Dreaming of Summer

With Spring Break winding down, it's hard to believe that summer vacation is just a few short months away. How can this be? I'm still spending days sitting under a blanket to stay warm and toasty! This summer looks as though it will be a little different than those I've had most recently, so some planning is definitely in order.

Ever since graduating, summer has been an insane season for me. Inevitably, I would teach an intense summer term class from late May to early July. These classes wore me out! I often found myself involved with a community theater production. I love playing musical theater, but the long hours and poor pay often resulted in lots of frustration. When I was still working for the church, the summer led to a massive two week summer camp. The kids and I had a blast pulling together a musical, but no one fully knew the amount of work required in the seven months prior to pull off this feat. Kids Music Camp was one of my proudest accomplishments each year, but it took a long time to recover from the strain of each production.

Now I find myself in a different situation. My new position does not involve summer responsibilities, but my salary continues to arrive in the bank. For the first time, the months from May to August will not be a scramble to pick up odd jobs in order to bring in a little cash. So my approach to summer plans is undergoing a major change.

I have applied to work at the Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan for the summer. Since I've not heard anything from the application, I'm beginning to assume I won't get the job this year. (After years of the job hunt, I'm finally learning that not landing a position is not a personal insult!) So now I'm back to the planning stage. What do I want to do this summer?

My sister-in-law has already asked for a trip to the beach. I'm considering a trip to LA to participate in the American Liszt Festival. Why not see a little opera in Santa Fe and catch some recitals in the city's chamber music festival? Of course, I plan to spend some time at home and would love to get to teach a children's class in a VBS somewhere.

What would you recommend to include in my summer plans? I'm definitely open to suggestions.

Posted with Blogsy