Working Mom, grad School and Theatre, Oh My!

I'm beginning to wonder if I actually do deserve the bizarre looks people flash me when I get to talking about my life right now. Because even as I'm listening to the words coming out of my mouth, I'm thinking right along with them: "My God! If this were someone else saying this, I would think she was insane!"

We are five weeks into the term at the high school at which I teach 6 classes a day. My course offerings this term are Shakespeare's Latin Plays, British Literature I, Early American Writing, Epic Literature, Women's Literature, and Greek and Roman Art and Architecture. In addition to teaching, I also conduct the SAT Writing prep course and am in the midst of Carmina Burana rehearsals for the student performance, of which I am the musical director.

Jump to my "other" academic life: I'm taking two graduate classes two nights a week - one in Contemporary British Literature (all you need to know in order to understand what this entails is that we are reading Ulysses) and the other on Chaucer. Needless to say, it's getting hard to change gears between these two courses, let alone the classes I teach! Right now, I'm working on a presenation on James Joyce and Politics for next week, a paper for the Chaucer class for the week after that, and a paper again for the Joyce class the week after that. (Did I mention, I'm a full-time high school teacher?) I also, incidentally, live an hour and twenty minutes from the university at which I'm doing my graduate studies.

But wait, there's more!

I am also playing the lead female role in Don't Dress for Dinner. I was roped into this when the originally cast actor bowed out halfway through rehearsals. You heard me - I had three weeks to get the part down. We go on stage in two weeks. There are performances both weekends. Immediately following that, I am producing our Tempest.

But wait, there's more!

I'm also researching an article for publication. The tentative title for this article is :Socio-political Subtexts in Royal Portraiture: Elizabeth I and II of England. The deadline for submission for the journal for which I have this in mind is...April 30.

But wait! There's MORE!

As already alluded to in multiple entries in this blog, I am also the loving and doting mother of a two (almost three!) year old daughter and the fairly-attentive wife of one very wonderful and supportive husband.

Full-time teacher, Graduate Student, Full-Time Wife and Mother, Actor...you know, if I were famous, I'd be elected Cosmo's "Woman of the Year." Oprah's got nothing on me when it comes to a full plate!

Oh, well. I'll settle for a snuggle with my toddler.