Sunday, May 10, 2009

Weekend Update: Mother's Day Edition

My Brother already wrote a beautiful post about my Mom. And my Mom already wrote an amazing post about my grandmas and great grandmas.

What can I do? I can do a whole weekend update for the mom's out there (specifically you mom).

Mom's Musical Artist's of the Week: I consider myself deeply rooted musically in the music of my childhood. The Doors, Jimmy Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, War, Janis Joplin, CCR, Moody Blues etc. But I never ever admit to a softer side of my musical experience of life.

SO THIS Weeks musical artists are ones that my mom showed me.

First and foremost is
Elton John, I dramatically complain about having to listen to him every time she plays him now but I secretly don't want to, and in all reality, now that I've gone back to things like Supertramp, I have been checking out a lot of Elton John on itunes, I am ready and willing to learn about his early stuff. Like the Beatles I just get annoyed with the overplayed sound, but recently I have been really interested in Elton John's beginning.

Secondly, I will stick up for, nay proclaim awesomeness for
Carol King. I used to belt these songs out in the car as a kid and I didn't care what it was, I still get really excited when her album "Tapestry" finds its way onto the Subaru speakers on one of our ill fated Iverson Family Adventures.

Thirdly,
The Carpenters, I remember these little heartfelt brother/sister ditties from time to time. I can't say that I hated it though, I just don't remember it a lot until I actually hear the songs and then bam a bunch of memories come rushing back. So serene, so peaceful, so blissfully the 70's.

Fourthly,
Simon and Garfunkel. Definitely still think that this is a great album, I think that Paul Simon was the genus, but we listened to this one a lot growing up and and I still think about it whenever the fall comes around and its time to listen to a rustling leaves sort of album.

Lastly, an album I still love and enjoy today is
Loretta Lynn's "Coal Miner's Daughter." I still know all the songs, I still love this kind of music, and little did I know that this would be my first exposure to country/bluegrass sound. (Plus check out her new-ish album with Jack White from the White Stripes its the bomb).

Now I never give credit to these influences on my musical choices and preferences (out of embarassment). But, listening to this softer, poppier side of music has made me who I am today. Take my special bond with Xavier Rudd the Australian Didjeridoo guitar master, heavily influenced by Paul Simon. Take Grace Potter and the Nocturnal's a new favorite of mine, totally ripping off Carol King Tapestry, and take Band's like Bon Iver, Kings of Convenience, and Fleet Foxes and other softy McSoftersteins that wouldn't have a chance if Paul Simon and Garfunkel whatever his name-is hadn't paved the way.

So thank you mom, for your corny, popular music, despite how much I complain I appreciate it.
(Even the Jefferson Starship...but lets keep that a secret).

Old Mom Phrase of the Week: To talk like my mom you have to always be really positive. Especially during the holidays or when looking forward to something family related, "It will all work out." or "Just do your best." or "You worry too much everything will be just fine" "Don't you just love decorating the christmas tree." "I just love Christmas don't you?" You also need to have a lot of happy sighs and back patting and hugs. The effect of talking like this mom, whether you know it or not, is that without it we would live dismal, cynical, depressing lives full of fear and sadness. So thank you for being the positive rock we break ourselves upon!

Weather In Washington: Right now spring is sprunging which will soon find my mom placed in her favorite after work spot sipping a tasty beverage on the lounge chairs at the bottom of the yard in Gig Harbor, Washington where she can lay out and catch the last fleeting rays of sun. In my life I have never met someone who loves to lay out in the sun more than you mom. Luckily you have that native skin that doesn't freckle up and burn like me and dad, you just look like a Blackfoot Indian (Hal too, but he's blonde). So I got the beard, but Hal got the tan, fair trade !

Mom's Art Update: Despite making an art out of Christmas decorations and tree design. She used to love to sing in her church choir, and also with her guitar. I'm hoping she will pick this back up soon because I can't imagine my life with out an instrument and I think it is an amazing outlet for any person to reconnect with themself.


My Mom's Blog My mom has an awesome blog, "Queen of the Beach." Not only is it written really well, it has a lot of important history of my life and childhood that I really am thankful for. Just when I forget who I am, she reminds me of exactly what world I came from. I am so happy that through all this adventuring my brother and I have done to Alaska and Europe that the three of us have been able to stay intimately involved in each other's lives through this blogging form of communication. Its easy to get disconnected from the ones you love, but blogging allows you to read about what they are going through even if you can't seem to find the time to call them on the phone. (Now we just got to get dad on board!)

Lastly But Not Leastly: After reading my brother's mother day post, and my mom's mother's day post it made me think about the one thing that I've always thought of that separates my mom from other moms. My mom loves life. Not just christmas, not just Elton John, not just her son's, but life. She is enthusiastic, positive and pure.

But above all else, my mom loves baseball. Don't believe me? Well my mom was my t-ball team coach (she had a huge screaming match with a male coach over a rule dispute and won because she was right), and the team after that too (go blue jays!), and on top of that she stepped up and became the assistant coach of my little league team (thank goodness ol' bill was an alcoholic), and then after that she was the Head Coach of my little brother's little league team, and she was the first female coach in the league (with a bunch of male bastard yuppie asswads), and she was so good at kicking some man coach ass on that little field that they voted her as the Head Coach of the entire league's All-Star team, another first, and better yet, she did it with a huge smile and a lot of love. She didn't become the all-star coach as a novelty, it wasn't just because she was a woman, it was because she is a great coach, an amazing baseball thinker and strategist, and a great nurturer of fundamentals and the love of the game.

Someday I will be a baseball coach too, (hopefully she'll keep my books because I still can't, I was too busy playing to learn)...

I will be so many things because of you mom. When the forces of negative and positive battled it out inside my heart and mind growing up, you were always there to remind me of the good side. And you won mom, you won, I am a positive person, with a big heart and lots of extra love to give because you filled me up so good.

Happy mother's day...I'll call you later tonight!

1 comment:

Susan Iverson said...

How did I get so lucky as to have two sons willing to communicate so publicly about how much they love me? Whatever it was, I am truly blessed. Hal may have beat you to the punch time wise on posting but I love this post. I love how you have fit me into your weekend post. Somehow, both of you out there, posting on your blogs, I feel like you are both with me somehow. Thanks for loving me and being who you are. I love you.


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