Yup, it's true. If you throw a ball to one, it will just make a splash and then float on the top. The fish will hardly glance at it and just keep swimming. I realized this while watching Harold and the Purple Crayon this morning and for some reason this fact seems so profound to me.
Lack of sleep? Possibly. Gone completely bonkers? Maybe. Too much children's programming? Definitely. I guess after 10 plus years of Blues Clues, Veggie Tales and many other assorted programs my mind has developed the keen ability to gleam deep and life changing metaphors from between the animation and alphabets.
I did miss portions of this particular Harold episode because the only reason I was up at all and watching it because my darling daughter woke me up with her orders "I want you to lay out my blankies, make me a baba, put on HBO on Demand and stay up with me." And she added "Do that lots and lots of days. OK, Mommy?" So I was pretending to watch it with my eyes half closed and would only open my eyes all the way when Margaret pointed out something to me, so my retelling of the story line might be off.
The gist is that Harold draws a castle and a dog and then the dog messes up the castle so he draws a fish in a bowl. He throws his ball to the fish and it just plops and the fish keeps swimming with nary a glance at the ball. Harold frowns and I guess draws something else with his purple crayon but I dozed closed my eyes half way again with the image of the ball in the fishbowl behind my eyelids and my brain was drawing all sorts of parallels between the goldfish and life.
If my kids are mad that someone is not playing the way they want them too or not doing what they want them to do, I will tell them "You can't play fetch with a goldfish". Meaning a goldfish is not a dog and you cant make it a dog with any amount of arguing or being upset or mad at it, so stop yelling at your brother and play something else or play by yourself.
If I get stuck in horrendous traffic and I am late to an important appointment and I feel my anger rising, I will tell myself "You can't play fetch with a goldfish". Meaning a goldfish can't fetch and no one knows why this fish was made without this ability, it is what it is and I am already in the traffic jam so I should just turn up my radio and deal.
If my husband starts to annoy me with his anal need to have the toilet paper facing the correct way, I will whisper softly to myself "You can't play fetch with a goldfish". Meaning the goldfish is perfectly content even when his water is disturbed and just keeps swimming without missing a beat so I will say "yes dear" to him and not let his anal traits disturb my flow and keep my mouth shut about how much I don't care about which way the toilet paper goes to be concerned with even remembering which way YOU like it.
If my feet hurt wearing my new strappy sandals, I can remind myself "You can't play fetch with a goldfish". Meaning that if you wanted a pet that played catch, you should have gotten a dog and if I wanted comfortable shoes, I should have bought them.
See how many possible situations you can use this statement? It will now replace my old standby "these pretzels are making me thirsty" from a Seinfeld episode. Although I can see using that one when I am really really mad --- like when I lock my keys in my car or something.
Anyway - just some insight to how my brain is working on this Sunday morning. Afterall, you can't play fetch with a goldfish. (meaning: the goldfish has no control over someone throwing the ball in his calm water and making all sorts of ripples and currents as I have no control over the way my brain takes in and processes information, I just keep swimming.)
Photos from our Summer Vacation so far:
The kids discover that you really can have fun with almost anything including a dog cage.
Child labor -- Margaret, Stephen and Corrina (insert cupids arrows, floating hearts and angels on clouds playing violins), helping me inventory my felt. I did pay them with new Nerf Guns and refill darts.
Right before Summer Vacation started, Daniel attended the annual "My and my Shadow" cub scout overnight camp out. Although heavy rains and winds made the boy and his shadow come home about 10 pm instead of sleeping in the elements.
The Nerf Wars that took place after the purchase of the Nerf guns by me. Nice to see those old science projects get some additional use. The might become signs for the lemonade stand that the boys have been helping the neighbor boys with.
The Pink Princess is pretty darn tough and bold during the Nerf War, choosing to forgo a shield and stand out in the open and shoot.
oh my, how did this slip in? Oh well, you cant play fetch with a goldfish. (for bonus points - figure out how I intend that in this context)
