October Recap (or mellow yellow.)

This month has certainly been an adventure. In fact, I think it may have been a different sort of adventure than I originally intended.  I think the most difficult thing for me were the limitations.  I think it's certainly in my nature to completely and desperately desire more than anything else in the whole wide world anything I can't have. (That statement was dramatic to adequately express my fervor.)  So, in many ways it was hard for me to stick with the Blues or the Yellow or the Crayons.  I've already written about the struggle with the daily exercise.   I think already this project as taught me some important lessons about myself and my tendency towards unfulfilled desire and instant gratification.

So...There's That.

I'd like to start off with what Max got out of it.  As of today he knows A, B and C.  He knows the number one, the triangle and the color Yellow.  He was indifferent about the Blues.  He likes to color with Crayons, he really dug those dinosaurs at the Field Museum and 20 mins of exercise happens 20 mins after he wakes up in the morning and continues on for another 8 hours a day!

I've already written about my experiences with the Field Museum, The Triangle, The exercise, the Letters and number so you know where I am at with those.

Let's talk about the Yellow.  The Lovely, Lovely Yellow.  I have to say that I'm in love with Yellow and all week I've been having some major separation anxiety about the end of yellow.  My eye looks for yellow and it's hard to not sound cheesy when I say this...but Yellow really does fill me with joy.  It makes me smile.  Jack, a dear friend of mine, has been faithfully sending me emails FILLED with lovely yellow images everyday of the week.  I wish I had a way to adequately share those with you because they are simply amazing.  (In fact, if any of you are interested I'll gladly forward you a couple).  Not only were they a lovely daily dose of Yellow, it was nice that a friend was quietly reminding me that I wasn't in this alone.

There were times when wearing Yellow was hard.  I've already talked about how it is impossible to simply blend in when wearing yellow but for the most part I think I wore it well.  I know I'm gushing but I think this yellow month has changed my life.   I highly recommend a daily dose of yellow the way some folks take Vitamin C.

Did we color with Crayons? Oh did we Ever!  No great revelations were made with the kid and crayons.  It took me awhile to get a series going that I dug with those crayons but I did and I kinda dig it. The End.

Finally,
The Blues and I had a bit of a love hate relationship.  I came into this really expecting to LOVE the hell out of the blues.  That didn't really happen and I kinda of got sick of the Blues pretty quickly.  That is sad because I think the Blues deserved better.

Who I did I listen to?  B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush,  Stevie Ray Vaughn, Little Walter,  Johnny Lee Hooker, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Mofro, Howlin' Woof, Koko Taylor, Muddy Waters, Albert King, Junior Wells

There were definitely highlights.  Like the following two songs that I've danced to again and again in my kitchen :

Koko Taylor (As another blues artist has described her:  "This girl ain't playin'!) :





The Father of Chicago Blues:






One final thing of note. There were by necessity some changes made. Max's pajamas didn't always have yellow in them and I wasn't about to go out and buy tons of yellow pj's for one month. Other than his pj's that kid did wear yellow everyday (as did I). I think that I'm going to have to accept that the pajamas might not always meet the color of the month (but certainly will when they can.)


Also, my exploration with yellow is going to end in a few short minutes as I have a palm reading gig tonite and since it's a paid "performance" (and I need to dress dark and gothy) there will be no yellow. Tomorrow, Halloween, is our Free Day this month. I'm sure I'll be giddy with freedom (or missing the yellow?)


Finally, faithful readers, a confession. I broke down and played exactly 6 non-blues songs this month. I'm weak I know but man were they delicious.