Friday, June 27, 2008

Shakespeare + Julius Caesar in Royalston - July 2nd


People think I know what I am doing BEFORE I do it, sadly I haven't a clue. Happily, I really enjoy finding out what we all need to be doing and somehow, it all works out. "It is a mystery!" as the director said in Shakespeare in Love. See the Royalston Shakespeare Company blog for more pics and blather about the project.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

J.K. Rowling Rocks Hahvad Yahd

A friend sent this to me. J.K. Rowling, author of the best-selling Harry Potter book series, delivers her Commencement Address, June 2008 "The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination," at the Annual Meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association. Full text attached.

"..... You might think that I chose my second theme, the importance of imagination, because of the part it played in rebuilding my life, but that is not wholly so. Though I will defend the value of bedtime stories to my last gasp, I have learned to value imagination in a much broader sense. Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not, and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation. In its arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity, it is the power that enables us to empathise with humans whose experiences we have never shared....." JK Rowling for the full text as a word doc, email me at doochild6@gmail.com

Monday, June 16, 2008

new gig

There was not much time left but Ms.Ewing was kind enough to invite me to see what PHA was like during the last day before finals. I visited with 2 classes, checked in at the teacher's room and hung around at Homework help. I will be the new performing arts teacher starting in AUG 2008 at the Prospect Hill Academy, in Somerville. It is a bustling middle school with a 5th grade in it. Ms. Ewing has some pretty big shoes to fill. She will be a very hard act to follow.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Life as I know it...




Yup, we messed up on the schedule last THURS and some people did not get a chance
to test their spelling skill and throw a cream pie at me. By the way , mad props to Dan for catching a great bunch of action shots. if you missed it, live and in person, I am a woman of my word...

So, here is my offer -

1. If you have the means to clean me up in 5 minutes ( cover me first in plastic - bring a change of suitable clothes - running water of suitable pressure nearby -- pie me carefully ?)
2. and promise to never interrupt a performance or a class
3. and promise to never delay the start of a performance ( so that means - not at the beginning nor the middle but...)
4. And promise to clean up everything
5. And you can spell a word of my choice from the 4th grade spelling book ( you get three words )
6. And you have a pie tin with whipped cream ( no shaving cream for me)
7. other conditions may arise at various sites and you agree not to bother anyone else but me.
8. And you are a 4th grade Inventor 2007 - 2008 who has not had a turn ?

Then I. O. U. one (1) Spelling Quiz Pie-o-Rama.
You spell a word from our list and take as many steps back as the word has letters.
Good spellers get harder words.
Extra step back for each word you misspell. One chance to hit me.
That is it.
Let the games begin.
My schedule is public. Especially in the summer
12 venues a week at at Read Boston. Check my here at my blog for updates.


This offer is valid outside only when temp is above 80° or
must be inside. One pie per student.
Have a great summer!
Norah

Sunday, June 1, 2008

People matter and their stories matter...Story Corps

Dave Isay, founder of StoryCorps, speaks about StoryCorps' history, its future, and its importance at the Orlando Public Library on January 12, 2008. He said many wonderful things..."People matter and they want to know that they won't be forgotten." And he said that as a people, we Americans are much better than we would know, if we looked only at the media portrait of ourselves. Our stories, the stories of ordinary people are as important or more important than the "... slush we are fed by the media"