The best Christmas Carols

I have two students right now taking uke lessons.
Two young girls, 9ish... funniest age ever.

Christmas is still a little ways off, but it's a refreshing change to have a series of songs where the generation gap hasn't left a giant rift. Honestly... what do kids listen to? I'm lost every week trying to find songs that we all know!

My second student is still quite new to the ukulele. She had a cognative growth spurt over the summer and is suddenly catching on really quickly- the music is starting to make sense and her fingers are "listening" to what she wants them to do. This year we're actually playing full Christmas songs without either of us ending up in pain.

There's still a generation gap... even in the classic Christmas tunes.

We were learning Roudolph last week. An easy tune, it means we can belt out the words without having to think too much... We had a little talk before we started...

Me: I want you to sing as loud as you can and do all the echos

Student: At my school the kids always sing the part about going down in history like Justin Bebier. I don't want to sing that.

Me: You don't have to sing that... sing about someone famous who will be famous forever- for all of history.

Student: ummmmm.

Me: Well, when I was growing up we said "like Christopher Colombus"... He's written about in a lot of history books.

Student: ummmmm.

Me: How about "like Oprah"?

Student: Who's Oprah?

(I'm dieing laughing): Really? Oh dear! Seriously?? Am I that old? Are you that young? Sheesh. ummm... How about "like Leonard Cohan"?

Student: Well, that makes more sense.

(This time I'm dieing laughing and due to overwhelming joy): ok.

Student: I'll probably just go with Justin Bebier.

 Me: sigh.

A little later we're talking about favourite drama games...

Student: Well, what about "fluff"?

Me: Fluff? Never heard of it.

Student: (dieing laughing) Really? Oh dear! Seriously?? Are you THAT old?

The lesson is nearly over, so we give Rudolph one more go... and get to the last line... Sweet student sings with gusto...

Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, you'll go down in hiiiissssss-tooooooooorr-eeeeeeeeeeee
But not like Oprah!

Group W war games.

First... please.. please, take the time to watch the video.


There was a huge fight on the bench*. It took place online for all the world to see. Pieces of it were deleted by worried observers. It got mean. Names were called. People got concerned ... I had several people ask me in real life if things were ok... "Are you and Eve really in a fight? I thought she was so nice!" and "Are things going ok in Toronto? I've been following this fight online and it has me worried, are they going to keep [the jam] going?"

I got an email from a corktown member (who doesn't really know me) after I'd responded to part of the fight online... asking me if I'd been offended by what was being said.

Friends... it was a hoax. A little activity staged by the "Group W Bench and the Bench Warmers" to keep the winter doldrums away. So staged, that we often posted in our private group what our insults were going to be before they were made public. I haven't laughed (belly laughed) like that in a long time. I couldn't check things on my phone- I had to do it in the safety of my own home so as not to scare anyone with my LOUD guffaws.

Please watch the fantastic conclusion to the fight... I wish I could have been there to join them...
(and I'm sure the "elbow to cheekbone" bit was unintentional, but I still love it)

*Group W Bench is the amazing group of talented friends at Corktown Uke Jam. I love them to bits. While I can't be there very often, I'm pretty lucky to be included in their midst. So named for the line in Arlo Guthrie's song "Alice's Restaurant"... we're the Miscreants of the Ukulele, and we'll put you on a tee-shirt if you do something stupid.

Little Fan

I loved watching the faces of the kids in the audience during this show. The excitement in their eyes when the dancers would take the stage... the CRAZY EXCITEMENT when Santa would walk out (even when Santa couldn't remember his lines) (every time)... I loved watching their little eyeballs track back and forth following the dancers, or the little ones who would lean over to squeal into the ear of their parent "can I take dance lessons?"

Those moments were the best part of this show.

I spent some time during today's matinee wondering what the kids were thinking during the show. How many of them will end up having this be a tradition? Each year coming back to watch the Parkettes and hear the carolers? How many of those kids will watch each year, waiting for the time when they'll be old enough to audition? How many will have this show to mark the moment that makes the Christmas season come alive for them?


The show ended and a million and twelve children rushed Santa. I wondered aloud to a cast member if Santa had the "pee proof" pants on that afternoon.

Then I saw a cast member lean down to scoop his adorable 8 year old cousin (my uke student) into his arms... only to watch her ignore him completely, push past him, and rush to give me a giant hug.
Love that girly.
Feels like Christmas!

8 year olds

6-10 is my favourite age for all humans.
Seriously.
They're acquiring knowledge so fast their parents can't keep up, they're discovering amazing things... and hormones haven't gotten in the way and screwed everything up.

If every child could be between 6-10 forever, well... I'd have 30 children.

Anyway, there's an especially bright 8 year old that I have the honour of spending time with. She's one of my ukulele students, and this kid... she's super special. I have to try not to laugh at everything she says, try not to write down EVERYTHING she says- you can see the engines firing as she tries to sort out the world around her... she's making other kids look bad.

REAL BAD.

Tonight we were talking about the hatching eggs that I'd picked up the day before. Her mom was asking a little about the process, and of course... it's about chickens, so I'm more than happy to share what I know. I'd said moments before, that I'd had a rooster but ended up eating it- because roosters weren't welcome in the neighbourhood. And that I'd had to get my eggs from a friend who had roosters.

Without missing a beat she asked "oh, what do rooster eggs taste like?"
Quick recovery answer about eggs that were fertilized with a look of apology to her lovely parents.
And we all doubled over laughing.

Uke it Up

NUkeO got together and filled our pub to the max last night.

Instead of trying to tell you about it, I'm going to steal PaSheff's photos. Some large group play-alongs, and some great solos, and instant bands... Much more happened, but then our resident photographer and his wife were hit by the flu bug and had to go home.

I love hosting this weird little group.

End of the world.

A group of friends spends every thursday night at a local pub. We've been doing it for 3 years now. whoa. 3 years.... that's a lot of beer and conversation.

So of course we have our own facebook group to coordinate our busy lives- there are days we don't actually make it to the pub, and end up in someone's backyard at a fire, or living room instead.

This week's conversation:

JR: So about that end of the world thing....
       We are willing to offer our house and do a pot luck.

JC: We're in, And we'll bring a crock pot of something.

JR: Awesome! And at midnight if we are still here we bring out bob's b-day cake.

Me: Oh right... what day is the end of the world again?



Tonight is the second annual NUkeO open mic at the Beamish House in Port Hope. 7pm, Ukes and non ukers are welcome.

The "other" Lovelies

At Amber and Shawn's wedding a week ago, I had the pleasure of singing with two sweet girlies.

There's something really wonderful about being included in your friends' special day.. and it's the first time I've sung at a wedding where the music playing the bride down the aisle has gotten applause! Click for the video...

(thanks to Roshan for the video!)

(I'd blame the camera angle for my twelve hundred chins... but that would be a lie)

haha. I love how when she gets in place at the front we start to rush the song... it just seemed like such a long time!