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!