Learning Jedi Skills
Star Wars Jedi Master Yoda says, “Do or do not… there is no try.” Can you believe we’ve been quoting this guy since he said it in the Empire Strikes Back movie in 1980? Do, not try, was precisely my attitude while feathering my stubbornly straight hair back in the day. Now I say to you, Do, not try, to get over to the Center of Performing Arts at Rhinebeck with your family’s jedi younglings this weekend for Jedi Academy with David Engel. “Veteran family entertainer David Engel will train your little Jedi Warriors, Princesses and Darth Vaders with comic antics, silly physical challenges, magical mayhem, and light saber lessons.” I mean really, what’s not to love! Kids are encouraged to dress as their favorite Star Wars character while you appreciate their chance to get extra mileage out of their Halloween costumes. Jedi Academy takes place this Saturday, November 17 at 11 a.m. at the Center. Tickets are $7 for children and $9 for adults and seniors. The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck is located at 661 Route 308 in Rhinebeck. For tickets or more information, call (845) 876-3080 or visit www.centerforperformingarts.org. To learn more about the performer, visit www.davidengel.biz.
Free to Be…You And Me live in Rosendale
My favorite part of the Free to Be…You And Me album is the story of Atalanta, based on the mythology of the Greek goddess of running and romance. I love the line at the end, where Atalanta and John head off in their own directions, and her father, the king, “stayed home and thought about how the world was changing.” Isn’t that how parenting is? I feel like the king sometimes, noticing the differences between my children’s lives and the life I knew at their age, and just thinking about how the world is changing. Free to Be is a collection of inspiring and powerful stories and songs produced in 1972 supporting gender equality and encouraging us to be our fullest selves, despite what societal stereotypes may say. And now this iconic show is coming to you live at Rosendale Theatre on Saturday, November 17 at 7 p.m., and on Sunday, November 18th at 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. All proceeds will go to the historic theatre’s ADA-compliant facade, lobby and bathroom renovation. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children. On opening night there will be a special gold circle ticket for $45 which includes a pre-performance reception and reserved seating. Tickets are available in the box office of The Rosendale Theatre at 408 Main Street in Rosendale, or online at www.RosendaleTheatre.org. To learn more about Free to Be…You and Me, visit www.freetobefoundation.org.
Lowe’s Build and Grow clinics
I think the Lowe’s Build and Grow clinics are a terrific way to help kids learn skills such as hammering and following design plans. These free Saturday morning sessions are held at all Lowe’s stores, and in addition to receiving a kit of wooden parts to assemble, each child receives safety goggles, an apron, and a project patch to iron onto the apron, a welcome change from sewing the patches to anyone who struggled with that. This Saturday, November 17, at 10 a.m., the project is a Rise of the Guardians sleigh which ties in nicely with the release of that movie on November 21. I like the way this hands-on project gives kids a chance to practice building a fun wooden toy, but it can also heighten their interest in seeing the movie. Build and Grow clinics are free and open to the public, intended for children from first through fifth grades. Advance registration is available on-line, which makes it so easy, but you can also register in person the day of the project. For more information or to register, visit www.lowesbuildandgrow.com.
Join the family! 
