And Then There Were Three

Three weeks.

I have three--really, two-and-a-half--weeks left of my summer vacation from the Large Suburban High School. Teachers go back on August 7th, and kids on August 11. I will, of course, be there more and more over the next few weeks, readying my room, recording practice parts for the kids, and making sure I'm ready for another fast-paced, amazing year.

And it will be amazing. I insist.

I'm a little nervous. Year Two means I officially cannot use, "Haha, I'm new! I'm learning!" as an excuse if I screw something up...but I also feel so much more organized and in charge going into this year. I know what needs to be done and have a better idea of the timeline for things.

It's also nerve-wracking, having a new boss. She seems really terrific, but change is scary. Mr. Principal hired me because from the minute he shook my hand in the lobby of the office, he liked me. I impressed him in the interview, and he loved my style and my attitude all year. Mrs. Principal is inheriting me, and while I'm sure she has no complaints about me so far, I know I need to do my best to show her I am absolutely what this choir program needs...because, you see, she was the founding choir teacher at the school. It was hers; she built it up, and it sadly declined after she left. I'm tasked with making it big again.

I'm up for this. But of course, being me, I'll always have a nagging little voice in my head asking, "But what if you can't?" I do my best to ignore it, to not feed it. Let it starve in there.

For all the little things that make me nervous, however, there is one big thing that doesn't--the kids. It will be great to see the returners, and meet my new kids. I've got a great crop of incoming freshmen, and I'm excited to get to know them. I'm excited about our Broadway & Beyond show, and ready to see my vision for it become reality.

I'm ready, in some ways, to be back to my routine--showering at the gym three days a week sucks in its ways, but I feel good when I start off my day with a great workout. Sac Choral will be starting back up, and I will enjoy singing with my friends there. That just feeds my soul. I no longer have piano lessons three nights a week, but will continue teaching three kids on Wednesday afternoon. I'm home by 5:15, and that's my "late" day. It will be so nice to have my evenings back.

Besides, the heat has been maddening, and everyone is ready for some cooler temps, and California, in particular, is hoping for an El Nino winter of rain, rain, rain and snow, snow, snow. I'm ready for 49ers games on Sundays and pumpkin soup.

So the next few weeks will be a little less lazy, and a lot more productive. My weekly goal list will be heavy on stuff for the upcoming school year, as I finish off my summer job with the exchange students (which hasn't been as fun this year, but more on that in another post).

I suppose I'd better dust off these dusty vocal chords. ; )