38.53 or 19.5

	Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4 .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Okay, so its not exactly the hit song from the group Chicago but today was a great day in the annuls of Connor's Armydom!

You see, it was THE official RIDE YOUR BIKE TO WORK DAY as previously seen in an earlier post. Today was the day we were all to get off our kiesters and ride our bikes to work, trying for the life of us not to look like this;

Of course, if we can all get out a little more often on our bicycles, we won't look like that, we could look more like this;

Or, if you're in a particularly crazy/silly/sociopathic/off your medication mood, you could get the family pets involved and it would look somthing like this;

or even this;

(to the best of my knowledge, no pets were harmed in the making of these)

Well, considering the day, I guess all this silliness is to be expected. It's been an interesting two days (my guilt at not riding more than twice on Bike to Work Week notwithstanding) at the Syosset Association of Creative Thespians home theater!

You see, for those of you who don't know (and where have you been, hmmmm) this week we're presenting our production of The Merchant of Venice set in Italy in 1938. Things have been going roughly and our lead actress has been battling illness all week running anywhere from 100 to 104 degree temperatures. But she's a trooper and she was trying to make the run happen. She made it through the first act and then she couldn't make it any more. I went backstage at intermission and found her hanging over a bucket. But being the fighter she is, she wanted to keep going. I had to go get her parents to get her and take her home.

Fortunately, the actress who had been playing the Duchess (yes, a little gender bending is always part of the action here when we put Shakespeare on stage) had been prepped earlier in the day and was ready to step forward script in hand. Another young actress who had been playing the part of "Stephanie" the messenger took over the Duchess role and with scripts in hand they attacked the parts. I made an announcement before the second half and the show went on! It was a great effort, the kids all pulled together beautifully and opening night was saved. It was the first time in 13 years and 38 productions this had happened but we got through!

Tonight was another testimony to the fortitude of our young actors as the ladies who took over the roles last night had to go on again. The production wasn't as sharp as last night (partly due to exhaustion) but the ladies were much stronger in their roles and the young lady taking over for Portia brought tears to my eyes (she knows who she is) - these kids never cease to amaze me.

So, tomorrow is the last time on the main stage for many of my young senior actors and they will never know how much I will miss them. Its the same every year, the faces of my actors change and I'm always here being the same. It's like that song by the Weepies, "And the World Spins Madly On".

	The Weepies - World Spins Madly On .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

It's the way I feel every year when my students graduate, I feel like they all pass me by and I'm standing still - ahh, such is the life of the teacher!

Oh, and the cryptic heading to this post? This morning on my commute in it took me 38.53 minutes and I averaged 19.5 milese per hour - how's that for Ride(ing) Your Bike to Work Day?

Stay well and I will see you out there!