Holiday Miscommunications

Some how I ended upon YouTube the other night in the wee hours.

Yeah good times, good times.

I stumbled upon multiple "responses" to Katy Perry’s California Girls video. Some of them are even from outside the US. I am talking as far away as Northern Ireland and South East Asia. It was touching.

 

Of those that I watched Minnesota Girls is the best. "Waterproof boots & flannel on top." Hahahahaha

So awakening quick the next morning on the couch I ran up stairs to share with the young ladies. My daughter and her Bestie were having an extended sleep over which meant I barely saw them. 

I thought they would get a kick out of it. I further reasoned that it would be helpful in really having a glimpse at what girls in another places have to say for themselves.

I loved the girl power aspect of it all. The videos and lyrics are creative and funny. They reference local culture and the high lights of the various locations. 

In Maine they sing “You could travel the states but nothing comes close to the girls…” they point on the map to that little spot way up high on the eastern peninsula.

With all these thoughts in my head I stopped to start my Oil Pulling ritual so I could not talk when I knocked on the closed bedroom door. I could hear the girls inside awake, chattering and listening to music.

I pointed to my cued up laptop and turned down their radio. “Turn the radio back on we were listening to that song my daughter said. I complied thinking maybe it was a new hit they had been waiting for. I was in no rush. My daughter did not let up. I tried to use American Sign Language to give her some clues about what I wanted to share.

She wasn’t really getting them and she didn’t like the opening scene of the video so she harassed me until I left the room. 

Oil pulling takes 20min so I took a shower and did a few other things. I tried to figure out how things had gone so wrong.

As soon as I could I called a meeting and we went to sit in the car. I don’t know if that scared her that I called a meeting or if she had been feeling bad but right away she apologized. After which she said she woke up a little cranky and tired. 

She was across the room sitting in a chair by her mirror about 1/3^rd of the way through straightening her hair. So it was not like she was still under the covers with her eyes half open.

Mamma was born at night but not last night. "A 2 min video is not worth alienating your mother over" I reminded her. 

"I was not interested in some random lame parody of a song I like" she countered second. 

"It was not that either" I told her.

"If you are really just not in a mood, maybe we both need to learn how to say that nicely. Otherwise can I have the trust and respect as your mother that I might have some things to share and add?" Especially when you invite friends over. 

 

"It can be helpful for us to act like we are on the same team and not adversaries." 

I think we ended okay.