The start to my summer.

For the month of June, I am an Assistant Company Manager for Bard Summerscape in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY. I've been an ACM before (Grinch), thoroughly enjoyed it, and figured "HELL WHY NOT" when I was offered the job for this summer. Money is money, honey.

It seems as if this year is propelling me into a wild world of the unknown - with newer jobs, newer tasks and places that I have never imagined myself to be a part of. 

My drive to campus.

Bard Summerscape is summerstock theatre that is facilitated through the Bard College campus. This year there is a play, an opera, a music festival and a cabaret event that is taking place.

I've been here for two and a half weeks so far, and it is refreshing to experience yet another off-stage experience such as company management. First props, now company management; my toolbox of theatrical knowledge is expanding like crazy. My dear friend, Coglan, whom I've worked with on two previous tours gave me this opportunity. For him, I am ever grateful. He's given me two huge contracts of my year thus far!

The view here is great. Upstate New York really has some wonderful wild life and nature that I wasn't expecting. Tall trees, thick green grass, and deer! Oh, the deer here are beautiful. There are tons of farms that sell kale and apples, and there's a Two Boots Pizza on campus! The guys that invented the place went to Bard College, which I thought was pretty cool. The only downside are the bugs. THESE GOD DAMNED BUGS. Lord help me from them.

Shae with our lovely crudite platter.

The first week of work was definitely coo-coo bananas. An intern quit on the first day, so I called the first person I could think of:

Shae Candelaria!

She took the next train up four hours later and helped us out. Boom. Now that's pimp status. So not only was I able to spend some time with Coglan, I had a vacation getaway with one of my dearest, best friends in the world.

I first met Shae during December 2012, when she came in as an ASM for Grinch. Since then, she and I have travelled across the USA and a huge amount of Southern East Asia too. We have gone from Whoville, to riding elephants in Indonesia, to sampling macaroons in Sinagpore and backpacking through Vietnam. She has been a savior to me in many ways. She reminds me to breathe, that I'm worth a whole lot more than I give myself credit, and to TREAT MYSELF. Treat yoself, 2014. I would not be as strong, courageous or accountable if it weren't for Shae this year.

We have been working on housing for the first play of the year. We distribute rooms for production, actors, creatives and crew. Our duties include setting up the rooms, cleaning up the kitchens, making beds, errand running, grocery shopping, taking actors to and from the train station and lots of random things to help set up rehearsals and a show. It's quite different than I expected, but rewarding at the same time. I get to ride my bike to work across a beautiful old college campus, and find lots of time during the day to reflect upon my life and my past.

Last week, I had to buy 40 window fans, and figure out a way to stuff them shits into a tiny Prius. That was one of my tasks, and although I handled it well, I kept thinking...."what kinda job is this?!". But I have really enjoyed my time at Bard thus far, and am looking forward to more adventures/paychecks to come. 

Until next time. :)