Once Upon a ChromakeyOnce Upon a Chromakey BP 2009 BP 2009

StarringStarringSummer 2009 ClassSummer 2009 Class

And And World FamousWorld FamousBarb EricsonBarb Ericson

One fine July day in HoTLANTA, Pam the One fine July day in HoTLANTA, Pam the Programmer returned from her Beach vacation in Programmer returned from her Beach vacation in

order to attend Ms. Ericson’s Beginning order to attend Ms. Ericson’s Beginning Programming Teacher Workshop! She was Programming Teacher Workshop! She was

bummed to not be relaxing but threw her hands up bummed to not be relaxing but threw her hands up in the salty air and said, let’s give this class try!in the salty air and said, let’s give this class try!

As Pam fought the glorious Atlanta traffic and found As Pam fought the glorious Atlanta traffic and found her way to parking…she realized that there was a her way to parking…she realized that there was a big hole in the garage! She found the Area 6 lot, big hole in the garage! She found the Area 6 lot, got her ticket and with a bit of vacation still in her got her ticket and with a bit of vacation still in her

step, headed towards class. And, there, to her step, headed towards class. And, there, to her wondering eyes what should appear? The world wondering eyes what should appear? The world

famous Barb Ericson!famous Barb Ericson!

Day 1 proved interesting as we quickly found out Day 1 proved interesting as we quickly found out that Chris in another world than the rest of us. He that Chris in another world than the rest of us. He knew his robots and Python and what he doesn’t knew his robots and Python and what he doesn’t

know, he goes and learns faster than the speed of know, he goes and learns faster than the speed of light! light!

Poor Rosemary tried to escape, Poor Rosemary tried to escape, but alas, once you are in, but alas, once you are in, you you are goingare going to learnto learn all about all about

Beginning Programming. She Beginning Programming. She quickly figured out how to make quickly figured out how to make a Robot sing and move towards a Robot sing and move towards the enemy, oops, her partner. the enemy, oops, her partner.

Maybe instead of trying to move Maybe instead of trying to move a wall all by herself, she can use a wall all by herself, she can use

a Robot to help! a Robot to help!

During our lessons on how to manipulate images During our lessons on how to manipulate images in Python, Rosemary learned all about mirroring in Python, Rosemary learned all about mirroring

an image as well as fixing a broken roof in an image as well as fixing a broken roof in Greece. Marlena passed the word around about Greece. Marlena passed the word around about

the easy way to get your roof fixed! the easy way to get your roof fixed!

Before, you knew it, Before, you knew it, Barb forced her Barb forced her class to test out class to test out

indentation using indentation using US!! Ria was US!! Ria was

psyched as she psyched as she hoped to throw a hoped to throw a few of us in the few of us in the

air…air…

By the time we got through JES and trying to By the time we got through JES and trying to make collages, many of us felt like we going make collages, many of us felt like we going

around in circles…even Carla! around in circles…even Carla!

Carla had the right Carla had the right idea! Before we idea! Before we

completely feel like we completely feel like we spacing out, head for spacing out, head for the hotel and Atlanta the hotel and Atlanta highways! After all, highways! After all, coming up the next coming up the next

day was putting day was putting ourselves in new ourselves in new

places – even ones we places – even ones we really want to be! We really want to be! We also were going to SEE also were going to SEE

sound!?!? sound!?!?

As class ended on As class ended on Friday, and we all Friday, and we all started worrying started worrying

about getting lesson about getting lesson plans ready and plans ready and

done for the done for the wonderful young wonderful young

ladies and ladies and gentlemen that will gentlemen that will be streaming (like be streaming (like video) through our video) through our doors in a few short doors in a few short

weeks, Karuna weeks, Karuna decided the beach decided the beach is a far better place is a far better place to be than a padded to be than a padded

classroom, er…classroom, er…greenscreen room greenscreen room

! !

So, fearless, world So, fearless, world class leader, Dr. class leader, Dr.

Ericson, we thank Ericson, we thank you and hope your you and hope your

trip back to the trip back to the moon (isn’t that moon (isn’t that

where your kids and where your kids and husband are???) is husband are???) is pleasant! We look pleasant! We look forward to seeing forward to seeing you in a workshop you in a workshop near us in the fall!near us in the fall!

Thanks so much! Thanks so much!