...Yeah, and it turns out that part of my profile has been invisible since I changed this template--the part where I define Pippin and "ruddy" and SdlA, etc. for anyone who doesn't know them? Yeah, it's been in the same black font as it was on the last template--which means that on this one, it's blended right in. ...So that's why there was so much space between my "people to know" section and the archives! ::grins, then smacks self lightly in head::
-Laurel
11.27.2002
Have spent the past thirty-six hours practically walking on air. ...Had the cast party for the play last night at my house, and not everybody managed to make it (Tim was sick, Rachel couldn't get of work, Chris was probably out with his girlfriend, and Ben M. and Josh just randomly didn't show), but most did, and it went...spectacularly. I just can't describe it. Think one-step-down-from-perfect and you'll be on the right track, though I can't think of anything that would have made it any better. I feel such love for this cast. ...We're going to do it again in December. Feisal's never made a snow-person, and we intend to show him how. (I say snow-person because he doesn't want to make a snowman, but what he calls a "snow-lady".)
Actually, we played out in the snow a little last night, Brandon and Feisal and my brother and Jay Jei and me. ...Jordan and Bunny came out, too, but they didn't get into it, which is just as well, because the five of us who did came back inside all snow-encrusted and left melty bits all over our entryway, but my parents (who couldn't remember the last time they'd seen me at such a high level of excitement/animation/happiness) just shrugged it off. ...I didn't want it to end, but it didn't: I relived it in my e-mail report of the party to Zinni and 'Nanda, and even managed to see everybody in my dreams.
...And then I woke up this morning, and it was still wonderful. My brother's unexpected sweetness and helpfulness from last night hadn't vanished--he woke me up around 9:15 with the news that he'd made me breakfast--which turned out to be an assortment of Eggo Minis with different toppings and an orange slushie made by pouring a can of Slice into a cup filled with snow ("Don't worry, I won't tell Mom you're having soda for breakfast," he informed me...*g*). I thanked him for his help with the party, and he kind of looked at the floor. "Well, you're not going to be here much longer...I just wanted to..."
So I spent the day cleaning under my bed (which I took my time over, but which was much easier than I'd expected) and reading and grinning like a madman over all the friends I have--and have had, but today I felt especially happy about it--and what a wonderful family, home, life, homelife, etc. It's just this...warmth, this tightness like I want to shriek out and jump up and down, all day it's been going on, and I just kept savoring it, 'cause I never dreamed this year would ever be like this, and that even if it was, I'd have nine more months to spend in it before college.
...And I can't really explain it, except in what appears to the naked eye like blatant saccharinity, but really, it's every happiness-running-over cliche ever. It makes Thanksgiving so...I don't know...redundant! *g*
Am going to go now, maybe read over the play e-mail, maybe listen to AIO again for the first time in months (yeah, radio shows!).
-Laurel
Actually, we played out in the snow a little last night, Brandon and Feisal and my brother and Jay Jei and me. ...Jordan and Bunny came out, too, but they didn't get into it, which is just as well, because the five of us who did came back inside all snow-encrusted and left melty bits all over our entryway, but my parents (who couldn't remember the last time they'd seen me at such a high level of excitement/animation/happiness) just shrugged it off. ...I didn't want it to end, but it didn't: I relived it in my e-mail report of the party to Zinni and 'Nanda, and even managed to see everybody in my dreams.
...And then I woke up this morning, and it was still wonderful. My brother's unexpected sweetness and helpfulness from last night hadn't vanished--he woke me up around 9:15 with the news that he'd made me breakfast--which turned out to be an assortment of Eggo Minis with different toppings and an orange slushie made by pouring a can of Slice into a cup filled with snow ("Don't worry, I won't tell Mom you're having soda for breakfast," he informed me...*g*). I thanked him for his help with the party, and he kind of looked at the floor. "Well, you're not going to be here much longer...I just wanted to..."
So I spent the day cleaning under my bed (which I took my time over, but which was much easier than I'd expected) and reading and grinning like a madman over all the friends I have--and have had, but today I felt especially happy about it--and what a wonderful family, home, life, homelife, etc. It's just this...warmth, this tightness like I want to shriek out and jump up and down, all day it's been going on, and I just kept savoring it, 'cause I never dreamed this year would ever be like this, and that even if it was, I'd have nine more months to spend in it before college.
...And I can't really explain it, except in what appears to the naked eye like blatant saccharinity, but really, it's every happiness-running-over cliche ever. It makes Thanksgiving so...I don't know...redundant! *g*
Am going to go now, maybe read over the play e-mail, maybe listen to AIO again for the first time in months (yeah, radio shows!).
-Laurel
11.23.2002
Play is over. Oh, my goodness. I've written so much about it already in e-mails to Ananda and Zinni, so here I'll only copy what's currently on my AIM profile--that ought to fill in the gaps a bit:
Arsenic and Old Lace cast, I love and'll miss you all! ...Tuesday, 6 pm [that's our cast party]: Be there!
Oh, and "Best Screwups of the Play" awards go to:
Brandon: First place for multiple offenses: "blue bra-ouse", "you look like a kook!", breaking the wine glass, and many, many more I'm forgetting...
Jay Jei: Second for not being far behind: two falls on the stairs, "President of the United Straights"
Bunny: Third place for "Mortimer...we need to talk!", etc.
Feisal: Honorable mention for calling Mortimer "Johnny" half the time!
You guys, this made my year.
-[Laurel]/O'Hara/Peaches Latour
...That last is because in the play, O'Hara's mother's stage name is supposed to be "Peaches Latour", only Tharin liked the way I said it so much in my cruddy pretend-Irish accent that she started calling me that, and the whole cast picked it up.
It was great. We had tons of fun, screwed up all over the place, and just laughed (sometimes even on stage, which did not thrill Mr. C). Professional we kind of weren't, but everybody laughed.
So Tuesday'll be busy--economics field trip, immediately followed by SFE Ocean Bowl tryouts (I'm automatically in, but I'm supposed to help run them), closely followed by the cast party.
And then...back to normal life. Or what used to be normal life. Play's been normal life for the past month...
-Laurel
Arsenic and Old Lace cast, I love and'll miss you all! ...Tuesday, 6 pm [that's our cast party]: Be there!
Oh, and "Best Screwups of the Play" awards go to:
Brandon: First place for multiple offenses: "blue bra-ouse", "you look like a kook!", breaking the wine glass, and many, many more I'm forgetting...
Jay Jei: Second for not being far behind: two falls on the stairs, "President of the United Straights"
Bunny: Third place for "Mortimer...we need to talk!", etc.
Feisal: Honorable mention for calling Mortimer "Johnny" half the time!
You guys, this made my year.
-[Laurel]/O'Hara/Peaches Latour
...That last is because in the play, O'Hara's mother's stage name is supposed to be "Peaches Latour", only Tharin liked the way I said it so much in my cruddy pretend-Irish accent that she started calling me that, and the whole cast picked it up.
It was great. We had tons of fun, screwed up all over the place, and just laughed (sometimes even on stage, which did not thrill Mr. C). Professional we kind of weren't, but everybody laughed.
So Tuesday'll be busy--economics field trip, immediately followed by SFE Ocean Bowl tryouts (I'm automatically in, but I'm supposed to help run them), closely followed by the cast party.
And then...back to normal life. Or what used to be normal life. Play's been normal life for the past month...
-Laurel
11.19.2002
Oh, wow, the play is today.
It's 5:41 am--having nothing else to do after waking up shortly before my 5:30 alarm was to go off (I never get in the shower until about 5:50, no matter how early I wake up, just 'cause I don't really like washing my hair every single morning, and like to put it off), I decided to finally come and take some notes on Irish accent via Bono reading "Midnight Mass" (thanks ever so to Ananda for sending it to me!). You know, the play is tonight, so I figure it's about time I got a real Irish accent going. I've been meaning to take the notes for weeks, and have never yet gotten around to it. So...
...Will go back and do more of the same, one I finish listening to "Oh, Canada" and "Disappear".
Probably will not get to update this for a couple of days, maybe not 'til Friday. But keep checking. *g*
-Laurel
It's 5:41 am--having nothing else to do after waking up shortly before my 5:30 alarm was to go off (I never get in the shower until about 5:50, no matter how early I wake up, just 'cause I don't really like washing my hair every single morning, and like to put it off), I decided to finally come and take some notes on Irish accent via Bono reading "Midnight Mass" (thanks ever so to Ananda for sending it to me!). You know, the play is tonight, so I figure it's about time I got a real Irish accent going. I've been meaning to take the notes for weeks, and have never yet gotten around to it. So...
...Will go back and do more of the same, one I finish listening to "Oh, Canada" and "Disappear".
Probably will not get to update this for a couple of days, maybe not 'til Friday. But keep checking. *g*
-Laurel
11.15.2002
Saw Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets tonight. Was lovely. Though I could have done without Ron's slug attack.
Mm, am tired.
Play practice was all right today until the end. Then it sucked.
Talked a lot to Jordan and Jay Jei, though, which is always fun and amusing.
Lala, think I'll go now, as I've really nothing to say.
-Laurel
Mm, am tired.
Play practice was all right today until the end. Then it sucked.
Talked a lot to Jordan and Jay Jei, though, which is always fun and amusing.
Lala, think I'll go now, as I've really nothing to say.
-Laurel
11.10.2002
It's been a week since my last update. Huh, doesn't seem that long.
Not much going on that wasn't going on last week. Play practice is still cruddy--and so, as a cast, are we--our first performance is in nine days, and we are by no means ready for it, but perhaps we'll be all right after all.
English is a nightmare: my project is due in only three days, and I've barely gotten anywhere on it, but I hope to have Jane Eyre finished by tonight, that it might be easier to do the myriad questions.
Psych is pretty fun, though, though still a large amount of work.
Have off tomorrow, but must spend part at play practice, and the rest doing homework. Lalala.
Can still rally my spirits every time, though, managing to convince myself temporarily that this rehearsal will be different; and it not being so yet hasn't seemed to have too much ill effect.
Will get off as soon as I read my friends' blogs. I slept part of the afternoon, or I should have Jane Eyre done with already. Gosh, I wish M*A*S*H would play "The Joker is Wild" now, instead of on Friday and Saturday when I won't be home (Friday is play practice, Saturday is this awful school thing that I may or may not go into later).
Ah, well. Winter nights make me dreary; but bright mornings make me happy again. I've got lots to do tomorrow, but I'll do it. I don't have much choice.
-Laurel
Not much going on that wasn't going on last week. Play practice is still cruddy--and so, as a cast, are we--our first performance is in nine days, and we are by no means ready for it, but perhaps we'll be all right after all.
English is a nightmare: my project is due in only three days, and I've barely gotten anywhere on it, but I hope to have Jane Eyre finished by tonight, that it might be easier to do the myriad questions.
Psych is pretty fun, though, though still a large amount of work.
Have off tomorrow, but must spend part at play practice, and the rest doing homework. Lalala.
Can still rally my spirits every time, though, managing to convince myself temporarily that this rehearsal will be different; and it not being so yet hasn't seemed to have too much ill effect.
Will get off as soon as I read my friends' blogs. I slept part of the afternoon, or I should have Jane Eyre done with already. Gosh, I wish M*A*S*H would play "The Joker is Wild" now, instead of on Friday and Saturday when I won't be home (Friday is play practice, Saturday is this awful school thing that I may or may not go into later).
Ah, well. Winter nights make me dreary; but bright mornings make me happy again. I've got lots to do tomorrow, but I'll do it. I don't have much choice.
-Laurel
11.03.2002
Mm. If there was a CD burned off my Rio playlist, where all my mp3s on this computer hide, it'd be quite a set of extremes. Begins with VeggieTales's "Billy Joe McGuffrey" and "Credit Song", which could hardly be more cheery if they tried...
...to U2's "Electrical Storm (BBC Version)" and "Pride (In the Name of Love)", one song sort of pensive, one rockingly noble-type...
...to "Rootbeer Rag" (Dave McLauchlan) and "Dinky's Reel" (180 & the Letter G), two mp3s I salvaged off of audiophilez.com before it got shut down. The first is this cool little piano thing, the second a great Irish instrumental that makes me wish desperately that I knew how to Irish dance (sometimes I even try, but I'm sure I fail miserably)...
...to three other U2 (or U2-related) songs: "Gloria" (one of my favorites, only this's a live version Ananda put on a CD for me), "Mysterious Ways (Solar Plexus version)" (see previous), and "When the Stars Go Blue" (a Bono/Corrs joint effort that's very nice)...
...to last-year's feel-good Oscar nominees "Vanilla Sky" (Paul McCartney) and "Until" (Sting)...
...into the ones I usually listen to over and over: the beautiful "Clocks", by Coldplay, which I want badly to be able to duplicate on the piano someday; "The Fly", by U2, which is sometimes skipped because it's the kind of music I didn't used to like, and sometimes I'm just not in the mood; and the wonderful guitar-driven "In God's Country", U2, which I am always in the mood for, as far as I can tell...
...and then tonight's newbies, also graciously provided by Ananda: U2's "Drowning Man", "Trash, Trampoline, and the Party Girl", and "Slide"--the first and third to fit our semi-depressed-ness (first to correct it if possible; third, presumably, to sympathize in the meantime, only I haven't gotten to listen to it yet), the second because I like it and the version she put on my CD doesn't work on this computer...
...and Billy Joel's "And So it Goes", a lovely little song we sang for choir last year (thanks again, 'Nanda!).
Like I said, a wide variety, though U2 is definitely a recurring theme. ...Right, there's 15 minutes of I-want-to-write-something-about-music-but-I-don't-know-what-ness.
I wish the play would be fun again, but Mr. C has made that all but impossible (I'm beginning to be less and less willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he never got from Bequi and Bunny). It's gotten to the point where you have to go because you love the play, and not because you love the experience. And I do love the play, but it's still a bit on the frustrating side. I mean, to put it bluntly, at the moment, we suck. Except maybe Brandon and Jay-Jei, maybe, but the rest of us don't have much excuse. As for me, knowing my lines doesn't help if I can't say them correctly.
Hm, should read a bit and then go to bed. Looks like I'm going to freeze in the pretty-child shirt tomorrow, because I doubt I have anything else to wear, as I didn't do any wash. Ooh, come to think of it, did I even put the towels in the dryer? Hm.
-Laurel
...to U2's "Electrical Storm (BBC Version)" and "Pride (In the Name of Love)", one song sort of pensive, one rockingly noble-type...
...to "Rootbeer Rag" (Dave McLauchlan) and "Dinky's Reel" (180 & the Letter G), two mp3s I salvaged off of audiophilez.com before it got shut down. The first is this cool little piano thing, the second a great Irish instrumental that makes me wish desperately that I knew how to Irish dance (sometimes I even try, but I'm sure I fail miserably)...
...to three other U2 (or U2-related) songs: "Gloria" (one of my favorites, only this's a live version Ananda put on a CD for me), "Mysterious Ways (Solar Plexus version)" (see previous), and "When the Stars Go Blue" (a Bono/Corrs joint effort that's very nice)...
...to last-year's feel-good Oscar nominees "Vanilla Sky" (Paul McCartney) and "Until" (Sting)...
...into the ones I usually listen to over and over: the beautiful "Clocks", by Coldplay, which I want badly to be able to duplicate on the piano someday; "The Fly", by U2, which is sometimes skipped because it's the kind of music I didn't used to like, and sometimes I'm just not in the mood; and the wonderful guitar-driven "In God's Country", U2, which I am always in the mood for, as far as I can tell...
...and then tonight's newbies, also graciously provided by Ananda: U2's "Drowning Man", "Trash, Trampoline, and the Party Girl", and "Slide"--the first and third to fit our semi-depressed-ness (first to correct it if possible; third, presumably, to sympathize in the meantime, only I haven't gotten to listen to it yet), the second because I like it and the version she put on my CD doesn't work on this computer...
...and Billy Joel's "And So it Goes", a lovely little song we sang for choir last year (thanks again, 'Nanda!).
Like I said, a wide variety, though U2 is definitely a recurring theme. ...Right, there's 15 minutes of I-want-to-write-something-about-music-but-I-don't-know-what-ness.
I wish the play would be fun again, but Mr. C has made that all but impossible (I'm beginning to be less and less willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he never got from Bequi and Bunny). It's gotten to the point where you have to go because you love the play, and not because you love the experience. And I do love the play, but it's still a bit on the frustrating side. I mean, to put it bluntly, at the moment, we suck. Except maybe Brandon and Jay-Jei, maybe, but the rest of us don't have much excuse. As for me, knowing my lines doesn't help if I can't say them correctly.
Hm, should read a bit and then go to bed. Looks like I'm going to freeze in the pretty-child shirt tomorrow, because I doubt I have anything else to wear, as I didn't do any wash. Ooh, come to think of it, did I even put the towels in the dryer? Hm.
-Laurel
Have found loads of great new links and quizzes today, taking a cue from Ananda (see my side panel for link to her blog):
taebin's living4Christ! ...Just found this on my way in, which is why I'm putting it up first (control-C'd it, 'steada putting it in my notepad file, so I figured I'd better paste it before I forgot, or control-C'd something else, or something!). Not your typical blog, as I could tell from the top entry...the journal of a self-admitted imperfect guy in Korea. Pretty cool so far, though I've only read a few entries.
Wallace and Gromit: Soccamatic ...::squeak of delight:: A new Wallace and Gromit film! Hurrah! ...I'm not about to pay for the full set of ten (I'll wait for the video or whatever), but this two-minute-three-second sample was, figuratively, mouth-watering. I'm so happy to see new W&G adventures, no matter how brief!
altonbrown.com ...Yes. The Food Network host of Good Eats has a website. Maybe this's just for geeky fans, like me...but then, maybe it's not. Best quote of Alton's on the site: "I rarely sit down and watch Good Eats because it's tough to not get depressed over the loss of my hair and the expansion of my waist."
jamieoliver.net ...See above. This guy's from the great British cooking shows The Naked Chef and Oliver's Twist.
And now for the quizzes...
What Color Eyes Should You Have?
brought to you by Quizilla
::reads first part:: Ah!--::reads second part::--...ha. Okay, I'd like to point out, just for the record, that, first of all, I have blue eyes...
...and, secondly, that that's not how "dumber" is spelled.
Ya-a-a-ay! I got a hobbit legit! Didn't have to change one single thing! *g* ...My mom thought my Halloween hobbit-costume looked most like Frodo, so this's cool. But I'll try not to encroach upon your vastly superior Frodo-ness, 'Nanda, of course. *g*
...Right, not so many quizzes, but what d'ya want from someone who's only been wandering online an hour?
More another time. Cheerio!
-Laurel
taebin's living4Christ! ...Just found this on my way in, which is why I'm putting it up first (control-C'd it, 'steada putting it in my notepad file, so I figured I'd better paste it before I forgot, or control-C'd something else, or something!). Not your typical blog, as I could tell from the top entry...the journal of a self-admitted imperfect guy in Korea. Pretty cool so far, though I've only read a few entries.
Wallace and Gromit: Soccamatic ...::squeak of delight:: A new Wallace and Gromit film! Hurrah! ...I'm not about to pay for the full set of ten (I'll wait for the video or whatever), but this two-minute-three-second sample was, figuratively, mouth-watering. I'm so happy to see new W&G adventures, no matter how brief!
altonbrown.com ...Yes. The Food Network host of Good Eats has a website. Maybe this's just for geeky fans, like me...but then, maybe it's not. Best quote of Alton's on the site: "I rarely sit down and watch Good Eats because it's tough to not get depressed over the loss of my hair and the expansion of my waist."
jamieoliver.net ...See above. This guy's from the great British cooking shows The Naked Chef and Oliver's Twist.
And now for the quizzes...
What Color Eyes Should You Have?
brought to you by Quizilla
::reads first part:: Ah!--::reads second part::--...ha. Okay, I'd like to point out, just for the record, that, first of all, I have blue eyes...
...and, secondly, that that's not how "dumber" is spelled.
 |
 |
 |
Ya-a-a-ay! I got a hobbit legit! Didn't have to change one single thing! *g* ...My mom thought my Halloween hobbit-costume looked most like Frodo, so this's cool. But I'll try not to encroach upon your vastly superior Frodo-ness, 'Nanda, of course. *g*
...Right, not so many quizzes, but what d'ya want from someone who's only been wandering online an hour?
More another time. Cheerio!
-Laurel
11.02.2002
Went to Bethie's with Melly and Bunny tonight, as a TMBG-concert substitute. We had fish fry (Bunny works at Pizza Hut, and won't stand for pizza anymore for dinner most nights) and watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail--on DVD. Rent this DVD, even if you have the video. The sing-along and especially the Lego-people version of the Camelot song are well worth the money you'll pay. *g*
Play went all right. We were missing so many people that I didn't have time to go out in the hall, 'cause Mr. C was always making me read another part when I wasn't onstage. I actually blanked out on one of my lines today--totally missed it--which is bad, 'cause I never do that. And my Irish accent was truly crap today, which was even worse. ...Aneya suggested, when I told her this, that I go ask Mrs. W for help, since she taught for some years in a heavily-Irish part of Boston, and has already regaled us with her impersonations of them. And Melly and Bunny think I should, too, but...well...
It's a wonderful idea in theory--especially since she'll be at the play, and if I screw up, she'll be ready with the comment that I should have asked her for help--but, you know, part of me still quails at the prospect of asking her how to pronounce my a's and e's and whether to ever tap my r's. ...I mean, there's an element of the ludicrous in the idea, isn't there? ...And besides...she loves my writing, and I feel like I should like her as much as Ananda did and does...but bare truth be told...she scares me sometimes. She's so quick to praise--but so quick to criticize, and both are lightning-fast and unsoftened. And both are equally frightening--I can't read her glowing-praise pen-scribbles on my essays without wondering whether to blush or flinch. I neither deserve nor want such ridiculously lofty exaltation as my writing gets...and I definitely do not want to Ph.D in writing, which she seems to have her heart set on, like my dad did for so long. Meanwhile, the other kids talk in study hall about the harsh-type things she's written on their essays...things like "self-indulgent"...and she told all the seminar groups how she was making Sarah write her essay over because it was negative and preachy, and Sarah's so nice, and so friendly, and so undeserving of something like that being told to the entire 37 kids...
...To put it bluntly, she scares me enough when we're dealing with things I can do. To have her instruct me in a vocal nuance I haven't been able to get...I don't know. I'm, well...not good at not being good around her. She forces me to new heights in my English, and for that I'm grateful. And she's very smart, and, in many ways, she thinks like I do. It's not that I don't like her. ...But I don't like her as much as Ananda did, and as I feel like I ought to, considering how obviously she likes me. ...And it's not even something I'd be doing with somebody else. It'd be just me. And I like small classes, but not that small. Not with anybody, and definitely not with someone who commands that much power.
Anyway, practice was sort of on the frustrating side--it hasn't been as much fun lately, as I said. I got a stick, though, that Mr. C made as my policeman-type billy club (whatever the heck they put "billy" in there for). It's wooden and thick, and--as I found out--it makes a lot of noise when you try to toss it from one hand to the other and end up dropping it on the stage. ...As I also found out, it hurts when you hit yourself in the knee with it accidentally.
Mr. C has been much more profane lately. I've never had a director who was. It's strange. ...Was also strange to drink out of the same bottle as Feisel. I felt sort of guilty and awkward and germy drinking the poor boy's Coke, but it's in the script (only we're supposed to be drinking Irish whiskey), and today I had to do it. He thought it was funny. Mr. C did not understand my finding this awkward and weird. ...'Course, there're a lot of things he doesn't see as such, like playing Mortimer when Tim's out, and making Rachel hug him instead (once again, I'm thankful that I'm O'Hara and not Elaine after all, though I do have to say PG-ish things).
Mm. Should go to bed.
-Laurel
Play went all right. We were missing so many people that I didn't have time to go out in the hall, 'cause Mr. C was always making me read another part when I wasn't onstage. I actually blanked out on one of my lines today--totally missed it--which is bad, 'cause I never do that. And my Irish accent was truly crap today, which was even worse. ...Aneya suggested, when I told her this, that I go ask Mrs. W for help, since she taught for some years in a heavily-Irish part of Boston, and has already regaled us with her impersonations of them. And Melly and Bunny think I should, too, but...well...
It's a wonderful idea in theory--especially since she'll be at the play, and if I screw up, she'll be ready with the comment that I should have asked her for help--but, you know, part of me still quails at the prospect of asking her how to pronounce my a's and e's and whether to ever tap my r's. ...I mean, there's an element of the ludicrous in the idea, isn't there? ...And besides...she loves my writing, and I feel like I should like her as much as Ananda did and does...but bare truth be told...she scares me sometimes. She's so quick to praise--but so quick to criticize, and both are lightning-fast and unsoftened. And both are equally frightening--I can't read her glowing-praise pen-scribbles on my essays without wondering whether to blush or flinch. I neither deserve nor want such ridiculously lofty exaltation as my writing gets...and I definitely do not want to Ph.D in writing, which she seems to have her heart set on, like my dad did for so long. Meanwhile, the other kids talk in study hall about the harsh-type things she's written on their essays...things like "self-indulgent"...and she told all the seminar groups how she was making Sarah write her essay over because it was negative and preachy, and Sarah's so nice, and so friendly, and so undeserving of something like that being told to the entire 37 kids...
...To put it bluntly, she scares me enough when we're dealing with things I can do. To have her instruct me in a vocal nuance I haven't been able to get...I don't know. I'm, well...not good at not being good around her. She forces me to new heights in my English, and for that I'm grateful. And she's very smart, and, in many ways, she thinks like I do. It's not that I don't like her. ...But I don't like her as much as Ananda did, and as I feel like I ought to, considering how obviously she likes me. ...And it's not even something I'd be doing with somebody else. It'd be just me. And I like small classes, but not that small. Not with anybody, and definitely not with someone who commands that much power.
Anyway, practice was sort of on the frustrating side--it hasn't been as much fun lately, as I said. I got a stick, though, that Mr. C made as my policeman-type billy club (whatever the heck they put "billy" in there for). It's wooden and thick, and--as I found out--it makes a lot of noise when you try to toss it from one hand to the other and end up dropping it on the stage. ...As I also found out, it hurts when you hit yourself in the knee with it accidentally.
Mr. C has been much more profane lately. I've never had a director who was. It's strange. ...Was also strange to drink out of the same bottle as Feisel. I felt sort of guilty and awkward and germy drinking the poor boy's Coke, but it's in the script (only we're supposed to be drinking Irish whiskey), and today I had to do it. He thought it was funny. Mr. C did not understand my finding this awkward and weird. ...'Course, there're a lot of things he doesn't see as such, like playing Mortimer when Tim's out, and making Rachel hug him instead (once again, I'm thankful that I'm O'Hara and not Elaine after all, though I do have to say PG-ish things).
Mm. Should go to bed.
-Laurel
11.01.2002
Greetings from economics class--computer malfunctions have left me some free time.
The problems from the aforementioned journal were all resolved, and I even managed to find myself a Halloween costume (I was a hobbit, and a much better hobbit than I was in May for the movie, too!), though I only stayed home and handed out candy.
Play is all right. I think I'm not quite as enchanted at the moment with it as usual, because it hasn't been quite as fun, but I think that'll only last until we have another big pre-rehearsal riot. Then it'll be fine. *g*
I hope my mom makes my oral surgery appointment soon. My wisdom teeth need to come out. Today it hurts to be surprised, 'cause when I drop my mouth open, my gums protest. So it wasn't very helpful that I accidentally elbowed my friend Megan in the chin this morning as I raised my arms to show off my T-shirt to Bethie. Wearing my TMBG one today, though we can't go to their concert tonight like we wanted because the theater won't let anyone in under 18 (they're serving alcohol or something). ...So we may go bowling or something instead, and if not, I'll see if I can help out with my church's international dinner thing (have never managed to be there for a missions conference dinner--someday I will, though, maybe, and maybe even tonight).
Have plenty of study hall today, and no psych homework to do in it, for once, so maybe I'll catch up on my English. ...Or maybe, against my better judgment, I'll just read.
I spend my offstage time from the play in the hall now, mostly. It's no fun staying in the room because Bunny's never in there when she's not onstage, and Jordan and Jay-Jei are always playing Go, which I neither know nor care to learn, and if they're not, they're both buried in scripts and books, respectively, and would barely look up if I waved a hand in their faces. ...Well, maybe Jordan would. But Jay-Jei definitely wouldn't. ...Anyway, I usually end up sitting, watching the play, eating some random thing, sometimes even murmuring the lines under my breath if the actors can't remember them and I can.
I may actually be able to study an Irish accent now--realizing while watching my LotR DVD that Dominic Monaghan is Irish, and spent part of yesterday on the DVD to hear him speak (and what a lovely voice he has, now I think about it--almost as nice as Billy Boyd's) and to figure out what hobbits wear, to help me with my Halloween costume.
...As I told Ananda, I think it's the first time I've ever wished that Merry had more lines than Pippin. His Fellowship bits aren't much to study. Wish Two Towers came out before the play. Ah, well--it's less than two months away now!
Cheerio for now--class'll end in another five minutes.
-Laurel
The problems from the aforementioned journal were all resolved, and I even managed to find myself a Halloween costume (I was a hobbit, and a much better hobbit than I was in May for the movie, too!), though I only stayed home and handed out candy.
Play is all right. I think I'm not quite as enchanted at the moment with it as usual, because it hasn't been quite as fun, but I think that'll only last until we have another big pre-rehearsal riot. Then it'll be fine. *g*
I hope my mom makes my oral surgery appointment soon. My wisdom teeth need to come out. Today it hurts to be surprised, 'cause when I drop my mouth open, my gums protest. So it wasn't very helpful that I accidentally elbowed my friend Megan in the chin this morning as I raised my arms to show off my T-shirt to Bethie. Wearing my TMBG one today, though we can't go to their concert tonight like we wanted because the theater won't let anyone in under 18 (they're serving alcohol or something). ...So we may go bowling or something instead, and if not, I'll see if I can help out with my church's international dinner thing (have never managed to be there for a missions conference dinner--someday I will, though, maybe, and maybe even tonight).
Have plenty of study hall today, and no psych homework to do in it, for once, so maybe I'll catch up on my English. ...Or maybe, against my better judgment, I'll just read.
I spend my offstage time from the play in the hall now, mostly. It's no fun staying in the room because Bunny's never in there when she's not onstage, and Jordan and Jay-Jei are always playing Go, which I neither know nor care to learn, and if they're not, they're both buried in scripts and books, respectively, and would barely look up if I waved a hand in their faces. ...Well, maybe Jordan would. But Jay-Jei definitely wouldn't. ...Anyway, I usually end up sitting, watching the play, eating some random thing, sometimes even murmuring the lines under my breath if the actors can't remember them and I can.
I may actually be able to study an Irish accent now--realizing while watching my LotR DVD that Dominic Monaghan is Irish, and spent part of yesterday on the DVD to hear him speak (and what a lovely voice he has, now I think about it--almost as nice as Billy Boyd's) and to figure out what hobbits wear, to help me with my Halloween costume.
...As I told Ananda, I think it's the first time I've ever wished that Merry had more lines than Pippin. His Fellowship bits aren't much to study. Wish Two Towers came out before the play. Ah, well--it's less than two months away now!
Cheerio for now--class'll end in another five minutes.
-Laurel