It's the little things, you know? Like finding real (not UHT) cream in the grocery store, on sale. Or the smile on EO's face after she touches the wall and sees her time in the 100fly. Or the fact that YO will still hold my hand. This week I'm adding to that list the fricking... Continue Reading →
The Existential Boy Band: One Direction in Hong Kong
“The proof that the little prince existed is that he was charming, that he laughed, and that he was looking for a sheep. If anybody wants a sheep, that is a proof that he exists.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince UPDATE ON THE UPDATE: Zayn has left the building. UPDATE: just as I... Continue Reading →
Monday Morning Music: Father John Misty
Take one recent Vanity Fair article on the Laurel Canyon music scene of the late '60s (Joni, CSNY, Mamas & Papas) add an NPR think piece on outrageous musicians plus a dash of the new Kim Gordon memoir. Sprinkle liberally with my longing for new Fleet Foxes material (when, oh when?) and what do you... Continue Reading →
2014: The Year in not-so Random Thoughts
Hi everyone & Happy New Year. For the last couple of years, I’ve put together compilations of random thoughts and personal favs, mostly about music and movies, as a way of looking back at the year that was. The lists were heavy on sarcasm and mockery of easy targets like Justin Bieber, Robin Thicke, Lana... Continue Reading →
From Chicago to China and Back Again: Susan Blumberg-Kason
Not long ago I had the pleasure to meet Susan Blumberg-Kason, author of the recently-published memoir Good Chinese Wife. The book is a very honest and brave look at Susan's difficult marriage to a charismatic mainland scholar and musician, Cai. They met in Hong Kong, spent time in China and settled in San Francisco, where... Continue Reading →
THEROCKMOM SUPERLATIVES: My Most Popular Post
After five years of posts - music-related, parenting-related, Hong Kong-related, comedic, serious, somewhere in between - my most-read post remains this one. It didn't require any research or interviews, no field work, no iTunes purchases. Just over 500 words about how I spent an afternoon at my girls' school. In terms of page views, it's... Continue Reading →
THEROCKMOM SUPERLATIVES: My Weirdest Encounter
Bloggers don't get out much. At least the kind who don't run review-related sites. From the safety of our laptops and smart phones, at home or at the coffee shop, we either comment on (famous) people and events happening in the larger world or we turn our gaze inward and write about the highs and... Continue Reading →
THEROCKMOM SUPERLATIVES: My Most Commented Post
To continue my five-year anniversary celebrations, and in true music industry fashion, I'm re-releasing a few posts (the deluxe editions!) that stood out amongst the over 90 posts I've written. I start with my Most Commented Post - an open letter to Miley Cyrus on the release of her 2010 album, Can't Be Tamed. I'd... Continue Reading →
Monday Morning Music – Elbow
Morning all - guess what? Therockmom turns five years old today. Hard to believe but it was exactly five years ago today that I posted my first inarticulate but heartfelt ramblings about music and motherhood. On that day, I wrote about the K-POP band, Super Junior. As you know, I'm slightly obsessed with their dance... Continue Reading →
Monday Morning Music – Zero 7
The other day I saw a double-decker-bus-sized ad celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Baby G watch and I thought: the '90s are truly back. Pop culture has been flirting with a '90s revival since last year, celebrating all things flannel and scrunchie, grunge and hip-hop. So in the middle of renewed interest in Nine... Continue Reading →