weapons of massdistraction

Yesterday certainly was a kick in the pants, in the best way possible. I took the afternoon off from work so that I could spend the day with the little man’s class…on a field trip to the Children’s Museum. It had been an awfully long time since I’d ridden a school bus, and the interior was much smaller than I remembered (even though I was the same height then…I haven’t gotten significantly taller since the sixth grade). I knew the little man looked forward to his bus rides, but witnessing the spectacle firsthand was another thing. We were fully revved up before setting foot in the museum…which we are frequent visitors to, but this trip was even more fun…with a handful of classmates to chase around, and the little man’s teachers to goof off with. Upon arrival we had a good three+ hours to knock ourselves out. We were so successful that the little man took a long nap (a rare occurrence) when we returned home.

Round these parts the return of Spring often means the return of touring bands. I missed Mirah the week before last. But tomorrow night is the Deerhoof show. Next month sees Sondre Lerche at the Fine Line. June brings the much anticipated Magnetic Fields show, as well as a bittersweet boon…the Decemberists are coming back to town. They were just here last November. I decided to skip that show, lest the secondhand smoke harm the baby. Oh, the irony.

Even though it’s my second go at it, I still haven’t gotten the hang of this whole wife thing. Some might say I need to set my priorities straight. Motherhood, no problem. But wifehood? Working on it. Friday night I came home from the office to find the husband wheezing like Darth Vader. His recent bout with sleeplessness took its toll, letting his defenses down enough for him to catch a cold…which aggravated his asthma…which was exacerbated by his cat allergy…which led him to the ER to use their industrial strength nebulizers. Unfortunately this occurs a couple of times a year (rinse / lather / repeat). Fortunately we have the husband’s family to help out. His folks take him to the hospital (I can’t imagine any four year-old doing well waiting around the ER…especially not my four year-old). Afterwards he spends a few days recuperating at a large cat-free zone…also known as his sister’s house. Knowing the drill I wasn’t too worried about him. Still, I suppose I could’ve, you know, waited at the house for word of his condition. Instead the little man and I had the highlight of our weekend. We had an awesome time going out to dinner with the neighbors. At least I remembered to get the husband some takeout.

This week’s gloomyass weather hasn’t stopped me from looking ahead. Our flukish Sunday, all sunshine and 88 degrees (with a tornado or two thrown in later on), has kept me fixated on thoughts of summer…and there’s much to look forward to, above and beyond BBQs, picnics and playground visits. The Walker Art Center’s building may be closed, but they have this whole “Walker Without Walls” thing planned. Including Walker in the Rough, an artist-designed mini-golf course set up in the sculpture garden. Cool. As well as a David Byrne performance in June, and the annual outdoor music and movies series starting in July. A little less arty, and a lot closer to home, is the District Del Sol’s own music and movies series…with most of the films already receiving the little man’s stamp of approval. Also in our fair city is something I may end up regretting…but I’m thinking of taking the little man to a St. Paul Saints game this season. The husband and I aren’t sports fans by any means, but the little man has been talking about baseball an awful lot lately. And the Saints games are far less corporate (and less expensive) than the Twins, are outdoors rather than under a dome, and I’ve heard they can be a lot of fun. I think I’ve been unduly influenced…after reading Michael Chabon’s Summerland, and listening to an NPR commentator discuss his favorite baseball films. But all of that is still a ways off. This morning’s rain will keep us daydreaming…while we attend the library’s storytime.

I’ve gotten used to, and have been benefiting from, my walk to work. But with the strike over, I’m tempted to catch the bus today. I should be able to stretch those stored value cards by mixing things up…by walking more often than not.
In other news, I showed some restraint on Saturday…and opted against purchasing Pixies tickets. It pains me, especially after reading the glowing reviews of their first reunion show, but I’m trying to be grown up about this. After all, I did just sell my car so that we could catch up on bills and lower our monthly expenses. And I did get to see The Pixies, with Love and Rockets, in 1989. And I do have a consolation prize…I already purchased slightly-less-expensive tickets to The Magnetic Fields show. So there.
Speaking of saving money, as much as I adore the Tea Garden, I’ve been cutting back on my splurging. Over the weekend I picked up the goods to create my favorite beverage myself…jumbo-sized black tapioca pearls, extra wide straws, and I cheated and bought pre-made Vanilla Soy Chai beverage. Each DIY concoction costs less than 1/3 of what I was paying the baristas for it.
Again, on the frugal gourmet tip, I have to give a shout out to Paul Davidson, who kindly sent me a free signed copy of his book, Consumer Joe.

This compendium of oddball customer query and complaint letters should tickle the ribs of anyone who’s ever considered writing a letter to protest an inferior product or solve a merchandise mystery (e.g., why are Wendy’s hamburgers square?). Hollywood writer Davidson, working under the pseudonym David Paulson, reprints some 100 letters he wrote to American companies, as well their representatives’ responses to his rather unusual comments and requests.

Some friends who were over this weekend each thumbed through it, resulting in two side effects 1) loud guffaws 2) obliviousness to their surroundings. Go buy it, if you can.
Last week was amazingly productive, but the dreaded To Do list still seems to expand rather than shrink. If I can’t tackle it into submission, hopefully I can keep its bloat reigned in a bit. GiddyUp!