Week 2 1/2

Sorry this post is late!

Week 2 has been a settling kind of week.  We settled into more routines and have continued getting familiar with city life.  I met with coworkers to do some planning for school.  Well, not some - a LOT.  We have to get the first few months of curriculum planned for all subjects before school starts.  It's tedious, but it will be awesome to have things ready to go come Sept.  I really like the two other first grade teachers, Amy and Sam.  They are co-teaching in a self-contained classroom (50% regular ed., 50% special ed.).  I learned that I will be called "Anna" this year by students, not Mrs. Sink.  I understand that using first names helps students feel comfortable, but it's going to take some getting used to!

The rain this week put a damper, so-to-speak, on some of our plans.  I waited for about 5 hours on Wednesday to get free Shakespeare in the Park tickets.  These are high-class performances and it's a VERY popular event, as I found out.  Tickets went on sale at 12 pm and people camped out overnight to get a good spot in line.  I did not, however, because I'm not that crazy dedicated, but I did get there at 7:45 am to find myself dangerously close to the "big rock" which signifies that you probably won't get tickets.  

 My view for the morning.

The line was ridiculous, but the nicest setting for waiting I've ever experienced.

I did get tickets, to my delight.  Maddeningly, though, that evening thunder and lightning ensued in earnest and didn't stop until just after they cancelled the show.  Ugh.

We went to see a comedy show on Thursday night.  It was a small venue, but we saw TV star Adam Devine - the male nanny from Modern Family and guy from Workaholics!

He was very funny and nothing like his MF role.

The 4th started out wet.  We went down to the financial district where there was a street festival going on and got some free food in the rain.  Luckily the rain cleared up, so later we went to see the Macy's fireworks on top of the FDR highway right in front of the barges where they were shot off on the East River.

 

We had some more visitors this weekend.  Kasey and Alex came to visit on Saturday.  We went to see the 9/11 Memorial and new World Trade Center building.

We also tried to go visit the Statue of Liberty but didn't realize how much in advance you needed to get tickets.  So, a shot from Battery Park had to suffice for right now.  

Matt's Uncle Eric and Aunt Cindy were in town too and we got to visit with them.  We had two very good meals with them during their stay and enjoyed talking and laughing.  

We went to the Braves-Mets game last night.  It was not a pretty game, but it was a beautiful night for sitting outside.

All in all, life is good!