Patrick Far East Music

So many "Far Easts" were canceled this year due to the nuclear crisis. (Equivalent to State or Regionals back in the USA.) Remember that exchange trip to Yoron Island that Jake participated in last year? That was canceled this year as well. It was all very sad for so many kids...most of them Japanese kids from the mainland.

Patrick was so relieved when they ended up rescheduling Far East Music after it had been canceled. We were thrilled he had the opportunity to go. It was in Korea...which is turning out to be the go-to destination for Far Easts lately. Something to do with the facilities at the Olympic Village being perfect for it.

Patrick didn't take many photos because "it gets tiring remembering to take them" (like this is even ABOUT what he wants or feels).



Which is just one more example of why I am grateful for Facebook's tagging feature. Thank you, Patrick's friends!

I am also grateful for YouTube. I know this is kind of long, but if you like voices that stir the soul, I recommend you watch it. They did a fabulous job. I think I can pick out Patrick's voice, but that's probably just a mom thing. You can see him toward the middle of the pack.



Now this is one that Patrick did manage to capture on his camera. It is hilarious! Not the girls rehearsing...they were adorable and talented. I'm talking about when Patrick pans the room and you see the row of guys with their cameras out and mouths hanging open. Not to mention his commentary. Ahhh, teenagers.



And I guess turnabout is fair play. Listen to those girls scream! Of course Patrick is the most animated one, in front with the Members Only jacket.

Mama Don't Cook Concert

The choir director at Kubasaki High is a genius. First of all, he also coaches football, allowing him direct access to recruit much-needed male voices. Secondly, he fundraises in this manner: About three times a year, he puts on a dinner performance. He gets donations of food to put on the dinner (from parents) and "requires" students to sell tickets equivalent to the number in their family. Parents don't want their kids to think they are total losers want to hear their kids sing, so they pay $15 a pop to eat the donated food cooked and served by the culinary arts program. Oh, did I mention his wife is in charge of the culinary arts program? Genius, I tell you.


"Mama Don't Cook" is one of those concerts. (Can you imagine my "Mother of the Year" nomination for skipping out on a concert just for MOMS?! Calculating, that man is.)



This year I had two children in the combined choir, Patrick in show choir and Coree in advanced choir.



We all enjoyed our dinner...theirs steak and mine salmon. (It wasn't too bad, although it is really hard to do fish on a large scale. It just dries out too easily.) I got bonus flowers, though.



Once the show started, I had to move up and over to the side to get a good camera angle. I was able to keep both of them in the shot most of the time.



They did a great job, especially considering three choirs (that practice separately) were combined into one, and they were in such a confined space for so many of them.

I included a couple of samples here (mostly for grandparents). Hope you enjoy it as much as I did...and it's FREE for you!



50's Medley



What a Feelin'

Underwater ROV

One of the reasons Jake was looking most forward to getting home, was checking the mail for his underwater ROV robot kit, sent from his awesome homeschool science program, Supercharged Science. The postman did not disappoint.

Most of the stuff SCS sells comes all-inclusive. Except (of course) the one Jake wanted most. So in addition to the $69 plus shipping for the kit, they said we could also expect to spend about $80 in supplies at our local hardware store. {That's if you're not paying in Yen.} Also not factored into the equation would be the frustration of trying to guess what you are really buying since it's all in Kanji...or the confusion that comes along with conveying English measurements (in the English language) to the Okinawan man who is going to be cutting your PVC pipe. All 57 pieces of it.

It made for a fun evening at Make-Man, pushing a cart and a wheelchair...and of course I forgot the camera. Jake couldn't wait to get to work this morning. He set up on the back patio and got to sanding, gluing, drilling and snipping. I left the back door open, just in case he needed emergency assistance. I figured he'd be awhile and I'd get back there to get some pictures when things were really in full swing. I missed my chance. Pretty soon, he came in and announced that it was drying.



That was fast!



Can't wait to see phase two, once the silicone dries. I sure hope the pool lets us try this thing out. Who knows with the government. Otherwise, this is going to be one big fish in one very small bathtub.

He made it there...he can make it anywhere...

We arrived home late last night, and were headed back to the airport this morning to meet Patrick's flight from New York City (with an overnight stop in Korea). We were looking so forward to being back under one roof as a family again. From the sound of Mrs. Deakins' nightly emails, they had the experience of a lifetime and we couldn't wait to hear about it. (I'll share as many details as I can pry out of him in another post.)



Mrs. Deakins is a saint or a super hero, or some of both. I can't believe she pulled this off. I love this video...how she tries to convince us she left them all there...and that Patrick just wants to see Jake (who was so tired after his ordeal yesterday, he wasn't eager to make another trip back to the airport...not to mention, we won't be able to track down a wheelchair for him until Monday).



There were lots of smiles...



Lots of hugs...



It was a great thing to be part of.



This might even be enough incentive to get Coree to take drama next year. NYC is her dream trip. I guess time will tell if Mrs. Deakins is up for a repeat.



I know it's blurry, but had to include this shot of Mrs. Deakins hugging Patrick. Mostly because it shows she still likes him after ten straight days of having him in her care.

It will be so nice to get our family back to some sort of normalcy. As normal as we can be in this kind of crazy life we lead.

Patrick on the Today Show!

Oh my goodness, they really DID make it on the Today Show!


That's my baby's tongue on National TV!



And I see he purchased an "I heart NY" t-shirt to replace the "I only like NY as a friend" t-shirt I gave him for Christmas.



Here's a clip of the gang chatting with Al. I have watched it over.and.over.

Mrs. Deakins has been sending nightly emails to all the parents, recapping the adventures of the day. In all the other school trips my kids have taken, this has never happened before and I appreciate it so much. It helps me to still feel in the loop, even though I'm not at home, either. Just one more example of why Mrs. Deakins is da bomb! I can't wait to hear all about it from Patrick! I wonder which one of us will get home, first?

Fighting Boredom

I know I'm going to sound like a whiner to a lot of people, but it is really hard to convalesce in a vacation destination...especially one where most of the fun revolves around sand and water...and you are in a wheelchair with a non-weight-bearing cast. We are so ready to go home.

Jake is so bored, he actually asked to do school work today. Well, "asked" is too strong of a word...more like, he was whining about how difficult it was to just lay there in his room, and I passive-aggressively suggested school work. Kind of like when you tell your mom you're bored at home and she rattles off a list consisting of folding laundry, scrubbing toilets, etc., to help you rethink your boredom. (Yes, I brought along his school books...no, we haven't actually used them. What a waste of weight limit.) Anyway, he surprised me by responding positively to the suggestion. With all of the stress we've been going through, cracking open the spelling curriculum sounded less desirable than plucking out my own eyeballs...so I suggested Toys R Mine instead.


Jake wanted to check out the Nerf selection first...



But with no siblings or pets* for target practice, ultimately decided on something with more play value for our current circumstances.



As an added bonus, we stopped by Chili's for Molten Chocolate Peanut Butter Cakes for dinner. OK, maybe convalescing here isn't so bad after all.

*You know I'm kidding about the cat, right?

Patrick is Headed to Broadway!

After much work, wait and fund raising, the day has finally arrived. Patrick's awesome drama teacher, Mrs. Deakins...has gone above and beyond in planning, coordinating, championing and working miracles to pull off the adventure of a lifetime.

Patrick and fellow drama-geeks will be leaving for NYC (via Korea and SFO) today. I am a bit sad not to be there to see him off at the airport...but the excitement I feel for him makes up for it. The kids will be participating in workshops during the day, seeing Broadway shows at night...and fitting in the sights, too...such as Lady Liberty, FAO Schwartz, etc. They are also going to try to get on the Today Show. Good luck, everyone!



Oh...and I never did get a chance to post this video from Patrick's Far East Drama experience in Korea. One of his talented classmates put it together, and I just can't get enough of it. Lots of good footage of Patrick in it, so I hope you'll check it out.

Finals week

School just might do me in this week. My final project is due for my computer class tomorrow night, and it's a doozie. Especially the Microsoft Access part. Can I tell you how glad I am that my life's work does not involve accounting? Just sayin'.

Here, Charlotte is lending moral support for my Power Point presentation. She thinks I need to add more custom animations. I find them annoying, but whatever.

Anyway, as soon as I'm done with this, it's on to my next algebra assignment, also due tomorrow at midnight. Three more weeks until that class is over, for better or worse. If I can average a C, I'll be thrilled. Also glad my life's work does not depend on algebra. It's more of a hazing ritual these days, I think. Personally, I'd rather pay someone the big bucks to take care of any math needs that I may have.

{C'ya later...I'm goin' back in.}

The Best Little Theater in Town

Let me start by saying I was NOT at all in favor of Patrick participating in this POPs (Pacific Okinawa Players) musical when he presented the idea back in December. It's not that I have anything against POPs...not at all. Love me some community theater. But just not with everything else he has on his plate and the craziness that is our normal family life. I thought he was nuts. I told him no. He persisted. He went with a friend to the tryouts. They offered him a lead part. I told him he'd have to turn it down. He countered with a proposal that would not involve me having to drive him anywhere, ever. He'd have rides with a friend on the way there, and another family on the way home, and he'd do his homework in seminar period at school and when he wasn't on stage at practice and he'd still get all his chores done and keep up his As and Bs at school and yadda, yadda, yadda. I knew better. I knew it was never as easy as it looks on paper. Two hour practices every week night? Insanity. But against my better judgment, I let him accept the part.



This meant, he'd start his days at 5 AM to get ready for Seminary. Then after school, he'd have (fill in the blank here with Madrigal Dinner/Talent Show/Far East Drama Competition) practice, depending on what month it was...until 5 PM. Then, he'd eat a sandwich or something on his way to his 6-8 PM play practice. Then, he'd get home anywhere from 8:30 to 9, do whatever homework he didn't finish, and go to bed and repeat. M-Th nights, for two months. Oh, and did I mention he also was trying to earn money for his drama trip to NYC over Spring break? Yep. So, he had to squeeze in odd jobs between the cracks, too.



The whole "You'll never have to drive me anywhere ever" clause? You can guess how long that lasted. About a week. While Jeff's mom was completely awesome and did take him along with her son, from their after school practices to POPs practice, the rides home fell through right away. With 3 of us taking night classes, and practices rotating from Kadena to Foster, it made for some frustrating logistics. There were times when I wished for a time machine so I could go back to that night and say, "HECK, NO! Final Answer!" He did manage to keep his grades up, although I don't know how. It took a toll on his health...due to lack of sleep, I'm sure.



But as I sat there watching him tonight, I was glad that I said yes. He is good. And I'm not just saying that because I'm his mom...he is REALLY good!



And he was so obviously in his element. From the time he was little, he has loved to perform, and I really think it's when he's at his happiest.



This was his first musical, but he looked like a pro. His vocal abilities have really come a long way. I think show choir has been great for him.



The show was way too short. We knew it was a short show, but it really went by too quickly. I was sorry when it was over.



Some of these kids were just adorable! There was one boy that (as Coree puts it) sounded so inconvenienced by having to say his lines. I wasn't sure if it was part of his character, or just his nature, but it was SO cute, whether on purpose or not. That and the part where he was picking out his wedgie while he was delivering his lines, downstage, center. You can't write better stuff than that.



I'll just include a little clip of the curtain call here. I don't have a recording of the performance yet, but someone is getting it to me so that Cliff can see it, too. I'll try to post the link here, but to be honest, I'll probably forget.



"What? Why yes, I'd be happy to give you my autograph..."



And here's Patrick's "adopted" brother, Jeff. In the program bio, Patrick wrote that he was Jeff's white brother...among other "Patrick-isms." To be honest, I'm surprised they printed what he had to say, because it was not the usual, professional, "I'd like the thank God and my parents" fare. It was hilarious, for sure...but just not typical. Patrick is nothing if not original.



"Well I didn't get the lead...but I got the guy!" (Line from the play...not real life.)



And look at this little mini me! Isn't he a doll?



I love drama kids. They are totally awesome.



"Are we that awesome? Yes...yes, I think we are."



I love these kiddos...they are each amazing for different reasons. This experience reminded me that I need to be more of a cheerleader and less of a dream-killer. Not that I didn't have some valid arguments. Even so, if I remember correctly, it was me years ago, who gave the advice to Cliff (who was lamenting how hard it was going to be to go to full-time grad school at night to try to become a chaplain, while being a full-time Marine by day and trying to pay some attention to his family in there somewhere): "Name one worthwhile thing in life that's not hard."

With all of the hassles, this was still one of the most worthwhile things I've watched in a long time. Congratulations, Patrick. I'm excited to see where your talent and perseverance take you.

The Most Frustrating, Stressful Birthday Ever (and some awesome sushi)

College is totally kicking my butt. Or I guess technology is, rather. But since one of my classes is all about computers, and the other is delivered via the Internet...it's really the same thing.

I had a big project due for my computer class tonight. A project using Microsoft Access, to be exact. And a take-home quiz due. Through Murphy's law and a massive comedy of errors, I spent hours on the computer today trying to figure out how on earth I was going to complete what should have been an easy project to finish up. I had emailed myself the file from class, only to find out that my version of the Office Suite did not contain Access. And the one that does...costs $500. Instead, I tried downloading a free trial. This crashed my computer. Three times. No problem...I'll just get the trial version for Mac on our desktop computer. Problem...Access doesn't come with the Mac version. Well, there's always Cliff's laptop, right? Problem...he already used the free trial of Professional Office for his laptop. A year ago, so it's expired. Since it was due tonight, and having a birthday does not give me a free pass from class, homework OR my other daily responsibilities (although it should, dang it!) there was no way I was going to be able to go to the school to hammer it out in the computer lab.

About this point, I thought I might spontaneously combust. I hate technology. OK, so I love it. But today, I HATED it. Cliff was due to leave at 1:30 AM for his trip. We had tried to plan one last hurrah at our new favorite restaurant on the island, Newport Sushi. This was totally contingent upon me getting my project and quiz done. It was not looking like this was going to happen. Cliff got all packed and left to run one last errand and drop off Patrick at play practice. He told me to call if I got done and we could meet.

Through anger, tears and suppressed urges to smash my laptop against the wall, I finally got the Office download to work without crashing. I was making good progress on the project (better than I thought possible) and watching the clock. I had been looking forward to this night, was so bummed out about Cliff leaving in the first place, and now I was going to miss out on our sushi date. I finished everything I could on the project (it wasn't due until midnight, so I'd have another hour after class), grabbed my book and quiz and jumped in the van. I knew I'd spend the next month regretting it if I let this chance go by. I called Cliff and told him he could meet me at Newport Sushi if he didn't mind me working on my quiz between plates.



He didn't mind in the slightest.



Hello Cotton's Boat. I am going to eat you in one bite.
This is a mound of real crab meat, topped with shrimp, with the loveliest seasoning.



Spicy Tuna Tostada...where have you been all my life?



Heaven on a wonton.

Salmon Carpaccio Sashimi



Dressed with olive oil and citrus juice.



Stuffed Tomato really had nothing to do with tomatoes...it's tuna and crabmeat, designed to look like a stuffed tomato. Clever, no?



Just like the Volcano is not really a volcano, but seared salmon, crab and scallops topped with roe.



With a belly full of fantastic sushi, 9/10 of my quiz completed, the stress of the day behind me and a few minutes of peace and quiet with my favorite person on the planet...this pretty much summed up my mood.

In the end, it all worked out fine. I finished the quiz in class and turned in the project by 11:30. And even got thirty minutes of sleep before having to get up to take Cliff to his muster. I think making the time for our date was the key part of the equation. If I had just decided to skip it because it was too hard, even getting everything done, I still would have been ticked the whole month. Sometimes, you just gotta take time to taste the sushi.

Educational Updates

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this here or not...but Coree decided not to go to eighth grade this year. Instead, she decided to take a semester of ninth grade classes online via BYU independent study. Her goal...to transfer into Kubasaki at the semester. I was all for her doing it. Well, I do have some reservations about her being barely 17 when she graduates. But she's always been on the more mature side...all of her friends are older, and that has usually been the case. And there was no question about her being ready to do high school work. So, we went for it. It was a rough first semester all the way around...for Coree's social life, Dad's wallet AND my sleep. Online classes are very time-consuming. They are also expensive (especially compared to free). For LDS kids, high school=early-morning Seminary. This meant I had to bring her there and back every morning. (Not that I didn't do that the first 2 1/2 years I had kids in Seminary, but it's been nice having such a large carpool since then.)

Well, to make a long story short, she did it! Coree is now a Kubasaki Dragon. She is so thrilled...but at the same time said, "I can't believe I did all that work, NOT so I could be relieved to be done...but JUST so I could do MORE work! (Yeah...welcome to high school, sweetie.) Silver lining for Mom: Since I drove the Seminary carpool the entire first semester, I'm now done for the year. Woohoo! It's funny, she comes home every day with some new tidbit about how high school is so much better. ("Mom...today, one of my teachers GAVE us gum. At Lester, you'd get detention for chewing gum!" or "Mom...today at lunch, I changed tables THREE times....and no one said ANYTHING to me!" Also a detention-earning infraction at Lester. So is hugging of any kind.) It's not that she ever tested any of these rules, or had any trouble with anyone, it's just the overall atmosphere of the school that was suffocating to her. It sounds like she's really breathing easier in a less oppressive environment. I understand middle school is a tough age to manage, so in an effort to keep good order and discipline, they....well, run it like a prison, frankly. It's just that Coree didn't need that. And we had other options.

Well, all that {unimportant} academic stuff aside...let's get to something that really matters. Fashion. Coree could not be expected to carry a middle school backpack to high school, could she? Well, I thought it would be fine, but evidently, it's just not done. Coree scoured the Internet and found something more acceptable at Urban Outfitters. For $80. Fat chance. I agreed to go halvesies. Deal. Here it is:


So what do you think...is it sufficiently high school enough?

Leaving me with the cast-off middle school model. Pssshh...I have no shame, I'll take a backpack that won't cost me additional money any day. It's still in perfect shape. In your face, middle school. Why do I need a backpack, you ask? I've gone back to school myself. Two classes:

Does this look familiar?



How about this? Does this make your chest tighten as much as it does mine? If I survive ten weeks of college algebra, it will be a miracle. At this point, all I care about is passing with a C. Anything else would be overkill. I'm also taking a computer class (information systems management) which is not so bad. I tell you, I'd take ANY class over college algebra, any day. But it's a necessary evil. Mostly just evil.

And Jake? He's still playing the mad professor at home.



He made this pontoon boat through instructions in his Supercharged Science program. He got tired of waiting for me to order a bunch of the parts, so he started stripping old electronics he had in his room. Would you even know where to start? I wouldn't know what part does what or how to remove it. Jake makes it look easy.

Here it is in action. I can't wait to see what else he can do. Although, I'm thinking I'd better order him some new parts or my electronics might start disappearing.