The Life and Times of a High School Drama Teacher: December 2006

Monday, December 25, 2006

Merry Christmas!

What a fab Christmas I am having. Everyone is together this year and it's great!

Saturday was the big family Christmas at my aunt's house. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, the whole shibang. It was so much fun to have everyone together.

The family got the news about the engagement, they are so happy. I think B is going to be fine afterall. She did well with all the family, only a few down moments.

Christmas Eve was at Mom's with just the immediate family (which included, wait for it...future step-kids). We had so much fun, presents, food and games.

This morning M and I slept late, opened presents and then went back to bed for a couple of hours. Finally got up, dressed and almost ready for the day at 12:30. He leaves for Oregon for the week today, makes me sad a bit.

Anyway, I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas! Be merry and bright!

Friday, December 22, 2006

ex-wives, step-kids and engagements...oh my!

My engagement euphoria has been smashed to bits. I am sure I will be able to get it back, but let me tell you M's ex-wife is the biggest psycopath EVER!

She doesn't want us to tell B (M's youngest daughter) until after her birthday in....JANUARY!!!!! She says we are going to ruin the entire holiday season for her. The kid's 11, they have been divorced for 5 years. I know this is hard for her, but for goodness sake lady, help your child get over it, don't enable her to stay sad about it. She actually said that B may "never be right", now what in the world does that mean? That nobody should move on with their lives because B might not like it, she might not be "right"?

While this woman says she is doing everything in the best interest of the child, it is really about her doing what she feels is best for herself. She doesn't want to deal with the fact that we're getting married so she says it would be best for B to not have to deal with it. We have a TON of family stuff planned for this weekend, how in the world am I supposed to keep this quiet. Not to mention it really hurts that I would even be asked to (yes, I know that is selfish, I don't care). And by the way, I'm not taking that ring off!

My thoughts on this, if he doesn't tell her it looks like he either is 1. ashamed of his relationship with me or 2. he doesn't care about her enough to include her in this. She knew it was coming, he had told her that months ago. He just needs to tell her it has happened.

I think M is going to tell her today when he picks her up for us to go to Slava's Snow Show, but I'm not sure. I am really afraid of how it is all going to play out. I don't want B to be sad, I want her to be happy for her dad, that her dad is happy. But her mom has gotten the child so brainwashed that she feels that if she is happy for her dad she is betraying her mom. And mom doesn't do anything to encourage her otherwise.

If I didn't love M so much I wouldn't put myself through this mess. Sometimes I feel like it just isn't worth it. Fortunately, HE is! He is the most amazing man, but I will post all about him another time.

Parents, what are your thoughts on the subject?

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Look what I got!

Last night Michael and I went to Disneyland and he proposed next to the Castle, in Snow White's Grotto (which is actually one of my favorite places in the Park).

He was so cute. Apparently he wanted to do it during the snow after fireworks, but it was so crowded we didn't want to stick around that long, so then he wanted to do it in front of the Castle but that was closed for fireworks (2 hours later), so we were walking around and he took me to the grotto. We stopped on the little bridge and he told me he had a present for me, and that is when he took out the ring.

It's beautiful, if you ask me. I am so excited and so happy. I didn't think the thought of getting married for a second time would make me feel this giddy, but I am. It was very special. Espcially since I knew it was coming...in March. He got me, I was totally taken aback.

We are planning on a summer wedding. Anyone want to come?

Thursday, December 14, 2006

shows, shows and more shows

So, I told you I was in New York. That I love New York. Well, here is one of the big reasons why...

THEATRE!

There is so much to see. I was lucky enough to get to see four shows while I was in

town.

1. Spamalot - what a fun show. I really wish I had been able to get tickets sooner. Seeing Tim Cury as King Arthur would have just been too much. If you're a Monty Python fan this show is a must.

2. Regrets Only - this was the MTC show that we saw. It was mildly entertaining. Really reminded me of the first season of Will and Grace, you know when they just went for the really funny one-liners but the rest of the script sucked. If you have seen A Day Without A Mexican you can pretty much understand this play, only it's done with gays taking the day off. I would only recommend this if you got free tickets.

3. Suddenly Last Summer - This is probably my second favorite Tennessee Williams play (the first...Cat on a Hot Tin Roof). One of the other teachers and I were able to snag tickets to this sold out show. I am so glad I did. I always forget how powerful this show is. Not to mention Blyth Danner was amazing.

4. Evil Dead, the musical - yes, you read that right. What a fun show! For a

campy, off-broadway production it was really well done. The music is fun and it had some really cool special effects. I have never seen so much stage blood in my life! The first three rows of the theatre are called the "splatter zone". This is because as the demons get killed they squirt and splatter the audience with all the blood they can. Ah, good (not s0) clean fun. If you can catch this one, do. You will laugh...alot.

So, there is the recap of my theatre adventures. I was actually surprised I saw so much. When I was making my show plans, there really wasn't anything I was needing to see...Almost four hundred dollars later, I've seen four new shows.

Man, I love theatre!

Note: I upgraded to the blogger beta, I HATE the new dashboard...TOO much stuff!

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

New York!

I LOVE NEW YORK CITY!!!!!!!

I love everything about it, the crowds, the noise, the energy.

I just got back from a week long trip to the Big Apple. I have returned energized and excited to be teaching theatre (although my English classes are sapping that right out of me rather quickly).

I go every year at this time because of a class I teach. Let me tell you about it...

I have the amazing opportunity to work with an organization called Manhattan Theatre Club. They are a not-for-profit organization that produces wonderful theatre and does tons for the educationional community.

They run a project called Theatrelink. In this project students from around the world (about 18 schools in total) work in groups of 3 schools to write plays and produce theatre. I am so fortunate to have been selected to be a part of this 9 years ago and to have been asked back every year.

The kids love it. They have the opportunity to read a play and communicate with the playwright (this year's play is Brooklyn Boy by Donald Margulies). Once they have studied the life out of the play they are turned loose to write their own scripts, with guidance from myself and a professional working in New York, this year we are working with a playwright by the name of Carmen Rivera (I can't wait to read some of her work).

Once the plays are written we trade scripts and begin production. The kids do everything. Direct, design, act, they learn so much. And they have a great time as well.

I am so excited to begin the project. I learned so much during this last trip. I feel like this project helps make me a better director and a better teacher.

If you have some time check out the MTC website, they are fab!

http://www.mtc-nyc.org/

If you're in New York, check out some of their shows...amazing theatre work!

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Mom

The past year I have been consistently amazed by my mother's strength and courage.
Last October she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Last November she went through a single masectomy.

Last December she got engaged to an amazing man, Rocky.

Last January she started chemotherapy.

Last June her fiance was diagnosed with a inoperable brain tumor.

Last July her fiance passed away.

Last July she began radiation treatments.

Last September she completed radiation.

Last October her mom had open heart surgery.

Last night we had craft night and she was laughing and happy and moving on.

She and Rocky loved to dance, loved to create art, loved to enjoy the company of family and friends.

Today she will starts a dance class. A dance class she and Rocky where going to take together once she was feeling well.

With everything my mom has been through this past year I am so impressed with her ability to carry on. To still do the things she loved doing with Rocky. Yes, she has her down times, we all do. Rocky was her ideal, her soulmate. But she knows that he wouldn't want her to sit around and grieve forever. He would want her to get out there and do the things she loved to do.

Last night at craft night we talked until 2:00am about Rocky. About how we still have a hard time believing he's gone. About how sometimes she feel guilty for moving on and being happy. How some days are harder than others, and the mornings are the hardest, she misses her daily "Good Morning" call. But she is moving on.

With everything my mom has been through this past year and the fact that she can look at live and still smile, that is a strong woman to me.

She has a strength that I can only hope I have an once of.

I never really thought about looking up to someone, of having someone I want to be like. But today I think I really hope that when I "grow up" I'm like my mom. Strong, independent, and able to carry on through the toughest of times.

Note: I wanted to post pictures of my beautiful mother, but blogger wouldn't let me. I'll try again later.

Saturday, December 02, 2006

a word about sophomores...

The word sophomore means "young fool". There is a reason why 10 graders are called sophomores, they are fools! IDIOTS! Dumb asses! I hate sophomores.

I stayed at school until 7:45 pm (on Friday, I might add) so I could finally update grades. 98% of students have got to be failing.

They aren't failing because I suck (although I'm beginning to wonder), they are failing because they don't turn anything in.

I have some students where the only things they have turned in are tests. Now, I know I should have caught this sooner, called home, had the translators call home (because for most of my students the home language is not English), but with 140 English students and 60 drama students when am I supposed to call home? Like I said, I left the school at almost 8:00pm, it was me and the custodial crew, now who wants to call parents at 8:00pm on Friday, the whole dozen or so I could have actually communicated with.

Monday will end up being the what are you going to do to pass my class day. As I walk from student to student, show them their grade and ask...What are you going to do to pass this class? Do you plan on getting a diploma? Do you plan on every having a job? I don't think they think about the fact they actually have to pass classes to get out of high school with a diploma (not to mention the Exit Exam).

Our future isn't looking too bright!

On a happy note...I leave for New York on Tuesday!

The Life and Times of a High School Drama Teacher