summer.

And another semester has come and gone.

Sigh.

I suck at blogging.

But now: the SUMMER! And I hope to write -- at least for no other reason that to be writing and keep up the practice.

Did I mention that I'm not a huge fan of the summer? I mean, I love the season, but working!? Not a huge fan. I miss my Studio classmates and the people I love in Vancouver, though I am loving being around my family here. But I have decided that I can't live life pining to be other places -- I have to experience the now where I am, not where I want to be. Being at home has much to offer and I have much exploring to do while I'm here. So I'm going to try to use this time wisely.

Okay.

Also! Instead of buying a journal for the summer, I bought a sketchbook! I'm excited to use it! I want to use it for writing, but I thought with the blank sheets I can be open to much more than writing... I think I'm going to try and go somewhere once a week and write. I'm not going to get any better unless I keep working on it. We'll see.

I have to open myself up to my creativity. I have this conception of how good I am or what I am capable of. But this only limits my potential! I have so much to give! So much talent to explore! I received 'The Artist's Way' for my birthday -- I think that and 'Freeing the Natural Voice' will be good reading for this summer.

the BiG update

eeessssshhh.
Okay, okay, the whole resurrecting the blog thing didn't work out so well. Who knew Studio would be that busy?
But maybe I can make more of an effort this semester. Shorter posts perhaps. Snippets.
I'm not making any promises.
So what's going on with my life now? Well, I have made it through A-term at Studio and am now onto B-term! I'm very proud of myself for all the work that I did in my first semester, and all the highs and lows that I got through. What a semester. Seriously. The major points: I had huge issues with my lower back, to the point where half way through the semester they recommended that I leave Studio to heal and then come back when I could do the work without worry or pain. I didn't... and managed to push through to the end of the semester with the help of my chiropractor and my teachers. I am so so so thankful I did. I came out with a much deeper knowledge of my back and what's going on there than if I had stepped out of the program. To top it off, my mime final (which is quite physically demanding -- I wouldn't have been able to do it in the middle of the semester) was one of four chosen to be presented to the whole school --- very very exciting and something I am SOOOOO proud of!!! Despite all this, at the end of the semester they told me to take this coming semester off because they were worried about the movement work in B-term (that my back wouldn't be able to handle it)... After talking with my movement teachers and my chiropractor, and my chiropractor talking to my movement teachers, it was finally decided that I will continue on to B-term.
So here I am!
There's still a lot of pressure for this semester and I'm nervous as all get out, as everything gets a whole lot busier (yes. even busier than last term... we have all the same classes plus three more) and there's a whole lot more expected of me. But I am taking it one day at a time.
What I'm working on right now: I'm in a scene from The Shape Of Things, which is fabulous... for those of you who know the play/movie, I'm playing Evelyn (Rachel Weisz's character) at the end of the play, when Adam confronts her about her "art project". It's crazy fun, but really challenging.
I'm also starting to write my powersong -- it's a class you take in B-term where you write a song that tells how you got to where you are -- the things have happened in your life that have shaped you into the person you are. It should prove to be an amazing class though definitely stretching.
We also have playwriting this semester with Aaron Bushkowsky -- a prominent Canadian playwright. I'm really excited about this class!
That's all at the moment.
Oh, the weather in Vancouver right now is gross. Their snow removal system here is ridiculously bad. But I'm enjoying wearing my bright yellow rain boots!!! And jumping in big puddles!

once upon a time...

eeesh. August 2007.
Sooooooo it's been a while. I suppose it's time to awaken the slumbering blog. I mean, no one really complained much that it was on a hiatus, but I am in a new place and away from everyone I love. So I guess this will be good. It may help me sift through things too... though I have to write in a journal every day for class so I'm hoping it won't feel to redundant.
Anyways.
Vancouver!
I have been here for almost 2 weeks now and there is a part of me that feels like it's been 2 months. And yet the city still feels so new, and my room is still not together, and I'm still constantly adjusting. Studio 58 is unlike anything that I've ever experienced before. Every day I come home wishing that everyone could take the classes I'm taking, that everyone should stretch every day and get in touch with the beautiful thing that is the body. I am so grateful to be here, though every morning I wake up nervous and sore and unsure. Before I got here, I bought an ipod Touch and on the back I have a quote by Annie Dillard: "All day long, I feel created." When I found that quote it didn't mean that much to me, I just thought it was beautiful. But since starting Studio--- it is strange how often that quote truly describes how I feel. I feel created. I feel molded. I feel stretched. I feel like I'm being peeled open. And it's really hard, tiring, revealing work. I am constantly having to turn off my censors, push myself to work harder, step over my fears, and commit. It's scary. But entirely worth it.
Okay, I have to go write in my journal, memorize lines, and practice my mime. I will update again soon. Maybe give you a flavour for a day at Studio. Or tell you about my wonderful roomies (all 7 of them!). Or talk about the sites of Vancouver. Or moan and complain about how tired and sore I am. Probably the latter. :)
Love and sunshine.

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?