Getting ready for fun stuff

And also some not so fun stuff:)

First the fun stuff...........I AM GOING TO PARIS!! Yes, Paris France, NOT Paris Virginia. And I'm going for FREE!! Well almost free, I do have to pay for insurance and a meal a day..........and souveniers too I suppose:) So how am I going to Paris for free you ask.........good question. I finally got myself a sugar daddy.

KIDDING!!

I have decided to take the students to London next spring break for a week. Yeah, I know, I need my head examined...but I've always wanted to go to London so that would be why we're going. Anyway, the company we're booked with has lots of perks and one of them is that there is an orientation trip for first time tour leaders with their company. And it's a trip to Paris. And I'm going. It's very short...don't get too jealous. Only three days and one day is orientation meetings with staff and two teachers that have led several trips with this company. I bought a couple of tour guide books so I can at least get an idea of some of the things I'll be seeing....and even more about the things I'll be missing. With only two days to tour..I'll be missing a lot. Just means I will have to go back. :)

And our vacation this year is going to Denver and Minneapolis to visit friends. We've not been to either city so it will be fun to explore new places and see friends. Double bonus.

The not so fun part of summer is the onset of summer camp. Yes friends, theatre camp will be back in session on July 9th. Only three weeks, but it always feels much longer than that. But it's a gig that pays and gives me some extra spending money for Paris:)

I've been out of school now for an entire week and it's been heaven. I've gotten to go to the gym every day ...ugh, I'm sore but feeling healthy. do feel behind the technological times however as I think I may be the only person at my gym in the mornings that does NOT have an Ipod! Have gotten to catch up with friends I haven't talked to in months because of school...........hit a few happy hours. Sat outside at Tim's with Kristen for an afternoon. That was lovely.........hot as all get out, but lovely to eat and drink right on the water.

Ok, just a quick update for now. My life is pretty boring really, but I am sooooooo excited to go to Paris I almost can't stand it. I'm going to post my itinerary just so you can see that you shouldn't be too jealous;)

Day 1 Wednesday, July 18
Overnight flight • Relax and enjoy the services of a leading airline as
you soar across the Atlantic, bound for Paris.
Day 2 Thursday, July 19
Arrival in Paris • Welcome to Paris, cosmopolitan City of Light. EF
staff will be waiting to meet you at the airport after you clear customs.
They will oversee the transfer to your hotel, assist with room
check-in and provide a brief orientation.
Visit to the Louvre • Built to defend the city in the 13th century, the
Louvre today safeguards one of the world’s greatest art collections.
Enter the museum through world-renowned architect I.M. Pei’s glass
pyramid, constructed in 1989. Inside, discover priceless antiquities
from Asia, Greece and Rome. You’ll also see precious objects from the
Middle Ages and the Renaissance, as well as iconic European paintings
such as the Mona Lisa.
EF walking tour of Paris • Begin at the Louvre and cross over the
Seine river. On the left bank, watch the bouquinistes selling old books
and postcards and catch glimpses of the Conciergerie and St.
Chapelle from the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in the city. Continue
through the Latin Quarter, an area dominated by the Sorbonne,
Paris’ most famous university, founded in 1253. The quarter was
named for its inhabitants’ native tongue; Latin was the official language
until 1793. As you stroll, look for the Panthéon, created by
Louis XV because of a promise he made during a severe illness to
build a church dedicated to Saint Geneviève if he survived.
Welcome dinner • This evening, be our guest at a special welcome
dinner. Enjoy dining and conversation as you become acquainted
with your fellow orientation delegates and EF staff members.
Day 3 Friday, July 20
EF Touring 101 • We kick off the orientation meeting with a keynote
address by a representative of EF Educational Tours. During this fullday
informational meeting, delegates will participate in “EF Touring
101,” an informative workshop featuring discussions with experienced
EF Group Leaders and EF staff. Discover firsthand the nature
of EF tours from the people who know them best. Learn practical
details about international flights, food and hotels while gaining
insights into the unique dynamics of group travel. Enjoy an included
lunch during the orientation workshop.
Free evening in Paris • Tonight is free for your own explorations of
Paris. You might ascend the winding streets of Montmartre, where
you can see the famous Moulin Rouge, visit Sacré-Couer and watch
artists at work. Or you can marvel at the City of Light from atop the
Eiffel Tower, then have a traditional French meal and sip wine at a
quiet sidewalk café. Paris also has a great live jazz scene and its cinémathèques
offer up to 50 films each week!
Day 4 Saturday, July 21
Guided sightseeing of Paris • Discover the city on the Seine, beginning
with the imposing Arc de Triomphe, commemorating
Napoleon’s Grande Armée. Take a drive down the elegant ChampsÉlysées
to the Place de la Concorde. Pass the Conciergerie, where
prisoners of the Revolution spent their final days, and see Les
Invalides, Louis XIV’s grand retirement home for wounded soldiers.
You’ll also see the École Militaire, where Napoleon graduated to lieutenant
and was told he’d go far if circumstances allowed. Next, make
a photo stop at the Eiffel Tower to marvel at the 6,000-ton centerpiece
for the 1889 World’s Fair. You’ll hear the story of how this
impressive—but once highly controversial—symbol of Paris was
spared the wrecking ball in 1909. Pass the Opéra Garnier, where the
famous Phantom of the Opera haunted his dear Christine, and marvel
at Église de la Madeleine, designed as a temple of glory for
Napoleon’s army. Continue past the geometric gardens of the Tuileries
as you make your way to the Place Vendôme, a vast square surrounded
by elegant 17th-century façades.
Visit to Notre Dame Cathedral • Built between 1163 and 1361 over
the remains of an ancient Roman temple, it was here that Napoleon
crowned himself emperor in 1804. Victor Hugo once described the
sculptured façade of Notre Dame as “a vast symphony in stone.”
However, had it not been for the creation of his famous hunchback,
Quasimodo, the cathedral might never have returned to its former
glory. Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame helped inspire a
23-year restoration of the cathedral that began in 1841. Step inside
to admire the stained-glass rose windows and seemingly weightless
vaulted ceilings.
Guided visit to Versailles • Visit Versailles, the elaborate palace of
Louis XIV. Here, the Sun King held court in the most lavish style
imaginable. At one point, 1,000 nobles were attended by 4,000 servants
inside the palace, while 15,000 soldiers and servants inhabited
the annexes. Stroll through the elegantly landscaped gardens
designed by André Le Nôtre, tour the State Apartments of the King
himself, walk through the historic Hall of Mirrors and admire the
ornate decor of the State Apartments of the Queen. (Please note: On
days when Versailles is closed, you’ll instead visit the regal splendor
of Château de Fontainebleau, a 12th-century royal residence that
was a favored hunting base for Napoleon and other rulers of France.)
Farewell dinner • This evening enjoy a convivial farewell dinner
with your fellow convention delegates.
Day 5 Sunday, July 22
Departure • Our EF Orientation concludes. After breakfast, EF staff
will accompany convention delegates to the airport and assist with
check-in for the return flight. Have a pleasant trip home and enjoy
your first EF tour!

Yeah.........SO?

Yes people I know it's been almost two months. Clearly I am spending too much time at school.

Working was a lovely success. Doyle's for coming to see it. It is always lovely to see them. I wish our houses had been better, but I guess it's what I get for choosing a show that will fit the talent I have as opposed to a show that the mass populous knows and will come to see whether it's any good or not.

Beginning of May was our Spring Dance Concert. Again there was a student lighting designer, but I did design the senior piece. I just liked the piece and what Nancy, our dance instructor/choreographer, did with it.

And then began the testing. While that was happening, the senior directors were working on their directing projects, and I was putting together our last show of the year. Also we were inducting new Thespians, planning for the CFPA Arts After Dark clusterfuck, running tech for the varying senior showcases for the other Artists in the program(vocal, instrumental, creative writers and visual artists. theatre kids do a one person show earlier in the year so as not to contribute to the longevity of the month) May is a very crazy time. The testing really takes a toll on the students and we did it all online this year, so that made our IT departments really nuts. All sorts of crazy things with the computers were happening. And it really screwed the daily schedule for 2 full weeks. My office looks like a bomb hit it. It may take me all week to get back some semblance of order.

Our last show of the year happened this past weekend. It was "The Innocents" which is based on Henry James' "Turn of the Screw". It was delightfully creepy:) And rather well attended for a June production. One of our alumni who is majoring in lighting design came back to design lights for the show. I think she did an excellent job. It's nice to not have to worry about doing it all yourself and have alumni come back and do things. We may run it again at the beginning of next school year to sort of kick off things and get people (mostly the freshmen) to see what type of expectations the theatre department has of them. I wish I could just come in and direct the kids and work on sets and things and not have to worry about the whole curriculum thing and dealing with ...........well the other bs. Well, whatever, it's a gig.

And I did get a contract for next year. Somebody really screwed up somewhere;) I thought for sure they were going to cut me loose. I rattle the cage alot and the administration doesn't really like that. But everyone needs a rabble rouser I suppose. We're getting a new principal next year. Several people are very optimistic about that. I'm not. He isn't really interested in the arts and isn't very impressed with the CFPA program. That's kind of the schools specialty and he's our leader? wow. And someone thought he'd be best for this gig ....why?

Bud is still loving working at the middle school. Loving it even more NOW that he doesn't have exams to give and grade! He has time to work on the yard and his garden. This year we are growing tomatoes(we're from Jersey, I think it's a law that we have to grow them every year), eggplant, squash, cucumbers, green peppers, and corn. He's very excited about the corn, he grew it from seed. And we have many a bird in our backyard. We have feeders in the front and back. We also have a young hawk that hangs out. He's not looking for seed I don't think;) It is a little like the wild kingdom some days. Apparently Bud says we have moles in the yard too. I will take his word for it.

Next week he's going to be at George Mason for their Jazz master series(I am soo totally making up what it's called because I don't know). He's going to be playing with and studying jazz for an entire week.

In between all the craziness at school I did find some time to help Sabra move to NYC and visit some friends in Connecticut. Sabra has a great apartment, but had WAY too much stuff:) It was a ton of fun..........hard work, but lots of fun. (Can you hear the drums Fernando??) I'm going to try and go back up and visit her again soon, hopefully before theatre camp hell begins.

Well, I guess that's enough of an update for now. Hello my friends I never get to see. There will be the Christmas in July party on the last Monday in July. Please try and see if you can come.