Post-Christmas Bling

Remember when I said yesterday that "not much has changed" recently?

Well, this changes the picture a bit.

I'M ENGAGED!! :-D

I'm so full of words but I can't get them out just right.  Hopefully one of us will be coherent enough to share the full story soon, 'cause it's a good one!

Happy New Year, my friends!  I never dreamed 2011 would leave me with such a big smile on my face.

Out Of Dust

Hope you all had and are still having a wonderful holiday season!  I haven't written lately because not much has changed, though much has happened.  I got the straight A's I was working and wishing for!  I also enjoyed a very pleasant Christmas day filled with food, gifts, contentment, and thankfulness.

Tonight for a small gathering of friends and strangers I shared a brief piece of my heart from heavy thoughts that aren't fully formulated yet.  We had to attempt to answer three questions:

Where have you been?
Where are you now?
Where do you want to go?

 The answers I shared weren't so much answers.  It was more so a recognition of a need to find answers.  Now tonight has brought me this song, as I sit and ponder on those things.

Bling and Leopard Print

  
Meet my most fun theatrical persona yet: Ginger.  She is a Snooki meets Fran Fine parody.  She has huge black hair, orangey-tan skin, and talks with the best ridiculous Nue Jore-see accent I can muster.  She is madly in love with her boyband-wannabe husband, Stephen (pictured here; played by Rob Anderson). You can come see Ginger this weekend in The Splendor of Christmas on Friday or Saturday!

(Last weekend I played Ginger in front of an audience of 1,500 people.  She was a smashing success. :-)

Girls Like You Always Get To See Ireland

I finished registering for my spring classes, and taking a look at the topics I'll be pursuing begs the question, where am I going after graduation?

Acting for the Singer
Movement for the Actor
Independent Study: Stage Management (to receive class credit for the production I am SMing)
Abnormal Psychology Honors
Business Management  Intro Women's Studies
Applied Voice (private voice lessons)

Three of these classes are necessary for me to graduate, and the other three are of interest to me.  The psych class will make the third I have taken under that topic in college (completely unintentionally).  I had five classes and then felt like my semester wouldn't be full enough, so I added one more (because the independent study will end in March, and is nothing like taking a traditional class).  Perhaps there is something slightly wrong with me... 

I excited and proud to know that I'll be graduating with honors and that I am a woman of many talents and interests, as my transcript attests.  I'm sure at this point that my future holds more than theatrical endeavors.  I guess simply having a degree is a very good start to figuring the rest out.

Christmas Fuzzies

"Casual Concert", put on by the department's vocal students, was last week.  I'm so happy with how we sounded and with the audience appreciate we received.  If you care to, you can hop on my YouTube channel and watch our ensemble pieces.  But I especially wanted to share "Yes Virginia, There's A Santa Claus".  It was such a moving and lovely piece to sing.  When I looked out into the audience after my small spoken part, my mom was already crying!  

"You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart." -Francis Church, New York Sun, 1897

Finals Anticipation

I've never been as close to straight A's for a semester during my college career as I am now.  I just want so badly to pull through this last week and a half of classes (plus finals week) with a strong showing and make it happen.  It's not easy with tech week for the Christmas show starting and deadlines piling up for reports on Phi Theta Kappa projects, but I know it's possible.

I started planning my schedule for the spring, and it's shaping up to be a lively but pleasant last semester.  LAST SEMESTER, PEOPLE!!  So stoked. :-)

Unrelated note:  You didn't hear it from me, but I made a Tumblr. :-x

Stole The Show

I thought last weekend's episode of SNL was kind of lame (sad, since the Muppets-themed opening scene was so cute).  But what made the episode worth watching were these two fantastic performances by Florence and The Machine.  This woman is a powerhouse!!  I would be very interested in seeing her live.

Blurbs of Accomplishment

Hey friends!  First up on the Blurb agenda, a few thoughts that really struck me today: 

I don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs, but how high he bounces when he hits bottom. -George Patton

The expression a woman wears on her face is far more important than the clothes she wears on her back

-Dale Carnegie 

I'm shocked to realize that this semester is almost over.  A month from now, finals will be complete.  At that point, I will have worked on four plays, completed a semester as honor society chapter president, and be one semester away from graduation. 

In the past few months I've been told many times "You look so healthy these days!" or "You look really happy, Debbie."  Hearing that is affirmation that my goals and hard work are taking me down a good path, and that a lot of emotional baggage that I've worked to lay down is in the dust on the path at my back.

I leave you for now with some pictures. :-)

One Time Only

In about 24 hours, it will be 11-11-11.

It will also be my birthday.

And I will be...well, never mind how old I'll be.  If you need to know, you already do.  I'll just say, it's an important birthday and I have been freaking out about it for weeks.

Mk, that's all I wanted to say.  Birthday.  Freaking out.  Epic calendar date.  Good night. :-)

H.U.M.

I know my last post was an invitation to a show, but the reason I haven't posted anything since then is because I've been so busy with shows.  So here's show #2!

This coming Friday though Tuesday I am running the light board for "H.U.M.: An Original Play".  I also helped construct the set/do various backstage tasks, and help keep the technical director sane.

Per tech week custom, my homework is sorely neglected, so I'm off to do that and I'll hopefully be back next week! :-)

Celebrate Christmas With Me!

I got the part!   I'll be playing "Ginger", for whom at my audition I was told to channel Snookie and Fran Drescher...haha!  I'm very happy and excited. :-)  It's been a looong time since I was in a Christmas show.

Exponential Belief

This post is for teachers (and their students) who change lives.

Cross-Cultural Studies

For my speech class this week I have to give a demonstration speech on an object or action of my choice.  Having decided to deviate away from my default list of theatrical topics, I asked Boyfriend to teach me about hand planes.  The plane pictured belongs to him and is 110-years-old.  He also let me ruin a pretty nice piece of mahogany for my research. Thanks, Hun. :-)  Hope I do him proud. :-p

Photo cred M. Jennys

P.S. For Jade's benefit, please note the appearance of his socks in the background.  

Lit By Surprise Pink

Guys.  [and Gals.]  So much theatre, so little blogging. :-( :-p

I didn't recap "@The_Moment" for you...but I will.  Pictures coming for that one.

Right after "Moment", I auditioned for my school's fall show, and didn't get in.  It hurt, but then I found purpose in it; a lot more than I could have bargained for, actually. Maybe I'll talk about that later, too.

Then, I participated in a very unconventional theatrical event called "Eurasia Experience".  It was the simplest and yet most challenging acting job I've had to date.

Tonight, I'm auditioning for "The Splendor of Christmas", the yearly production put on by a local church (my church, actually).  This place packs shows with audiences bigger than my school's theatre, so I'm pretty excited!

Auditioning for the Christmas show is about more than acting opportunities, though.  It's about combining the love of many things.  The "purpose" I referred to above?  I've been disconnected from a stable spiritual community for awhile now, and I realized that it's time to take active steps to being in and contributing to one.

I found this picture and made it my desktop.  I need to remember that I've never been afraid to walk down new paths.

cred: N.B., Gettysburg trip

[September] Obsessions

This month's obsession is not a person, place, or thing.  It's a mindset. 

 I'm actively working on being the strongest, healthiest, most accomplished, most confident version of me I can be.  This little cartoon kind of puts it into a lighthearted perspective.

via weheartit.com

Concerts, Sunrises, and Treasures

This weekend I saw an awesome concert and met my all-time favourite band!!!

(didn't get to meet Stephen, :-[ so his portion of the poster isn't shown)

Then, I went on a pre-sunrise adventure with two of my closest friends to one of the most special events I've ever been apart of.  It was truly so good it makes my heart hurt a bit.  Never pass up a chance to bless those who have blessed you.

This was the most amazing and memorable weekend I've had in a long time.  Life's treasures can come upon you at any moment if you are open to receive them. :-)

Who, Me? Excited? Nah.

via rechertheatre.com

It's been over two years since I have seen them and I am so excited!  Here's hoping to a good show!  Of course, they will put on a good show, but I know from experience too many things that can happen to make shows annoying experiences.  But YAY!

(In case you're new and don't understand what all the jumping up and down is about, go visit this post.)

High Notes and Dark Holes

I miss talking to you guys!  I'm consumed by theatre, Phi Theta Kappa, schoolwork, and random weak moments in which I fall down dark YouTube holes.

I regularly forget that I have tickets for an ANBERLIN concert this Saturday, but deep down, I am psyched!

@The_Moment is wrapped and you can read an outside perspective of it here.  (<--I'm pretty jazzed by what lies at that link!)  I have all sorts of fun tidbits to share from the show...but they'll have to wait.

I'm auditioning for the fall academic show this Wednesday, as well as co-chairing the Alpha Rho Psi orientation.  I'm presenting my second project of the semester for speech class tomorrow, and learning some pretty kick-a$$ songs in my voice lessons.  I'm studying "Think of Me" from Phantom of the Opera!!!  <3  Also something in Italian that I'm probably mercilessly butchering but sounds nice if you know nothing of the language. :-p

My biggest challenge (read: stressor) is whether I am doing too much or too little.  I want excellent grades, I need to become a better performer, I need to be a strong leader...but not at the expense of my sanity, health, or general happiness. Anyone have any advice?

Where We Play With Glue For Minimum Wage

An obvious privilege of working in theatre is getting to make weird and creative things that make people go "waaahhh?"

Take this picture of some of this week's labors for an example:

Starch blows, dude

@The_Moment: Tech Week!

Tech week for the play festival is upon me.  We've been rehearsing at a museum who is sponsoring the festival, and have yet to see our actual performance space (at The 14Karat Cabaret) or even know the exact dimensions we'll be working within!  Hopefully we'll learn all that on Monday.  We are going to rehearse once in our performance space the night before the show.  I know what I'm wearing for both the plays I'm in, and everything is from my own wardrobe. 

The rehearsal format is much different than what I'm used to.  Up till now it was an hour a week for each piece, and in that hour we would usually get through each piece twice.  That leaves a lot up to the actor as far as independent study.  Fortunately our directors are good communicators and collaborators, so it was easy to learn and take their acting notes on first explanation.  I'm still struggling with a section of dialogue in "Con-text", which is both really embarrassing and worrying.  I learned the Twitter piece with much less trouble than I anticipated with the use of a flash cards system.

We're rehearsing every night this week and opening on Friday!  Hope you'll be there! :-) (I promise I'll know my lines :-p). 

Dramaturg Project

For an assignment in speech class this week I am writing a "Career Speech" (the theme was assigned) and I choose to focus on dramaturgs.


During my search through scholarly articles I found this quote that I now feel compelled to ponder: "sometimes being an artist is incompatible with being a citizen".


The article I read this in was written by the head of Dramaturgy at DePaul University.  If you're interested in dramaturgy and one aspect of its struggle in American theatre, you might find the article very interesting: The Dramaturg's Progress


*Oops!  The link only worked while I was logged into my ProQuest account through my school's library.  If you'd really like to read it, I can certainly copy/paste it to you!*

The Apocalypse Had A Preview Show And I Missed It

As you may know or have experienced,  Baltimore/the upper half of the East Coast has had quite the encounter with the mother we call "Nature" recently.

Or have we?

Tuesday, August 23, 2011, approximately 1:50pm: Boyfriend and I leave my house to go to Patapsco State Park for a hiking outing.  We're sitting in the car at a red light.  I'm fiddling with something from my purse and briefly experience an odd but unimportant sensation, and look up to see a car whiz past us.  No big.  In the same moment he says "whoa" but doesn't elaborate on why.  We get a few minutes down the road and I check my phone to find four missed calls in the five minutes since I've left home.  I return the call, and my mother answers and proceeds to excitedly tell me that our house shook back and forth from an earthquake and things fell off the walls.  

"That explains why the car was shaking" he says.  "?!" is pretty much all I silently say.  What kind of a moron misses an earthquake?  Well, this one, apparently.  Then I was scared to go hiking, but we went anyway without further incident.

Fast forward to Saturday, August 27th,  after everyone has been emphatically predicting that Baltimore is going to be slammed with a Category 1 hurricane that weekend.  I'm very jaded when it comes to weather predictions but despite that, spent Friday evening good naturedly scouring four different stores looking for D batteries for flashlights

How did I spend the entire weekend?   Waiting out a huge rainstorm, basically.  I slept and watched way too much of the "Dick Van Dyke" show and prepared for school and Phi Theta Kappa activities.  My house had electricity almost the entire time, we lost phone and internet only briefly, and nothing flooded or blew away.

Yet several people I know were (or still are) without power for hours or days.  The chips fall where they may, I suppose.  Now I've spent two days waiting for school to start (because it was without power), and have almost completely lost what enthusiasm and energy I had mustered up for my first week back.  Also my sleep clock is incredibly screwed up, and my mind is always racing even when my body is tired.  Hence this badly-written, multi-tense post. 

So pardon me if one day you are sitting around reminiscing about the great natural disaster week of 2011 and the best I can give you is a blank stare.

Also, I hope you and yours are safe. <3

[August] Obsessions

I didn't want to skip a month in my Obsessions series, and I have something to share with you!  Clearly, this blog has occupied some of my obsessive attention this month.

I've wanted for some time to make significant changes to it.  It has had the same widgets, the same look, the same general everything for the past year.  I had also come to greatly dislike the name, the one I gave it almost three years ago.  I'll probably be in college for a few more years as I transfer to a university, and the title seemed to put limitations on my blog's longevity and topics.  I don't write just about college, or theatre, which were the things I originally envisioned being the theme of my blog.  Plus, I just felt a little ridiculous saying "Debbie: The College Years" out loud. :-p

The truth is I may not be in theatre forever.  I may start "the married years" while still in "the college years".  Anything can happen, I've grown, and I want to continue to take my blog with me.

So if you look around, there are some changes.  The name, quite obviously.  I brainstormed for awhile trying to settle on something cute and descriptive for a blog that would have no identifiable theme, except well, my life!  I owe the clever dude behind Why Men Can't Cry for "Deb's Blurbs".

The design (though similar to the old one) and the pages are all new.  Everything is purposefully simplified and organized.  If you look to the newly-placed sidebar on the left you will find only the archive (called "Blurb Catalog") and my labels ("Blurb Guide").  My brief profile is at the top under the title, and I wanted that to double as a quippy welcome as well as a description in place of the old one.

The things I write about probably won't change much, except that I feel a new freedom and excitement in what I share with you.  So, visit for a few minutes and then tell me what you think!  I'll be back to regular writing sometime soon. :-)

An Intermission

I know that I once quoted myself as saying " 'Hiatus is a slow and painful death.' ", but I just spent the last few minutes writing a paragraph telling you I'm taking a break from blogging (and then deleted it).  Despite the double-quote contradiction (:-p), I am indeed taking a break.  I love blogging, but I haven't enjoyed it lately.  I have a lot on my mind, and this summer's writing has felt like a broken record.  Thanks for being a member of the small audience who for one reason or another takes an interest in my life.  If you'd like to continue to do so, you can check back in a few weeks.  

weheartit.com

My twitter will still be in use and open tweets can be found here.

Some News On The Shows of The_Moment

Lines are due this week for all the pieces in the play festival "@The_Moment: #5shortplaysonlifein2011". My lines in the cell phone piece, Con-Text, are down pretty well, I think, but the other piece, 140 Characters, worries me. I want to surprise anyone who's coming to see the show so I won't be saying too much, but 140 script is about Twitter and it's very unconventional!

The rehearsal process have been productive. Within two rehearsals for each piece I could strongly feel the vision that each director has. I feel a strong connection to our project, and enjoy the various reactions I get when I say "I'm playing a cell phone!" haha

On a personal level, rehearsals are a bit frustrating. Most of the other people in the company have worked together and have very close relationships. We have married couples, roommates, siblings, co-workers, and best friends all intertwined in some manner in the group. I feel distinctly like an outsider; though I try every week to be as fearless and friendly as possible. It's healthy to be an outsider once in awhile, I suppose. I don't need to be held back by preconceived ideas the others in the group may have about my abilities, and it will make me more empathetic for other situations in life.

Doggy Days

My doggy care dictated me to be awake over an hour ago, and means I now have time to blog before work!  Shocking, right?

Once I got into a groove for this week, I've loved [almost] every minute.  It's no new thing to care for all my own needs and make my own schedule, but it's a new and exciting thing to do it without someone looking over my shoulder.  Can any 20somethings who still live with mom and dad relate? :-p

We did have a few worrisome moments a few evenings ago, involving the puppy eating medicine that was not intended for her.  After a call to the vet, the acquisition of some Hydrogen Pyroxide, and a few tears (mine) she was right as rain again.  I thought I was going to be sick when I watched her throw up all the medicine, and thankfully Boyfriend was over for dinner and cleaned it up.  (Sorry hun.)

Theatre technician duties started this week, and it's all just as frustrating as I thought it would be.  I'm insecure about my lack of knowledge and abilities and worried I won't learn quickly enough.  Also, adjusting to my boyfriend turned co-worker relationship is a bit awkward at times; though thankfully we've been great about talking any concerns through at the end of the day.  This week is a low maintenance event (a dance show put on by campers) but it's also very rushed.  Today we have two rehearsals and then an evening performance.

Tomorrow my long weekend starts!

Woman of the House

My first night alone wasn't too bad, but I don't think living alone long term is my cup of tea!  I'm kind of lonely, and a little paranoid at night.  The house I'm caring for is a lovely and old Cape Cop-style house (my favourite kind :-), in a quiet neighborhood surrounded by similar homes.  The dogs I'm caring for are a gentle elderly collie and a hyper Labradoodle puppy.  We've been taking in the "I Love Lucy" marathon on the Hallmark Channel (in honors of Lucille Ball's would-be 100th birthday yesterday).

Both Shannon and Nathan have come to visit so far, and I picked up plenty of groceries for the week.  The dogs require that I get up early and go to bed early, but since I start work this week it's a good schedule to have.  The only part of the job I hate is having to pill the collie.  He needs lots of medicine that he refuses to eat with his meals, so every 12 hours I have no choice but to literally put pills down his throat (followed with treats and hugs).  I feel so awful when I do it, but he'll feel worse if he doesn't take it.  And to think that a year or two ago, I could barely sit near a dog without squirming!

Well Then.

I failed my driving skills test due to lack of parking within 12 inches away from the curb. :-(  I'll practice more and try again soon!

Tomorrow house sitting adventures begin. :-D  Cooking meals just for me, watching whatever I want on TV, not sharing a bathroom with anyone, going to work, going to rehearsal, caring for doggies, and basically being in charge.  Bring it onnnn.

"Boom, Boom, Boom"!

Sometimes I'm loathe to admit I enjoy as much popular music as I actually do.  Because let's face it, what's typically gracing the top listed on iTunes isn't usually creative or soul-stirring music.

This song is no exception; it's not brilliant.  But it sure does cheer me up! :-)  I've been singing it a lot lately.

Also, I think I'm obligated to like a song called "Firework" considering how much I LOVE them!  Now I feel like blogging about fireworks and all the good memories I have of seeing them...but I think I'll save that for another day when I need another post about cheerful things. :-)

credit

August Headlines

It's August already, canyabelieveit?!  In about 3 weeks I go back to school (for my final year at CCBC!!) but I'm not thinking or preparing too much for that yet.

I'm presently in between jobs.  Next week I'll be assisting in some manner while a grade-school camp uses our theatre for their end-of-summer show.  From what I understand, there are also some odd jobs that Boss and Boyfriend are planning on giving to the Newbie... :-p

I also have a job watching someone's home and pets starting this weekend and staying there for a week.  I guess I'm looking forward to being in charge and having my own space, but for the most part I anticipate being kind of lonely.

Rehearsals for my show have been going on for two weeks now, and my lines are due in two weeks.  We're presently looking for a theatre in which to put on our production.

The biggest news is something that I usually avoid telling people, but I decided to go ahead and share it here anyway: I'm finally taking my driving skills test at the MVA tomorrow!  The thought of actually finally having my license is surreal, and I'm really, really nervous about the test (which will include the course, parking skills, and a road test).  Wish me luck!

A Dilemma of Appearance

I'm 24-years-old but regularly assumed to be anywhere from 14 to 18 years of age (18 is on a lucky day).  I'm well acquainted with shocked reactions of people who card me and awkward moments in which the manicurist asks if Best Girl Friend is my mother (morons.) 

Sometimes I embrace the advantages (I was still offered crayons at restaurants till recently; I can let people assume it's okay I don't have a degree yet, etc.) and other times I have to brace myself for possible challenges.  Acting gigs are one of my major challenges.  While it's great that I'll most likely be passing as a 21-year-old by the time I get to 40, for now my *youthful* appearance is a pain in the arse.

A few months ago when the movie opportunity came along is a prime example. The casting notice called for 25-30somethings, and an actress friend told me to give it a shot.  She'd already been cast as an extra.  I originally planned to submit what I considered a good head shot (a photographer did it about a year ago):

 

but she suggested the shot looked too young.  So we settled on this:

The difference in the two pictures is about a year, so maybe I have aged slightly (finally :-p).  I submitted it, and the casting agent called me "cute" and seemed delighted, but suggested it was possible to style myself older.  She said I had the job, and would need to look 30-35 the day of the shoot.  I freaked out, but worked with my friend to pick make-up and wardrobe that would give me as much advantage as possible.  This is how I looked the morning of the shoot:

Then last weekend I was preparing for an audition that called for a "20something."  BGF (who's a licensed cosmetologist) thinks I look older with my hair up and less eyeliner, as modeled in this look:

 

and I got the part. :-)

Have any of you ever encountered a major obstacle with your appearance or age, especially one that interfered with obtaining a job opportunity?  How did you handle it?

[July] Obsessions

"Angry Birds is a puzzle video game developed by Finland-based Rovio Mobile. Inspired primarily by a sketch of stylized wingless birds, the game was first released for Apple's iOS in December 2009. Since that time, over 12 million copies of the game have been purchased from Apple's App Store, which has prompted the company to design versions for other touchscreen-based smartphones, such as those using the Androidoperating system, among others.
 
In the game, players use a slingshot to launch birds at pigs stationed on or within various structures, with the intent of destroying all the pigs on the playfield. As players advance through the game, new birds appear, some with special abilities that can be activated by the player." -Wikipedia.com

Boyfriend's new Android phone isn't safe around me, nor are those dastardly piggies!  It is annoyingly obvious that he is better at the game than I am, but that only makes me want to play it more. :-p

A cool promo project by T-Mobile:

 

There's even an interactive Angry Birds on YouTube!

Have YOU played Angry Birds online or via smart phone?  Is it a guilty pleasure, a fun challenge, or of no interest whatsoever?

Pass The Big Girl Pants, Please

It's been pretty obvious I settled into an unproductive slump this summer, but that apparently ends today.  Ready to hear about it?

I officially got the part[s] and I go to my first rehearsal next Monday!  In September I'll be appearing in two short plays in a festival of five plays called "@The_Moment: #5shortplaysonlifein2011".  If the title seems strange (or nifty) to you, rest assured I will explain all in the customary series of post I do throughout all my shows.  Stay tuned.

I picked up an extra (well paying ) house sitting job which happens to start the same week I start my other (long term) job at the theatre.

I then had to coordinate the transportation and schedule for these commitments.  In less than one day I went from being underwhelmed to overwhelmed. (I am at times very easily overwhelmed.  It's a tragic Debbie flaw.  I hide it well when needed.  An awesome Debbie trait.)

Also I'm meeting with my fellow Alpha Rho Psi leaders this evening to start planning our 2011-2012 year together.
 
It's all good.  I'm up for it all, I'm provided for, and unexpected opportunities are a banging way to spend/close out my summer.  :-)

Mobile Posting and Midnight Ranting

Last night at around 2am I wrote the following 6 page text message and tried to send it to the mobile posting function of this blog.  It didn't post.  Guess I should aim for brevity next time?  Anyway, here's a peek into my immediate pre-sleep mind:

"I want to sleep, but I can't, so I'm trying out this text posting function for the first publicly official time!

My head is full of things that have been and what could be.  This is why I shouldn't watch reality TV before bed (add that to the banned late-night list, next to The Unit.).  After four eps of "The Glee Project" my head is buzzing with performance theme thoughts (side note: I look down on myself for watching any and all reality TV and hate to admit I do so).

I'm waiting to hear back from my Saturday audition.  I feel it went well, but I did have trouble connecting to my text (which is a play-on-words, since my character was a cell phone...), so we'll see.

I was catching up with a friend this evening and he asked if I'm on my way to Hollywood yet,  I chuckled and said no, and that if I ever go anywhere it'll be New York.  I can't picture myself in L.A.

I'm rambling.  Night. :-)"

That was my grammar/post verbatim.  I stopped composing only because I reached the character limit for a single text on my phone.

Goodbye To The Desk, Hello To A Table Saw

There's just a few days left of "English Department, this is Debbie, how may I help you?"  I've been so blessed by working for the supervisor I currently have, and genuinely enjoy the teachers I assist, but a work study paycheck will suffice no longer.  August will bring the start of something new on my resume!  I'm not going far from "home"; I'll be working as an assistant at the campus' theatre as an employee of the college.  I will help run light/sound/stage for events, assist in theatrical set building, and generally help maintain the scene shop.  My co-workers will include Boyfriend, a professor/school TD I've mentioned before, and another good friend (occasionally.  He's leaving us for university. *pouty face*)

I'm excited for the benefits of the new job: more hours, pay raise, good company, learning more about my craft.  I've nervous about some elements of the job: longer work hours while carrying a full credit load, brand new responsibilities to learn, harder work (read: *using drills instead of pens* :-p), and the possible impact of boyfriend-turned-co-worker.  But I have faith that all will be delightful and it's an exciting new experience! (and oh look! A new label for my blog! ;-)

I have an audition downtown tomorrow!  It's my first audition that has not been for a college production, and I'm a little nervous.  It's with Salt Luck Arts, of which I could not find much about, and it's for a short play festival in September.  My current worries are will I get cast? and if I get cast will I be able to accept? (good ole transportation issues, rehearsals that would be a half hour away, etc.)

Until next time: rock your weekend, sleep well, smile lots, break a leg, or whatever else happens to suit your fancy. ;-)

Blogger In Draft Changes?

For those of you who have Blogger in Draft- are you feeling the new dashboard?  Maybe I just don't stay up on news, but I wasn't expect the change at all!  Nothing was recognizable, but it does seem easy to figure out and fairly organized.

Toes at Tiffany's!

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Niki has a fun little post showing off her rocking nail polish, and I can't resist sharing too!  I've fallen in love with something in a bottle (that isn't an alcoholic beverage ;-p)

China Glaze is my favourite brand of nail polish (it's just as durable as OPI in my opinion, but the colors are less sedate).  This shade pays homage to my fashion idol, so wearing it is a no-brainer.  When I showed my newly painted toes to my man today his reaction was "Whoa!"  (the kind of "Whoa!" he gives when something is sexy and/or cool. :)  It's a gorgeous colour for summer, and very true to the famous Tiffany's blue.

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"Over The River and Through The Woods"

Did you know that a cafeteria can make a charming venue for a play?  I found it to be so last Sunday afternoon. :-)

Mini Pinot Grigio!
All for me :-p

The renowned summer theatre Cockpit In Court is hosted by CCBC Essex, and Boyfriend is currently technical director of the cabaret stage (Cockpit also boasts the main stage, and the two stages will hold four shows total, overlapping each other over the summer). Last weekend was the first of two for "Over The River and Through The Woods" written by Joe DiPietro and directed by local Sherionne Brown.  "Over The River" is a well-written and touching story of an Italian young man, Nick, and his relationship with his four grandparents.  Act One keeps the laughs rolling, touching on all sorts of stereotypes about immigrants, Italians, and family dynamics that anyone can relate to.  Act Two slows and sombers slightly, keeping to the charming heart of the story but taking us through Nick's hard decision to start a life of his own.  The actors, all local to Baltimore, did a fantastic job!  I thought they had wonderful chemistry and comedic delivery, and handled the sad moments beautifully.  (Click here for a cute picture of the cast and their names!)

The Cockpit cabaret stage productions are done in the round and held in the cafeteria of the Essex campus of CCBC.   The full rigging system for theatrical lighting and dinner-style seating ensure that viewing the show is an enjoyable experience, complete with light fare of salad, sandwiches, deserts, wine, and soda.  I enjoyed the show immensely, and am looking forward to the second production to be held in this venue,  "The Edge of Darkness".  "Over The River" closes this Sunday afternoon, so you have two chances left to see it! 

Park Outing

 

I'm outside on a beautiful summer evening, and I'm wearing shorts.  :-D Every day is a party when you feel like yourself again!!  :-)

I might change the title of my blog to "Chronicles of Short Girl".  Thoughts? ;-)

On this same outing I'm pretty sure I squeezed Boyfriend's hand numb from fright as we walked along a narrow road flanked by woods (the path from which the above picture was taken).  The evening breeze was creating lots of mysterious rustling noises in the lonely park, and I was sure someone was hiding, waiting to jump out at us!  This is why I shouldn't watch so much of "The Unit". :-p

*edit: all photos taken by Boyfriend

Blue Sky Call

Last night I had an ephipany.  (One that I've had multiple times, and then never really lived up to.  Oh, how forgetful is [wo]man.)  One of the main sources of frustration in my life currently could be my lack of direction, and my lack of initiative to find said direction.  Also, by both choice and necessity in various ways, I am very reliant on others.  Not to say we shouldn't rely on others.  I'm all about community.  But heck, I'm 24 years old, and in a lot of ways, going no where fast.  *insert whining you've all heard in various forms before*

I know in theory what I need to do- take charge of my life.  Which I have been doing in various ways, bit by bit for some time now. Yet I still feel like I'm failing; missing something; not doing enough, etc.

I have one main plan and one main plan only for my life.  It's a plan that is one half my own and the other half one that I was taught I should carry out.  But it's not looking like that plan is going to happen anytime soon.  So what the heck am I going to do instead?  Or in the mean time, at least?

Just pondering.  Soundtrack for pondering:

[June] Obsessions

Well, I have a confession to make about this month's obsessions: It was hard to settle on what to write about!  With a lot more free time on my hands, I have been allowing lots (probably too much) of media to eat up my time.  Within a couple weeks I watched an entire season of three different television shows!  Said TV shows were Gilmore Girls (season 3), The Unit (season 1), and The Dick Van Dyke show (season 1).  The last one is on Hulu, in its full five-season glory and it makes me giggle so hard and brightens my day!  Adorable cast. :-)

I've also been listening non-stop to Skillet's "Awake" album.  For a week or two in which I was really depressed and frustrated for no reason, listening to it somehow felt like a release.  So I've been listening to it a lot (very loudly).

However, I have picked one thing to meaningfully present to you this month.  Earlier this week, someone very close to me made a comment which I found demeaning and hurtful.  Unintentionally (I think) they basically told me that theatre is of no value to life.  Well, I'm a theatre major!  I'm an actress!  And like it or not, I look up to this person.  I'm still so upset I haven't been able to tell them how much they hurt me.  I've actually barely talked to them since the comment occurred.  Well, out of that hurt a song called "Rose's Turn" from the musical Gypsy came to mind, and I've kept it close to my heart all week.  Rose is "the ultimate show business mother" who put her dreams on hold for everyone else, but this song is her anthem of recognizing herself, her needs, and her personal demons.  While the context of the story and who Rose was is very different than my life, I still identify with it.  It's traditionally sung with such anger and passion that listening to it motivates me to stay true to one of my greatest loves-performing.

Here is the awesome Bernadette Peters singing "Rose's Turn" on the Tony Awards in 2003:

Well, someone tell me, when is it my turn?
Don't I get a dream for myself?
Starting now it's gonna be my turn.
Gangway, world, get off of my runway!
Starting now I bat a thousand!
This time, boys, I'm taking the bows and
everything's coming up Rose!

Keep Walking On

Happy Friday!  I am definitely in a "T.G.I.F." mood!  My supervisor was on vacation this week, and it was up to me to keep our front desk manned (er, womaned? :-p).  Since summer session classes are few compared to the regular year, things have gotten a little lonely here.  And then, I've gone home and pretty much watched TV by myself or slept every evening.  But Friday is here, and tomorrow I have plans I am quite excited about, and then Sunday will be busy as well.  Yay for summer weekends!

I didn't adjust too well at the end of May/beginning of June going from a very busy schedule of rehearsal and classes and studying and work and social obligations to, well...almost none of those things.  I got downright depressed and moody for about a week, actually.  However, a few exciting things did come along the way, including:

~my day spent as a movie extra!
~elections for our Phi Theta Kappa chapter (I am now Alpha Rho Psi's president for 2011-2012.)
~being team captain for Alpha Rho Psi's Relay for Life fund raiser (I organized all our logistics, stayed up all night, walked the track for hours, and we raised over $1500 and counting!)
~wearing dresses and shorts again in public and feeling completely normal about it :-D

This morning my good blogging friend Yelena had a post that greatly encouraged me.  Contentment and patience and future plans have been something weighing heavily on both myself and Boyfriend lately.  Yelena's post reminded me that life never does turn out "perfectly" or the way we plan it, but if we have faith and patience, it will turn out perfectly as designed for us as individuals.  Check out "God, Why Did This Happen To Me?" if you have the time. :-) Also, Yelena's other recent entries will take your breath away as she is chronicling her tour of London!

I hope that wherever you are reading this from there is some beautiful sunshine you can go out and enjoy!  And if not, make sunshine wherever you go. ;-)

found on weheartit.com

Summertime Playtime!

To me, picking strawberries, cutting flowers, and taking pictures qualifies as playtime. <3

This is a wild miniature strawberry plant I have in the back yard.  And isn't the gold and sapphire ring lovely?  It was my mom's.

Lovely colours.  The blue and white vase is one of my favourites!

Oh and...I have feet and legs again!  This time last summer -even up to a few months ago- everything up to my knees excluding my toes were wrapped in bandages.

I'm not quite ready to go out beyond my home in leg-revealing clothing (too much scarring) but I'm sooo excited and grateful none the less to be getting my ivory skin back!

QOTD

Via ThoughtCatalog.com

"You can grow up anytime you want. You can do it at 20, 25, or 40. It doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with age. Growing up just means deleting things and people who are bad for you. It means taking care of business, taking care of yourself, and not repeating the same mistakes. Everyone has their own growing up to do. It does not mean you have to drink Earl Grey every night, get a cat and be in bed by 11." -Ryan O'Connell

(I don't own a cat yet, but I have been going to bed pretty early, and Earl Grey happens to be delicious! :-p)

Whoa! This Is New.

*phone ringing in my ear*
Operator: "Central Casting"
Me "Yes, hello!  Is this *Agent Lady*?"
Operator: "No. Please hold for *Agent Lady*
Me: "Thank you!"
...
*Agent Lady*: Hello?
Me: "Yes, this is Deborah. You emailed me in response to *title of HBO movie here*? I was just returning your message."
A.L.: "*blank silence* Oh!  Didn't I JUST send that email?"
Me: "Yes ma'am.  I, uh, have a BlackBerry, so um, I got your message and called you right away!"
A.L.: "*laughs* oh ok!  She's a mind reader!"

...and the following conversation entailed the details of what will be my first job on a movie!  I don't get location and full details until I call in the day before the shoot, but I am officially going to be working on a movie!  More to come. :-D

(my current tag for this post isn't completely applicable, I suppose! ;-)

One Semester Closer

As I mentioned yesterday, my classes and finals are over!  What did I take, you may ask?  I did a poor job of writing about my academics on my "college" blog this semester, so here's a wrap up of related items...

I am hypothetically done with math on the community college level.  I took Mathematical Concepts, in which we studied different types of interest, probability, number sequences, mortgages, and similar math-based concepts and processes with real life application.  Because anything involving numbers freaks me out, I struggled to do well in this class but I did pass it. :-)

With the company of a good friend I took an ethics class.  We spent the semester studying the philosophies of Immanuel Kant, John Rawls, Aristotle, Plato, Ayn Rand, and more.  We didn't write many papers, but had lecture and open discussion with our teacher and monthly exams.  I really enjoyed this class.  My teacher was engaging and helpful, and someone who has studied widely topics both inside and outside his field.  I really admire him.

I took stagecraft with our theatre's new technical director.  In the course of the semester our class worked on sets for an opera and a musical, and studied shop protocol, use of various tools, and lighting design.  It was a chaotic semester for our theatre department and our TD is still settling in, so the class didn't go exactly as planned.  But I found that by asking lots of questions and seeking out opportunities to learn, it was a good use of my time (besides being a required class for my degree :-p).  Plus, I got a new job out of the deal!  In the fall I'm leaving office work in our school's English department and joining the theatre's scene shop staff.  I'm really excited!

I once again took private voice lessons and sung in the school's choir, as well as receiving academic credit for being in "Bat Boy".  As a result of taking applied voice I sang a solo in the department's casual concert that went much better (in my opinion) than last year's attempt.

This was my first semester not being involved with the student theatre, but I took my time and energy for co-curricular activities and put it totally into Phi Theta Kappa.  I have plans for PTK to be a factor in my school life for the coming year as well.

It was a crazy, long, and fulfilling semester.  I definitely gained some great opportunities, added to my knowledge, and deepened some friendships.  It was the first semester in which I haven't been dealing with some sort of health issue or personal crisis in the midst of finals, so that was a plus. :-)

Yay for college!

[May] Obsessions

Finals are over!  Besides obviously being relieved that I am no longer responsible for schoolwork, I am happy this means that I can make a return to blogging. :-)

This video is my current obsession.  Everytime I watch it I laugh and make high pitched noises because it is just that danged cute!  I've made my family, my boyfriend, and my boss watch this video.  I just love it that much.  Enjoy!

A Cloudy Victory?

Last night I had just gotten into bed and was scanning my Twitter feed when some of what I read made me jump back out of bed to turn on the TV.  Sure enough, I had not been mistaken- Osama Bin Laden had been killed.

It was kind of surreal.  I watched the news broadcast for a few minutes with my family, then went back upstairs to text a few friends the news and get into bed.  It was if ten years of history had come full circle.  Oddly, instead of feeling intensely happy I just felt shocked and almost a little anxious.  I felt an old but familiar feeling of anxiety fill me.  I remembered how for months after September 11, 2001 I was afraid when I heard planes fly over my house.  I was afraid when my parents left the house to go anywhere without me.  I didn't have anyone close to be killed in the 9-11 attacks, but it impacted me as a terrifying and confusing event.

Last night reminded me that in a lot of ways the world is an unsure and scary place.  I'm grateful for the victory and justice America is enjoying, but it feels bittersweet to me that we live in a world where we rejoice when certain people are murdered.  It's sad, really.

from daybreakingnews.com

I extend my grateful thanks to the men and women who worked tirelessly to find and kill Osama Bin Laden.  I don't condone any of his actions or views.  But his supporters remain alive, and angry  Our nation remains at war.  Will we remain so until all threat of terrorism is eradicated? (Which in a world such as ours, will never happen.)  I feel like it's such a catch 22.  I really don't agree with still being at war and occupying Iraq and other parts of the Middle Eastern world, but I realize that if our troops come home we might be even more at risk for attack.

The link below has quotes from journalists, military, and political leaders from around the world.  It's a fascinating read.

Reaction: Bin Laden's Death

Life Collage

Falling back onto an old favourite because everything currently on my bulletin board is some kind of awesome.  

The poem from the closing night of Bat Boy, with a personal note from Carl. Next to it, one of the "happy/angry" masks from the show. Also, a copy of the program signed by my cast mates.

Souvenirs from Seattle and the convention.

Pictures- of inspiration, of my Love, of a little girl whom I have the blessing of sharing my blessings with.

Program from the gorgeous show I recently saw.

Valentine's Day card from my mom.

And little bits and bobs that amuse or delight me, all on the background of lovely vintage wallpaper.

Deserted Battlefields

During our holidays from school and work, Boyfriend and I like to do what we call "road trips" or "running away".  This translates to simply getting into the car and taking a carefully planned day trip to a cool-sounding place we've never been.  In the year and four months we've been a couple we've taken "road trips" to the York Harley Davidson Factory, Annapolis, and Harpers Ferry National Park.  This spring break we added Gettysburg National Military Park to our list.  We owe this trip to my love and curiosity for history, and to the government for not closing.  We took bikes, cameras, and a picnic lunch and had a great time on a very windy and sunny day. 

This horse had very, ahem, anatomically correct features.

We like to take epic candid pictures.

Playing in Devil's Den

Currently Loving Everything

I secretly get annoyed with bloggers who don't update their blogs for weeks at a time, return to apologize and lament about not updating, and then repeat this process three or four more times as their blog dies an obvious and drawn-out death.  Or they may claim to be "taking time for themselves" and promise to return to blogging.  As I said to Boyfriend and fellow-blogger the other day, "Hiatus is a slow and painful death."  So I won't be doing any of that nonsense.  I think you should update as much or as little as you wish and not apologize for it, because it's your blog! :-) I've been writing on here significantly less, but it's mainly because I was brain dead from the show and busy and happy with my offline life, and I don't need to apologize for any of that. However, I still love blogging, love reading blogs, and appreciate my friends from real life and my interwebs community that read my little old blog.  You rock. :-)

photo cred

I'm currently on spring break and enjoying every second!  I'm spending it at home, but I've had plenty of travel and busyness the last few months to be perfectly content with my own stomping grounds. I got my hair and nails professionally done, so I'm looking extra fabulous.  I saw West Side Story and it was every bit as wonderful as I hoped it would be.  Already been to the mall several times and bought a few new items to spice up my wardrobe.  Gone out for meals and mall-trolling with various friends, and had dinner and drinks with Boyfriend.  Sleeping as much as I want, sitting around in comfy clothes, and generally being lazy without feeling guilty about it.  There are lots more things to come, and Easter to celebrate!

I've taken pause several times to thank God for how healthy and happy I am these days.  Contrasting this years' spring with the last one is humbling and makes me incredibly grateful.  If you've been along for the journey longer than a year or so, you know how grateful I am to be enjoying sleep and food and a pain-free body.  How grateful I am to be enjoying lovely clothes and being pretty close to no longer hiding my skin from the world.  I'm honestly about to tear up just typing this because I am so grateful.  I hope to never take the things I am finally enjoying for granted ever again, and to always carry the strength, faith, and perspective the last several months has given me.

The Emerald City!

A few weeks ago I made my first journey to the West Coast and it was an unforgettable experience.  The phrase "west coast" may bring to your mind palm trees and movie stars and a gaudy sign made out of big letters, but no, I did not go to L.A.  Or any where in California.  I went to Seattle, Washington, and can truly say I understand why people call the state "God's Country".  The Cascade Mountain range surrounding the Seattle harbor, the cool damp mornings and pleasant afternoons and evenings, the friendly people, the gorgeous achitecture all added up to my falling forever in love.

I was incredibly fortunate to have made this trip for free.  I went with three other students from my school and an advisor for the 93rd Annual Phi Theta Kappa Convention.  We convened at the Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle.  Activities included attending leadership workshops, college fairs, electing fellow students to represent us in the various International Divisions of Phi Theta Kappa, hearing esteemed speakers such as Dr Neil deGrasse Tyson (from "Nova"), and ultimately, enjoying a celebration of scholarship and accomplishment of community college students from around the world..  The entire conference experience was extremely empowering, and made me decide to run for president of my school's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.  I felt motivated to improve the quality of life at my college, and to personally become a more dedicated scholar.  Both of those things are much easier said than done, I realize, but I believe that this experience was in some ways a catalyst to my becoming a better person.

Geek-dom aside ;-) I did quite a bit of sight-seeing with my traveling companions, and had a lovely time of bonding and memory-making with them.  We rode the monorail and the light rail in Seattle, stayed in the old Roosevelt Hotel, saw and went to the top of the Space Needle, shopped in the high class Westlake district, walked in the famous Public Market, stared in awe at Mt. Rainier and the Cascade Range, met tons of friendly people, and took a lot of pictures.  My trip made me smile practically every moment, and I lost count of things I found to squeal at because I simply could not contain my excitement.  I slept well and ate well and walked the city both early in the morning and late at night.  I experienced my first cross-country flying and jet lag.  Going to bed at 10pm because your body is certain you've been out until 1am is a funny experience, as is waking refreshed at 7am because you're sure you've slept in till 10am.

Some of downtown

Looking at Alaskan Way, some of the city, harbor, and Rainier

Space Needle

View from the Needle.  The layout of the city is so pleasing to the eye!

Dressed-up Kappans!

P.S. Seattle has the second-largest Equity community in the nation, and I dream of going back one day to get a taste of the arts and see more of the city and the state. 

P.P.S.  The title of this blog is Seattle's current official nickname!