<p>Massages get my vote! It's on my list, that's for sure!
We're going with a dorm room theme this year, mostly decorative things: Vintage Broadway posters, theatre Masks, her first pair of ballet slippers with ribbon ties, I'm going to frame a huge collage of photo's from her high school and youth theatre performances, her sister and I are making a quilted wall hanging out of fabrics from several of the costumes I've made her over the years. She's also getting IPod speakers, a VERY LOUD AND VIBRATING ALARM CLOCK, several suggested books & plays from our very own CC book list and her sister went out at 5:30 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving to buy a 23" flatscreen t.v. It cost $35.00 after rebates!
Sarahsmom42</p>
<p>Get them a Nintendo Wii! They are great and I can't wait to get mine. Or get them a Xbox 360, they are much cheaper now than when they came out last year. Remember, every student, even MTers, need an outled to blow off steam. And unless you want that outlet to be alcohol, get them a video game system!</p>
<p>Um Isaac, I don't know about your schedule, but I don't think my kid (also in a BFA program as you are) would have the TIME for a video game (not that she is interested in them but just saying). Maybe it is a guy thing? Seriously, however, she is booked solid day, night and weekend. Do you have the free time for video games? I think the last time my kids tried one of those was when they were about 8. But I hear it's the thing with lots of guys.</p>
<p>Well it is definately more prominent with men than women, but they are fun for all genders, ages, races.... I don't necessarily have time to play video games, definately not as much time as I would like, but I play them anyway. It's all about time management (or what I like to call procrastination). Put off an assignment until the night before it is due and then you can spend the rest of your time hanging out with friends or watching tv or playing video games. Many of my male friends here at boco do the same. Like I said though, I don't get nearly as much time for it as I would like. As it is I have several unplayed titles for which I am anxiously awaiting time to play. However with promotionals and finals nipping at my heels I don't get that much free time in general.</p>
<p>General books full of MT sheet music are also really cool. It's wonderful having that one song right at home and not having to drive down to the library to look for it. The Singer's Anthology Musical Theatre set is really great.</p>
<p>Try <a href="http://www.broadwaycares.com%5B/url%5D">www.broadwaycares.com</a> for some great MT themed gifts. Went on last night and bought some fun items.</p>
<p>Try EBay for vintage or just broadway posters and Amazon for books. Someone mentions Fred Silver's book Auditioning for Musical Theatre at one point. It has been a very good source.</p>
<p>Oh Isaac how dare you insinuate anyone else here has a life outside of their beloved BFA programs! Playing video games while at a BFA program?! BLASPHEMOUS! I dont know about you, but from the looks of Soozie's D's schedule, we should all aspire to be that fabulous. Some people just have it and others don't I guess. But video games?? Come on! You should know better than to enjoy any kind of recreational activity outside of musically directing shows and doing projects on Rent. SHAME ON YOU!</p>
<p>If anyone here knows what, if any, digital audio recording device works with an iPod nano (we bought my D's for her in Sept of this year), could you post or PM me? My D's voice teacher wants her to have one of these, and that request comes at a good time with Christmas coming. But I am not technologically very knowledgeable, and am not sure what I am looking for. Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Belkin iTalk (I THINK). i have one, and it fits into the charging port on the bottom -- NOT on the top like many others. the sound quality is AMAZING. i'm recording my accompaniment for unifieds on it. </p>
<p>mine works AMAZINGLY. my voice teacher loves gadgets and things and is always completely astounded at how cool it is.</p>
<p>a really great tihng about it is that the next time you plug your iPod into your computer, it asks "you have new voice memos, do you want to transfer them to your computer?" so that the recordings won't take up much space on your iPod. you can then burn them onto CD very easily (which is what i'm doing for unifieds). i have a 30G, so it isn't a problem, but with a nano space could disappear fast.</p>
<p>it costs about $60 -- more than some others, but still a good price for how much use she'll get out of it.</p>
<p>if you have any questions, PM/IM/email me. i'm more likely to get a PM/IM than an email, though.</p>
<p>i hope that works out, NMR!</p>
<p>NMR....I am techno challenged and don't have the answer but someone here will, I'm sure. I think my kids' IPods are not "nano" and think that version of an IPod came out after they got theirs (before your D got hers). </p>
<p>MTGeek, talking about schedules has nothing to do with being "fabulous". Each school and person is different. I know you do not attend a BFA program and so I imagine the schedule you have is different (as I have a kid in a BA and did a BA myself). It doesn't mean a BFA doesn't have a life or doesn't know how to time manage and in fact, must be excellent at time management. I just could not imagine that much down time to play video games, that's all. Each person's schedule must differ. I only know the one my own kid keeps as well as many of her peers and roomies in her program. It doesn't make it "fabulous" but is a black and white issue of time constraints. I know my kid has something scheduled literally from 9 AM until midnight straight through the past few days and the next three days that I know of, including schedule conflicts. BFA class time is longer than in a BA (I only know the schedule at her program) and the various rehearsals, auditions and related activities and projects involve every night and weekend, at least that is my observation from her experience. Maybe it is not like that for others or at other programs, I have no idea. Some kids besides my own, have related similarly full days and nights that are scheduled like this and then there are still the papers to write and prep for studio classes, and so on. </p>
<p>It doesn't mean someone doesn't have a "life". For some, the activities themselves are a passion that is their form of enjoyment and they choose to get involved in projects, shows and groups related to their area of interest. The demands of the program itself are great in and out of class, as well as exams and papers for the liberal arts courses. It doesn't mean someone doesn't have "fun". The activities are fun. The friends are fun. The relationship with a significant other is fun. I just don't think there is time in my kids' schedules for video games but I'm not putting them down. I was half joking and half marveling how there was any time to play them in such an intense program from what I have observed through my own kid's experience. I also was joking that video games tend to be a guy pasttime, as I have learned from the parents of many teenage boys. My kids just never have played them and don't own them. There is nothing wrong with them, however! My D might iike to buy clothes and Isaac might like to get video games for pleasure ;). I do not think you need to be sarcastic. You surely can make your points or share your experiences in another way. One schedule or activity is not "better" than another, but simply different. The intense time commitments in my D's program which go beyond the actual classes/training are great. I don't know what it is like anywhere else or for others. I wish she had time to play a game but it is not like she'd have it any other way. To each his own. Do what makes you happy.</p>
<p>NMR - </p>
<p>I'm not sure when the "next generation" Nano's began - if yours is one of the newest, I believe it can record -- if it's not the latest, it won't accept the microphone, and may require you to get a bigger iPod, or a different MP3.</p>
<p>I once scanned all the logos for the shows that my daughter had done, printed them onto t-shirt transfer paper, then put them all onto a tote bag that she used to carry her scripts and dance shes to rehearsal. It was fun and very personal.</p>
<p>Video games are meant to bring peace to the world, not conflict! Susan, I defenately can empathize with your d's schedule. I am sure that mine is quite similar. I sometimes just need to find outlets for stress and for some reason playing xbox realxes me! :-) </p>
<p>Ps. I like to buy clothes too, but I can't really afford to go shopping more than once or twice a season!</p>
<p>ahhh my quick sense of humor gets away with me at times. Sometimes I just cant contain myself ;)</p>
<p>And despite me being in a ba program, I'm actually taking 21 credits, as well as performing, working, and was just cast in a new musical at the Piano Factory in Boston. My problem was that I don't appreciate you speaking for all of us just because it's something YOUR kids wouldn't do. Isaac goes to boco for Gods sake. Thats one of the most intense programs ever. But if he does what he wants to do on weekends or in between classes, who is anyone here to dismiss that, and why would that make his gift suggestion any less valid?</p>
<p>My youngest son (a BA student) does have MUCH MUCH more time than his brothers who are pursuing BFA in MT. He is BIG into playing Guitar Hero...and I must say it looks fun! Actually he has grown to appreciate the "old" rock and roll bands that my husband & I listened to in high school. I wouldn't doubt that a bit of down time when BFA MT Ss are home over break may involve some guitar play-offs.</p>
<p>IMHO, A nice alternative to Dance Dance Revolution....yeegads....my BFA MT Ss had an upstairs neighbor in their apartment building who would come home and play that at 2 in the morning....not nice.</p>
<p>Happy Holidays all!!</p>
<p>SUE aka 5pants</p>
<p>Note about gifts:</p>
<p>EVERY year I buy playbooks for the guys' collection. I try to include some classics, one acts, contemporary to give them a nice cross selection. I usually purchase my plays from DPS as they have a nice summary of each play.</p>
<p>I ALSO add to their classic movie DVD collection....there is much to be learned from the "older" actors.</p>
<p>Stay Warm!</p>
<p>SUE aka 5pants</p>
<p>My guess is, this part of the TOS:</p>
<p>" personal attacks will not be tolerated. It's fine to disagree with opinions, ideas, and facts, but always with respect for the other person"</p>
<p>I appreciate all the work that goes into moderating this board, but respectfully I do think that consideration of others goes both ways. It is cutting to say that because one is in a BA program that person will of course be more likely to have leisure time than his BFA counterpart; inherent in that statement is more than a whiff of superiority. It is not appropriate for any of us to take stock of the lives of those we do not really know. We should support and encourage each other, not get competitive. We really don't know how busy any of us is or is not, or how much anyone is or is not taking on (shows, jobs, clinics, musical groups, family commitments, etc.) outside of the classroom. Many people need downtime. I know a BFA student who does relax with videogames. Does this mean that student is less committed to art or theatre or school than someone who doesn't play videogames? I wouldn't make that judgement. It is not my place. I believe that there is value in play and rest - and yes, theatre kids love what they do enough to do it 24/7 - but there's a world out there that needs to be experienced and videogames can be part of that. So can ESPN or whatever is one's pleasure.</p>
<p>Well stated, barbar, well stated...we all relax in different ways in the small amount of time we have.</p>