Okay, I admit it. I 've been infatuated with California for most of my life...it might have started with this song. When I was a teenager, I was determined. I had to get there someway, somehow.
I drove 'across the country' when I was seventeen, destination California. California beaches, the ocean, Beach Blanket Bingo, for crying out loud! I was California crazy until finally, I was stationed in San Diego. I was 18 ...I stayed 23 years, got married, and had two children before moving on with my young family to another location. Okay, I like California...maybe love... I like how people generally accept differences there. I felt more relaxed about my weird self.
See, when I was growing up, my father called me "weird" but only in the nicest "hippy-ish" meaning of the word. My mother was okay about my curious nature but a little worried about my sanity- and lack of money sense; in a nutshell, my lack of practicality. What to do? What do you do with a daughter, who seems so liberal, artsy, carefree in a conservative world?
Now, I have a daughter of my own and we had a discussion today. We often have this discussion. "Mom, I can't believe that you don't want me to wear a bikini. It's silly." I respond, "I just want you to strike the right note, dear. I want you to be safe." Please! I mean, I can hear myself. What is my problem? Sure, I let her wear the bikini. "Just put a cover-up on at least over part of it," I tell her. I can't help myself. Seriously, I don't even have to say anything. She knows. I guard my face, gentle my expression but she stiffens. "Mom, it's just a bathing suit and I'm going to the beach!" "How many boys will be there?" I can't help myself. I know she can't answer that question. How would she know? It's a public beach. I just want her to be safe. Please, there I go again!
Do you remember the itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini song? As a teen, I thought that song was so cute. I would dance wildly whenever I heard it! Now, when I hear , "She wore an itsy bitsy...", in my mind's eye, I see an older man leering at my daughter. I've gone mental for real.
I see Steve Harwell of the San Jose, California, Smash Mouth band enjoying my daughter in her cute bikini -and its all because of this video I've posted below. Sure, I happen to find it entertaining in a retro sort of way.(I graciously acknowledge.) It's peppy. Okay, I admit it. I can hardly keep myself from doing the swim! And I respect Steve for his hard times, and the foundation he started, and all that... but-imagine Smash Mouth dancing with your daughter!
As a mother, I'm here to say, it's not only fathers who get over-protective! I need help! Cynthia, you might as well be walking on the sun!
Happy 2009, blogger friends!Smash Mouth, Walking on the Sun
I love the song Walking on the Sun if not the video. It is challenging being the mother of a girl. It sounds like you are involved and listening so you and your daughter will be more than fine. Good luck and Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThat's my problem, Sarah, I do like the video! It makes me laugh to see this ordinary guy living his dream...like the Macarena song...you know the old guys, overwhelmed by these cute quirky girls...what's more, they're remembering-no believing-that they are 'the cats pajamas'...gender roles...what to do?
ReplyDeleteCynthia, let Amber wear her bikini, you wore yours right? even my mom had to accept that I wore bikini when I was 15, come'on
ReplyDeletelets see if this gets posted,
Daphne
Daphne, comment success at last! I know your position on the mom stuff-you liberal!-and I let her wear the bikini-really how could I stop her?!
ReplyDeleteReading this post makes me realize again how lucky I am to live where I do. And that my mom let me wear a bikini! (Even though she probably didn't want me to.)
ReplyDeleteI don't wear them anymore, that's for sure!
;-)
Your are lucky, tangobaby, but you're the kind of sassy woman who takes her life direction in her own hands! You live in that beautiful city because you chose it and you want to..and I don't even desire wearing a bikini...those days are gone. However, I would like to look slim...sigh.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I have boys! Happy New Year to you!
ReplyDeleteI used to do the Cha Cha with my roommate Glenn to the tune of Itsy Bitsy Yellow Polka Dot Bikini back in College. Actually I insisted on teaching him the Cha Cha. He was very cute, I wanted to hold him. Lucky me, I did.
ReplyDeleteNow there are nice classy bikinis and not so classy ones.So get her a nice one. Besides, Amber is a beautiful teenager that will look just great in one.
JBA, boys come with their own issues...I have one too! Happy New Year back!
ReplyDeleteTPC, I've heard you were a dancer! Miss D told me it was one of your college majors? 1,2, cha cha cha ! Miss A is the proud owner of a few "classy numbers" ...what can I do? (fatalistic defeat)
When I was small I thought that going to Disney was the world.This was in the mid-fifties to the early sixties. But at a certain point in my life in southwestern Iowa, I began to feel like the story of California had made all of the other stories second-rate. California was the world and we who were far from it were barely in it. I began to think of California as banal movie stars, rock musicians claiming to have Godly cool, and I heard of comments, such as I think Thomas Woolf who said that in the 30s everything that was not nailed down drifted to California. For years I refused to go to California. I missed seeing my friend Arhtur before he died because of this and I probably would have liked it.
ReplyDeleteNow I think of California as millions of Mexican and Chinese immigrants, of people from all over and of the Okies how came in the 30s. I still think that it has the aura of too cool and can still smile when someone claims that Oregon is being Californicated, but I am less provincial, less insecure about being from the edge of the world since I know that it is all edge.
I had many of the same fantasies that Cynthia had about fame, but I never even came close. They were my daydreams that made me do poorly in school or the ones that kept me apart from others.
I just got back from San Francisco. There were a lot of beggars which probably means that the city does not chase and harrass them.
As for yellow polka-dot bikinis, I loved that song, too when I was very young and later because it reminded me of being very young.
I have been thining a lot about blogging. I think I am okay at commenting, but I am not sure I want to become a serious blogger. It really did help me when I needed to get some things off my chest, but then I just began to download things I had written a while ago.
You really have a following. Your humble disciple, Mark
Mark Mark Mark us!!! So glad you are back. You need a little pep-talk from the hyphenation queen, me that is! What fantasy did I have about fame? I loved the comfort of the sun and the accepting atmosphere for a neubi-yogi. Though I'm writing you from the edge of the world...I'm feeling less edgy...may your year ahead be splendid! (I really mean that.)
ReplyDeleteMark how did it go in the conference. You must be resting now after such a long trip. It's the new year and great things will come your way. all is well- Louise Hay
ReplyDeleteone of L Hay's followers
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