Men are from Mars

 

judahmonet

Photo by Debra Garcia

Like most of us in our generation, I was raised in an environment that emphasized the similarities between the sexes, not the differences. I thought we were all equal and the same and never really questioned it, until I had a kid.  I now realize the folly of that belief.  For it’s never been more clear to me that boys and girls are fundamentally wired differently.  And there’s nothing like the raw impulses of children to hammer that home.

What’s most shocking to me is how the communication style and emotional needs between the sexes are so apparent, even at age 3.  Take, for example, the scene above. That’s my little guy, Judah, and his Thai girlfriend, Monet.  Every time they get together the same thing happens.  She goes to the ends of the earth to vie for his attention and he pretty much ignores her. The more she tries, the more he pulls away. Because, you know,  when you’re 3 years old, what can compete with smashing up cars and pretending to be Kung Fu Panda? Not girls anyway….yet.

Recently Monet spent the entire afternoon trying to hold Judah’s hand, much to his chagrin.  After trying to escape this nonsense unsuccessfully, my little caveman threw his arms up in exasperation and hollered:  “MONET!  Just because I don’t hold your hand, doesn’t mean I don’t love you!!”

Oh…my….god.

Listen to ‘Foreign Girls from the Foreign Girls EP by Joseph Arthur, one of my long-time favorite artists.

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Breaking the Communication Barrier

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Do you remember this Simpson’s episode, ‘Bart’s Dog Gets an F’? The one where the family despairs because Santa’s Little Helper can’t be trained. Then you see the dog’s perspective on the situation and all he can hear is ‘Blah, blah, blah…food. Blah, blah, blah…steak.’  And so on.

That’s pretty much what life is like with a 3 year old. Both dogs and toddlers have very selective hearing and a Pavlovian response to some key words. Life is much easier for me now that I’ve realized this.  Now instead of talking myself blue in the face – pleading and rationalizing with a toddler to cooperate, behave or listen – I just blurt out words like present, gummy bunnies, ice cream cone or jelly bean and he’s right at my side like an obedient little puppy; following me around until said magic word is procured. (“What did you say Mommy? Did you say jelly bean? Is that what you said?”)

It’s so much more energy efficient and pleasant for everyone. Safe too. (‘Judah, I’ll give you a jelly bean if you promise to hold my hand and not run into the street all the way to the park.’) We’re just one big happy family now.  An endless display of tricks and treats.  So if you see some crazy lady walking around San Francisco with a bag full of jelly beans and a 3 year old panting by her side, that’s me.  Say hi!

Listen to Say Hi to Your Mom:

Blah Blah Blah‘:

Snowcones and Puppies‘:

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School of Rock: Cold War Kids

The story of a boy and his toilet paper holder continues.  Judah’s at it again.  This week it’s Cold War Kids, ‘Hang Me Out to Dry’.  While technically not his best work, he gets lots of style points for his Elvis-like footwork. Lead singer Nathan Willett can learn a thing or two from these moves, no?

Cold War Kids and Vampire Weekend top the line up for the Pre-Not So Silent Night Party at Mezzanine in San Francisco this Wednesday, December 10. (Thanks, Joerg for the ticket!)

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Sayulita

sayulita

 

It’s Sunday.  It’s cold and grey outside.  There’s such a clusterfuck of shoppers everywhere I can barely get a coffee. And I’m working. Yuck!  

Rewind two weeks please.  Sayulita, te echo de menos.

Listen to Megapuss, ‘Sayulita‘:

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Anatomy of a Remodel – Part Deux

Quite a while back, I posted some photos documenting the beginning phase of our living room update that included rewiring the room for distributed in wall sound with Paradigm SA-15R speakers and a complete overhaul design-wise by friend, colleague and renowned SF designer, Ken Fulk.  Well, I’m happy to unveil the result of our extreme living room makeover. 

I don’t know if there are enough adjectives to describe how awesome it is.  Suffice it to say, everytime I come home I still pause to make sure I’m in the right house.  It’s so sexy, hip and downright functional I don’t quite know what to do with myself.  Do I really live here? It is now my favorite music listening room too – as I sit in front of the fire and control my Sonos playlists with my iPhone Sonos Controller.  (Oh just stop me already!) Technology can be so good.

Speaking of music, I was going through my inbox today listening to some new tunes sent my way and uncovered this nice French electronica album from ElodieO that sounded perfect in my sexy new digs. She sounds like a trip hop version of Nico at times and a French version of Bjork at others.  I was intrigued to learn as well that Serge Gainsbourg and The Cure arranged some of the songs.

Listen to ‘Crazy‘ – a track off ElodieO’s new album, Stubborn.  If you like what you hear, go see ElodieO at The Elbo Room in San Francisco December 15. 

Listen to ‘Crazy‘:

 

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Before

house

After. See that beautiful orchid? I give it 2 months before I kill it.

house-4

Another perspective.

house-3

The piece de resistance - my $100 Craigslist vintage sofa, refurbished and fabulous in mohair. I never gave up on you, my sweet sofa!

house-2

Here you see the ceiling mounted Paradigm speakers.

 

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Rock the Vote

I knew our household had been over saturated with political propaganda when our three year old started to refer to his willie as his ‘John McCain’.  No kidding.  When asked what he was doing with his hands down his pants recently he replied matter-of-factly, ‘I’m playing guitar with my John McCain.’  

Yeah that’s right.  My kid plays air guitar with his penis.  But lest you think my child is a complete Neanderthal, he also said after seeing Obama on the news, ‘That’s Barack Obama.  He’s my president.’

So please, don’t let my kid down. Get out there today and vote for Obama. Otherwise I’m going to have to explain to my kid that John McCain is his president, not a dick. And I’d really rather not have that conversation.  Besides, how can you resist a kid that rocks out to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in footie PJs?

 

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$20 Changed My Life

I have arrived at the pearly gates of San Francisco street parking heav-an! (I sounded like Oprah in my head when I said that.)  Meter maids be damned!  My days of metered parking roulette are officially over. Last week I was bestowed a precious gift in the form of a San Francisco Parking Meter Debit Card, available in $20 and $50 increments, and I can honestly say it’s changed my life.  No longer am I burdened with the stress of finding change to feed the meter in this town (25 cents gets you about 5 minutes here).  Now all I have to do is swipe and go.  Swipe and go.  It makes me so happy that each time I do it I want to pump my fist in the air and go – “War, war, war.”

MIA, 20 Dollar

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Bad Kids

Great.  My son’s been in pre-school for 3 weeks now and I’m already getting reports that he’s  ‘running with the bad kids’. My sweet angel who just this morning told me I made his heart happy? (Sigh) Say it ain’t so. If it is, it’s gonna be a long 12 years. 

Black Lips, ‘Bad Kids’

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Good Love

 

I awoke at god knows what time this morning because Judah thought there was bug in his room and wanted to cuddle in my bed.  Bleary eyed and half asleep, I obliged. Which is really no hardship on my end. Believe me, he’s the best cuddler in the world.  Except when he sleeps perpendicular to me and kicks me in the head all night.  Which was the case last night.  

So when he awoke at the opposite end of the bed this morning all alone, he said to me sleepily: ‘Mommy, I didn’t give you good love last night!‘  ‘I’m going to come over and give you some good love.’  Which basically means he’s going to puppy-pile on top of me. After settling in and before falling back asleep, he added: ‘I didn’t make you a picture yesterday either, Mommy.  I’m sorry.  I’ll make one for you today.’

How do they get so damn cute?  Every time I see him sleeping so peacefully like this, I always think of this song from The Acorn’s Glory Hope Mountain called ‘Lullaby (Mountain)’. The most beautiful lullaby ever.

Listen to Lullaby (Mountain):

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