Fancy Pants

I have a brother in law who's a piano player.  No, seriously...a fancy pants piano player.  I realize the technical term is 'classical performer' or 'classical pianist'.  He is that too, for sure.  But mostly I like to call him a fancy pants piano player.  He just had a really fancy pants performance last night at the school where he teaches in the Twin Cities.  It's a very well known and respected school of music.   It was one of those 'gala' type events....full of pretty people, pretty clothes and lovely music.  Rockstar and I were all set to go and then we had car trouble.  HUGE BUMMER!  I know we'll get other chances to see and hear Fancy Pants play, but still...it was disappointing. 

My Rockstar Hubby is the older brother of Fancy Pants, and the music gene decided to skip over him and land on Fancy Pants.  Sometimes I find it funny that they're even brothers.  Well, there's actually three brothers.  Fabio, the oldest.  (I call him Fabio because he's been in the entertainment industry for a long time and has acted in TV, commercials, film etc)  He's not cheesy at all like Fabio .....I just think it's funny.  Don't you? The music gene did land on him too.  Not in the same ways maybe, but he definitely got a good dose of it.   So Fabio is the oldest brother, then my Rockstar Hubby, and the baby brother is Fancy Pants.  (there are 2 sisters in the mingle...Mitzy and Muffy) but more on them another time.

Growing up on the farm Rockstar remembers many, many hours of piano being practiced in the dining room of their home.  When I say many hours, I mean MANY.  Fancy Pants was only 11 when Rockstar and I started dating, but even then he was pretty focused.  It was just a normal thing to talk above the piano, listen to the TV with the volume blaring, and take the phone into the bathroom when it rang so you could hear. 

Someone wrote on Fancy Pant's facebook wall this morning about his performance last night.  (Lots of people did...stellar reviews)  She commented on how her 4th grade piano recital kept coming to mind...how her skirt was stuck in her tights....FUNNY!!  Got me thinking of my piano recital days too.  The one time I got a piece of candy cane stuck in my tooth right before I was to play 'Dance of the Christmas Elves'. The whole time I played I could hardly concentrate as my tongue kept trying to dislodge the big piece of peppermint in my tooth.  I remember sweaty palms, the nervousness of knowing everyone was watching you.  How my fingers would feel kind of stiff and cold....like I couldn't move them to play the song.  I'll bet a million dollars Fancy Pants did not have cold, stiff fingers, and that he did NOT have a candy cane before his performance...although I do have it on record that he diligently makes sure his fly is zipped before walking on stage.  Good strategy.

I took piano lessons for 10, maybe 12 years.  My youngest daughter is taking lessons now that we finally have a piano in our home.  I'm glad my parents gave me the opportunity to learn.  I'm thinking I might even want to take a refresher lesson or two...I think I'd enjoy playing for fun every now and again.  I'll never be Fancy Pants...that's for sure...but I'll also never have to worry about getting my skirt stuck in my tights, and I won't chew on a candy cane before I play. I might check my fly though.  Seriously that's good thinking. 

Big Mean Norwegians

My husband's family is mean.  Yep, they are all a bunch of mean spirited Norwegians who make fun of me.  They get together a lot...this big group of mean Norwegians.  And me, poor little me, along with all the other "in-laws" are subjected to their cliquey elitest Norwegian behavior.  I have two sister-in laws in the immediate "mean family"  I'll  call them Mitzy and Muffy.  I actually really like M & M because they are usually just 'laughers'...meaning they don't instigate the Norwegian nastiness. The older brother and his wife, they are ok too.  We actually hang out for coffee sometimes.  We call them Ken & Barbie.  They are from CA, he has done some acting, (you can see him on TV commercials) ....she is tall and has Barbie doll legs.....we all secretly don't like them for their veggie eating ways, but we're happy they moved back to MN.  We're trying to fatten them up with hotdish and heavy whipping cream.  The staples of any Norwegian family, mean or not.    Finally we have the little brother, (my husband's youngest brother) well he's another story.  He was only 12 when Rockstar and I started dating.  He seemed so sweet back then.  Well, he became this big piano player guy.  He teaches at this school in St. Paul...he's blah blah blah....Ya, you get the picture.  Big ego piano teacher guy.  Then there are all the nieces and nephews.  Too many to count...but they all pretty much make fun of me too. 

Rockstar also laughs at me when we're all together!!!  He says that I am actually the instigator.  (See it's dangerous for him to be around them, he is prone to their brainwashing)  He says if I would not TALK so much maybe there wouldn't be so many things in which the mean family could tease me about.  I don't consider it talking, I'm sharing...I like to think that I'm transparent, open, that I am engaging and friendly.  Norwegians NEED that. I consider it a ministry to the less fortunate.  Oh, but they just wait to pounce...I tell a charming little story about myself...some quirky thing...and WHAMO !!  They remember every detail for years and years too.  All my lovely stories that are meant to inspire just end up on the chopping block.  Fodder for the Norwegians. 

It's kind of surprising with how terrible this family is that I keep going back.  For 22+ years I've been going back.  It's also surprising that I laugh sooooooooooooo hard everytime we're together.  I didn't think I was the type to laugh in the midst of pain....but I guess I am. They can be very entertaining sometimes,  I'll admit.  That little piano player guy, well he's quick witted...and Mitzy and Muffy, they know how to put in their 2 cents. Ken and Barbie join in often as well.  (when they aren't looking for something "healthy" to eat)  For as mean as they all are I find them rather endearing.  I've grown quite attached to them.  I've known some of them for over half my life....and the nieces and nephews...well pretty much their whole lives.  I think this big group of Norwegians must show love by being mean to me.  And if that's the case then I know they really REALLY love me.