Music is an experience

So yesterday I headed down to my favorite local coffee, Standpipe, and had an interesting exchange with the barista I'll call Jailbait (JB).  He was saying something about changing the music up and I replied that he could put on whatever since I would just tune it out if I didn't like it.  He got a bit indignant and said music is to be experienced.  After that he put on What is Love by Haddaway.  I like the song and I was excited.  JB then called me old.  But it did make me think not about my oldness but about the idea of music as an experience and my oldness too but anyways.

I went home and started posting youtube videos for songs that have meant something to me over the years.  This morning I woke up and remembered a test for Gardner's Multiple Intelligences that I had taken several years ago that had music as one of my top areas of intelligence. Here is the chart:

My MI chart

So I have always found it interesting that music is one of my areas since I don't play a musical instrument or sing very well but I live my life in music.  Every time and place has a song or tune attached.  People have their songs in my head.  Like DH is Crazy Love by Brian McKnight.  Audrey is All my life by K-Ci & Jojo.  My mom is Triangulo by Los Babys.  Standpipe is Start wearing Purple by Gogol Bordello.  The time DH took me to the Roanoke Science Museum is You're Beautiful by James Blunt.  Giving birth is Songbird by Eva Cassidy.  Even JB has a song, Sexy and I know it by LMFAO.

Music is an experience.  JB was right.  I always have a song in my head.  I work best if I have music on.  I have Belinda Carlisle's Greatest Hit playing even now.  Music is a must in my life.  If you see me walking around I'm usually bopping to some beat.  If I'm not careful I tend to sing out loud.  Music is an experience.

Miracle-Gro Expand' n Gro

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

So I have a black thumb.  Truly I kill things.  Honestly the only time I've been able to grow anything was when I use Miracle-Gro.  So when I saw an ad for Miracle-Gro Expand ‘n Gro™, I got excited.  If I can keep things alive in regular Miracle-Gro, just wait until I get my hands on the new stuff.  You can use it in the ground or in a hanging plant.  I've been wanting to start an herb garden but the idea of spending money on plants I'm just going to kill doesn't sit well with me so the timing could not be better. 

My number one issue, I'm lazy.  If I have to remember to feed a plant then the plant isn't going to make it.  Miracle-Gro makes it easy to take care of plants.  With a formula that feeds plants for up to 6 months, how can you go wrong?  And because it's Miracle-Gro you still get the benefit of 3x the flowers and veggies vs putting them in the native soil.  3x the plants and more work than the usual, yes please, I'll take two!

As a cool factor, Expand 'n Gro actually grows.  You add water and then it expands up to 3 times!  I'm seeing a science lesson here.  I can just hear the questions now.  Why does it do that?  How does it do that?  Does all dirt do that?  Did you know they use natural fibers from coconuts (called Coir) to make the soil expand!?  Along with expanding, it actually holds water, which is a huge plus for someone like me who tends to forget to water.
 

So it's time to plant.  Time to get your garden ready and to see the fruits of your labor all summer long.  Right now you can get a free sample of Miracle-Gro Expand 'n Go.  Here's more information:

 

Did you adopt her?

So Saturday, I took Audrey to the Nacogdoches Spring Fling.  It was a girls only trip.  I was going to support my girls from LLL of Nac and to go to the Farmer's Market which I had never been to. 

There were lots of activities for Miss Audrey and we had fun walking around and catching up with the girls.  While we were at one table a little girl came over to us and asked, very politely, "Did you adopt her?"  I had never been asked that before and I a bit stunned to be honest.  What do you say to that question?  I mean I had never really thought much about it that anyone would think that she wasn't my kid.  She looks a lot like DH but she looks like me too. 

I think the most interesting part was the woman who was across from us and her reaction.  She perked up and turned to me and said, kinda with a giggle, "Kids will say anything that comes to mind."  And then she kind of leaned in to hear the answer and I guess my reaction. 

I guess from the outside looking in, it might be fun.  What is this adult going to say?  I could go all nuclear on her.  I could be cool and ignore it.  I could have a great answer.  My answer was none of these things.  I simply looked at her and said, "Honey, she's mine.  Her daddy is dark but I had her."  Plain and simple.  Easy and truthful.  She was a child and she had a question and I was the only person who could answer. 

How would you react?  I just went into teacher/librarian mode and answered the question.  What else could I do?  I'm glad that I got the question.  I had never thought about it.   An adult would not be so nice.  An adult would ask with judgment.  So would my reaction to an adult be different?  My guess is yes.  How could I stay calm and chill when someone is making a value call on my child?  I'm use to questions/judgments on my marriage.  Can't be in an interracial relationship for over 16 years and not have a ready response to, "Why you marry one of our men?" but that is a different blog post all together.  But when it comes to my child, that is a whole different territory.

I have no clue how to start the race dialogue with Audrey.  I know she notices.  Black men are daddy.  I've heard her point to pictures and say it.  I do correct her.  No that's not daddy.  What do I say?  No honey, random black dude.  I've not heard her say it when she sees a picture of Hispanic women but then I would be with her and she could easily compare.  I know she knows there is a difference.  How do I vocalize it?  How do I explain it to her?

I remember when my niece asked about it.  DH and I been together 16 years and our oldest niece is 15 so she's always known me and I've always been with her uncle.  I'm her aunt.  She was in school like st grade I think.  Her teacher must have said something because as relied to us by my sister-in-law, our niece and came home and say, "[Uncle] and Martha aren't the same color are they?"  She didn't know because we never told her.  But Audrey is different.  Audrey is biracial/bi-cultural.  Bi-coloredness is part of her identity.  I think I'll be visiting some bi-cultural mom blogs and see how they are handling it.  I feel so unprepared for the race talk.