My Former Boss Alice Bechtel Links Up With My Son Joel at Disney On Ice Frozen In Long Beach, 12-31-15!

I worked at the Information Desk and the Candy Counter at Long Beach State's University Student Union when I was going to graduate school from 1980 to 1982... Alice Bechtel hired me after a short interview and she was the most fun boss to work for! 

Anyway, we've kept in touch for all these years and today she and her husband Brent took their grand-kids to Disney On Ice Frozen in Long Beach and they linked up after the show with my son Joel who is in the Ensemble cast! 

Who would have thought when I met and worked with Alice around 35 years ago, that she would link up with my son today!!?? Alice didn't even know until recently that I was a skater!

Rejection In My Life Has Always Lead to Something Better!

As 2016 is about to begin, I realize that every "closed door" in my life has lead to a much better "open door!"

I still remember the day I was told when my contract was not renewed at a private school in Downey that "God opens doors and closes doors.  Consider this door closed."  I was devasted...but the closing of that door led to three wonderful years of my husband Dan and I living in the wonderful Atherton House which was and is one of the most happy times in my life.

When the Atherton House adventure ended, Dan and did many other things together while enjoying our little apartment on top of a garage at 14th and Ximeno in Long Beach, California.

Teaching skating at Brea and Costa Mesa and Paramount was a special time, and when the "door" at Paramount ended (I did not believe then that I'd ever teach skating again), a great new opportunity opened up for Dan and I to move to San Fransciso and work for JFJ in 1988.  We truly believed then that a new adventure was opening for us that could lead to a lifetime of travel and doing things that others didn't do.

But...

When Moishe Rosen decided that I should not work for JFJ again and told me so at a meeting in early December 1989, I was again devasted, but that "closed door" led to two much happier jobs for me in the San Francisco Bay area (one was teaching skating again).

And...then....

That closed door in JFJ led to Dan and I considering leaving JFJ and that opened up the door to move to Colorado Springs at the end of 1991 which led to nearly 25 years of a life in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  There, Dan and I bought and paid off a home and raised three beautiful children.  I taught skating in Colorado Springs and the kids became accomplished competitive skaters.  We all learned to ski and love the snow.  Life in Colorado was good.

All that skating and training led to my son Joel having an amazing adventure now with Disney On Ice Frozen.  Annabelle is a US Figure Skating Quadruple gold medalist and Rebekah has Five Gold Medals.  I wonder sometimes what those medals might do for their future, but it is great to have those credentials.

Now...

Certain doors have been shut for some of the members of my family in Colorado Springs.  Rebekah has left Colorado Springs for good after our family was banned from The Colorado Springs Conservatory (without explanation), the place that had been her "entire world and life."  I wonder now which direction her life will go, but that door being shut may have been the best thing that could have happened to her and our family.

Further Reading:

• Summary of My Family's Experience With the Colorado Springs Conservatory
• My Thoughts on 11-17-15 Gazette Article Regarding the Colorado Springs Conservatory
• Born Blue Musical Review (by a parent of one of the members of the cast)
• Remembering Born Blue's Preview at The Mezzanine - Wednesday, October 28, 2015
• A Parent's Review of Working - A Musical Put On By the Colorado Springs Conservatory June 18 through June 20, 2015
• My Comments on Linda Weise Receiving an Award for Compassion and Kindness
• My Thoughts and Opinion About the Colorado Springs Conservatory's Partnership With Harrison School District 2 and Mountain Vista Homeschool Academy
• My Thoughts and Wishes for Colorado Springs
• Why I May Not Recommend Moving to Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
• Colorado Springs Conservatory Unpaid Invoice 
• Unpaid Colorado Springs Conservatory Invoice Update 12-19-15

More Frozen in Anaheim 12-18-15

I can now state that I've seen Disney On Ice Frozen live TEN TIMES!

On Friday, 12-18-15..in Anaheim, California was special since me and my dad went to see the show with my former ice dance partner Gary Forman and his family. After the show, my son Joel, who is in the Frozen cast linked up with us.

Double Kilian Position!

Gary does Joel's taxes!

• Private Link:  Videos Frozen in Anaheim - Friday, 12-18-15

Unpaid Invoice Update 12-19-15

To:

Linda L. Weise

Founding, Chief Executive Officer

Colorado Springs Conservatory

415 S. Sahwatch Street

Colorado Springs, CO  80903

719-577-4556

lweise@csconservatory.org

www.csconservatory.org

From:

JO ANN Schneider Farris

12-19-15

----------------------------------

To Linda Weise and Colorado Springs Conservatory:

Thank you for your clarification below, but you must be mistaken.

Rebekah was enrolled in the Colorado Springs Conservatory's Senior Company for the 2014-15 school year, not the 2015-16 school year.   No contract agreement was signed and no forms were filled out that enrolled Rebekah in the Colorado Springs Conservatory's Senior Company for the 2015-16 school year.  

Rebekah graduated in June of 2015 and performed in the 2015 Colorado Springs Conservatory Senior Recitial on June 25, 2015.  I have a wonderful photo and video that congratulated the 2015 Colorado Springs Conservatory's graduating seniors.  

My father paid the $4000 required tuition in full due to the Colorado Springs Conservatory for Rebekah for the 2014-15 school year, but Rebekah was not enrolled in the Colorado Springs Conservatory for the 2015-16 school year.

Rebekah was told verbally by you, Linda Weise, that for the 2015-16 school year that she was going to be paid for some of the work she did at the Colorado Springs Conservatory and The Mezzanine and that she could, if she wished, take part in classes since she was working long, long hours for your organization.  From what I could tell, as a parent, she worked for you more than 50 to 60 hours a week during the months of September and October 2015. 

Rebekah was told verbally by you, Linda Weise, that some of that work she did would be done to help off-set the honor of taking the Colorado Springs Conservatory's lessons, but she was definitely told she would be paid for some of the hours and hours of work she did for both the Colorado Springs Conservatory and The Mezzanine.

It was very important to Rebekah that she be paid as promised and I do not understand the reasoning for not paying an innocent 19-year old only $150 for a job that was done well and with all her heart. 

JO ANN Schneider Farris

----------------------------------------------------------------

From:  Linda Weise  
lweise@csconservatory.org

To:  JO ANN Schneider Farris

Thank you for your inquiry regarding Rebekah and her participation in Born Blue production.  Both her participation in that production  and her assistance with the Novice classes  were designated as part of her work study to offset tuitions incurred as an enrolled student in the Senior Company. This was confirmed with her at the beginning in conversations with her  mentors.

Records show that she was enrolled through the first week of November before release from program and production.   Two full months of tuitions were incurred valued at  $1,325 with $380 of work study to offset thus leaving the cost to school at $945.  

We hope this clarifies matters for you.

Linda L. Weise

Founding, Chief Executive Officer

Colorado Springs Conservatory

415 S. Sahwatch Street

Colorado Springs, CO  80903

719-577-4556

lweise@csconservatory.org

www.csconservatory.org

The Mission of the Colorado Springs Conservatory is to inspire, motivate and challenge students to aspire to their highest potential as artists and human beings through arts immersion studies and community arts advocacy.

On Fri, Dec 11, 2015 at 9:32 AM, Jo Ann Schneider Farris <joannfarris@yahoo.com> wrote:

Shantell:

Rebekah has heard that the three other performers who only did three performances of Born Blue have now been paid, and is wondering when her check will arrive?

Invoice below.

---

From: Jo Ann Schneider Farris <joannfarris@yahoo.com>
To: Shantell Autry <sautry@csconservatory.org>
Cc: Rebekah Farris <rfarris2@ymail.com>
Sent: Monday, November 9, 2015 7:32 AM
Subject: From Rebekah

Shantell:

Rebekah was told by Caren Tackett and Linda Weise that for each performance of Born Blue she would be paid $50, so I've prepared an invoice below for the three performances she was in.  

Rebekah did do her job for Born Blue for those three dates and is expecting a check.

--------------------------

From: 

Rebekah Farris

Born Blue performances 10/30, 10/31, 11/1,  2015

Total:  $150

Further Reading:

• Summary of My Family's Experience With the Colorado Springs Conservatory

Frozen in Anaheim - And In a Private Suite! - Thursday, December 17, 2015

I had the honor of being the guest of my long time skating friend Karen Berzonin a private suite to see Disney On Ice Frozen! When I arrived, I was delighted to find out that my very first adult ice skating student (when I began coaching skating in March of 1983) Melissa Parker was there too! After the show, my son Joel, who is in the Ensemble cast, came to the suite and met everyone! Totally an awesome night!

• Anaheim personal videos 12-17-15 - (Private link)

JO ANN and Marion - Almost 50 Years of Being Best Friends!

Marion Ennis Curtis and I have been best friends for almost 50 years. We met as children during our summers skating in Squaw Valley, California, USA!

My Sister Lynnellen's Three Kids and My Dad - 12-13-15

This is a photo of my dad with my sister Lynnellen's three kids: Cody, Cori, and Drew! (Three of my dad's EIGHT grandchildren!)

I kayaked in The Bay in the background and they are standing on the boat dock after they helped me get a rolling cart out of the ocean when I dropped it off the dock and into the ocean!

Yes...it is CRAZY that I went kayaking on December 13, 2015 while my husband Dan and my daughter Annabelle probably shoveled snow and drove through ice today in Colorado Springs!

Unpaid Invoice

Invoice

From:  Jo Ann Schneider Farris
Today at 9:32 AM 11-10-15

To

Shantell Autry  
Business Office
Colorado Springs Conservatory and The Mezzanine
415 S. Sahwatch St, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903
719-577-4556
sautry@csconservatory.org

CC

Rebekah Farris

-----------------

Shantell:

Rebekah has heard that the three other performers who only did three performances of Born Blue have now been paid, and is wondering when her check will arrive?

Invoice below.

----------------------------------

From: Jo Ann Schneider Farris
To: Shantell Autry    
Cc: Rebekah Farris
Sent: Monday, November 9, 2015 7:32 AM
Subject: From Rebekah

Shantell:

Rebekah was told by Caren Tackett and Linda Weise that for each performance of Born Blue she would be paid $50, so I've prepared an invoice below for the three performances she was in.

Rebekah did do her job for Born Blue for those three dates and is expecting a check.

--------------------------

From:

Rebekah Farris

Born Blue performances 10/30, 10/31, 11/1, 2015

Total: $150

----------------------------

Further Reading:

• Summary of My Family's Experience With the Colorado Springs Conservatory
• Unpaid Colorado Springs Conservatory Invoice Update 12-19-15

Why I May Not Recommend Moving to Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA

Colorado Springs is so, so beautiful, but I am not sure I recommend moving to this city.

In my family's 40 years here, there have been ups and downs, but the "downs" are outweighing the "ups" at this time, and as I reflect, I believe there is a "dark spiritual cloud" that hangs over this city which causes bad things to happen.

The recent senseless shooting at the Planned Parenthood Clinic on November 27, 2015, has perhaps been the last straw for me.

On a more personal note,  the deep sadness I feel beacuse of Linda Weise and the Colorado Springs Conservatory banning my entire family from even attending a performance (without being given an explanation) is a confirmatiion that Colorado Springs really is no longer a welcoming place.

The amusing article below is written by someone who I don't know who reflecting about our city, but I think it is appropriate to share with this blog post.

• Moving To Colorado Springs, Colorado – A Strange Experience

Here's another article on Colorado Springs featuring Olympic ice dancing champion Christopher Dean.  It is appropriate to also share thjs with my thoughts that I wrote in this blog post. 

• Christopher Dean's Colorado Springs: 'It feels like you can almost see the end of the Earth'

(On a personal note: Although Colorado Springs is a great place to skate, teaching skating in our city is hard because there are not enough rinks and too many coaches. That's my opinion...)

• Opinion:  It is difficult to make a living teaching skating in Colorado Springs