Eagles and Children

As some of you may or may not know, I love films. I love watching them, talking about them, researching them -- you name it. Along with all that, I also love reading/hearing what other people have to say about films, including Christian film critics who appreciate film as an art medium and base their critique on artisitic merit as well as moral content. One man that does this is Jeffery Overstreet. He writes reviews for ChristianityTodayMovies.com, Response Magazine, his own website "LookingCloser.com," as well as various other magazines and publications. He also has a book called "Through a Screen Darkly", which is a fantastic book for any film lover, and is coming out with his first novel, "Auralia's Colours". I found his reviews shortly after I really started to get into film. Before that, Christian movie reviews meant a list of swear words, violence, alcohol, etc.. Jeffrey approaches film with the big picture in mind -- what does a film say about God and our relationship with him, how does art fit into our worldview, etc.. Of course, he isn't the only one -- artsandfaith.com is a great website where many Christians gather to discuss film, music, visual art, books, and a variety of other topics.
So why all this discussion about Jeffrey. Well, he has a new blog. And it's called "The Eagle and Child" -- the very same name as my blog! :) In the spirit of the pub where Tolkien, Lewis, and others met to discuss their art, Jeffrey's blog hosts his conversations with artists and people of faith about their art, their lives, and their inspirations. Very cool. You can find it at eagleandchild.wordpress.com. Since we now share the same blog name (what are the odds of that -- seriously!), I thought I'd take the opportunity to plug his stuff and give everyone a little heads up. So feel free to have a pint at The Eagle and Child across the border, and tell him Steph sent you! :)

Oh those brits

So lately I've been going through a British TV phase. It started with the British version of The Office. Brilliant. So funny and yet so awkward and so completely different from the American version. From there, I started watching A Bit of Fry and Laurie (seriously, how much do I love Hugh Laurie) and Extras (how much do I love Ricky Gervais)... and now, through the suggestions of my brother and sister-in-law, I've been watching Jeeves and Wooster, and I'm hooked on The IT Crowd. Trish and I also spent the way home from New Jersey listening to the Hitchhiker's Guild to the Galaxy radio series.
It's a crying shame that there's only six episodes per season there. But I guess that's the European way vs. the American way: quality vs. quantity.

Okay, okay, so I'm exaggerating a little. We can't forget House.

I should really write something.

If Google (not the people behind Google) was a living, breathing person, I think I would date him. I mean, how handy would he be. He'd always keep in touch, he'd store all my stuff for me, he'd be really smart because he browses all kinds of books and articles, but he'd also be willing to share it with me, he'd always know where he's going and where on the earth he's located, and he'd be really good at finding things. I think it would be a great match.
I am loving Google at this moment. A trip to my brother's does that -- revives my appreciation in technology. :)

On a completely different note, today at work I had to punch in the order number of the files I was scanning before I scanned them. Today's files all started with three 0's and then either 8,7, or 6. So in punching that in, I would hear 'beep beep beep.. beep'. Which made me think of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 everytime I punched an order number into the scanner. I had Beethoven's 5th in my head most of the day.
I've had worse things in my head.

new leaves

I am by nature a lazy person. This is what I have come to realize about myself. I think I've known this for quite some time, but never really wanted to admit it, because, let's be honest, who actually wants to admit that they're lazy. But I am -- it's out. Well, maybe it's not so much about being lazy as it is about having a lack of motivation. Are those two things interchangable? I don't know exactly, but I do know that I can not tell you the amount of times I have decided to do something and then quit within a couple weeks -- diets, flossing, excercising, homework, reading... etc. I know I'm not alone on this one, but it's starting to get irritating.
So with one semester left at Redeemer, I have decided that I am going to make this a good one. I hestitate to say "my best semester yet" because I don't rate my semesters based on my motivation level, but I hope to start and maintain certain disciplines for my last semester. One of those things is exercising. After Redeemer is done I will be auditioning for some top knotch theatre schools, and being fit (or at least a good mile on the road to being fit) would be good. I don't know if they look for that specifically but I know it is definately beneficial. Another is homework. I am already on that one, as I am reading novels for my classes during the summer. But with only four classes this semester, rather than five, there is lots of room to be on top of my reading and start working on my essays in advance rather than the night before. While I have done the night before thing my entire university career, this past semester I definately felt hindered by it because it didn't allow me to engage the material as much as I would have liked. I am really looking forward to all my english classes this semester so I would like to come out feeling like I actually took on what was being taught and worked with it to the best of my ability.
Also, I am going to set aside certain times to practice for voice lessons, learn lines (if I get into the play), and work on my audition pieces. These things can easily get put to the side because homework is more pressing, but if I can stay on top of everything else...
Why am I writing about this in my blog? I'm not quite sure. Maybe putting it in writing provides a sense of solidity to my plans and gives me more motivation to keep them. Maybe it's a sense of accountability. I don't know.
Don't get me wrong, fun is still to be had, and there will be lots of that, but I want to come out of this semester knowing that I earned the marks that I got and that I applied myself throughout the semester. I really really hope that this happens. I think I make this resolution every September, but I feel like this one might be different. Perhaps because it's my last one?

So many films, so little time.

Well, now that I'm back from my vacation in Los Angeles and on a film high... here are some things that are keeping me excited:

!TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL!
Ever since I have realized that this week of film joy and glee is right in my backyard and why the crap haven't I ever gone, I have been in either the U.S. or in Europe while it's going on and so I have never been. But this year? I am HERE. And I am GOING.
Some early film festival highlights:
No Country For Old Men -- The Coen brothers' new film, supposedly one of their best so far. Fun.
Elizabeth: The Golden Age -- I saw the trailer for this a couple months ago and it looks like it's going to be a fun one. I love Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush.
Fugitive Pieces -- This is the opener for the festival, adapted from Anne Michael's book. Both film and book are Canadian. I'm quite excited about it. Now I have to go go reread the book.
There's also a good list of foreign films that I'm excited to discover. Juliette Binoche is in one of them -- Le Voyage du Ballon Rouge. I don't even really need to know what it's about...

!FILMS!
There are a bunch of films coming up from some of my favourite directors... mmm.
Lars Von Trier -- The Boss of It All. Von Trier goes comedy! Being one of my favourite directors, I'm very curious at how he handles a comedy since much of his well known stuff is.. well.. not so much funny. The trailer was funny so I can only hope that the movie is as well... so far, I've heard good things!
Wes Anderson -- The Darjeeling Limited. I couldn't be more excited that Wes Anderson has a new film. While bringing back some of his regulars (Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Anjelica Huston, and a rumour of the return of Bill Murray), there are a few new faces to the crew (Adrien Brody joins Wilson and Schwartzman to make the subject trio of the film, Natalie Portman also stars). With actors like these, I'm sure Anderson can do wonders...
Woody Allen -- Cassandra's Dream. I really don't know anything about it. But it's Woody Allen.
David Cronenberg -- Eastern Promises. While Cronenberg is not one of my favourite directors, I did love A History of Violence, and this film stars Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts -- two actors I enjoy exceedingly. I'm still not quite sure how I feel about Viggo's accent... but trailers can only tell you so much.
Peter Jackson -- The Lovely Bones. One of my favourite books is coming to the big screen with Rachel Weisz as the mother and Ryan Gosling as the father. Fantastic start. Let's just hope he finds a young gem to play Susie.

!SPEAKING OF BOOKS!
Tom Perrotta, author of Little Children -- a book and film that I love -- is working on another book: The Abstinence Teacher. This book is already set to be a film (both of his other books, Little Children and Election, have been made into films) and will be directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, the director duo of Little Miss Sunshine.

LA Film Festival highlights to come!

and a month later...

So again with the no blog updates. Let's just say that the internet is no longer available at work. So that means that there is little to no time to blog. Crummy, but true.
For those of you wondering what I'm doing with my life, I am currently at the start of day 8 of my trip back to Los Angeles. I don't really feel like saying too much about it, to be honest, because I'm not in a blogging mood, but I figured I should update to at least let you know that I'm in LA right now. I've been staying with some friends here (which has been fantastic) and I'm volunteering at the LA Film Festival. A really great experience -- tons of film geeks, lots of movies -- it's a good time. I've also managed to take in a couple sights that I didn't get to last year... I ate at Pink's Famous Hot Dog stand, I walked down Rodeo Dr. and I think I'm going up to the Hollywood Sign at some point. I've also have done quite a bit with Ecclesia Hollywood, my church down here. It hurts to have to leave it again, because I just feel so at home at that church among those people... some people even remembered me even though I had only talked to them maybe twice.
Okay, well, I just got up so I should go find some food for breakfast. Mmmm.

don't feel like a title for this

I bought 'Thank You For Smoking' the other day. It made me happy.
Also, today, while driving to church, I passed a car that had a toilet on its roof. The toilet was sitting upright, without any straps or anything. Bizarre.
Oh and did you know that the first Star Wars movie came out on May 25, 1977? So that means that on this past friday, Star Wars had it's 30th Anniversary! All freaky. All true.

Park this!

Okay so I work in downtown Galt (Cambridge is made up of three small towns -- Galt, Preston, and Hespeler -- I live in Galt). Downtown Galt is very picturesque, though a bit shady, but on the whole a very nice area... lots of old buildings, little shops, you know. But poeple don't really come down here too often. It's kind of a dying area of Cambridge. So the city decided that in order to boost the liveliness of this area, they would build City Hall in downtown Galt. Great. Kind of an ugly building but hey, not a terrible plan. Now here's where I start getting frustrated. Downtown does not have a lot of parking. For the past two years that I've worked here I have parked in this free parking lot up the street from where I work. It was a little bit of a walk, but not terrible, and I could park there all day. Now that city hall is there, that parking lot has been claimed for the people who work at City Hall. First problem -- I no longer have a parking spot. So I look for another one. But here's the most retarded thing: the city made all parking in downtown Galt 2 hours only. If you park on the street, you can only park there for two hours, for the WHOLE DAY. So if you have a doctor's apt and you park on the street, then go home, and come back a couple hours later to go shopping (again, parking on the street) you could get a parking ticket. Luckily for me, the parking lots (particularly the one right beside my work) are still 2 hours, but if you wipe off the chalk mark and move your vehicle every two hours, they can't ticket you. So that is what I have to do for the rest of the summer. Every two hours I have to go move my car to a different spot in the parking lot. This is RIDICULOUS. If Cambridge really wants people to start coming down to Galt, this is NOT the way to do it. I know, people are not really interested in the parking situation in downtown Galt, but when you spend ten minutes one morning trying to find a parking lot where I can park all day and then have to resort to moving my vehicle every 2 hours, knowing that one day I'm going to forget and then I'm going to get a freaking parking ticket... it's rather maddening. And so I write about it here. Woot.

Shakespeare and me

So it's been pointed out to me on a number of occasions that I haven't updated in a while. This is true. I have written a couple of "let's update my blog!" blogs.. but somehow they never ended up being finished. So this one will. Because I am at work and have nothing else to do (besides eating my lunch, which is what I am also doing). Another reason I haven't been blogging is because I really haven't been home. After finishing all brutal essays, portfolios, and exams, I went home for the weekend. Then I worked at Redeemer for a week, while also going to rehearsals and painting sets for The Complete Works show. The following two weeks were the show, the show and nothing but the show (except for one day in which I worked 12 hours straight at Redeemer -- so gross). And now that is done and so I am in Cambridge, working at my lovely office job. Fun times.
So the show. Was FANTASTIC. I pity anyone who couldn't come out to see it. We played six nights and two matinées. Of those six nights, three sold out and the other three were over half full. The matinées were full high school audiences. And we were doing it. We were working as a professional (albeit amateur) theatre company. And in all flippin' honesty, I couldn't have asked for a more AMAZING group of people to work with. I remember thinking once while we were working around the theatre: "I am so lucky" and by lucky I mean blessed abundantly. We worked so well together and we just had a ton of fun. The guys got praised up the wazoo for their work and they totally deserved it, and of course the ladies in the company just smiled because we know they couldn't have done much without us. :) Oh yeah. So the experience was fantastic and now we're taking some time for the summer and figuring out what we want to do next. You better believe that I will be on stage for the next show!

Final(e)s

Two exams done. One essay (3500 words -- due monday), one creative writing portfolio (I have to write 10 more poems and edit the other 15 I've written -- due tuesday), and one more exam (wednesday) to go. I just might die.

If I'm going to be writing a 3500 word English essay I might as well do so with Mozart's Requiem resounding thunderously in my ears. Oh yeah.

Rather fitting...

More Fun Quizzes at QuizPox.com

Spoiler Warning

Okay so I saw The Holiday for the first time last night. And it's been bothering me ever since.
It wasn't the fact that it was a chick flick, or that it was a terrible movie. In fact, this movie had a lot of really great things going for it -- Kate Winslet and her whole story, the fact that Jude Law is a dad and not a player, Kate Winslet, the old man, the settings of Surrey and Los Angeles (England and LA in one film.. love it).... all good things that I really enjoyed. Most impressive was the realistic (in a sense -- how "real" are chickflicks anyway) nature of Kate Winslet and Jack Black's story and how they don't immediately fall into bed, but grow in their relationship... really refreshing and wonderful roles for both Winslet and Black.
So that's all good.... but what irked (urked? erked?) me was the other story line -- between Amanda (Cameron Diaz) and Graham (Jude Law). On their first encounter, they jump immediately into bed because she says that he's drunk, really attractive, and probably won't remember her so why not just have sex? What kind of screwed up logic is that? Then they sleep together again (but not have sex)..... after this, they decide that they might want to start a relationship. Then after making out through most of the movie, they have sex again, after which Graham tells her that he loves her. She never really says that she loves him back. And in the end, she stays in London for New Years and they're a happy couple and we're all supposed to be happy for them that it's going to work out and they're going to be a wonderful couple.. Granted, one should be used to misguided morals in chickflicks and it should be no surprise that sex is involved (and it isn't).. but maybe what got me frustrated was that this story was right along side the other one, which was so healthy in its portrayal, and both were presented as good "this-is-all-going-to-work-out" relationships.. I mean, for heaven's sake, Amanda actually cries over Graham!! It's got to mean that it's going to work!! :S But how messed up is the relationship between these two?? I mean, before they even are in a relationship or acknowledge that they'd like to start one, they've had sex... and when he finally says that he loves her, they've already had sex a number of times and slept together a number of times. And this relationship is supposed to be complicated, but healthy??? I know that this is normal in our society, and I guess I wouldn't be so frustrated with it if the other relationship wasn't alongside of this one... but it made me mad. What kind of model are they presenting here?
Okay, I should stop and work on my presentation for class. But I just needed to vent.

Life goal..... check!

Last night was a monumental occasion in my life. Yes, I was able to cross off the very first of my life goals! Years ago I vowed that before I died, I would see Les Miserable and The Phantom of the Opera on the stage (Lord willing o' course). Well, last summer my mom and I went to see Les Mis (fabulous experience) and last night, my family and I saw The Phantom of the Opera!!!!!!!! It was aaaaaaammmmmmmaaaaazzzzziiiiinnnngggggg. There's something so unique about seeing it on the stage. It was so incredible, especially the Phantom, which was interesting because he was an understudy. But, man, his voice was beautiful and powerful and just wonderful to listen to. Christine was a little too operatic for my liking... I tend to think that Christine's voice should be more pure.. the dudes who ran the theatre were also fantastic. There were tons of comedic moments in the play that were definately not in the movie... so great. mmmmmmmmm... what an experience!!!!
It was also my birthday this past week. It was probably the worst time ever to have a birthday since I had pulled an all-nighter on the sunday night to get a paper done and had two more due on the thursday... but my friends/sister definately spoiled me! :) My roomies invited a whole bunch of people over (I had no idea they were going to do this), and my sister surprised me by showing up (I was supposed to go to her house later on)... and there was cake and fellowship and presents... It was definately a nice break in my week, even though I should have been doing work. :) The best was the fact that one of my friends gave me a used deoderant stick for my present. Seriously. I laughed so hard when he gave it too me... I have the weirdest friends! haha I love it. Good birthday.

hrumph

So I have 15 minutes (crap, now 14) to write this blog because I am fooling myself into believing that I have 15.. er.. 14 minutes to spare before going back to my paper. grrrr.. school.
Antigone is done. Hurrah. I wish I could say that I feel some sort of sadness about the whole thing, but I don't. It was a good experience, but I'm quite happy it's over. The run was rewarding though, and we got a very good response -- the audience was full every night which was fun -- so that was really great. It always amazes me that you can work so hard for three months on something that is shown for a bloody week and then it's over. All that time!! Sheesh.
I am starting the process of thinking about my life after Redeemer........... SO MUCH STUFF!!!! EEEKKK! I could do anything right now! My life is sooo open to possibilities, it's rather overwhelming. Audition for National Theatre School/George Brown. Apply for my MFA. Work in theatre companies. Move to LA. Teach ESL in Asia. Get my Dutch citizenship and move to Europe. What do I do?????
I wish I had motivation. That would really be nice.
Alright, well, enough with the procrastination -- on with my paper. John Donne anyone? :S

It's not too late!

To see Redeemer's ANTIGONE. I play Choragos. It's pretty awesome.
The show is performing friday night and saturday night yet, at 7:30.
In other news, I would really love it if my body would stop being nauseous all day. And maybe it could stop with the lightheadedness too. That would be good. It definately make acting and paper writing a lot easier.

because now I know

You are all welcome to attend:

She That Loved the Spring
A One Act Play
by Stephanie Elgersma

On stage for the first time at Redeemer University College.
Directed by Allison Bennink

The performances are April 12 at 12:00PM and 7:30PM
In the Black Box at Redeemer.

There will be three other one act plays performed along with mine.... these plays are being put on by the Senior directing class. The running time as a whole should be no longer than 90 minutes. There will be a small fee of admission, but I'm not sure what that is yet though.

bitterness

I will be a fifth year next year. And along with my 300 and 400 level English classes, I will be enrolled in a first year biology class.
Sometimes I feel something close to hatred for a liberal arts education.

just so you know

- I'm no longer in Chicago.
- the mainstage is coming up. It runs the last week of March.
- some time around April 13/14, there will be a performance of my one act play "She That Loved the Spring". I will write more details when I know them

breaking

I am in Chicago. Yippee!!

What I do when I don't want to write a paper.

Once there was a wooden leg. It wasn't very happy being a wooden leg because it didn't like it's body. The wooden leg (let's call him Curtis) was attached not to a pirate --- that would be too expected. No, Curtis was attached to a ... dun dun dun... flamingo. Yes. Curtis was attached to a flamingo. And can you blame him for not enjoying being a flamingo's wooden leg? I can't. It was terrible for poor Curtis. The flamingo, named Bombo, had lost his leg in a shark accident (he was riding on a shark and forgot to pay him for his services and so the shark bit his leg off) (oh dear, don't read that line with your mind in the gutter... Bombo is a wholesome flamingo, he doesn't solicit "sharks of the night"). So when he arrived to the shore Bombo frantically fell upon a smooth piece of wood, then fainted. While he was out cold, his bloody stump of a leg fused to the piece of wood -- and Curtis was given a new home.
At first Curtis thought that this was a pretty interesting way to live -- attached to a flamingo. Bombo was a good conversationalist and they talked about many things. Curtis loved having something to talk to beside the twigs on his wood or the sand crystals (they don't really talk much and they're kind of cliquey -- it was a little depressing). Also, he got to meet other flamingos and became quite the cool thing among the lady flamingos. But while this was all really exciting and new for Curtis, eventually the little things started to bug him more and more. Curtis didn't like that Bombo always used him to stand on while the other leg got to rest up against him. He also hated how Bombo always let him drag on the ground when he tried to fly. Curtis kept hitting branches and tree trunks whenever Bombo flew anywhere. But the worst was how skinny the other leg was ... it made Curtis feel like the fattest flamingo leg ever. The other legs had done their best to make him fit in, but it was no use.
There is nothing worse than a wooden leg with self-esteem problems.
All these feelings kept building up inside of Curtis until one day he couldn't hold it in any longer. Bombo had just been flying around and by accident knocked Curtis into a tree. Curtis flew off the handle at Bombo, yelling and screaming at him about how he was always hitting things and having to hold him up and how every other flamingo's legs were so skinny and he was such a fat leg.
Bombo looked at him with sad eyes. A tear welled up in the corner and trickled down his beak. "I'm sorry you feel that way," he mumbled to Curtis.
But then a light dawned in Bombos eyes. "Don't despair Curtis! I know what to do!" he cried with glee. Bombo took off into the air, typically dragging Curtis behind him.
Curtis wondered where they were going. Eventually they came to the ocean. Bombo landed on the rocking waves and plunged his head into the ocean.
"CELINE!" he cried, as best as one can in water. He then popped his head above surface and waited. Curtis was less than thrilled with this plan. Not only did he not know what was going on, he was also stuck underwater!
Suddenly a shark came to the surface. "You rang?" it purred
"Yes," said Bombo. "I would like a ride to the island if you don't mind. My leg is giving me trouble."
So Bombo hopped on Celine's protruding fin and off they went. When they reached the island Celine turned to Bombo. "That will be thirty fish" she said
"Nope sorry doll" said Bombo. "I'm not paying"
"AGAIN!??!?" roared Celine.
Curtis looked at the shark in terror. One does NOT make a shark mad, especially twice!
Celine dove at Bombo, but only got a hold of Curtis. Curtis desperately tried to get away. WHAT WAS BOMBO THINKING??? He could feel Celine's teeth sinking into his wood and peeling away wooden curls. Finally Bombo yanked himself away from the shark and flew off. Curtis angrily told him to land.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??" he yelled.
"Wait," said Bombo, "Look at yourself."
Curtis did. And what did he see? A new and skinny Curtis! The shark had actually whittled him down so that he was almost the same size as Bombo's other leg!
"I'm not a fat wooden leg anymore!" cried Curtis, "and that means I'm lighter and you won't be bonking me into things anymore and I will actually fit in!!!"
HURRAH for Curtis! After that Curtis and Bombo got along famously. They even met Bipsy, a female flamingo that had a pitchfork for a leg!
And Curtis lived happily ever after.
The end

Say Hello

This is Widget. He is my brother's new adorable kitten. My brother took this picture when they brought him home for the first time. SO CUTE.

uniqueness anyone?

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 0 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Oh yeah. Too bad I know it's not true for Canada.

Dear life
I would be most appreciative if you would quit inviting Suck along to everything that we do together. I don't find him particularly friendly and his breath smells.
If you could get on that, that would be great.
Until then,
Steph

That's Ontario for you.

When I was walking in Hamilton today two old guys were standing on their porch smoking. One watched me walk by, then shouted out "Hello, beautiful!". He was at least 60.

the good, the bad, and the ugly

The good:
-- I am in the mainstage and I know I will grow and stretch by doing so
-- things are moving for "The Complete Works of Shakespeare, Abridged"... we have a director and we have a number of highschools that are interested in having us perform there. We definately won't be making lots of money. But that's okay
-- I have been asked to be Assistant Director on a student film project a couple of my theatre friends are working on. It's about 80 pages long and we're shooting it in a week. Oh how I love challenges.
-- the one act play that I wrote for my playwriting class last year is going to be performed!! My friend Alison is in the 400 level directing class and they have to direct an one act play and she asked me if she could do mine... I of course said that would be amazing! It should be interesting..... and I get paid! Not much, but it's something!
-- I'm hopefully helping out a friend with her play that she wrote for her independent studies last semester. She needs it workshopped and discussed the possibility of having me help her do that. I think that would be fun.
-- I saw some really great movies of late: Pan's Labyrinth, The Queen, Babel, and Tape.

The bad:
-- my nose ring broke. I don't have money to buy a new one.
-- my hard drive on my laptop decided to quit on me. There goes 100 bucks! In the mean time I'm without a computer (I'm on my roomate's right now)
-- english classes are just not holding my attention right now. I'm still in film/theatre mindset and it's been very hard to adjust back
-- it's been difficult adjusting back to the Redeemer way of things
-- I hurt my back while at rehearsal on wednesday. It's hard to move around and it's painful.
-- I've been getting sick alot lately. I think it's something to do with the transition back to Redeemer. I'm hoping it will stop soon.

The ugly:
-- finances, finances, finances, and more finances
-- not being in LA right now
-- wait, did I say finances?