Thursday, December 18, 2008

Mountainview "Winter Holiday" Program

So Keith's boss let him out of work early so he could come pick me up and we could go see Delia perform in the Christmas (or "Winter Holiday") Program. Yay!

We got to the school right on time, although we should have tried to get there half an hour early, because the parking situation is for SUCKS. We ended up walking a couple of blocks, but I don't mind, since I can walk, and it wasn't too awful cold. Still, when they have these school activities I wish they'd run a shuttle from downtown or something, because every parent and grandparent drives a separate car. I know, many folks take off from work, can't all ride together... The place is freaking PACKED with SUVs and Suburbans.

It was standing room only once we got in there. We didn't mind standing. The kids were SO CUTE! I wish my camera had decided to work today, because I could have made a video that would have had you laughing in your cubicle. I recognized the skits the Kindergarteners did, cause Delia learned the same ones in her day. They were just as cute as ever. I knew what the second graders were going to sing because Delia has been practicing all week. They were great! They sang "The Hanuka Song" and a version of "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" that has changed a bit since I was a kid.

I must say I really missed Mrs. Lucas, and to hear my daughter talk the kids did too (although she said emphatically that the new teacher was very nice and OK). I developed a serious beef with the music selection as the show progressed though. For instance, one third grade class sang a song about praying to Jesus and angels watching over them, but when Naomi's class sang "Christmas Is Coming" (the goose is getting fat, you know, the one where Miss Piggy steals the show on the John Denver and The Muppetts Christmas album) they couldn't even say "God bless you!" they instead said "we bless you." And later when they sang "The Wassail Song" they didn't say the word WASSAIL one single time! I swear, as I get older, I realize that I am attached to the seasonal music as I remember it, and I DISLIKE IT IMMENSELY when folks go fecking about with the lyrics.

The most disheartening thing of the afternoon, however, was the mass exodus after the second graders finished. Every year in the program there is a whole page about the "Mountainview Manners" idea of concert etiquette. Basically it says you should stay for the whole 45 minute show and not leave when your kids are finished because the other kids deserve an audience too. Well, the parents in my kid's grade evidently have other pressing things to do, because after they finished, thirty or forty parents just got up and left. So many parents left that they were still leaving as the third graders were coming out onstage. Keith was insenced, and I had to speak in low soothing tones to keep him from grabbing a random holiday-sweater-wearing-mother by the arm and yelling "You Are Being So Disrespectful!" Not that parents didn't trickle out all through the performance, THEY DID, and I am not faulting anyone with a little toddler or baby. But what can you do? We found a pair of abandoned folding chairs and sat down to enjoy the rest of the show!

Then the other thing that annoys me greatly occurred. Ok, not only does the program you get when you enter the cafeteria CLEARLY ASK you to please turn off your cell phones, but there were signs on the front door of the building too. Keith and I stopped in the lobby and turned ours off. But so many people must have missed the sign, because I heard phones going off all throughout the performance. And during the Fifth Grade Choir portion of the show, in the row behind us, some woman's phone rang she ANSWERED IT, and HAD A CONVERSATION. Whateves, right, who cares, right? I CARE! I was having flashbacks of my own fifth grade choir recitals (I'm sorry, but we were WAY COOLER, we had ROBES!) and I am so glad there was no such thing as cell phones when I was up there on stage singing my heart out like nothing else mattered. I wanted to turn around and stare holes in that woman, but I was too busy trying to find Audrey in the choir. She was in the top row, BTW.

Anyhoo, the kids did a super awesome job, and we really enjoyed their performances. I just wish the parents were as attentive as the kids.

2 comments:

Heidi Ho said...

Ahhh, Thanks for the kind words! Yep, I learned those same words you know and are my personal favorites....you can thank that ol' separation of church and state for the lack of "Christ" in the christmas carols. It's kinda a bummer that the words get changed, but we are often "delegated" that job from a higher source!

I miss the kiddos too! I however, DO NOT miss the details of which you speak..ie. cell phones, etc... A couple of years ago, someone actually brought their dog to the conference and thought that was ok. It's truly diheartening to look out in the audience and see it dwindle and dwindle as the concert goes on....not only for the kids, but hey, let's face it...I spent an entire month singng those songs a million times and had to keep flow charts to know what each group was doing, making sure every child had a place and a job... This is the first year I have enjoyed Holiday music on the radio!!!! hahahaha

Anonymous said...

Parents are far worse than kids. Tristan school only does their music program up to third grade so we didn't do that this year.