Six Beautiful Things:
Early Fall Lake Day: one of the best things as a parent is watching your kids experience something that you hope they will remember the rest of their lives. Like paddling to the middle of the lake on their mom’s paddleboards, on the last Sunday in September, with a bunch of kids they have grown up with (ages 8-16). Then spend two hours on the lake, too far for any of the parents to overhear. Then the youngest girls steal all the paddles and head back to shore. And the rest of you stay out until the sun starts to set and your parents are frantically calling you back to eat some supper, so we don’t have to pack up in the dark (we do anyway).
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My university era:
My middle kid has started violin lessons in Brandon (1 hour from our farm). Every Monday we drive in and I set up my computer in the hall, on these perfectly me sized industrial couches and I write or draw. Thirty minutes in, the area fills up with university music students laughing and talking, when their choir class starts it empties out again. Once a professor walked by and was saying hi to everyone and she stopped and looked at me “you’re not one of my students, are you?”
I said “no, I’m just a mom who sat in the wrong spot.”
The kids around me laughed and said I was totally welcome. It made me want to join their choir.
David Gate, Rebellion of care:
Much like Padraig O’Tauma’s Kitchen Hymns (which may be my favorite collection of poems). David Gate lands in my absolute sweet spot of awe and irreverence. He writes about parenting, politics, religion and God. There is a David Gate poem for every moment. Some are punchy Haikus and some have pages of stanzas. Some will make you tear up, and some will make you laugh out loud. (“Every pleasure is guilty if you have enough spiritual trauma”).
K Pop Demon Hunter:
I’m up for watching anything if one of my kids wants to watch. I did not expect to love K pop demon hunters so much. In fact I am listening to the soundtrack as I type. As someone who grew up being taught that the worst thing that could happen to women was a particular demon could enter and make one question male authority (Hello Jezebel!) this movie is so refreshing. Spoiler alert: the demons are shame. Imagine a generation of kids growing up ready to go into battle against shame and shaming others. And the weapons they use are self-acceptance and pop music! Besides these sob inducing themes, it is also full of Korean humor and food. I loved the music even more after listening to this podcast breaking down the incredible three octave range of “Remi”. A couple weeks ago I was listening to the soundtrack loudly in the church basement, grooving away until the lights flashed and I got a bit freaked out. Turns out it was a friend who had entered and accidentally hit the wrong light switch but lets pretend the music was exorcising shame out of the building.
Lilith Fair Documentary:
If you were a teenager/ young adult in the 1990’s you must watch this doc at your earliest convenience. Also, if you are a teenager now and obsessed with 90’s culture you must also watch this. It’s free on CBC Gem (be prepared to watch just enough ads to keep you engaged, not quite enough to make you quit). 2024 was the year of the pop girlies and we forget that it wasn’t always this way and that Canadian icon Sarah McLachlan changed everything. (Also watch it in tandem with the Woodstock ’99 doc, to see a contrast of centering men compared to centering women.) I watched it with my mom, and it was such a nice reminder that things have actually changed a lot in twenty-five years. And even though it feels like we are still fighting the same battles, no one questions if two songs by a woman should be played back-to-back.
I had a Taylor Swift Album review planned and the discourse around this album has ruined the whole experience for me, who knew the internet was so toxic. (Me. I knew. Will I learn anything. No.)
Instead: Toronto Blue Jays! As of one week ago, I am a fan. Springer Dinger! Kirk running two bases! Mad Max! Gimenez and his second two-run home run! Vladdy’s baby pics. Man, I am all in.
