Accordion Awareness

My favorite cousin, Pam, sent me an email with this link in it.

Did I mention she's my favorite?

I am so SUPER excited! Not only is it Accordion Awareness Month, but June 6th is apparently Donut Day! (Although their spelling of 'dounut' is driving me INSANE!!)

So, in honor of Accordion Awareness Month, I present to you this short video clip.



Stay tuned for Saturday when I pay the proper respect for Donut Day (incidentally, my new favorite holiday).

More Fun Than Should Be Allowed

Because I hold certification as an ASL Interpreter in my great state I am required to attend 60 hours worth of workshops every 3 years.

The workshops I attend are educational as well as enjoyable for the most part because I choose to make them so. However, the workshop I attended this weekend blows all of the others out of the water.

First of all, it was FREE. This, in itself, is a rare occurrence. Add to that the fact that my little brother was going to attend with me and you've got the recipe for a GREAT time. Add Amy, a friend I had not seen in over 5 years, and I was in.

It gets even better. This was a two-day workshop and overnight accommodations were provided in the dorms adjacent to the school. A workshop/slumber party? Awesome.

I packed a few items that would guarantee a good time:

1. Accordion
2. Roller skates
3. Sock puppets
4. Night-vision goggles

Because you never know when these things will come in handy.

When the Friday evening portion of the workshop was finished we headed to the dorms to plan our night. It was decided that the empty, mostly carpeted halls of the school would make for some great skating.

As I laced up my skates I was excitedly thinking, How many people can say they have roller skated through the halls of a school after hours? And then , disappointed, realized that there were maybe a few.

So then I thought, How many people can say they have roller skated through the halls of a school wearing night-vision goggles, after hours, while playing the accordion?

And I can now happily add to that thought: Me.

I'm thinking about calling The Guinness World Records people.
We made some new interpreter friends in the dorms who were happy to come watch as I made workshop history.

After a while I wondered how everyone could possibly be having as much fun as myself. I mean, sure, it's fun to watch people's dreams come true, but only to a point.

Luck was on our side. Down a side hall we found a cache of enormous tricycles and other ride-on equipment that just screamed: Ride us! Ride us! Take us for a spin! So we did.

Chip and Amy tearing it up!

We had races. We had chases. We had a blast.

We quickly discovered the location of the school's gymnasium as well. I was in roller skating heaven! My own rink. Does it get any better?
At one point a piano was uncovered and played by the talented Jame. This made for some great interpretive dances.

Once we had tired out we sat on the stage and had an impromptu talent show with the help of the school's sound equipment.

Chip has not lost the talent of drumming out the rhythms of a beat-box with his mouth. And when it comes to break dancing? He's still got the moves down. (Word.)

We found some props on the stage which led to even more entertainment.

A giant teeter-totter.

A realistic coffin. (It was fun to talk about the poses we could get in there but when it came down to it, no one dared. Too creepy.)

My favorite prop? The perfect stage for a puppet show.

The puppets, performing a scene from Phantom of the Opera.

Eventually we traveled back to the commons area of the dorms to chat, laugh, munch on some junk food, debate avuncular smiles and listen to the flatulent sounds of Chip's iFart. (Incidentally, iFart is HILARIOUS at 2 in the morning!)

One by one our friends headed off to catch a few hours of sleep before we'd be back in the classroom learning about cohesion in our interpreting message. Chip, Amy and I (the true diehards!) finally turned the lights out at 4 a.m.

At some point in this adventure we realized that the school has security cameras throughout the campus. I'll be honest... we hold on to the secret hope that we will find ourselves on YouTube.

But if not, we at least hope that security enjoyed our nocturnal hi jinks as much as we did.

Although I doubt that is possible.

Guest Post: Mary Sunshine

Hello. My name is Leiannaconnaannaconnadonna. I was actually born on a small island off the coast of Iowa where my parents named me Mary Sunshine but that name was a little too... merry. Plus it was the same as my mom's name. So I legally changed it when I left home at the age of 14.

I have traveled the world in search of the perfect donut, sharing my accordion music along the way. Seriously, who doesn't totally love accordion music? And donuts? I know, crazy to even think about it.

On Tuesday I made it to this city in Utah where I had heard there was an amazing bakery. I was dropped off near an elementary school so I decided to check it out.

As I wandered the halls, I saw a sign that said "Literature responses due!" on one of the doors. I wanted to find out what that was all about so I stepped inside.

The teacher welcomed me to their class - he didn't call security or anything - and asked if the kids could ask me some questions to practice interviewing really amazing people who played the accordion. So I was like, "Yeah, no problem" because people are always fascinated by me and want to ask me stuff. I am totally used to it.
They asked me to play them a little polka so of course I obliged. They were completely amazed by my talent and I think I even saw a couple of kids wiping their eyes afterwards. I do that to people all the time so it didn't come as any big surprise.

Some of the questions the kids asked were weird. Like, "How do you feel about your music?"

I mean, hello! I play the accordion, kids. How do you think it feels? Obviously amazing.

And then one of them asked me why, at the age of 2, I chose an accordion over a car.

Again, it's an accordion. After I let the kid who asked that question get an up-close look at Baby (uh, it's not like I named my accordion but sometimes I call her that - you got a problem with it?) he totally saw the light and was like, "Yeah, I'd totally choose an accordion, too." And I was like, "Yeah, that's what I thought."
One kid asked if they could feel Baby. I was thinking like, "Are you totally kidding me? No way, junior!" but I got all sweet-like and said, "OK, you can all touch her with ONE finger later".
My favorite question was "What is your favorite kind of donut?" I had to try real hard not to bust a gut over that one. I mean, they're donuts. That's like asking a mom "Hey lady, which one's your favorite kid?" I tried to stay all calm though and named a few of the goodies: Boston Cream, Maple Frosted and of course donut holes.

One kid even asked what my favorite fast food restaurant was. These kids! So funny. I just named a couple - Dunkin' Donuts & Yum Yum Donuts. You know what I'm talkin' about? If it's a donut and I can get it quick, I'm pretty dang happy.

Well, all great things come to an end, and I knew I couldn't stay there forever, so I had to say goodbye. I gave them all a real treat and let them touch my accordion before they headed out to recess like I said I would.
I said ONE FINGER but some thought they'd be all funny and touched Baby with two fingers or even THEIR WHOLE HAND and I got a little persnickety but it turned out alright.

I polished Baby down real good after I left that place.

Next I'm heading to the Salt Lake City 'cause I hear there's some Dunford Donuts that taste real good up that way.

Oh yeah, I guess the teacher guy was pretty floored by my performance and the ambience I brought to his classroom and everything 'cause he totally wrote about it too. You should go check it out by clicking on those blue words. This computer stuff is pretty amazing.

Kind of like me and my skills on the accordion.

And donuts.

Let The Game Begin!

In regard to my last post, check out this little gem:
Now that's a game I'd love to own. Along with the new and improved Accordion Hero II ! I'm not making this stuff up . . . someone else already did.

Too bad it was all just an April Fools Day prank.

Accordion players get no respect...

Play That Funky Music

As mentioned before, I have long been a fan of music. As a child I can remember seeing people play the guitar or piano and thinking, "Cool! I want to do that someday." And then my chance came.

Band Day in the gym of my middle school!

Band Day was the day that everyone who wanted to be in band could come see what instruments were available and sign a contract to rent or buy one from various vendors. My parents asked if we wanted to go. I did!!

There were no pianos.

There were no guitars.

What to do? I was so excited to be allowed to choose an instrument that I decided to make the best of things. My parents allowed me to choose an instrument on my own, so off I went to find the perfect fit.

The violin looked pretty cool, and a lot of people were talking to the violin guy, so it must be popular. It sorta looked like a guitar... but my oldest brother had played violin for about 3 days when he was younger. He would pull it out of its case, lay the bow across the strings and saw away, all the while chanting, "Grab your partner and swing her 'round! Yeeeeeeeehaw!" Good memories, but bad times for the violin.

I kept looking.

The flute was a pretty instrument. I could see myself like the pied piper, playing beautiful melodies that attracted crowds of people ... nah.

I kept looking.

The saxophone? The xylophone? I couldn't lift the tuba...

And there he was.

A man in the corner of the gym, all alone with his instrument. No one at his table. He was looking down at the floor, maybe wondering why he had come. I knew how it felt to be alone, ignored. Having no one talk to you.

I breathed in, let out a deep sigh, and made my way to his table. He looked up at me and smiled. "So, you're interested in learning the accordion?"

And the rest is history. I was an accordion player, doomed to one instrument for the rest of my life.

My first year of college I decided to take a guitar class. I learned the chords, I practiced until my fingers were calloused, but I could not master it. I finally gave the guitar to my younger brother, who had more ability than I.

My husband bought me a piano for Christmas back when we had only 2 little ones, and I took lessons for a short time, but I could not get the hang of it. I guess in my case the saying is true - you can't teach an old dog new tricks. So I am forever doomed to only have one musical talent: the accordion. (And I use the term "talent" rather loosely...)

So, if you want someone to accompany you on the piano or play the guitar around a campfire, you'll have to ask someone else.

But if you ever feel the need for some funky polka music, give me a call.