I have been terrible at keeping my blog updated this past school year. It's a good thing that no one reads it! So, here's a quick review of everything I can remember from this last school year...
Balm in Gilead: It was fun! We had a great cast, and it was my first show in the Little Theater. We were "sold out" every night (sold out is in quotes, because the show was free) and had to turn people away. It's a script that is a little different, and can be hard to track. We knew it would be, but it went well! I enjoyed the challenge!
Handdrafting: Hand-killing is more like it! It was a great learning experience, and rewarding when you got it all done after hours and hours of drawing EXACT lines!
Christmas Break: Everyone came home, and it was fun! Christmas is my favorite time of year, and even though it can be chaotic, it's still the best time ever. I made calendars with Hippie on them. They are fun to look at. Maybe I will have to come up with a new calendar idea for this coming Christmas... especially if I am as poor - or poorer - than I was last year! Also, we made tamales once again. Uncle Cary was here to be part of our tamale making team. I think we may have a small tamale making contingent this summer - a couple of people want to learn how to make them - but talking about learning, and actually finding/taking the time to do it are two different things. It is probably just wishful thinking. We also went to Disneyland for Christmas! It was my niece Haley's first trip. Everyone put what they wanted to do into the mix, and believe it or not, we got to do everything, plus some! It was a very fun time! This Christmas may be a sad reflection of last year... I don't think anyone is coming. It will be quiet and small. Weird!
Winter Quarter: This quarter just about killed me. I took more units that I could really delve into the way I would have liked. I took a beginning directing course that didn't get the amount of attention I would have liked to give it, though I did my best, and made sure I had something to show on the days I was required to show. Despite my work, and willingness to do all I could with the time I had, I still got a grade lower than I thought I should have. It bumped me down in my GPA so I didn't get to graduate Magna Cum Laude. I tried to get it removed from my transcript - because I didn't need the class, but it was a no go. Oh well! My fault! I also took coputer aided drafting with Vectorworks. SO MUCH faster than hand drafting! Still, it was nice to have the hand drafting foundation. This was also my last quarter to take Spanish (thank goodness!) I was so scared, that I actually signed up for tutoring, and PASSED!!! I don't think people truly understand how stressful learning a foreign language is. It's more than just memorizing. It's HARD!
Much Ado About Nothing: My Winter Quarter Show! Again, it was in the Little Theater, and again we sold out every night. I had my first experience with having an ASM, and I loved her! Sam Kaden is awesome! I also loved my director, Conor Hanratty, and his AD Jessi McVay. We had a way fun time, and again the cast was great! I have been very fortunate to have amazing theater experiences at UCLA!
Spring Break: I had an incredible opportunity! I was given the chance to finally get rid of all my extra gross skin. For those that don't know, I used to weigh a lot more than I do now. I'm still not super skinny (though I wish I was) but I definitely am smaller than I was 5 years ago! So, spring break was my first surgery. I got home from school on monday, and tuesday morning I was on the operating table. I had my bat wings (aka bingo arm flaps) made smaller and a breast lift. It was remarkably less painful than I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong, it was uncomfortable, and I still have days where I have little spitting stitches that haven't desolved and are trying to make their way to the surface of my skin, but it was a lot less painful than I anticipated. It was, however, annoying to have to wear the compression garment - a 3/4 length sleeved shirt . I think what I hated most, especially toward the end, was the bottom would fold up and bruise my ribs. OUCH! Additionally, healing in general stinks. Literally. And since I was healing in my pits, and wasn't allowed to shave, it was like healing smell and BO wafting through my nose ALL THE TIME. Yuck! I had a few little problems spots after surgery, and had to make a few trips home in Spring quarter for follow-ups, but I was ablt to get back to school in time for Spring Quarter to start with no issues. It was good!
Ok, I'm tired of typing for now, and this entry is already too long with no pictures. I'll try to come back to this soon - maybe tomorrow... or the next day - and finish my school year summary and this first month back home. I might even add some pictures! Shock! :)
To be continued...