Best Moments of the 2010-2011 School Year- Part 1 The Wildcat Theatre Workshop

When the school year starts to come to a close, I can't help but reflect on all its big events, especially in our drama department.  This is my life.  So many hours of my time as well as my students' time goes into our productions and activities all year.  I would like to devote some space here to showcase and reflect on our accomplishments.

Above everything, there was one event I was extremely proud of this past year.  We called it the Wildcat Theatre Workshop.  The idea for this workshop came from my 2009-2010 drama officers, but this year our group was able to bring it to fruition.   Our goal was to provide a day where we could allow younger students to come to Millard West High School for a theatrical experience.  We want to promote creativity and theatre in our community and give young students an opportunity to participate in it.  I thought maybe we would have 30 participants if we were lucky.  We ended up with over 100 youngsters, grades 3-8!!

Here is what we did:

We broke students up into groups of roughly 10-12, with two or three high school leaders.  Each group was assigned a fairy tale story (nothing too well known) and the leaders explained or read the story to their groups in various locations around our theatre department.

Here, Sarah and Cassie and Jordan familiarize their group with its story in our Auditorium lobby.

After some planning and rehearsal time, we all the groups rotated between three separate stations.

One was a "costume" station where students got to decorate T-shirts based on their characters.  We color coded the groups for organizational purposes and the colors of the shirts matched the group color.  We used fabric markers for decorating and students got to take their T-shirt home with them!

Students decorating T-shirts in our Black Box Theatre.  You can see the set to our Spring play in the background.

When students were done with the shirts, they got to pick out some props that might add a little pizzaz to their story.  (It was fun picking out these silly objects at Michaels).

Another station was an acting station, where the leaders would help each student perfect the blocking and characterization for the students.

Bailey, Taylor and Kyle directed students in the light room. I was so proud of my high schoolers!

 The final station (or first depending on each groups schedule) was the "Set design" station, where students used fat poster markers to draw on a double wide sheet of butcher paper.  The drawing was supposed to represent the setting of the story and the whole group had to work together on it.  The scene shop got really crowded, but they had fun!

This is the crowd drawing their "sets" on paper in the scene shop.

Each backdrop was hung on a rolling white board and was used during the final performances behind the actors as their set.
After all the groups went through every station, some played games or talked about how they could improve their show for later.

Allie and Payton's group played games outside the scene shop while they waited.

Then we fed the students lunch in the cafeteria, and after, prepared for our final performances in the Auditorium where we would have a large audience of friends and family.

The pictures didn't turn out very well of the final performances, but you can get the idea here of what it looked like in our auditorium.  The little kids were so cute performing and the audience loved it, and took plenty of video and pictures of their childrens' first experience on the stage.

The white group was mostly 3rd graders.

This is the purple-ish group. :)  Maybe we could have called them light indigo?

We followed the 45 minutes of presentations with a cake reception in the cafeteria.  My high school students and I were exhausted afterward, but we think that all the young thespians had a wonderful day.  I was so proud of our work.  AND we raised over $1200!!  (It cost $25 per student to register for the workshop.  Lunch and a T-Shirt was included in that price, plus we had the kids from 8:30 a.m.- 2:00p.m.  Try finding a babysitter you can pay less than $5 an hour!)

With the turn out we had this year, we plan to do TWO workshops next year.  We will do one for 3rd-5th graders, and one for 6-8th graders.  That way, we can hopefully keep the groups smaller and design the workshops differently to be more appropriate for the age groups.

Top 10 Things Migraines Make It Hard To Do

My saving grace...after two doses and 7 hours.

1.  Sleep
2. Celebrate your graduating Seniors' last Monday in school
3. Move without feeling nauseated
4. Read
5. Be in well lit areas
6. Follow the directions for proper use on the Tylenol bottle
7. Dance
8. Be a wonderful wife
9. Not complain
10. Fully enjoy the experience of a Motorhead/Foo Fighters concert (though it doesn't make it hard to want to try)

You Win Some, You Lose Some

But sometimes when you lose some, it feels like you lose all of them at once.  During a time when lots of lovely things are going on that should be celebrated, I am sucked into the losses.  and while I know very well that when I say "losses", I mean things that are small and not a big deal.

Sunday began the week with a terrible loss on the softball field.  I felt I played a decent game, but the night ended with our team's worst defeat in 10 years.

Monday and Tuesday weren't bad, but Wednesday I got roped into being the Treasurer of the Nebraska State Thespian Society, among other things.  I really didnt want to, but I'm a sucker for doing things that are good for students and while this position isn't directly, the organization is.

Thursday night was the Drama II showcase of student adapted and directed plays.  My class works for one third of the semester on their pieces and it is always rewarding for them to perform (some of them for the first time!)  I like to record the evening's program and have my students watch and analyze it in class.  The showcase went very well, but when I went to play back my recording, I realized that I didn't get the microphone turned all the way on, and so the whole show recorded sans sound.  I was devastated.  Especially since some of my students were counting on a video to share with their parents who couldn't make it.  I hate when I make stupid mistakes that I could have not made had I been paying more attention.  Turns out- my kids didn't really care.  At least- they didn't care enough to re-do it.  So much for trying.

When I got home from my showcase, I was pumped to watch the season finale of The Office, which I had stored on our DVR.  Ryan and I finally sat down to the viewing and realized that there was something wrong with the feed and the whole show recorded cutting in and out.  We didn't get to see The Office finale, and for some reason, it made me so mad!  This is horrible, I know, because people have actual things to get mad about, but after my long day all I wanted to do was laugh along with The Office, and that wasn't going to happen.  I have a hard time when my plans change too suddenly.  I felt like I went to bed with out supper.

This bad mood carried over through the school day on Friday with various things getting on my nerves (mostly students- I had to send one to the principals office!)  Luckily- I made it through the week.  I was fortunate to have plans Friday night with some great friends and we ate at INGREDIENT, a hip restaurant that moved in where the California Pizza Kitchen used to be.  We ended our night watching the first six episodes of the first season of Arrested Development.  A great way to end the evening.

What I've realized about my week is that sometimes a person just has to let off some steam.  Even if what causes the steam are very minor infractions in general.  It is natural to go through a spectrum of emotions every once in a while.

What does it take to turn my frown upside down?

• Some affection from my husband.
• Time with friends
• Productivity (Today, I was able to get five hours of grading out of the way and a week's worth of laundry and I feel amazing!!)
• Good television (Ryan and I watched the office online just over 24 hours after its original airing.  Isn't the future great!?)
• Shopping and finding great deals.  (This works every once in a while when I don't feel guilty for spending money on myself.)

I'm glad last week is over, and I'm two weeks closer to summer vacation.  My mood should naturally only increase from here.

What do you do when you find yourself in a bad mood?

Dancing WIth The Stars and I Don't Take Risks

I would never miss an episode of Dancing with the Stars.  There is something about this show that I absolutely adore.  Maybe it is the glitz and the glam, perhaps the stories of relationships and couples with dedicated work ethic, or possibly it is just the dances themselves, but I am a dedicated fan.

Tonight the show was jam packed with drama.  Heinz Ward's partner Kym Johnson suffered a serious neck injury during rehearsal as they were practicing a special lift for their next great dance.  It was really hard to watch.  It made me sick to my stomach.  She was rushed off in an ambulance, and after the shock and excitement of this televised event wore off, I started to remember why I'm not a risk taker.

I don't want to be paralyzed.  I'm not ready to die. I don't ever want to end up worse off than I am.  (Thankfully, Kym Johnson recovered and danced two perfectly scored dances with Ward tonight.  I called and voted for them, my first vote of the season, because Ward cried his first dance and really showed how much he cared for his partner).

Now- me not taking risks may not be true in all circumstances.  I think my 403b investments are "high risk," but all I could lose there is money.  When it comes to my life- I am a tad more cautious.  Life is precious!  Sometimes I envy those people who are willing to sky dive, bungee jump, or climb over the rails of the Grand Canyon to get the perfect picture, but other days- like today- I'm glad that I don't take risks, and that I'm still safe and sound on the couch at home with my husband.  Maybe I'm just a coward.

I know the saying goes "no risk, no reward,"  but I think "no risk, no risk."  And usually, I prefer to be safe rather than sorry and that is how I'll stay, until I can find a reward great enough to push me past my comfort zone.

Still Learning

Somehow all of the comments on my Bossypants post disappeared as well as a few layout changes all within a period of 24 hours.  Sorry if yours was one of those comments.  I'm working on figuring this all out a little better.

This morning I'm headed out to catch a pre-noon showing of Bridesmaids.  At AMC you can go to a movie before noon for a discounted ticket price of $4.50.  That's how much it SHOULD cost to go to a movie.  I feel a little guilty about going out though.  I woke up and noticed a mountain of laundry that needs doing, and my husband had to cancel his golf plans due to weather.  Remember me saying how I have a hard time trying to relax?

Actually, I'm looking forward to my day, so I won't over analyze it on here.  Maybe I'll come home and my husband will have done all the laundry with his newly acquired free time. :)

I hope Bridesmaids gets me laughing.  I like Kristen Wiig.  The noises she can make with her voice are so ridiculous sometimes, it is hard not to chuckle at least a little.

Here's to Saturday!

A Recommendation

Read Bossypants by Tina Fey.

The best book you can read right now.

It. is. Amazing.
It is hands down my favorite book published in the last 10 years, maybe more.

I wish I could rewrite the whole thing for you here on this blog, or even a few of my favorite quotes, but the thing is, it is just so great.  Every individual, hysterical line woven seamlessly through all the topics she chooses to cover about her life is equally quote-worthy.  I know I can't do it justice, I can't pick just a few lines out of a sea of them and plus, you should buy it and support Fey, because she is worth it.

I've noticed that great reviews of this book are not hard to come by.  I think Fey said on the Mother's Day episode of SNL that it is the #1 book in the country!  And here is why:

• Fey isn't afraid to tell the truth about how/who she is. (She admits when she was mean, when she was a thief, when she lost a ton of weight and when she climbed a mountain in hopes of some sexual attention, among other things.)
• She promotes feminism, without being preachy.
• She empowers people to feel like it is ok to be "weird," which we all are. 
• Time is spent discussing the intricate creation of her stardom on SNL and her hit television show 30 Rock (an awesome show).
• It is hysterical.  Literally- a laugh/cry (out of laughter) teeter totter the whole way through.

I feel like if I met Tina Fey in person and we had time to chat, we would be instant friends.  I see eye to eye with her on everything!  I'm sure you'll feel that way too after you read this book.  Maybe you won't share the same life philosophies as Fey, but you will definitely laugh- at the very least at her fart jokes.

If you do read it, call me.  I want to re-live the hilarity by saying the best lines out loud to each other over and over until we can't think of any more.

Enjoy!

Relaxation Techniques

If you have met my mother, you know that she is a gal on the go.  She gets up at 2:30 a.m. to clean and iron, and she watches all the Nebraska Cornhusker football games with school work in her lap.  She doesn't seem to ever find the time to unwind.  My father, on the other hand, is easy-going, and enjoys his high definition automobile races and his Mondays and Fridays off.

I like to think that I am a perfect mix of both my parents.  I work hard daily and still am willing to leave my unfinished school work at school. I clean my house on a (semi) regular basis, but have been able to allow myself the luxury of busy weekends, where dusting just doesn't fit into the schedule.  And yet, I think when it comes to truly letting go and being relaxed- I can't figure it out.

I remember treating myself to a massage during musical season, my most stressful season of the year, and the masseuse suggesting every so many minutes that I let him do the work, just "let go" and relax.  At the end of the appointment he noted that there were major knots in my shoulders- some tension he wasn't able to get out.  I left feeling like a wasted $20.

Today, I got a pedicure.  It was necessary as my toes looked silly with paint chipping every which way, and I've been dying to break out my peep toe shoes in this heat wave.   That being said, I'm not a regular.  I've probably had a total of 6 pedicures in my whole life.  It is a new fad I'm enjoying a couple times a year.  Sitting in a massage chair for 45 minutes, and having someone dab and rub at your feet is a nice way to end a stressful work day.  I should have been SO relaxed.  But the nail technician kept looking up at me and asking, "You ok?"  

Across the salon were other women gracefully reclining in their chairs- reading books and magazines or looking at their phone.  And then there was me.  I kept thinking, is this "tap" mode on the massage chair making me shimmy too hard?  Does it make my feet wiggle?  Is this annoying for my technician?  Should I be holding the chair remote this closely? What does that button do? Did I pick the right nail color?  Should this be hurting? Could I write a blog about this?  Maybe I should take a picture. Wow, that lady has a nice work outfit.  She looks really put together.  I bet she gets her nails done once a week.

I wore the foam flip flops out to my car when I was done.  I know I looked like an idiot, because they were hard to keep on once I stepped off the curb.

My point is, that what was supposed to be a relaxing day at the nail salon, was just not as soothing as I'd hoped it would be.  I did, however, enjoy the massage chair.  I think I should get me one of those.

Am I capable of having the same leisurely afternoons as the other women I saw today?  Maybe.  But I think I need to practice some more relaxation techniques.  Last weekend was wonderful.  I had the best time sitting on the couch at home reading Tina Fey's book Bossypants.  It was brilliant, but more on that later. Do you have any other tips?

This Blog

Choosing a title for this blog was really difficult.  I kept a blog in college and loved its title.  The Strawberry Blonde Statement.  It was based off of a book that spoke to me at the time.  A book that got me thinking more about our country, about politics, about people and our world.

I've been interested in starting a blog up again for a while now.  I have a new name (married!), a new email address, a career and plenty of things to say.  But for the title...  I chose a line from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.  It comes from a character that I always thought was meant to be played by me.  I related to Helena.  She was nerdy,  had crushes on boys, wasn't as pretty as her friends, and was very convinced her peers would all play tricks on her without a second thought.

Other reasons I picked this title:

•  I teach English AND Drama.  Shakespeare is in both of those places, and I adore his writing.
• The sport Helena refers to in the line is her perception that her friends are harassing her, and due to my sensitive nature I sometimes find myself unnecessarily defensive as well.
• I'm also very competitive.
• The line contains the word chronicled which is perfect for a blog that will live forever on the world wide webs.
• I'm not creative enough to come up with a hip and fresh new title of my own.

I'm excited.  Blogs are cool.  I hope I can write about my life and questions and thoughts and feelings and others will find it chronicle-able as well.