It was only a dream...

When I was a kid, I had this great little record player. It was in a square box, with a flip-top lid, and was painted to look like a pair of blue jeans. I would sit for hours, listening to my book and record sets. Remember those? Every time you were supposed to turn the page, they would ring a little bell or make some other cool noise. You couldn't go wrong with the books and records.

I still remember so many of those records - one was Puss 'n Boots, which had an even better b side -it was the story of a goat that couldn't stop eating his master's stuff. He would sing, "Baaaa! Baaaa! I'm a naughty little goat. I ate up my master's pretty, pretty coat!" Then one day, he ran away because he felt so guilty. Of course his master came to find him (because who doesn't love their goat?), and everyone lived happily ever after.

The best record ever, though, was a gift from my godmother. It was the Bert and Ernie Singalong. I listened to it so many times that I knew it by heart, and was always prepared to put a penny on top of the needle in the spot where it would skip if I wasn't careful.

For those of you who aren't familiar, Bert is in the bathtub. Ernie invites everyone on Sesame Street over for a singalong, and they cram into the bathroom for an hour or so to have a little musical party (while Bert gets more and more agitated in his quest to have someone hand him a towel!!)

The other day, the subject came up in a conversation with P. And somehow (I think he used magic), he came up with this link. I highly recommend Bats in the Belfry and The Limerick Song.

Thanks, P. This is the coolest thing ever.

Or so says Ms. Pointlessly Hypertechnical, who has one of the best blogs I know. She's funny, smart, and has a great writing style. Don't be fooled by the misspelling of the word creative, either - she can, after all, spell hypertechnical. I think she might even be one of those people who looks things up when she's not sure. Yes, apparently they still exist.

Anyway, by getting blinged with this award, I now have to play along with the game.

Yes, I know it's not a real award. I also realize I never play these games. But my ego is also sufficiently large to say, "Yay! I won an award!" So now you're stuck watching me preen. Sorry.

Here are the rules, as I understand them:

(1) List six things that make you happy
(2) Pass the award on to 6 more kreativ bloggers
(3) Link back to the person who gave you the award
(4) Link to the people you are passing it on to and leave them a comment to let them know.
(5) Request scantily clad photos of your blogger friends of the opposite sex.

Alas, here we go.

Six things that make me happy:

1. My son.
   
2. Baking and sharing yummy treats with my friends. I'm still working off of the premise that if I feed enough to sweets to everyone else I know, it will ultimately make me look thinner. We're still in the process here. It may take a long time. Stick with me, and keep the faith.
   
3. Great live music. Symphony, rock concert, musical theater, I don't care. Just give me the thrill of listening to it unfold, and I'm happy as a clam. The kind that's not being eaten.
   
4. Spring. Oh God, do I love spring. Not only does it mean that winter is over, but it is also just breathtakingly beautiful. And it means that winter is over.
   
5. Quiet evenings with people I love. Also quiet mornings. And quiet afternoons. Okay, just get rid of the noise and commotion of everyday life, and let me enjoy some peaceful conversation (or not) with one of the few people on the planet that really make me smile :)
6. Our annual camping trip to northern Michigan. Eating wild blueberries, canoeing, roasting a myriad of tasty things over the campfire, and falling asleep listening to the whippoorwills and wind in the pine trees. Nothing quite beats the feeling of leaving everything behind and becoming a part of nature for a few days.
   

Now, as for six awesome, creative bloggers to pass this on to...

Hm. That's a challenge. Lemme think. Most of my friends hate this stuff more than I do, but let's give it a shot. Maybe winning an award (from me, no less!) will be enough to make it happen. I'll just keep telling myself that and pretend that someone will run with it.

My favorites, that I read regularly:

• Ahl Things Considered - Back in college, we used to call him Mr. One out of Ten. Why, you ask? Because one out of every ten things he says will be the funniest thing you've heard all day. He's still got it.
• Walk in Brain - When I can't take any more right-wing politics from my friends in the financial world, I go read this. It balances everything out. Plus, he has the driest sense of humor ever. And is my oldest friend in the world.
• Looking for Something - Always thoughtful and kind, J is one of those people I have always looked up to for his quiet wisdom. I'm so glad he showed back up on the face of the planet a little while back :)
• whirledpeas deleted her entire blog, but maybe this will prompt her to start up again. I doubt it, but it's worth a shot.
• The Rollercoaster Express - M may kill me for this. I'm just sayin'.
• My sister - I'm still not linking to her blog. Consider yourself spared :)

Rule #5?

Well, if I haven't seen you naked by now, let's just keep it that way, mkay?

Oh, and happy Veterans' Day. Go out and hug a vet today. Find five if you can. They deserve it.

I spent much of the day today feeling as if I was living apart from the world around me. On the train this morning, I spent an hour finishing a great book, which I closed with a smile as we pulled into the station. Stepping out onto the platform downtown, it seemed as if the entire city was moving just a little faster than I was.

It wasn't a bad feeling, mind you - it was more like a pleasant, yet unnatural calm had descended in a cloud around me for the day. As I made my way down the sidewalk through a swirling sea of fallen leaves, I wrapped myself in the quietness of my thoughts. Knowing it may be the last warm morning of the season, I lifted my face to the sky and inhaled the crisp scent of fall.

As I stood on the corner, waiting to cross the street to reach the office, I was startled out of the sense of solitude by a voice beside me. "Hey, Christine. How's it going?"

I looked up, and was suddenly disoriented. There was K standing there in front of me. Only it wasn't. It was Brian from Treasury Management, who looks uncannily like him. It took me a few seconds to realize I hadn't replied, and I said, "Has anyone ever told you that you have a twin that used to work for us? I think you're a body snatcher."

Brian laughed, and told me not to reveal his secret. I smiled, disconcerted, and hurried into the building, where I found an empty office and closed the door. It was a day for solitude and focus, not for chatting.

The morning passed quickly - I only opened the door for a few short restroom breaks, and managed to hold on to the inexplicable serenity until lunchtime. I packed my things, decided that I'd work from home for the afternoon, and slipped out to have a bite to eat with P before catching the train. Even in the bustling Thai restaurant, I felt very still. I said little, and P commented that I seemed a bit off. I explained, thinking of just how strange it all sounded as I spoke. Neither up nor down, but simply quiet, I smiled and hugged him. Sometimes that's the most appropriate way to convey things that don't translate well into words.

On the way home, I watched the world fly by through the window of the train. A twenty-something girl across the aisle was flirting with the married man next to her. A woman and her young daughter, fresh from the American Girl store, spoke quietly of dresses and tea parties. The conductor punched my ticket without a word, and I rested my forehead against the cool glass while the man beside me slept. As I drove home from the station, it occurred to me that I'd hardly spoken all day. It was a pleasant change from the hectic pace I've been keeping for the last few months.

Shortly after I arrived home, the spell was broken. My friend Angela called with news on her husband's leukemia. It has spread into his lymph nodes, spleen, and liver. On Monday, they are starting yet another round of chemo to try to hold the disease back long enough to do a stem cell transplant.

Suddenly, everything became very real again.

I really wish it hadn't.

I was in a car accident on my way home from work today. Blah.

No injuries (except for the fact that my back is now killing me), and only minor damage to the vehicles, but it was enough to really shake me up. The worst part was having to call A and tell him that I was going to be late because I was in an accident. After I told him that everyone was okay, he felt a bit better, but I knew he was sitting home worrying about me for the next hour until I walked in the door. He's very attentive tonight, and trying to take care of me (even though there's nothing really to be done). I love that kid.

Even before that happened, I have to say that this was not a good day.

To whomever is in charge, I would like a do-over, please.