Summer of Joy

SO summer is coming to a close this weekend with Labor Day. My first summer in Chicago was great, and hot. Not Wilmington hot of course, but hot non the less. This summer has been filled with great vacations and hard work. I have taken forward steps to getting my theater company off the ground. I am working with a really special Theater Company called Redmoon who is pushing the envelope of what we know to be modern theater daily. (visit: www.redmoon.org and see more about them) I had a wonderful birthday, and realized 32 isn't so bad. Chris got his dream job, (though currently they are working him to death this past week.)Gymboree is going through a major change in teaching styles and curriculum and that has bee extremely exciting, and challenging for the managers (me being one of them), but extremely rewarding. We had a great visit from a really good friend for just over a month and that was cool. All in all- it has been a summer full of joy, and I look forward to the upcoming fall. A year ago this week I was still recovering from my surgery and preparing to move to Chicago. Time was ticking away and I was savoring all my last days in Wilmington. Now time is ticking away and I am savoring all the last days of Summer in Chicago.

Happy Birthday to me.....

Birthday Presents
Originally uploaded by MariGerard.

so this is what 32 looks like. Feels kinda like 31 and 30 to be honest. Not like 29 though cause I was wicked depressed that year, and i am definately not depressed anymore. Wednesday was my birthday and I had to work-but Chris took me to dinner at a fabulous Mexican joint not to far from our APT. I drank a pitcher of Margaritas (with the help of Chris and Steve) and suddenly I forgot I had worked all day. Steve bought me a tripple threat chocolate cake for my b day and that was waiting for me when I got home. It was a good day. This shot is of me before we went out- the butterfly earings are from my mom and Lawton got me the bracelet that is hemitite and magnetic so it can unwind and be rewound into a anclet-choker-armband-whatever! Its very cool. Chris started his job at Harpo (Oprah's studio) today. This should be a stellar year for us both-I can feel it.

Lions and Tigers and Bugs....

Bug Brigade Flower
Originally uploaded by MariGerard.

OH MY! This weekend the Bug Brigade was at The Brookfield Zoo out in the Burbs. This is a shot of one of the Flower girls. She uses the ring on the pole in the center of her costume to open and close her petals. Its a really cool effect. There were lots of kids there for the show at the Zoo. Chris tagged along so he could check out the zoo for free while I worked. He said the monkeys were very cool. I have a couple of Bug Shows to work this coming Sunday at Millennium Park. Then it is spectacle crunch time. I live for seemingly impossible big theatre endeavors. Happy Monday all!

BUSY BUSY BEE....

Loves Me...Loves Me Not
Originally uploaded by MariGerard.

yep- that is me . So much to do and so little time. This photo is from the Redmoon Theater's production called Loves ME..Loves Me Not. This is on the Lagoon behind the Museum of Science and Industry. They expect 2,500 people a night to come and watch actors perform on water. I am coordinating all the Front of House stuff, volunteers and pre-publicity over the summer for the show. It keeps me pretty well slammed. Then Gymboree is rolling out an entire new curriculum format Aug 29th and as a manager, that has TONS of work involved. I'm not sure when I have time to sleep, but I manage to find at least 6 hours of it a night. Chris will be starting a new job Aug 19th at Harpo Studios (That's Oprah's Studio in case you didn't know)and we will be upgrading our apt in October! Yay!! Life is pretty good at the moment and crazy busy at the same time! : )