My Wishes for the Year Ahead. I wish:

I wish that there didn't have to be such peaks and valleys in this life.
It ought to be that a good run can last a good long time; so good in fact, that you actually get bored and find yourself wishing for something else. Something challenging, some kind of puzzle to work out, something to overcome. Instead, it seems like most of life is a challenge, exhausting you to the bitter core, a mental and physical bashing that takes so long to recover from that you MISS the peaks....so:

I wish that the peaks would last longer.
It should be that you can, with pure joy, grasp each moment of a child's development. Instead, you catch pieces here and there and as they get bigger, taller, smarter. The time flies so much so that when you're cuddling in the early hours of the day, you notice that his hand seems to have grown so big and so strong and so capable overnight. You hold that little hand, knowing it won't be little for long. You have a moment, willing and wishing to always recollect how he feels in the crook of your arm, his little big head heavy on you but seeming to fit perfectly. You know that you can't remember all the moments, but you long to hold on to this one.....so:

I wish our memory banks were bigger.
There were all kinds of memories of when Sarah was small and learning that I wish I could get back. But life got so busy with each new development, then another new being to nurture and remember, and constant sleep-deprivation, that the stores you have deep inside your mind start to spill over and disappear. One at a time those memories are replaced by something else. A new memory of Sarah saying or doing something precious replaces one from when she was smaller. You want to keep them all but can't. You wish you could have BOTH memories instead of just one and all those pin numbers and passwords you need to recall at a moment's notice.....so:

I wish my brain wasn't so full of passwords and pin-numbers.
I can remember my bank card number. And my passwords for all my online activities. And my password for work. I have at least 20 phone numbers in my head at the ready on a moment's notice. I have most of my home administrative responsibilities tucked under my hat somewhere. I have the details of my job tucked in there too. The learning curve of parenting is sometimes more steep than that of an evolving career path. You wish that more of your mental energy could go to being ever-present in your home life, but that's not possible in this day and age. There is simply too much infinite and infatessimal information stored, and not enough first words or comprehensions of the people you most want to remember. So there ought to be two storage areas; one for the numbers and codes and administrative mumbo-jumbo, and one for the "moments" you wish to treasure always, and recollect easily when the valley is at it's deepest. Like when you're worried about one of those little people.....so:

I wish that there were no such thing as learning disabilities.
That's a toughie. But honestly. Everyone should be "smart" and teachable. You should begin life with an infinite ability to learn and then how much and how fast and how well you learn becomes a "nurture" versus "nature" thing. None of this sheer inability to learn because your brain won't or can't do it. Sarah can NOT draw a diagonal line without a guide. Cannot. Can you imagine not being able to print an N or a K or a V? She cannot. N's are much better for her because it starts with a straight line and ends with a straight line. But the K? Leave those two diagonal lines floating there? Her brain cannot comprehend it. Cannot do it. V? And W can only be accomplished with rounded bottoms and straight lines. It looks like a W. But a V looks like a U. Sarah can read the word "and" 50 times in a row and know it. Then she can go away for a five minute break, come back, and not know the word "and". She doesn't understand that me just telling her not to put her mittens on the wet ground means that really she ought to stop putting her mittens on the wet ground, or that I just explained that singing into her brother's ear isn't a good thing because it can damage them means she should stop doing that. She needs to be told. Each step. And many times. Add to that the fact that she's at the age where they can start to formulate their own opinions and will therefore fight for what they believe to be all that is good and just and fair in the world, and what you can often get is a non-comprehending, argumentative, and often confused girl. So banish the learning disabilities. None. Everyone gets a good strong brain and if it's fed properly, then everyone gets to understand how to read and do numbers and print and concentrate on their work. What makes learning disabilities so hard is that the child appears in every way normal. So there is less patience for their behaviours because if they do something socially unacceptable, they aren't in some way disabled, they are "weird". So.....

I wish that people would stop telling me there is nothing wrong with my sweet girl and just accept that there IS something wrong with her and cut her some slack.
That is a big wish. But it is part of what's making me feel down today. Valley-ish. The peak was Saturday and it was a beautiful family day in so many ways. But it ended on a low note (I mean, the very last half hour of it, so not enough to ruin it). Then Sunday dawned on a low note and was pretty much a struggle. Then there was homework and it dawned on me - as it often dawns on me as if I were JUST comprehending the scope of her disabilities for the first time - that this child has many complex and serious issues that will dog her for her entire life. I don't like that I can't clear her mind and make her think like the mainstream of society. I don't like that something, some actual EVENT, happened during her development to "injure" her white matter so that she cannot traverse the seamless world of abstract thought to concrete, that she cannot go from right brain to left brain thoughts and ideas, that she can't see that some of her more "quirky" behaviours are going to set her apart. I can't chase it away and that's what I really want more than anything....so:

I wish that my Christmas gifts could all be traded for the ability to make Sarah "better" and for me to be able to remember their growing and their words and the laughter with incredible clarity.
I wish it. I don't need tops or pants or "stuff". But I DO need to remember holding James' hand this morning, cuddling Sarah to warm her up, sleeping with her on my chest, her crossing her arms to proclaim "no flair!", James wanting to say grace and thanking God for "food, milk, and hot sauce", Sarah hiding in the leaves and waiting for daddy to get home to surprise him, James playing his musical instruments in time with the music on the radio, Sarah proclaiming "this is Roxanne" from the first bar of the song by The Police. Her compassion, his passion. Her ability to nurture, his comprehension. Her easy-going nature, his fierce independence. God, I wish I could retain it all. And banish the wall in Sarah's brain that prevents so much daily ability.

But.
Some of my wishes have come true already.

I have two beautiful children who are powerful in each their own ways.
I have a home I love, even if there are ways I'd like to improve it.
I have the ability to get around, and the good fortune to be able to take care of the children's needs.
I have a good job and wonderful colleagues to spend one-third of my life with. I am blessed to be challenged in my job and to be doing what I really like to do.
I have a good extended family, even if I wish some of them could understand the challenges a little better.
I have my health. I am strong enough to lug those kids around when they need me physically.
I have my stamina. I can outrun them. Even if it exhausts me, which it mostly does.
I have the future, and the everlasting optimism that the next peak will be better than the last and that the valleys will not be deep and will be easy to traverse.
I have friends. I feel love from unexpected places and that helps to buoy me through the deeper valleys.
I love. Some people can't. But I can. And that is the greatest gift.

There are wishes. There are always wishes. But there are also wishes granted. I will try to be mindful....so:

I wish I could remember that there were wishes I wished that have come true. I remembered in writing this. I hope YOU remember in reading it.

Thanks for stopping by. Merry Christmas....
I WISH it for you.

What is a Mommy to do?

Last night I bawled.

A full out cry-fest.

Was I feeling sorry for myself, or what?

I'd been grumpy with the kids. Was very tired, and it is a lot of work doing the whole swim lesson thing with them. But I managed, got home, scrambled up some eggs, and then set to cleaning up the kitchen a bit.

But I was tired. Sarah wanted me to read; I needed to clean. I grumped at her. Then I was sorry for it. I apologized, left some of my tasks, and then went in to read to her in the living room. I apologized for my behaviour and explained that I was especially tired. Crisis averted.

We read and I calmed down. Then James asked me for help with the magna doodle. He had been making shapes and calling them out. I had chuckled with the "guare, shirckle, and shriakle" attempts as he was "colouring". But now he wanted to use the magna-pen. So I got down on the floor and traced his hand for him. Then together we printed J A M E S above it. I asked what that said and he said "Jayyymesh".

What was that???

"Jaymesh".

Oh no! No! No, James no! You did not just say "James"!


He did. And then he did 5 more times, giggling everytime it tickled off his tongue. I was devestated. Pure, tragic, horrible, world-altering forever devestation!!!

My baby is gone. My baby who has always called himself "Beash", is gone. No longer "Beash", this "Jaymesh" is ready to take on the world. He is confidant and brash. He is strong and smart. He gets the step-stool from the bathroom, turns on the light, and then returns the stool to it's spot. He wore one pull-up all day yesterday. He wants to do up his "beat belt" himself. He knows his numbers and letters and colours and shapes. He wants to go on Sarah's school bus. He no longer calls his little friend "Bellbee" - it's now "Shelby" clear as a bell.

And he rides a trike like a real pro, and always wants to go "fasser, mom! Beash go fasser."

This morning, James seemed to be back to "Beash". But when I dropped him off this morning and told Kit the story, she nodded knowingly. She sang a song and at the end the child calls out his or her name: James said "Jaymesh."

I said, "well, I am going to my car now to have another cry."

I didn't, but I think I could have. It's not that he's growing. That is wonderful and magical. It's that it's happening SO FAST. Out of my control. They grow and we can't stop time, not for a minute. I try to capture the little moments, but days are so full. So much to do to care for two children and try to hold down a job at the same time. You wish some of the moments away because you're so tired. I almost did that last night by sending Sarah away with her book.

I am glad I slowed down. But my reward: My baby says his name.

Slow the world down, someone, won't you? I want to get off, and take my kids with me! Just for a couple of years!

Hug your kids, nieces, nephews, husbands, wives, friends, coworkers. Look at them. Tomorrow they will be somehow different. In most cases better. But different. Love them for who they are today.

And cherish the moments.

I love you all, good readers.

k

Two Weeks Down, 12 More YEARS to Go!

Sarah.

End of week two. Exhausted.

Long bus rides. First one on in the morning, last one off at night. Somehow that doesn't seem entirely fair to me, but what do I know? I am watching it closely though. And if it goes beyond 50 minutes I am going to say something. It's been over an hour too many times. What's the poor kid to do? No time to play!

Another totally new and exciting thing is eating lunch in the gym. How new the notion of a lunch bag. But alas....every single day so far something has gone missing.

"Where are your barretts?"
"I dunno" [shrug]
"Where is the BOTTOM of this lunch container?"
"I dunno" [shrug]
"Where is your spoon?"
"I dunno" [shrug]
"Where is your HAT?"
[gasp] "Oh!....I dunno"
"Where is your brand new snack container I JUST bought you?"
[gasp]......"I.....don't know"
"Sarah! Not ANOTHER sandwich container! What are we to do about this?"
"I don't know. Um... maybe don't give me sammiches anymore."
"And your carrot container from the other day?"
"No more carrots either, maybe."
"Oh, so now there are no sandwiches, no carrots, no grapes, no yogurt ever to be in your lunch. Sarah, you can't go to school with an EMPTY lunch bag....you'll STARVE!"
[shrug]

Grrr. My friend Patricia is struggling with these same issues with her newly endowed grade one daughter. This gives me some small comfort, at least knowing that I am not the only one. But as Patricia and I discussed, if an item is lost each day of the school year, we'll be broke. And the landfill will be pretty darn full. Kind of counter to what we were looking for, isn't it?

So today Sarah has a sandwich cut into triangles. In a handy-dandy sandwich BAG. It will be mushy by lunch time, which was the fate my sandwiches suffered each day of my young student life, but she made her bed and now must lie in it.

Sure, she's only still 6, and that's a pretty hefty responsibility to place on her shoulders, but someone decided she is big enough to spend all day at school, so by extension she's big enough to eat at school in the gym with the other kids. So therefore, she ought to be responsible enough to bring those items home that got into the bag in the first place.

Well... I guess.

Personally I can't see how hard it is to look around your eating area and make sure you have sandwich container, yogurt container, carrot container, spoon. Even for a six year old I can see how it would work. I was 6 once. I don't remember my mom going gray over me losing stuff. But me, clearly I am different.....

"You know, of all the spoons you could have lost, you didn't even lose the one we have doubles of. You lost your favourite blue one."
"I KNOW mom! Don't remind me! It upsets me!"
"Good! Use that! Be upset! That will mean you CARE about the items you're taking to school. That will help you LOOK around the area and remember to put the stuff in your bag."
"You want me to be sad?"
"I don't know, Sarah - is it helping?"
"I guess. I dunno." [shrug]

[Mom shrugs]. We'll see, I guess.

How to instill some sort of understanding of the effort to pack her lunch, the money spent to outfit her lunch bag, the cost to us and the environment if she's so nonchalant about things and things go to waste. How, how, how?

Is there anyone who knows? Or does time tell with regard to such things?

I'm not usually good at patience. But - sigh - something tells me I better bone up on the finer points of 'waiting it out.'

Until next time.....
k

What it means to find high school.....

Wow.

I am in awe today.

So....Kayla is going away to school tomorrow. That in itself is one thing. Wasn't Kayla just a small girl? Wasn't she just the little kid who came to the cottage with us? Afraid of a rain storm in the car? Wasn't she just the toddler who wanted to sleep with me because she was cold?

But now, my eldest niece is off. I'm feelin' it. Not like her parents and sister I'm sure, but I am.

So I thought it was time to join facebook so I could keep in touch with her. So I did it.

And then I kind of got that glassy-eyed look like a kid in a candy store. WOW! I could find Jen Lowery, I bet. AND THEN I DID!!! I could find others maybe. I tried. Found Byron - wow!. Then others found me somehow. Then Lea joined up and before you could be sent to the Vice Principal's office (that would be Lea, for readers who don't know that. It's meant to be a joke), SHE has found a page that Karen C created (who else but our fearless co-leader?) for AISP.

Freaken WOW.

I have been to my own private high school reunion.

And it made me think of John Wilson! Isn't that guy Mayor yet? He'd likely do a better job!

What a trip. The only thing left is to know whether or not the John Walker I emailed yesterday is in fact the Johnny Walker I was a child with. If it is, my mind is OFFICIALLY blown.
All this because Kayla's off to Nipissing. I shoulda done it months ago.

Thanks, Kayla!

Weird Water Weight

'Kay.

So I am a little downtrodden by the fact that in the midst of summer no one wants to Pilate with me. That's okay. I can understand it.

But MY body needs the workout, I'm stiff, and I'd really like to get back on the wagon.

Then today, 680 News was discussing how there is a new study (egad - not ANOTHER study!) that suggests that in order to lose weight and keep fit, and fight "the bulge", adults over 35 need 5 (yes, read 'em) days of 55 minute exercise sessions.

5!
55 Minutes each!!

Okay. Well, so The Pro isn't doing too bad here. I work out 4 - 5 times a week for an hour.

But.

Here comes the caveat.
I KNOW I am not getting enough cardio. And I REALLY know that 5 times a week has been hard to hit the last 2 months or so.

Now here's the kicker.
My slower than slow metabolism just doesn't like me. It isn't about diet for me. I eat reasonably. But my body just doesn't use it all. ...So I started feeling all bloaty and big in that spare tire section. ...So I realized I had to do something.

When, I wondered to self, was I feeling most swarthy and good...?

Well, other than when I was hitting the gym 6 days a week for 2 hours...

Oh... I know.
When I was taking these:

I dunno. Does it help with the metabolism? I've been back on them just over a week. My waist somehow feels better. Is it the Vitamins? Or is it weird water weight?

I dunno. I tried other ones. Just didn't like them as well. Or my body didn't. Or it's still just weird water weight. Who's really to say? Is every body different? Can anyone come up with that magic solution or is it just experimentation? If they really do work, will I have to take them for life? What if they go off the market? The Jamieson ones don't work half so well....

sigh!

I wish I had magic answers.
But alas. I do not.

Anyone got magic answers?

People Are So Self-Righteous!

Poor Steven Page.

Not ONLY is his marriage a mess. Not ONLY does he have substance issues. Not ONLY was he caught with it and busted....

No, it's even worse. Busted is the US. Plastered all over Entertainment Tonight and Perez Hilton.

No, it's even worse. Now the band won't be playing Disney or promoting Snacktime at that event.

Nope, worse still. Events are being canceled all over the place.

Even worse; so-called fans are placing judgment on this issue as if they'd been there. As if they knew what demons Steve lives with. As if they knew the details of that night or even the last year. As if they knew what personal hell this must be for him.

No, personal hell is not enough. Somehow, we've got to make it WORSE for him.

I posted on the BNL website that it is too bad so-called fans feel compelled to click on Perez Hilton to view his mug shot. I can admit to being curious. How did he look? I wonder. But I won't do it. I will stand on principle and refrain from standing at the train-wreck that this is and poring over the carnage. I won't click on those links.

Instead, I will continue to groan when I hear of another cancellation for the band. I will continue to wonder how many times Ed (who loves to swear - what a TERRIBLE role model. Read: sarcasm) has uttered his favourite four letter expletives, I will continue to hope that Steve is able to hold his head up through all the media attention, and I will continue to post on the message boards that I am here to offer my support to both him and the band.

This sucks.

It's such a bad train wreck and gets worse by the day. For Steve, for the band, for his family.

But I won't waver.

Hang in there Steve. "When you were born, people looked at you and said, what a smart boy, what a strong boy, what a good boy."

Heartbroken!

I just finished posting on the Barenaked Ladies Message Board.

This is what I said:

A little heartbroken this morning; the local [read: loudmouthed] rock station was goofing on the whole thing. My heart has never sunk so fast. I'm not sure what it is. I don't know if it's the drugs or the nefarious sounding surroundings of it. I have been a fan since day one. Was so proud to be able to show off Band Number One to my kids with Snacktime. Have NEVER thought of it as a sell-out. I still love ya, Steve. Not sure who I feel worse for - you and your family, or the band. Timing stinks as it always does in a situation like this.

Hang in there. There can be bumps in the road - just don't go and Belushi yourself.

Here till the end - k

What a sad sad day. Not only did I not want to hear this news, but I don't want to have to explain it to Sarah. I'm not pulling pious - I feel for the guy, in a big way. I know how things happen and not being any saint myself I am not prone to say what others on the Boards are saying which is "shame on you, Steve."

But on the other hand, they JUST put the new CD out there, and kids everywhere are falling in love with their music; Sarah doesn't just want to hear Snacktime, she wants Gordon and Maroon and anything I can throw at her (which is a lot because I am a huge fan). What are parents thinking this morning? What are they going to do? Will they prevent their kids from listening?

I hope not. It's hopefully just a "blip" (as Sarah likes to call 'em).

I am heartbroken today. I've never felt like this. I feel bad for all the guys, Steve, Ed, Kevin, Jim and Ty. For Steve's family. For myself. For Diane. For Sarah and Maggie and James and Ian.

I feel bad. I'm havin' a bad day. Nothing you can do or say. Havin' a bad day. Think I'll stay in my room.......

love ya Steve.....
k

Small Fortunes and Talented Artists

'Kay, so the car's gonna cost us $500 smackaroos. So I said something about it last night, prompting Sarah to say "is that a lot of money?"

"Yes, it is. It's quite a bit."
"Yeah, but is it ALL your money?"
"No, but it's a lot of money right now."
"Yeah, but mom, is it ALL you HAVE?"

There was the kicker. In the grand scheme of things, unwelcome though it may be, the guy didn't say "a grand", the guy didn't say "it's dead".

Kids are great at perspective. Bless her giant big perspective-giving heart.

Item two for your consideration this day:

So... giving this blogging thing some thought.

I realize that I miss writing. I am good at it and I love it. I have a 2/3 written manuscript somewhere (psst - don't tell Chris it's on DATA). It's a good story I think, with lots of twists and turns (interestingly, Dee, it goes back and forth in time, this before I ever read Outlander!). I think I need to make time to work on it. But when??? I can't even make time to do some much needed cardio, let alone sit and WRITE. Heck, I don't feel like I have time to even sit and think some days.

Mama needs a laptop.

Anyway, me aside for a moment. A lot of people I know are talented. Take Miyuki. Ever seen this:

http://baikautsugi.livejournal.com/


That is one talented artist there! And on this wonderful page she laments lack of time for honing her craft. It's true. There is lack of time. How is that? Why is that?

We gotta make time, peeps. Life is too short. We've known too many artists who have had all their time to practice their craft wrested from them too early. I take for granted my talent for writing, and I waste it daily. On living life.

But is it living life, or going through the paces? And is there a difference if you do it intentionally and don't just plow through it? (Though some days are plow days, and some days you have time to notice that your little one now says CARRRR and not cah.)

What to do?
What to do?

Any ideas, other talented peeps?

Am I the only one who seems surrounded by extremely expressive people? Look at Brad and Diane's pictures:
That ain't nothin'! If you go over to the side of my blog there, you'll see EastCoastARama is on of my faves. Click on it and see how even capturing a group hug becomes artistic expression!!

My peeps is talented.

Cheers to the talent. And hope that time can be found to be creative!



k

Stainless Steel Water Bottles

So anyone who knows someone or IS someone with small kids heard all about the bisphenol-A fiasco. That's where all the manufacturers of baby bottles and sippy cups wanted us to have the clearest, glass-like plastic bottles ever, so they used this chemical to prevent the plastic from yellowing or clouding. Only, who cares if the plastic isn't clear if everytime it heats up it's releasing harmful chemicals into our kidlets bodies?!

So everyone and their brother has been producing stainless steel waterbottles of late. You can go to one of the more shi-shi specialty children's stores and find them for $25 bucks a pop (or more). You can go to an outfitters store and do the same. You can get them insulated.

OR you can get an email from Kitchen Stuff Plus like I did yesterday and see a special for 33% reduction in price, to get kid-friendly sized 500 ml water bottles for $8.00, and 750 ml for $10.00. So I went on the way home and grabbed a blue one for Sarah, a red one for James, and a 750 blue one for me.

The only problem is the cap is plastic. BUT it isn't clear plastic and doesn't have the evil 7 on it. And I really think you can't get entirely away from plastic. But if it's just the cap, and liquid isn't in contact with it all the time, presumably there is less leeching??? Alas. Win some and lose some so they say, right?

So now the kids have new water bottles, and we can finally do that big purge of plastic plastic and more plastic. We DID get rid of a little crappy bisphenol A laden Princess sippy cup that was just bad to the bone!!!! So, anyone else big on the Stainless Steel Option???

Come on Ovah and Chat a Little

Hey there. I am doing this again. Some of my happier days were blogging days, back in the day we called it Blobbing. Now I am going to "blob" again and invite you to join me. Nothing is off topic. Let's talk about it all, or nothing. Though to talk about nothing will be muchos boringos.

So let me begin. What in your mind is the best 80's movie? There were some good ones. But you can't count Star Wars because that began in the 70s even though it might have helped to shape the 80s, and personally I didn't see it till the 90s. And same with Rocky. There was a lot of camp in the 80s. Golan Globus and their "shoot 'em up ex army guys save the western world chuck norris" flicks. Monty Python. Airplane movies. (Ooh again that wonderful series began in the 70s!) But then you had Goonies, Stand by Me, St. Elmo's Fire, Breakfast Club, and many more coming of age films. Right when I was coming of age.

I have to say, at this stage of my life, I am gonna go with Ferris Bueller's Day off. It was THE movie. And to this day I love to sing "when Cameron was in Egypt land....let my Cameron gooooo." Gotta love the state-of-the-art answering machine in that scene. I also thought of Ferris' sound equipment and sure wished I had a keen set up like that. Look at how much room it took up!

Better off Dead was a good one too. And it really made an excellent starting point for our boy John Cusack (never count 16 Candles. He was a supreme nerd in that one. No, better the John that gets to wear his collar UP). I smile every time I think of that kid collecting for the newspaper on his bike. "2 Dollars! I want my Two dollars!" Such nostalgia - when was the last time you saw anyone collecting???

Top Gun was a real classic. Did you know I wrote the sequel along with my friend Jennifer? Yes we did. We alternated writing chapters, and got three binders full. Yeah, more nostalgia. We HAND wrote the thing. Before computers could do it, before email exchanges or blogs or IM or texting. Before T9 we did it long hand. Man, I feel old. Yes, it was more than 20 years ago. I mean, I have the 20th Anniversary DVD!!!! So many cute guys. Wonder what Barry Tubb or Whip Hubley are doing now? We all KNOW about Tom Cruise. Maybe too much.

Nowadays it's Lost. WAS Jericho and Lost but Jericho is but a thing of the past. Still I managed to be part of that really big effort to bring it back and so at least we got another 7 episodes. That was something I will always remember. How maybe our little movement changed the way TV numbers are gathered. So now it's Lost. And there are more theorists than episodes of the series these days, so I will leave it to the Really Big Brains. Though maybe a little talk about it wouldn't be entirely offensive!

What 80s shows were good? A Team? Magnum PI? Rip Tide? Miami Vice? Hardcastle & McCormick? Knight Rider? Family Ties? Cosby? Soap? Yes, Soap. Gotta love that one, and Billy Crystal was just a wee thing back then. 80s was not the heyday of TV - that was earlier. But it was the era of really good and available repeats, so I saw a lot of those earlier classics like Lucy, Gilligans Island, Brady Bunch, Flintsones. But for it's own time, I guess the best it had to offer was Family Ties. Go ahead and remind me of others....

Music? Well for me it was Duran Duran, U2, Blondie, Joan Jett, and great movie soundtracks like Top Gun (there it is again, groan), Footloose, Cocktail, Flashdance. In retrospect, certain bands did a ton for the industry. Who knew U2 would end up so huge? If they aren't careful, one day they could overshadow the Beatles.

Another thing that shaped my existence was Band Aid and Live Aid. I finally learned to get outside of my box. It was a huge thing. And there was Phil Collins jetting from Heathrow in London to New York to be on both stages. I watched it all.

So, talk to me. Do you care about anything I've said? Share your opinions! You know you want to!