Pictures from Last Night

As promised, here are the pictures from last night!

Me with Mrs. Potts



Some cast members, Belle, & Beast



Me and Lumiere (Tyler Bliss!!!)



Actually, Tyler played Barnabas in Hello, Dolly! last summer, so here's the shot last year:

"Show me the Beast!"

Well, we saw Beauty and the Beast at Derby Dinner tonight. It was really good! I knew the person who played Lumiere (Tyler Bliss---he was one of my Broadway Bootcamp instructors), so I got to see him after the show. (Picture probably tomorrow!)

The show itself was great! The people who played Darque, LeFou, Beast, Lumiere, Gaston, and the Silly Girls were especially good. There were a few scenes they cut out that I wish they didn't, but it was still good. It made me even more excited about opening night (The 11th!!!), and I can't wait to try on my rug costume. I saw it today at the show, and it looks cool!

Guinea Pig Squeaks!

Katherine's here! We're about to watch Nightmare Before Christmas, and I just remembered that I needed to blog.

Pictures from our 11-day get together will be posted as they're taken, so stay tuned!

A Day Backstage

Maya suggested that I blog about rehearsal, so I suppose I might as well.

I have yet to try on my rug costume, but the costumes that I've seen are incredible. So far, we have Wardrobe, Cogsworth, the salt and pepper shakers, the Darques, Gaston, LeFou, and several others.

We've been able to get to where we can get through the entire show in three hours. Sure, there are times in which someone says "Line?", but things are actually going really well. I can't wait for the complete rehearsals---with costumes and orchestra!

Videos that Made My Day

Well, actually several things made my day.

-Meeting a fellow bassoonist at rehearsal
-Finding out that both the girl who plays Mrs. Potts and the choreographer play the oboe
-The fact that I'm going to watch Nightmare Before Christmas again tonight
-These videos!

Most of them are by the same person, besides

"Because...You're Dumb!"



"Happy Working Song"



"Frollo the Unicorn 1 & 2"





"Tim Burton and Danny Elfman Movie Melody"

Pointe Shoooes!

Maya got her Pointe Shoes today! She totally loves them, and I even got to see her in them via webcam. She hasn't done much in them yet---besides squealing---but I think she's going to do great!

Congradulations, Maya! Mikhail Baryshnikov and Svetlana Zakharova would be proud to know another aspiring dancer is now on Pointe.

Blogging from Bed

I'm really liking this new setup with my Mac. Considering it doesn't weigh five million pounds, I can easily carry it between my desk and bed. Thanks to the built-in-battery, I don't even have to bring the charger with me. It's awesome, and I think I like the ability to compute in bed.

I spent the evening transferring my files from the old laptop to the new laptop, which actually required booting up both computers. It reminded me of what it was like to use the old Sony Windows laptop---slow, clunky, and...gray. (I was IMing with Maya and Ally on the new laptop, so it was all good) Of course, getting the files meant renaming and sorting, which I probably should have done when I transferred them. I nearly tore my hair out when I thought I deleted all of my photos, but I didn't. I found them someplace else, safe and sound. I really am still getting used to Mac controls, so minor things like that really freak me out.

Mac n Cheese

Well, I did it. I made the switch over to Mac computers, and I'm currently posting this from my new MacBook, Patrick. He is named after the YouTube star Patrick Ryan, who starred as Tom in the Wizard of Oz parody, No Place Like Home.

Current things I've done so far with my Mac:

-Charged it
-Webcammed with Maya (And I still am!)
-Gotten an IM from a random reader using my AIM widget. (Random readers of this blog, don't hide! I give milk and brownies to random readers. I love hearing from them)
-Blogged!

I really think I like this style of computer better than Windows. It's self-explanatory, fast, easy, and just plain awesome. I think Patrick and I will have a long, happy time together filled with excitement and adventure. (When I get my first boyfriend, I suppose I could use that same line!)

...and some PHOTOSHOPPED art...

I did this during the school year, actually. I had the entire Computer Apps period free (As I did for about three weeks), and decided to do something slightly productive rather than just playing Solitaire. Thus, I opened Photoshop, and 45 minutes and a few layers later, this was the result:



Yes, I'm a huge Lion King geek, in case you haven't noticed.

The world has officially gone to the dogs:

(Click on it to expand and show how truly insane modern society is)

More Art

Well, today was rather routine ("There must be more than this provincial life!"), but I did try my hand at Corpse Bride art. I think this came out pretty well for a first shot! I also only had two shades of blue! Besides the pink, all the coloring is done with two shades of blue that were nearly identical. I used black and white to shade and tint, but besides that, it was just blue. Hope you like it.

Artsy

Well, I stayed up until one last night finishing two pictures I've been working on. Here they are:






The quote is the last line of Nightmare Before Christmas:

"My dearest friend, if you don't mind,
I'd like to join you by your side,
Where we can gaze into the stars.
And sit together, now and forever,
For it's plain as anyone can see:
We're simply meant to be."

Same Boring Day

Rather than hearing about my boring day, add some zing to yours by gazing at an incredible drawing Ally did based on me in one of my shorter skits:

At Last!

Maya and I are finally skittling again. It's been forever since we've done so, and currently we're writing about the Phantom Crew having a PJ party at Phantom's. Raoul ate the key in his Key Lime Pie, so everyone is stuck with just their pajamas. Let's see how that goes.

Catching Up

All right, so I have some photos I need to post and have delayed on. Well, here they are:

Ally and me


Me playing bassoon at the last band concert


Ginger enjoys a good book


Stupid sign humor


Heath and me at Callaway Gardens


There! I'm pretty much all caught up. Anything I missed?

Two Celebrations

Two things:

1. Happy Father's Day, dad!

2. Happy birthday, Billy Martin!

See? How convienent is it that two great days are on the SAME day? And 27 is Billy's favorite number, and he's turning 27 today. Hooray!

Freee!

Well, I did it. I survived the ACT.

Didn't exactly THRIVE on it (I was totally slaughtered on the math test), but I made it through. That ought to count for something, right?

It's weird, though---it's like I have nothing to do with my life now that I'm not studying or trying to procrasinate. I'm now enjoying a time of roleplaying, movie-watching, and just plain doing nothing.

Tomorrow's It!

Well, in 12 hours I'll be sitting in a room, taking the first part of the ACT. I'm reviewing math stuff now, and then it's straight to bed. (Well, after finding my passport, sharpening pencils, etc.)

Tired

No, I really can't think of a better title. I really am tired.

-It's about 11 PM
-I got up at 8 after going to bed at 1 this morning
-I had three hours of rehearsal
-We ran just about the entire show

Three hours of running here, there, and everywhere, going up and down stairs...and trying on the Dress of Doom. Well, actually it's a rather nice dress---it's my costume for "Gaston" and "Belle", and well as the finale. The only problem is that it doesn't fit me, it's hard to get on and nearly impossible to get off, and doesn't convey the fact that I'm a chimney sweep very well. Rather, I might be selling lace or something. Nooo: I'm going up and down chimneys, sweeping ash while dressed like Johanna Barker. I just hope my rug costume will be a bit easier to breathe in.

10 minutes of those three hours were used to attempt to (and fail) learn the two-person roll that I the rug and the guy that plays LeFou perform during The Battle. We've figured out what to do...we just can't figure out how to do it. We tried it in the grass, and I have the green stains to prove it. I'm totally wearing jeans next time.

Cast Your Vote!

Ever since I've opened up my LibraryThing account (I'll get the widget back up soon!), I've been itching to see what everyone else is reading. Therefore, I set up a poll.

Which book are you most looking forward to? I'm imagining several people will say Breaking Dawn, but I know there are Eragon and Artemis Fowl fans out there. And Inkheart---that's rather popular.

Of course, there are those lamenting about how there's not going to be Harry Potter: Year Eight or Series of Unfortunate Events: Book Fourteen, "The Chilling Climax---and I'm serious this time".

ACTing in Every Way

Several ways I've ACTed this week:

-Going to rehearsal (Which requires acting)
-Cleaning my room
-Roleplaying way too much
-Practicing/studying for ACT's on Saturday!!!

I'm sort of nervous, and not looking forward to it all that much. Not so much the test part that makes me so negative---more the getting up early and taking a test in general. Oh well: it's not like it's an all-day thing. 5 hours of my Saturday morning...well, when you put it into other terms, ALL of my Saturday morning.

I know it may help me get into stuff, but I can't wait for this week to be over.

Personality for a Rug?

I just got home from rehearsal (Three hours in jazz shoes---my feet hurt!) and they've given me an assignment: come up with a personality/background for my characters, Rug and Chimney Sweep.

Problem is, neither of those have lines or solos, and therefore are sort of a face lost in the crowd. One is an inanimate object that most people walk on, and one is someone who cleans chimneys but can't break out into "Chim-Chimney" from Mary Poppins.

The rug might actually be easier. They say that in Beauty and the Beast land (France, actually), castle characters became the objects of what they were. The wall was 'dull as a brick', and is therefore a brick wall, Babette was a French Maid, resulting in feather duster, someone was freakishly vain and turned into a vanity, etc.

All right. So maybe the rug was a bit of a doormat. That's easy enough...now one just has to make the personality big and perform on stage. It's sort of hard to make a shyer, quieter, stepped-on-er character show through.

As for Mrs. (Or possibly Mr. if they see my short hair and ability to stuff what hair I do have under a hat to make another guy character) Chimney Sweep...well, I'm still working on him or her. For the "Belle" sequence, I suppose he's probably just out to earn some cash by sweeping chimneys (Duh). In "Gaston", he's at the bar because...that's the hip and happening place to add excitement to him/her otherwise dull life.

Fromt the Heat of the Posting Session

My mom just had to remind me to blog. I think I would have forgotten otherwise---Maya and I are in a very intense posting fit. It's nerve-shattering!

To keep you entertained for the night, I just set up a LibraryThing account. I'm having a hard time getting the widget to work, but I think I might like it.

One Hour

That's what I have on the computer this morning. Mike's stupid alarm woke me up at 6, and he was able to fall back asleep. I wasn't, so I just came up here. However, we don't have to start getting ready for another hour, so considering nobody else is up, I can check my boards. Hoozah!

Going Back

Well, tonight's our last night in Alabama. Pictures coming soon, but my mom doesn't have Photoshop, so I can't do it now. Toodles until tomorrow!

Random Reports

Today was a rather mixed bag. Not so much that there was good and bad, more that the events were of mixed...genres.

Item the First: We went to the local library, which was having a "Bags of Books" sale on used books. Personally, I thought a better title would be "If you can find the book you want, you can buy it for uber-cheap", but I suppose the first is a bit easier to remember.

I was looking around for Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, but struck out. However, I got a few rather nice titles, and my mom got TONS (I found Angela's Ashes just in the nick of time). However, I'm happy with what I got: Hunchback of Notre Dame, Nanny Diaries, and Animal Farm. I probably got more, but those were the highlights. This is really good, because I've finished both books I took here!

Item the Second: I tried playing the organ for the first time today. It took a lot of experimenting and trial-and-error before I decided that I'd stick with piano for awhile. I want to be able to play organ, but with a loudness pedal, who knows how many switches, two keyboards, AND a large series of wooden pedals for your feet that are basically a deeper version of the keyboard! I might wind up taking lessons someday, but for now I'll stick to piano, that you very much.

Item the Third: I finished the book I started yesterday. It was called Escape by Carolyn Jessop, and it was a memoir about the group of Mormons (Or previous Mormons---I can't remember) in Utah and Arizona. It was really well written, but not for the soft-hearted. It's thrilling, interesting, but most of all WEIRD. It gets a lot slower towards the end (She kept needing money and---surprise, surprise---kept getting it. It seemed a bit fictional), but overall it was a rather good read. However, I think I need something a little bit lighter---Nanny Diaries might be next on my book queue.

Halfway Point

Well, we're at the halfway mark of our Alabama trip, and so far, it's been really nice. I was able to play piano a couple days ago, and yesterday we went to visit Sandra, a friend of my parents', and her son Heath. We actually got together a few years ago in Germany, but this time was a lot more enjoyable.

We dropped Ginger off at Sandra's office, and headed to Callaway Gardens. We had lunch first---Subway for the kids and barbecue for the adults, but I wound up helping my mom with her sandwich---and heading to the butterfly exhibit. We got some rather nice photos, but when the butterfly exhibit wound down to seeing two kinds of cockroaches behind glass, a tarantula, and the freakiest praying mantis-of-sorts, we found the gift shop to be rather bug-free. We even found some other girl named Annabelle, spelled the same way! That hasn't happened since we saw Annabelle's Wish on VHS.

We also saw the Florida State circus, which was really cool. There was only one guy on a unicycle, but it was a giraffe uni and he juggled on it, so it made up for the one-wheel deficiency. When they said not to try any of this stuff at home, I was expecting to have to jab my mom in the side if they brought out unicyclers, saying it was "too late not to try it at home".

Once we were done at the gardens, we picked up the dog and headed to Sandra's house for a really nice cookout. The main course was steak, which I don't eat, so I made myself a meal of cheese, crackers, tomato & mozzarella salad, and baked potato. The girl I was sitting next to kept on giving Ginger food from her plate (Too much cheese, tons of potato, and about half her pound cake), and now Ginger has an upset stomach. It must have been nice while it lasted, though.

The BEST thing about yesterday, though, is this one guy's first impression of me. When he saw me, what did he tell my mom he thought I was? Pretty? Older? Smart? No, something even better than all of those put together: adopted from Eastern Europe!

When he told me, he added that he didn't mean to offend me. I told him no worries: having someone think you look like you're from Eastern Europe is about the biggest form of flattery among my friends (Well, at least Maya and I). My mom told me he thought I was originally from Ukraine or---get this---Russia. Yes, Maya, if you're reading this, RUSSIA.

Guinea pig squeaks!

"Posting Real Quick-Like"

We're going to be late coming home, so here's an early post! We're visiting some old friends, and Ginger's coming with us to have a puppy playdate. Exact writing of the event coming tomorrow! (More likely on my mom's blog)

Ugh! Gack! Bleugh!

I know about a week ago I was celebrating that I was able to write as Gal again. Now, only a few days later, I'm gagging at my own writing. Of course, Gal has started "writing himself", as we roleplayers call it. That means they sort of break the rules, but the writing is so much cooler. You sort of turn into that character while writing them.

Problem is, I don't LIKE turning into a perverted male gang leader who tries to steal other people's fiancees while he has a girlfriend himself and also has a drinking problem! He's gross to write, and although it's sometimes funny to see other people write (GAG! CHOKING! NOT BREATHING!), it sort of counteracts itself, as I'm also gagging, choking, and not breathing.

Back in the Dark Office

Well, we made it to Alabama. This was the first time I took the DVD player in awhile, and I'm really glad I did. Nothing helps pass time more than Pirates of the Caribbean or Sweeney Todd special features!

We stopped at Panera at lunch, which sort of presented a couple of problems:

A) I'm really starting to get a little sick of Panera
B) I eat one thing on their menu
C) It's soup
D) The soup sometimes makes my stomach hurt
E) I would have ot eat it in the car

However, I survived with all due respect to my Jone's Root Beer---best thing EVER! I have no real plans for this week, besides movie watching, reading Twilight (again and again) and listening to Fergie on my iPod. (Yes, Mike, if you're reading this: FERGIE! And you can't stop me!)