I don’t know what you heard about me…

What was the last thing you did for play or fun?

I like to listen to hardcore rap and hip hop and dance in my kitchen. Tupac, Biggie, 50 Cent, Tribe Called Quest, Gang Starr, Megan Thee Stallion, among many others. I am a white, middle-aged suburban mom who meditates, teaches yoga, keeps bees and likes to make homemade gifts, and I can’t even dance particularly well, but when a beat drops, so does my booty.

I also enjoy blasting the same jams in the car. It makes me giggle when I pull up to a stop light with bass thumping and the driver next to me turns with a sneer or an eye roll to see me in my pompom hat and Cotapaxi puffer coat.

My kids have always lamented the fact that I will start dancing anywhere. It doesn’t have to be rap, a bop is a bop. I have no shame about singing and dancing in public. Grocery shopping is mundane, you bet your ass if En Vogue comes on the 90’s pop station at Festival Foods, I’m gonna feel it.

I don’t even realize I do it half the time. One time at an airport Starbucks I was grooving to some Stevie Wonder a woman came up and hip bumped me and we had a little dance party while waiting for our lattes. We talked about the magic of music and the importance of moving joyfully whenever the mood strikes, no matter how much it embarrasses our kids.

They may not like it when they are teenagers, but hopefully as adults my boys will think it’s cool that their mom gave no fucks and wouldn’t let fear of what other people think keep her from being herself and having fun anywhere, doing anything. With any luck those traits will pass on to them- and that would be a Little Victory.

Leave a comment