Ladies and Gentelemen, boys and girls........WE HAD FUN!
Here is a little piece of "Life as we Know it", showcasing things that entertain and amuse me in my world. The theme is always "that was unexpected". I bought myself a new digital camcorder for my birthday because it's been so long since my old one worked correctly - and it's been so long since I used it...
At some point, I'll upload the old movies - fun moments from days gone by - clarinets and football and wrestling and singing and sock puppets and "Mrs Wood it will be so much better when we all learn the same song" moments. Maybe even the famous water fight at the graduation party. Maybe me singing. Maybe not.
And the title of this page had to be: WE HAD FUN! Thanks for the moments! I love you guys!
©January 2006 - A few bits and pieces. The New Year's Party was too big of a file so I just did cameos. The experiment is a huge (87 mb) download but worth it if you are as easily entertained as I am by the creativity of bored college kids.
Brian Wood - Round Here - This was taken early on a weekend morning -(before 7 am according to the clock over the sink). I was waking up, the boys were just coming in. They were hungry and have me trained to feed them on weekends. Here's how it works: Make enough noise to wake me up, then nag me with "I'm starving" then we make a deal. This particular deal was "Ok, if you play 'Round Here' for me, I'll take you out to breakfast". I think he earned it. Yes, I am his biggest fan and I think he's amazing. He's also going to college on a partial academic scholarship.
The Rest of the Story - This is the second part of the same morning. Once he sang the song, I suggested Breakfast at Denny's. I forgot to turn the camera off and set it on the table while I got dressed. The video sucks but the audio is so much life as we know it. It actually was a little longer than this, but I opted to cut it off before the part where I wandered past it LOL. I won't say this is a typical morning in my home, but I won't say it's not.
Brian & David in the Shed - This was a sunday afternoon recording session in the shed. Brian and David testing the new microphones. David playing the guitar (somedayI swear I will learn to play it myself!) and playing it so beautifully (as he has since the day I bought it for the Phyr cd). At some point later in the video (this is just one little piece of the day)
The conversation was a familiar one
Note: We've been having that same conversation for about 5 years and just about every time it results in a beautiful song. Thanks, David, for all the beautiful music and laughter you've brought to my world.
No No I hate you guys - So, what I learned on this particular day is to make them play something I like BEFORE I give in on the food thing. The deal was, I would order pizza for everyone if they would play me something - they could have their choice of instruments and songs but it had to be something I'd like. Needless to say, they decided on dissonance just to annoy me. I personally think that maybe David just likes hearing me say NO DAVID!
Tryout Practice for Matt - David brought a friend from college to see if he would fit into the band. After a couple hours of practice, this is what they sounded like.
I won't say this is a typical sunday afternoon in "The Shed", but I won't say it's not.
David Tells a Story - Random moment in the living room. I was working on downloading videos on the pc in the living room and David wandered in and picked up a children's book from the end of the couch. He started "improvising" the story. Needless to say, I stopped what I was doing, made him start over and let him tell me the story on video. This is why I was already laughing before he started the story.
Clayton you worry me - At times, I'm just not sure where some things come from. After the band meeting, everyone was hanging out in the living room, Brian strumming the acoustic, having conversation..... and Clayton got bored. Never a dull moment.
Mischief Sit - Good Dog Ok I had to do it. This is Mischief, my cat who thinks she's a dog. I trained her to come to a whistle and sit like a dog using (grin) Kraft slices. She can hear the wrapper of a Kraft slice from under the bed in the far end of the house. In this example, however, she actually did perform her best trick on camera.
Mischief is Alive - The infamous fat cat playing dead. She's is absolutely decadent in the way she lounges around the house. She weighed over 13 pounds last we checked. She likes to make David think she's dead LOL. Left foot green, huh guys?
Mischief and the BIG mouse - Mischief is quite the hunter, but even she walked quickly away from this "big mouse"
The Experiment - Here's a bit of life as we know it. It was "pamper me" day and I was right in the middle of giving myself a facial when the troops invaded. I wandered out of the bathroom to find "the experiment" going on in the kitchen. I grabbed the camera and simply couldn't walk away until they finished. The little additions at the end are inside jokes from the troops so don't be alarmed if they confuse you. This is a huge file but again - no good way to trim it down.
To get the full effect you have to see all of it. I won't say this is a typical day in my home, but I won't say it's not.
And so, this is a peek at "life as we know it". Those of you who think I need to get out more, consider the amount of entertainment I have right here in my world. Music and laughter and science experiments.
Note: None of the people in the videos are drinking or doing drugs. Imagine what it would be like if they were.
They're not weird, they're gifted:
As evidenced in this music video - The Longitude - that was put together by Cloudkill, Jen Riesenberger and Gabe Fries (the young up and coming videography guru) a couple of summers ago. Lyrics and music by David Aye, performed by Cloudkill (David Aye on guitar, Clayton Sanders on bass, Brian Wood on drums). Produced by the amazing Gabe Fries (all of whom I worship for their knowledge, talent and creativity) Special guest appearance by Jen Riesenberger.
(ps to David. It is, it's very pretty)
For more information about Cloudkill, visit http://www.cloudkill.com
OK David, just for you: A Blast from the Past and Water Games - It was and Dance like nobody's watching...
My Brian music collection: Clarinet 1999 with Kayah - 2001 Acousitc Guitar --
My Brian and David collection: Pun 2002 - 2002 That thing you made up
Oh, you didn't! collection: Laundry Day in 2000 - Halloween 2000
Ok and this is one of my very favorite moments from West. Still in costume from their performance of Guys and Dolls (See a clip from Guys and Dolls), some of my favorite people performed a song acapella for the videographer. David wandered off and Brian jumped in and did ok ....(ok so he knew the all the words from the computer games he had when he was younger)
!Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?!
Hey Robbie! Sybergs - It was (fun)
(Hi Greg)
Uh huh I got the drummer (*Do you Feel like I do?*)
I got him again (*Keep your hands to yourself*)
And Again! (*talk dirty to me*)
Ok this too is so much a part of "Life as we know it" (again). Thanks guys, we had fun! You are !!Contagious!!
Ya know guys, as I was playing with the video/audio things, I noticed many patterns that entertained me:
Almost always when David is in front of the camera, I'm behind that camera, laughing. I don't have the "Congratulations 1,000 shower user on video, but it's perhaps my favorite internal video clip. Tears to laughter, so special to me. Early mornings with the faint sound of the guitar drifting in from the hallway. Subtle (or not so subtle - total rearrangement of the kitchen!!) changes in the world around me LOL. It's really good to have you back. Thank you.
Brian, have you noticed that Sam is so frequently at your feet when you play the acoustic? And your ability to belch at will has always been a source of entertainment to me. And someday, I will sing again as you have so encouraged me to do for so long, or not. You just never know when I'll jump out of the box and do what you are least expecting. Good Riddance and thanks for the music (yeah, that's me singing quietly in the background). Just so you know... Oh yeah, and another thing I noticed - in almost every video I put in there is a spot in there somewhere with you saying "Hey, David".
Brandon, my beautiful favorite first born son - I could probably do an entire DVD of you reaching towards the camera to close the lens or turn it off. I"m glad I kept turning it back on. There are so many more little moments in my heart that I wish I could somehow get on tape. And Dave is usually right beside you. Yeah, I'm still parked there. And you ARE just like your mother. And I love the way you think. Oh, and thanks for the Very kewl Birthday!
I don't think I found one shot that had Adriana without Rachael (see I spelled it right) or vice versa. You ladies have given me so many moments...... thanks for the party in a box, the twister rock, and so many moments of "what the hell?" and "Oh you no, you didn't!" Adri, you are personally responsible for the Rug in the living room. *Yes, folks it is a full size twister rug. No, you can't buy one - I made it for the kids* And it still gets used by the the new kids on the block..
Todd. Well, what can I say? You're responsible for the yellow paper on the fridge. And many fun & serious moments and making me define my thoughts and attitudes in your struggle to define yours. Thank you for the moments. Sorry for creeping you out, but it IS my time now, and it's only going to get worse LOL. You and Colleen are so beautiful together.
And then I dig further into the archives and find one from WAY WAY back in the day..... *just yesterday* with all 3 of my kids: Kayah, Brandon and Brian back in the days (I think) when Kayah still had her own room here and I still had my old sunbird, the living room was totally my office and I was still taller than all of you.... That WAS just yesterday, wasn't it? (PS Yes, Kayah, I still have the waffle blocks, JJ's playing with them as I type this LOL)
And so, at some point a few years ago - my "friend" looked around my living room and stated "I'd kill them". I just smiled and said "Naw, they entertain me and I'm sure I'll miss them when they're gone." Because it was worth it, and it did pass. And I'm glad I captured some of it on video, some of it on still shots and the rest of it in my heart and mind. Indeed, we had fun!
Ok, there's so much more on my mind but I think that my little duet with extreme just about says it all. It's all easy, and thank you for more than words...I do already know. Now, I'm going to get back to work so we can have more fun, more toys and more time (eventually).
Turn around and you're a young man walking out of the door (now playing on the mental soundtrack of my life).
ADDENDUM: March 29, 2006. I quit smoking on March 21st and - following Brandon's lead, took up learning to play the guitar. I had auriculartherapy to help me as well - my appointment was last tuesday at 11. I named my shiny white Ibanez "Tuesday at 11" to remind me always that music trumps cigarettes.
HEY ANTHONY - You know, darlin, every time I hear this song I think of many things - many moments - I had forgotten about a few of them.....remember dancing in the kitchen and Tonya walking in? Time of my life, baby. So, for those times, for the kids times and even for the moments that nobody was there for...- this is the first "real" song I chose to learn.
This was taken at about 5:30 this morning (March 29) in the living room - I had the front door open, can you hear the birds?
June 25, 2006. Addendum... Ok, haven't updated this in a while, but I thought I better before rumors start getting out of hand. Yes, I do have a new(old) interest in my life, and NO it's not as dangerous as you might think. I'm actually pretty good at it. I promise that I won't get killed doing this, so everyone can just chill out. This is what I did before Brandon & Brian were born. Click here to see my new hobby
Love always.