the barber

Remember that part in Moonstruck? Where Cher meets the young and awesome Nicholas Cage at the opera?

I do. I remember thinking, "WOW, what a cool date!!" And I also remember thinking, "Yeah, like I'M ever gonna go to the opera..."

Well, last night, I did!

A few weeks ago, Meego reported that they were learning about opera in his TAG reading class, and that they would have the opportunity to go see an actual opera in a few weeks. What? Sure enough, his teacher sent home a letter about a local special "school night" presentation of "The Barber of Seville". In the meantime, they studied that particular Rossini opera and were offered specially priced tickets to go if they wanted to.

Well, Meego wanted to. The teacher would chaperone, but there were a few tickets available for parents, so I jumped on one myself, and last night was our big "date".

I've never been to an opera before and wasn't sure what to expect. My knowledge of "The Barber of Seville" was limited to a Rossini CD we have and the classic Bugs Bunny rendition.

It was wonderful! And who knew that "The Barber of Seville" has nothing to do with rabbit hunting?!

Anyway, we both enjoyed ourselves and this was something we SO don't do. Got dressed up. Went downtown on a Friday night. To the opera! Some of Meego's school friends of the female persuasion got a kick out of seeing him in a tie. This from the kid who is all t-shirts all the time. Seriously. He will NOT wear buttons, let alone a tie.

But for the opera he did.

It wasn't a young Nick Cage in a tux, but it was still special.
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swarm

Happy Illustration Friday Saturday! This week's prompt is "swarm" and I did this quick sketch of birds at the trough.

We used to have bird feeders, which soon became cat feeders - if y'know what I'm sayin'. Didn't seem very nice.

individuality

I was back at the police station this week. I got a letter a week or so ago that said my first round of fingerprints didn't quite cut it for the CBI and FBI. Sheesh.

Apparently, this happens quite often, so I'm not the only one to feel unhuman. There's not a whole lot going on at work right now. State assessment tests start next week, so we're just looking to get those over and done with. It's so dull, I decided that going to the police station to get fingerprinted was the most productive use of my time.

I arrived and it was the usual waiting area cast of school employees, foster parent applicants, and criminals. Hard to say who was which. A few people got up to go outside and smoke a cigarette and/or make phone calls. One cigarette smoking woman did a few yoga-like stretches while hauling on her cigarette. Not a common sight.

Me, I decided to actually read the fingerprinting information materials. Word to the wise: bring a book or doodle pad if you ever need to get fingerprinted. Anyway, I learned that certain things can cause fingerprints to wear down to the point of not being good enough for the FBI. Two I remember are "age" and "hobbies".

I'm going to ignore the "age" thing and chalk it up to too much fingerpainting as a professional child.
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don't need no stinkin' TV

I've confessed here before that I don't watch much TV, although I have tried. Really. I have.

I don't watch Oprah, I don't watch American Idol, I don't watch CSI:Anywhere - none of it. I just find it all so... so... so... BORING. And sometimes, it actually makes me angry, as in "The Bachelor" is SO not how to find a life partner! And who was voted off of "Dancing with the Stars" is SO not headline news!

But I can deal with it. That said, I do actually enjoy a good NOVA episode now and then. Geek much?

I typically have a book or two going, though. I can start one, and if it is a total yawner, I have no qualms about not finishing it. Right now, I'm reading "Water for Elephants". It was just recently made into a movie and an ad for it popped up on the computer one day. Wolfgang happened to be nearby and he suggested I read the book, then Magnum and I go see the movie. I think he's just trying to get rid of us for a while, but whatever, I decided to check the book out.

And, lo and behold, I actually like it! I can't remember the last novel I actually finished and I've just a few pages left. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie. While I read, it was hard for me to see pretty Boy Robert Pattinson as the lead. I just think of him as Vampire Edward, but he may just pull it off.

So anyway, I highly recommend it. Turn off the TV and read this book instead.

In movie news, we recently watched Prince of Persia. It's not bad for family viewing - there's something for everyone: Magic and Battles, Muscles and Boobs... Although I was left wondering why it was that the people of ancient Persia all spoke with British accents, but I guess that's how it goes in Hollywood.

Magnum and I also recently watched Rory O'Shea Was Here and liked it too. It was funny and sad and touching and thought provoking, and I liked all of the main characters. It was rated R, I guess just for a few F-bombs, but really, that's a stretch. Good flick.

What's in your bookshelf and DVD player?
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layer

Happy (?) Illustration Friday on Saturday! This week's prompt is "layer".

So I was thinking... hmmm... "layer"... and the images of flower petals and waterfalls and mountain ranges and desserts were swimming in my brain. But there was one particular image that, for some crazy *ahem* reason, kept persisting, so I decided to just indulge and create that one.

Besides, the voices said I should.

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how will I tell the milkman?

Okay, so we know how I got that world's bravest crossing guard job a little over a month ago. A little background:

This particular school crossing is a notoriously dangerous one in our area. It's 5 to 6 lanes of popular east/west commuter route. A reduced speed zone of about 350 feet is in place during the morning and afternoon school commute times.

But still, they speed.

Despite the fluourscent green signs, despite the white stuff painted on the roads, despite the flashing lights... they speed. I didn't realize how bad it was until I became world's bravest crossing guard.

And it's not just the pedestrian kids to worry about. Naturally, there is noticable increased motor traffic during before and after school. Many left turns a-happening into and out of the street leading to the school. In my short time there, I have witnessed many near misses and am actually surprised to have not yet had an actual incident.

The school safety committee has squeaked the police department's wheel plenty of times to give a little help. They are certainly sympathetic, but with budget cuts and such, they can only do so much. And frankly, I'd just as soon they put murderers, rapists and child molesters as a higher priority anyway.

That said, they do occassionally drive by my post a couple of times during duty. This helps a bit, but this afternoon... Oh THIS AFTERNOON, a couple of totally hawt motorcycle cops came over and set up shop at the side street just across the street from me. Yeah, you know 'em. Black shiny helmets, black cool motorcycle cop jackets, shiny white Harley's... oh baby.

Within 3 minutes, they'd each nabbed a criminal.

As if that wasn't sweet enough, one was an SUV, the other, ... omg omg... a minivan. MINIVAN!

And I am suddenly maddeningly overflowingly bursting with love.
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sweater

I'm a day behind this week, so it's Illustration Friday on a Saturday on a Sunday! This week's prompt is "sweater".

I've reached the last page of my cutie pocket moleskine, so I drew this somewhat lonely looking girl bracing against the chill... for Valentine's day.

What's the story? Her boyfriend gave her that sweater before deploying overseas? Her boyfriend gave her that sweater before dumping her? Because she's pregnant?? Her boyfriend gave her that sweater before telling her that his wife is pregnant??? All of the above?

Whatever, it's a sweater. It's the end of a moleskine. Time to open another.
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