5 Things

Facebook is going a little crazy with the "5 things" posts. And the things I really want to post about aren't in the celebrity listing, so I thought I'd post some here.

5 Favorite Kids Musicians/Albums

-The Nields, we're especially fond of their HooteNanny music class curriculum

-Elizabeth Mitchell, "You are My Little Bird," and "Catch the Moon" with Lisa Loeb

-Orange Sherbet and Hot Buttered Rum, "Campfire Songs"

-Ginger Hendrix, "Macaroni Boy Eats at Chez Shooby Do"

-my husband

5 best smart English words

-liminal

-valences

-mores

-NB (for nota bene)

-bifurcated (as in "bifurcated plot")

5 words I find in my literary reading that are out of current usage (more or less)

-bokin' (as in "bokin' rainbows," what one might do after a heavy night of imbibing; it's actually a auld Scots term)

-inveigle (a 17th century favorite)

-troth (has elements of "truth" and "trust")

-rankle (from the a word meaning "to fester")

-soote (see Surrey's sonnet "The Soote Season")

5 musical things I wish I had done (and might still do, given the opportunity)

-joined the band JimmyFish in college when asked

-learned to play an instrument well enough to perform with it

-finished my BA in music, but in choral conduction instead of vocal performance

-paid more attention in ear training and music theory classes (and actually retained more information than just how to identify the "Foxy Lady" chord when I hear it)

-made an album

5 flowers I love to see growing

-tulips

-California poppies

-night-smelling jasmine

-hydrangeas

-camellias

5 most wise mentors

-Mary Ann, who taught me that nothing can be done perfectly, but that it's important to still strive toward it.

-Isabel, who gave up her kid-free Saturday mornings to hang out with a goofy high schooler, and told me that you shouldn't expect your spouse to change, but you shouldn't expect him not to change either.

-Mary, who included me in her busy household, and taught me that intense study and community are amazing things indeed.

-Bill and Joyce, who counseled us that in marriage, many, many things can be repaired on long walks.

-my parents, who pray for me and who have always known when to let me figure things out for myself.

5 things I appreciate about my mom now that I'm a mom (NB: This list is not exhaustive)

-giving up years of good sleep to care for me and my brothers

-teaching us to make all the good things she cooked: whole wheat bread, granola, fruit leather, balanced meals

-needing to take time off on our vacations to just lay by the river and read

-teaching through example how important it is to help others in whatever ways we can

-never making me feel shame