Just Keep Swimming -- Weekly Inspiration from Carole!

August has been an insane month--full of changes.  The main events: my best friend, who I met the summer before 9th grade & who I went to college with too, got married this last weekend, and I'm in the midst of moving apartments.   Not to mention getting ready to re-launch the 5HE website announcing our 2011-2012 series, as well as working as many hours as possible at my part time day job (moving is expensive!). When I worked in the costume shop in college, we would often paraphrase the quote from Finding Nemo "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming swimming swimming" to fit whatever we were doing when we were overwhelmed.  I've pretty much been repeating this to myself all month...Just Keep Swimming.  Some days, it feels like it's hard to keep my head above water...whether I have a bunch of scheduling to do, a long shift at the day job, or packing for the wedding and/or my move.

But I've had one excellent constant through all of this...Fifth House Ensemble.  5HE is one of the most welcoming, warm, and supportive groups of people I've ever had the pleasure of working with.  The other staff members answer my ridiculous questions almost instantly, and the ensemble members are insanely open to all of my ideas, requests, and instructions.  After spending the last year or so working with people who treated me like I worked FOR them, it's so incredibly refreshing to work with people who treat me like I work WITH them...as a peer.  And a friend.

That awesomeness, has kept me swimming in the past few weeks....and I imagine it will keep me swimming through my move (and while I figure out how to get internet at my new place).

Monday night, I had the distinct pleasure of attending the Dusk Variations concert in Milennium Park in which Fifth House Ensemble Members Adam & Herine played.  In fact, it was my FIRST MP concert!  Watching & listening to the concert was a true joy, and it definitely relaxed me.  Also, it was wonderful to be an audience member at a performance that I didn't have to do any work for.

AND it also made me super excited for next week's Season Finale Rush Hour concert at St. James Cathedral!  Seven of our ensemble members will be playing Beethoven's Septet, and it will be my first full concert as a staff member here--I scheduled rehearsals, composed the Operations Itinerary, and will be attending.  After a busy summer of working on logistics and scheduling with 5HE, I couldn't be happier to be swimming into our upcoming season. Fifth House Ensemble