Sunday, June 14, 2009

Summer Vacation

Well Summer Vacation is officially upon most teachers(at least in Illinois). This is my second summer vacation as a teacher. It is a fantastic feeling, knowing that I taught my students so many things. Maybe I should blog about those things since it'll be nice to look back on some of the things we accomplished together. However, this is not the time nor the post!

Last year I spent the summer working a for a summer theater group and getting things in order for the next year. I moved to Peoria and I have really enjoyed the city. Hopefully my towns will keep getting bigger as my career continues. I had a lot more work to do last year, but I think as a third year teacher I'm starting to get in the groove. I'm finding what works.

This summer I'm trying to expand myself and with the help of my free-spirited girlfriend of almost two years, I think it's the perfect time for it! I have already done some new things for me, such as getting a library card. I had one in my hometown, but let's be honest the Peoria Library System is a little different than that of my hometown of population 1,400. So how will my summer be spent you ask?

I am currently reading a book called "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles. It's about a brotherhood of 16 year old boys at a New England boarding school during the World War II era. It's supposedly a classic piece of literature and I'm in enjoying it very much. It's prose is well-written and the story of these boys loss of innocence is intriguing. It makes me wonder what my job as a music teacher would have been like back then or would I have been called to war...I'm sure my asthma would've barred me from the draft come to think of it.

I plan to take some type of trip, but I haven't settled on the right kind of trip. Camping and outdoor adventures? A place of historic value? Somewhere that seems indulgent? To be honest I'd like to be on tour with a drum corps...I need to see if I can get on staff somewhere next summer, what an adventure that would be. As of now I'm just going to a couple of weddings in July. Why do people insist on getting married in the hottest months of the year? I digress.

I am going to begin planning more specific year long goals and start thinking about literature for next years groups. I will probably grab a couple books to energize my teaching techniques. I know I will be going back over my Ed Lisk book. I think I'm going to utilize even more of that book with my classes this year. I also am going to start looking into grad schools, going back might be in my future.

Of course there will be time spent at the pool and grilling at my apartment. I love being a creative cook. Jes and I like exploring the local restaurants and I will make frequent trips to Buffalo Wild Wings to play trivia. In fact, she just texted me to go to one of our favorite new spots, Sullivan's in Peoria Heights. Make to check it out if you're in the area!

That's all for now. I hope all of you are enjoying your summer, no matter how you choose to spend it. Any ideas for me? Feel free to comment with some great tips.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Urinetown Review

So I was just curious what would happen if I "Googled" myself today and I found some interesting stuff. The most exciting was the review that ran in the Bloomington Pantagraph about the musical Urinetown. I just finished up a run of that show in April at Community Players Theater in Bloomington, IL.

I just can't believe the Musical Director was mentioned by name!

Urinetown_Review

Check out if you get the chance. I had such a blast working with the talented cast of that show. Hopefully, some of them will try out for Seussical tonight...hint!