Right now he's watching the first of two back-to-back weeknight Seinfeld re-runs, otherwise known as his "favorite time of day". This is the episode where George records himself singing a variation of the Great American Superhero theme song as the outgoing message on his answering machine: "Believe it or not, George isn't at home, Please leave a messaaaage, at the beep. I must be out, or I'd pick up the phone, Wheerrreee ccoouuuuld I beee? Believe it or not, I'm not home." It's also one of my favorite times of day because even though he's seen these shows a hundred times, he still laughs out loud several times per episode, which is a sound that I never get sick of.
Okay - pregnancy symptom vignette.
Remember how I mentioned crying unabashedly at random scenes from Happy Feet?
Well - I think I can top that now.
Yes, I could retain a shred of dignity and, once again, keep this to myself, but frankly that's boring and has not been my M.O. thus far. So, enjoy:
I was driving out to see my sister Emi yesterday to visit and help her with wedding stuff. And since most days of the week, I only drive 7.5 miles each way to work and back, I don't get a lot of "alone time with the radio" per se. And, I have been known to be moved by a good song anyway, even pre-pregnancy. But this was a 35 minute drive, and WBLM is in the middle of their annual "Best of the Blimp A-Z" where they play every single song they have in their archive in order of song title, which takes about a month to do. So we're getting to hear some real classics.
But I wasn't prepared for this one to turn on the water works. Are you ready?
Proud Mary, by Ike and Tina Turner. Bawled like a baby.
You don't think I would kid about this, do you?
Okay, for more of a visual: It was a great archived live version of the song, complete with Tina's fabulous intro about how they never do anything "easy" but that they were going to start this song out nice and "easy", and then... get... nice and... "rough". In only a way that Tina can say, in that breathy talking-instead-of-singing-the-intro kind of way.
So they start out, nice and easy, and you're just feelin' it...
And then, the tempo speeds up, and you can just picture Tina shakin' her thing... and she starts belting out the "rough" part, and I LOSE it....
Lose it... because, I, umm... that's the thing - you can't explain pregnancy mood outbursts. Because I really liked the song? I know - any guy reading this is already seriously questioning the likelihood that I will be a fit mother.
I know that on some level, I can identify my deep down desire to be able to sing and shake it like that in front of a crowd like Tina and not have the audience wonder if they've mistakenly stumbled into an American Idol audition.
So, I guess the tears are in part from a sense of loss and acceptance that that will never be for me. And admiration for those who can.
Nonetheless, it was a killer combo that forced me to pull it together in the parking lot before I had to go into a convenience store on the way, sans sunglasses. But it wasn't my local store - more in Emi's neighborhood - so I didn't care too much if people could tell that I'd just had a moment. A moment with Tina.
Side note - I apologize to all of you who may be receiving this notice too late,
but Emi mentioned seeing the Prairie Home Companion movie recently, after reading our blog entries, and I cringed to hear this news. I realized that there are probably a few others of you, a few too many, who I did not reach in time to warn that the MOVIE is not at all on Nicky's list of recommended media. I don't know why Garrison Keillor thought he could or should try to translate the time-honored radio show into a movie. It was rambling, frustrating and confusing. I also cringe to think that there might be those of you out there who only saw the movie, still unfamiliar with the radio show, and thought that it reflected our taste. Again, it does not. Okay moving on...
Okay the LAST thing I'll mention about this show is that, upon RETURNING from our "pilgrimage" to see the show as a friend put it, I received notification of receipt of the message that we sent on-line, and said that it may be read on THIS week's show... Great, Thanks a lot guys... SO, I'll be tuning in again this week, and just wanted to mention it for those of you bored enough to try listening again :) And no, Steve, there won't be any fiddlers on this week's show as far as I know.
Okay really now - I think Nate's regretting having started this blog on account of how much time I'm spending on it, cutting into our usual time devoted to talking about our deepest and darkest feelings. Okay honey, I'm signing off now... here comes quality time!
Nicky and Nate -
let's just call it 11 weeks, because that's what it is tomorrow.
