Behind the scenes shots, or bloopers, are photos I have always been amused by, and mortified by, in equal proportion.  The truth is that really any photos of me in which I am unprepared for a camera render me looking like some strange charcuterie of myself with huge faces and big gestures…most people just have blank faces or look bored. Not me!  I intend to do a full bloopers post after the season is done, but for today, I leave you with just two.

For those of you who aren’t music people and think I just look crazy, I will give you the hint that I look like I’m conducting (though as usual, my conducting teachers would tell me that I need to hone it in a bit and calm down- those arms aren’t really fitting into the ideal square they should be, and my ictus is going to be an unclear mess!  Music geek talk there…).

And while I find this gesturing mildly embarassing (good thing the camera is at least behind me!), it doesn’t really surprise me that this would be my default mode of communication.  For whatever reason, I have missed school this week more than most.  Teaching, my students, music, all of it.  Maybe it’s because it is finally cooler and that negates the need for “bikini choir” as I fondly labeled it because the children were fainting in my classroom due to the excessive heat in there the other 9 months of the year (the bikini part is of course a joke…). Maybe it’s because the first concert that I am not the director is right around the corner.  Maybe because lots of fun events that hold so many sweet memories for me happen in the fall for HS choirs.  Or maybe it’s just been long enough to settle in.  Either way, I miss my (other) kids a lot.  These behind the scenes shots brought a smile to my face and a tug to my heart, one that may just always be there until I am in a classroom again.

But friends? I am loving busy wedding season! One more this week (on Michael’s and my 5 year anniversary!!), and then a week off before our final run.  Stay tuned for more behind the scenes pictures in the future, and follow along on instagram at #GumsBehindTheScenes for more!