The Rock...Sunday 20th July 2008

<--Look it's a smoking rock - tehe made me laugh - read on to find out why - but N.B this is not the rock I'm talking about!

Right..

This has absolutely nothing to do with my MA whatsoever - but I have to tell you about it as it amused all of us immensely!

We've just had our 'orientation' with 'Andrew' - who ironically is from up north somewhere...typical that I come all the way across the pond and one of the first people I meet when I get to my final destination in a project about globalisation is someone from north England...!!

But anyway - he started explaining what we, as adult students had to be aware of regarding the

younger ones here - of which there are quite a few (they're having band camp - no joke (teeheehee!))

So apparently at Idyllwild Arts anyone under the age of 18 (and kind of 21) is not allowed to see or sense anything vaguely habitual, enjoyable and basically intoxicating! In fact we all have to pretend we're in The Waltons or something and pretend that alcohol and cigarettes just don't exist...at all....oh no, they've never even been invented!

The first thing I thought was - how patronising to young people...!

But anyway, Andrew asked the group of about 30-odd adult students whether any of us smoked...two people put their hands up...including yours truly of course! No embarrassment there at all - oh no! (...)!

Basically you have to smoke on the paved areas, and well away from any trees, bushes, grass, anything environmental and flammable...which is perfectly understandable.

But the funny thing is - great we can smoke on the paved areas...but we aren't allowed to let youngsters see...hmmmm quandry - they can go anywhere...hmmm what to do?!

Well good ol' Andrew showed myself and this Polish chap 'The Rock'.

I love 'The Rock'.

It's a big rock, which we have to literally hide behind to spark up...and it's definitely fine as they've put a smoking bin there too.

What's so funny though - is this clandestine cigarette hide-out is right by the exit to one of the main buildings where a large, minor-filled chamber orchestra enter and exit...! Idiotic and funny - love it!

So - we have various euphemisms for going for a smokey-joe now - they're "My rock is calling", "To the Rock", "MmmmRock"...and of course "Let's Rock" (Fraggle Rock...? Might try that later...!) and so on!

But yes - I just thought I'd let you know that I have fallen in love with a rock in Idyllwild...it is my friend.

Speak soon - rock on!