turq, one heart warming story deserves another (-:
http://www.culturecheesemag.com/news_wallacesavescheese
From: turquoiseb no_re...@yahoogroups.com
To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, August 3, 2013 11:28 AM
Subject: [FairfieldLife] CHEEZE, Godzilla!
[ Warning: You probably aren't going to get this if you have never watched any
of the Wallace Gromit movies. Or if you don't like cheeze. ]
I spent the day with Maya and family, first shopping at the open market, and
then flying kites in the dog park near our house. Then, instead of going to a
cafe, which is my usual ritual on these weekends home, I decided to sit on a
shady canalside bench and write for a while.
Of course, as often happens, now that I'm here in a cool place to write, I
can't think of anything to write about. So I'll prime the pump by sharing an
incident that was fun for me today. It has to do with the wonder of
communication, and the magic of shared humor.
Watching Maya learn to communicate with her fellow human beings over four and a
half years has been a veritable education, and one not limited to spoken
language. Her first language was not verbal. Having heard benefits of the
practice from other parents, we taught her sign language before she could
speak. There are standard signs that are (or were, in Spain) used for common
needs and common objects, and were even known and utilized by kindergartens and
babysitters, so we went for that set. There were signs for hungry, signs for
Ow-ee or pain, and specific signs for different kinds of foods or other
things she might want or need.
The one sign we customized and added to the set of standardized signs, however,
was the Nick Parks Universal Sign For Cheese. Maya knew and mimicked this sign
before she was old enough to *eat* cheese. When she grew old enough to not only
eat cheese but love it, she kept using the sign, and used it instead of
*saying* Cheeze. Then, when we introduced her to the Wallace Gromit movies,
she got the reference and the humor and *really* kept doing it, so much so it's
become a kind of running family joke. Any time cheese is spied in a store or
appears on our dinner table, Maya makes the cheeze sign, and we all laugh and
make it, too.
That is why it was no surprise to me this morning when she instantly got the
private joke in a graphic I'd brought back from Paris to show her. For Maya,
Paris is synonymous with the Eiffel Tower. When Uncle Barry goes away for
the week, where he goes is to the Eiffel Tower. So I bring her souvenirs and
photos with the Eiffel Tower in them, and she always squeals with joy and
points to the picture and says, Paris!
This morning I showed her this one, and without skipping a beat she squealed
with joy, pointed at the picture, made the sign, and said, CHEEZE, Gromit!
Then we both cracked up. Now you know why we get along. We have similarly bent
senses of humor.
