Markers

Here are some things DJ has said recently.

It’s Valentines, and even though it is not a holiday I participate in, DJ is ‘forced’ to make or buy a valentine’s card for every kid in his class. That’s about 20! We made him do the math... if every kid made 20 cards and every kid received 20 cards, about how many cards would be in the class room that day? 400!!
In any case, here is what he did. He took a red piece of paper and cut that into a heart shape. Then he divided it up with a pen into 20 sections and numbered them 1 thru 20. I took a photo of him holding this heart up, in case it needed to be proven later. Then he cut it up and glued each piece onto a small card.
On M’s, he put number one on the front and number twenty on the back.
Me: Why don’t you give her some chocolate as well. You could do it anonymously.
DJ: Mom! I’m already giving her two pieces of my heart!!

This comment was said on the way to the bank.
DJ: It must be hard to figure out where to buy your house.
ME: What do you mean?
DJ: Well, you have to decide… do you want to live near your friends, the ocean, the mountains. Do you want to live in the city or the country? Do you want to live in a poor neighborhood or a rich one?

We arrive at the bank. It is in a building, part of two large buildings with a courtyard between them. In the courtyard is a fountain. DJ proceeds to find 3 dimes and a coin from the Netherlands in it.

A while ago BRKVW asked a question of our dinner guests,” Which would you rather give up… your right to bear arms or your right to vote?”
DJ: I would keep my right to bear arms and give up my right to vote, because I don’t have the right to vote now.
I love how he thinks he has the right to bear arms at his age, without question, as if it is an inalienable right, even to him. Yet he knows he cannot vote.
When asked, what would your answer be when you are 18 and have the right to vote? He said his answer might change.

DJ: [in disbelief] Mom, did you know that the other day when SimonFunk was talking backwards, he was making it up?
Me: [laughing] Yes. [realizing that DJ had actually been saying a few words here and there backwards… trying to get as fluent as Simonfunk]

Later on I walk in on:
DJ: On!
SF: Sey!
DJ: On!
SF: Sey!
DJ: On!
SF: Sey!
DJ: [smiling] Mom, were are arguing.

Mom, I have a uni-brow! Can I shave it or something? Get rid of it?

DJ: Today, I put M’s music stand back for her.
Mom: Wow. What did she say?
DJ: Thanks.
Mom: That was very cool! Hey, how about you put her music stand away after every class?
DJ: No, that would be setting up a pattern.

However... the next opportunity he had, he did it again...:)

Sometimes when DJ and I are in the car and the radio is on and a classic song comes one, I ask DJ ‘who is this’. All in an effort to slowly, over time, introduce him some great rock and roll. At first his standard answer to every question was ‘Queen’ or ‘The Beatles’ for he really did not care, nor was he really listening.

Then, one day, Bohemian Rhapsody came on. A song he has heard a number of times in the past, without any fanfare. Before I could ask, he asks me...‘Who sings this?’ I made him guess and he guessed correctly.
DJ: Wow, this is good!
It was as if he was hearing it for the first time. It was cool.
DJ: Do you have that song on CD, so I can listen to it over and over?
Me: [chuckling] Yes, yes I do.
His current favorite is ‘My Immortal’ by Evanescence.

A while back, while DJ was practicing on his recorder, SimonFunk joined him with his. They played together. It was great. I could see DJ’s energy level and interest increase. His usual boring practice became fun and different.
Then SimonFunk taught DJ a song. He decided to write the notes down so that he could read the music to play it. He could write most of the notes down, with trickest part trying to figure out what measure it was. To me, this is amazing. It is because I do not know how to read music, much less play an instrument, so I am resplendent that DJ can do this. It has always been a goal of mine that DJ would learn to play and read music so in one sense; I feel my duty as a parent has been accomplished.


April 11, 2004	Markers Here are some things DJ has said recently. It’s Valentines, and even though it is not a holiday I participate in, DJ is ‘forced’ to make or buy a valentine’s card for every kid in his class. That’s about 20! We made him do the math... if every kid made 20 cards and every kid received 20 cards, about how many cards would be in the class room that day? 400!! In any case, here is what he did. He took a red piece of paper and cut that into a heart shape. Then he divided it up with a pen into 20 sections and numbered them 1 thru 20. I took a photo of him holding this heart up, in case it needed to be proven later. Then he cut it up and glued each piece onto a small card. On M’s, he put number one on the front and number twenty on the back. Me: Why don’t you give her some chocolate as well. You could do it anonymously. DJ: Mom! I’m already giving her two pieces of my heart!! This comment was said on the way to the bank. DJ: It must be hard to figure out where to buy your house. ME: What do you mean? DJ: Well, you have to decide… do you want to live near your friends, the ocean, the mountains. Do you want to live in the city or the country? Do you want to live in a poor neighborhood or a rich one? We arrive at the bank. It is in a building, part of two large buildings with a courtyard between them. In the courtyard is a fountain. DJ proceeds to find 3 dimes and a coin from the Netherlands in it. A while ago BRKVW asked a question of our dinner guests,” Which would you rather give up… your right to bear arms or your right to vote?” DJ: I would keep my right to bear arms and give up my right to vote, because I don’t have the right to vote now. I love how he thinks he has the right to bear arms at his age, without question, as if it is an inalienable right, even to him. Yet he knows he cannot vote. When asked, what would your answer be when you are 18 and have the right to vote? He said his answer might change. DJ: [in disbelief] Mom, did you know that the other day when SimonFunk was talking backwards, he was making it up? Me: [laughing] Yes. [realizing that DJ had actually been saying a few words here and there backwards… trying to get as fluent as Simonfunk] Later on I walk in on: DJ: On! SF: Sey! DJ: On! SF: Sey! DJ: On! SF: Sey! DJ: [smiling] Mom, were are arguing. Mom, I have a uni-brow! Can I shave it or something? Get rid of it? DJ: Today, I put M’s music stand back for her. Mom: Wow. What did she say? DJ: Thanks. Mom: That was very cool! Hey, how about you put her music stand away after every class? DJ: No, that would be setting up a pattern. However... the next opportunity he had, he did it again...:) Sometimes when DJ and I are in the car and the radio is on and a classic song comes one, I ask DJ ‘who is this’. All in an effort to slowly, over time, introduce him some great rock and roll. At first his standard answer to every question was ‘Queen’ or ‘The Beatles’ for he really did not care, nor was he really listening. Then, one day, Bohemian Rhapsody came on. A song he has heard a number of times in the past, without any fanfare. Before I could ask, he asks me...‘Who sings this?’ I made him guess and he guessed correctly. DJ: Wow, this is good! It was as if he was hearing it for the first time. It was cool. DJ: Do you have that song on CD, so I can listen to it over and over? Me: [chuckling] Yes, yes I do. His current favorite is ‘My Immortal’ by Evanescence. A while back, while DJ was practicing on his recorder, SimonFunk joined him with his. They played together. It was great. I could see DJ’s energy level and interest increase. His usual boring practice became fun and different. Then SimonFunk taught DJ a song. He decided to write the notes down so that he could read the music to play it. He could write most of the notes down, with trickest part trying to figure out what measure it was. To me, this is amazing. It is because I do not know how to read music, much less play an instrument, so I am resplendent that DJ can do this. It has always been a goal of mine that DJ would learn to play and read music so in one sense; I feel my duty as a parent has been accomplished.
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