BEDD 5: traveling America

I'm sure that I've mentioned this before, that I want to travel through all 50 states in the United States and our territories.  I want to do this even more since I've narrowed down my options on my major for next year.  I've decided that out of all the history of the world, I want to study that of my favorite country and the one that I call home.

I find wars extremely interesting, although many believe that the wars and conflicts that we have been in through the years shouldn't be spoken of, I completely disagree. I believe the extreme opposite. We should learn everything we can about the wars we've been directly and indirectly apart of, including the views of others in other countries on the war in question.

The most interesting wars I find, which is difficult for me to pinpoint because of them are completely different in many senses, is the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.  Both of these I automatically think of when I think of my future plans to travel through all 50 states and territories.  Without the Revolutionary War (and Civil War) we wouldn't be the country that we are today, and we wouldn't have any significance to places on the east coast where so many people lost their lives.

Anyway, back on track. There for a bit, I was considering of deleting this blog. I don't really know why, but I was strongly considering it.  But then when I began to think about the conversations I've had with my brother about traveling during and after college and university, I decided not to delete it after all.

Bit of a ramble, and not really completely finished with in thoughts, but I think this is all my brain can handle for now, I'll continue on Saturday maybe...

Link of the day: Wayne Moran Photography is just awesome. I don't even know how I found such awesomeness, but I did. I am just in love with this photography I could probably spend all night just drooling over these photos.

days until ACT round 2: 5
days until I become an adult: 34
days until graduation: 166

BEDD 4: airplane firsts

Yesterday while I was decorating the apartment with my mom, I started to think about past Christmases.  Most of them have been the same, staying at home with mom and dad and just have a nice lazy day full of food and movies and occasionally some years we had snow.  There are a handful of Christmases that we weren't at home like we usually were.  This then lead me to think about the Christmases we spent in California visiting my brother and his first wife that we don't speak about in our family any more.  That then lead to me thinking about all the airplanes I had ridden in my lifetime because of those trips.

When I was younger, and I think this is still mostly true to today in some aspects, I was really afraid of heights.  Which some people find ironic since I'm pretty tall compared to others.  I didn't really care for airplane rides, they kind of freaked me out. Especially after 9/11.  That's why every time we went to the airport to board a plane to head to California you always saw me with a backpack with the essentials in it: coloring book, notebook, crayons, and usually a book to read.

Out of the handful of times I have ridden an airplane I've never slept on one, used the restroom on one, or even stood up on one.  For a child that couldn't sit still for long, I think plane rides were the only time I was some what subdued from my normal personality.

The last Christmas that we went to California for, our plane from L.A., if I recall correctly, took us to Cincinnati.  From Cincinnati we were put on commuter jet that took us to Wichita.  If you've never been on a commuter jet let me explain to you what it's like. They're small, compact and small. Did I mention small?  My parents were seated across the two foot isle from me, where I was sitting beside a man in his early thirties with his two kids in the seats in front of us.  Doesn't sound bad, right? I mean it wasn't a very long flight, but considering I was about seven or eight scared of heights and planes I was put onto a small compact plane.  It freaked me out.

And then, the man's little boy claimed he had to go to the bathroom. So naturally, with me being on the outside seat so I could still be near my parents, I had to stand up to let the man out of his seat to take his son to the back of the plane.  Doesn't really sound horrible, but I was scared to death to even unbuckle my seat belt let alone stand up to let him out and then stand back up to let him back in.

Lame, anti-climatic story I know, but I still remember those plane rides.

Link of the day: booksandquills is the YouTube channel of Sanne where she talks a lot about a variety of books.  I've always enjoyed watching her videos and she's kept my want to continue reading sparked with new books to add to my reading list.

days until ACT round 2: 6
days until I become an adult: 35
days until graduation: 167

BEDD 3: favorite NCIS quotes

After reading Kathy's favorite Doctor Who quotes on herblog, I decided I pick some of my favorite quotes out of my favorite show NCIS.  My family and I have been watching NCIS since it started, and before that we watched JAG which in several senses was really similar. There are so many good moments throughout the show and all of it's seasons, these are just a few out of the pile.

Season 8, Episode 10: "False Witness"

Gibbs: Facebook. that's the thing that some people...do stuff with?

Ducky: The term is social networking.

Season 8, Episode 8: "Enemies Foreign"

Gibbs: Officer Hadar. You almost made me spill my coffee.

Hadar: Americans...You can never just say hello.

Gibbs: How about shalom? Hello and good-bye.

Hadar: And peace, Agent Gibbs.

Gibbs: Not a lot of that when you're around.

Season 7, Episode 2: "Reunion"

McGee: What are you doing? I'm not the sidekick.

Tony: I'm the boss when Gibbs isn't here.

Gibbs: Gibbs is here.

Season 7, Episode 4 "Good Cop, Bad Cop"

Ziva: Look, I have learned many things from Gibbs, and one of those is that there is no such thing as an ex-marine.

Season 4, Episode 16: “Dead Man Walking”

Ziva: This is killing me. I feel like I know him.

Tony: Mossad?

Ziva: Maybe.

Tony: Internet dating?

Ziva: [picks up a paperclip] I will kill you 18 different ways with THIS paperclip!

Season 3, Episode 21: “Bloodbath”

Abby: I dated him last year and things just got a little out of hand.

Tony: Did I mention the restraining order?

Abby: Ok it was lot out of hand.

Gibbs: Why didn't you come to me, Abby?

Abby: Because, Gibbs, I wanted him restrained. Not beaten to a pulp with a baseball bat.

Link of the day: The 8th Horcrux is a wizard rock band from Kansas that I found over the summer when I was just hanging out on the interwebs on bandcamp. I'd definitely give them a look if you like wizard rock.

days until ACT round 2: 7

days until I become an adult: 36

days until graduation: 168

BEDD 1: motivation

I'll be completely honest with you. I miss blogging, and I miss it a lot. I just lack motivation. And unfortunately it's not just blogging that I lack motivation with.  I've been lacking motivation when it comes to a few of my classes.  And that alone is really really bad considering that there's less than a couple of weeks left before we take finals and go on winter holiday.  Once again, I'll be completely honest; my grades aren't at their best right now.

I don't know what's happened, I was going strong for about 3/4 of the semester, between actually doing my homework and enjoying the classes; then BAM! I just fell out of it, and it really frustrates me.  After the horrible academic year that was junior year, I was really hoping to get things back on track and make an impression on my transcript for college, but at this point, it looks like it'll be the same thing once again.

It seems like the only motivation that I have for anything right now that keeps me going to school every day is that there is less than six months until graduation and then after that I can I can move on and do things in my life that I want to do and get away from the people that keep holding me back.    Going back to the fact though that I've run out of motivation, the only way I'm keeping up right now is doing just the bare minimum to pass, and that in itself just irritates me so much, that I'm allowing myself to do that.

This probably doesn't make any sense, but my brain just doesn't work like it should at times.  What I'm trying to say is that December is here now, and I want to make it worthwhile.  I'm going to be Blogging Every Day in December in hope that I'll be able to get back into blogging.  I'm also setting up a schedule to go to the gym so I can really focus on strengthening my muscles because all my leg muscles have gone back to being pieces of flimsy licorice.  I want December to be a good month, and a good way to end 2011.

Side note, I have a bit of a plan for December when it comes to blogging, so be ready for some structure of some sort. :)


days until ACT round 2: 9
days until I become an adult: 37
days until graduation: 169

a closing night to remember

It was like a ritual that senior cast bonding night always went over time, even if we added an extra hour to the sit down, we always ran late.  I prayed to myself as I ran backstage through the dark alongside of other cast members and crew rushing to get props, finish costumes or get shift ready that all would go well and no one would get hurt, but to also enjoy what could possibly be my last time performing on my high school stage.  With less than five minutes until the overture started my praying time with God was rushed and cut short.

Standing behind the main traveler curtain, I took in several deep breaths, gave our stage manager Rose a hug told her thanks and that I loved her and waited a few more seconds before I headed on stage as a cranky old woman selling flowers.  Although I barely got any stage time as the cranky old woman, and I mean barely any time as in all I was supposed to do was walk right across the stage, I fell in love with the character that I had made myself become.  Before I knew it, my short time on stage as the cranky old woman was over with and I hurried to get rid of my props and begin my quick change into an older crapshooter.

I remember back when we had first done our very first full run straight through from the beginning of Act I to the ending of Act II, it seemed like forever between all of my scenes, and that I wasn't getting very much stage time.  It was apparent though on Saturday night that that was all false.

Every show I seemed to over work myself in one way or another, physically or emotionally seemed to be one of the options.  It seemed that it took me only four years how to handle myself in both of those ways to make the best of the show.  Because of over working myself in the past, I never really appreciated the friends I had come to make with fellow cast members or the tech crew.  As I sat backstage, uncomfortable in the foreign male attire of a suit with a tie that felt like it was constantly going to choke me even after I messed with it countless times that I realized what I was doing wrong.

During cast bonding, I addressed several people who I had become extremely close with over the last year or two, and gave my thanks for everyone supporting me when I was having major hip pain.  Towards the end though, I began crying with a wave of emotions that hit me so hard and so fast I didn't know what to do except end my speech and pat my tears off my face hoping I didn't take any stage makeup off with it.  There's was no way that I could address every single person that held me up over the course of the show.  Even when someone smiled at me, or asked me how I was doing, it always seemed to lighten my mood.

Sitting backstage, I confronted those people and told them how thankful I was for them and how proud of them I was.  At the end of the night, it wasn't about how much stage time I didn't have, or how uncomfortable my costume was; I was thankful for my friends, my family.

It's cliche, I know, but theatre is my family.  And I never really truly experienced that feeling until this year.  We're a large, loud, energetic, dysfunctional and weird group of kids, but we're a family.  We all have had our ups and downs with each other and with the show, but we all pitch in together and we somehow manage to work through things and stick it out together.  We can lean on each other for anything; there is absolutely no doubt about it, theatre IS my family.

I don't know how the rest of my senior year will go, but one thing is for sure, Guys and Dolls has changed my perspective on many things and I'm going to miss my theatre family so incredibly much next year.


days until I become an adult: 38
days until graduation: 170

stage kit & pre-show routine

Hello lovely internet people! It's great to be back blogging again, it's been difficult for me to be motivated to write a blog post this month since I've been writing away for NaNoWriMo as well as working on the musical that is fast approaching.

By fast approaching I mean, our first audience showing is on Tuesday and our official opening night is Thursday.  I've decided that I'd share some behind the scenes stuff that I've been doing for this show, including my organizational methods and how I prep before show time when I have to layer on the stage makeup that is a pain in the butt.

I can't believe it's taken me over four years to get this organized for stage makeup and other things of the sort.  I used to just put my stage makeup in a pencil case with some hair ties and bobby pins and off I went.  Over the years I've been progressively become more and more articulate when it comes to organization, and this year was no different.  It's been weird to be back in a show, let alone a show that I have a lot different things I need to do.

My best friend Levi asked me to help him pick out brushes the other day that would last for a long time and were of good quality.  We eventually ended up also picking out a tackle box for him to keep his things together and organized.  I of course loved the idea and simplicity of it, went home that night and put together my own in my own tackle box (after of course I moved my tackle out into a different box).  I can't believe that I never thought of using a tackle box to get organized.

I primarily use the top layer for my stage makeup so it's all right there and easy to access.  I have my brushes, eyeliner, brow liner, lipstick, q-tips, lip balm and my Ben Nye makeup we use for stage makeup.  The spare compartments I use to put bobby pins, hair ties and jewelry that I might be wearing before I change into costume.

The next two layers are basically just the rest of my normal makeup that I have, and most of it I can use in some way in my stage makeup routine.  I have several things of lipsticks varying in shades, mostly they're all red.  My lonely tube of mascara that's on the fits of dying on me.  Nail clippers I find come in handy not only for clipping nails short but to clip away any spare threads on costumes.  I have my other eyeliners tucked away, in the only place they fit.  And my mom's Mary Kay palette.  I like the idea that there's still empty compartments for room to grow.

The bottom of the tackle box is a mess. But it's all the big stuff that won't fit any where else but has a major role in my pre and post show routines.  I have a can of hairspray, jar of cold cream, toothpaste, deodorant, face scrub, toothbrush and baby wipes.  Where's a comb or brush you might ask?  No where, I normally don't brush my hair, but I use a wide tooth combed; I do it this way because my hair is so long and thick I usually put it in a bun or braid.  For this show, I play an old lady vendor where the costume head said she wanted  my hair to be crazy, so there's really nothing specific I need to do. And then for being a man, I just put my hair in a bald cap.  No need for combs or brushes here.

These are the products that I'm using for this show.  Most of these are Ben Nye products.

The lipstick is Maybelline in the color of "wine on ice" or A78.  I've used this for my lipstick for shows since 2008.  It works well for me because the color a shade of red that doesn't look harsh paired with my skin tone but still shows up well on stage.  It especially works well for this show because it doesn't look like I'm wearing lipstick from the audience so it doesn't look weird when I portray a man.  The only down side to this lipstick though is the fact that it fades off rather quick.  I have to keep applying the lipstick several times throughout the show. My first two shows I kept the lipstick on my body at all times and any time I was offstage I was reapplying it.

The mascara that I use, I'm not sure if it's still available or not, but I love it so incredibly much.  It's from the Mary Kay Signature line in the color "BLACK" OR KH22, it's a lash lengthening mascara and it is a really really nice black. It works well for lashes that are light in color, like mine.

The black eyeliner I have here, that I've been using a lot, is so worn down that I have no idea what brand it is.

I won't spend much time on the Ben Nye stuff because I'm hoping to post a post specifically about the brand and how to use it properly in the near future.  But if you've never worn stage makeup, or at least Ben Nye makeup, the foundation is really thick and it's difficult to get used to.  It took me nearly all night on Thursday to get used to wearing it again.  The brush that's used for drawing facial lines, KB-00 is crap.  There are much better brushes for facial lines, like EcoTools eyeliner brush that Levi bought.  The KB-00 is just poor quality in my opinion of all the times I've used it.

This is everything that I use for my pre and post show routines.  I have a combination skin type, where sometimes it oily and sometimes it's dry.  I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to anyone because each person's skin is different and reacts to stage makeup different.  My face tends to break out when I wear stage makeup because of the foundation, these routines really help.

Both routines follow each other, so it's like a circle every single night. And it takes a while, but it's worth it.

PRE-SHOW:

1.  In the morning before I go to school I wash my face with Pond's Cold Cream.  It help moisturizes my face and keeps my face clean and soft through the day.

2. I brush my teeth before I head to the school in the evening, or usually right after I have dinner.  I hate being on stage with someone who hasn't brushed their teeth after they've eaten dinner, I never want to be that person.  I use Crest Baking Soda and Peroxide Whitening with tarter protection in Fresh Mint with a travel toothbrush that I keep in my travel bags normally.

3. I take a baby wipe and gently wipe down my face to get rid of the oils from my hands because I have a habit of touching my face a lot during the day and any other dirt that might have ended up on my face.  I've used a different brand of baby wipes every show, and I can say that Huggies is the best that I've tried.  They're not scented, they're gentle but they get the job done, especially when it comes to my post-show routine.

POST-SHOW:

1.  I use the baby wipes and gently take off the layers of stage makeup in circular motions.  It's important to use circular motions because I've found if I go any other way it irritates my skin. There really is no way to get it all off with just a few wipes, I go through at least ten every night. And even then I've never been able to get it all off.

2. When I get home I wet my face with lukewarm water and then gently massage St. Ive's naturally clear apricot scrub for blemish and blackhead control.  I leave it on for just a minute or two without touching it and then I wash it off with a washcloth and warm water.  I use warm water because my skin is really sensitive to water temperatures.  And of course, circular motions I have found, work the best.

Today is awesome because: I remembered to finally take my hoodie to the laundry mat to wash it.

current location: bedroom among a pile of clean clothes that can't fold themselves.
current word count: 18,644
days until the fall musical: 4
days until I become an adult: 55
days until graduation: 188

NaNoWriMo 2011: a glimpse of the first 6,000

I decided since I can't really string along anything important enough sounding of a blog post for you guys to read, since it IS NaNo time. I decided I'd share with you a small portion of my novel from the first 6,000 (I haven't quite made it there yet, but I'm rounding up, I'm at 5,837 words currently).  Feel free to comment what you think and stuff like that.

Also, this is unedited. Just "word vomit" as I read in a comment earlier today in the forums on the NaNo site.


           Sam and Dae were pretty close siblings considering how much their father favored Dae and their mother favored Sam, many people thought that the favoritism would eventually tear the siblings apart. But it hadn’t, or at least not yet.  Sam Schneider standing tall at six feet and three inches towered over both Dae and their father. He was by far the most athletic out of the Schneider family, he was on the school swimming, basketball and soccer teams for his entire high school career and continued on playing soccer in college at New York University.  The only thing that really resembled his father was his ability to argue on anything and stand behind his beliefs and research.  Although he never debated, Sam was a genius when it came to finding the truth out about something and could plan a strategy that no one could understand or see coming at them.  Sam was what his father called “lawyer material” but still wanted to be proved that he had it in him.

            “What are you doing tonight?” Sam asked as he walked through Dae’s open bedroom door and shut it behind him before making his way over to sit on a pile of neatly stacked clothes on her bed.  He watched her from her bed as she started replacing things in her room and pulling a few things out of her suit cases they used to pack her things up from school.

            “Probably meeting up with the others in the City to celebrate before all hell breaks loose." Dae responded as she placed a photo frame with her and Brooke at a boutique in Paris from two summers ago.  Letting out a sigh she turned to face Sam, “Why? What’s up your sleeve?” She questioned with a sly grin beginning to slide onto her face.

Today was awesome because: I received  my piano book in the mail today.

current location: freezing bedroom

current word count: 5,837

days until the fall musical: 15

days until I become an adult: 66

days until graduation: 199

halloween and things NaNoWriMo

I'm not going to spend this blog talking about ToTsKCE that went really well, or about my views on Halloween, but regardless HAPPY HALLOWEEN.

This post is primarily to talk about NaNo, once again, but a bit more in depth.  And yes, there are a LOT of things to cover.

PART 1

If you're on the fence about doing NaNo, sign up and join the fun (I think there's still time to sign up...), even if you don't have enough time to write the entirety of 50,000 words it's worth a shot.  It's not like we'll never talk to you again, and besides, wonder "what if"s are a waste of time!  Just go on to www.NaNoWriMo.org and check things out for yourself.

PART 2

I spent quite a lot of time last night on the interwebs just waiting for Tuesday to get here so I can start writing, so I spent a lot of that time looking for other tools and ideas to use during November as I write my novel.  One of them that I found, not really a tool, but just a cool place to go to read about other NaNo novelers' experiences and tips and tricks is WriMosFTW!  I highly recommend checking that place out for some inspiration if you get in a sticky place during your noveling.

PART 3

Also, this goes along with PART 2, I found this dandy tool called Write or Die! (no you don't actually die if you don't write) but it's a really cool thing to use to keep you writing.  You can set a timer for up to 2 hours or for a word count goal.  Pick a grace period, depending on how long you want to allow yourself to think between thoughts and a consequence level.  I messed around with it a bit last night, but I honsetly don't remember too much of it considering I was studying for my civics test today (which I think I dominated) and it was like midnight.  I would give Write or Die a shot at least once during the month to get your daily word count in so you can see if it works for you or not.  The whole purpose of it is to just make you write, and not edit as you go.

PART 4

This is definitely a major linkage blog post...I also found these neat NaNo calendars to put as your desktop background, I'm using the purple one.  You can find them right here, and there's several colors to chose from!

PART 5

I know this might be too late for some depending on how they run, but maybe not for others.  I've got a calendar set up in my room, basically telling me what I have to do and what I need for the day everyday during the week on a massive bulletin board.  Also, I've set up my Google Calender so it's got everything scheduled that needs to be scheduled so I won't forget, or lost my planner (which happens frequently) and forget something important.  Also, I've got a specific notebook set aside that I'll pack in my school bag and theatre bag so I can write on the go.  Organization is probably the only way I'll make it through November.

PART 6

I still don't have a title for my novel yet, but I'm sure that will come at some point.  I'll share more details about my novel throughout the month, who knows maybe someone can help me come up with a title?

And, I think that's about it.  If I missed something, I'll probably edit in, but I honestly don't think I missed anything...

OH! Happy noveling everyone, wherever you might be!

[[EDIT]] I forgot to mention that you can buddy me on NaNoWriMo.org, just look out for me as As.Is!

Today was awesome because: out of all things awesome that happened today, my business teacher gave us candy in class, she was the only teacher who handed out candy to her students. :)

location: freezing bedroom
days until NaNoWriMo begins: 3 hours
days until the fall musical: 17
days until I become an adult: 68
days until graduation: 201

water creatures

I've always heard the familiar "You eat your favorite animal?!" phrase since about third grade when we were once asked our favorite animal, my response was fish; and then asked our favorite food, also fish.  I couldn't help but think about how much I really do love fish and other water creatures today as I was cleaning out Ducky's (my fish) tank that I had neglected for far too long since school started consuming my life 24/7, which might I add was inspired by a random trip to Petco with my dad yesterday where we both spent at least 20 minutes if not longer looking at the fish, turtles and frogs.

Eating my favorite animal aside, I really do find water creatures quite interesting.  I think it's the novelty of living in water that interests me the most.  I mean, that's our greatest difference, I live above ground with fellow humans and other above-ground-inhabitant creatures, and fish along with other water creatures live in water.  Basically, what I'm trying to say is that things that aren't normal to me and how I live really interest me.  Like other cultures from around the world.  I mean, how would it be different for you personally if you lived or grew up in Germany, or Vietnam? What would it be like to be a fish or other water creature?

Although, don't let this make you think I've always love water animals, fish especially.  When I was about five, at my Grandpa's in Branson, Missouri, we were fishing on the bank of the lake behind his house.  I was fishing with my little pink fishing rod my dad had bought me when they found out my mom was having a girl.  As soon as I felt a tug on the line I threw the pole on the ground and ran to the house.  It's taken me years to get so obsessed with fish.

Anyway, this was just a little something that was on my mind today, although I didn't really intend to share that specific story with you all because to me it's kind of embarrassing now, considering how much I love fishing...

I'll be blogging tomorrow about my preparations for all things November to help stay organized in what is definitely my busiest month of the year.

Today is awesome because: I think Ducky and I are on better terms now that I've properly started to care for him again.

current location: organized desk in the freezing bedroom
days until NaNoWriMo begins: 1
days until the fall musical: 18
days until I become an adult: 69
days until graduation: 202

mail time

If you follow me on Twitter, or happened to be on my blog a few moments ago and looked at my Twitter feed, you'll know that I received a package in the mail.  I got really excited when I saw it through the kitchen door window as I was unlocking the door because I thought it was my piano book that I ordered.  BUT IT WASN'T. Talk about a plot twist, eh?  Anyway, the package wasn't small, but wasn't too big.  It was from Jostens, the company that our school does all of our graduation things through.  I grabbed the nearest knife and opened the package to find my lovely souvenirs, that we ordered.  I even took photos, with our crappy camera that's almost ten years out of date.

This is all that was in the package, the 2012 Senior women's grey v-neck, 2012 key ring, a memory book and then a class key ring that has the school colors and emblem along with my initials engraved on the back.

I usually don't like key rings, but I like this one, also it adds weight to my lanyard which makes it easier to throw...

Our camera wouldn't focus properly, but I was trying to show the detail on the emblem.  I just absolutely love this so much.  Even when I saw it in the catalog with red and yellow as the school colors, I just fell in love with it.

I actually didn't want the memory book, but my mom was buying one of the special packages that included this in it so I have it any way.  I flipped through the pages and really all it is is a place to put photos through the last four years and write down specifics about event that happened during the year.  Maybe I'll like it more once I get a better look at it...

Also....

205 DAYS UNTIL GRADUATION!

Today is awesome because: I got this wonderful package from Josten's AND we play the first game of play offs tonight at home. GO WILDCATS!
current location: kitchen table that isn't in the kitchen but in the living room, so I guess it's a living table.
days until NaNoWriMo begins: 4
days until the fall musical: 21
days until I become an adult: 72
days until graduation: 205