Work, Grades, and Dilemma of Opportunity

I've finished out my first week of the new year and I say it deserves a recap! 

I started my January work schedule and surprisingly found it okay.  The english department office is quiet (that won't last for long) and being a schedule builder in the computer lab at academic advisement is cool!  I found it extremely gratifying to work one-on-one with people.  My job is to help them log into their student information account and sign up for spring classes.  It keeps me moderately busy, and I've encountered all sorts of personalitities so far.  I'm thankful for my patience and people skills, something that my bosses have already noticed and commented on. :-)

After grades were posted from the fall semester I made some very pleasant discoveries!  Firstly, I passed my algebra class.  An incredible weight is off my shoulders!  And secondly, the icing on the cake, I made the Dean's List!!  I didn't even realize I was eligible for evaluation this semester, and I was extremely excited to find that status on my online transcript. :-D

Anderson and I rehearsed both our scenes and my monologue for the competition next week.  We're going to meet Carl on Monday to get some coaching and final rehearsal in before Wednesday.  KCACTF kicks off on Tuesday night at Towson University, and our audition time slot is at 9:15AM on Wednesday.  We'll perform a preliminary scene, then wait for an announcement to see if we made it to semifinals, and then another round of waiting to see if I get to perform both scenes with him plus my monologue on Saturday in the finals.  All in all, competing for Irene Ryan scholarship requires a lot of work and worry that may never fully be utilized. 

And for me that uncertainty of making it to all three rounds has an extra worry.  I was invited by a local director to perform in a reading at the Baltimore Playwrights Festival!  I'm incredibly honored and excited for my first opportunity to work outside academic theatre and appear on the community theatre scene.  The reading is of "Fortune's Child" at the Single Carrot Theatre.  However, the reading in on Saturday afternoon, the same day as the final round at KCACTF.  So in accepting the "Fortune's Child" role, I'm gambling on not making it to finals.  I did this only after consulting Carl and Anderson, and being completely open with the director about my conflict.  The competition process is incredibly selective (16 out of over 200 students will make it to finals) and while I feel a bit like I'm selling myself short or jinxing everything, it seemed wise to say yes and take the chance on something that might help my career.

No matter what happens, it's going to be an exciting week!