Monday, June 22, 2009

Stage Fright

The kids are in bed.

Well, technically two of the kids are in bed. McRae and the neighbor boy are sleeping on rocks. You heard me right. Rocks.

What started out as a late afternoon plea to "please, please, please can we use that wood on the side of the house to build a fort?" has turned into their first official summer night spent roughing it in the play area (which is filled with pea gravel to provide a soft landing for little ones who don't hang onto the tire swing when it's spinning out of control) in their makeshift tent.

The great outdoors.

With the economy down in the dumps, pseudo-camping in the backyard may be the closest thing to a summer trip as it gets for the children of the Stop Screaming! household...and their neighborhood friends.

I kid, I kid, I kid...sort of (said with a gleam in my eye).

Which is exactly why I'm up late, unable to sleep, thinking of intelligent ways to phrase "Oh hello! Our family is dealing with the economic downturn this summer by doing this and this and this!"

Because people? Tomorrow I'm slated to be interviewed LIVE on NPR.

Gulp.

Live.

NPR.

The host of the radio program The Conversation (gosh that sounds serious) is going to interview me (ME!) about free family summer activities and how the recession has changed the way we spend money this summer (ME!).

"I pray that I don't sound like an idiot," I told my husband before he bode me farewell for the night and went to bed, unable to keep his eyes open any longer after working long hours at the firestation.

"You'll do fine honey," he said before heading upstairs.

I'm not too sure about that.

But I have a plan. I'll make sure I have water ready (in case my throat should get dry and cause me to sound like Bea Arthur's character on Golden Girls). I'll practice deep breathing before my slated time (so I sound all "ohm" and relaxed...the way a mother should be during summer vacation). And I'll stare at this photo of my kids and remind myself that they are, after all, the reason for every single thing that I do, for every breath that I take.

Because without them, I would have nothing to ramble on about on this here little blog and therefore, no radio interview.




Wish me luck?

If you are in the Puget Sound region and would like to take a listen, I'll be on NPR, KUOW 94.9FM between 12:20 - 12:40 PST.

Edited: Here is the link to the program - http://www.kuow.org/program.php?current=TC

5 comments:

Ashley said...

Sending super good luck vibes your way!

I'm sure you'll do fine. If you're as charming in person as you are on paper you have nothing to worry about.

Carrie said...

how cool! I'll try to remember to listen then- I have that station on most of the day anyway, so hopefully I'll catch your interview!

wyliekat said...

DO WE GET TO HEAR A REVIEW??!?!?!

Carrie said...

you sounded great!! Good job.

Anonymous said...

I'm proud.. you were very in control & the interview was great!

xxxooomom