Back to the books!

Hey gang! I'm back from my school-is-crazy-leaving-me-no-time holiday, and am back in the real cyber world once more. The past month and a half has been good, bad, and excellent!
Primarily, I've decided that I love teaching middle school theatre. My 6th grade classes never fail to be amusing, and my two 7th and 8th grade classes are sometimes entertaining and sometimes extremely reminiscent of my more resentful 9th grade classes from last year. Yes, there is still way too much paperwork and way too many things to juggle and keep track of, but all-in-all, I still love my subject and I already love my kids.


One thing I'm having to get used to though, is the crying...

Yes, I've now made a child cry.
But, more frequently, I have to deal with tears having to do with a) another class/teacher b)some random kid in the hallway or c) I never find out because they can't choke it out.
Example:
Kid: **Chokes on sobs with tears running down face** Tugs my blouse and look up with pooling, pleading eyes
Me: Are you okay? What's wrong?
Kid: **hyperventilating hiccups in attempt to speak**
Me: Alright, well I can't understand you right now. Do you want to go get a drink of water?
Kid: **Shakily nods head as lower lip begins to tremble**
Me: Be back in 2 minutes. Go to the bathroom and wash your face if you need to.
Kid: voice cracks "Thanks Ms. B"

This happens at least once a day.

Oooh I also got an amazing card from one of my students- I'll have to post a picture soon! Until then, my solitary audience, be well.

Summer Shenanigans

Hey gang! Long time, no blog!
Well summer is fast making its way to a very warm close, filled with text books and the clean smell of pencils waiting to be sharpened. Ugh. ;) I've had quite the relaxing summer, but it will be good to get back to a schedule and back to work. I have missed the kids!
This summer has been full of visits with friends and family! I have: house-sat for Aunt Jill and Uncle Paul, as well as my parents. Spent time with my folks, Paige, and Jordan in Waco; a lovely afternoon in Georgetown with Grandma Tanner; San Antonio for a wedding and time with college pals; a few days in Houston with Nate, Lauren, Noah, Jane, and Andrew; an afternoon with Bear and Aunt Traci; plenty of time with friends from church; and of course with my boy Ben. I've read numerous books, movie nights, and just time to relax, be, and breathe. Here are a few pictures just to highlight and finish summing up the past months. Enjoy, dear bloggers and bloggees!

VBS with First Irving (I was the MC for the big group morning session)


Picture of the Summer- Noah watching Curious George during a family trip to Waco for Father's Day


My friend Ashley and I went to see Wicked (finally)! :)


Leah and Artie had a beautiful wedding in San Antonio. They are such wonderful friends that are so well suited for each other! Here is Leah and her mom.


Whilst house sitting in Waco, Ashley came to visit and we went tortilla tossing down at the Suspension Bridge. A great friend and a hilarious evening!


Ben and me at the rifle range.


A coffee scavenger hunt with church friends!


Catching up with Joey during my trip to Houston.


My adorable niece and nephew! It was so good to hang out with them and Nate and Lauren :)


Sleepover with Ash and Angela- good times.

(Insert clever title)

Well, dear readers, it's been a long and difficult week and a half. A lot of it hasn't really set in, but right now I'm grateful for having gotten quite a bit of sleep today! My family has been wonderful through all this and my friends have been simply amazing. Thank you for all the prayers, phone calls, and text messages.

In other news, Nate graduated from Harvard with his PhD today! Woohoo!! :D My parents are up in Boston right now, and will be helping move the family down to Houston on Saturday. I'm completely pumped about having Nate, Lauren, Noah, and little Jane so close. I can't wait to finally meet my niece!

One more week of school.
Heck yes.

Speaking of which, I'm likely being moved to a middle school next year. I have mixed feelings, but am overall thankful to have a job (I heard there was a position in Houston that got 800 applicants! 800!). The reason for the move has nothing to do with me or my work, just simply that fine arts numbers as a whole are low, so they're cutting a few positions. No worries- I've received some good feedback, and they're finding me a spot!

I leave you with a photo I took while at the ranch a week or two ago:

Lights, Camera, Action!

So I was in a movie called Soronia last night/this morning! I don't think I signed any disclosure agreements...plus I don't know a whole lot about what's going on anyway, so I doubt I'll say anything to indiscreet ;) Here's what happened:

12:00 am (midnight)
I arrive for filming at Katie's Custard early. The Background Key (I think that was his title?) arrives with lots and lots of paperwork. He looks quite nice and I ask him if he needs any help unpacking, as I'm the only other person there for the movie. He says no, but sits down next to me and we chat a bit.

12:30 am
Check-in begins for all background talent (the nice term for extras). It turns out that I'm in the next scene at the Starplex movie theatre, which is possibly canceled (uh-oh!). I see a girl named Danielle who was a freshman when I was a senior in Baylor Theatre. She's a production assistant on the film and is helping out the Background Key. I chat with her and she walkie talkies Thomas Ward that I'm here. Thomas was one of my theatre professors, is the screenwriter for Soronia and also plays a bartender.

1:00 am
Thomas comes over from the base camp a few blocks away, and we chat and catch up. He tells me stories about Tony Hale (who wrapped up his shooting a day or two ago). Nice Background Key man says that the Starplex movie theatre scene is officially canceled and begins sending extras home.

1:30 am
The executive producer's daughter and I are the only extras listed for the movie theatre scene that are allowed to remain and appear in the Katie's Custard Scene. Rock on! Thanks for getting my back, Thomas! I begin filling out paperwork and talk to a girl about my age named Aubrey, who's also an extra. The crew sets everything up- lighting equipment, sound, and camera. Main actors arrive (including Amy Acker.)

2:00am
Shooting begins. Director lines us all up and begins picking us out and arranging us all in groups. I feel like a puppy in the window of a puppy shop. Victory! Aubrey and I are picked to stand in line for ice cream. We decide to play best friends who are meeting up for ice cream (we're both trained theatre geeks and joke about using Stanislavsky's Method in the scene). Everyone rehearses blocking. I actually receive a real strawberry milkshake. I think this is awesome...(**foreshadowing**)

2:30am
Still shooting first angle. Milkshake is rapidly melting. Aubrey and I have sweet blocking that allows us to walk by the table with the leads. My torso is totally in the movie. Yes!

3:00am
Move to second angle. Milkshake is a small island of icecream surrounded by a vast pink sea. Idiot Wacoans keep driving the "valley" and hooting at us.

4:00 am
Am begining to get delirious as we move to the third angle. I'm not in this one, but am pulled to do a "walk by" so the custard place looks busy. Milkshake is lukewarm pink water.

5:00 am
All extras are completely giggly and delirious due to half only eating ice cream for the past 5 hours, and the other half drinking only Big Red (that's what the filled the styrofoam cups with). I have now (at least temporarily) lost all love for strawberry icecream. Continue chatting with Danielle and Aubrey.

5:30 am
At last! Shooting the final angle, which I'm briefly pulled for another walk-by for, because I'm semi-tall.

6:00am
That's a wrap! I sign out and receive my first pay voucher. I sleepily drive home and crash.

Dance!

First healthy eating and exercising victory: I have a pair of slacks I can no longer wear because they're too big and look like pjs. They were already a little too big before, but now it's ridiculous! My smallest pair of slacks almost look good...keep it coming!

"Victory is won not in miles but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later, win a little more."
Thanks Louis L'Amour!

It's going to be a lovely weekend, I just feel it! We had an awful storm last night, but today is sunny, breezy, and crisp to make up for it. It's the perfect day for a wedding, and I just so happen to be going to one in a couple of hours :). Anyway, I slept in and then went to a garage sale that was being held by a coworker. I found an incredible chair! I love antiques, and have had trouble finding a good chair for my living room. But lo and behold, here it was. I was unsure about the color at first, but I think it tones well with my painting. Here you are:



I think I mentioned in my last post that my kids were rocking it out in one-act. Well, we made it all the way to Area, where got alternate (3rd place). Everyone seemed pretty surprised, and many audience members thought we should have advanced. Ah well, the kids did great! Here's a picture of our trophy from Regionals and a classic picture of Mr. Denbow, our fearless lead Theatre Director.

Greetings!

Long time no update. I gained inspiration from Matthew and Emily's recent post, so I am likewise updating you on life.

Let's see, it's been extremely busy this semester. One-act play has been taking up a good deal of time. Our show Captain's and Courage did extremely well and we advanced all the way to Area (meaning we're in the top 25% in the state). Area competition was last night, and we ended up getting third. This means we didn't advance, but we are the alternate play if one of the other schools can't go. We even got a plaque. I'm not sure if you spell a trophy-plaque like this, or if this is the spelling for the plaque on your teeth...hmmm...either way it's amusing.

First Irving is still going swimmingly! I hadn't really been in the past 2 weeks because of Easter and theatre stuff, so today was lovely. Pastor John is beginning a series called the Red Letter Revolution and gave a very challenging word. We're studying Esther in The Road class and did a character study on the main players today. Afterward, the chicks all went to lunch, then some of us went shopping at New York and Company and took advantage of their 50% clearance sale. It rocked! I got a skirt, earrings, and shoes for the low price of $40. Heck yes. Angela, Robin, and I went to Starbucks and chatted afterward before Robin and I head to a goodbye dinner for some friends on praise team. And now, finally, I'm back at my messy apartment and trying to decide whether to lesson plan or clean first. Thus, my day!

Other activities this week:
- Stole a visit with my old roommie Amanda this week when she came to Dallas on a school trip
- Celebrated Jordan's ENGAGEMENT
- Signed up for my Speech/Communications certification test
- Took several much-needed naps

I'll try and update again this week with some funny theatre stories- I've got plenty :)