Usta

Usta- noun, Polish in origin- mouth

Last week, I lost a lot of sleep over work.  Now, most of the time I enjoy my job and I only experience the little minor annoyances that come with working for the public.  But last week, so many different things happened and caused me so much grief that the one night I managed to get a full night's sleep, I dreamed that I went back to Buehler's on my vacation, ended up staying, and actually enjoyed working there.  Ha!

But by the end of Monday morning, all of my problems had disappeared and I was in a very happy mood.  Also, I was incredibly bored due to the fact that I had been stuffing folders with inserts all morning and still was only halfway done.  Finally, boredom overtook me, and as I glanced at the eightieth informational pamphlet that talked about picking the ripest fruits and vegetables, I started reading the Spanish side of the pamphlet, just so I could say I was learning some new information.

In my slap happy state, it didn't take me long to start repeating the one Spanish phrase I know that contains the word 'tomato': "Miren al tomate, no es triste?  Pero no puede bailar, pobre tomate." According to Google Translate and the Veggie Tales video I learned that line from, it means, "Look at the tomato.  Isn't it sad?  He can't dance.  Poor tomato."  I probably sang "The Dance of the Cucumber" for a good hour.

Once I got bored with that song, I started thinking about all of my other Veggie Tales favorites.  Over the course of the next hour, I sang "The Hairbrush Song,"  the "Cheeseburger Song," "The Song of the Cebu," "Barbara Manatee," and "The Water Buffalo Song."  Honest to goodness, I forgot I knew the words to all of those songs, but they came back to me very easily.

At the end of the day, one of my co-workers commented on my good mood.  She speculated that it must have been due to the fact that our potentially disastrous morning had turned out in our favor.  I really didn't know how I could explain that singing songs I learned in my "tween" years had brought me great joy that afternoon, so I just smiled and nodded.

What really bugged me though was the one last song I couldn't remember.  All I could remember was the word "usta."  My entire drive home (it's only five minutes) I was driving myself crazy trying to remember the song.  I even played my mom's "ABC" game.  You know, the one where you recite the alphabet until it jogs your memory?  The one we mercilessly tease her for?  It didn't work.

Finally, finally I was able to access the Eighth Wonder of the Modern World- YouTube.  All I had to do was type in the word "usta" and I was transported back in time to when I first learned "The Lip Song."  I was overjoyed to find the song and I sang the entire thing for the rest of the night.  It was a good evening, and I slept well for the first night in a week.

Moral of the story:  I know a ridiculous amount of songs that revolve around animated vegetables, and they brought my great joy this week.  Usta!  Enjoy the rest of your week!