…(she grudgingly admitted.)

Rehearsal in the morning was no party. (Even the Princess complained, “Can’t we just get on with it, already?”) And for some reason I was gripped by electric, high voltage tension all day. My brain was calmly saying that this whole day was no big deal – an annoyance really, while my nerves were twitching and jumping like a rabid mongoose. But it all worked out. Makeup on, hair stapled and shellacked in place. Costume on, pictures snapped, and off to the auditorium to drop her in the band room and go sit with the grandparents in the audience.

There is some kind of physiological response to seeing your kid up on stage that I don’t understand. That was not me getting teary. I had something in my contact, so bug off. But, even with the second mortgage to finance the costume and tickets, it was worth it to see her three minutes in the spotlight.

Afterward we all went to the local Greek restaurant for bogatsa and tiramisu. There is nothing quite like feeding a toddler coffee-soaked cake when he should be in bed. We could still hear the Bear singing on the baby monitor at ten PM.

She was weepy this morning because it is all over, and insists that she loves dance class and wants to do it again next year. (weary sigh) I told her that we are not going to make any decisions right now.

Am I a wimp, or what?

It’s enough to make you believe in destiny or cosmic synchronicity or whatever.

For almost two years, I have been searching for a copy of Walter Mourant’s “The Pied Piper.” It is the intro music for Danielle Charbonneau’s radio program Music for a While on CBC2 and every night at 6:30 when it comes on, wherever he is, the Bear just freezes. He gets kind of this glassy stare and zones out. He has done this since he was an infant. Naturally, I had to have a copy.

No music for you! The blasted piece was out of print. No used copies to be had.

But because someone else was looking for it on the web, and found this post, I was able to follow their path and find THIS! The holy grail! A UK reissue with a different cover! Oh, verily I am so happy. It is being whisked stateside even as I type. Isn’t technology grand?

Now we will be able to gork out the Bear at any time of day, on command. Mwahahahaha!

According to a survey by someone I don’t know based on arbitrary criteria, my suspicions are confirmed: I really am a self-important navel gazer. Ah, well.

You Are a Retrospective Soul

The most misunderstood of all the soul signs. Sometimes you even have difficulty seeing yourself as who you are. You are intense and desire perfection in every facet of your life. You’re best described as extremely idealistic, hardworking, and a survivor. Great moments of insight and sensitivity come to you easily. But if you aren’t careful, you’ll ignore these moments and repeat past mistakes. For you, it is difficult to seperate the past from the present. You will suceed once you overcome the disappoinments in life. Souls you are most compatible with: Traveler Soul and Prophet Soul

I’ve had enough. The Princess loves to go, and my heart melts when I see her go through her routine, but after this year’s recital we are going to be done with dance class. Forever, if I have anything to do with it.

Why?

Well, the money for one thing. Forty bucks a month, twenty for class duds, and sixty for a costume she will perform in once. Add in thirty-five for portraits. On top of all this, all those attending the recital have to pony up a ten spot each. Including the parents. I wish I was joking.

Then there is the tiny problem of me not being a “dance mom.” This is probably why I think it’s insane that they are doing the dress rehearsal the morning of the recital. (And the newsletter warned us to be prepared to be at rehearsal for up to three hours. Uh, no.) I am not going to alter my life for my little starlet. I don’t bring her to practice when she is battling the plague. I don’t eat sleep live dance.

So I am biding my time until it is all over. Then I can breathe a sigh of relief and wait for soccer season in the fall, which has a similar self-important culture, but tolerates non-careerists with a little more grace. Strange but true.

While Thicket Dweller has been occupying her mind and soul with serious social issues, I’m afraid I have chosen…Fluff! Mr. MG and I went on a spontaneous movie date and saw Revenge of the Sith. I avoided Attack of the Clones due to being gunshy after Episode I, so I was missing a chunk of plotline, but overall it was a good flick. (Yeah yeah with the stilted, wooden dialog – it’s a sci-fi movie. It gets a handicap for that sort of thing.) The surprising thing was how upset I was over how Anakin goes bad.

I saw the first Star Wars (Or the fourth. Whatever.) when I was five. I grew up with Darth Vader being the embodiment of evil, pure and simple. He was the bad guy. But now, now I know he’s simply a guy with issues that require tissues. I hate that he was a decent fellow. Because that makes how I perceived him all these years harder to take. Such a waste! I woke up this morning, still bothered about it. Can you tell I’m taking this pretend, made up story way too seriously?

We got a look at the upcoming Narnia movie, as well. Just the trailer made me weep. It’s going to be long wait until December.

Less thrilling was preview for Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Finally – a movie about a husband and wife that find that spark in their marriage, after years of lying and deception. Because a couple that relishes beating and shooting at each other is sooo sexy. Oh, goody.

Looks like it’s a good thing we didn’t see Crash. If a sci-fi flick and two trailers grip me like this, I’m probably just a tad too serious to handle a Gripping Social Drama. I kinda like to sleep at night. Eventually.

I’m thrilled to the bone about the new Harry Potter, due in July, but I would just as soon wait another month and a half than read it in The Sun. So I’m glad that the British police are on the ball. But did you know that, on top of wanting to ban pointy knives, it is also illegal to scare someone with a fake gun. Wow.

The teen was charged with theft and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear, police said.

See that wee shape in the lower center? That is a sparrow. Outside the window by our computer is a gorgeous peach rosebush, rapidly losing petals. (Yeah, I need to go deadhead it. But I want to unpack another box first.) That sparrow flew under the bush and proceeded to take a bath in the fallen petals, flipping and thrashing around in them. Isn’t June grand?