Exhaustion.

The title of this blog post is both an excuse for my lack-of-posts, and also a warning to my friends who will soon be leaving the music ed nest at UVM and flying into jobs in the public-school world.

I haven't made it past 8:45pm for the past few nights. And the only reason I do occasionally make it until 10 or 10:30 is because late night rehearsals in Burlington don't allow me to tuck in before then. Because trust me, I don't want to be awake at 10. Or 9:30. Or 9.
I want to be asleep at 2:40pm when I have waved goodbye to my little chickens, stacked the plastic chairs around the room, and nudged the xylophones around in the cabinet until they sort of fit without cracking every wooden bar.

I am tired.
All the time.
Ask Alex, he'll agree.

But, Emily Fuller, the co-author of this blog is making me look terrible with her continuous and timely posts about how amazing she is at what she's doing. (She doesn't write that, it is information that I ascertain from reading. Though I will say that she's been obsessed with the contents of her food now for a while, don't let her fool you into thinking it's because of her nutrition classes.)

So here are a collection of things from the many weeks in which that I haven't posted.
I'll make a list! That will be new and different! Oh. No, it won't.

Karlie Hasn't Posted in Many Weeks. Here Are Some Items For You to Eat.

1. I've become close with our custodian because she and I seem to be at the school late at night and on the weekends. Because of this, I walked into my room after a meeting went late one afternoon, (and, thank you Daylight Savings, it was already pitch black,) and found that she'd turned on a string of white lights that I had hung. It brought me all the happiness I needed for the rest of the night. Here's a picture of what a little slice of the room looked like:

    

  

      2. There's a group of third grade gals who come to play guitar with me on Friday mornings. (Here is the part where many of you darling readers will say, "But, Karlie doesn't play guitar." And here is the part where I introduce you to the line that is keeping me afloat this year, "Just stay one step ahead of your students.") Here is a drawing I put on the board to teach them about tabs. Art Skillz. No. But, they seemed to get it because they told me how to fill in the chart for a C chord. We're well on our way to playing any pop song every written. 

I should also add that one of these gals gave me her school picture. I nearly cried.

3. Here's a song that I remember from 3rd grade, (disclaimer: I remember it from 3rd grade, it's entirely possible that I'm making up the words.)

Have you ever been down the water spout,

to the very bottom of the water system?

There you'll find a little alligator

who goes by the name of Alfred Alligator-

he's mine...

I lost him.

I threw him down the water spout,

and now I feel so lonely

 'cause he's gone...

I miss him.

(To be sung at top speed and with a lot of sad face-emotions.)

I taught this to K-8 this week. Every single class loved it. Here I say a thank you to Kate Ullman, my elementary school teacher, for managing to engrave it in my brain to be passed on.

The best moment was after an 10 year-old student heard me sing the whole thing once, she raised her hand and said, "That was lack of foresight." It took me a minute to figure out what she meant. And then I burst out laughing, because yeah, you threw the alligator down there, what did you expect?

4. I wrote a play for the small school I teach at. I'll keep ya posted. I've got no budget, no costumes, no set, and 4 school days to rehearse. : ) (Channeling all my SPAE vibes...)

5.  

From Wibbleton to Wobbleton is fifteen miles.

     From Wobbleton to Wibbleton is fifteen miles.

     From Wibbleton to Wobbleton, and Wobbleton to Wibbleton,

     From Wibbleton to Wobbleton is fifteen miles.

Your Directions:

1. Lean to the right every time you say, "Wibbleton."

2. Lean to the left every time you say, "Wobbleton."

3. Pat your knees three times on fif-teen-miles.

4. Don't mess up.

This is hysterical to watch, and to listen to. Especially when you ask students to speak in an "Opera Voice," a "Mouse Voice," a "Cowboy Voice," a British Accent etc. (They give LOTS of ideas for this part.) 

6. Still not sure what I'm doing in Middle School General Music... but I do know that giving directions through signs, and always keeping them guessing has been successful. And... when in doubt I've had great success with breaking them up into teams and playing, "Name that Song." Also known has, "How to Win Over Students That Only Want to Listen to Country Music."

This job is hard, and amazing, and scary, and fantastic, and so many other adjectives.

It energizes me, and it exhausts me. 

Unrelatedly:

Break a Leg to my Leland and Gray Players, wish I could be there to laugh too loudly and cheer during every set change. I'm sending ALL my love!!

Good night,

Karlie