Concert Aftermath

I've rediscovered how to breathe. Life has slowed down somewhat.

At the concert, I was quite pleased to see that my family, Westley, my friend/mentor, and my first piano teacher were there to support me that evening. I even received two lovely bouquets of flowers- one from Westley, and one from the parent-teacher association at my school.

I was frustrated during the concert because:
1) Students were NOT watching me (so they messed up!) and
2) Some kids had the GALL to talk/chatter not just between songs but DURING songs as well.
Only twice did I catch myself thinking, "Aack! Why did I choose to teach this age level?! I want to work with more advanced choirs!!!" and "I think I want to quit this job as soon as this concert ends." I'm sure those feelings will be fewer and far-between now that my first concert is over.

Overall, the evening went relatively well. Musically, the kids didn't do as well as they had in rehearsals, but friends and my students' parents (musicians and non-musicians alike) paid me compliments on the students' and my success. I also got asked out by two different men after the concert; one was the older brother of a student and the other was a student's father. Westley was displeased with both, and I was definitely creeped out by the latter. (Hel-LO! I'm closer to your child's age than yours, dude!) Westley also didn't appreciate it when I hinted that if I had a ring already, I probably wouldn't have received those other offers ... :-)

The rest of that weekend went well; I played for two different choirs at two different church services on Sunday morning, and I took a lovely nap (for rest and recovery) in the afternoon.

Last week dragged on ... but planning was relatively easy. Students wrote a concert evaluation for a quiz grade. Even though I specified that they needed to write in complete sentences, I'm amazed at how many of them chose not to do so. I try to make it so easy for them to earn points, and it's astonishing how many of them choose NOT to follow directions (in spite of the written and verbal reminders!), thus choosing to lose points on their assignments. *sigh*

Last week ended with a lovely staff party at a colleague's house, and I had a good time. It's amusing to me that most of my colleagues are around the same age as my parents, and I'm sure it's strange for some of them that I'm around the same age and/or younger than some of their kids! At 23, I'm the baby of the staff ... even though I'm older than the typical first-year teacher.

Weekend continued grandly. Family friends had arranged for a fun whirlwind trip to NYC to see "The Little Mermaid" on Broadway. I loved it. TLM is the first movie I ever remember seeing, and I have adored it ever since. I suppose it helps that the main character loves to sing, just as I do. Great music, incredibly talented cast, stunning aesthetics and staging ... I dearly hope I can see it again!!!

I came home yesterday to play for two chorus concerts in the afternoon/evening. All my holiday concert obligations are over for this season. All that's left is the Christmas Eve service.

In other news, the district for which I work is the only local district which scheduled school for today and tomorrow. Students don't want to go to school. Teachers don't want to go to school. I shouldn't be dreading it, but I just (whining now) don't wanna go to school. The cold weather/freak snowstorm is not affecting my region, and I'll simply have to sigh and get ready. The one bonus about today is that it is my part-time day, and I'm not contractually obligated to be at school until 10:15am. 3 1/2 hours away. So ... I'll have a little time this morning before I leave to get more of my Christmas gifts prepared.

So ... that is post-concert but pre-Christmas life for Estrella. If the next few days are as crazy as I imagine they will be, I wish you a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Debut Concert TOMORROW NIGHT!

I've been staying LATE every night after school. First it was to prepare students for auditions for a local ensemble (all made it). Then it was to prepare students for auditions for a state-wide ensemble (2 made it- quite good, considering 1000+ try out for nearly 120 spots).

On Monday, I was at school for 13 hours (stayed past my colleague's concert that evening). Tuesday? 10.5 hours, and I only left because I had church choir rehearsal that evening. Yesterday? 12 hours. Today? 10 hours. Not including a 1.5-2 hour total commute each day.

Parent phone calls. Emails. Each concern is frantic and must be addressed immediately. Many repeat questions even though I've shared the information numerous times through various forms of communication. Uniforms. Visits from angels, also known as parent volunteers. Herding over one hundred adolescents into mixed formations. Coming up with silly choreography (just me doing the gestures) to help the students remember their words. Program-making. Adding two new items to my to-do list after crossing off only one accomplished task.

Somehow, even though I'm tired, even though I'm definitely looking forward to relaxing on Saturday with Westley ... I'm still enjoying this.

Even better, I feel quite confident that things will go well. My kids will be fine. All 275+ of them. Yes, I anticipate some things may not go as planned. I'll be flexible ... and I'll hope that the audience will cut me some slack as a first-year teacher ... even though I've been quite careful to never refer to myself as one in front of my students or their parents. When they ask, I honestly tell them that I worked with college kids last year when I got my Master's and that I worked with high schoolers before that. (I don't share that the high schoolers were not actually my students, as they were actually students in the program in which I student taught...)

I do feel as though I've been marvelously prepared, based on my previous experience and the great support from my department colleague and my principal. I am thanking God for guiding me through all the necessary steps which have aided me in this process as I do this on my own!

Already 10pm?! Must call Westley and go to bed ... as I've gotta rise and shine at 5:30am (and that's sleeping in)! Wish me luck tomorrow!!!

Meme because it's easy :)

(Bold what you have done. I also italicized what I’d still like to do.)
1. Started my own blog (in March 2001)
2. Slept under the stars (inside a tent ... Girl Scouts)
3. Played in a band (not a regular gig ... just a few times)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightning at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (I've done this 2 times in my life; I call it a "Mental Health day")
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job (Boss's daughter needed a job...)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book (no, but perhaps at some point?!)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (Marvin Hamlisch, composer; locked eyes with Lang Lang, classical pianist; passed Clay Aiken in a stairwell)
92. Joined a book club (Westley and I started our own, but we haven't read very far yet :)
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Ridden an elephant