Cruel and Inhumane

Ever listen to kids Christmas music? If not, don't...and if you have, I'm sorry and I feel your pain.

This past weekend our kids participated in their Christmas concert for church. The mumrmerings and stammerings of the song they had been practicing for weeks suddenly came into sharp and cruel focus during the dress rehearsal. It had already been a long, busy yet good day. I had all but finished my Christmas shopping, attended a birthday party, spent some time with my sister and I was finishing up the day with the dress rehearsal. I was tired but a good kind of tired.

Knowing my aversion to kids music and loving me deeply, Mr. Awesome stopped by Starbucks on our way to the rehearsal and procured for me the most delicious and soothing latte I had ever tasted. I entered the auditorium, found a seat and hunkered down. I tried to brace myself for what was to come. I had learned from past years that if I chatted with other parents, read a book or wandered the halls during the rehearsal I can buffer myself against the worst it. But the music started without warning and caught me off guard. I had not had a chance to form my defence strategy and I knew I was in trouble.

Even the power of the latte was not strong enough to protect me from The Song. After listening to about a hundred kids sing (yell) the same song over and over again for an hour, I left the rehearsal rattled and irritated. It seemed that everything I said for the rest of the evening rhymed and had the same four count beat to it. I honestly felt like I had entered another dimension and was now residing in Suessland. The worst of it was knowing that it wasn't over. We still had to survive the performance.

Now two days later, the performance long over, I still have the chorus from that annoying song incessantly running through my head. I have listened to other music, watched a movie, had many conversations and even tried to clear my mind through meditation (sort of) and still that blessed song is there. Its so irritatingly catchy that I am fighting the urge to poke my eardrums out. The only thing stopping me from that level of self harm is that I know the song is not in my ears...it is in my brain. It has invaded and infested my inner being and I will never be rid of it!

Seriously, this is the stuff cruel and inhumane torture is made of.

Where's my coffee....happy Monday, folks ;-)