Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The Waiting Game


As I have been in anxious anticipation for the YABC solo email to arrive, I have had some time to realise that waiting is an incredibly unpleasant activity. And it seems that, unfortunately and ironically, it is a major part of many peoples lives. We are always waiting for something new to happen, or something better to turn up. Waiting for the right person, for the right time to do something, for news or results or the next step in our career. I think it could be an integral part of human nature, because even when a time comes when I've received all the news I've been expecting, gotten all my results, done everything on my to-do list, and finally have a moment of relative peace and quiet, somehow or another I invent something else to wait for. And then the whole cycle starts again.
In that case, I suppose I bring it upon myself. The truth is, as much as I complain about being incredibly busy with lots to do, I don't like it when I'm not busy. I like to have things to do, aim towards and (although I cringe when I write this) wait for. So therefore I force myself to go through the unpleasant task of awaiting things. I don't have to audition for shows or solo's, or send my manuscript to editors, or even try to get into WAAPA.
sigh.
Okay so I suppose it's decided that the majority of waiting that us folks complain about only happens because we let it. Sure, we blame other people for our suffering, but in essence, if we didn't want to get whatever was on the end of that torturous wait, we wouldn't bother, would we?
Therefore, waiting is a manmade means of torture by which we . . . test our character? Our strength?
Patience is a virtue. You can't expect to have it without a little bit of practice of twiddling your thumbs and nervously biting your lip while you wait.
Not that I want more practice, but I do need more patience. I'm pretty terrible. Right now, waiting for my solo email, I check my inbox at least twenty times a day. And then groan when I see that STILL there is no email. This drawing out of quite a simple task sets my mind wandering and then, as much as I try to discourage it, I tend to dream about all the possible outcomes . . . In one case I get my dream solo, then four solo's (none of which makes sense. I happened to be offered 'Netball and Peter Pan' as one of my solo's. I have absolutely NO idea where that came from) and then finally I got no solo's at all.
So. Waiting. A game? I think not. Unless we're talking mind games, because while I certainly wouldn't add 'waiting' to my list of fun activities for game day along with monopoly and yhatzee, I would certainly say it's a mentally damaging pass time. Then again, yhatzee can be pretty cruel.




Monday, March 29, 2010

Funny Stuff

Felt like letting you have a bit of a laugh. A friend showed me this and I thought it was pretty hilarious so I'm copying him and showing it to you.

"Even if there is nothing to laugh about, laugh on credit." Author unknown.



Wednesday, March 24, 2010

I know. It has been an incredibly long time since I last posted. Lazy old me. But here we go, I'll give you a nice big post to make up for it all!

So things have been happening, I've been stressing and struggling and then settling back into my routine. All I can really think about at the moment is my impending career. Polka and I have really been going crazy with asking people for advice but it's quite honestly never the same. No two people had the same method for being successful in musical theatre. It's not like medicine where you know what degree you need, how long you study for, what subjects to take.
On the other hand I had some fun times this past weekend, socialising and the like.
Starting off with a friends party which was great fun. Got to hang out with some YABC (and singular non-YABC) friends and chat with some really lovely people I've never really chatted to before. Got some nice compliments which made smile and had a good laugh. In the end Polka and I stayed over the night there and had to unfortunately wake up at 8 so I could be on a train by 8:42. Thank god for Polka and his help otherwise I would have been quite stranded.

So I caught the train onto my next adventure, the city romp, with good old Dan, Ice Cream, Giggles, Spot and Sweet Cheeks (all with other code names on their uniforms) and we made our way to Alexandra Gardens to start our romp. The day was mighty fun, although also incredibly tiring. It really is a good workout, trekking around the city for four hours without rest breaks. And I couldn't really walk the next day but it was all worth it. I spent the day with such fantastic, kind and funny people, so I was incredibly happy.
Also was shown an amazing cupcake store on Degraves in the city called 'Little Cupcakes'. Best store cupcakes I've ever had. mmmmmmm.

Last night polka and I went and saw Cats. I can see why people love it, and I can see why people don't. You can't go in expecting a storyline at all. It's more of a spectacular to show off the amazing dances, vocal talent and of course how they presented the T.S Elliot poems. But once we got used to the oddness of it all we enjoyed it thoroughly. The dancing was AMAZING and I absolutely loved the Cats coming into the audience. Although I got a good fright when I turned around and there's a 'Cat' half a metre away from me staring at me in a very cat-like way. It's amazing the way they completely take on the roles and the physicality of the cats. VERY impressive. And while we gave it a good crack, our YABC version of Jellicle Cats just isn't comparable.

We got to chat t a couple of the actors afterwards and once again it seems the consensus for performing arts schools is WAAPA. Seems like nothing beats it really, so here's hoping I get in.

Just baking a Caramel Pecan Pie for the first time today. It's cooling right now so soon I'll see how it turned out. It seems that that's the main aim for this year: waiting to see how things turn out. How I go in classes, how I cope with ballet, how I go in auditions, YABC, singing lessons, improving or not.
I ask myself "Where is this leading to? What's actually going to happen?"and all I can say is we'll see.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Magic Things and Butterfly Wings...


People are strange. Just generally speaking. Most people should realise how strange they are, and have realised how strange they are by now, myself included. This thought popped into my mind as I was catching the train into the city to meet up with
ice cream (for a productive op shop and very sophisticated lunch). I just think it's odd that we crave constant attention from other people, we need relationships, we need each other, and yet we push each other away all the time. On the train, people go straight to the empty seating section so that there is one person in each four-seater, all on their own. And everyone seems to be constantly weary of everyone else. If one person is speaking too loudly, or making conversation with a stranger, we strike them as odd and keep away. We put our earphones in or lift our book up and try to make ourselves as invisible as possible until our stop finally arrives and we can hurry off the train once more, only finally coming out of the 'public transport shell' when we are amoung those we are comfortable with. Just a thought. Just the strange way we live.

I saw Alice in Wonderland yesterday, and loved it. I understand why some people are disappointed with is but I can just not possibly be disappointed with anything Tim Burton does. Johnny Depp was as brilliant as ever, along with all the other members of the cast (cheshire cat had to be a favourite character for me) and it was simply great. On an added note, I think I am quite addicted to Danny Elfman's music. Odd, I know, as he mostly does movie tracks but it's just so magical and unique. I bought the album, as well as the album to the movie Coraline which has some great music in it by Bruno Coulais.

I was contemplating a well-known question the other day and I decided to pose it to any of you who are interested. It's the old "If you could invite three famous people to dinner, who would they be" question. I couldn't quite decided with mine. I figured: Julie Andrews, Stephen Sondheim, and either Tim Burton, JK Rowling or Terry Pratchett. I couldn't make up my mind.
So if any of you want to answer, go ahead in the comment section, just for the fun of it. I'm sure you have some interesting ones.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Busy Busy Busy and a little bit more Busy


It's blog time!
Sorry for the wait, I have been quite busy and that's not just an excuse, it's the truth. So busy that I have not written a chapter of my book in a few days!! Here's what's been occupying my time:

Work: I had two days of work with CPCA which was strange considering for so many years I was one of the little kids coming in for a t-shirt and bag. You may have guessed I was on t-shirt sales. I wouldn't say it was fun, but it was fine, and money's money right? I also had a night shift at work which went nice and quickly.

YABC: had another session on friday which was good fun. We're being taught tap by an original tap-dog (!!!) and Polka and I had a good chat to him after class just about the industry. We seem to be having these conversations a lot at the moment, all about what we should be prepared for, whether to go to WAAPA or NIDA or VCA or do short courses... it goes on and on and on. Who knows if we're making the right choices? Anyway, we learnt some more of Turkey Lurkey and that song is starting to grow on me.

Classes: started Tap on saturday with the more advanced girls. I was a bit out of my league and I felt quite frustrated that my tap education had been so patchy. Also, I started to wish that there were classes for people like me who are starting things late but want to get to a high level. If I want to start from scratch, I'm with either the very very little kids or the middle-aged people who do it just for fun. So, as neither of these classes are right, I am time and time again the worst girl in class struggling to do those wings! But you have to start somewhere, right? Despite my complaining, I did enjoy tap (the bits that I could do anyway).

Auditions: I had my Spelling Bee audition on sunday (which made me miss the YABC workshop and therefore a good chunk the dances, as well as solo auditions!!) which went really well. I ended up singing 'Two Peas in a Pod' from 'Grey Gardens' and 'Unusual Way' from 'Nine'. I also did my monologue from the YABC drama workshop and they seemed to enjoy it! I got a call yesterday saying I have a callback for two of the roles on thursday so fingers crossed :)

Movies: Went and saw 'The Blind Side' with dracula (whose codename is still not totally permanent) and enjoyed it. It was a good movie and it was nice to see dracula again after a very long gap.

So there you have it. This is why I have been terribly busy.

OH. Also wanted to recommend some good books to you. I've been a long time fan of Terry Pratchett, but have recently discovered Neil Gaimon. They both wrote a book together called 'Good Omens' which is fantastic. So go get some books by these two brilliant authors! They're very funny and their stories are incredibly unique, so off you go!

On another note, I'm seeing Alice in Wonderland this weekend and am absolutely dying of excitement. I cannot wait. Tim Burton + Johnny Depp + Helena Bonham Carter + Anne Hathaway + classic story = very happy Emily. (brilliant math skills? I think so.)

Well that's all from me for now!