SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com

"REDEMPTION IS MINE!". By (me!) Sandra, tvgp

To understand you must first know this.. I have a positively terrible -TERRIBLE!-  reputation with my children, niece and nephew for providing the good times, wonderful experiences, and awesome memories I "promise, promise, promise!" When I'm talking them into going somewhere with me..

Somewhere usually being an educational, cultural, art-related event of one kind or another..

Let me provide two quick examples:  "mom.. I don't want to go on the pleasanton art stroll..  We'll be the only teenagers there.. Its boring.. I don't care.."

And I'm like, "what on earth are you talking about?! Everyone loves art!  There will be all kinds of people.. Whole families!  Plus.. This is your home town. Its awesome.. And people have worked really hard to make these sculptures available..  It will be fun..promise!  You'll get to learn the background stories.. "    /true.. I once had them memorizing the names of the sculpture & artist of all the public art in pleasanton..    But its been forgotten.. And so much has been added!

-and.. Well, you know how this story ends don't you.  They were the only teenagers there..   

It does not help that their father, my exhusband..   Lives in an entirely different financial bracket and has an additional house, boat, jet skis..  And can take our kids to do things they actually really love to do.. Like, watersports with their friends.. Knee-boarding and tubing..

The art stroll you see..  /its free.  Write here. Local...

Anyway..  I'm terrible also about falling for media hype..  And recently read about an author that would be giving a talk at the Livermore library..  -gorgeous place!  But.. And so, the write up was so promising.. So exciting...   /and its free.. And its local..

So I told my daughter.. I'm like, "oh baby won't you come with me..  You'll love this author..  This is stuff you'll be really glad to know.. Inspiring..!"

She said, "mom.. Am I going to be the only teenager?!"

"Heavens no!  Read this..  There will be ALL KINDS of people.  Whole families!  -should be a really good mix..."

And you know how this story ends too, -write.  We walk in the room and there is nothing but silver-haired people..  /and trust that I am acutely aware that without a fresh coat of paint myself, every 4-6 weeks.. My hair would be silver too..

So..  I felt just awful..  And usually not my style to walk out on anyone's presentation... But I didn't have the heart to make my daughter sit through it..  Even though, God bless her, -she would have..

I did take them to tommy t's one time to see joey Bragg..  And I have a couple successes.. But the ratio is probably.. 29 to .5

But! I'm about to improve my score!  Thank you very much to my friend Jane and her her friend Robert.. Details to follow..

"Redemption is mine!". I can feel it...

What you must know here, is that.. How many years ago? I fell for the posterhype..   I can explain a little.. Because it was shortly after I had witnessed via TV, a flash mob..    Oh! I mean to tell you!  -best trend to ever manifest in humanity.. 

People secretly choreographing a dance... Then showing up in street clothes in public.. A farmers market. Or train station..  Wherever..  All blending in with the variety of passersby.. Locals, tourists..  Camouflaged perfectly... Then.. Suddenly starting to, one person at a time..  Dance.. More and more joining in..  Until

WOW!  -most awesome thing ever..   Random performance.. In the street..  No tickets/no theatre stage/no seats.. No advance promoting..

Just suddenly, on the spot, in the middle of your otherwise regular, otherwise predictable day..

WHAM...  A stunning, exciting, performance..

Then.. Everyone goes back to their version of normal.

I literally wept the first time I had exposure to this..  Still, if I you tube and watch flash mobs..   They bring tears to my eyes..

Who originated this?  " thank you! X1000000"

So.. All that to say.. And to explain, that when I read this poster about being a part of one!  No experience necessary!   -thriller flash mob! Michael Jackson!   -a number of years ago..  

"You guys have to come with me! You have to! This is like the most awesome thing ever!  It will be way fun.. I promise!"

And in my imagination.. And based on what the flyer said.. There would be hundreds of people!

And so the day came when we all packed in the car and headed for our very first flash mob rehearsal in dublin

/which was free and local...

And you don't even have to guess what:

We were the only ones there; us and two instructors.

There is an expression that I've seen too many times on my children's faces..   It is a combination of..  Really? Do we have to stay? Can we get a new mom? And.. How did we get talked into this?    It shows first in their eyes; then unsmiling mouth; and finally in very slumped posture..

But God bless them..  They stayed for a lesson anyway..

But exactly because of that prior experience, I knew I had to very delicately extend our current invitation  -which I'm personally certain is a REAL good time...  With a REAL variety of people of all ages, and REALLY whole families..

"Save this date for me, k.   Were going to a ..  To a..

Well, .. Its a Michael..   Jackson thriller ..  Halloween party.."

Write away my son was like..  [Eyes narrow. Smile erased. Slump.]

"No."

"... No, no, no..   I knew you were going to think that..   This is different..   Promise..

We get to get all zombied out...  Check out this invitation..

/cool invitation..  Elevated my credibility

My daughter is like..  " I'm pretty sure I have to work that night.."

I go.. "No.. No,..  Come on.. This is going to be different.. Promise!   And its in San Francisco!   I know one of the people hosting it..  Way creative..  Lots of people.."

My son..  With reluctance but a skilled negotiators determination and savvy..  He goes..

"I'll go.. But! Only if I can have a professional paint my face"

I go "done deal!".  -without any idea how, who..

But.. Guess what.  God is always a few (thousand) steps ahead:

Turns out, that in my wallet, was a business card from an artist who professionally paints faces that I met during the big draw in downtown pleasanton last year..

So I made us all appointments...   /not free.. But worth every penny I've saved..

And I can't Bragg about the level of enthusiasm during our first at home rehearsal of the thriller dance..  But we did practice.  And my daughter double-checked the online email invitation which actually shows the # of RSVP replies..   She showed it to her brother...  " looks legit.  -we won't be the only teenagers.."

-to be continued...

posted by SHE @ 8:56 AM