of beach balls bouncing through the air, but Security intercepted them by the time they got to the bottom. Some people were into it, but some seemed annoyed by a ball suddenly dropping on them, or worse, their drink! Some thought it was disrespectful to the musicians.

We especially enjoyed R&R, Poncho Sanchez, Dr. John and the Lower 911, Al Jarreau, and Tower of Power. I didn't think Tower of Power had that many songs, but they went last and the place was really jamming at the end. Everyone was up and dancing.

I figured the busses back would be mobbed, but they were really close, easy to find, and fast! Not mobbed at all.

We'd been working really hard getting the house (and yard!) ready for our Boy's Graduation Party, so it was really nice to take the afternoon off and have a really enjoyable time with our friends. For free!

I think I want to go again next year.

I'm glad The Girl was invited somewhere else for the weekend, so that we could go...

Dear Mr. D

I've been feeling nostolgic about my kids lately. It seems like they grow up so fast. This year was a really good year for The Girl. This is a letter she wrote her teacher at the end of the school year. Next year, 6th grade!!!

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Mr. D,

I‘m XOXOXO, one of your 5th grade students from the year 2008.In the year 2008 I learned so much because you were my teacher. You always fit learning into everything we did and always challenge me. Everyday I learned something new things and I thank you so much for that.

I remember the time you took the time to tell the whole class two stories about when you use to play football in high school and college. You put so much enthusiasm into your stories, you’re a great story teller. I really enjoyed hearing how far your team got to the champion in high school and how hard your team worked to get there. Your other story about wrestling that really tough guy in a football boot camp was also very entertaining.

I’m really going to miss learning form you. I’ve learned more this year then I’ve ever learned in one school year. You never took a day sick from school and you never said it was too much gas wasted to get to school every day from where you lived. Thank you so much for this wonderful year, too bad it had to go by so fast.

High School Drama

Someone else recently brought up the term "Helicopter Mom." I'd never heard that term before, but it refers to a parent who tends to hover over their child I think.

Well, I have run into one of these parents lately, and a lot of drama surrounding prom ensued. Actually, I've never met this mom, and it's probably a good thing.

It all started a year ago. The Boy's friend B was going out with a girl, R. Then he decided he'd rather go out the the Boy's Girlfriend's Sister, Melinda. But when B broke up with R, R confronted Melinda about the timing, etc. Then the Boy's Girlfriend told R to leave her sister alone.

Then the Boy wrote about it on Myspace, and R's parents came over to confront us about it. Luckily I wasn't home, but K got to meet them all. They were brandishing papers printed off Myspace, and insisting that K read it. He declined. When they weren't satisfied with K's response, they took it to the Principle's office, where all the kids had to sign a document promising not to fight with each other any more.

That was a year ago.

This year, the Boy's Girlfriend is no longer in High School (having graduated), so she applied for a Guest Pass to go with the Boy. The Friday before the week before Prom, the Principle tells Boy that her application for a Guest Pass was denied. Why? Because she's on a "List" of people who were mean to this girl R, and R has said she doesn't "feel safe" with her at the Prom. The Principle said she couldn't discuss it with him, nor should he try to contact R about it.

So he called to see if we could help him. So K called the Principle, who repeated that she couldn't discuss it, and we weren't to talk to R's family about it either. After pressing her for SOMETHING that could be done, she gave him of someone he could call - Dick. So K called Dick and left a message. Being that it was Friday afternoon, he never called back.

So K tried again on Monday, calling Dick and getting no response. By now the kids had resigned themselves to going somewhere else, and meeting up with their friends later.

On Tuesday I asked the Boy if he even wanted to go anymore, and he said it was too late now, because tickets weren't available anymore. Well! I didn't like the sound of that at all! So I fired off a scathing email to the Superintendent of the School District, copying Dick and the Principle. I told them I didn't think it was fair, and various reasons why it was unfair, and pointed out that the Boy was up for Prom King and how would it look if he couldn't show up because his date was not approved? Plus I pointed out that the Boy was now being damaged by their actions, and I was disappointed in all of them.

Well, Dick called that same morning, and said that the Guest Pass had been granted! "What? Really?" I exclaimed in surprise. Yes, he said, they didn't want anyone else to be penalized because of this.

This situation, I guess he means. Where R's family is trying to sue the school district, has restraining orders out on two other girls, and is accusing every boy she ever dated of sexual harassment. I think the mother can't stand the thought that anyone doesn't like her daughter, and in the process is alienating everyone against her daughter! Better that she should teach her daughter to roll with the punches or work things out for herself.

Anyway, the Boy was SO glad to get to go after all, and I got lots and lots of credit. They had a great time, and all was well until the next drama got ready to unfold.

So much fun.

Just media notes

There have been a few things lately that I've felt like commenting on, but I keep forgetting.

For one thing, at the end of the last post I forgot I'd stayed up to watch SNL the night before Mother's Day. They featured a band with a strange name - "My Morning Jacket", but their song was SO good! They started with a great guitar hook and then really jammed out a song called, "I'm amazed." I'd been recording it since it was late and I was likely to fall asleep, and the next day I played it over and over for K and The Girl. Both agreed it was a jamming song.

Next, have you ever heard of the "Big Head" theory in Hollywood? They say it's better to have a big head because it looks better on the big screen. And if you notice, most "Stars" have big heads!

So on American Idol, when I saw the size of David Cook's head compared to Ryan Seacrest's head, it was clear to me that he was going to win. His head was way bigger than David Archuleta's head. I thought it was a great finale. I loved how ex-contestants sang songs from famous people (Donna Summer, George Michaels), then the artists came out themselves and sang a new song. I loved DC singing with ZZ Top. The decision announcement was also entertaining, with the winner crying, the loser looking grateful, and lots of fireworks.

Great!

I think David Archuleta would be good in a Disney TV show, like High School Musical.
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A video that really bothers me is Madonna's "Four Minutes to Save the World." She skips around looking fierce and walking on people's tables while they're trying to eat. Justin Timberlake does a few spins and adjusts his scarf, but neither one of them is doing anything about saving the world!

Huh. That's not very productive. With 4 minutes to save the world we should all grab a boy or a girl?
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Recently I saw that one of my favorite authors, Michael Connelly, had a new book out, "The Overlook". I bought it and took it home to read, but it kept referring to the previous book, "Echo Park." I couldn't remember the story or the outcomes the Overlook was referring to, so I went and checked "Echo Park" out of the library.

Turns out, I hadn't read it! So, joy of joys, I got to read TWO Harry Bosch books back to back! Days of fun, I tell you what. There's nothing like finding out you're backed up on reading one of your favorite authors.

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Yesterday on Oprah, Reba was on, singing duets with people who were with her on her new album of duets. It may have been an old show, I don't know. Anyway, she sang "Because of you" with Kelly Clarkson. First Reba took the high harmony and Kelly sang the chorus. Then they switched and Kelly sang the high part and Reba sang the chorus. It was beautiful.

That's a really sad song, though. I like to believe that a person can try to make their own life in spite of what they experienced as a child.

Anyway, Oprah brought up that Kelly had been having a problem with her producers not wanting some of her songs. Kelly downplayed it, saying it was normal, and Oprah said that Kelly writes about her life, and that was her message to the producers.

Actually I agree with her producers. I'm tired of songs about breaking up from Kelly. She's made at least two albums about that topic by now, and I'd like to hear something from her other than anger.

How, 'bout it Kelly?