I get to take some art kids to WA DC!!!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

I'm the director of an after-school and summer art program for artistically talented teenagers - we have kids ranging from 8th to 12th grade, and from most of the public and private schools on island. We have classes 3 days a week after school, and 4 days a week during the summer. We're pretty much dependent on grants and donations - my job is to write and monitor the grants, oversee day-to-day operations, plan field trips, find staff, stuff like that.

The instructor is a good friend, we travelled together to Italy a few years ago. She can be hard to take for a month (she talks a lot), but she's fun and interesting most of the time.

So - we usually take the students to Puerto Rico, visit a few museums and art galleries, things like that.

But we received a big donation a few years ago, and with good management we've pretty much saved that $ and still have received grants. Plus we've had a few more nice donations. So we're currently ahead financially. (Which is great, at one point I took out a personal loan to pay staff, while awaiting gov't funding.)

Since we have extra cash, and we have a core group of maybe 4-5 girls who show up every day (as opposed to the seniors, who show up once a month or so), the Board agreed with my idea of a BIG field trip to Washington DC - we'll go to the National Gallery of Art, the Hirschorn, Corcoran, any of the numerous art museums in DC.

I'm so excited!!!! The only time that works for the instructor and me is Carnival - we'll leave here 4/23, return 4/28 - the students (and I) are off for Carnival, but we'll be back in time for the fun stuff that DH and I attend at Carnival time.

YAY!!!!!!!! 4 days of art with a group of kids who want to be artists!!!!!! What could be better!!!!!!!!!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MEOWMAMA3 3/21/2010 10:14AM

What a terrific opportunity for you and the kids!!!! I'd like to visit some DC museums at the Smithsonian. Enjoy!!! Report Inappropriate Comment

JLPNURSE 3/18/2010 7:03AM

You're right it will be tough with my commute :( And I am in Fairfax. Oh and if you haven't been and I know it's not art but the Holocaust museum is very moving, educational, etc. Report Inappropriate Comment

SECRETFUN 3/17/2010 9:37PM

Fabulous! I think my dad is around then, too. Report Inappropriate Comment

PHEBESS 3/17/2010 12:33PM

I'm sure we'll be very touristy - the kids and the two of us will go to as many museums and sites as we can. The kids also want to do some shopping - I told them that many stores stay open after 6 PM, so we'll shop and have dinner in the evenings - but that we won't be spending a day at a mall or anything like that. (They would love that, LOL) I'm also planning on the Phillips. Definitely. When are you back in B'more? Report Inappropriate Comment

AIDELADE27 3/17/2010 12:29PM

That's so exciting! The National Gallery of Art is really amazing! I've never been to the the Hirschorn or the Corcoran, but it's D.C. so it's probably spectacular. The kids are going to have such a great time. Will you be able to do a little touring while you're there? There's just so much to do! And it's so sad that you'll be in Baltimore when I'm not there. Comment edited on: 3/17/2010 12:29:25 PM Report Inappropriate Comment

SAPNA. 3/17/2010 12:12PM

I guess I live too far away to visit you wherever you are. be it at home or away. I am sure you are going to have a brilliant time. You really deserve it. Report Inappropriate Comment

PHEBESS 3/17/2010 10:45AM

I know, the Phillips is on my list! Dates are 4/23 to 4/28, tentatively. Plus I'll be in Baltimore for my art ed conference from 4/12 to 4/19 - so that's another possible time to meet up, if you're up to travelling to B'more. (I was planning on going to the National Gallery on 4/13.) But I guess you'll be commuting to C'ville? I'm not exactly sure where you are - near Fairfax? Report Inappropriate Comment

JLPNURSE 3/17/2010 9:13AM

We have GOT to get together (if you can find a moment which I know might be hard) And you have to go to the Phillips to see the Boating Party. SOOOO impressive in real life. Report Inappropriate Comment

And the testing goes on

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Day 2 of the standardized testing at school. Day 2 of me as administrator in another teacher's classroom. She's Filipino, and the kids have a little trouble with her accent - that's they I'm the admin, and she's the proctor. We're doing fine together, mostly I'm just reading the script and we both are checking that everyone is working on the right part of the test/answer sheet.

I cannot tell you how BORING it is for the teachers - the kids are working, tests are 30 minutes or so a pop - today was reading comprehension and spelling. So I read the directions, the kids read/answer for 30 minutes, we just stand around and wait for the time to go by.

So today I paced back and forth across the back of the room. I marched in place. I put on 4000 steps during the test. Really! Two miles of walking while waiting for the kids to do their work.

I guess this will be this week's fitness - pacing the test.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SAPNA. 3/17/2010 7:23AM

You are going to do a lot of miles this week then. lol. Report Inappropriate Comment

JPANESE 3/16/2010 8:19PM

LOL Report Inappropriate Comment

I'm told I was featured at our school's queen show

Monday, March 15, 2010

My good friend at school, who has worked next door to me for over 20 years, came by my class this morning and told me I was featured at the queen show on Saturday. For those who don't know, a queen show is basically a beauty pageant where girls at school compete for Miss XXXX (name of school). Pretty much every private, public, parochial school has a Miss XXX, and they all are on floats for the Children's Parade during Carnival (our Carnival is April).

So - seven girls ran for Miss BCB. (We're a middle school, grades 6 - 8, ages about 11 to 14 or so.) One of the girls is one of my students.

As the background while each girl spoke, the AV person ran a computerized slide show, showing that child in action at school. Since S had been in Basic Art with me last year, and is in Advanced Art this year, there were a number of slides with her working on the mural. And, apparently, me talking to the group of students - my friend described it as focused on me in the center, with several students attentively listening in the picture. Plus she said it was up on the screen longer than any other slide!

I asked my class today about it (we're in testing, so we don't have the full schedule) and everyone said yeah, your picture was there Ms Schwartz.

So - Ms Feminist Radical Never-went-to-a-prom-or-my-graduation Rebel ME was featured in the background of the queen show!!!!!!!!! Ms "it's just a money-making popularity contest" ME was the background.

I just find this hysterically funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

JLPNURSE 3/16/2010 2:41PM

It is funny but you were there as a positive role model! So it's sort of like feminism infiltrating the enemy. Report Inappropriate Comment

MILLISMA 3/15/2010 10:16PM

I bet your students loved it! Mary Anne Report Inappropriate Comment

PRETTYEYES999 3/15/2010 5:57PM

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Cleo and Ruby

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Cleo is our cat - about 14 yrs old, Russian Blue, loving to people she likes and snarly to people she doesn't like (such as the vet). She's quite a character.

Ruby is DH's Jeep Wrangler - smaller than his former Jeep Jack, who was a CJ-7, and red - hence the name Ruby.

Cleo and Ruby seem to have a friendship - Cleo goes out and lies under Ruby, rubs her head on the bumpers (on tip-toe paws), and will even lie underneath on her back and paw at Ruby's under-chassis.

This morning, we went out to the Jeep to head down the hill for breakfast. (So much easier clean up.) Cleo was sitting on Ruby's passenger seat, curled up for a nap in the sun. She heard DH get in, jumped up, jumped out. As DH said, he's not sure who was more surprised - Cleo, or him!

We think we heard Ruby chuckling.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

PHEBESS 3/14/2010 6:19PM

We've actually seen Cleo standing on the driver's seat, paws on the steering wheel - but that was with Jack, the CJ-7. (She had the other cat, Clawdius, down by the foot pedals.) Report Inappropriate Comment

ROCKYCPA 3/14/2010 5:57PM

Very cute - cats are so much fun sometimes. Report Inappropriate Comment

JLPNURSE 3/14/2010 5:11PM

LOL. I have a friend who has 2 cats named Cleo & Ruby and I was thinking what are the chances? Report Inappropriate Comment

SAPNA. 3/14/2010 5:05PM

I thought Cleo would want to go for a ride. Report Inappropriate Comment

MTNHIKER1971 3/14/2010 11:25AM

haha, tooooo cute Report Inappropriate Comment

I hate munchie days

Saturday, March 13, 2010

There are days when I just want to munch on junk food. Never mind that I've had about 2/3 of my cals for the day. Never mind that I actually had a cookie for a snack. (DH and I are in the midst of a cookie craze, which we both know isn't good, but oh man the cookies at these two stores are just so good.....)

Anyway, now all I can think about is popcorn. It's lower fat microwave popcorn, but still 240 cals per bag. I don't need that. I don't need the sodium, the fat, the calories.

But my mouth wants it.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

JLPNURSE 3/14/2010 7:51AM

I hate those days too Report Inappropriate Comment

MTNHIKER1971 3/13/2010 10:56PM

Aren't munchie days a killer? ugh... it's hard going from unhealthy munchie to healthier alternatives, but they are out there. Just gotta find what the mouth will take as a substitution. Check out this link, has some useful information http://www.ehow. com/how_2066615_curb-cravings.html Report Inappropriate Comment

SHORTY20 3/13/2010 9:50PM

I had one of those days the other day, man it's so hard to resist the bad stuff sometimes! Report Inappropriate Comment

NOTBLUSHING 3/13/2010 6:45PM

DON'T Report Inappropriate Comment

SAPNA. 3/13/2010 3:08PM

If you cant resist then make sure you at least enjoy it. lol. Report Inappropriate Comment