Flash Mob Failure

At dark-thirty this morning, my husband started texting me.  Here’s our conversation:

The Husband: Got here early just to find AA doesn’t open until 5

The Husband: The Fun

Me: Ick
(What do you expect?  It was dark-thirty.)

The Husband: Sing I am bored, standing here with 25 of my closest friends

Me: Start a round of “Row, Row Your Boat”

The Husband: Great idea. It will be on YouTube in a few

I asked my husband when he landed safely and returned home about that promised YouTube video of his closest friends waiting for the AA counter to open and singing rounds of “Row, Row Your Boat.”  Do you know what he said?

“Yeah, right.”

I admit that I didn’t expect him to create a video and post it, but that would have been cool to see an impromptu flash mob sing rounds in front of the AA counter while they waited for their flights to be delayed the counter to open.  I am glad my husband’s flight was not on the list of 300 canceled flights and was on time.

Anyway, flash mobs are fascinating.  A request goes out into cyberspace, the routine is posted, people practice it, and then they all show up and perform at the appointed time.  There are websites devoted to events.  There was one called Coloring Book Flash Mob this summer.  I so would have done that if it had been local (and I knew about it).  Any excuse to stop what I’m doing and use crayons for five uninterrupted minutes!

Here’s one at an airport in March this year:

What do you think about flash mobs?  Have you ever participated in one?  Would you dance, sing, or color with a group of strangers and then walk away as if nothing happened?  Use the handy comments box below and let me know. 

Confessions of a Crayon Lover

I have a thing for crayons, especially the ones with interesting color names.  I can’t explain my fascination for them.  If I see a new type of Crayola crayon, I know my girls will love to have them.  (Yes, I blame it on the girls and their love for them. )

I’m a sucker…

When I was a kid, I was awestruck by the big box of crayons with the tiny sharpener in the back.  It was magical–just peel a bit of the paper away, spin it through the sharpener, and the crayon was sharp again.  Heaven!

The box provided colors called cornflower, goldenrod, and orchid (the links go to the Crayola color chart).  I wasn’t restricted to the usual 24 colors.  Oh, the silver, gold, and copper colors…sigh.  Check out the Crayola color timeline.  I didn’t know some colors have been retired and others renamed!

Then, I grew up and had a daughter who loved to color with crayons.  There were new colors to explore.  I had a reason to buy the colored wax sticks with fun names. One of my new favorites is robin’s egg blue.  Then, Daughter 2 came along and gave Daughter 1 and me and excuse to continue using crayons.  🙂

Here are some crayon facts, according to my household:

• A certain someone in our house can’t stand the smell of crayons, so we color when he’s not around.
• The little one has learned that the dogs find them yummy, so she doesn’t leave them out anymore.
• The crayon drawer is crammed with Crayola because we’re crayon snobs.
• I’m a sucker for cute packaging and new colors.

Do you have a favorite childhood toy that you still get to play with because you have children in your life to give you the excuse?  Do you even need an excuse?  Do you have a favorite crayon color?  On the flip side, do you have a childhood toy that you can’t bear to see or smell?