Cool Stuff That I Feel Like Posting

I'm feeling exceedingly A.D.D. tonight, and I cannot decide what to post about. So I'm not going to. I'm just going to stick random stuff up here that I think is cool and that I think you should think is cool too. But since this is a free country, you don't have to think any of this is cool. You can think it's all, like, Wha? And you'd be right. But it's also cool.

Here we go. Cool Thing Number One:

My very awesome family reflected in a mountain stream. There's one extra kid, though. My daughter's friend. Believe me, I would know if I had a fifth child. I only have enough stretch marks for four.

My little bro and I–wait. My little bro and me–its me, right? I'm going to check–practicing for a summer concert in Seattle this past July. This was a song written by his partner Mark Andersen, and is absolutely gorgeous. "Blessed Are They." We get to sing it again at Christmas, and I love it!

Wanna hear it? You can. Sort of. Here is a recording of the performance. Unfortunately someone got into the sound booth and messed with things, so the main recording mic was off. This is what the camera's picked up. It's faint and sounds like an old phonograph, but you'll get the idea. If you crank it. Or you can skip it. We won't be offended. There's plenty of other stuff to listen to in this post.

And on we go to Cool Thing Number Three: People I Love.

Dressed up as Darbus before the HSM parade-route dance, with the AMAZING AND ASTONISHING  Shawnna Thompson: Music Director, Dancer, Actress, Singer, Psychotherapist of Teenagers, And Everything Else Possible. She's awesome. If they ever bottle her and sell her, you should buy some.

Photograph courtesy of Jenna Nelson (Jenna Nelson Photography)

My Gnomies from Challenging The Gnome – Maegan and Russo. The. Best. Blog. Partners. And Writer Friends. EVER. Also, they are wonderful writers and an all around hoot to hang with. That bottled-and-sold thing from above? Applies here too. And yeah, those are LDS missionaries hanging out behind us on the left there, eating Orange Leaf frozen yogurt. Why not? It's the Yogurt of the Gods.

How 'bout this? 3,000 High School and Junior High students singing Bohemian Rhapsody together while waiting for the awards assembly to begin for the State(s) Shakespeare Competition:

Did you hear that? They were on pitch and everything! Never saw such a great group of kids. They were from all over: Utah, Idaho, Arizona, California, and even Wisconsin (I think. Or Michigan.) But they were totally cool and supportive of each other. When our High School won the Ensemble scene for our division with Titus Andronicus (totally horrifying and fabulous), the whole place ovated them. And when the kids from the deaf school got their awards, all 3,000+ kids stood and waggled their hands (which is how you do a visual applause) for about 2 solid minutes. It was sweet. 

Here's a little more of their hilarious Teen Spirit. Hitting the high notes in the last section of Bohemian Rhapsody:

Speaking of Shakespeare and Titus Andronicus, here's the extremely talented cast from that little scene:

Yep. It was something. If you're brave and want to see this amazing interpretation of a truly horrifying play, click here and you can see the film. It's short. And also hard to hear. But you'll get the general idea. Violent and brutal. Perfect for Halloween. Or you can just trust me and move on.

Next we have (still on Cool Thing Number Three – People):

My dear friend Robin Edmundson. She's in there. Can't you see her? Oh wait. you can't. Because I FORGOT TO TAKE A PICTURE OF HER WHEN WHE WAS OUT HERE VISITING FROM INDIANA. Kill me now. But I've got her in my head. And around my neck in the form of that top left scarf there (which she made, thank you very much. Wove it. Gorgeous.) And scenting my skin (Soap. Sweet Herb. Which she also made. The woman is psycho. Wanna see just how psycho? Go to her blog, Rurification, and find out.)

Cool Thing Number Four. I don't know where I found this. I think it was Peruvian Connection. A catalogue that is beautiful and unaffordable for me. But someday I shall get rich enough to buy this entire outfit. And then I shall wear it every day, to make omelettes and get the mail and exercise and sleep and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on my children's toast. I think it's looovely.

UPDATE: Right. Well it turns out that the lovely ensemble I was linking to is no longer available. So you're going to just have to imagine it: a red tartan wrap dress with fabu and creative draping across the hips. And twee little black ankle boots. And textured tights. Go to Scotland. You'll find it there. My apologies for your visual deprivation.

And finally, the stunningly marvelous, incredibly incisive and intelligent us. My Hub and me. ("Me" is correct here. I know "I" sounds better. But you can ask the Chicago Manual of Style. I did. It's "Me," no matter how dorky it sounds.) Here we are being über cool and suave at a football game trying to take a picture of ourselves. We know you wish you were us:

And hey. How 'bout that cackle, yeah? You wish you cackled like that. Well, you CAN! All you have to do is get as old as I am and suffer from decades-long sleep deprivation. Then you'll lose your mind and sound just like that. And you'll be cool. Cool Thing Number Five, to be precise.

Well, I can see by the clock that it is a day past bedtime. I must go. I do hope you've enjoyed today's roundup of Cool Things That I Felt Like Posting. I know I did. It's amazing how much cool stuff there is out there. And cool people? Out the wahzoo. Just pick up a mirror and take a look. you'll see what I'm talking about.

Cheers, dears!