There were two ports in the storm in my otherwise semi-dysfunctional family…music and laughter. While my loving parents’ child-raising skills were challenged, they never missed the humor in a situation or story, and if a sense of humor is inherited, I got that gene. Humor was an apology, a connection, and it somehow made everything OK.
And then there was the music connection. A family that sings together, bonds together, right? Well, there was a lot of singing going on at my house.
At 3 years old, so I’m told, I was swinging on the backyard swing, singing every word to popular songs of my parents’ time….in perfect tune they say. “Why does the sun go on shining, why does the sea rush the shore, don’t they know, it’s the end of the world, ‘cause you don’t love me anymore”—this from a 3 year old. I remember hearing this family story so many times that I think I remember it…or maybe I really do. Perhaps I was a little older than 3, but who knows. Music filled our house. My dad, from North Carolina, taught me to love country music, and my NJ-born mother caught the country bug as well–so many stories in the songs…so much melody….so much glorious harmony, which was heaven to sing with my mom and aunt! I was hooked.
So through the arguing and misbehavior by the entire family, laughter and music kept the house of cards from falling.
It’s no surprise that I turned into a “lyric queen” as I grew older… you had to know the words to sing. Ahh… the many ways words could delight and connect us.
And I guess it’s also no coincidence that during my serious career in business, I became the Weird Al Yankovic for newly promoted and retired colleagues, creating personalized, funny sing-alongs which were bestowed on them with my office co-conspirators. I moved on to writing funny “story songs” for kids, recording them with animated videos–then on to adult songwriting, and finally… wanting to get back to the silly…. on to funny children’s books (with songs and videos of course!)
And so here I am… with a company with a silly name that comes from a lyric, Biff Bam.Booza, and a tag line, that is so ME!– “Read, Sing and Get your Giggles on.”
Everything is OK. And the circle is unbroken. Love you Mom and Dad.
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