Wedding date

We've decided on a wedding date: April 12. Sarah's brother Jonathon is in the air force, and he will be deployed from the end of April until September in Qatar. After pestering his boss and his boss' boss, he learned that he cannot get leave for a summer wedding, so we had to bump up the date to April. Yes, that means we might be a little busier than normal, but it also means that the stress of wedding designing simply will not have time to set in. We'll just have to go with what we can do! While I return to school on Wednesday, Sarah still has the rest of the week off from rotations, which means she'll be scouting out reception and ceremony locations. Today she found her bridesmaid dresses online (still waiting on measurements before she orders them), and she ordered her wedding gown from eBay. I'm not allowed to see it, but I hear that it's beautiful. Praise God for His assistance in the process so far!

Busy, busy break

Sarah and I figured out last night that since her exam on Friday, December 21, we have been in a car for at least two hours every day except Christmas Eve. We drove for 6.5 hours to her home near Pittsburgh, visited Punxsutawney for the Living Christmas Tree and home of the famous groundhog, then to Holland, then Chicago, then Holland, then near Pittsburgh, then finally to Pittsburgh. The travels have been very pleasant and even productive for wedding plans. Monday we head back to Philly for New Year's and my lesson planning for this coming semester. I'll be sure to have pictures soon.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas break has been wonderful so far. I've been blessed with the opportunity to visit friends and family (including my future family!), and there still over a week of it left! Today, we're heading to Chicago to visit my extended family for our traditional Christmas celebration. Sarah's been a big hit with everyone, and I don't expect that to change with my cousins, grandparents, and aunts/uncles.

Praise God for His Gift to us that first Christmas! As my headmaster Seth said, Santa comes if we've been good...but Jesus came because we aren't. What a gift...

How to give a man-to-man hug

This is pretty funny.

Wedding website

It's official! Sarah and I have our wedding website up and running. Nope, we still don't know when or where we're getting married, but we're getting there. Visit http://sarahandericwedding.blogspot.com for updates (you can sign up for free e-mail updates, too). I'll try to keep most wedding info on that website...however, if I get super excited about something, I'll make sure to post it here too.

Return to Holland

My plane safely touched down in Grand Rapids' Gerald R. Ford International Airport this afternoon at 4:40pm. (hint: do your holiday traveling a week ahead of everyone else...it makes for a much more relaxed airport experience!) I'm in Holland until Thursday morning. Maria, Mom, Dad, and I went to 84 East to visit Jordan at work at eat some dinner. We also made a few stops on the way home for Christmas gifts. It felt like I haven't really left!

Our house has become a home for technology! My dad snagged a GPS for our Corolla, so now family members don't have any excuse for finding their destinations. Also, he and my brother recently purchased brand new computers. Yes, it makes some technology drool start to come out...but it's fun to see/experience new stuff. I'm considering a new laptop myself, and this isn't helping me. =)

I have to sleep on a couch for the week, but that's my own fault for moving my bed to Philly. Looks like the start of a nice, relaxing week in Holland. Woo hoo!

Soccer champions!!!

Tonight Laura (4th grade teacher) and I went to our school's championship soccer game. We were playing the team that had one the previous four years, and WE WON!!! A 1-0 shutout, no less. The kids got pretty into the game, and it was encouraging to see how unified they became in pursuing a common goal. We even made signs during some free time in class today. Here's a video I made of the night's festivities:

Too bad this doesn't happen more often

I tell ya what, if you want to bring a smile to someone's face, just tell them you got engaged this past weekend! I've really enjoyed watching others' reactions to the news of my engagement with Sarah. Responses have ranged from loud shrieks to quiet tears to logical questions to thankful praises. It almost makes me want to do it more often! Well, maybe not. =)

I'm working on a website for our wedding plans. More info on that to come when school stuff slows down.

Report cards go home with students today. I'm not terribly excited about them--I find myself analyzing each number much more deeply than needed. After getting engaged this weekend, I was in no mood to do them! However, I did finally hunker down and finish them yesterday evening. There was much rejoicing! (well, from me at least...we'll have to see if my students are rejoicing after their parents see them tonight)

Our engagement--the pictures

Interested in seeing the pictures? Click here!

Our engagement--the video

We're engaged!!!

Yep, we sure are. This morning, I asked Sarah Elizabeth Gardner to marry me, and she said yes! (the exact quote, through a clenched hug, was “of course I will marry you!”) More details, pictures, videos, websites and plans to come. But for now, we’re reveling in the excitement. After all, we now know the who, what, and why...how much harder can the when, where, and how be?

Christmas shopping tip

Before I buy anything online, I make sure to check StealDeals.net to make sure there aren't any coupons. I usually check the website twice a day for the latest deals from companies--including free product promotions like Arby's free milkshake.

Missing a hubcap, but we've got marathon pictures!

Tonight, Sarah and I went to the local grocery store. When we returned to the car, I was dismayed to find out that my right front hubcap had disappeared! We drove around the parking lot looking for it, but were unsuccessful. Why just one? And why even take one? Kind of rediculous...and annoying. Any ideas where I can pick up an extra hubcap for a Chevy Prizm?

In more positive news, we started our classroom ballroom dancing lessons today. Despite the mixed response at first, kids mostly enjoyed the time. The big issue was holding hands and dancing with a partner, but thankfully, the instructors are easing them into it. So far, no partners.

Jim and Teresa Sorge are coming to Philadelphia! Sarah and I know both of them very well--I lived in the same building as Jim for all four years in college, while Sarah danced almost every day with Teresa. Teresa will be starting her masters in dance at Temple in either January or September, and Jim is job hunting. If anyone knows of an open position for a biology, chemistry, french major who is brilliant, let me know!

The official marathon pictures are now online. Sarah and I will be ordering one of us crossing the finish line, even though it is the most expensive 5x7 I will probably ever buy in my life. If you want to see them, visit this website. Our bib numbers are 7648 and 7649.

Hell's Hollow

There's a hiking trail near Sarah's house in New Castle, PA (near Pittsburgh) that is called Hell's Hollow. I'm quite unclear about the etymological roots of the name, since the trails are in beautiful Western Pennsylvania hills with water, rock formations, and trees aplenty. Sarah has wanted to take me there for years, and yesterday, she finally did. We had a wonderful time walking through the woods before we stopped and talked in view of a waterfall. So beautiful!

Microsoft Office for $60...for students

If you have a valid .edu e-mail address, you can purchase the full version of Microsoft Office 2007 for only $60! The deal is good until the end of April. The full version sells for over $600. If you're interested, read more here.

Post-marathon update

So, post-marathon life continues. Looking back, running a marathon was a phenomenal experience. It's something that I wish more people got a chance to do in their lives. I believe that Sarah and I were blessed with great health and timing for our training (even her rotations at the hospital were timed perfectly so she had a less intensive rotation during the long run parts). Neither one of us suffered any injury beyond an ache or pain along the way. Plus, we were able to both finish with the help of our wonderful friends. I'm not sure I could have asked for anything more with it!

The dreaded question is: will I do it again? I don't know. I'm not sure I could commit to that amount of time and energy without a strong purpose. As of right now, I don't see something like that in the foreseeable future. So, we'll have to see what happens.

Ballroom dancing? At school?!?

Yep, starting on Monday, the 4th and 5th graders at Spruce Hill Christian School will begin learning ballroom dancing from two professional dance instructors for a combined gym class on Monday afternoons. This is the first time our school has done something like this! Laura (4th grade teacher) and I broke the news to students yesterday, to mixed reactions. 4th grade was super excited about the opportunity and cheered. My class, however, couldn't believe the school would subject them to such torture. I explained how thousands of 4th and 5th grade kids in New York City have completed the program and enjoyed it, but that sales pitch was unsuccessful: "But we're not like those kids! We're different!"

Fortunately, Laura had rented Mad Hot Ballroom, a documentary on the dance program in the New York City schools. We watched it together, and the students' concerns shifted to "do we HAVE to do this??" to "who will be my partner?" I saw that as a good sign. After talking one-on-one with some of the major voices of dissension, students agreed to give it a try. The movie helped a considerable amount; here's a preview:



Personally, I'm pretty excited about this opportunity. We'll be learning the cha-cha, salsa, tango, and swing! The schools who have done this before describe how behavior issues within the class decrease, boys start treating girls with more respect and dignity, and how kids love it! My students really enjoy dancing, but their definition of dancing is mostly hip hop. I hope this helps them expand their world view a bit, as well as help them mature into fine gentlemen and ladies!

Marathon finishers

Today, Sarah and I ran and finished the Philadelphia Marathon. Yes, that's right: we FINISHED a MARATHON! I still don't quite believe it, to be honest. The weather had threatened to rain the whole day, which would have probably been quite miserable. However, God held it off until we were done, and we only had to deal with a little bit of "spitting" once or twice. The temperature was as perfect as it could have been--a little cold before the race started, but when we were running, I wouldn't wanted it to have been any warmer or colder.

Our two goals were to (1) finish and (2) possibly get done before noon. We accomplished both! Our final chip time (the time when we crossed the start to the finish) was about 4 hours and 30 minutes. We averaged just over 10 minute miles for the entire race!

One of the best parts about the race was all the people who came to cheer us on. Dan and Krista Carter (who we got to cheer on last year) ran the last 11 miles with us. Sarah's roommate Michelle ran the last 1.5 miles. Melanie and Christian ran a mile at the halfway point. Plus, a bunch of friends from Liberti came to cheer at the start and finish!

The best part of the day for me was the last .2 miles. I had started to cramp up in my left calf, but the last part of the race ended in a tunnel-like opening with people on both sides. Sarah and finished without anyone else around us, which was really, really cool. I don't think I've ever felt anything like it!

Afterwards, my body started screaming at me, and the first 20-30 minutes after our finish were pretty painful. By the time we made it back to Sarah's apartment and I took a shower, I felt much better. Some delicious tomato soup with grilled cheese, Advil, pretzels, bananas, chicken broth, water, an apple, and a 90-minute nap later, I was feeling pretty good. Right now, I'm a bit sore in the legs, but much better than I had anticipated.

Three days before the marathon

I'm pumping my body with fluids, anti-inflamitories, and carbs. Feeling nervous...feeling pretty excited...feeling a little chilly (it's supposed to be 32 when the marathon begins!). My main goal: finish. My second goal: finish before noon. Tomorrow night we have a spaghetti dinner with the students. Here we go.

Ron Paul rally!

While touring downtown Philly yesterday, we stumbled over a Ron Paul rally! His moniker is the "defender of the Constitution," so he fittingly had a rally directly in front of the Constitution Center. We weren't planning on the event, but none of us had been to a campaign event recently. Despite the fact that we were against some of his views, we managed to join in the hostile crowd environment and cheer on the man who says he would abolish income tax and the IRS if he were elected president.

Here are a few photos from the event:

Russ and Lori's visit

This weekend, Russ and Lori came to visit. They are Sarah's old youth group leaders from high school, and we've had the opportunity to hang out with them on several different occasions. They're a spunky couple with a passion for people and laughter. Needless to say, we had a great time. First, along with Ryan and Elissa--two friends who just moved to Philly from Sarah's old church--we enjoyed a delicious dinner at the new Urban Saloon. Saturday morning we toured Eastern State Penitentiary, Independence Mall, and the Liberty Bell. They wanted to hear all about our lives here in Philly and our relationship...and we love to talk about ourselves! We enjoyed our time with them.


Here are a few pictures from our stay at Eastern State:

This is Sarah and Lori trying to escape:

And here are two latest incarcerated bums.

House concert

Liberti's worship leader Dave Braud hosted a house show with his wife Sarah. They had three artists that Dave knew from his time in Nashville, TN. All three were high quality! Sarah and I had heard two of them perform last fall here in Philadelphia and we bought their CDs. We bought another one at the house show last night, too. The artists are wonderful. They are on a three-week tour throughout the northeast. Some of their work has played on Grey's Anatomy as well as other prime-time TV shows! Check out Katie Herzig, Matthew Perryman Jones, and Peter Bradley Adams. Katie's song "Sweeter Than This" is simply beautiful--Sarah and I decided that it's our #2 song together. =)

Sarah and I sat two feet (TWO FEET!) from the artists as they played. After they were done with a set, we talked with them for a while. Then when the show was over, we talked with two of them for almost an hour about their touring, inspiration, etc. The whole atmosphere was very personal, laid-back, and intimate...I liked it a lot.

The procedes of the event went to a documentary a friend from Liberti is making called Women in War Zones. It's an ambitious project that two Liberti guys decided to undertake last year when they went to Africa to film treatment of women in conflict situations. More to come when that's completed and released!

Philadelphia's finest?

So, last night Sarah and I were coming home from the house concert when we heard a firetruck's siren behind us. As required by law, I pulled over to the side to allow the truck to pass. The rather aggressive driver behind me decided to use this opportunity to pass me, but halfway past me decided to allow me back in my rightful place on the road. In all this commotion, however, I neglected to notice that the "no left turn" signs as I turned left from Ridge Ave. onto Girard Ave. (why I can't turn left there...I don't know!) No sooner did I do that did a police car turn on its lights and search light and pull me over. The Michigan driver's license and perfect driving record did nothing to deter this persistent police officer: after a half hour in the petrol car, he handed me a $119 ticket worth 3 points on my license! Yikes!!! Sarah suggested that we get a warning with all the commotion, our ignorance and such, but our officer had made up his mind. Fortunately, he did recommend that we contest the ticket in court and that the judge would probably throw it out. If he believes this, then, why did he still give us the ticket? With all the crime in Philly, I felt like we wasted over a half hour of two officers' time! Alas, alack...

The G-phone

The latest rumor buzzing around the Internet was Google's so-called "Gphone"--that Google was developing its own phone to compete with Apple's iPhone. Well, today Google announced that they aren't designing their own phone: they're designing an operating system, applications, and a platform for many other companies to use to design their phones. Here's the announcement from Google. This has the potential to change to mobile phone industry, making it cheaper for companies and ultimately, consumers, as well as providing an opportunity for any high school tech wiz to write software for a phone!

Now that anyone will be able to write software for phones in this alliance, people are free to dream bigger dreams! Here's a cute video Google made asking kids what their magic phone would do:

Google Street View comes to Philly!

Perhaps the best news of last week was when I discovered that streets in Philadelphia were added to Google's Map website. Street View is the newest addition to Google Maps. They drive around with a car taking hundereds of pictures a minute. Using photo-splicing software, they connect all the pictures together to create a seamless image of the actual street people can drive on. This is unbelievable. Try it out! Go to my house on Google Maps. Then click on the street view button. What you'll see is a view from my front porch! Turn 180 degrees and you'll see my front door--complete with a beware of dog sign. Seth and I guessed that the picture was taken this summer, as you can see his new air conditioner in the 2nd floor window.

The possibilities of this are quite fantastic! Imagine getting directions to a location, then pulling it up on the map to see exactly what the landmarks are near your turn!?! Pretty amazing.

Sarah's birthday, part 2

I had to share this picture taken by our friend Kelly Thayer. It captures the most memorable part of Sarah's birthday, as eight of us attempted to spell S-A-R-A-H with our bodies (unfortunately, I drew the short straw and attempted to form an S with less than moderate success). Sarah wooed the crowd by slipping into the splits at the last second. She can do it all!

Marathon training

The Philadelphia Marathon is in two weeks. Yikes.

Last weekend, we did what most marathon-ers say is the hardest run: 21 miles in a non-race situation. Sarah and I were out at her parents' house near Pittsburgh. We managed to find a nice, flat bike course through the beautiful hills and colorful trees of Western Pennsylvania. The run went amazing well, except that we made the mistake of poor hydration. Since we were what some might call the "boondocks", there weren't many water faucets to be found. We stopped at a town on our way home, but it wasn't quite enough. I had to do a walk/slow jog combo for the last three miles, and Sarah was more than understanding and comforting for me. I scarfed down a few funny-tasting apples in her car after we got back. Unfortunately, I puked them back up a half hour later. Besides that, it was probably our best run we'd had yet. Sarah and I both felt strong, and we managed to run 21 miles in less than 3 1/2 hours (I forget our exact time, however).

Today we ran a 2PM race with mostly other students run students. It was a simple loop around the Schuylkill River. What was surprising about it was that since there weren't many people in the race, Sarah and I both received medals for our age group! We arrived at the finish line at the same time (Sarah technically crossed a split-second ahead of me). Sarah got a 3rd place medal, and I got a 2nd place one. What's crazy is that I've never run in a race expecting to win or even get anything. So, it was a nice surprise.

The last two weeks before the marathon are supposed to be tapered--running less so your body is at peak capacity for the 26.2 miles. We're both nervously excited about it, and it seems that the students share our feelings. Since the course is long, we're looking for people to help cheer us on! If you're interested, please come!!! We'll be running from 7AM until probably noonish.

Soccer game

Yesterday, Mrs. McGreevy (4th grade teacher) and I attended one of our school's soccer games. A few of my 5th graders are on the team, which goes up to 8th grade. Unfortunately, we lost, but one of my students scored one of the two goals!!! Here are some snapshots from the event:

Two of my students.

Another student with a soccer player's younger brother.

Two excited teachers.

Sarah's birthday party

Yesterday we celebrated Sarah's 24th birthday party in style--on her deck! It was her first true birthday party in her life. A bunch of people came out, and we enjoyed delicious food with a beautiful view of the evening Philadelphia skyline. Here's a picture of some of the gang who made it last night. If you haven't wished Sarah a happy birthday, it's never too late!

Right or left brained?

This site has a fascinating optical illusion. Which way is the dancer spinning? But it's not really an illusion--it's a test to see if you are right or left-brained. What's crazy is that Sarah and I watched it at the same time and saw two completely opposite things. If I look at it for a minute, it seems to switch on me! Check it out!

Deplorable statistics

This link courtesy of Jason Monstrolla. It tells of a recent survey that ranks Philadelphia as the home of the "least attractive" people in the United States. Obviously the votes were counted before Sarah moved here in 2005...

Updates

Yeah, it's been a while. I'd like to provide a full update on what's transpired since my last posting, but unfortunately, I don't have the time for such luxuries. Know that I want to, however!

My marathon training with Sarah continues. The cooler weather has made for the initial mile to be unpleasant, but my sweat pores are much less active when the temperature is below 80 degrees! This morning we ran for almost 17 miles before church (our time was about 2:50). I'd say it was our best yet. We have a 20 mile run scheduled for October 28--the day before Sarah's 24th birthday! That will be our longest before the marathon. Most of our friends who have done a marathon before tell us that these long runs are the hardest, since you aren't in a race or anything yet. Today felt really good as we did it, however. We brought our iPods, but didn't allow ourselves to use them until the final 4 miles, which worked well as a distraction when our bodies were starting to feel it. In hindsight, perhaps the Sunday morning run wasn't the wisest decision, since we struggled to stand up for singing, communion, and greeting... Still, there are few feelings that compare with the satisfaction of knowing that you gave it all you've got. I expect to sleep very well tonight.

Sarah and I made a trip down to Washington DC to visit Walter and Lydia Nelson in their DC home. They were married in April, and we hadn't made it down there to visit them. Lydia's birthday made for a good excuse, and we enjoyed our visit immensely. It no longer seems weird to visit married friends. Even though it was our first time seeing their new home, it seemed right that they were married. I like that.

School has been going pretty well. What's keeping it from going really well is the amount of time I spend there. I'm generally the first one there and the last one to leave. Recently, it's been kind of a 7AM-7PM day. I try to do most of my work at school because I found myself having trouble sleeping when I worked on homework or planning at home. I'm working on separating school from life, and unfortunately, the emotional element has been tough to overcome.

We have parent/teacher conferences this week, which makes me feel excited and nervous. I have only observed my student teaching conferences, and since nobody came to the computer room last year, that's my only experience with them. Parent communication is a big component for me (our class website has every day's homework and news on it as well as private online grades so parents know what their students are getting). I'd like to get better at calling parents with good news, so this week after students presented their state project, I called home to let the parents know how well their child did with the assignment. Let's hope it pays off!

This weekend, Sarah and I hung out with her roommate Michelle and her boyfriend Will. We had a great time in the country surrounding Philadelphia--visiting her family, picking apples, touring Victory brewery, and going on a haunted hayride. The apple picking felt a little cheap: the place was crawling with people, the apple pickins were slim, and it made me feel even more strongly about how much I like Cranes Orchard.

Time for me to put some finishing touches on the week's lessons. I'll post more soon!

Half marathon

This weekend, Sarah and I ran in the Philadelphia Distance Run, which is a beautiful 13.1 mile half marathon. Sarah held up better than I did at the end, but we both had a great time running in it. Here are some pictures of us.

The last few weeks have felt like a marathon with all the events and planning that's been filling the schedule. I'll write more when I get a chance.

Seth's birthday

Kallie, John, and I surprised Seth in his room at 7:30 this morning for his birthday. Come with us as we serenade him with a Camp Geneva version of Happy Birthday...

Our class mascot

So, my mother sent me large, purple puffer fish that makes a "BOIIIING" sound when you hit his belly. I did what any self-respecting 5th grade teacher would do with a kitsch item: incorporated him into my classroom! Meet Fluffy, our new 5th grade mascot:



The kids voted on a name for him (Mr. Puff, and Egghead were the other two finalists). Similar to what I did my second year at Hope with Quackles, we decided to take a picture of every person who visits our room with Fluffy and display them on the wall. Visit our photo album for a picture of each person in our class with him, plus the Gym/Spanish and Shared Space teacher.

Michigan's great loss

Most of you are probably aware that my favorite college football team of all-time suffered what many are calling the greatest upset in college football history. As a number 5 ranked team in the country, they lost to a division AA school, becoming the first ranked class-A team to do so...EVER. What's worse than the loss? This is the promo video for Appalachian State:

First one down!

Whoa. This week has flown by! Already, it's the end of my first week at Spruce Hill Christian School. I'm writing this from my classroom, which looks remarkably better than when I first posted that 360-degree view. I'll have to do that again after Back to School Night this coming Thursday.

The week went considerably well, considering it's my first week as a "real" 5th grade teacher (aka: I'm not long-term subbing or serving as a specialist). The 4th and 3rd grade teachers in my group have been exceedingly helpful, and the kids have lived up to my high expectations. They're a good bunch that can get out of control, but still have great respect for authority. At Spruce Hill, we're encouraged to spend the first few weeks focusing on developing routines, procedures, and community in our classroom, which has helped me keep my head above water. Tuesday and Wednesday were long days, but yesterday and today went by quickly.

Last year, Krista Carter had asked me if it takes me a little bit to unwind after school. At the time, I had said no. She was surprised, as she said that it usually took her a half hour or so to be ready to start her evening. If you were to ask me that same question now, I'd say that it does take me a bit to unwind. My guess is that the emotional involvement of focusing on 20 students instead of 250 does that to a guy. Oh well...for now, it's certainly worth it.

I'm tired now. Most of next week is planned, thanks to me staying until 7:30 on a Friday night. (now I just need to set the alarm without it going off!) I'm heading over to a friend's house for home made Chicago-style pizza and a movie. Should be a good way to end the week.

New heights

Phew! It's been quite the week. I've been at Sandy Cove, MD (right on Chesapeake Bay), working in my classroom, preparing for school next week, relationship talks with Sarah, and running this week. I'm about ready for Labor Day weekend. Good thing it's here!

Sarah and I just got back from a 13 mile run. Yes, you read that right: we ran 13 miles this morning. The previous longest had been Broad Street when we did 10 miles, but that was with a student who went at a pretty slow pace. Sarah and I managed to stay below 10 minute miles this time, which was in itself a miracle. We both felt pretty strong, and the cool weather, beautiful scenery, and seeing student along the path kept us going. It felt good, but it also feels really good to sit down. I felt like it was a great release of stress from this past week. Pretty cool how God uses healthy living to keep us strong. When we are weak, He sure is strong.

"I get by with a little help from my friends"

God's so cool. The people He uses are so cool, too! Yesterday at church, a friend named Sarah Braud asked me how things were going with my school prep. She inquired further and specifically asked about bulletin boards, which are otherwise known as the bane of my teaching existence. Not only did she say that she missed doing them as a teacher, but she offered to do one for me before school started! So, I told her what I was thinking for a hallway one using Psalm 1 for our classroom verse this year. This afternoon, she and her two kids came over and put one up with me! They brought all the supplies and enthusiasm...I basically just had to stand back and say wow! It was really encouraging and inspiring to see how God worked it all out. How often is it that someone offers to do something you really don't like to do, and do it with excellence? Here's a photo:

Sarah's new phone and shoes

Within 24 hours, Sarah got a new phone and new running sneakers for free. The phone because it had been more than two years since she had purchased one, and the sneakers because she does Students Run Philly Style! I also received running shoes, but I forgot to take a picture of mine.


Tomorrow evening, Sarah, other folks from Liberti, and I are heading up to the Kinaard farm to camp overnight. We'll be joined by floods of other church friends and have a day of playing outdoors. Can't wait!

Camp Geneva video

Camp Geneva posted a new video on their website. *sigh* I miss this place.

Bikin' in Center City

I didn't even touch my car today. What a beautiful thing!

Sarah and I went for a bike ride into Center City yesterday evening and did something pretty extraordinary: picked out a new cell phone. Sarah's had "Big Red"--a bulky, durable, candy bar phone--since her senior year of high school. After much coaxing from friends and her boyfriend, she went out and got a new free phone. Surprisingly, their options of free phones weren't too impressive. I had hoped the Kantana would be available for $20-30 (I got mine for $20), but they were going to charge her $100 for one! I'm glad I snagged mine when I did. Anyway, after some feeling out some of the phones, she decided on one that wasn't too bad. Apparently it warmed up on her, and she remarked later in the night, "I really like my new phone!" Hopefully I'll remember to take a picture and post it soon.

Mercy triumphs over judgement

Around the beginning of January, I received a parking ticket for parking between two two-hour parking signs where there wasn't a meter. I didn't think I deserved a ticket, so I protested with a letter. A few weeks later, I received a letter from the Philadelphia Parking Associasion saying they received my protest and would check into the matter for me. That was the last I heard from them. This JUNE, I suddenly received a letter saying that because I hadn't paid my ticket, the cost was going to triple to over $75! I requested a traffic hearing, which I had yesterday. After hearing my story, the guy told me the rule: in a metered parking zone, you must park next to a paid meter. He told me not to do it again and dismissed my ticket! Woo hoo!!!

I felt better about my classroom at Spruce Hill yesterday too. No, I didn't plan massive units or anything, but I did feel a better sense of ownership about the place. I threw a bunch of stuff away, which is usually hard for me. Here's hoping it only continues as I attempt to move in and make the place my own.

Last night I watched the Bears/Colts Super Bowl rematch on Monday Night Football with Nate Frazier. We had a great time consuming large amounts of chips and salsa while watching the Bears eek out a 27-24 victory. Rain fell on Philadelphia all day yesterday, and when combined with the 60-degree temperatures and football, made me feel like we were in the middle of October! I really liked it; fall is a fun season for me, filled with memories of playoff baseball, apple picking, apple cider, donuts, and bonfires. Still, I'm excited to have more summer left before moving on to the next season.

More visitors

This weekend, Sarah and I got to play host/hostess to more guests: Liz Irvine and Dan/Krista Carter! Liz drove the 7+ hours from Rochester, NY, and the Carter family drove in from Princeton to visit. We had a slew of adventures--most notably attending a jazz concert at Penn's Landing that turned into a rain storm!
Fortunately, we were already sitting on the Delaware River underneath a shelter when the wind picked up and the heavens opened. Soon the whole shelter area was packed with people. After that, we headed to Franklin Fountain for some ice cream. John Jackson was still a little hungry, so we stopped by SoHo Pizza and ended up all eating more delicious food before calling it a night.



Saturday morning, Dan and Krista joined our running team in running 8.5 miles in the loop around Kelly Drive and the Schuylkill River. Krista hadn't run more than 4 in months, yet she did an exceptional job of keeping her mental focus and finished strong. I'd have to say that it seemed like the shortest 8.5 miles I've ever run--they're a blast to run with!

I introduced all of them to frisbee golf...Philly style. We grabbed some celebratory water ice afterwards before snagging some pizza from Pizza Rustica in University City. Altogether, a grand time!

Liz stayed until this afternoon. One of her goals for the trip was to have a Philly cheese steak, which we accomplished after church. She liked them! Maybe not every day, but they're nice to have on special occasions. I've now had each of the Big Three cheese steak places--Jim's, Pat's, and Geno's. I'd have to say that I like Pat's the best thus far.

Looking back, it was great to spend time with friends this weekend. The timing was great too: right before school kicked into higher gear for me. I hope to do a bunch of work this week on curriculum planning for the first week. Maybe after that I can branch into long-term planning for the rest of the year. One day at a time!

Too much sharing

I woke up yesterday to a rotten head cold that I think I picked up from Seth. Spending extended periods of time in an enclosed area will do that, I guess! Armed with Airborne and Tylenol Sinus, I'm attacking the bug. Thankfully it hasn't kept me from my training at Spruce Hill (from where I'm writing today, actually!).

Regarding the training, I'm learning quite a bit and hoping to keep things mostly straightened out in my head before I lose it all as school starts. I've been realizing how much more emotionally involved I'm going to be this year. Before my technology specialist job, I usually thought about school a great deal--while going to sleep, during down time, as I woke up, etc. Last year I didn't really feel that, and I think it's because I didn't know my students very well. Perhaps this year will be different as I'll be with 20 of them the whole year instead! I have a lot of feelings going on right now about school: excitement, anxiety, anticipation, insecurity. I've been praying for peace, and I feel more today than I did yesterday.

Brotherly love on the road

Road trip complete! Seth and I had a fabulous time on our travels to Hanover, PA, Ohio, and Holland, MI. At first We traveled over 1600 miles as we both went to each other's home towns for the first time. I always enjoy seeing someone's home and family in their own environment...there are few better ways to get to know where they come from.

Will and Lydia's wedding was beautiful. The wedding itself was quite simple while the celebration to follow was extravagant! They certainly didn't follow all the rules (they opted for home made, grandma's recipe cinnamon rolls instead of wedding cake!), and I think that's good. May they live happily ever after!

Some other highlights include seeing Chris and Becky Marlink's new son Gibson, visiting friends at Camp Geneva, sharing flank steak and cowboy cookies with my family, running into old friends at Hope, savoring a Tommy Turtle at Captain Sundae's, eating at Boatwerks Restaurant on the lake, playing a rousing round of Loaded Questions with the Bordenkirchers/Maria/Mulder, and frisbee golfing with Louis, Brian, and Seth. It was a whirlwind tour of my favorite places/food/people/memories in Holland!






Want to see the rest of the pictures? Check them out here.

Why Don't We Do It In Our Sleeves?

My Aunt Sally showed this to me. How does your sneeze rate?

Lake Michigan

Seth and I have been having a blast on our road trip so far. We leave tomorrow for a 13-hour drive back to Philly through Hanover (Seth's home town, where Murphy is waiting for us to pick him up). Yesterday we went to Camp Geneva, where we took some pictures and swam around in the BEAUTIFUL water of Lake Michigan. We'll have more pictures and stories when we get back.

Jason and Desiree come to Philly

Single tear...

Jason and Desiree just came and visited Sarah and me. They left about an hour ago...and I'm still saddened. They're such a great couple! If anyone gets the chance, make sure you have them visit you. They were a joy to host and walk around Philly with. We saw Love Park, artwork, the Art Museum stairs, Logan's Circle, and the giant clothespin. We walked a lot, we talked a lot, and we ate a lot. What could be better? As an added bonus, we went bowling at North Bowl, where Sarah and I both had at least 150 points! (and two consecutive strikes!) It was a night for the ages. Somehow, we also had the DJ giving out free beer to lanes that would get a strike within 2 minutes. Well, we didn't get one like a few other lanes did, but he gave our lane a free one anyway, calling it a "pity pitcher." I still don't know why he picked ours, since there were several other lanes that didn't get anything! Maybe it was because we had two cute girls at ours...I don't know for sure. Anyway, we ended up giving some of ours away to the guys next to us who couldn't believe we'd give away beer. They were pretty happy though! Amazing how surprised people can get at a simple gift.

Speaking of surprises, Jason and Des decided to SURPRISE the world by GETTING ENGAGED THIS WEEK! They said they'd release more information as they got back from vacation, but they were keeping the information from Facebook and swearing everyone to secrecy to make sure that we and the Carters didn't find out. Well, the secret's out now, so it's public information to all. What a joyous time of celebration!

Here are some pictures of us around Philly. If you want to see the whole album, click here.

Returning to Michigan

At the tail end of my road trip this week, I'll be in Michigan on Sunday and Monday. It'll be a whirlwind, but it'll be fun. Hope to see some of you!

Recent art events...for free!

Saturday night John, Angie, Pricilla, Sarah, and I saw a production of Romeo and Juliette in the park! I had never seen the play before, and despite the tragic ending, it was a wonderful show. The bowl-shaped park provided an excellent venue for it, and the weather was perfect for the evening's events.

Tonight our Students Run race was canceled due to the excessive heat. It ended up working out well, however, because Sarah and I went to a free concert at World Cafe Live. We got to hear two artists--one from Philly and another from Miami. The Miami guy, Jacob Miller, was great--Sarah even bought his CD! Good timing: I could use some new music before embarking on a 12-hour road trip to Michigan!

Earn $10 from Google

According to their website, Google is now asking for volunteers (or "independent contractors) to go to local businesses and get their information: business hours, phone number, and take a few digital pictures of it. Google will pay you $2 for the info, then another $8 when the business confirms it! Google will use the information and use it to improve their local search.

Take a little off the top

Yesterday Sarah and I ran a bunch of errands--about 5 hours worth, to be exact. We went everywhere from Philadelphia Runner (and experienced more quality customer service there, by the way) to Target to IKEA to the Dollar Store to Chick-Fil-A to the Jefferson book store. One of our other stops was the Chop Shop where I usually get my hair cut. Well, when the "chopper" asked me how I'd like my hair done, I said to take off about 6 weeks worth, which I thought was a conservative amount, seeing how it's been about 8 weeks since my last cut. Either she thought my hair grows really fast or her definition of "6 weeks" is a little aggressive, because she lopped off a lot of my hair! I walked out to find Sarah, and she didn't recognize me at first!

The good news about the hair cut is that it might be a new source of extra cash: I've already had three different companies e-mail me asking if they can advertise with the large amount of space I now have on my forehead! (just kidding)

In all seriousness, it's not too bad. I like the cool feeling, and it'll be a nice breezy way to end the summer. Here's a picture:


You might note the large stack of books on the right; that's my pile of 5th grade books to read before school starts!

Great American road trip

Seth, Dave, and I leave Thursday for a road trip! We're heading to Seth's home in Handover, Lydia and Will's wedding in Ohio (Seth was invited...and he asked me to go as his "date"), then finish up with a trip out to my parents' house in Michigan! Road trips are a blast, and I'm pretty excited about sharing some of my Holland life with someone from Philadelphia, while Seth gets to share some Handover life with me!

Students run has a race tonight. A 10K (6.2 miles). Let's hope the 95-degree heat holds off... Thankfully my new sweatband will be on my head to protect me. =)

In lue of the Twin Cities bridge collapse, some interesting information has surfaced regarding cell phone usage in times of crisis. Namely, how cell phone companies may realize a crisis has occurred earlier than TV networks! Tip of the day: if your call is blocked in an emergency situation, use a text message; it almost always gets through. (I also noticed in the article that Sprint's network didn't go down...perhaps because not as many people have it!)

E-mail updates

Over the weekend, I added an e-mail updates section to my blog. So, if you're interested in getting updates e-mailed to you, feel free to sign up!

My 5th grade class...ONLINE!

I'm writing right now from my NEW 5TH GRADE CLASSROOM in West Philadelphia. I finished a workshop this week on a classroom management framework called the Responsive Classroom. The workshop succeeded in getting me excited for the year, developing me professionally, teaching me a boat-load of new games, brainstorming how to problem solve difficult situations, and many other helpful tips and strategies to have a successful year.

So, here I sit in my room, staring at blank walls and loads of second-hand books. Where do I start with all this? I had hoped to meet the teacher from last year, but she's sick today. I've been making progress on my book list for the year, and I guess I'll keep churning through them. Fortunately, I still have over a month before our first day.

My shameless self-promotional piece is that I started a blog/website for my classroom today. Feel free to visit as often as you'd like! I plan on putting pictures, videos, homework, and various projects up for parents and students to visit. Thanks to a website called Engrade, I think I'll allow parents to check out their students' grades online (password protected, of course). Obviously, there isn't much there now, but I hope to send out a parent letter or postcard in a week or three to let them know about it and start harvesting e-mail addresses. Here we go!

News website

I saw a brand-new news website today that I really like--excellent use of images and quick-loading articles. Newser.com...check it out.

Faith losing value

Recent research on religious doctors shows that they will offer service to patients with little or no health insurance just as much as doctors from no religious affiliation. As a member of a religion that is called to clothe the cold, take care of the sick, and visit those in prison. Sarah said she wasn't surprised by the information...and I doubt the numbers would be much different if you applied them to other professions. To me, it seems like being a "Christian" has come to mean a whole lot less than it should, and the difference has become much more marginal. At least here in the states...

Catch up

The last few days have gone quickly...and without any blog postings! Let me catch you up to speed with what's been happening in my life recently.

Saturday I ran 8 miles with my students in Valley Forge. The heat and humidity--even in the early morning--were pretty rough. It made me feel like I was there as long as Washington was with his troops! The scenery was neat; I had to pinch myself as I was running by things like "Washington Memorial Chapel" and all these monuments to realize it was real! There is such rich American history out here; sometimes it seems too good to be true.

Saturday afternoon I drove up to Princeton, NJ to visit my good friends Dan and Krista Carter for the day. We played a lovely round of frisbee golf before consuming delicious home made popcorn, pasta, and, of course, IBCs. They're such a lovely couple, and they've become even more beautiful in their marriage. I treasure time with them.

Sunday was more laid back for once. Sarah and I enjoyed some scrumptious french toast/syrup with two new couples in our church. Both of them recently moved from North Carolina, and we spent the afternoon chatting over our dinner table. Again, a great time of friendship!

This week has been filled with the Responsive Classroom for me. Basically, it's a classroom management training for Spruce Hill. Spruce Hill adapted the philosophy as a whole school two or three years ago, and they say it's changed their school. Thankfully, my background of Jim Fay's Love and Logic at Jamestown Elementary in Hudsonville is very similar (when I posed a question of differences to the lead presenter, she hemmed and hawed before giving me a minuscule detail difference). I'm really enjoyed the training--mostly due to the excellent teamwork in our group, first six weeks tips, and free food. The training is in the suburbs west of Philly right near Sarah's current hospital, which actually allowed us to car pool out there one day this week!

My classroom

Today I took 360 degrees of pictures in my new classroom. I don't have the actual dimensions, but it's the smallest classroom I've seen. Click on the picture, then download it so you can zoom in and take it in better:

Google Earth wonders

PC World has a fascinating article on weird and really cool things found on Google Earth's free software. You don't have to download the software to view the images...just visit this page.

Zorbas and more

Our free lunch at Zorba's was delicious yesterday. 10 of us enjoyed a flavorful meal at the Greek-style restaurant. Most of us had never been there before, but I had high expectations after Sarah and I had enjoyed a dinner there several weeks back. I had the lamb platter, which came with potatoes, rice, and veggies. My favorite part about the restaurant is their slow-cooked, juicy meat. Every piece I've tried has been so tender and flavorful! And it's three blocks from Sarah's new apartment...what could be better?

After lunch, Libby, Seth F, Meredith, and I walked off some of the calories by spending some time by the Water Works Restaurant next to the Art Museum and the Schuylkill River. While I neglected to pull out my camera at Zorba's, I managed to remember in time while we were out there. See the pictures here.

Sarah and I had a great date last night, too. We rode bikes through Center City and grabbed some cheap food/drinks at Mission Grill, El Vez, and, of course, Wendy's. (you can't beat beautiful appetizers for $1!)

We went to My Best Friend, courtesy of the free tickets I won at Bastille Day (review? I'd give it a 6.5 out of 10). I'm pretty sure it was the first film I've watched that was completely in another language! It took some getting used to, and I was afraid to turn my head from the screen since I wouldn't be able to catch up with my ears. Living in a foreign country that speaks another language suddenly became more intimidating than ever! I found myself admiring people like Sarah who spent a whole semester of Hope in a foreign land. Will I ever have that chance? Perhaps more importantly, do I have the language skills to do something like that?

Cubs stats

The Cubs have
-the 2nd best ERA in the NL
-the 2nd best batting average against
-the most strikeouts by opponent
-won 20 of the last 27
-the fewest unearned runs (a sign of good defense)

They're heating up at just the right time! Not bad for a team that had the worst ERA in all of baseball last year. =)

And go clean your room!

I feel that's what I ordered myself this week. A good part of me feels like I haven't been doing much recently--even though yesterday I completely organized a pile of papers that have been there since my SENIOR YEAR AT HOPE (that's over two years ago, for those of you keeping score at home). My black filing cabinet is now organized, and I threw a bunch of stuff away. That's usually hard for me because I, Eric De Boer, am a pack rat. Seeing Sarah so effortlessly toss and donate many things in her move has inspired me to downsize a bit too. (thankfully, I can still retain my digital pack rat tendencies...I've saved every personal e-mail sent to me since freshman year at Hope, and I'd be able to go back to high school except that I lost a few years of data somewhere)

Sarah and I had a great weekend together. She, Michelle (new roommate), and I threw a party on her roof deck on Saturday night. A bunch of people came, enjoyed the food, and even met a few neighbors. Her roof deck is a great place to host people--it offers a unique perspective on the city that few people have seen before. Plus, with recent beautiful summer weather, it's a great place for a meal (or a date!). We had a great time being co-hosts, and it was neat to see Sarah serve others in that role. I've only known her to have a small apartment with little seating in Philly, so to host a good number of people is a big change. As with most things, she does it gracefully.

I won free lunch at a local Greek restaurant named Zorbas after I dropped my business card in the monthly drawing when Sarah and I went there for a date. So, tomorrow 10 Liberti friends and I will enjoy free lunch (well, not completely free....we do have to listen to a five minute presentation on financial planning, but the rest of the meal--including tax, tip, and a beverage--is free!). The day might as well be declared Winnings Day, since I also won two free tickets to a preview showing of My Best Friend, a French film! Of course, I'm going to see it with my best friend.

SARAH PASSED HER BOARDS!!!

How's this for God's timing? Last night Sarah and I had a tough conversation about medicine. We were both feeling pretty down about it--mostly due to her rigorous 80 hr/week schedule where she works at the hospital from 6:50-5/6 every weekday, then from 6:50AM-10PMish every fourth day. It's been hard because she come home tired from the day, and she has to be ready to start things up a little while later. It's been a roller coaster week, and we've been adjusting. What's making things harder is that I've had a good deal of free time, and we both automatically extrapolate this week into the next year, two years, or beyond. That makes the week harder, and in all honesty, I think we were both at a weak point and exaggerating things.

Sarah left my apartment to go home last night, and she called me a few minutes later to say she had received her board scores. We've only talked about her scores twice or so in the last six weeks; it gave her a sick feeling whenever she thought about them. (if you prepare 6 weeks for one exam that assesses your ability to continue in medical school and how much residencies should value you, you'd be nervous too!). Well, she passed!!!! It completely changed the tone of the evening.

Looking back on it, it's cool how God timed her scores arriving just when both of us needed it. I feel content about God calling Sarah to medicine, and I'm going to do my best to support her through it. Medicine really has to be a calling, and I know God is going to use her in extraordinary ways in the field.

Best $20 I ever spent

Monday I purchased a set of iPod speakers for my Nano. Buy.com had a special for only $20 with free shipping for Altec Lansing speakers (they retail for $130!). The speakers arrived yesterday, and I LOVE them! The unit is really small, and perfect for my room and my new classroom (its original purpose). Sure, it won't fill an auditorium with sound, but for what I need, it's perfect. If you have an Nano and want speakers, I strongly suggest purchasing these speakers before they sell out!

Free TCBY ice cream thru Aug

Print out this coupon; it's good through the end of August!

More free Philly summer fun

I added this to my original post, but I thought I'd make a whole new one for it too since I figured people wouldn't notice:

Wednesday nights at 7:30PM
PhillyCarShare sponsored drive-in movies
Free movies, popcorn, and refreshments!
7/18 Annie Hall at Liberty Lands Park
7/25 James and the Giant Peach at Vernon Park
8/1 Breakin' 2: Electirc Boogaloo at 22nd and Montrose Streets
8/8 The Wiz at Clark Park
8/15 3 Amigos at Pretzel Park
8/22 Rocky I at Capitolo Park
8/29 An Inconvenient Truth at 23rd and Pine
9/5 Ghostbusters at Eastern State Penitentiary
9/12 Spaceballs at UPenn
9/19 Double feature! Cars & The Princess Bride on South St. Whole Foods on top of parking lot

Meet the 5th graders

Yesterday I got to attend a birthday party for my pastor Geoff Bradford's eldest son (of 5 boys!). He's going into 5th grade, and most of his friends will be 5th graders at Spruce Hill this fall. The Bradfords needed another person to drive and hang out with kids, and I could do both! It was a rare, beautiful opportunity to spend quality time with students outside the classroom before school started. Our time was quite similar to camp! Several of them said they were glad to meet me before school started. What meant the most to me was that despite their energetic personalities, when I asked/told them to stop, they respected me. I had several of them giving me tips about how to handle each other and their classmates too! I have now personally met 7 of the 20 kids I'll have this fall. Woo hoo!

This afternoon I have a meeting with the 3rd and 4th grade teachers at Spruce Hill to go over things for the fall and ways we can prepare this summer. I'm really excited to get this ball rolling. Finally, I'm on my way to being a real 5th grade teacher!

Pixar shorts

Do you like Pixar's movies? I'm a big fan of them--especially the short films they make. Here are all their short films (under 5 minutes)...the newest one is Lifted. Hilarious!

Bastille Day

I had the opportunity to participate in a awfully fun event on Saturday: Bastille Day! Sarah's Fairmount neighborhood celebrates the storming of the Bastille from the French Revolution a block from her new apartment right outside the Eastern State Penitentiary. This year was their 13th annual celebration, and I'm told it's gotten bigger every year. My best guess says that over 2000 people were there from 2-6PM to enjoy the booths, hear the music, and watch the reinactment. They had a real working guilletine!


My involvement was from helping my church Liberti. We had a meeting a week ago at our pastor's house discussing our involvement in this event. Since one of Liberti's goals is to join into things the neighborhood is already doing, we wanted to show our support and raise awareness of our church in the area. Our brainstorming led to the idea of making stocks and taking people's pictures for free--then posting the picture on our website for people to download. Over 500 pictures were taken, and people were pretty happy with the idea. I got to help organize the event for Liberti, which was our first time participating in the annual event. We all agreed we HAVE to do it again next year.


Another element to the booth was the confessional. Not the usual confessional you'd might assosciate with the Catholic Church. Inside, we had our pastor confessing the sins of the church to people--apologizing for things like the crusades, the church's idleness during the Holocost, treatment of gay/lesbians, justification of slavery, etc. As a leader in the church, our paster said he wanted to own up to those sins and ask the forgiveness of the person in the confessional. Our paster was so excited about people's reactions and the conversations that ensued! One guy said he didn't realize what Christianity was all about: "I had no idea!" A Jewish woman cried as she said she had never heard someone apologize for the church's lack of response to the Holocaust. There was no doubt that God blessed the conversations that took place, and it was pretty cool to see our pastor so fired up about it.


All in all, it was a very exciting and encouraging day. Not only did I get to experience over 2000 Twinkies raining from the sky when Marie Antoinette said "Let them eat cake," but I got to wear a Liberti t-shirt and talk with people about our church. What a fulfilling day!

Free Philly summer fun

With some of my spare time, I organized a list of fun summer events for free (or SUPER cheap) in Philadelphia. Let me know if you're interested in one, and we'll go!

Tuesday nights at dusk
Liberty Lands Lawn Chair Movies
Event: Free outdoor movies
Schedule:
July 17 The Atomic Kid
July 24 The Fabulous World of Jules Verne
July 31 Rainbow Round My Shoulder
August 7 Son of Kong
August 14 War Games
August 21 The Kid Brother

Wednesday evenings from 5-7PM
Center City Sips
Event: Cheap food and drinks at different bars
$1 appetizers
$2 beer
$3 wine
$4 cocktails

Wednesday nights at 7PM
Society Hill Dance Academy at 409 S 2nd St.
Event: Free dance lessons/movie in covered area.
Schedule:
6/13 Hairspray Madison
6/20 West Side Story Mambo
6/27 Grease Hand Jive
7/04 Saturday Night Fever Hustle
7/11 Dirty Dancing Merengue
7/18 Swingers Swing/Jitterbug
7/25 Cabaret performance only
8/01 Strictly Ballroom Foxtrot/Waltz
8/08 Chicago Charleston
8/15 Goonies Truffle Shuffle Contest
8/22 Priscilla, Queen of the Desert drag show
8/29 The Rocky Horror Picture Show The Time Warp

Wednesday nights at 7:30PM
PhillyCarShare sponsored drive-in movies
Free movies, popcorn, and refreshments!
7/18 Annie Hall at Liberty Lands Park
7/25 James and the Giant Peach at Vernon Park
8/1 Breakin' 2: Electirc Boogaloo at 22nd and Montrose Streets
8/8 The Wiz at Clark Park
8/15 3 Amigos at Pretzel Park
8/22 Rocky I at Capitolo Park
8/29 An Inconvenient Truth at 23rd and Pine
9/5 Ghostbusters at Eastern State Penitentiary
9/12 Spaceballs at UPenn
9/19 Double feature! Cars & The Princess Bride on South St. Whole Foods on top of parking lot

Thursday nights from 7:30-10:30PM
The Commodore Barry Club, 6815 Emlen Street, Philadelphia, 19119 (West Mount Airy) (www.freestepping.com)
Event: Free step dancing

Thursday nights from 7:30-11PM
Art Museum Steps (http://www.rakdan.com)
Event: Free Israeli Dancing

Thursday nights at 6:30PM
Penn's Landing at Columbus and Market
Event: Free movies and themed activities
Schedule:
July 5 - Bruce Almighty
July 12 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
July 19 - To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything!
July 26 - It's Christmas in July! How the Grinch Stole Christmas
August 2 - The Wiz
August 9 - The Nutty Professor
August 16 - Kicking and Screaming
August 23 - Curious George
August 30 - Happy Feet

Friday nights at 7:30PM
Penn's Landing at Columbus and Market
Event: Free concerts
Schedule:
July is R&B month
July 6 - Jazmine Sullivan and Eric Roberson
July 13 - Featuring Donnie
July 20 - Featuring Musiq Soulchild and Raul Midon
July 27 - Kindred the Family Soul

August is Smooth Jazz month
August 3 - Jeff Kashiwa and Ken Navarro
August 10 - Jeff Lorber and Paul Jackson, Jr.
August 17 - Steve Cole featuring Cool World
August 24 - Chieli Minucci and Special EFX featuring Nelson Rangell
August 31 - Bobby Caldwell and the Smooth Summer All-Stars

Sunday afternoons from 1-5PM
Penn's Landing at Columbus and Market
Event: Free concerts
Schedule:
July 22 - KeKe Palmer
July 29 - The Jonas Brothers
August 5 - Paul Green School of Rock
August 12 - Lisa Loeb