Spiderman and the Mailman

Look folks, this is America.  The land of Capitalism.  This is the place where dreams are made and anything can happen in this beautiful democracy of ours.  I happen to like that.  Even if I do sometimes like to wear flowers in my hair.

So, I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised today when I saw a mail truck that looked like this:

Spiderman and the USPS co-brand, license, blah blah blah.  Everyone makes a buck. photo courtesy of the USPS

I'm all for that.

Big Bucks no whammies.

I'm just glad that my children know the original Spiderman 1960s TV show theme song.  And I have Uncle Goalie to thank for singing it over and over when I was little that it stuck in my head.




Uncle Goalie taped himself on our Panasonic tape recorders with one of our cousins.  I recall the day my dad brought home that amazing black piece of technology.

photo courtesy of Prop Hire

There was something  lasting with those tape recorders.  Oh, kids these days what with all the digital stuff.  The tape recorders had a finite supply of tapes, so inevitably you listed to the same tapes over and over again.  Or you recorded over them.   But not the good stuff.  Not the recording of you and your cousin joking around singing "Spiderman."

Over the weekend, a friend's husband who I don't think has ever viewed my blog called it "hyper liberal."  I was a bit taken aback by that.  I mean, most of you know I don't get into politics.  Sure, I have mentioned Pete Seeger, tofu, and other things someone might associate with a liberal person.   But at the beginning of this blog I'm all about Capitalism.  Aren't the pinko lefties very much *not* into The Man?  Aren't the Hippies *not* into the big bucks?  Truth be told, I'm a mixed bag, Chad (name has been changed).

I'm into the hippy chic and so is the wonderful designer Jonathan Adler

If Not Now, When?

It is lovely to see Pete Seeger quoting Rabbi Hillel's famous words.  There have been so many posts all week about Pete.  He was a giant.  I was grateful to have said to him directly:  "Thank you."


 

Thanks Pete Seeger.  We'll be seein' ya.

Pete Seeger at the Strawberry Festival in Beacon, NY June 2010  Photo by yours truly

Reason #613 Why I Love Listening to NPR

But this would be a local reason*, not a national reason, as referenced in my prior post.

Because when talking about potentially having to share bike helmets in NYC's imminent bike-share program this morning, Brian Lehrer, on his morning show on WNYC, used the word yucky.

And pronounced it properly.


*obviously his other guest, Pete Seeger, is also a huge huge huge draw to today's show.

Mama Tip #2: Become a Creature of Habit With Room to Wiggle

Early this morning, I found myself 10 minutes late to spin class.  Normally I sit in the same area, but I saw a friend with an open seat in her vicinity and was tempted to sit next to her.  I am glad I didn't.  I have my reasons:  it is near the windows, I like to be up front in the mirrors, and it offers more privacy.  It is my makom kavua, or dedicated space, that I return to day after day.

If I succumbed to impulse just to be social, I would have lost out.  Don't get me wrong:  I love to mix it up.  But I would have given up the reasons why I am there in the first place.  And one of those is not to catch up with my girlfriends.  (actually, we did get a chance to chat, but it was after the class, which is the appropriate time and place).   

When it comes to children, routines are essential.  They enable them to thrive and yet getting them to stick to the routine is challenging.  One area where I have been successful due to sticking to consistency with my kinderlach is in clearing the table.  We use the Hebrew word  toranut to refer to clean-up.  When the Wolfman leaves the table with his breakfast dishes still there, I will say simply, "Did you do your toranut?"  Repetition of this question has instilled that he knows it is his responsibility.  When he acts like he doesn't want to do this job, I will ask probing questions such as:  "Is there something you need help with?  Are the dishes too heavy?"  Often, this helps.

There is a time and a place for everything, and routines help us get there.

Pete Seeger captured this  Jewish concept in "Turn, Turn, Turn," a song popularized by the Byrds.  It is based on the Book of Ecclesiastes (which appears in the Old Testament or Tanach).  It is called  Kohelet in Hebrew and is read in synagogue during the holiday of Sukkot, a harvest festival all about changes of the seasons.  As creatures of habit, every year our sukkah has the same look and feel, but the people who come to it bring variety of all stripes.  

I like that.