iPatch

Welcome to my Friday night! 

I guess I should be doing something fun and exciting, but eh.

Thus is married life. 

Plus Cass is in bed asleep ;) 

So I'll catch up on some blogging!

Before I get to my thought on the plays I saw, I want to show you the neat door decs Cass made for his staff. Their acronym this year is PTCH, or Patch, so he and I were brainstorming and thought of pirates and eye patches. We went to the craft store and Cass couldn't find anything resembling an eye patch, so he figured he'd make some himself. 

The next day we were going to get crafty and 

Cass thought: "iPatch! like a brand!"

And I was all, "You should do the iPod guy, you know the one with the headphones? And give him an eye patch! Could you do that?"

And he did. 

Best Tip Ever!

So this week and last week, I've had a part-time gig of driving around the patrons of the Shakespeare camps for the Shakespeare Festival. 

And this morning, I got the best tip ever!!

Yup. That's right. I get to see Merry Wives of Windsor, Scapin, and Les Miserables.

For free!!

Why should I care more than you do?

My jobs are different, but they're very much the same. In both of my jobs, it is my responsibility to help my students to do better. At school, I help them with their work. And at dance, well, I help them to be better dancers. But I can only help them as much as they let me. They can have goals, but if they don't let me help them, they won't achieve their goals. If they don't accept my help, accept that I have been there, that I do, in fact, know what I am talking about, they won't make it. They can't do it alone. No one can. And I am learning, maybe the hard way, that I can't put in more effort than they do. They have to care, too. Sometimes, I think I care more than they do. And I really just can't do that anymore. Because then it hurts to much when they turn on me, make me the bad guy-- when they can't see that I am only looking out for them. I want my students, all of them, to do better. But some of them don't want that for themselves. Or, rather, they don't want to put in the work necessary. And then I just can't help them anymore.

Why Should I Worry?

I am a very worrisome person. I worry about everything. I always worry about getting fired -- regardless of my job. All my jobs ever, I've been paranoid about being fired. Even if/when I'm awesome at my job. And it's really annoying, because it makes me worse at my job. So why do I worry about it all the time? Why can't I just have self-confidence and be a normal person? I just can't figure it out, or make it better.

And now a slightly irrelevant vid including the song title! 

So I Wish I Could Dance!

So somehow I missed that So You Think You Can Dance was on Hulu until about mid-July, but I've been watching it -- or at least the dances -- when I can. I mean, I enjoy the show, but I don't always enjoy the commentary. So sometimes [a lot] I skip it. Although I did enjoy some of the guest judges: Kristen Chenowith, Neil Patrick Harris, the red-head from Modern Family.  They're cute and snarky. Or I love broadway. Possibly both. :) 

I have always loved dance, but I just couldn't let it be my entire life.  Yet I still love dance and need it in my life. So sometimes it's inspiring [and sometimes it's discouraging] to watch others dance. But this fall -- in one week! -- I start teaching dance classes! I'm excited to make it a part of my life in a positive way, so here is some inspiration for you from So You Think You Can Dance!

1. I love group numbers!  

mmm . .  . Tyce Dioro

Just like Chicago!

And a nice moody contemporary piece

 

2. I hate Hip Hop but I *love* Contemporary Hip Hop

NappyTabs does it for me everytime

 

And who couldn't love this?

(And it's a beautiful cover!)

 

 

3. And who doesn't love a good-old-fashioned SYTYCD Contemporary love story?

4. A little commentary. Melanie won SYTYCD. And no doubt she is a gifted dancer, she's in many of these pieces. But sometimes she just drives me crazy! Like, I hate her! Why is this?? Maybe it's her hair . . . [wait . . . Mom? Jenn? Maybe does she remind me of someone we don't like?] But here she is, one last time

Do Men Make Better Bosses?

I vote yes. In my personal (and possibly limited) experience, I have found I like and respect my male managers more than their female counterparts.

Women seem to take everything much more personal than it is meant. I have had women managers tell me I need to be nicer to male cooks -- who cared not because I was being rushed and efficient. Not rude. I have always felt that please and thank yous should not be given simply because someone is doing their job. Many women, however, appear to value manners and friendliness over execution of a job well done.

A somewhat interesting accompaniment to this is that my male managers have consistently been more aware of the busy-ness of the business and allow breaks or slow-downs after or In lack of a rush. My female managers care only that we "stay busy".

Conflict resolution, I have found, is also easier with the boys. They can be a outsider look and solve problems between two employees. The female has a favorite, or a side she favors. Even in problems with managers, i have been able to sit down with him, discuss, resolve, move on. The girls want to know irrelevant details. They want to talk about it days later. And you show up in a bad mood one day and they take it super personal. Dude, it's not you. Now get to work so I can.

I know I prefer male managers a million to one.

What do you think?

Let Your Inner Tiger Roar?

So the other day I was reading one of my favorite mommy blogs, Suburban Turmoil, whose post was about Tiger Moms. And I'm not a mom, but it got me thinking.

I'm already a tiger, so I will totally be a crazy tiger mom. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm much less of a tiger now than I used to be. I can acknowledge When I didn't do my best, when someone gave a better interview or audition than I. But then there are the days I sit and wonder how I have had such an easy time with jobs I am seemingly unqualified (or at least under qualified) and am yet struggling to find a job in my field in Cedar. And at first I get a little 'tiger-y' about it. Almost to the point of entitlement. I mean, I'm Good!!  I have Experience!! But do do other people. And that's okay. I'll just keep trying. And so I've got to ditch the tiger sometimes. As my mom would say, be a duck. And as Dory would say, just keep swimming. And so I just keep going, keeping my tiger to myself. 

However, the tiger is very helpful sometimes. It gives me confidence. It helps me stick up for myself. Maybe we all need a little inner tiger, as long as we know when to cage it! But I think it will come in handy once I'm a mom. All kids need an advocate in their corner.  I look forward to being the biggest cheerleader for my children, and silently sulking when they didn't get the solo, even though they don't care.