Another Day with Mr. P

Yesterday I had the opportunity to spend a good portion of the day with Mr. P. (I've written about Mr. P before.) My girls are attending Vacation Bible School at my parents' church, and so I was kid-free (and will be for a few more days this week!). Mr. P still works at the school just up the street from my parents' house, so I went over there after I dropped off the girls at the church.

There are some people in this world with interesting things to say, no matter what's going on, no matter the topic. Mr. P is definitely one of those people. It's a happy thing to stay in touch with people who have had profound influence in one's life like that. A happy thing indeed.

Our conversations are frequently interrupted by students dropping in to check out summer horns, instrument repairmen dropping off fixed instruments, and the like. Since I am bugging him at work, I guess that's to be expected. We talked some inside baseball, now that I'm working in the district and have a much better understanding of the goings on, and many of the players with which he and I both interact. There's always more to uncover on those things. His manner with students has always been something I'd like to emulate. He knows so much more about the politics of the district than I do, having successfully navigated those waters for close to 25 years. I need so much advice on that side of things.

As an adult friend of a former teacher, I think some of the influence is going both ways. We talk about God quite a lot. That's what I'm most interested in sharing with him. I have had a burden for his soul for 20 years. He's had the opportunity to see me living my life, and whether I really believe the things I say I believe, for at least 15 years. (I'm not counting the years I was a younger student, since I don't remember talking to him about my faith before my later high school years.)

When I left yesterday, we scheduled another day, later this summer, for me to come back up to the school. I'm looking forward to it.

Dance Class

Tuesday was the girls' first dance class. They're in the same class (at my request), since they're both beginners, and also since Big Girl is somewhat delayed in her gross motor development. Big Girl came home declaring it to have been the best day of her life. Little Girl had a blast and can't wait to go back.

I just wish I could have been there.

This week is the last week for me to have school obligations until August. Tuesday was an all day workshop for me, so Hubby stayed home with the kids, and took them to dance class, their first ever.

At least I got to dress them up in their skirted leotards and put their hair up. I took pictures of each of them, and then of them together (which I need to post on facebook later).

There haven't been too many of these moments that sting since I've been back to work, and I'm grateful for that. But it really stinks that this one happened in the SUMMER! I'm supposed to be there for the summer!

I have "Amarillo By Morning" stuck in my head. I heard it as background music on a radio commercial as I was getting ready this morning.

Star Wars In Concert

"Star Wars In Concert" came to town, and I got to sing in the chorus!! It was so freakin' cool!! Anthony Daniels, more commonly known as C3PO, did narrations in between all the songs. I was ON STAGE with C3PO!!

Back when the original movies were made, George Lucas had basically no money, so he couldn't hire a choir to sing on the sound tracks. When it came to the newer set of movies, the whole franchise was a huge money-maker, so they sprung for the choir. That means now when they do this traveling show, they need a choir. But the touring company can't justify paying a choir to go with them everywhere, so they pull together choirs from the cities where they go. I think they've been stuck with some sub-par church choirs in some other places.

There was a matinée and an evening show. Before the afternoon show, Anthony Daniels came back stage and addressed the choir. He was right there, not 10 feet from me as he did his little spiel. "It's the story of a gold robot..." Ha ha... He's the only guy in all 6 Star Wars movies. I hadn't really thought about that before today. He talked about the choir being on the dark side. And we were. All dressed in black, and the songs we were singing for were very dark. We were Darth Choir. Anyway, before the second show, he had us all squish together and he posed with us for pictures. There were only 2 people between me and him. So very cool. (Hopefully the picture will be posted to facebook soon.) By the way, he looks basically like the picture I've posted here, only his hair is completely white, and he wasn't carrying around a C3PO head.

The choir sat right behind the most amazing percussion section I've ever seen. We were close enough to touch them. It was pretty tight quarters. The show opened with the orchestra playing the 20th Century Fox fanfare. It was so neat to be right there in the middle of it! And then after that, they played the main theme. So cool. Then Anthony Daniels talked (we couldn't understand it because it was so echo-y it was all garbled by the time the sound got to us). Then we sang. The opening of that song was just us, and then the orchestra came in, like they were accompanying us. They were the best orchestra I've ever sung with, hands down.

Since our songs were just in the first act, we got to go sit in the audience after intermission and watch the second act. It was so cool. In fact, we choristers kept saying that to each other the whole day. There was a whole lot of hurry up and wait, but it was so worth it. When will have this kind of opportunity again?

The songs we sang for were "Duel of the Fates," and "Battle of the Heroes," and of course, those are the songs in my head! My nerdy, totally geeking-out head is swimming with John Williams!

Summer Time

... and the living is easy....

Sorry. I had to do that.

I think the girls and I will go to the pool today for the first time this year. My last official work day was Tuesday, but we haven't had a chance to go to the pool yet. Wednesday I had a lot of laundry to do, and other little things around the house. Then Thursday I went back up to school to work with my new counterpart on cleaning the office and closet so we could (1) know what is where and get rid of trash, and (2) use the little space we have in the way that makes the most sense.

All of this work we're putting in is really getting me excited about next year. I feel like I'm a bigger part of the operation than I was last year. I would ask the former director about putting things away here or there, and he would throw up barriers and explain why it couldn't be done. The new director's attitude is to roll up his sleeves and make it work. It's rather refreshing. I feel empowered. I am a logical person. I like things to make sense. I'll work to make things make sense. It's nice to be working with someone who is willing to put in the work.

Speaking of making sense, I hadn't located the girls' swimsuits since they were put away after last summer. That had me a bit worried. When I went looking for them, I found them in the first place I looked. I put them in a place that made sense, so when it came time to find them again, there they were, easy to find. I really didn't expect it to be so easy. How often does that happen?

This summer I've started having Big Girl do more around the house. It's now her job to empty the dishwasher. She has to pull a chair over into the kitchen to reach the upper cabinets, but I think it's good for her. Plus it takes one more thing off my plate. I've had both girls putting away their own clean laundry for a few months now, and I'm really liking that. Little Girl can take hours to do that task sometimes, but that's her choice. So long as it gets done (and I don't have to do it!) I don't really care how LONG it takes her.

Well, it's time to start getting ready for the pool!

School's Out for Summer

The whole school-year is officially over. I can't believe it. Or maybe I can. I'm tired!!

Today was the last day for teachers. I had to turn in keys, unplug computers, get everything checked off as being completed... I had two check-out lists with 20+ items to be signed off by the various people on campus in charge of whatever had to be done before the people could sign off. It was complicated for me. There were things I wanted to do early, but people weren't letting me turn some things in last week when I was ready. *Shrug* It all worked out, and now it's over.

Tomorrow I may try to take the girls to the pool. I have a list of things that have to be done first...

This is going to be a BUSY summer!!

I'm currently watching "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," so the song in my head is the theme song from that show. Craig Ferguson is one hilarious guy!! He basically does a whole hour that looks like improv comedy. So funny! He can make the most boring interviewee come off as interesting. Anyway, it's late, and time for bed!! G'night, folks!!

Last Day of School!

Teaching is a very cyclical profession. I'm glad for it. There are celebrations built into the calendar, and it really gives a very nice rhythm to a year. There is excitement and anticipation in the Fall for the school-year to come. And of course there is excitement and anticipation (relief, ecstasy!!) for the Summer when school is finally all over for one more year. There are fun things in between, of course, but nothing quite compares to the highs of the beginning and the end.

Today is the last day of school for the 2009-2010 school year in our district. I woke up about an hour ago, nearly tingling from excitement. How can I sleep when there are so many happy thoughts running circles in my head?

What's really funny to me is that the things I'm thinking about are not so much what I have to do to close out this year as much as the things I'm looking forward to for next year. A couple evenings ago I looked through my single-copy music library (which right now is a couple of hanging file boxes). That is such a nerdy thing to do, and I just love doing it. Anyway, I'm already picking out music for next year, and really getting excited about it. Having just one year under my belt is helping me so much in getting organized. I'm actually thinking of pieces I want to use for UIL (which isn't for 10 more months!!) so that I can start teaching them in the Fall. That's a risky move, but one I think I'd like to try. The risk is burn-out on the song. The up-side is that by the time contest rolls around, they can sing it in their sleep, because they've been working on it for so long.

Having these kinds of thoughts makes me feel like such a nerd. But you know what? That's OK. I know who I am, and I'm happy. My nerdiness is my secret advantage... OK, maybe not so secret. It's just one of the ways I look at where I am as a total God thing. God made me for this job. He is fulfilling many of my heart's desires in this job. God is good to me, and I can never forget it.

Little Mann Big Mann

I have the song, "Little Man Big Man," by Toad the Wet Sprocket, in my head, and have for about 4 days now.