It is not often that in one day - you get to experience being on both the delivering and receiving end of an awkward moment.Today, as homeroom mom for Karah's class, I put on their holiday party. We had broken into groups and had different "centers" - scarf making, snow-lympics, and caroling.
We took the kids through the halls of the school and caroled other class parties and the principals office. The kids LOVED it. I, however, felt extremely awkward standing there singing - with little kids and adults staring back at me. Do I look away? Do I stare at their noses and pretend I have eye contact? Do I hide behind the door and ditch the kids? "Why is caroling so awkward?", I wondered inwardly?
Well.....the pondering didn't end there. A few minutes ago there was a knock at the door. Huge group of kids standing outside. They requested everyone come to the front door. Mark and Maren were visiting ( dropping off their delicious bread and one other item I wont name because nobody else got it but me and I don't want to hurt any one's feelings.....) - and Maren got to join in the caroling show.
I was expecting some low budget version of "Jingle Bells" - and it soon became evident that these weren't your average carolers. They were from the High School's "best choir", whatever that is called. Not only were they singing....they were lunging with every Ding Dong, shoulders pulsating, bodies swaying......Accentuating the ding dongs with their body movements.......wow.
"Hark Silver Bells, Sweet silver Bells......
DING DONG DING DONG!"
Wow. They sounded incredible.....but wow. awkward. The SAME questions entered my mind. DING DONG DING DONG!"
"Do I look away? Do I keep eye contact?" "Are my eyes twitching?" "Why are they not blinking when they sing?" "Can I run and get my camera or would that be rude?" "They still haven't blinked!" "I want to look away! I CAN'T LOOK AWAY!!!!!!!"
I opted to stick the song out - choosing to use the "look at their noses" trick. When they left, I grabbed my camera, barefooted and ran through the yards, freezing cold, to capture their faces singing, so you could all FULLY IDENTIFY with what I was feeling. 
(and yes, I know my feet are nasty and I need a pedicure......(Santa???).
(and yes, I know my feet are nasty and I need a pedicure......(Santa???).I scored! Got their pictures....got to endure another song (because they knew I was chasing them to hear another song)....except this time I was the ONLY one in their audience. Ultimate awkward. This time I opted to keep the camera against my face.
The best bonus? Dog crap on my feet from running through the yards. 
HAD to be from Gunther.
HAD to be from Gunther.Anyone else find this experience beautifully awkward? Not the poo - the eye contact thing......
(p.s. I mean NO disrespect...they really were AWESOME singers)
(p.s. I mean NO disrespect...they really were AWESOME singers)
As a former "choir nerd" I have to say...we caroled like 5 "gigs" a day from thanksgiving 'til new years...and by December 1st, we are no longer thinking about the carol we are singing or even seeing the person we carol to...we are thinking about "why our math teacher had to be such a jerk when we failed our last exam because we didn't 'work the problem' out onto the paper", and "why on earth is super-cute Billy is still going out with that horrible Amanda, when she is so obviously making out with David behind his back", and "how many more hours of drivers training do I have to endure with that lady with the bad breath until I can finally get our license", and "I wonder where my favorite chap stick is, because my lips feel like they are cracking...super-cute Billy is never going to want to hook up with that."
ReplyDeletewe certainly are not thinking, "why is that lady looking at my nose?" Choir nerds are totally use to being prostituted for their musical abilities. I wouldn't worry about it.
Then again, during that last song, they were probably all thinking "Dude, did you see the Dog S#!T on that lady's foot? DO you think she knew it was there? Did it come from inside her house?"
Meg.....i understand completely. I, too, was prostituted many-o-time being a cnoir nerd myself.....BUT DID YOU SEE THEIR EYES?????They were CERTAINLY NOT thinking about drivers ed. They were trying to break me!!!!!! And the dog turd.....UNDER my foot. They could have been thinking "she SMELLS like sh*t" - is it her underwear or her breath. That is more likely.
ReplyDeleteI love the unnecessary zoom pix of their faces! I, too, always feel extremely awkward when on the receiving end of the caroling. I think it's the same feeling I have on my birthday when a group of people is singing to me, and I am the non-singing object of their attention. Way too much attention for my comfort level.
ReplyDeleteSince i am a high school student ,who has no life other than AP classes and watching your lovely kiddos, I'm using your blog to leave a comment about your wonderful blog that makes me absolutely die laughing every time i read it!
ReplyDeleteI secretly bribe your kids with candy so they will go to bed and then tell mommy what great fun they had, then i can finally read your blog!!...OK not really... tonight I had to actually TELL a story, which means i had to quickly come up with some Disney move that i KNEW they had NOT seen and then make it sound like I'm as talented at telling stories as "Mommy"!!! ...I don't think they bought it... so I've decided... instead of bringing my book I'm going to bring YOU to my creative witting class!!!