One Crazy Mixed-Up Soundtrack

This past weekend I had to carve time out of my busy schedule for the very complicated and time-consuming chore of Updating iPods. You might wonder how on earth this could possibly even be worthy of mention, much less a difficult task. (Especially since it can conceivably be accomplished whilst lounging in one's PJs, sipping coffee.) The short answer is: we now have 3 different iPod devices among us, each representing a listener with wildly varied taste. While we do share a teensy-little bit of overlap in our preferences, I really needed to figure out how to arrange our growing iTunes Library into separate folders for each of us; so, for instance, I don't end up with all of Derek's AC/DC cuts or every single Black Eyed Peas single from Riley's Shuffle. Having successfully accomplished the cyber-cleaning-and-organizing, I was ready for  Derek's helpfully-constructed list of tunes he wished included in his Playlist. These included: Club Can't Handle Me by Flo Rida; Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO (more on that in a second); Life if a Highway by Rascal Flatts; Iron Man by Black Sabbath; Rock You Like a Hurricane by the Scorpions; and Rudie Can't Fail (along with 6 others) by the Clash. Okey-dokey, my little punky, hip-hopping...country classic rocker?

Fresh from completing the re-stocking of the mp3s, I was describing these eclectic selections to Husband after dinner one night while gathered in our room for Reading Time. He looked thoughtful for a moment, then mused, "I can't even tell you what an 'LMFAO' is." Derek dropped his gaze and mumbled, "You don't want to know." That got my attention--"Wait, you do?" He nodded sheepishly. I suppose this shouldn't have been all that surprising, since Husband doesn't really text much, and determinedly avoids joining the Facebook Revolution. And I'm sure one of my son's charming 6th-grade buddies clued him in at lunch or on the bus. (Darn Middle School!) Naturally, Riley immediately commenced leaping up and down, shrieking, "What does it mean? I want to know too!" Fortunately I only had to supply the first 2 letters for Husband to guess the rest, eyes widening in recognition as he breathed, "Ohhhhhh!" (We still didn't tell Riley--he'll probably just go ask someone at school. Sigh.)

Then when Riley heard what Derek had gotten added to his player, he excitedly informed me, "But I want AC/DC, and Queen, and Tom Petty, and the Clash, too!" Oh, reeeeaaallly? Well, alrighty then. And on a possibly related note...the next morning before we headed to the bus stop he strode into my room and asked, "Mom, can you spike my hair up with gel today?" So let me get this straight: you want to go to school with a spiky mohawk, humming Should I Stay or Should I Go under your breath...that should go over sooooo well in 3rd-grade! I mean, absolutely! Have a great day, honey! I'll just be here at home by the phone, anticipating that very special call from your teacher to...discuss things... (Hey wait a minute--how could I have forgotten that their exposure to the Clash is entirely Husband's fault! I mean, it's not like they're begging me for Glee songs, right? So I think I'll just be forwarding that call right on through to his office...mwah hah hah!! Meanwhile, I'll keep my fingers crossed they don't get into the CDs anytime soon and discover the Violent Femmes...)