Cats, Sleep, and The Wizard of Oz...and the Beach!

I saw Cats on Friday. It was......intersting. Definitely not my favorite Broadway show. Unfortunately, I was extrememly tired so I almost fell asleep like 5 times. The dancing for the most part was cool. I liked how the actors/dancers actually moved like cats....I know, I know, the whole reason the show is called cats is because they are supposed to be cats...but it was still cool how they looked like cats. I really wish I hadn't been so tired. I know I would have enjoyed it a lot more than I did. But if you get a chance to see it, I would suggest it because it is definitely different than any other show I've seen thus far.

The perk of being so tired is that I was able to get 11 hours of sleep. That is a record for me...ok...only a record of recent sleep habits. It was a glorious 11 hours of sleep. However, I did wake up at 6:10 AM and 6:48 AM and freaked out because I thought I was going to be late for school...only to realize that it was a Saturday. Silly me.

That night I saw Aloha's production of "The Wizard of Oz". It was pretty good. Morgan of course did really well. However, since it was closing night, the actors decided to put in things that were not in the script. Lucky for the audience, these unscripted jokes and lines were not inside jokes...meaning that the audience could actually understand them. I kind of wish I could have seen a different night because I do't like it when lines are added just for fun and to play to the audience. But oh well....it was still a good performance. The pit was behind them. It was nifty.

I am going to say right now that I don't know how much internet time I'll be getting. The connection I am using is far away and will probably log me off more times than not. So I probabyl won't post until I get home. But we'll see.

I love the beach :)

Life Will Go On

My journey has not ended. I will go on. It just wasn't meant to be. Just because I didn't get accpeted this year doesn't mean I can't audition the next year.

I hate being optomistic right now. I hate it. I want to crawl into a hole and cry. I want to break down and sob. Why don't I? Because I am trying to look on the bright side. I am trying not to be so depressed all the time. I need to move on. But I don't know if I can just yet.

I hate how people tell me all the time that I am going to get a certain part or that I am going to get into or onto a certain thing. Take All-State for example. Everyone said that if there was to be only one Hilhi person on All-State, it would have been me. Who was the one girl who didn't make All-State? Me. With Once Upon a Mattress everyone said that I was going to be Winnefred. I wasn't, not that I didn't mind not being her seeing as I had a lot of fun being the Queen. And now this.....everyone said that I was going to get into the musical theatre program. Everyone said I was a shoe-in. I'm not.

I can blame the fact that I didn't have the time to go down to the school and audition there and that the day I auditioned they were running late so everything was rushed and I didn't get to dance for them and that they didn't require teacher reccomendations so I didn't turn one in because I didn't give any teachers enough warning and so that is why I didn't get in.....but I don't think I can balme anyone else but myself. I know I wasn't as prepared as I could have been. Yeah, I could say that about anything and it wouldn't be true, but I think it is. Overall, my audition wasn't that pleasing to me, despite what I may have said about it in an earlier post. After I had auditioned, I felt that it was not going be. Maybe I felt that because I am just too hard on myself. But I was right, wasn't I? Yes, I was.

I know I can audition at the end of my freshman year, I know I can still go there and take electives that are performing arts, I know I can still go and have fun there......but I don't know if I want to be that far away and not be in the program I wanted to be in. I'll have to go in as an undecided major, even though I know what I want to do.

So if you haven't guessed...I dind't make it into the Musical Theatre Program at Otterbein.

Now I have the task of deciding if I'd rather go to Otterbein anyway and just try-out again the next year....or go to Cal Lutheran where I know I'd be in the programs (either theatre or choir) but the training for musical theare is no where near Otterbein's. Do I go somewhere closer to home or somewhere farther away but with someone I know and love dearly? Do I go somewhere that is cheaper and a better scholarship but not my first choice or do I go somewhere that is more expensive and not as good of a scholarship but is my first choice?

When I first auditioned for Otterbein, Mom asled me, "Even if you don't get accpeted into the program, do you still want to go?" I said, "Yes". I suppose I should stick with my answer. I really did like the school. But I really just don't knwo right now. In the words of John Proctor, "I'll think on it".

On a happier note, at today's play practice I fell over. If you really want to know what happened, ask me over the phone or in person. It's a much better story when spoken.

In short, life will go on.

The Little Mermaid

No...this is not the post where I tell you who everyone is. That post will come sometime next week. Anywho, I watched The Little Mermaid tonight. I fell asleep for a bit, but it wasn't too long. It was Ariel's transformation into a human. I remember her being at Ursula's and then I woke up to her being at the castle. Woops. Oh well. As I was watching, I realized how few songs there actually are in the show. And since it is not a Broadway show (like Beauty and the Beast), there aren't any Broadway songs we can use to make the show longer. Not that it needs to be, but in reality there aren't many songs. I mean, Ariel really only gets one song (if you don't count the reprise) and Ursula only gets one song. Sebastian gets two songs. The daughters have one song and the crew members at the beginning have a song and the chef has a song. Ok, so I guess there are more songs than I thought...but not a whole lot of group songs. Is it bad that I kind of want to be Sebastian now? I cna actually sing his songs for the most part in his range too. Don't worry, I won't be him though. I would like to be Ariel...mainly because she sings Part of Your World and since I sang it when I was 4 years old, it'd be a nice remembering moment. However, I have a feeling that I'm going to be Ursula. Why? Because I play evil really well.....mainly because that's all I play...evil or mothers....or evil mothers. However, I know that Christa can hit those notes a lot better than I can. We'll just need to work on her evilness. Anywho.....that's how it goes.

I hope my spring break will be a fun one. I was just informed that Dr. Hellman is assigning us a lot of homework over the break....mainly labs. So ontop of the Drama stuff I have to fix by 2 weeks after we get back, I'll need to do Physics and read a book for English. Yeah, I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but it really is. Well....at least I know I'll have 3 days of happiness.

I love working with Linda. She's sooo cool. I know The Crucible is going to be a great show!!!

It's All Over

Tonight was it. The last night for State Dance Team. Even though we didn't place, I still had fun. And frankly, I don't care that we didn't place. We did our best and that's all that we could have asked of ourselves. I really enjoyed laughing with Amber while sitting on the floor waiting for the awards. I enjoyed the senoir lunch....aka the walk and lunch and walk. I wnjoyed seeing Ryan and Kirsten in the audience sitting way up in the nose bleed section. I enjoyed yelling, "We love you Brooke" in the complete wrong direction and having Brooke think we said, "We love you George". I enjoyed making jokes about being rude to a team we had tried to be nice to, but couldn't stand any longer because of their treatment towards us for the past 2 days. I enjoyed making jokes in genenral. It was definitely good times. I will miss dance team. But it hasn't really hit me that on Monday I don't have to dance on the Commons floor. I will miss the laughter. But I knwo I will see most of these girls and boys around school. Even through all of the times when I said, "I don't want to go to dance team", I'm glad I kept it up. I had fun.

The Last Day of the First Night

This is what Cora called it. She said, "This is the last day of our first night!" And she's right. Tonight was the last day for the senior's first night of State competition. Strangely enough, I'm not sad. But I know I will be tomorrow. Anywho, State was fun. We didn't have to get up insanely early....BIG plus!!!!!! We danced very well. I watched the tape and we look good. All of the parents said that we did really good and that we definitely have a chance to win. Also, Heather and Bradian were very happy with our performance. Now step two is going to be doing it exactly how we did it today. I know we'll pull it off. Funny story though, at the end, no one clapped and so I started to count really loud, expecting claps, but since no one did, I only heard me. It was a good one. The reason no one clapped at first was because many other dances had music to get them off the floor so the audience was expecting us to do the same. Oh well...they clapped a lot after they realized that we were indeed done. In other news, Miriam, Cora, and Amanda all made the All-State Dance Team. I give a big congrats to them as well as a snicker. Why a snicker you ask? Well....they now have to stress about the dance, remember the dance, spend time after finale to practice the dance, and look like they are having fun while performing this lovely dance. I get to sit back, relax, adn enjoy not performing this dance I loved soooo much. Also, you may ask yourself, "Is she ok with not making the All-State Team?" My answer is "Yes". I am perfectly fine with it....one less stressful situation in my life. I am totoally fine, in fact I don't really care that I didn't make it. It's all good. Congrats to Margaret as well!!!! She got a $750 scholarship!!!! I'm excited for tomorrow. We're gonna kick some booty!

I had a really nice talk with Sil today before the cometition. I'm really really glad we talked. We talked for an hour and five minutes. Sil's up there in the longest phone conversation contest. Actually, I think she's winning.

You might find a new change in me. I have decided that I will not let every little thing bother me. I will not put up with crap from people who are going to drag me down. I am going to spend an hour every night doing something just for me; whether it's spending time with someone, spending time with a group of people, spending time alone, watching a Disney movie.....anything. I am not going to get so stressed out over homework. If I don't get it all done, that's ok. Life will move on. If someone is pulling me down into depression, I am going to get tough with them. I am going to make sure I have time to have fun and not be so hard on myself. I am not going to try and make everyone happy...it's not my job. If they aren't happy, it's their problem, not mine. I know this change is going to be long and hard, but I'm going to do it. Even if it takes the rest of the school year, I am going to do it. I am going to make my last 3 months of senior year as fun as I can.

Since Christa is gone, Diana asked if I would step in as her pretend sister. Of course I took the offer. I mean, who could resist taking on a cool pretend sister like Diana and filling Christa's shoes for a bit? Certainly not me. Also, Margaret is the pretend Mohan so that I won't have to go without my man. I must say we make a very cute Christa and Mohan.

I need sleep now. I had a long day adn tomorrow is going to be very long as well.

Stress and Release

Horray for this trimester almost being over!!! Can I get a barbaric Yawp? Speaking of yawp's, in Neville's class we yawped. As the bell rang, we let our voices sound. It was truly glorious.

I'm sooo excited for next tri. Musical theater!!!!! Oh......and no Encore!!!! Finally, I don't have to suffer anymore! I can be free to sing soprano and actually get stuff done. I don't have to miss schooll to sing songs I don't know. I don't have to be frusterated that we spend a lot of time talking and doing nothing. I guess I'm a little sad because we have the jazz cabaret coming in April and I won't be apart of it besides being a potential Emcee with Christa. And the songs we're singing for it are pretty cool; not necessarily the way we sing them is cool, but the songs themselves aren't bad.

State Dance team competition is this weekend. On monday we had a very productive practice. I felt really good about it. Come support us on either this Friday or Saturday!

Crucible....what to say about it? That is a good question. Today's rehearsal went well. Finally every single scene has been blocked and read through at least once. Linda said today that she got chills already.....we're still on book too. Imagine what'll happen once we're off book? I'm pretty excited for next tri also because Nathan and I get to work with Linda during 5th period....aka our early release. So not only will Nathan and I be super good....but we'll have some fun times with Linda to remember.

In other exciting news....Elizabeth comes home Friday night!!! I can't wait! I'm sooo excited!

Well, I need to do a bit of studying for physics before I drift off to dreamland. Good night all.

Change in Casting

Before I get to that, I'd just like to say that I am a member of the Senoir Mayfete Court!!!!!!!! I'm sooo excited! I have never been on Mayfete and I am now on the one that is hardest to get on! For once...hooray for the IB program!

Now, about the title. We have had to adjust slightly the casting for The Crucible. Unfortunately, Jacob Mott overbooked himself. So another, younger person stepped in to play my husband. As Mom said, "You ditched the older one for a younger model". Any guesses? Well, I shall give you a hint....we needed another Parris as well.

Dance team was tiring. We have an exhibition on Friday at 6, 7, and 8. Feel free to come...but don't feel obligated. We're showing our state routine...well most of it anyway. Along with our dance team, Glencoe, Century, and Liberty will show their state routines as well. Also, Brooke's dance group, DV, will be there. It should be a party....

Speaking of parties...after the exhibition, Christa and I are putting on a musical watching party. Of course, those who need to be cultured (aka Nathan and Arrio) will need to be present, so hopefully they can come. Well, I guess they wouldn't have to be present...but then they wouldn't be cultured and that would be a bummer and we'd probably flog them when we saw them next.

That is pretty much it for tonight. Good night.

The Day From....Well It Wasn't Hell, but It Wasn't Exactly a Joy Ride Either

Today started out with me being very sleepy. I woke up at 5:50 AM so that I could eat breakfast and be ready to leave by 7:00....I know it was overkill...but we had not be in the room and eating breakfast by no later than 6:30. So breakfast was good...not so much good as in yummy...but it went well. Then the journey really began.

About an hour away from the airport, my bladder decided that it needed to unload. However, I thought to myself that I could wait until we got to the airport....however, my bladder had other plans. So 30 minutes from the airport, I asked to use the restroom. We got off the freeway and followed a road that lead to a college. Unbeknownst to us, this stop was not only a college, but a nursing home for Nuns. It was great. I can't really explain it in writing, but it was really funny. As we (the other girls and I) went to the bathroom, one of our chaperones came in and was directed straight to the chapel. It was like he had "I am a sinner" written all over him. Again, kind of hard to explain in writing. It was really the most bizzar stop and it took forever to get up there but not as long to get back to the highway. And don't worry...I didn't miss my flight. I had plenty of time to get to the airport.

Once at the airport, this other Pres Scholar (Stephanie) and I sat together and talked. It was fun. We flew to Oakland together....which was nice because then I had someone to talk to instead of reading the Grapes of Wrath. We landed safely in Oakland and I had an hour to wait until my connecting flight took off.

This is where the trouble begins. As we were about to take off (I mean literally take off, the plane was on the runway), a warning light came on. Not just any warning light...but the one that controls everything. So we pulled back into a gate and they started to check the plane. Well, they decided that it would take too long, so they moved us to a different plane. However, this decision to move us came about 30 minutes after sitting on the plane. The time passed by pretty quick because I had a nice chat with the older gentleman next to me. He was funny.

Once off this plane, I started talking to a boy who had gone to college for 2 years so far. His name was Adam (well it still is but since I am talking in the past tense I am using "was"). He was a very interesting guy. We talked about random things. He told me about his brother's girlfriend and how he doesn't like her and hopes his brother will break up with her soon...ok he likes her, but he doesn't ever see his brother...remind you of anyone? We also talked about Disneyland. I told him I loved Disneyland and he sid that he did too...however, his reason was not the same as mine. He loved Disneyland because the last 3 times he went there, he had gotten laid....on a ride. Which ones? Pirates of the Caribbean twice and It's a Small World once. Needless to say, he was kicked out of the park those nights. I don't think either of those rides will ever be the same for me. I think I have been scarred for life.....and now I have just scarred you too...you're welcome. Anywho...Adam was definitely an interesting person...but he too helped the time pass quickly.

However, we were not quick enough. The plane landed at 4:40....2 hours after we were supposed to have landed. I didn't end up leaving the airport until 5:45.....Mom picked me up, but she had left her office at 4;45, but got there at 5:45...traffic was horrible. After the airport, I rushed to a choir concert, where I didn't know any of the words or notes...ok that's a lie..I knew some, but not a whole lot.

The best part of my day came when I saw a few of my friends. I was having major withdrawals. This was the main reason I wanted to go to play practice...to see my friends. But I did get a little dose of friends, so I will survive for the night.

This day may not seem so bad to you, but let me tell you, the plane ride was really annoying. I almost cried because I couldn't go to play practice....and once the plane had landed, no one was answering their cell phones. Mom adn Dad are horrible at that game. Anywho....I'm glad to be home now.

So here comes my Cal Lutheran experience for yesterday. I got up, had 2 interviews (the second one was my best one), had an audition for the theatre director, ate lunch, had a talk with the music director, had my last interview, auditioned for the music teacher, listened to a talk on the Honors Program, and had dinner at Duke's. It was a very busy day. The interviews went well (not great, but that's fine) and my auditions were fine. Of course I am my own worst critic. However, I think both the music and theater directors liked me...and part of it could be because I am interested in musical theater and their program is just getting started...by next year it'll be in it's 3rd year. So yeah...that's what happened yesterday. Oh...dinner was awesome. It was really good. We ate on the beach so I got to see the waves crash. Unfortunately, we were not able to go down to the beach...it was closed off and even though the kids were willing to walk a million miles to get to where we could walk on the beach, the councilors were not. Also...I saw Kelsey Myers. That was fun. While she ate lunch (I had already eaten 30 minutes before), we talked and laughed. Good times. Even though I don't think Cal Lutheran has the kind musical theater I need, it still is a very nice school, with very nice people. I do like it. And I can get around the campus without getting lost. Go me! I think, if I don't get into Otterbein's muscial theater program Cal Lutheran will have a better chance of me going there than if I do get accepted into Otterbein's musical theater program. And how much I get in scholarship money will be a factor as well....I dislike this college process thing...there are some many good choices.

Anyway....

So no beach, no In and Out, and no Disneyland for Crystal this California trip. But that's ok. I still had fun and I made it through the trip without crying because I missed home.

Well that's it for now. Good night.

Updating....

So....as of right now, I am at California Lutheran. It is an interesting place. I like it....but I don't think they have what I want. Granted, I am meeting with the drama and choir teachers tomorrow so I don't know what the programs are really like...however, I know that they don't have an actual theatre for their plays...they have a black box theatre. I was able to see the end of a tech practice.....it was interesting. The play was written by 2 students and directed by a student. From what I saw, it was ok. However, I think that in order to get the training I want, Otterbein is my best bet. I will just have to suck it up and deal with how far away it is. Anywho...back to Cal Lutheran. It is pretty down here. I am 20 minutes from the beach....that's right ladies and gentlemen...20 minutes! On the downside, Disnelyland is about 2 hours away instead of 1, but that's ok. Being near the beach is a big plus. We had worship tonight outside. Even though it was really cold, it was fun. I met a lot of people through the sharing of the peace...I'm so glad that other people believe in giving hugs for peace instead of just a hand shake. I haven't seen Kelsey Meyers yet....but we might be able to see each other tomorrow. I hope so! As fo the queston of, "Do I really want to go here?" I don't know. I like how close it is to home and the beach and Disneyland.....but if I wna tto proceed in Musical Theatre, I think I will have to look elsewhere. But it is a very pretty campus.

You should all congratulate me.....I was able to make it all day without crying. I left Mom at the airport tear free. This is a BIG step for me. And I was able to connect flights without getting lost or confused. The real test will be on the way back.....will I be able to check myself in.....we'll see...

While at the airport, I saw Jennifer. I'm sooo glad I did. I definitely didn't get enough time with this girl. I'm glad I was able to say goodbye.

And just beause he told me to....I am going to talk about what an excellent guy Nathan is. Nathan is one of the coolest guys I know. He is a dear friend and...yes ladies and gentlemen it is now going to be out there in free space for all to see.....he is my boyfriend. Nathan is always there for me. He makes a great theripist. I recommend him, if you ever need someone to talk to. He's funny, sweet, caring...I'm bad with adjectives...so I'll stop so that I can post this, since I am being badgered to pick up the pace. All in all....Nathan, you are awesome.

Dance Team competed at Metro on yesterday. We did rather well. We placed 5th behind Tigard (1st), Lincoln (2nd), Pendleton (3rd), and Thurston (4th). Our costumes really help the dance. It looks sooo cool...especially the beginning. I like the beginning a lot. I can't wait for the big finish! I can't believe State is soooo close....2 weeks....Yikes!!!!

I fly back home on Tuesday morning. I get in at 2:35...just in time to get to play practice. I can't wait! I love play practice.....well when I get to do something that is. Otherwise I sit there for a long time and do nothing. But that's fine. I like play practice anyways.

Well ladies and gents....it's time that I be headin' fer bed. I have to be up and ready to interview at 8:00 AM. Woo hooo.