"Into the light of a bridge that burns, as I drive from the city with the money that I earned. Into the black of a starless sky, I'm staring into nothing and I'm asking you why." ~the arcade fire

This past week was insanely busy, and unfortunately not because of fun stuff. I had a LOT to do for school. I was observed, so I worked really hard on planning lessons and fixing up my classroom. Grad school has also been keeping me really busy. Just having class twice a week for three hours is a big time commitment, but all the homework for the classes is not easy to keep up with. I love the educational theatre program, I have fun in class, but it'll be nice when I have my Master's and don't have all that extra stress from the work. It is not easy to work full-time and be a student.

I have taken some time in the last couple of days to have fun. I went to the first preview of Sarah Ruhl's new play on Broadway, In the Next Room or the vibrator play (yes, that is the full title). I got a free ticket. I really, really enjoyed it. It takes place in the late 1880's, after electricity was just invented and doctors began treating women suffering from hysteria with the vibrator. The cast is amazing. Tony winners Michael Cerveris and Laura Benanti headline the cast, and they're wonderful. Even though it's a play, it was nice to hear Laura Benanti sing a little bit (I love her voice; I often watch the concert version of The Secret Garden and love her as Lily). And she was surprisingly very funny. There was some full frontal nudity on Cerveris's part, although I wonder if that will be cut (I saw the first preview, so they'll make changes). It was a funny yet moving play.

This morning I went to the movies and saw A Serious Man. Oh my goodness, I want to marry the Coen brothers (both of them) they're just so brilliant. Michael Stuhlbarg stars in it, and it was great to see him doing well in film. I've seen him onstage before, in The Pillowman on Broadway and as Hamlet at Shakespeare in the Park last summer, and I think he's a great actor. I met him after The Pillowman and he could not have been nicer. He was so kind, and it's nice to see nice people succeed.


Tonight I'm going to try the Ragtime lottery, and if I don't win (which will probably be the case) I'll head out to Brooklyn and meet my friend Lauren for a bookstore opening. I'm so glad to have a friend who loves books!

Speaking of books, I'm reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett right now and I absolutely love it. I can't put it down. Seriously, go read this book. I'm fascinated by the South and so this book is particularly interesting to me, but I promise you'll love it even if you're not interested in southern history. It's lovely.

Finally, I'll leave you with some Glee goodies.

Will and Sue's swing dance was my favorite part of this week's episode, hand's down. Behind the scenes:


Sweet Caroline (swoon!):


Matthew Morrison performing Bust a Move!:


They're all worth watching. Matthew Morrison can definitely bust a move.