February 16, 2011
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The Daily News
1 It's 4 a.m. and I'm sked.
2 It isn't the rain.
3 I'm actually sked and excited.
4 For the first time in five years, I'm going to work with some actors, and I'm going to conduct a workshop.
5 I'm actually really excited to help out.
6 Allow me to explain.
7 Around Christmas time, I had the pleasure of hanging out with me dear old friend and confidante Thuy Ann Le, who is back in town and working within a stone's throw of the Chill.
8 She works for an organization called Asian Americans for Community Involvement, a non-prof dedicated to helping Asian Americans deal with issues unique to them. They are an outstanding non-prof. Here is a link; feel free to donate!
9 Catching up with people is always fun, so we went for a ride in the T000000NDRA, and wound up talking things along and laughing and giggling, like you do. As always, it was a Disney ride!
10 She wound up coming up to the Chill and doing some surveys with our students, meeting staff, and gathering information.
11 Well, it turns out that they got a grant to do research into some community issues, and they will be putting together an awareness show that can reach out to the community on one important issue: gambling.
12 Interestingly, I grew up with gambling all around me as a child, so I'm not a stranger to it at all. Ironically, I rarely gamble, yet I'm fascinated with how gambling has increased in the past ten years.
13 Poker is now considered a "sport" and they even have articles on how to play the game on the sports' pages of the Merc News, and most other dailies.
14 I could go on, but it isn't necessary. I feel like a detective, since I really don't gamble at all. Once in a blue moon I'll play some slots in Tahoe or something, but it never interested me.
15 But as an "outsider", the increase in gambling everywhere has not gone unnoticed. I see it at the school all the time. I also notice it in all walks of life: on radio talk shows, on websites, and even on things like American Idol.
16 People are betting. I think this happens even more during economic downturns. They bet on everything. You name it, someone will bet on it.
17 So Thuy Ann and a group of young people want to build an awareness show so that they could reach out to the community and try to bring up an issue that seems to be one that is "hidden" and not to be talked about.
18 She recently asked me if I could conduct an acting workshop to help her group put together a multi-media presentation.
19 I instantly said that I could, but that my time might be a bit restricted due to planning classes, grading, my Dad's health, Caitlin's upcoming wedding, and other real life issues.
20 Well, classes are planned, grading is done for, Dad is doing fine, Caitlin is going to have an entire weekend with her Mom and Grammy, so I actually said "yes" to coming in today and conducting an acting workshop for AACI.
21 I spent all afternoon trying to think of what to do, and got myself to sleep at 9:30 last night, knowing I'd probably awaken at around 3:30 a.m.
22 And that's exactly what I did. I've already had six hours of sleep. My grades are already posted, and my lesson plans for the next month are all done.
23 I pulled a bunch of old improv books out of my dusty drama box yesterday afternoon.
24 But I'm still sked. I haven't done the drama thing in quite a while. To be honest, five years ago I was pretty done with the whole drama thing. I changed jobs, got into doing school activities at the Chill, and eventually slid into teaching English to honors kids.
25 I took more college units, and adapted many of the techniques instantly to the classroom.
26 I'm now in one of the best classrooms in a brand new building at one of the best schools in San Jo, far removed from the good ol' YB Theatre, and the whole drama thing. I LOVE where I am right now, as anyone who has read the DN for even a minute might have gathered.
27 I'm sleeping better, eating better, and even exercising every six months or so.
28 So why would I want to go back into doing drama workshops?
29
30 Because sometimes life is all in the timing. I'm beginning a unit on drama and poetry at school, and it's great fun to be doing what I know best. My students benefit from this short unit. I can't spend too much time on it or I'll get pigeon-holed as a drama guy, so I put a lot into these short lessons. I teach my students how to do skits, but I try to keep the entire thing corralled.
31 So all I really need to do today is pull some of my trickiest stuff out and dazzle a small group of students who are eager to work to make a difference in their own community.
32 And it is an awesome cause.
33 And I'm REALLY looking forward to today!
34 I'm just a little sked.
35 I'm also really excited to be doing some theater stuff. It's always going to be a part of me, so we'll see what happens.
36 Wish me luck.
37 Or perhaps you should just say, "Break-a-leg."
38 Looking really forward to it, and it is absolutely grand working with Thuy Ann once more.
39 And I think I even get some free eats!
40 So I'm going to go back to sleep, and then put this whole thing together by four this afternoon.
41 Can't wait!
42 I'm really not sked.
43 I'm actually really excited to be helping out, and having a bit of fun in the process.
44 So a fun day ahead!
45 You have a great one; I'm going to get some sleep!
46 Have a great day!
47 I know I will.
48 Peace.
~H~
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