Sidebar - why I love teaching

Okay, so this isn't a blog about my "day job," but I have to insert something here about my day job, because well, I love it.  (most of the time, anyway)

I'm a school band director - that means I do a lot of concerts in a year.  The "famous" one around town is the big spring concert that has all the kids play in all the grades.  The seniors always take a moment, and do a presentation to me (I've been their teacher for 8 years by then).  Sometimes it's touching, sometimes it's funny.  It's always memorable. 

This year, my seniors latched onto something that I had done years ago.  I don't like the movie "Titanic."  There was a medley of Broadway show tunes that they wanted to play, and I said sure, but "we're not playing any music from Titanic..." When pressed, I had to admit that I don't like the movie, because, no matter what anyone does, in the end, the ship always sinks.  I like happy endings.

So, my presentation was all about "Titanic" and they even made this amazing Titanic replica out of wood - you should see the detail!  It had lights, and even smoke coming out of the smoke stacks.  Gotta love it. 

There was more, very touching, and very memorable.  My eyes fill a little just thinking about it. 

My very first bead show

Last Saturday, by some miracle of miracles, there was no school related anything going on that I needed to be involved with - all the State Festivals were over (that I involved me or dear husband), and there was a bead show at a town about 3 hours from here (where we own a condo....!)

And so, in a very un-me like turn of events, we got in the car on Saturday morning (after determining that while driving down the night before and staying in the condo was indeed the better idea, we were just too tired on Friday night to do so), we drove to the bead show.  I had never been to one.  I had an idea, after being at the Art Unraveled vendor show, and craft shows around, what it might be like, but needed to see for myself. 

Voila!  What a wonderful thing - all kinds of beads, at all kinds of price ranges.  Some beautiful things way outside of my price range, and some great things that were in my price range. 

And so, now I've got to get them organized, put away, and start creating.   And...well, if the truth be told, there are already a few things laid on the mat, awaiting time to put them together.  Who knew how fun this would be? 

Today is our big end of the year spring band concert - it's a 2-hour marathon, but we have every ensemble, grades 5 - 12 play, give out awards, hand all the graduating seniors (who survived 8 years with me! LOL!) a plaque, and then do a finale with every student musician (this year it's John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever") - it's a fun day - albeit a long haul - filled with memories and music.  I always look forward to today, although it does in some ways mean "the end," as some of my students will be graduating, and next year's groups won't be the same as this year's groups.  Guess that's just the way it is. 

Have a great week until I write again!

Studio Weekend

Well, I've spent a lot of time in the studio over the past two days - it was wonderfully relaxing.  This next week is going to be uber-busy, with State Band & Orchestra Evaluations at my school on Thursday and Friday, plus taking my three groups throught the festival during that time.  (not to mention the literally hundreds of students who will be coming with their ensembles, to perform as well...)

So....these past two days, I've lived in denial and did some fun things in the studio.  I did some stamping, some drawing, some journaling and some jewelry making.  All of it fun. 

Here are some pieces I made over the past two days - found this stuff in my stash and had to figure out how it might go together.  Ohhhh, did I have fun.  I didn't take pics of the cards I made while stamping - I forget how much fun that is, until I pick up a stamp. 

Have a great week - I'm powering up for my week!!