每個華裔子弟在成長過程中或多或少地都會去嘗試一些課業之外的才藝活動，年齡小的由父母篩選定奪，年齡大的基本上自個拿主意。一項才藝究竟要學多久，到底能達到什麼水平，固然離不開個人努力和家長支持，但最終起決定性作用的因素恐怕還得靠興趣愛好。

      對於小學以下的孩童而言，如果所學才藝恰與自己的興趣愛好相符，那麼算家長走運，因為孩童既可得利於先天資質造化，又能受惠於後天發掘栽培。隨着孩童的參與意識提高，自覺性增強，才藝水平被錘鍊得日新月異。

      倘若所學才藝恰與自己的興趣愛好相去甚遠，孩童這邊糾結，家長那邊矛盾，最受煎熬的更在徹底放棄之前，雙方不得不硬着頭皮去挖掘潛能，磨鍊意志，甚至挑戰信心，消耗財力倒算不了什麼，枉費精力絕非小事一樁。

      假如所學才藝恰與自己的興趣愛好若即若離，孩童說不清到底喜歡還是討厭，家長摸不透究竟堅持還是放棄，於是路漫漫兮其修遠，求索征途上只好順其自然，走一步看一步。

      對於進入中學的青少年而言，課業加重，時間有限，其才藝活動往往都是圍繞升(大)學指南而展開的。因此，他們不再像孩童那樣隨心所欲，想學什麼就學什麼；也不再像孩童那樣漫無邊際，想怎麼學就怎麼學！青少年的興趣愛好常常不得不隨“實際需求”而發生定向變化。

      我家童少正處在“想學什麼就學什麼”“想怎麼學就怎麼學”階段。坦率地說，上述三種狀況我們正在體驗、已經體驗或者將要(繼續)體驗。就拿這回暑期來說，他決定重操舊業，承接去年美好經歷並再過把戲癮。當媽的我禁不住暗中竊喜，看來好戲還在後頭哇。

Monday, July 2^nd, 2012

     Today we had to learn another song and dance from "The Music Man Jr.". Dancing, I think, is hardest out of everything, especially the setup.

      When we went to outside for break, a kid named Michael brought a soccer ball. He must have been a soccer player for a long time because when he kicked it, the ball knocked 7 people over! And on July 1^st, it wasSidney's 9^th birthday. She was my schoolmate of the 3^rd grade and we knew each other. Today brought in Munchkins Dunkin's Donuts, each person got 2. They tasted really good.

      Afterwards, we went inside and danced some more. It got a little hard when we had to cross our feet multiple times and span around. It looked as if the tempo was very fast and we had to sing while we were dancing.

      At the end of the day, the junior campers came to meet us. I saw a kid name Eric who used to go to Tiger Schulmann's Mixed Martial Arts with me.

星期一，二O一二年七月二日

      今天，我們得學會少兒劇《音樂人》中另一首歌和新的舞蹈。看來跳舞最難，尤其是舞台站位。

      中間休息時，麥克拿來足球叫我們一起踢，他肯定是足球能手，不然怎麼大腳一開，便拿下我們7位隊員！昨天是我的校友悉尼九歲生日，今天她特意帶來“唐恩都樂”小甜甜圈與我們分享，每人可以吃掉兩個，味道真不錯。

      過後我們返回室內繼續練習跳舞，兩腿交叉旋轉，並快速跟着節拍一邊唱一邊跳，做起來一點都不那麼簡單。

      臨結束時，小班營員趕來跟我們見面，我一眼便認出同在“老虎舒爾曼混合武術館”習武的銳小弟。

Tuesday, July 3^rd, 2012

      Today we learned a new song called "Ya Got Trouble" or "Trouble" and danced with the music. we did that all morning long.

      At snack time, we watched Michael play an APP called Action Movie FX on his iPhone. When you recorded a video, you could add dangerous effects like a nuclear explosion.

      After break, I got a new part in the show. My name became Jacey Squires, i.e. Mr. Squires. We all listened to Harold Hill sang "Trouble" as a soloist. Everyone thought that Michael who played Harold needed to practise more. Finally we performed to the junior campers. They really looked so scared that they did not want to perform. They jumped at every word when a teacher gave them some instruction.

      I highlighted my lines on the way home.

星期二，二O一二年七月三日

      今天，我們又學了一首新歌，名叫《麻煩纏身》，而且整個早上都在隨歌起舞。

      茶點休息時，我們圍觀麥克玩蘋果4頻段手機上軟件遊戲──攝影炸彈。他先錄製一段影像，然後再編輯出象核爆炸之類的慘烈視覺效果。

      重新開始排練以後，我拿到新的角色。劇中我將扮演傑茜•史奎爾，即史奎爾先生。我們還要聆聽主角哈羅德•希爾獨唱《麻煩纏身》，大家都認為扮演哈羅德的演員麥克需要多加練習。末了，我們演給小班營員們看，結果把他們嚇得不敢演戲，老師當場教了幾句台詞，他們竟不知如何是好。

      回家路上，我圈閱了自己要表演的台詞和唱段。  

Thursday, July 5^th, 2012

      Yesterday it was Independence Day. We went out to see fireworks at Palmer Park. The show was fantastic! We did not get home until 11:30pm. That was why this morning I was still tired.

      When we went to dance "Iowa Stubborn ", the junior campers joined in this round. We learned how to dance together in the song "Trouble". I didn't know how everyone wanted to rush in theater stage.

      As usual, we had break. However it wasn't much interesting except that my friend Jason set up a timer bomb for fun. This timer bomb basically is a timer that counts down from a number set up. When it reaches 0, it vibrates and rings.

      When the break was over, we went to the theater and finished learning the dance "Trouble". All the theater camp council members watched us perform. and we also finally got it right. It seemed as if we practiced a trillion times. It was a very long day.

星期四，二O一二年七月五日

      昨天是美國獨立節，我們去帕莫爾觀看煙花，簡直妙不可言！回到家中已近午夜十一點半，這也是為什麼今個早起我仍感覺很累的緣故。

      正當我們跳《愛荷華本色》時，小班營員來了。隨即我們一起伴着《麻煩纏身》的音樂載歌載舞。大家蜂擁登上舞台，我實在搞不懂怎麼回事。

      我們照常休息，如果不是朋友傑森隨身攜帶個“定時炸彈”供我們一起玩，真沒多大意思。所謂的“定時炸彈”不過是一個定時器，它按照設置好的時間倒數計時，等回到“0”點時，便震顫響起來。

      休息過後，我們重新回到舞台，繼續排練歌舞《麻煩纏身》。這時劇院所有的工作人員都目不轉睛地盯着看，我們好像跳了一萬億次才終於完成任務。今天可真漫長啊！

Friday, July 6^th, 2012

      Today we learned to sing another part of "76 Trombones". It wasn't too different from the first part though. However, the teacher wanted us to memorize all of the lyrics we learned. Okay, maybe I was wrong about not different from the first part because he never straightened out memorizing at the first place. Then he asked me and some other people of the Quartet to come with him. He told us that we were gonna learn "Rock Island". I was singing as Salesman #3. At the time everybody left except the Quartet. I was a part of it. And we had to sing "Ice Cream" in different pitches. Unfortunately, I got low A.

      So we were late for break and I barely got to eat my snack.

      Also we did choreography of "76 Trombones". The council acted as the junior campers parading in front of us. It was a confusing day after all.

星期五，二O一二年七月六日

      今天我們學唱了《76把長號》另一部分，跟第一部分不同，它一點不長。不過待老師要求背誦全部的時候，我才發現蠻不是那麼回事。沒錯兒，他一開始並沒說清楚。不久，他點名要我及其他幾位四聲合唱隊的成員留下來學唱《石頭島》。我要出演第3號推銷員角色，當時所有的人都離開了，只剩下四聲合唱隊，而我恰是其中一員。接着，我們還學唱了《冰激凌》不同聲部。太不走運了，我唱低音A。

      拖到很晚才中間休息，結果我連零食都來不及吃。

      我們又排練了《76把長號》舞步，劇院工作人員充當小班演員，在我們眼前穿來穿去，搞得我們暈頭轉向。

(二O一二年七月七日，小暑)