February is a short month

My To-Do List:

1)  Finish and Submit Simmons application

2) Get another job, one that pays well and takes place during the day

3) Read a lot of literature - professional resources, critiques, books, etc.

4) Write - Just write.

5) Explore a Boston trip

6) Learn Miss Saigon music and some challenging soprano rep

A Year and 6 months

And every day has been amazing.

November

November goals:

1) November is Write a Novel Month, so I am going to put some real effort into adding to my book. To encourage myself, I have looked into NaNoWriMo (national novel writing month .org) a website that awards you a prize (self satisfaction and a printable certificate) if you write 50,000 words or more. It's doable.

2) Cut down on Mt. Dew. Really, I don't need it...I just like it. But it's bad for me.

3) Regain my 22" waist (though that is asking a lot to accomplish in one month)

4) Exercise body and voice everyday. (Vacuuming the library counts, so does dance rehearsals)

While I would like to add 5) Don't procrastinate on anything, I think I'll put that one off until I have gotten 1-4 well in hand.

I remember one of my voice teachers telling me that it is vitally important to my career that I be happy. "Do whatever it takes, paint your room your favorite color, eat your favorite foods, take a nap, read a book." And I know there are a lot of people in my life who want to see me happy, so I'll do whatever it takes to keep me happy. And the happiness will spread.

Yesterday I auditioned for the Grosse Pointe Theatre's production of The Boyfriend. It was a simple, easy audition and I was only nervous singing my first time through. My leg twitched like mad, but it didn't affect my voice (at least, not that I noticed.) I read several times, sang a lot, danced twice.

I received a call around 7 pm saying that I was cast in the role of Polly. My first time back ON stage since Pirates summer of 2007. I am very blessed that I could jump back in with a lead role.

Here is the synopsis on the GPT website:
The Jazz Age lives on in this light, romantic spoof of 1920's musical comedy. The setting is - where else? - the French Riviera. Polly, an English heiress attending Mme. Dubonnet's Finishing School, falls in love with Tony, a delivery boy. Recalling her father's warning to beware fortune seekers, she posses as a working girl, unaware Tony is in fact the missing son of the wealthy Lord Brockhurst. Things get complicated with the unexpected arrival in Nice of Polly's parents and Lord and Lady Brockhurst - but not to worry, a happy ending is in store for all. "The Boy Friend" is a sparkling, tongue-in-cheek 1920's romp in the spirit of "No, No, Nanette."

Birthdays

Yesterday was Jim's 19th birthday. He spent the majority of the day in class or rehearsal, but overall, he had a very happy birthday.

Today is my half-birthday. For those of you who don't believe in half-birthdays, recall what you told people when you were younger when asked how old you were. (5 and a half....7 and 3/4....etc.) Or, we can just celebrate my very merry unbirthday!

6 Months

It has been six months since my last post, so I will recap a few of the events that have taken place since.

On April 25th, I participated in commencement exercises at the University of Michigan. I recieved by Bachelor of Music from the School of Music (Theatre, and Dance) and am certified to teach Vocal, Instrumental, and General music K-12.




At the end of May, I took a road trip with Caleb and his parents, Jeremy and Tamara, to visit his grandparents, Tom and Glynn, and celebrate their 50th wedding aniversary. We drove from Traverse City to Iowa City, a solid 9 hour drive. I had so much fun meeting his family. It was nice to share his grandparents for a week! During the aniversay party, I entertained Caleb's cousin, Quinn, while he entertained Quinn's older brother, Nolan. Quinn became very attached to me, and I must say, I am quite fond of him as well. I'll add photos soon.

After Iowa, we drove to the UP to stay in the William's new place near Munising. We affectionately call it "The Cabbage" because we use cabin and cottage sononomusly to describe it. Caleb and I took long walks, rowed out to explore the island, put together a Monet puzzle, and watched Northern Exposure. The four of us also went waterfall hunting - which was amazing! They were so beautiful and hidden so well. Caleb and I crawled across a fallen tree high above the flowing waters and got up close and personal with the waterfall. We then had to find our way back across, so we took a detour along the water, looking for a safe place to ford. After awhile, we realized that the only way to get across and back to his parents was to cross the beaver dam. We played Narnia for a moment, lept over muddy patches of floating moss and straw, pushed through the thick brush and made it to the other side. His parents were frantic that we had just vanished, and that we forded the falls. But it was so worth it! And we were forgiven.

Once again, I served as an Adult Advisor for the Grosse Pointe Governor's Honor Guard troop. We had a good year - our theme was Disney and the adult's "patrol" was "The Fairy Godmothers." We had a cute Bibbidy-Bobbidy-Boo sketch. Caleb came to visit and we explored the island together and then snuck into the Grand Hotel. It was very dreamy to share Mackinac with him.

I began working at a real estate company to pay the bills, and have continued to work at the library, also to pay the bills.

Recently I have begun working as a movie extra. I represent Real Style and have done some really cool things. My first movie was the Drew Barrymore film "Whip It" in which you probably won't see me walk into a high school. I'll be very blurry and just background filler. However, you will see me in the movie "Gifted Hands." It stars Cuba Gooding Jr as Dr. Ben Carson, a neurosurgeon raised in Detroit who overcame obstacles to achieve his dream blah blah blah. It'll premier on February 7th on TNT. I appear in several scenes, but I portray a Yale med student. It'll be a fun game to see how many times I appear and in how many different costumes!

I was also hired to attend the NHL FaceOff/Def Leppard concert. I was in the pit at the Fox Theatre and was given a Toronto Maple Leaf T-shirt and a Boston Bruins hat to keep. But really, I was up close and personal with Def Leppard. I managed to get a guitar pic at the end of the concert, too!

I am sure to have many more adventures coming soon!

While the Dali Lama is speaking in Ann Arbor, Dr. Shirin Ebadi of Iran, Nobel Peace Laureate 2003, is speaking to the participants of PeaceJam in Kalamazoo. PeaceJam is an international youth organization that focuses on the Global Call To Action set forth by several Peace Prize winners. Youth's collaborate on projects to better their community, school, state, country, and the world. They meet twice a year, once in the fall to kick off the project, and once in the spring, a two day conference where they do a large group service project and meet the featured Laureate.

Today was our first day - 9am - 9 pm (but for me 8am-9:30pm)! I am a mentor to a group of 12 and we have Family Time where we discuss important issues, both personal and global, attend workshops that focus on inner peace and awareness of injustices, and participate in the service learning project. We went into local communities and collected supplies for women and children's shelters and distributed fliers inviting people to attend Sharin Ebadi's speech that is being given tomorrow night. The students were able to share somethings that they have been learning with folks in the neighborhood. It was really wonderful to see how well they interacted with people in a variety of situations.

We ended the day with a fantastic (and probably very expensive) dinner of traditional Persian fare and Persian dancing.

I can't wait for tomorrow!