Ralph Rocks! Really!

There are many things I do now on a daily basis that if told about years ago would never have believed I'd be doing. Like wiping runny noses with my bare hands and not even being grossed out by it. Yesterday I did one of those thing: I had a really good time at a kids rock concert.

I admit to a problem with music marketed to kids. I refused to purchase kids music for many years and made my kids listen to The Beatles and WXPN, a public radio station here that is really awesome. This is hardly torture- they liked what they heard- I didn't feel that I was creating a musicless void. I think it was the Christmas before last that my sister in law gave the girls a Ralph's World CD. She had interviewed him and thought he was great. We listened to it a few times, and then kind of forgot about Ralph's World. A few months ago, I found the cd, dusted it off, and thought wow- this is highly listenable, and enjoyable. The girls LOVE it, and I kind of do too. Its catchy as all get out, and I don't even mind that these songs are looping in my head.

I went online to see if Ralph's World had a new cd out, since we all love the one we have, but one of the 3 of us frequent listeners was getting just slightly hungry for some variation. Not only was there a new album, but Ralph's World had tour dates, and was playing here soon.

So we bought tickets, and H had been counting the days until the show. We bought the new cd, so we'd know the songs. H got fancy, (pink ruffled skirt, pink, white and black leopard tights, red short sleeved t-shirt on top of a long sleeved T with black owls printed all over. And silver sparkly shoes) We waited in line for the doors to open. It gave a complete new meaning to 'all ages show'.

I am a really big sap, who gets sappier as time goes on. The thing that makes me the most sappy lately is seeing people who do what they are meant to do, and do it really well. Seriously, Ralph was amazing, a great musician, great with kids, and really, really nice. He hung around after the show, to have his picture taken and sign T-shirts, or anything else you wanted him to sign. I was expecting him to be hurried, on to the next- but was there standing next to him long enough for me to feel completely awkward and not know what to say. (which really doesn't take long, but we were there for a while!) He got H to give him a high five- which is impressive- shes not a bit shy, but she's very skeptical of even awknowledging you until shes had some time to adjust. Although he read her enough to make me get in the picture with him too. Then someone in line volutunteered to take a picture, and this is what happened:


I already liked Ralph, of Ralph's World, but meeting Ralph and seeing him and the rest of Ralph's World in action- I may be in danger of becoming a kids rock star groupie.