It's been a long, long time

Update!

I just found out last night that I will indeed be directing a show in December. It isn't anything big, but I still get to do it! I will be doing a cutting from "Same Time, Next Year" by Bernard Slade.

Also, I may have worked my last day ever at Kelley's Sunday. I'll miss it there but I hope I don't have to go back...I would like to do something w/my degree. Ann and Rich had a great vacation and I was happy to discover that I am capable of running the store, even if it was just for two days.

Jury

One flat note, four bad breaths, and I was corrected by one of the judges.
I think I sounded okay, but I got really nervous and didn't actually "perform."
I have no idea what my grade sheet will say, I kinda want to be sick thinking about it.

Focus...

Why can't I find it?...it's so frustrating! I'm sitting here with all my research and I know what I want to say, but as soon as I sit down to type my mind goes blank. Grrr!!!

End of semester...

It's here and I wish I could say I was ready for it.
I still have to write five papers, do a final project, prepare a speech, and finish out the shows.
Less than three weeks to go.
God I'm ready to go home.

Christmas break, ACTF, and the new semseter

I really should start updating this more often again...I'm sure the long posts are getting old. *shrugs*

I'll start with the most recent news....

I finished my first week of the semester and so far things look like they're going to be great! I'm ubber excited about my Adult Aging and Development class! I get to do my field studies at an assisted living facility and I'll be visiting a nursing home. The assingment I'm most excited about is the interview...I'm going to set up a date with my grandpa and use him as my subject! ♥

The week before school started I made a trip up to Saginaw, Michigan with my theatre department. We brought a show, Spike Heels, to compete at ACTF.
If you would like to know more about the festival check out the website: www.kcactf3.org
We had a full house for every performance! I was the light designer and master electrician. I lost my crew/board opp at the last minute so a lot of my preparation didn't help me out as much as I had hoped it would. The "fixed plot" I received wasn't so fixed when we started loading in either....grrr!!!!
I ended up running the board and although my crew was not replaced I did receive some extra help from Mason, Manny, AnnieB, Lucas, Jim, and Fritz when they had time to spare. Thanks guys! :)
I was stressed for most of the load in (we only got 4hrs to put up our entire show and fix the cues....) but I did learn a lot and I'm thankful for the experience.

I spent New Year's Day with Mom and the boys. Dick came over and we had sauerkraut with lunch. I'm not really superstitious but I love that tradition!
New Year's Eve I ran all over the place! I started my evening at a dinner party, then went out for karaoke, and ended the night at a friends house drinking and sharing stories. :)

I spent the 26th-30th celebrating birthdays. Happy Birthday to me, Britt, Lauren, Katie, and Lori!
I saw my entire family for Christmas between the 24-25th. Mom's side of the family came to our house and I got to help cook for 30+. :D

BIG NEWS!!! On the 24th Marie AND Lori had their babies! Olivia Nicole (named after me! *dances*) and Wyatt Henry!!! I got to see them both! 8D


On my first night back I went to Kelley's Store Christmas Party. :)
Brubaker gave me a ride home, went to the party with me, and stayed for the weekend. I finally got him to come to Franklin County!

Thanksgiving

Finals week starts bright and early on Monday so I find myself lacking the motivation to make this entry terribly detailed...

Thanksgiving was alright, like everything else this year it had its ups and downs.

1. Mom had her hysterectomy two weeks before I made it home from UIndy. She's healing well and should be back to work soon. Aunt Viv switched us holidays so we wouldn't have to get everything ready so quickly after mom's surgery. Viv just had her gallbladder taken out in the not so distant past but she was in much better condition to host a party than mom was. I don't really know why the two of them didn't ask somebody else to host the family gathering, oh well...

2. The Sauerwein side was fun, I ended up staying at Viv's til about 1am. I didn't hang around as long to visit the Schwabs. I think I'm losings my tolerance for people with age. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate anybody, I just hate having the same conversation over and over again. Ex: "How are you? I never see you anymore. How's school. Why don't you ever come around?" People need to realize that the door swings both ways. Oh...and that my phone does ring! Just like the door...the phone rings both ways! After I've been around for about two hours all I hear about is how I'm never around...I take that as my que to leave. If you want to spend time with me maybe you should talk to me about things that matter, or talk to me like I'm in your family and not some stranger. Ok...enough ranting for now...

3. Mom tricked me into going shopping on Black Friday! *grumbles*
Although I swore to myself that I would NEVER go shopping on Black Friday again this year wasn't so bad. We got a later start, meaning Mom didn't wake me up at three and put me in the store with all those crazy assholes. I ran into Andy Davis...it's like our yearly tradition. We don't even run into each other in the same city every year but somehow we find one another. I find it comical. I also finished Christmas shopping for my brothers; I got better prices on everything I bought so I guess it's kinda worth it. Oh, and Momma got me new bras and I got the pretty bag from Victoria's Secret for free. XD

4. Turkey Shoot! Turkey Shoot is an annual paintball game the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We go with friends from the Franklin County area. Kyle, Billy, Brad, Cody, and I all made the game this year. I love it! I'll be posting pictures on facebook soon if you want to check them out. :)
Oh, and p.s. Emma's mom makes the best venison chilli!

5. Tragedy hits and we leave the paintball game early. Grandpa Bill and Grandma Betty's house burned down. Everybody made it out safe and it wasn't a total loss. The second floor is gone and the first floor is lost to water damage. We were able to salvage some things. We found grandma's jewelry, grandpa's guns, some family pictures, and both of their safes. The material things are not what is important in this case. I wouldn't care if I never saw any of those things again in my life, what matters is that the people I love are safe. Red Cross helped my grandparents out by providing them money for some new clothes. The firemen also looked out for their health and got the medication out of the house. I am grateful to everybody who has helped my grandparents or offered to help them.
Insurance is going to cover a place for them to rent while they figure out what they're going to do next. They are getting ready move to Batesville this weekend. They will probably be there for atleast the next six months.

Tech Week

We started our tech runs of Spike Heels this weekend.
I've been having lots of long days that turn into long nights, that then run together and make it hard to even figure out what time it really is.

I may have taken on too much work, but this "hell week," as we like to call it, hasn't truly been hell in comparison to past shows. I'm actually pleased with myself as a lighting designer. :) It's my first real design and I didn't expect it to go this well. You get a lot of adrenaline out of surprising yourself when things work out better than you hoped.

I'm also the master electrician, which means I have a crew, but as far as lights go it's mostly me. I take a lot of pride in that.

The only reason I feel I took on too much work is the fact that I'm still enrolled in 18hrs and I have A LOT of work due tomorrow that I've hardly started on. (Which I will be getting to momentarily, I just needed a mental break. Yay blog!)

Well, here's to hoping for a strong finish to tech week and a great run of the show!