Category Archives: get out of the way of the play

Posts about Theatre in all its forms pertaining to SerahRose.

INML. week 4. teams good. homework bad.

Note to Self

overload is ongoing. must build reflective and follow-up time into the day after class. solution: put child to bed earlier.   meal plan to facilitate feeding said child on time allowing earlier bedtime.   meal plan.   hahahahaha.

Assigned Reading

A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. – [insert author of article]

Good theatre is always made by teams.   Bad theatre is too.   Good theatre can also be made by bad teams.   I believe a good team will, in the end, make better theatre, but there’s really no way to prove it.

At its core, team accountability is about the sincere promises we make to ourselves and others, promises that underpin two critical aspects of effective teams: commitment and trust. – [insert author of article]

Ah, trust.   Does the Silence team trust each other yet?   I hope so.   Do I trust them? I think so.   I better know so by the time we enter rehearsals a week from now.

Quotes of the Day

I’m a start-up junkie. -classmate

No page limit.   As long as you need but no more. – Michelle

Next week: It’s Monday. I just noticed, after reviewing my notes for this post, that our homework for this week was due on Friday. Go me.

 

MOOPhone

I have to admit, I’ve been a long time fan of the MOO cards.  Particularly the minis.  They’re delightfully cute and they generate instant buzz so the person you’re handing it to always remembers who you are, even if they’re not sure why you started talking in the first place (always key, I feel, when you’re bombarded by people and ideas at the latest conference or networking event).

But, um, how do I say this politely?  Their newest MOOcontraption is larger than my phone.

It’s called the ShowCase.  It’s designed to display their full size bizCards in a nice fan movement so your peeps can pick their favorite without you having to give away the fact that you’ve never fanned a deck of cards and, if you attempt it, you might just fumble them all away and drop your drink besides.

But, however cool the contraption, it remains that it appears about the same size (if not slightly larger) than a cell phone.  I will be the first to admit that I would be the dope that hears my phone ring, and pulling my ShowCase out of my pocket to hold it up to my ear, appear the complete and udder (sorry, couldn’t help myself.  they are moo cards, after all) fool.  Muttering to myself and the person near me, “um, right, not my phone.  just my ShowCase. haha. wanna see how it fans? now where’s my phone?”

They’ve got a video on their blog if you’re curious.

I’ll wait until I get to try one to pass judgment.  After all, the poorly named iPad is a seriously cool toy and this one doesn’t even have any finger-print attracting screens to handle.

INML. week 2. management skills

Note to Self

overload was imminent.  that it is happening so soon is worrisome. sleep is good. taking notes on computer is awesome; feeling dorky about it is a necessary hurdle over which i leap with enthusiasm.

Assigned Reading

In short, reflection and inquiry allow you to question your own mental models and change them when necessary.

I’m wondering how many lessons that I take away from this course are ones which I already (or should) apply in my day-to-day life.  Is good management and great leadership as easy as being a good person and making smart choices?  I have my doubts but I’m going to remain open to this idea for now.

I define my job as having the freedom to do what seems to me to be the best interest of the company at any time.

Freedom? How about responsibility?

Rigorous…good.

Comparing people to numbers and applying quantitative proofs using overly large words is not the way to get ahead.  Duly noted.

Quotes of the Day

Don’t just keep asking for what your Boss wants, propose something. – Barry

Forget about style points, think about outcomes. – Barry

Next Week: I have no idea and it’s far too late for me to get my butt off the couch and go look it up.

Rock on.

 

INML. week 1. orientation.

Note to Self

Bring layers.   My nose cannot withstand another evening feeling like an icicle.   Thankfully my handy-dandy granny mitts kepts my knuckles and wrists nice and toasty.

Assigned Reading

This bullet point made me laugh out loud in delight at its simplicity and my willingness to take it to heart.   Under Managing to Strategy

Make an actual list of things that are interesting but not important. Learn to let them go.
– Barry Dym, The Practice of Management

I’m considering creating a  “letting go bucket “ in my house.   I think my daughter and I could find a use for it every single day.

Quotes of the Day

“Most executive directors don’t sleep at night because they’re worrying about something.” Charmaine Higgins-Jean

“Leadership is about change, and that includes ourselves.” Barry Dym

Next Week: Managing and Developing Individuals

Rock on.

 

Brilliant Awe Awash with Life

Yesterday.

4pm.   Production meeting for Silence. I was so excited to be sitting at a table with such a brilliant design and management team that I do believe I babbled a bit.   I did, at least, succeed in not dumping my bag everywhere as I dug for a pen, which is what usually happens since I tote my scattered brain around on my shoulder.

And yet, this is where I am the most at ease in my excitement.   This is where I belong.   I am a producer/direct above all.   A discovery I made late-ish in my career.   An unexpected, enlightening, and inspiring discovery.   So, to sit in a tea shop faced with talent that is destined to soar is truly awe-inspiring.

I can forgive myself for the babbling when I am faced with dreams coming true.

6:15pm. Rain. Rain. Rain.

6:45pm. Boston University. Opening Reception for the Institute for Non-Profit Management and Leadership. I was late.   I was wet.   I was cold.   I smilingly accepted my name tag and secured directions to the ladies room because the minuscule droplets of rain were quickly gathering in the folds of my face and becoming rivers.   I needed a moment to collect myself.   I didn’t get it since I arrived just in time to hear watch the welcome speeches in the vacuumous (yes, that is now a word if it wasn’t before) atrium.   As I stood there, dripping and name-tagged, absorbing an excitement similar to that I felt just an hour earlier, I suddenly realized that the sole reason for this reception was for me to walk around, introduce myself to complete strangers, and make worthwhile conversation.

This might be where I forgot to breath for a second.

Schmoozing is completely out of my comfort zone.   I’m not bad at it and I don’t dislike it, it just requires concentration and fortitude.   You’d think after the awe of my previous meeting, I’d be golden, but the rain must have washed some of me away.

With the speeches over, I retreated to the ladies to powder my nose and returned with a sigh, determined to either find a single person standing and waiting for a conversation, or butt-in to a group.   My one goal: not to stand around feeling idiotic.

I succeeded.   I felt fine.   But after several months hiatus from explaining the mission of GAN-e-meed to multiple professionals in an evening, I was definitely out of practice.

8pm. I drove home in the rain.   Picked up an over-tired child.   Read a little Moss Hart and snuggled up in bed.

This is the good life.