Drumming

No, none of us are drumming. Tonight after Monarchy and My Architect, I channel surfed into Session 3 : Slave to the Rhythm (about the rhythm that holds music together - be it the beats in today's urban music or percussion in orchestras) of Pop[b]session ("a series of documentaries about rock and pop's greatest instruments and instrumentalists - about passion and virtuosity, about the seduction of musician and audience alike.").

It has been fascinating, and I've noticed Cricket tuning in every now and then. I'm enjoying the journey through percussion history, culture and styles. I think I was probably able to follow along because of the frequent glimpses of the people - the percussionists and their individual stories.

I'm not sure how much I will retain - we're all suffering colds at the moment - stuffy and sneezy and coughy - I'm afraid I'll drown when I go to sleep tonight.

L'Alouette

Big sister rang this evening to ask for translation of the song we know as Alouette. I couldn't bring it immediately to mind, so quickly found my (now catalogued, classified and shelved) Form 1 French text book - A new french course - Part 1.

The lyrics were there, but aside from remembering that it was about plucking a bird, precise translation still eluded me. Babel Fish identified the bird as a lark but le bec as a nozzle instead of a beak. But not all the body parts were in my textbook so google helped me find the answer at Answers.com : Alouette

Slightly different lyrics on YouTube.


Naturally in the process I've been singing the song to my boys.

..you live, you learn...

Looking for uplifting or happy songs - songs that express celebration without being about romantic love (I'm finding such quite difficult to find)... this one happened along - the boys and I think it seems celebratory of our kind of learning.

Reflecting on Late Night Learning

Sandra Dodd recently enhanced a few of her pages, including: Late Night Learning.

I've noticed the article before, and often reflected that a lot of our learning happens late at night.

Last night Fish requested a bout of Dance chasey - the night before I had tried to teach the boys the basic modern waltz steps... they weren't really interested and for some reason I began to chase them with a constant forward waltz step - the next second they began laughing and encouraging me to continue chasing them... I got a work out and we all had a laugh.

Tonight we watched At Five in the Afternoon; last night it was A Rake's Progress. I wish I'd made note of all the other movies that have caught our curiosity at different times - but who thinks about making a note when one is enjoying the movie?

When I was a Lad

How curious... I keep up with Sandra Dodd's updates to her webpages, she recently mentioned this one: When I was a Lad and I played the mp3. The boys loved it - which surprised me. Then "Cricket" recounted a Simpson's episode in which Sideshow Bob sang the whole HMS Pinafore musical to fulfil Bart's last request.

I will *not* be torturing the boys with a bunch of comprehension questions, it will be absorbed into other experiences and we'll discuss our thoughts from time to time. Like: we find it funny as I believe we're supposed to, that 'the rule of the Queen's Navee' would not have naval experience - but really how much of what type of experience would such an authority require to do the job well?

numa numa warcraft in english

The boys loved this one at YouTube today.

supercoolpic

supercoolpicshot1
Originally uploaded by moonflowerdragon.

Take a look at this, they were right to call it supercoolpic don't you think?

Laugh

Now this is the way I love to laugh, reminds me of the time ... no I can't remember what was so funny but I spent 15 minutes laughing ... anyway here 'tis.



Update 11/10/06: Cricket reminded me what I had been laughing about - and it still cracks me up. I asked Cricket to do something - he said 'in a minute, I've just got to...' and when I turn around to see what is so urgent to him - he is tapping at a keyboard (?entering data ?programming ?communicating ?setting off a program?)...

... - which is not actually hooked up to anything ...
... - the urgent matter was a part of some imagination - a game or role play

ROTFLMAO

It just tickled my funny bone. Still cracks me up.

Paper Hats

On September 9, at the Australian Breastfeeding Association Goldfields Regional Meeting I have planned a deBono Thinking Hats session to contemplate the issue of the cost of 2007 conference and training.  I thought it might be fun to have coloured hats to wear while we think in each colour, so I went looking for paper hat instructions.

Using a large coloured sheet might get a little pricey - but perhaps the boys could paint some made from newspaper.  CreativeKidsAtHome had suggestions to achieve the different shapes I'd like to use.  Enchanted Learning offer an origami samurai hat.  Then there is one way to make four different hats.  Then there is the white chef's hat or, from about.com a green leprechaun hat or black top hat.

A green garden hat (from Playschool).

No so usable for me, but fascinating:  While the Smithsonian introduced the Mad Hatter, they don't have images online, so it is Mr Paper I thank for my first image of Moses' beautiful headware sculptures. I'm equally grateful to the student artists, their teacher and Dwight-Englewood School for displaying the students' Mad Hatter inspired creations.

A study of small fluffy creatures and library usage

While my boys are not small fluffy creatures, it is never too soon to learn about appropriate library usage - perhaps this lesson from Peeps will prove valuable .

Cows with Guns AND StarGate

I'd love to look at it: http://stargate-sg1.hu/amanda/videos.php

Today I'm looking for Cows with guns to show a friend.

Architectural fragment = Goa'uld cargo ship?

Mum showed me her link from that sculpture in front of the State Library in Melbourne that reminded her of the Planet of the Apes. When I looked at Lucy Tartan's photo of "Architectural Fragment" I thought I saw a Goa'uld cargo ship.

From a visual riddle or a mystery to an exploration of art

The clue didn't really help me work out what was going on with  Sandra Dodd's Mystery Art.  However I am not perturbed as the clue page linked me to Sandra's Art Ideas and Links which will contribute fascinating material to the arts elements of our 'curriculum'.

Today, particularly, we enjoyed Julian Beever's pavement drawings , particularly the 3-D ones - & the peeks into what they look like from other angles, giving the boys a little insight into how some of the effects were achieved.

Fun with GUF

A date to see the Lion King was full of other pleasures and adventures:

• Riding one of the new trains to town;
• Battling claustrophobia seeking the surface through Melbourne Central;
• Exploring the State Library (from the shades of Planet of the Apes to the Chess room);
• Fish leaping at the Velcro wall in an oversize velcro suit - definitely wish I'd had a camera;
• Fantasising at MindGames - must remember Fish would like a lava lamp;
• Lunching at Maccas; and
• Viewing the city from the Rialto observation deck.

We're not sure how to review the Lion King. (and thankfully we don't need to when such as John Shand saw and heard it similarly to us) While Fish and Cricket were impressed with the opening scenes, particularly the mass gatherings, they lost interest through the middle. However GUF and I were both awestruck by Buyisili Zama's vocal performance. Indeed, that was THE highlight for me, yet I can't describe it. As I don't even know whether the African chants had lyrics, let alone how they might translate, it could only be the sounds that reached in to my chest and played my emotions as if they were harp strings. I cried with no idea why, because the story moments themselves aren't that heart-rending.

Popeyed Fish

The Js visited yesterday, buzzing excitedly about the show at the Begonia Festival. J1 insisted we "come see" PopEyed - some sort of balancing act.

Fish loved their show so much we went back to see it again yesterday, and then again today. I have to admit my own hands hurt from clapping.

While PopEyed's website will give you an idea of their acrobatics, it can't convey the cleverness of the "Russian" theme they use to tie some fun family comedy to the the eye-popping balancing.

M.A.S.H.

New Year's Day spent watching fifth season of M.A.S.H. Cricket's New Year gift, followed by Fish's: Stuart Little collection. Cricket commented that one of the scout leaders in Stuart Little 3 hadn't been a very good example of honourable behaviour.

Sky High / Shark Boy & Lava Girl

Last night Cricket & I watched Sky High with Emby while Fish watched the other with Grub & Merry.

They both enjoyed the movie they saw, though neither will take the time to say much about why just yet.

Knights and Coconuts

Thanks to Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the boys have pestered me for their own clopping coconut. Digging out the hacksaw, I hope for a little coconut meat for my trouble, but alas this coconut is destined for cloppers only. I'll see if I can photo-catch the boys on their knight's quest.