Tuesday ...

Okay, it's Tuesday. I have been here since Sunday. In my dreams I was going to post something shortly after arriving at American on Sunday, but my dreams did not include having to figure out how to work the wireless internet. Or how tired I might be by Sunday evening.

The days are just packed -- was that sort of Calvin's line? Well, it is true for us. Today we were given a tour of the Reading Room - old and new - and the stacks (two floors below the main floor) and a glimpse of the vault (where those 79 copies of the first folio reside in air conditioned splendor).

Along the way we saw a card catalog (not everything is on Hamnet yet, but with all the book nerds in the group we were happy to see a card catalog, and a beautiful one at that) and lovely stacks of books, and books and pamphlets and more books.

Everyone at the Folger is so welcoming and friendly. Each morning the staff of the TSI is waiting on the steps as we arrive, waving us a welcome. They wave us off at the end of the day. Our bus driver is the most friendly bus driver I have ever met. He plays great music, and is totally obliging.

We have lectures in the morning, seminar groups for discussion, small groups for performance techniques, and groups for curriculum sessions. Lots of sitting but lots of mental activity. This week our focus in Henry IV Part I a play I would have said didn't say much to me, but boy has my opinion changed. I'm learning every day, and one of the things I am learning is how disorienting it is to be asked to change your mind, or try something new, or act in front of semi-strangers (things I ask my students to do all the time). It's good to remember what it is like to be unsure of what you are doing.

And today (Alex) I had lunch in the garden. I brought my salad and sat with my suite mate in the herb garden, admiring the statues. There was a nice breeze, and you could faintly smell the herbs.

Tonight walking back from dinner, fireflies helped light our path.

Tomorrow, a full day plus we view a movie of Henry IV then our monument tour.

Just finished reading a very interesting book. Contested Will by James Shapiro is a look into the topic of 'who wrote Shakespeare?' or since the author is pretty convinced Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare, it's a discussion of the people who could not believe Shakespeare wrote what he wrote, and the individuals they advanced in his place. Among the people who doubted plausibility of Shakespeare were Sigmund Freud, Mark Twain, and Helen Keller.

I find this so amazing. And while I am condensing the book a lot, it seems that most of those who don't believe in Shakespeare do so because they can't believe a non-aristocrat from a small burg could write as he did; they can't believe he could have written what he did without having greater experience in life (discounting imagination I guess) and because the limited records from his day relate to financial transactions, Shakespeare is seen to many as being his own Shylock.

I am a total believer in Shakespeare, but the book made for fascinating reading.

Three days left! Friday is my last day of school, Saturday our street's annual block sale, Sunday is Washington!
The next voice you hear ... or message you read will be from sunny (I hope) DC.

13 days and counting ...

Well, I've read (and reread) the four plays, and the book about teaching Shakespeare in prisons, and poured over the schedule. I borrowed (or rather Tom did for me) three different travel guides to DC and decided on my favorite. Lots of lists, but no packing yet. I look at the calendar and the garden and the house, not to mention the family (and the cats) and think yikes! I'll be gone for a month. It's a little scary.

But the thought of spending four weeks surrounded by people like me who love Shakespeare, love teaching Shakespeare and want to learn more ways of connecting our passion with our students ... I can't wait.

I am a little disappointed that my elective isn't a go for next year. Funny how many students have stopped by in the last week to ask what senior course I'm teaching next year, can they sign up for it? If all who asked had actually registered I'd have at least two sections! Maybe next year -- maybe I need to do a better job of advertising and promoting the class. But maybe it's fine to wait another year. I'll have this coming year to play with what I've learned and more time to plan.

First though, got to finish up the school year, get my trip-tiks lined up, and away we go.