Baby Gurl Bumpdate: 39 Weeks

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I either say this or think it every week, but I can't believe we're here! 39 weeks! Today is my last day of work - unless she's super late (Dear Lord, please don't let her be super late), Baby Gurl's nursery is done, we're pretty much as prepared as we're going to be.

I had my checkup today with the midwife, Liane. Brent came along which was great because he hasn't met either the doctor or midwife, and I really didn't want to be introducing them in the hospital, ha. Everything was good today. I did decide to have a cervical exam, and it was as lame as to be expected given I never dilated with Trent. I am only 1/2 cm dilated. Boo. Now I know that doesn't mean anything because labor could come on tonight, but I was hoping for something {anything}.


Weight Gain: 35 pounds - this was my goal weight gain but given next week is Christmas, I might need to revise to 40 pounds. {grin}

Maternity Clothes: 99% outgrown! I have been mostly working from home this week, so I am spending my time in yoga pants and the 3 maternity shirts that still sort of fit. Good times.

Movement: Almost all her movements are painful at this point. I don't feel like she's dropped at all, but it really hurts down low...

Sleep: What sleep? I am fighting off a sinus infection, so sleep is fitful at best. I snore so loudly that Brent is sleeping with Trent more than with me.


What I Miss: Breathing easily through my nose. Ha.

Cravings: Anything and everything fatty. At least 'pregnancy craving' is my excuse.

Symptoms: Oh so much pressure in my nether regions...but obviously not enough to accomplish anything!

Best Moment of the Week: Duh, obviously finishing her nursery! Or maybe our comfort measures class. It was a great week!


Worst Moment of the Week: Seeing how bad my stretch marks are. I could have lived without seeing that for another few weeks ever. Or the sinus issues. I am so sleep deprived and stopped up. I really think I need her to hold off a few days so I can get some rest.

Other Random Stuff: I'm going to see 'Pitch Perfect' tomorrow with Allison. Then family holiday festivities start on Saturday! We'll see how much we {I} make given I feel so crummy right now. Let's hope the Mucinex, nasal rinse, Benadryl, lots of hot showers combo does!!!

Here's to having a baby in the next 10 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Movie Review: Pitch Perfect

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Allison and I went to see Pitch Perfect at our local $1 cinema this weekend. This is likely my last movie for awhile, so we decided to go for something light and fun.

Plot: Beca, a freshman at Barden University, is cajoled into joining The Bellas, her school's all-girls singing group. Injecting some much needed energy into their repertoire, The Bellas take on their male rivals in a campus competition.

Review: Allison and I both agreed we were glad this movie was only $1. It was pretty terrible. We loved Rebel Wilson's character 'Fat Amy' and enjoyed the singing/competition scenes, but overall, the movie was pretty lame. Such a disappointment for my last movie! Oh well, I'm sure we'll find some good ones in 2013!!

D Day

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Today is my due date! We made it 40 weeks. At this point in my pregnancy with Trent, I was DONE. Emotionally and physically DONE. I cried on and off my entire due date because I just knew our baby would be early. And he wasn't. And I was huge. And tired. And oh so ready.

Thankfully, this time around, I'm a wee bit smarter and am actually thrilled {mostly} we are still pregnant! There is SO much development that occurs in the last few weeks. Selfishly, I didn't want Trent to be a 'big baby'. Again, how silly I was! I grow big babies who like it inside their mama! And I'm proud of it!

Now, don't get me wrong...I don't want this pregnancy to last TOO much longer. I hope she's out before 12/31 (yes, as a CPA, I want that tax deduction!), but I wouldn't do anything to get her out before she's ready.

At our 39 week appointment, Brent and I discussed with Liane (our midwife) what we would do should she decide she still likes it inside at 41+ weeks. So we have a tentative plan in place, so she won't cook any longer than 42 weeks. Hopefully it doesn't come to that because I SOOOOO want to do this naturally. I feel like I missed out on a lot of the experience with Trent. I have no idea what a real contraction feels like or what early labor is like. Our experience with him was so sterile and clinical. Some people think I'm crazy for wanting to know. And they don't mind expressing their opinions to me. Lucky for them, I don't fire back too harshly. {grin}

I have a whole post in mind for WHY I want to want a natural birth and why I think it's better...but I'll save it for another day. Maybe after I accomplish my goal.  Hee hee.

I am looking forward to the end of this journey but am soaking up the last few days of Trent being our only child. We had an amazing Christmas where he got too many toys, watched too many videos, ate too much crap...and it was wonderful. My mother-in-law got me a massage as a Christmas present, so I might be trying to squeeze that in today. 

I think I should celebrate reaching my due date!

Baby Gurl Bumpdate - 40 Weeks

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Just another day in this never-ending pregnancy... {grin} I had my 40 week appointment today, and as usual, Baby Gurl is perfect. Blood pressure was 125/69, fundal height was measuring exactly 40 cm, no signs of pre-eclampsia, baby's heart rate was great. Liane (midwife) thinks Baby Gurl will weigh something that starts with an 8 if she's born in the next week and 9 if I go another week. I grow big babies who like it inside apparently!

We discussed a plan for next week...if I'm still pregnant. I will have a cervical exam, a non-stress test and my fluid levels will be checked. If there are any concerns at that appointment, we'll develop a plan. Chances are everything will be fine, and we'll sit tight. The night before 42 weeks, we would start an induction (with a balloon to start to dilate my cervix). So, at the latest, her birthday will be January 9, 2013. But let's hope it doesn't come to that!

40 weeks!
Weight Gain: 37 pounds. I was shocked it wasn't more after eating non-stop for all our holiday festivities.

Maternity Clothes: It is ridiculous at what fits right now. Almost nothing. I am doing laundry constantly so the 3 shirts that fit are clean!

Movement: She is such a crazy baby. Last night she kicked me so hard my whole body jumped. I think she's getting tired of being inside...or maybe that's just wishful thinking! Lots of hiccups which are too cute.

Sleep: Better but still not great. My sinuses are still all sorts of jacked up, but I've got a routine of meds/nose spray/steam/sinus rinsing that seems to be keeping me mostly clear and helping me sleep. I am taking a nap almost every day too. Glorious.


What I Miss: A lot of the same...mainly the ease of my body. I want to use my nose and be able to get up and down quickly and play on the floor with Trent. I hate having to tell him 'Mama can't do that right now.'

Cravings: I'm honestly not ever really hungry anymore...but that doesn't stop me from eating comfort foods. 

Symptoms: This should be 'lack of symptoms'. I am still having occasional contractions but very mild and very sporadic. That's it.


Best Moment of the Week: Celebrating Christmas! I guess the best baby-related moment is just really feeling ready. There's nothing we need to do - we are as prepared as we're going to be for her arrival and that's a good feeling.

Worst Moment of the Week: B and I did realize we don't really know WHERE to go when it's time to go to the hospital. I'm just going to rely on our doula for that I guess. Ha.

Other Random Stuff: I get texts all day long asking if I'm in labor. It's pretty comical. Every time I call my parents, my mom answers the phone 'Are you in labor?' Nope.


Here's to this being the last update...but I guess we'll see!

Yes, I'm Still Pregnant. No, I Have Nothing Else to Talk About

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Well, I think it's happened. I hit my wall. I'm ready for my baby to get here!!! I am 40 weeks and 4 days pregnant. At this point with Trent, we had a 1 day old, and I thought that pregnancy would never end, ha! BUT...since I've turned into such a hippie...here we are. Still pregnant.

I am grumpy.

I feel like a whale {and the scale agrees...damn holidays}.

Nothing fits. Everything is uncomfortable.

I can't sleep. But I'm tired all.the.time.

Trent is getting to watch a ridiculous amount of movies right now {I feel terrible about this...but see the previous statement.}

I want to cry constantly.

It doesn't help that people who are due after me are having their babies.

Do I love being pregnant? Yes! I think you'd all agree I'm a little nuts about it. But I am beyond ready for our baby to be here! And I could be pregnant another TEN DAYS. Lord, help us all!

I am trying to stay positive. I'm reading positive natural birth stories. I'm focusing on how good it will be for Baby Gurl to come when she's ready. I'm reminding myself she doesn't have a calendar to remind her she's 'past due'.

So if you email me, call me or text me and I'm not super pleasant...I apologize. I'm just a little hormonal at this point. {grin}

Hopefully the next time I blog, it's a picture of a gorgeous baby!! One can dream, right?

Sopressata and Cheese in Puff Pastry

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Hi, Everyone! Hope you are all having a good weekend! I have the perfect holiday appetizer to share with you today! If you've never tried the Barefoot Contessa's Sopressata and Cheese in Puff Pastry, you should give it a try over the holidays! This is one of my favorite recipes of hers, and like all of her recipes, it's delicious, easy to make and has all the right flavors paired together! And the great thing about this recipe - only five ingredients! This is a great snack or appetizer - salty salami paired with Swiss cheese or Gruyere and dijon mustard in a pocket of crispy, light puff pastry - how bad can that be! Here's the recipe...

SOPRESSATA AND CHEESE IN PUFF PASTRY(Recipe from The Barefoot Contessa)*Serves 9 - 12*
YOU WILL NEED:1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted1 tbs Dijon mustard1/4 lb (about 12 slices) Sopressata (or Genoa salami, Black Forest Ham, or any other salty ham/salami)1/2 lb cheese (Swiss or Gruyere)1 egg plus 1 tbs water (for the egg wash)

DIRECTIONS:
1. First, defrost your puff pastry. Once it is good to work with, on a floured surface, roll each sheet into a 10x12 inch rectangle. Preheat your oven to 400 deg F (the original recipe said 450 deg F, but I lowered the temperature to suit my oven) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Transfer one rolled out sheet of puff pastry onto your baking sheet, then spread it with the Dijon mustard, leaving a 1 inch border around the edges. Layer the sopressata on top of the mustard, and then the cheese slices on top of the sopressata, leaving a 1 inch border around the edges again.

3. Make an egg wash by whisking together 1 egg with a tbs of water. Brush the border with the egg wash, then place the second sheet of rolled out puff pastry on top and press down the edges. Cut around the edges so you have a perfect rectangle, then press them down using a fork.

4. Brush the top of the puff pastry with the egg wash, then cut three slits on top of it. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown (make sure you watch it so it doesn't burn!) Let cool for a few minutes before serving!


Happy Baking, Everyone!I will be linking to:Mangia Mondays at Delightfully Dowling, Makin' You Crave Mondays, Skip to My Lou.

A few of my favorite things...

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Hi, Everyone! I guess that not only is the Christmas season here, but so is the flu and cold season! I'm spending the day on the couch, drinking hot tea, taking lots of vitamins and re-watching a whole season of Downton Abbey! I hope you are all having a good week and staying healthy! Less than a week until Christmas now! Here are "a few of my favorite things for this week!
An early Christmas present. (A bejeweled jewelry box.)
Christmas manicure. Essie's "She's Pampered".
Festive place setting.
 On a cold night out, nothing warms you up like some soup from Panera!

Getting started on Christmas gift wrapping!

 Reading through Pippa Middleton's new book, Celebrate. (You can read about it here,)

Have a great week, Everyone!

Christmas Sweater Gift Tags

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Hi, Everyone! If you are in the middle of all your Christmas gift wrapping and are looking for some ideas, I have a REALLY cute one to share with you today! My Christmas sweater gift tags that I made a couple of days ago! This is a really cute way to personalize a gift and add a little something extra to boring old wrapping paper! And once the gift is unwrapped, the little sweater can be used as a Christmas ornament! The fun part is that you can make your Christmas sweater look as festive and cute as you want! Here is how you can make one of these gift tags yourself...


YOU WILL NEED:Felt (color of your choice)Needle and thread (color of your choice)Ornament hooksPolyfillGluegun


DIRECTIONS:
1. First, make your sweater stencil on a piece of cardstock, by drawing out your sweater shape in your desired size. Cut it out, then cut out two identical sweater shapes out of some felt. 
2. Next, using the colored thread, decorate the top sweater piece with whatever design you come up with! Using hot glue, stick the top and bottom sweater pieces together by applying hot glue to the edges little by little, stuffing the sweater with polyfill as you go along (leave the neckline open for now, don't apply glue to it yet). 
3. Make a little hanger out of an ornament hook, place it inside the sweater and secure it with some hot glue. Place hot glue along the neckline part, too. And you're all done!





Happy Christmas Crafting, Everyone!I will be linking to:Skip to My Lou, The Shabby Nest, My Romantic Home, Chic on a Shoestring Decorating, Tatertots and Jello, Savvy Southern Style, Six Sisters' Stuff and Be Different, Act Normal.

A couple more Christmas Sweater Gift Tags

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Hi, Everyone! I hope you are all having a great weekend and don't have too much running around left to do before Christmas! I thought I had everything ready and done only to realize that there were a bunch of things I forgot to do and buy... so tomorrow it's back to the store to buy some more things, wrap more gifts and bake more goodies! In the meantime, I just wanted to show you a couple more of my Christmas Sweater Gift Tags! You can read all about how to make your own here! 





Have a great weekend, Everyone!I will be linking to:Tatertots and Jello, Six Sisters' Stuff and Be Different, Act Normal.

Merry Christmas!

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Hi, Everyone! I just wanted to stop by and wish all my wonderful readers a Merry Christmas! I hope your Christmas is filled with peace, love and joy more than ever before, and that you celebrate it with those you love most! Merry Christmas!

"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord."
Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Book Club Review: The Secret Keeper

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We rushed to get in a book club meeting before Baby Gurl's arrival, which we accomplished on Sunday! We are finally back to the beginning, so it was my turn to host. I previously read another Kate Morton book, The Forgotten Garden, which I really liked, so I picked her newest book, The Secret Keeper.

Plot: During a summer party at the family farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is happily dreaming of the future. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and watches as her mother speaks to him. Before the afternoon is over, Laurel will witness a shocking crime. A crime that challenges everything she knows about her family and especially her mother, Dorothy—her vivacious, loving, nearly perfect mother.
   Now, fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress living in London. The family is gathering at Greenacres farm for Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this may be her last chance, Laurel searches for answers to the questions that still haunt her from that long-ago day, answers that can only be found in Dorothy’s past.   Dorothy’s story takes the reader from pre–WWII England through the blitz, to the ’60s and beyond. It is the secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds—Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy—who meet by chance in wartime London and whose lives are forever entwined. The Secret Keeper explores longings and dreams and the unexpected consequences they sometimes bring. It is an unforgettable story of lovers and friends, deception and passion that is told—in Morton’s signature style—against a backdrop of events that changed the world.

Review: Everyone seemed to enjoy this book which is always worrisome when it's your turn to pick! I thought it was really good (although a little slow to start), but I liked The Forgotten Garden better. In light of last week's tragedy, there was lots of discussion that connected the tragedies in this book to what's going on in our world. So not the happiest of discussions, ha. Overall, I'd say give this one a read!

It's Raining Free Tickets: Congratulations To Latest SOB Contest Winner!

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It's Raining Free Tickets: Congratulations To Latest SOB Contest Winner!

Remember how much I told you I loved Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles?

Today, I'm thrilled to send a lucky Steve On Broadway reader to see the show. Congratulations to Eleah Burman from New York, New York, who has just won two free tickets to see Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre!

Eligible entries for this SOB Contest needed to subscribe to this blog, follow me on Twitter (and then retweet one of my contest messages) and follow me on Facebook.

Congratulations again, Eleah!

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest. By subscribing to Steve On Broadway, you'll automatically be entered in all future contests!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).


In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. However, in conjunction with SpotCo, two tickets for Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles will be given away to one lucky reader. http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping

Hard To Imagine It's Been Thirty Years

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Hard To Imagine It's Been Thirty Years

It really is incredibly hard to believe it was 30 years ago today that John Lennon was murdered.

Millions of us were shocked to learn the tragic news in this highly surreal fashion. The evening of December 8, 1980, hit virtually everyone around the world so extraordinarily hard. Suddenly that evening, it didn't matter if you were a fan of The Beatles or Lennon. The idea that such a creative genius who espoused peace could be gunned down so violently broke our collective hearts.

Lennon's untimely death marked the end of an era, even as he had just attempted to begin a new one for himself.

The musical icon had just emerged from a self-imposed "exile" to help raise his young son Sean. On November 17, 1980, just three short weeks prior to his murder, he and his wife Yoko Ono released the incredibly hopeful "Double Fantasy," his first studio recording in five long years. 

While the recording would quickly climb to number one on the Billboard charts and go on to earn him a posthumous Grammy for 1981 Album of the Year, for those of us who purchased the recording, we were haunted by the back cover image showing Lennon and Ono outside the Dakota Apartments, just steps from where this man of profound peace met his violent end.

Rest in peace, John Lennon. Thirty years later, we're still trying to imagine the type of world you envisioned.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
 
 
In keeping with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping

JJ Abram's Super 8

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Hollywood has been incredibly disappointing for the last few years, or maybe I'm just getting old and jaded. Or both. JJ Abrams is one of the few bright spots left in Tinsel Town, and his latest effort, Super 8, brought me out to the movies again.
Take a father-son relationship story, fold in first love and a coming of age tale, and top off with an angry alien that just wants to go home and you have a quality summer outing. Abrams is a story-teller, and this semi-autobiographical yarn recalls the innocence of youth, the purity of love, the joy of friendship, and all that we risk losing once we grow up.
Set in the summer of 1979, Super 8 is the story of five friend making a zombie movie. Charles (the Abrams character played by Riley Griffiths) is the writer and director; Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) is his best friend special effects and make up guru; Carey (Ryan Lee), Martin (Gabriel Basso), and Preston (Zach Mills) round out the main gang. The introduction of Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning) as the wife of the detective changes everything. When they sneak out to film a scene and unexpectedly witness a train crash, their lives will never be the same.

Best of all are the performances of the young actors. Ryan Lee was my favorite, probably because he reminded me of so many of my students from my teaching days. He's the kid with the energy to make the battery powered bunny look lazy. His infatuation with fireworks, guns, and cars is the very definition of boy-ness. Its just one example of Abrams' deft touch with his writer's pen.
Super 8 is part ET, part Stand By Me, part Goonies, and all fun. Bring the kids or leave them at home, either way you're sure to enjoy the show.

Justin Cronin's The Twelve

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I love post-apocalyptic literature, and I love vampires, as anyone who knows me well can attest. Combining the two, as Justin Cronin did in The Passage is a dream come true. Waiting fifteen months for the second installment proved difficult at times. As it turned out, The Twelve was well worth the wait.
The genius of The Passage was Cronin's willingness to play with the traditions of vampire literature. By identifying vampirism with an ancient virus from deep in the valleys of South America, Cronin broke from the tradition of Bram Stoker and and breathed new life into a genre of literature that had been consumed by the sparkly, vegetarian pretenders with whom teens today have been inundated. 
Cronin's viral vampires are shorn of any romantic notions; they are blood thirsty creatures bioengineered by the American military. Where in the first book we learned about a single community that survived the apocalypse, only glimpsing the rest of the country ever so briefly at the end, in this second volume, we learn the sometimes gruesome details of the lives of the other survivors. Exploring life in the new Republic of Texas and in a slave city run by vampire familiars, we are introduced to the rest of the story.
Five years later, and we meet up again with Peter, Alicia, Michael, Hollis, Sara, and the others who escaped from the California sanctuary that had held for nearly a century. And Amy, the Girl from No Where. Life has attained a new normal, with Peter and Alicia hunting the eleven remaining original virals (convicted felons, each worse than the next weaponized by the US military in an off the books operation in Denver). The others are scattered, each embracing new lives, some of their choosing, some not.
In The Twelve, Justin Cronin returns to the original apocalyptic moment, introducing new characters who will interact in different ways with the original characters from The Passage. Easily one of my favorite new characters is Bernard Kittridge, better known as Last Stand in Denver. A poignant portrait of a wounded warrior faced with surviving the apocalypse. The description of the man, his motivation, his intensity, and redemption are spot on.
Cronin's gift as a writer is creating characters the reader cares about deeply, but also characters who are real, they are people we know. He is able to capture the mundane, as well as the very best and very worst of humanity. One of his new characters, Danny Chayes is an autistic man (though Cronin never uses the word, the description is pretty text book) who is responsible for saving at least a dozen lives, and even the start of a new generation. It is the first time I have seen such a brilliant and positive portrayal of an autistic character in the fiction that I have read.
My only regret in reading The Twelve is that I did not go back and read The Passage again to refresh my memory on the details. Now, I wait, less than patiently, for the final installment and the confrontation with Zero.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Bonnie Harris @ Christmas Concert (West Valley City:December 17)

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Local Favorite Bonnie Harris Sings Christmas Classics at Free Concert
WHAT:           Bonnie Harrispresents an evening of Christmas classics for you and your family.           WHEN:          Monday, December 17,2012                       7:00 p.m.
WHERE:        UtahCultural Celebration Center                       1355 West 3100South                                  WVC, UT 84119                                               WHO:             Everyoneis invited to this Christmas concert.  Free admission - no ticket needed.
WHY:        Local singer and numerousaward-winning Bonnie Harris will sing Christmas classics. The annual concert isa staple in the community, now celebrating its 16^th year. Take abreak from the Christmas rush and relax with Bonnie´s soothing alto voice. Thisfamily friendly concert is the perfect way to remember the good times ofChristmases past, and rekindle the glow of Christmas present.
                       For moreinformation on this concert, or other events or exhibitions at the CulturalCenter, please call 801-965-5100 or visit www.culturalcelebration.org
# # #

MichaelChristensen,Folklorist/Cultural Specialist West ValleyCity | Utah Cultural Celebration Center1355 West 3100SouthWest ValleyCity, Utah 84119(801) 965-5108michael.christensen@wvc-ut.govwww.culturalcelebration.org

JOBS: Development Coordinator @ Utah Symphony | Utah Opera

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Description

Job Description: Development Coordinator
Utah Symphony | Utah Opera
123 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT
Phone: 801-533-5626
Website: www.usuo.org
Full-Time, Development Department

Utah Symphony | Utah Opera (USUO) seeks a Development Coordinator to support the vision of the Company in collaboration with the V.P. of Development and Members of the Development Department staff by providing administrative support and cultivation to aid in raising funds for the organization.

Essential Responsibilities Include:
•Process all gifts received by Utah Symphony | Utah Opera
•Generate thank you letters for all gifts
•Prepare and send receipts for donations to/at development events
•Track all pledges and mail invoices as needed
•Enter, maintain, properly utilize and tailor data in Tessitura to assist in fundraising, including generating reports for grant applications and reports
•Create and fulfill database action and customer service notes
•Run credit cards for scheduled payments
•Generate and send receipts for credit card payments
•Prepare playbill editorial submissions and distribute to development staff
•Generate donor acknowledgment pages for playbill
•Manage all membership benefits for Abravanel/Peterson Societies and Maestro Club
•Assist in managing benefits for corporate and foundation entities as necessary
•Maintain development budgets and track expenditures
•Assist in answering and directing incoming development phone calls and inquiries
•Manage development memberships and participation in support organizations such as USFR, Utah Non-Profits, etc.
•Manage subscriptions to development publications
•Take minutes as necessary at development committee meetings
•Prepare birthday, get-well cards, etc. for donors and arrange for flowers or other gifts as necessary
•Provide administrative support to the V.P of Development, including preparing reports, correspondence, research, scheduling meetings, event logistics assistance etc.
•Provide administrative support to the Comprehensive CampLocation: 123 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84106

Information

How to Apply: To apply please send cover letter, resume and references to jobs@usuo.org or Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, 123 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101.
Your Website: Visit organizational website.

Contact

Contact Name: Leslie Peterson
Email: jobs@usuo.org

JOBS: Outreach Science Program Educator @ Discovery Gateway

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Description

Job Description: Outreach Science Program Educator will present the Discovery Gateway Reaction Time science outreach program in schools throughout the state of Utah during the current school year, and the Discovery Gateway Chain Reaction Teacher Professional Development Program according to the I-SEE Schedule. Outreach Science Programs Educators will be required to travel to Utah’s 41 school districts. Qualifications: College degree preferred with core study in either education or a science related field, with at least 60 hours of college level study verified by college transcripts. Teaching experience and exceptional presentation skills required. Must be good with elementary aged children and have basic classroom management skills. Part time position.Location: salt lake city
Status: part time

Information

How to Apply: Please submit a letter of interest and resume to jobs@discoverygateway.org
Closing Date: 12/18/2012

Contact

Contact Name: Victoria Bernier
Email: jobs@discoverygateway.org

JOBS: Accounting Manager @ 90.9fm KRCL

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Description

Job Description: The KRCL Accounting Manager provides direction and leadership for the station’s business operations. The Accounting Manager oversees the station’s accounting practices, the maintenance of its fiscal records, and the preparation of its financial reports. He or she ensures a system of strong internal controls and maintains fiscal soundness. The Accounting Manager assists with the annual external audit, annual budget and the preparation of information for outside funders.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Oversee the daily functions of accounting and business operations, ensuring that legal and audit requirements are met and that best practices and maximum efficiency are obtained. 
• Handles all Payable, Accounts Receivable and Payroll functions. 
• Assists in the prompt completion of the station’s annual independent audit and the preparation of financial statements.
• In conjunction with General Manager provides leadership to the annual budget process including: the formulation of the budget.
• Implements appropriate systems and internal controls to adequately safeguard KRCL’s financial resources and to provide a solid basis for accurately reporting financial data. 
• Prepares monthly financial reports the annual report, and other external financial reports. 
• Oversees the month-end and year-end closings and the preparation of statements and reports Analyzes monthly operating results against budget. 
• Ensures compliance with all required federal, state and local tax and financial disclosure documents. including 990 and all CPB reporting.
• Participates in KRCL’s management team providing insight and feedback on critical issues affecting the station. 
• Meets or exceeds agreed upon competencies associated with the position and functions as a positive, supportive member of the staff team. 
• Performs other related duties as required by the General Manager.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business or equivalent. 
• Three or more years of related experience as a Senior Financial Manager, Controller or a Manager in a related field. 
• Skills and experience in the following areas: Accounting/Auditing, Financial Reporting, Budget Development/Management, Cash Management, Cost Analysis/Controls.
• Accounting experience in a nonprofit organization, broadcast experience preferred.
• Knowledge of, and expertise with, computerized accounting systems and standard business software, Blackbaud and QuickBooks preferred.Location: Salt Lake City

Information

How to Apply: Send email with cover letter and resume to Vicki Mann, vickim@krcl.org
Closing Date: open until filled

Contact

Contact Name: Vicki Mann
Email: vickim@krcl.org

RDT's Ring Around the Rose presents Ballet West (SLC: Jan 12)

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For Immediate Release
December 12, 2012
Media Contact:
Stephanie Perkins
stephanie@rdtutah.org
801-297-4249
RDT's Ring Around the Rose presents
Ballet West
January 12, 2013 | 11:00 am
Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center (138 W Broadway)
Jeanne Wagner Theater
Tickets: $5, through ArtTix, 801-355-ARTS
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Repertory Dance Theatre's "Ring Around the Rose" program presents Ballet West on January 12, 2013 at 11:00 am. 
Ballet West returns as an annual favorite on the Ring Around the Rose series with a show sure to delight ages 3 to 103. The world-renowned company will present a performance designed to give children an introduction to the art of ballet. Using the story and characters of "The Nutcracker" Ballet West II company dancers and a narrator show the audience how the basic elements of dance, music and the visual arts combine into a complete presentation. The audience will see both a portion of "The Nutcracker", as well as hear from the dancers directly about what it takes to work in the field. As is the case with all Ring Around the Rose shows, the performance will be "wiggle-friendly" and interactive. Children will be able to participate both from their seats in the beautiful Jeanne Wagner Theatre, and a few lucky ones will have the opportunity to dance on stage. Children and families alike won't want to miss this fun and unique show!
Who: Ballet West
What: Ring Around the Rose
When: Saturday, January 12, 2013 at 11:00 am
Where: Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center (138 West 300 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84101)
How: $5 tickets available through ArtTix (www.arttix.org, 801-355-ARTS, or at the box office)***About Repertory Dance Theatre's Ring Around the Rose seriesRing Around The Rose is a wiggle friendly series of performances for children and families that explores the magical world of the arts including dance, theatre, music and storytelling. All shows begin at 11:00am at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, 138 W Broadway, SLC. Shows are $5 (kids 2 and under are free). Ring Around The Rose is supported in part by: The Utah Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Salt Lake City Arts Council, the Salt Lake County Zoo Arts & Parks Program, and the Marriner S. Eccles Foundation.

For more info visit rdtutah.org

High resolution photos are available upon request.***Repertory Dance Theatre
138 West 300 South | PO Box 510427
Salt Lake City UT 84151-0427
(801) 534-1000 | rdt@rdtutah.org
www.rdtutah.org

ADVOCACY: Conference Call on the Charitable Deduction: Dec. 12 1-2 PM

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We are pleased to pass on the opportunity to join a conference call tomorrow, Wednesday December 12^th hosted by Independent Sector on the current state of the charitable deduction in the midst of these year-end negotiations. Nina Ozlu Tunceli, Americans for the Arts Chief Counsel of Government and Public Affairs, will be one of the speakers. Please join us and feel free to forward this information to your networks: Sector-Wide Conference Call on the Charitable Deduction
Wednesday, December 12, 1-2 p.m. ET
712-432-7300, access code 57668#

Hear from Nick Giordano, Washington Council Ernst & Young, with the inside scoop on current negotiations. We will also hear from representatives of the charitable sector, on what they are hearing and how fiscal cliff negotiations may affect their work. This call is open to everyone in the sector. If you have any questions or comments, please email us at: publicpolicy@independentsector.org. To ask questions and follow along on Twitter, use #protectgiving.     

RDT's Ring Around the Rose presents Ballet West (SLC: Jan 12)

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For Immediate Release
December 12, 2012
Media Contact:
Stephanie Perkins
stephanie@rdtutah.org
801-297-4249
RDT's Ring Around the Rose presents
Ballet West
January 12, 2013 | 11:00 am
Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center (138 W Broadway)
Jeanne Wagner Theater
Tickets: $5, through ArtTix, 801-355-ARTS
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Repertory Dance Theatre's "Ring Around the Rose" program presents Ballet West on January 12, 2013 at 11:00 am. 
Ballet West returns as an annual favorite on the Ring Around the Rose series with a show sure to delight ages 3 to 103. The world-renowned company will present a performance designed to give children an introduction to the art of ballet. Using the story and characters of "The Nutcracker" Ballet West II company dancers and a narrator show the audience how the basic elements of dance, music and the visual arts combine into a complete presentation. The audience will see both a portion of "The Nutcracker", as well as hear from the dancers directly about what it takes to work in the field. As is the case with all Ring Around the Rose shows, the performance will be "wiggle-friendly" and interactive. Children will be able to participate both from their seats in the beautiful Jeanne Wagner Theatre, and a few lucky ones will have the opportunity to dance on stage. Children and families alike won't want to miss this fun and unique show!
Who: Ballet West
What: Ring Around the Rose
When: Saturday, January 12, 2013 at 11:00 am
Where: Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center (138 West 300 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84101)
How: $5 tickets available through ArtTix (www.arttix.org, 801-355-ARTS, or at the box office)***About Repertory Dance Theatre's Ring Around the Rose seriesRing Around The Rose is a wiggle friendly series of performances for children and families that explores the magical world of the arts including dance, theatre, music and storytelling. All shows begin at 11:00am at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, 138 W Broadway, SLC. Shows are $5 (kids 2 and under are free). Ring Around The Rose is supported in part by: The Utah Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Salt Lake City Arts Council, the Salt Lake County Zoo Arts & Parks Program, and the Marriner S. Eccles Foundation.

For more info visit rdtutah.org

High resolution photos are available upon request.***Repertory Dance Theatre
138 West 300 South | PO Box 510427
Salt Lake City UT 84151-0427
(801) 534-1000 | rdt@rdtutah.org
www.rdtutah.org

Do...Do...Do...What?

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Today was another step on the natural birth journey. I went to a 'tea' with the doula collective I hired to meet their wonderful doulas, one of whom will help during our delivery of Baby Gurl!

What is a doula? A birth doula is a trained professional who provides physical comfort measures, emotional support, and information to help parents make informed decisions during labor and birth.

Essentially, given Brent and my's 1 experience at childbirth was medicated and very clinical, we're pretty much dumb when it comes to natural childbirth. I really felt unsure how to handle the experience without some help from someone who knew what they were doing. Ashlee and Heather, who both had natural births, talked about how key it was to have a support person. So I asked my midwife what she thought, and she agreed that it is essential to have someone whose sole job is to ensure you get the birth you want {or as much as it's possible}. She recommended Get Babied. I spent just a little bit of time on their website and was hooked, ha. They have several opportunities throughout the month to get to know them, and tonight I went to their tea. It was awesome! What was funny was I was the only mommy there without their partner. And I wasn't wearing my wedding ring. I felt so awkward, haha.

What is so amazing about a doula is their job is to help you have the birth experience you want. Whether it's a natural or medicated birth, a c-section, a hospital or home birth, their job is to support YOU!

So one more thing checked off our list!

JJ Abram's Super 8

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Hollywood has been incredibly disappointing for the last few years, or maybe I'm just getting old and jaded. Or both. JJ Abrams is one of the few bright spots left in Tinsel Town, and his latest effort, Super 8, brought me out to the movies again.
Take a father-son relationship story, fold in first love and a coming of age tale, and top off with an angry alien that just wants to go home and you have a quality summer outing. Abrams is a story-teller, and this semi-autobiographical yarn recalls the innocence of youth, the purity of love, the joy of friendship, and all that we risk losing once we grow up.
Set in the summer of 1979, Super 8 is the story of five friend making a zombie movie. Charles (the Abrams character played by Riley Griffiths) is the writer and director; Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) is his best friend special effects and make up guru; Carey (Ryan Lee), Martin (Gabriel Basso), and Preston (Zach Mills) round out the main gang. The introduction of Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning) as the wife of the detective changes everything. When they sneak out to film a scene and unexpectedly witness a train crash, their lives will never be the same.

Best of all are the performances of the young actors. Ryan Lee was my favorite, probably because he reminded me of so many of my students from my teaching days. He's the kid with the energy to make the battery powered bunny look lazy. His infatuation with fireworks, guns, and cars is the very definition of boy-ness. Its just one example of Abrams' deft touch with his writer's pen.
Super 8 is part ET, part Stand By Me, part Goonies, and all fun. Bring the kids or leave them at home, either way you're sure to enjoy the show.

Justin Cronin's The Twelve

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I love post-apocalyptic literature, and I love vampires, as anyone who knows me well can attest. Combining the two, as Justin Cronin did in The Passage is a dream come true. Waiting fifteen months for the second installment proved difficult at times. As it turned out, The Twelve was well worth the wait.
The genius of The Passage was Cronin's willingness to play with the traditions of vampire literature. By identifying vampirism with an ancient virus from deep in the valleys of South America, Cronin broke from the tradition of Bram Stoker and and breathed new life into a genre of literature that had been consumed by the sparkly, vegetarian pretenders with whom teens today have been inundated. 
Cronin's viral vampires are shorn of any romantic notions; they are blood thirsty creatures bioengineered by the American military. Where in the first book we learned about a single community that survived the apocalypse, only glimpsing the rest of the country ever so briefly at the end, in this second volume, we learn the sometimes gruesome details of the lives of the other survivors. Exploring life in the new Republic of Texas and in a slave city run by vampire familiars, we are introduced to the rest of the story.
Five years later, and we meet up again with Peter, Alicia, Michael, Hollis, Sara, and the others who escaped from the California sanctuary that had held for nearly a century. And Amy, the Girl from No Where. Life has attained a new normal, with Peter and Alicia hunting the eleven remaining original virals (convicted felons, each worse than the next weaponized by the US military in an off the books operation in Denver). The others are scattered, each embracing new lives, some of their choosing, some not.
In The Twelve, Justin Cronin returns to the original apocalyptic moment, introducing new characters who will interact in different ways with the original characters from The Passage. Easily one of my favorite new characters is Bernard Kittridge, better known as Last Stand in Denver. A poignant portrait of a wounded warrior faced with surviving the apocalypse. The description of the man, his motivation, his intensity, and redemption are spot on.
Cronin's gift as a writer is creating characters the reader cares about deeply, but also characters who are real, they are people we know. He is able to capture the mundane, as well as the very best and very worst of humanity. One of his new characters, Danny Chayes is an autistic man (though Cronin never uses the word, the description is pretty text book) who is responsible for saving at least a dozen lives, and even the start of a new generation. It is the first time I have seen such a brilliant and positive portrayal of an autistic character in the fiction that I have read.
My only regret in reading The Twelve is that I did not go back and read The Passage again to refresh my memory on the details. Now, I wait, less than patiently, for the final installment and the confrontation with Zero.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Locals Lead The Nutcracker Ballet This Weekend

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This weekend's community production of Makaroff Youth Ballet's The Nutcracker casts talent with local ties in the spotlight at the Fox Cities P.A.C. Along with the young dancers in Makaroff Youth Ballet, the production features live music by the Fox Valley Symphony and members of the White Heron Chorale.



In the leading roles, Makaroff Youth Ballet has cast professional dancer with strong local ties, and we are thrilled to have them grace our stage! 

Kyle Davis, a Green Bay native and former student of Jeanette Makaroff, will dance the lead role of the Cavalier. Davis currently performs with the Pacific Northwest Ballet, and his dancing partner, Leta Biasucci, will join him in this production as the Sugar Plum Fairy.


Tickets to see Makaroff Youth Ballet's The Nutcracker on Saturday, December 8 and Sunday, December 9 start at $20. Great seats are still available for both performances, so don't miss this classic holiday adventure!_______________________________________________
KYLE DAVIS* (Cavalier) is from Green Bay, Wisconsin. He trained at Makaroff School of Ballet and on scholarship at Rock School for Dance Education and North Carolina School of the Arts, and he attended summer courses on scholarship at Milwaukee Ballet School, the School of American Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. He has also studied with Ethan Stiefel and Warren Conover. In 2008, Davis won the Prix de Lausanne competition in Lausanne, Switzerland. He also won various awards in the Youth America Grand Prix Regional and Finals in 2005 and 2006. He was a 2007-2008 recipient of the Elizabeth Harriet Weaver Memorial Scholarship and the Martha and Spencer Love Foundation Scholarship for Excellence in the Arts at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Davis joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice in 2008 and was promoted to corps de ballet in 2009. Davis has performed leading roles in George Balanchine’s Divertimento from Le Baiser de la Fée, Marco Goecke’s Place a Chill, Ronald Hynd’s The Sleeping Beauty (Bluebird pas de deux, Gold and Silver pas de trois), Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette (Benvolio), Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Cylindrical Shadows and Kent Stowell’s Cinderella (Jester) and Swan Lake (Jester). He has performed featured roles in George Balanchine’s Symphony in C and Stowell’s Carmina Burana and Nutcracker.

LETA BIASUCCI* (Sugar Plum Fairy) is from Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She studied under Marcia Dale Weary at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and became a trainee at San Francisco Ballet School in 2006. She joined Oregon Ballet Theatre in 2008. Biasucci joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2011. Biasucci has performed leading roles in George Balanchine’s Coppélia (Swanilda, Waltz of the Golden Hours) and Divertimento from Le Baiser de la Fée, Alexei Ratmansky’s Don Quixote (Cupid), Kent Stowell’s Carmina Burana and Cinderella, and Christopher Wheeldon’s Variations Sérieuses (Young Girl). She has also danced featured roles in Ronald Hynd’s The Sleeping Beauty (Red Riding Hood). At Oregon Ballet Theatre, Biasucci performed leading and featured roles in George Balanchine’s Emeralds, The Four Temperaments, The Nutcracker, and Tarantella; Nicolo Fonte’s Left Unsaid; James Kudelka’s Hush; Trey McIntyre’s Speak; Yuri Possokov’s Raymonda and Dennis Spaight’s Gloria. She originated leading roles in the collaborative Stravinsky Project by Jamey Hampton, Anne Mueller, Ashley Roland, and Rachel Tess and Christopher Stowell’s A Holiday Revue.



ASHLEE BORMES (Snow Queen) Growing up in Neenah, Wisconsin, Ashlee began dancing and became a devoted student at Makaroff School of Ballet, where she trained for ten years. She supplemented her training at various summer programs including Gelsey Kirkland Academy, Martha Graham School, Ellison Ballet, San Francisco Ballet School, Joffrey Chicago, and Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. While dancing with Makaroff Youth Ballet, she performed in The Nutcracker, The Brementown Musicians, Renderings and many others. Currently, Ashlee attends Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, where she pursues a degree in Dance as well as Biochemistry. Her most recent performances include Mel Tomlinson’s premier of Le Coeur de Ballet as well as a premiere choreographed by Adam Hougland entitled, Five Preludes. She is thrilled to return and perform The Nutcracker with Makaroff Youth Ballet and hopes the magical performance leaves the audience filled with the joyful passion of the holiday season.

MJ MARSH (Herr Drosselmeyer) is happy to be home. A native of Appleton, he has been living in Minneapolis for three years performing with Bearded Men Improv and is a new addition to Comedy Sportz Twin Cities. He would like to thank the Makaroff Youth Ballet for having him back to play one of his favorite roles.

 







TERRY L. IRWIN (Grandfather) started his ballroom dancing career as a dance instructor at Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Cincinnati, Ohio 35 years ago and has since developed numerous ballroom dancers into national champions with whom he shares several titles. Terry has been the principal choreographer for TC Dance Club and the Dayton Arthur Murray Studio stage productions for 16 years. Terry has also choreographed and performed in Bob Hopes’ last U.S. Tour, as well as several Miss America Pageants, and the Franki Valli and the Four Seasons tour. Terry owns and operates TC Dance Club in Appleton.
 


JUANITA MAKAROFF (Grandmother), along with her husband Nikolai, taught ballet in the Fox Cities beginning in 1960. She directed the Children’s Ballet Theatre which became the precursor to the  Makaroff Youth Ballet. Many of their students and subsequent company members continued to dance with companies throughout the United States and the world. Since 2003, the company is now in the capable hands of their daughter Jeanette who had returned after many years of dancing with the North Carolina Dance Theater and the Milwaukee Ballet Company as soloist, ballet mistress and teacher.






** Leta Biasucci and Kyle Davis appear courtesy of Pacific Northwest Ballet. 

Headshots courtesy of Angela Sterling and Bob Rueckl