Last night, as on many nights, Joe-Henry and I had some iPhone time together. He has my old phone (which was Charley's old phone), and I had my phone, and he played one of his thousand games, and I played Bejeweled Blitz because yes, Mr. & Mrs. Internet America I'm an addict. In the old days, everyone gathered in front of the radio. This is our radio.
Anyway, instead of Madden 10, or Jelly Car, or the horrible and entirely inappropriate New York Nights (another post on it's own, for now I'll tell you that the age guidelines are WRONG), he played me a concert on RealPianopro. It was soothing and beautiful, and even though I have to BEG him to practice piano for reals, he enjoyed making music. Relaxing, creating, entertaining his mom.
I give myself a hard time about not being better at a whole laundry list of things. I don't engage him enough in this or that, I'm not more positive in the way I try to guide him to do things on his own. Don't get me wrong - I'm not laying awake at night beating myself up for this. I think EVERY parent does this to a certain degree. And since I"m in such good company, I sleep pretty soundly most of the time, thankyouverymuch.
He's discovering great music every day too - through games. The last song we downloaded was Little Eva's The Locomotion. He has great taste in music, and I love hearing him sing along. We give him coupons to be turned in for things he wants, and he can spend them any way he wants, but when they're gone, he has to wait until the next time he gets coupons. (Of course, we can "gift" him if we want.)
As we both started to feel tired, he opened up Bloom. I'd seen it once before, Charley had shown it to me a long time ago. But last night was an epiphany. Created by Brian Eno and Peter Chilvers, it's an ambient, interactive music box. It's visually simple but hypnotically beautiful, and sooooooo relaxing. I think it should be a required app if you have trouble sleeping or are under stress. I begged him for a turn, told him to close his eyes and he was asleep within two minutes.
I HATE paying for apps, but this one? Completely worth the 3.99. I think I'll even be able to use it at work. I'm excited to see what the students I work with think of it.
3 comments:
oh that's lovely.
Ooooh: I can't stop watching this video.
First and foremost, it's because the visual blooms of color are every bit as gorgeous and hypnotic and swoony as the musical ones.
And second, because my phone is taking foreverandaday to sync with the new computer, and GAH I CAN'T USE IT AND IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY AND aaaahhh...blooms. [Cleansing breath.] All better.
Lately I feel so Twittercentric and A.D.D. and just generally wacky and wonky that I forget, sometimes, about the blogosphere.
But after landing on your virtual doorstep tonight, I feel so wonderfully calm and centered and comfortable. Love your words, love your pictures, and love you.
Amy
love this! because it's so so soothing and also because my mind keeps wondering what the process behind it is.
also love the bebot app which my sister whipped out over xmas. Thankfully I'm not a cell phone (or anything like it) owner or I would be broke and might not ever get anything done.
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