today, i went to a 1st-ever play festival

Have I even been out to Savannah Country Day School this year?

I have not, for one reason or another, be it related to weather conditions or a preponderance of American Legion meetings.

 

Time to rectify that situation, and what better event than the inauguration of their very own festival of short plays?

"Spring Shorts" is what that 10-minute play festival has been dubbed!

Doesn't that title encourage one to get out of the house and partake?

Yes, yes, it does, and I must declare it a rousing success!

They put out a call to professional playwrights to submit their works, hoping that a few might actually do so.

James Venhaus, the teacher/director/producer for theatrical shows at this school, told us that they were overwhelmed by the response: 350 plays were submitted for the festival!!!

Wow!!!

Of that gracious plenty, six were chosen, and those were directed by various students in the theatre program.

The festival also showcased five plays written by various students, with those all directed by James Venhaus.

So, there were eleven plays total, some longer than ten minutes, some shorter, with a brief intermission during the two-hour program.

Wow!!!

These were all performed as theatre in the round, with both actors and audience sharing space on the stage.

That made for a more intimate setting, which really helped with the message in these short stories.

The actors would cart onto the stage whatever props were needed, including furniture, for their piece, then cart it off after.

What types of things were used?

Well, this manual typewriter on the desk, as well as several chairs and a table.

The typewriter actually worked, too, and the whole tone brought to mind the play set in the Vietnam era.

As this short play began, a man is sitting and typing, reading aloud his words.

"I regret to inform you that you son has died."

Letters to parents of soldiers lost in the war.

Wow.

After a day of typing such letters, he goes home and needs to recover, but he has a teen daughter waiting and he is her only living parent.

She suggests they listen to some music to ease the mood...

but when she turns on the radio, she gets Don McLean...

carrying on about "the day the music died"...

and her dad gets up and turns it off.

Here's the thing: after he leaves the room, she turns the radio back on...

and "American Pie" is still playing.

That's because it's almost nine minutes long.

Of course it would still be on!

Bravo to Kharis Ott for writing "Bad News On The Doorstep"!!!

[That's a line from the song, too - nice that others listen to lyrics.] 

By the way, not only did she write that play, but she directed another one ("Surprise", a comedy about a 2-minute psychic going through yet another breakup), and acted in two others.

Wow!!!

She wasn't the only one to do such a feat.

Hannah Smith wrote "Walls" [about the drama unfolding in three neighboring apartments], directed "Kung Foolery" [comedic physical fighting between husband and his mother-in-law], and acted in two others.

Kensie Glass acted in one and wrote "Cast Party", which reminded me of all the fun and drama of those I've been to over the years!

(Shout-out to the 'Hugh Mongus D' that crashed the party!)  

Samantha Hendrix acted in three plays and directed two plays, a comedy ("Party Princess" who wore wrong-colored dress for 4-year-old's birthday party, to mother's chagrin) and a more serious piece ("Blocked", about a 26-year-old who is missing her birthday because she is trying to write).

Anna Sapere wrote "Love At First Sight" (a failing romance after girl has memory loss) and acted in two plays, one of which was "Blocked".

Her costar in "Blocked", Suri Desai, also directed a play called "Finding Time" (a sweet romance of two friends who keep running into each other in scavenger hunts).

Jack Lerch was the only male student to act and direct.

He acted in two plays (featured as "Hugh Mongus D" - that's got to be a pun!) and directed "Baby Charging Station". a comedy about a guy who takes care of a robotic baby in a Child Development class in order to meet a girl.

That brings me to Caroline Bergmann, who acted in two plays and wrote "Voices In The Hall", my other favorite tonight.

'Maeve', a freshman is waiting for her sister to get stitches in the hospital and chats up the guy sitting in the same bank of chairs. 

His name is 'Callum' and he's waiting for his friend to get out of surgery.

He and 'Jonathan' are senior football players and were in a car wreck.

He goes off to find a doctor to ask about his friend.

That's when 'Elise' comes out, bandaged head, and 'Maeve' starts telling her about 'Callum' and 'Jonathan' and 'Elise' thinks her sister is playing a prank.

After all, the family knows that 'Elise' says she can see ghosts and that's how she ended up bumping her head!

But 'Maeve' insists 'Callum' is real... 

'Maeve' doesn't believe in ghosts...

right?

Only she has to now, as 'Elise' tells her that car wreck was real a year ago and both of the football players died.

Really good!

And guess who played 'Callum'?

Jack Lerch.

Very nice... and a very nice evening out for me!

read united, y'all

I debated whether to write this post here or over at another blog.

After all, it's about something that will benefit children of Chatham County, so that should be function of Fliss of Nerdfighters, n'est-ce pas?

Then I realized I'd been part of a similar effort before, many years ago.

The year had been 2011 and the Armstrong Alumni Association had decided to celebrate Dr. Seuss Day as part of a reading initiative at elementary schools. 

I volunteered to go with a group to East Broad Elementary, where I read "Green Eggs And Ham" to a group of second-graders.

What fun that was!

Times have changed in the decade-plus since.

Now, volunteers are required to undergo training before interacting with children, just as I'd had to to before being part of VBS.

Speaking of which, this training was held at Asbury Memorial Church, in Holliday Hall, by Cheri Deans of United Way.

The group is called Read United, and my friend from Thomasville, Sherry Giddens, is the one who has encouraged me to join in.

She has been a Reading Buddy for a while, having joined last year after hearing Helen Downing witness about her experiences with the program.

August Alderman is to be commended for getting the word out about this training session for Reading Buddy Backups.

We had at least 20 people show up!

I'm far right, sitting in front of the window closest to Ms. Virginia's painting. 

I've had a hard day managing the pain with my right leg, due to the still untreated inguinal hernia, so I'd hobbled over to the bench seat there instead of sitting on a metal chair.

August even came and sat with me for a while!

He really is a dear man.

The training carried on for about an hour, ending with a QR code so we can sign up online and get the background check started.

Yes, that's right: to work with children, a background check is required.

No worries have I!

I've even already signed up to volunteer on Read United Day!

That will be January 30th.

I sure hope it will be a warmer day like today!

Now, time for the new season of "Will Trent".

I sure hope my first niece will be watching 'with' me!

why i love teaching chem1152

First, let me preface by reminding you, gentle reader, that I teach a two-semester survey of chemistry course. The general chemistry portion is taught in the fall, with the organic and biochemistry portion only taught in the spring.
I very much enjoy teaching the spring course for two reasons.
I already know most of the students...
and most of the students already know me.
(smile)
That fact alone decreases the tension for all of us.
After all, the material is assuredly difficult, but necessary to master if the student is to continue into the nursing program or into a variety of other health-related fields.
But this semester, the spring semester, their second block of chemistry, they know me and I know them.
That allows us a degree of familiarity and fosters good attitudes.
It also allows good humor to spring forth in unexpected places.
I kid around with them, inserting corny jokes as helpful mnemonics. This semester, I have also taken to awarding imaginary red balloons to the first student to answer a question correctly in lecture or lab.
Definitely fun!
A few of them have started responding in kind.
Like in Post-Lab Reports.
Like in this Post-Lab Report for the making of Soap.
The Report tends to ask questions which involve long-winded responses from the students. In other words, I do not usually enjoy grading it, as I have to read every word from every student.
Ugh.
But Kacy livened things up for me!
For the very last question, his response had me laughing out loud!
Hence, my reason for taking a break so I could share it here.

***** ***** *****

6. Soaps that have a pH above 8.0 tend to irritate some sensitive skins. Was your soap good enough to compete with the commercial preparations for sensitive skin? Explain.

"Unfortunately, the concoction that Ricardo and I made was too awesomely powerful for the delicate little flowers of the world to handle. While my partner and I were far too badass to notice any irritation, a soap with a pH of 10 likely wouldn't be acceptable for commercial presentation."

***** ***** *****

Superb!
I just wish I could justify giving him extra credit for making me laugh!

finding my confidence again

What a slow slog it has been in this effort to recover from the accident.
i thank God that the Fall semester has begun!
That is forcing me out of the house,
into the car,
onto the road.
Sure, I've been going to see my boys of summer... but that is just around the corner from the middle school I attended. My family lived too close for the bus to pick me up, so I walked the mile and a piece to it.
In other words, it's pretty close and I know the non-busy route.
Sure, I've gone to some movies, too... but those are no farther than the stadium... and I know the safer ways to them.
The grocery store is less than a half-mile from my house.
I've had my car back for less than a week. That means, really, I've been off the road for most of two weeks.
Me.
Not driving.
For most of two weeks.
That is unheard of. Everyone knows what a social butterfly I am, attending diverse events all over town, spreading the love and the joy.
Of late, that has only happened if someone has fetched me to the event.
After the drive to Tybee on Friday, I cancelled my attendance at Angela's birthday party. It was to be held at Tybee, all day on Saturday.
I simply was not up for the drive and the weekend traffic and trying to finding parking and... I was not up for it.
Her daughter's birthday is later this month, so I will be sure to be there. It's in town, even though it will be southside, at Olive Garden.
That's near the school.
By the end of the month, I'll have plenty of practice driving out that far.
I'll have to do so. Now that school has begun, I have a responsibility to thirty paying clients to be the one in charge, two nights a week.
The invisible trees will just have to take a break.

warning: cheerful message ahead!

Right there in front of me was the message of the day.

"Life is good"

Just to make sure I "got it",
it was attached to the
"alert yellow" vehicle ahead...

at a red light...

...so I had nothing better to do than look at it...

... and allow it to sink in.

Nicely played, universe!


I had been to the university for the CST fall pep talk by our new college dean. I was about thirty minutes late, so I missed partaking of the lunch spread, but that's okay.
I was there for the talk.
THAT was the important thing.
THAT was the reason I was there.
I wanted -
no, strike that -
I needed to know what the new philosophy was to be. Everyone having equal rights or some being a privileged few?
Well, lemme tell you, pardner!
There's a new sheriff in town and her name is Jane Wong.
She's also a psychologist, so she knows how games are played.
She let us know the only game in play was how to better serve the students.
All of the students, not just the paltry few which matriculate through the six departments of our one college in the university.
All of the students enrolled in the many classes taught by our college.

THAT may well be a different modus operandi for my department.
Not for everyone in the department, of course.
Certainly not for me, as my students have demonstrated time and time again. *

Interesting times certainly lie ahead.
Life is good!

* The students have nominated me as an "Empowering Woman" for the past two years.

I am so proud of that accomplishment!

After all, I am a chemistry professor and my students are scared to death of chemistry when they first walk in.

So, I am very proud of that award given to me by the students.



Only one other professor in my college received that award and she is in the Biology Department.
I must be doing something right!

name change swag!

What's in a name?
Quite a bit, as you well know.
Armstrong Atlantic State University is no more.
Long live Armstrong State University!
Everyone calls it simply "Armstrong" anyway, and have since the school's inception as Armstrong State College. That is evidenced nowhere more strongly than in the name of its website, predating its promotion from college to university.
That promotion in status was the impetus for the name change, about fourteen years ago. You see, a geographical locator was deemed mandatory for all state universities in the Georgia system.
Now, of course, that has been repealed, no doubt because of a change in the membership of the Board of Regents.

I was on campus for the Fall Convocation. As I've said before, I do enjoy these pep talks!
This time was a little different.
This time, President Linda Bleicken was reiterating to one and all that we are, always have been, and will continue to be, a teaching university.
Believe me, there are tenured instructors here who think we are primarily research oriented.
No.
The students are not here to perform research for the instructors' benefit.
The instructors are here to encourage the students to explore a different dimension of the learning process, to better serve the sutdents.
The instructors are here for the benefit of the students.
Period.
This is not a new message from her.
However, this time, she means to get tough on violators.
She has enhanced communication between her office and the deans, between her office and the student government, between her office and the faculty senate, between her office and the department heads.
That's a two-way communication along those avenues.
She intends for the deans to have better intracollegiate communication, too. In other words, any faculty member who insists that they are "special" might want to look for work elsewhere.
As have some of the deans and administrators already.
Me?
I fully support her, as I always have.
I believe in what she wants to accomplish here.
Why?
Because she is restoring the school to the one I so loved attending, to the one I have so enjoyed as an instructor.
Well, except for the past few years, after the current department head took over. I still enjoy teaching, but not my interactions with him or with the "department" secretary. Primarily, she acts as his guard dog, there to drive away all but the staunchest applicants for his favor. That's not how she started out, but it is something that developed over the past few years. You know, ever since he became department head.

Today, as part of the celebration of a new school term and a new name, gifts were being bestowed upon attendees.
A lunch bag or a drink mug?
Lunch bag, please!
Now, I will have two to choose from!
Oh!
Even better!
I can use the Armstong bag to keep cool items cool and the Red Cross bag for the hot ones!
(Think about it. You'll get it...)
Makes sense to me!
(smile)

getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you

But not of me!
Even though the high temperatures have been up in the 90's (Fahrenheit, y'all) on numerous occasions in the past two months, my electric bills have been less than fifty dollars.
I know, sounds hard to believe, right?

Do I have solar panels on my roof, generating my own power?
I wish.
In fact, when I win the lottery, that is one of the FIRST modifications I'm having done to the house.
But, presently, I do not have such.

Do I have some magical roof that reflects the heat up, up, and away?
Well, that would be pretty neat-o, too.
But, no.

Do I have some proof of my claim???
Yes. Yes, I do!

Email dated 06/19/14 2:34 PM.
You have a new bill from Georgia Power.

Biller Account Number: ******
Due Date: 07/02/2014
Amount Due: $ 41.67

Pretty impressive, right?

Whatever is my secret???
My AC is busted and I don't have the funds to fix it.
It's been nonfunctionable since - September? October? - of last year.
I didn't have the funds to fix it then, either.
Part-time pay as a professor at Armstrong State University nets me $245.00 per week, for teaching one lecture (150 minutes per week) and two labs (three-hours each, per week). That means I get a whopping 49 dollars per day. I don't even want to discuss the hourly rate; it's rather pitiful, considering that I spend more than twice my in-class time preparing lectures and exams, then grading exams and lab materials (three assignments per student per lab).
So, yeah, not enough for another new condenser.
Cerainly not enough for some guy to come by for twenty minutes and confirm that it's broken.
I already know the condenser has failed, yet again.
I don't need to throw $100 cash money into the air, or someone's pocket, to find that out.

I'm the only one here since the peace Guy jetted off to ATL.
I grew up without air conditioning in the house.
Heck, we didn't even have AC in the schools!
So, forty years later, I'm just making do.
At night, when the air is cooler, I turn on the attic fan and open the windows to invite that coolness into the house.
During the day, I try to keep the cooler air trapped as long as possible.
I also go off to places that do have AC, like the museums (I have membership, so that's essentially free), the grocery stores (gotta eat!), and movies (like I'm going to give THAT up!).

Well, why don't you give up all of that entertainment? That would give you more money.
I tell you what: you spend your money on whatever brings you pleasure and I will spend my money on what brings me happiness.

For the most part, I'm fine with the heat.
For the most part.

Of course, I can't invite anyone over to my hot little house.
Well, not without informing them of it being a hot little house, right?

Still, I think I will buy a room fan today.
My ocean room is a bit steamy.
Esepcially with my hot body generating so much energy in such a small space.
BIG smile!!!

been schooled!

Today, my nephew Tyler, my biggest little brother's younger son, has graduated from high school!!!
From the very same high school his dad and I graduated from, back in the 1970's.
Herschel Victor Jenkins High School.
The ceremony was even held at the Savannah Civic Center, as it had been for us, so many years ago.
Traditions can be good, allowing a figurative torch to be passed from one generation to the next.

His Dad,
my brother,
looks on with pride as the graduating seniors start the precessional.

There he is!

See the tall blond beside the short girl?
They've just passed between the two palm trees.

See him?!

Now he's striding across the stage,
right arm extended to grasp a congratulatory hand and his diploma!

He's back at his seat now and they're preparing to sit down!

Congratulations!
You are all now officially done with school!!!
(Well, not really, as most will continue on to college,
including my nephew.)

There he goes, through the ranks of teachers, heading toward the two palm trees and his future!
Yeah!!!!
I am so proud of you, Tyler!

honesty and courage

Yesterday, my first niece requested my help with a school project. Her school is local - and not the same as mine - and one of the classes she is taking is an online sociology course with a professor in Michigan.
Pretty cool, right there - literally broadening her horizons by learning from someone who is not even in the classroom, but is a thousand miles away. No one can say the class is going to be based on "southern" concepts or "Georgia" ideas. I know, no one should say such inane things anyway, but you would be shocked at the number of folks who think "southern" is synonymous with "backwards" or "provincial".
Savannah is a seaport, people. The townspeople throughout the past two hundred years - and more - have been privy to new ideas from faraway places since the area was first settled.
Ahem... what was I saying?
Oh, yes, at lunch yesterday, my first niece had invited me to submit my input so she could analysis the results for her sociology paper. A 1500-word paper. And all I needed to do was answer three little questions and provide examples of what they meant to me.
That's all.
Just three little questions, about the roles of class, race, and gender in my life.
Say what?? Those are not little questions.
But they are important questions. They are questions which affect how we, the people, live our lives, the questions which concern the three moral compasses at the heart of every decision and every reaction in our worlds. These three simple queries speak to the heart of our philosophy of interaction with others.
I commented something to that effect, told her I would even pass along her plea to others on that social media on which she had requested help. Then we finished lunch, she and I and her lovely husband, and went off to run our errands.
I never did turn my computer on yesterday.
Oops!
After I finally came home from running off copies of my Final Exam at the school, mailing off an eBay "win" to my customer, trying to give blood (but I was 17 minutes late to the American Red Cross center, so they wouldn't take me), and buying groceries (after three weeks without doing so and feeling like Old Mother Hubbard of late), all I wanted to do was chill out. Fortunately, "Psych" was on.
(Maybe that should have been a reminder of my promise to her?)
(Maybe the penny in the parking lot at Publix should also have been?)
So I put away groceries and indulged in frozen cherries and a glass of cold milk and watched two episodes of one of my favorite shows. During the commercials, I did stuff around the house and started cooking my dinner and tried to decide what to do for entertainment that evening. (More on that tomorrow, I think.)
At any rate, time marched on and the computer remained off.
Until after 11 o'clock this morning.
Amazing, right?
That time coincides with my receipt of a text from my dear first niece, asking if I had yet completed the survey?
She knew darned well I had not, as she is more fb-connected than I am, but she was being gentle with me.
After all, it was a big-deal survey, even if it did only contain three questions.
So, I answered, as did her longtime best friend.
Here are my responses.

What role has class played in your life?

I was basically raised by a single mother of four. Child support was nonexistent. So, we were poor. As a senior in high school, I opted to join the Navy, as that would secure funds for college. Even though we had no money, I knew Mama regarded college as important for me.

What role has race played in your life?

When I was in the 8th grade, the schools here were desegregated. I am white and every day rumors circulated from the nearby black high school of what folks would be jumped. One day, I was one of three white girls caught between buildings at the middle school and beat up by a group of black girls and boys. I was not raised by Mama to be racist, but she kept me out of school for a week for safety. When I returned, I tried to keep in mind that it isn't the individuals that are the problem, it is GROUPS of people, of any color, that can cause harm.

What role has gender played in your life?

I am female. I have always been attracted to science and math and subjects which have traditionally been regarded as "male". (Try to remember that I was in high school in the 1970's.) In my senior year, I did volunteer work at the local Science Museum, and part of that work was in the electronics shop. I loved that work! So, when I joined the Navy, I entered the Advanced Electronics Field. For all of my classes, I was usually the only female or one of two or three. I even had a guy once ask me why I was taking a job away from a man! I responded that I had bills to pay, too, and deserved to have any job I was qualified for. I still encourage EVERYONE to have the job that best speaks to them, regardless of gender.

Done! And now you know a little more about ME, my dearest Christina!

And, gentle reader, now YOU know a little more about me, too.

washing dishes

Today, I attended a special talk by Herb Childress. He was the keynote speaker for the 2014 Armstrong Student Scholars Symposium. His talk, titled "Now What? Jobs, Careers, and Obsessions, in College and Beyond", sounded like just the kind of pepper-upper I needed!
I arrived at the Ogeechee Theatre in the Student Union a little early. I was expecting the room to be packed for this award-winning speaker.
Sadly, that was not the case.
He ended up preaching to the choir, so to speak.
Still, it was definitely worth my time to attend. I can always use a peptalk, especially one that reassures me that my mind is working properly.
I was especially glad to be there when he was discussing the words of Thich Nhat Hanh. Never heard of him? No, me neither. But I like the way he thinks.
"When washing the dishes, one should only be washing the dishes."
How often do we find ourselves trying to multitask? How often does that pursuit lead to poorly executed tasks? How often to do we miss out on simple pleasures on our way to the "next big thing"? How often are we not present in the moment before us?
I can certainly vouch for the joys of washing dishes. I grew up sharing that task with Mama. While my brothers were in other rooms in the house or playing in the yard, she and I welcomed the time together, hands immersed in warm soapy water. Talking. The simple task became a special time of bonding for us.
Even today, when I wash the dishes, still by hand, it's as if she is by my side, sharing the task, sharing thoughts, sharing the moment.
Sure, I'm a bit off, as some might say. Ben wouldn't, though. He writes the Truly Simple blog and has a wonderful take on the above dish washing quote. Actually, I wouldn't mind meeting him someday for some discussions about life, while washing dishes, perhaps.

I'll leave you with my paraphrase of these final words from Herb.
"Identify your obsessions.
Find work that feeds them.
That's all."

Tony has his GED!!!

I am so proud of my youngest brother! One more step completed towards his goal of furthering his education! I am so proud of his choice to do that!

That's what I posted on fb for family and friends.

So many responded with "likes" and "loves", and a few comments, too!
-- -- -- -- --
Comments
Robin Ritenour Jenkins
That is WONDERFUL, Tina!!!!! Very proud of Tony.
(12y)

Christy Ward-Parker
AWESOME!!!!
(12y)

Faustina Smith
Wow... thanks everyone! I know Tony is going to very surprised that so many applauded his achievement! ❤ to all!
(12y)

Dee Smith Phillips
I rec'd a card and a picture of him in it, along with his test scores,,,i'm always rooting for him...Prayer is Powerful!
(12y)

going to Italy, ten years later

I realized last night that this is really happening.
I'm going to Italy again!!!
I leave less than a month from today!!!
Last night, at the school, there was a meeting for those of us who are going. I think the grand total is close to thirty. The Travel Abroad - oops! that should be Study Abroad! - program likes to make sure everyone is well prepared, as preparation is the key to maximum enjoyment.
I know, it sounds like I'm talking about safe sex, right?
But the key to having any kind of good time truly is preparation.
Well, I have my passport!
I have my bags mentally packed!
I have plenty of lactaid on hand!
And I am so excited I can hardly sit still any more.
Come on, May 13th!