Jacquelyn's Space

Just Dance, Sunday September 18, 2011

My Mom and Dad live close by – about 5 miles. Lately my Mom has been going through a midlife crisis of sorts even though she is 61 now (I can’t believe it!). My Mom wants more attention from my Dad and my Dad has always been a workaholic. Daddy always worked – 7 days a week most of the time, all OT he could pick up. My Dad recently retired from GM but still works a lot for my brother’s home improvement business (actually Daddy put a lot into that business – to me it should be his). So he is still working his ass off. They really have little social life outside of us kids (I have one brother) and family. My Mom is chronically ill with many health issues – IBS, perhaps MS (doctors aren’t sure), and lots more other stuff. My Mom gets mad at my Dad because he doesn’t spend enough time with her, doesn’t do the things she wants to do.

My brother – he takes advantage. He brought his girlfriend to live with them many years ago, and so they have lived with my parents off and on for more than 10 years now plus adding 3 kids (my three nephews ages 7, 5, and 4 – there was a baby girl but she died this past spring) and 2 dogs along the way. As I mentioned, my Dad helped my brother start his business, and then get a house which he and his family have yet to move into because it needs some improvement (the house was bought about 2 years ago now). This situation has made it stressful for my parents and keeps them from doing things they enjoy and spending time with each other – Daddy is always working and helping my brother, my Mom is always watching or helping (with) the kids or cooking dinner for everyone.

Well my Mom gets unhappy with it all. She called me up last night to see what I was doing. I wasn’t doing much, perhaps a half-hearted attempt at schoolwork or watching TV with the husband. She wanted to go dancing but of course Daddy doesn’t – he hates dancing. He says he can’t dance. I don’t know. Well, she wants to go dancing and isn’t happy. I don’t know where to go dancing at and what kind of place would play the kind of music she likes to dance to. I imagine it is the moldy oldies, ha. Well the stuff from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Now I could handle the 70s – I like to dance to something funky but I usually have to get drunk first.

Bing – Light bulb flash!! I have an idea. I ask her if she wants to come over and play on the Wii with me. ‘Do you want to come over and play?’ – LOL. I have a game called Just Dance 2 (plus the first one, and Just Dance Summer Dance Party. I bought and hadn’t had the time to play them yet- they were even still unopened). You look at the dancers on the screen and follow their movement while you hold the wii controller – it scores how well you follow the dancers. There is all kinds of music on these games – some new, some old. I told her she could come over and play Just Dance.

My mom came over and we played Just Dance. Whew, it kicked my butt (I bought them for the exercise – I am not much of a coordinated dancer, can’t follow the moves very well) though it was really fun. I wasn’t sure if my Mom would like it but she had a blast and we were both giggling. My husband sat on the couch and watched us (yikes!) and the dog got in our way but we still had a good time. Yay! I was happy that my Mom got to do something she wanted, well kind of something she wanted, and that she was happy too. Who knew we could have that much fun together playing a silly game.

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I have a suprise for my Mom. While playing Just Dance she kept wishing there was some Michael Jackson music to dance to. I am not all that crazy about MJ but there is a Michael Jackson game – one of my friends has it (she even has the one sequined glove too, LOL). I ordered it for my Mom, plus the new Just Dance 3. Can’t wait until I have some free time to present to her and dance.