Monday, October 1, 2007

Singing In The Bathtub

Every person who has ever spent long periods of time with me, knows that I sing a lot. Randomly. Off-key. And often without realizing it. Sometimes the songs I'm singing are revelations of my subconscious, but a lot of times they are just random songs that have gotten stuck in my head.

I first realized the correlation between how I was feeling and what I was singing when I was 21 and going through a particularly difficult time in my life. I would often catch myself singing, "What a rotten day, this turned out to be...." a George Strait song. And another "It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do..." a cheatin' Earl Thomas Conley song. Neither of the actual songs applied, but those particular lyrics did.

When I was a senior in college, my roommate pointed out that I was always singing, "Bring me twooooooo pina coladas..." I have no idea why I was always singing that song. Maybe I was thirsty a lot in college.

Later, when I took my first job out of college at a law firm, I lived alone. If I was singing a lot, no one knew. Or so one might think. One day, my coworker who sat nearest me, blurted out, "Do you ever stop singing?" I was truly shocked. I had no idea I was singing at work. I was also embarrassed because I really don't sing well. She was nice though. She suggested I get a part in a musical so I could get it out of my system. I don't think that would have exactly tamed the beast.

A few months after starting that job, I got to go see Reba on Broadway in Annie Get Your Gun. I spent the next 6 months bellowing, "No you cain't get a man with a gun..." and "anything you can do, I can do better---I can do anything better than you." That made me a lot of friends.

Now that I stay at home with my kids, my "bad" habit is semi-harmless. Sometimes Bo tells me, "You don't sound so good mom" and the first 18 months of Avee's life, anytime I would sing, she screamed until I stopped. Even as an infant. Little brat.

Bo has picked up on the habit and sings a lot. Lately he has thrown in a little vibrato to spice up those nursery songs. You haven't heard singing until you've heard Mary Had a Little Lamb in 4 year old falsetto with some vibrato thrown in as well.

My habit has persevered, even in the face of adversity, judgement, and rejection.

I cannot help myself.

So yesterday, I was sitting on the edge of the tub shaving my legs. Too much information? Believe me, unshaved legs would have been more offensive. I was practicing my mad shaving skills that entail getting shaving gel on my shorts, t-shirt, elbows, and forehead and nicks only on the back of my ankles and just below the knee. Avee was sitting in the bathtub getting syrup off of every square inch of her body.

Since Avee's not really that great of a conversationalist, I absentmindedly started to sing.

"Because of you I never stray to far from the sidewalk..." That was all I sang. because really that's all I know.

Suddenly I hear Avee singing, "A-cuz yo get hit by a caaaaaaaaar, yo can't go in da suhweeeeeeeeeeeet!"

That's my girl: Smart AND a good singer.

16 comments:

Rebecca said...

OF COURSE!!! She is smart sweet, cute and just like her mother!!!

Rebecca said...

Okay in the panic to shorten my above message so as to take the first spot.. I can now express myself freely, with out fear!! I love it..I love to sing to.. and you know my kids.. they do the same, though not as smart!!

Super Happy Girl said...

Note to self: Nobody has mad shaving skills.
Aww, how sweet! how musical! how darling!!

PS: LOL @ rebecca :)

Bryner Family said...

That made me laugh out loud! She is so smart! What a priceless moment!

S said...

danga that is sum funny stuff! we don't call u nobody called today 4 nuthin!

a said...

speaking of songs and singing and such....every time i come to your blog i sing the song....YOUR NOBODY CALLED TODAY,SHE HUNG UP WHEN I ASKED HER NAME AND I WONDER...DOES SHE THINK SHE'S BEING CLEVER...clever........and because it's in all caps, that means I am singing to the top of my lungs. lol.

Tori :) said...

What a Miss Smarty Pants!!

mindyluwho said...

My favorite memories of my mom is of her singing around the house. She's gone now, but when I hear certain songs, I think of her.

Code Yellow Mom said...

Oh. My. Gosh. That is BRILLIANT. So cute. Did you fall off the edge of the tub? Or nick something in addition to your heels and knees? I totally would have...

I still have "Home on the Range" stuck in my head. Even after Earl pointed out that the area between Indep and Wichita (Topeka?) was where the buffalo roam...because I'd been mindlessly singing it at your house...apparently loud enough for him to hear...he, he, he...

Methodical Wormer said...

That is so hilarious. I love those perfect kid moments that you wish someone else were there to witness. Too cute.

Jenny P. said...

hilariously adorable.

Unknown said...

I have the same habit. I love to sing. Only problem with me is that I'm the queen of combining several verses into one that is a complete mishmosh of the what the original composer wrote.

megachick said...

hilarious. safety in a song.

i am not me without singing( (you know, you just inspired a post...)
pooka has that same urge.

wendy said...

Your daughter is so cute! I love your awesome intuitive singing.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm a whistler. My dad is a whistler and it always drove me crazy. Recently, the kids were in bed and I was finishing up a couple chores (and apparently whistling) when my husband said "I didn't realize you're a whistler." Since then I have noticed that I whistle (not well) all the time...

Super Happy Girl said...

Question.

Do you, like, just die from the cuteness everyday?

Sketchy said...

I am proud to say I know none of the songs you quoted here. Except for the Annie Get Your Gun songs and that isn't my fault.

Jon and Alex both went through a phase where they would put their hands over my mouth whenever I'd start singing. But I choose to believe it was because they knew they were about to be sung off to sleep and didn't want to do so, NOT as a commentary on my vocal skills.