Pensive Ramblings.
Hello Livejournal. Been gone a while I guess. This is a long one, pat yourself on the back if you actually read this.
I've thought about writing in here but never had the time. Now that my job is over and I'm currently unemployed it feels like I should be able to afford a little bit to write in here. I'm in the process of a move which means I'm also being very pensive. (I'm so deep.) Anytime something comes to a close, whether it is good or bad, I get really retrospective. I suppose this is normal. I guess at this point I've begun and ended so many things this should be old hat but I guess you never fully get used to the idea of things ending. Before I get too deep in that I want to make a quick (and I'm sure incomplete) list of the things I've done here.
* I left the East coast and came to live on the West Coast in a state that my whole life has seemed foreign to me and did so with a pretty high rate of success and happiness. I escaped KY and went to 180 degrees away from it to a culture, state and lifestyle completely different from those I had come accustom to.
* I toured the West Coast with "The Emperor's New Clothes" where I saw things like Graumann's Chinese Theatre (where I saw Casino Royale), The Hollywood sign, LA, Universal Studios, DISNEYLAND, California Adventure, the beautiful countryside of Oregon, Las Vegas (again), all sorts of little towns and little theatres dotting the coast as for north as N. OR all the way down to LA, the Hollywood walk of fame, Beverley Hills, Rodeo Drive, hotel after hotel after hotel, and all the little things in between. An experience I will never forget. My first tour. Check.
* Acted as the father, the owl, Papa Bear, and little miss muffet in "Once Upon a Bedtime". My first "professional leading role". (I have quotes there for numerous reasons.) Had a great time and saw first hand the positive effect theatre has on the very young. I want to remain a part of that.
* Met some really great friends who I will miss dearly when I move. They are the thing that makes leaving the hardest. I love the area, a lot, but its the people I'll miss most. I guess it would be harder to love the area with all of them gone. I'm next to last in the line to leave, which leaves only Will here for about a month longer. Luckily the new company members are great and I know he'll be in good hands. Karen has arrived and I've had a blast with her, I wish we could work together in a show but in the end I know this is the right move.
* Missed a lot of people back on the east coast. Missed them a LOT.
* Directed 3 different plays (20 minutes a piece) with 4-8 year olds. "Bear Snores On", "Peeping Beauty" and "There's an Animal Strike at the Zoo (it's true)!" Which were all very successful.
* Assistant Directed (and actually directed much of) Aladdin Jr. at Argonaut Elementary. Had a couple of kids who really looked up to me and that I saw a lot of great talent and potential in. Very proud of my efforts there but especially proud of them.
* Stage Managed (HA yep) with the lovely Victoria Whitlow at Silveroak Elementary for the production of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
* Lived in a house with a sushi chef, a computer guy, a ballroom dance instructor, an insurance claims adjuster, a blue collar guy, two chiropractors and a bitch. (Not all at once.) And a total of 2 cats, 6 dogs and 1 hampster. (There really wasn't a hampster but doesn't it sound better that way?)
* Worked for a "professional" theatre company for a full year. Take that doubting Thomases.
* Bought a TomTom GPS (which I'm in love with) and went geocacheing with Will. Fun but tedious and super difficult. Will likes it more than I do but I'm glad I know about it now.
* Went to Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley and (tomorrow) Santa Cruz wineries. I've developed a taste for red wine now...whooda thunk.
* Saw some really great theatre (Legally Blonde: The Musical, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Jersey Boys, Doubt, A Long Day's Journey Into Night) and some bad (Who is Sylvia or The Goat, most CTC shows...not all.)
* Gained a respect for people who do office work. I know that work is necessary. I know that work is important. I NEVER want to do it again.
* Learned that not everybody in the world is awesome and not everybody in the world is primarily good.
* Went to Yosemite which is beautiful. I can't wait to go back and actually hike and camp there. We had one full day at the park and it was amazing. One of my favorite experiences here.
* Got a season pass to Great America and learned what it was like to be able to go to a theme park whenever you wanted.
* Taught the Young Actors Guild, Saturday Conservatories, Mask Workshops, an awesome improv class, outreach programs and two summer conservatories.
* Wrote about 1/16th of a musical with Will entitled "The Adventures of Gigglebutt and Crosseye." Look for it on Off-Broadway around 2015.
* Survived my first job. Hey! Hey!
* Decided I want an Enlgish Bulldog. BAD.
* Fell in love with my hammock.
* Had some awesome parties.
* Saw a lot of great movies.
* Read a lot of good books and plays.
* Grew up some more. (A continual process.)
* Sang amazing Kareoke.
* Went to bars...a new thing for a Centre student.
* Saw the Golden Gate Bridge, the Muir Woods, and (Monday) Alcatraz.
* Explored much of San Francisco. A city of lots of character...and urine...and homeless people. I think there may be a correlation between the three but science hasn't proven my theory just yet.
* Went to an A's game. In Oakland. I never need to go back there again.
* Went to the exploratorium. The hands on museum that is still cool for adults.
* Found and went to many awesome beaches. Decided I love living near beaches.
* Did the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and rode the worlds oldest original materials roller coaster and a BADASS merry go round where you catch rings on the outside then throw them in a clowns mouth. Why doesn't EVERY merry go round have this? It upped the fun level from like a .5 to an 8.
* Did my first, real life, I'm actually drinking it, kegstand at my Frat Party. Oh man, great party.
* Contemplated my life a lot, where to go, what to do, how to do it, when to do it, whats right for me, what do I have to have, what can I live without, where do I see myself, who do I see myself with, who my friends are, what they mean to me, what my family is, what I want my family to be, all that deep stuff that keeps you up at night.
And a ton more. Wow. Typing it all out was interesting. I had to go back and look through some photos of my past year to get all of it and I'm still sure I missed so much. Life is such a strange thing to me. Whenever I sit back and actually start thinking about things it really just blows my mind the things we do, the things we think, the people we meet, the places we go (thanks Dr. Seuss) and the ideas we'll have. I can't wrap my mind around what I'll be doing in 5 years and I kind of like the idea. It's scary as hell. Being unemployed. Trying to be a real free lance actor for a while. Moving to a new city. Leaving a place I really like. But you've got to just go. I think that's something I need to remember. Just go. You can't dwell in the past no matter how good or bad it was. You can't re-live things. You did what you did, you thought what you though, said what you said, and felt how you felt. You can never change that. Sometimes, that really really sucks. But I can't let it keep me from doing things in the future or wishing for things like they used to be. I have to take control of the present and the future and make things happen. Just go. I know I'll still sometimes be envious of other people, wish I could be somewhere, have something, or be someone but I can't. I have to be ok with that and I have to make it a point to make my life so awesome that other people wish they could do what I'm doing. I can only try and make my time here happy and I want to do that. I think I will do that. I think I'll also second guess myself most of the way, but I think I'll get there.
Just go.
(Was that pretentious as the last line? I think maybe...but whatever. We can all have a little bit of that when we're being pensive.)
I've thought about writing in here but never had the time. Now that my job is over and I'm currently unemployed it feels like I should be able to afford a little bit to write in here. I'm in the process of a move which means I'm also being very pensive. (I'm so deep.) Anytime something comes to a close, whether it is good or bad, I get really retrospective. I suppose this is normal. I guess at this point I've begun and ended so many things this should be old hat but I guess you never fully get used to the idea of things ending. Before I get too deep in that I want to make a quick (and I'm sure incomplete) list of the things I've done here.
* I left the East coast and came to live on the West Coast in a state that my whole life has seemed foreign to me and did so with a pretty high rate of success and happiness. I escaped KY and went to 180 degrees away from it to a culture, state and lifestyle completely different from those I had come accustom to.
* I toured the West Coast with "The Emperor's New Clothes" where I saw things like Graumann's Chinese Theatre (where I saw Casino Royale), The Hollywood sign, LA, Universal Studios, DISNEYLAND, California Adventure, the beautiful countryside of Oregon, Las Vegas (again), all sorts of little towns and little theatres dotting the coast as for north as N. OR all the way down to LA, the Hollywood walk of fame, Beverley Hills, Rodeo Drive, hotel after hotel after hotel, and all the little things in between. An experience I will never forget. My first tour. Check.
* Acted as the father, the owl, Papa Bear, and little miss muffet in "Once Upon a Bedtime". My first "professional leading role". (I have quotes there for numerous reasons.) Had a great time and saw first hand the positive effect theatre has on the very young. I want to remain a part of that.
* Met some really great friends who I will miss dearly when I move. They are the thing that makes leaving the hardest. I love the area, a lot, but its the people I'll miss most. I guess it would be harder to love the area with all of them gone. I'm next to last in the line to leave, which leaves only Will here for about a month longer. Luckily the new company members are great and I know he'll be in good hands. Karen has arrived and I've had a blast with her, I wish we could work together in a show but in the end I know this is the right move.
* Missed a lot of people back on the east coast. Missed them a LOT.
* Directed 3 different plays (20 minutes a piece) with 4-8 year olds. "Bear Snores On", "Peeping Beauty" and "There's an Animal Strike at the Zoo (it's true)!" Which were all very successful.
* Assistant Directed (and actually directed much of) Aladdin Jr. at Argonaut Elementary. Had a couple of kids who really looked up to me and that I saw a lot of great talent and potential in. Very proud of my efforts there but especially proud of them.
* Stage Managed (HA yep) with the lovely Victoria Whitlow at Silveroak Elementary for the production of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
* Lived in a house with a sushi chef, a computer guy, a ballroom dance instructor, an insurance claims adjuster, a blue collar guy, two chiropractors and a bitch. (Not all at once.) And a total of 2 cats, 6 dogs and 1 hampster. (There really wasn't a hampster but doesn't it sound better that way?)
* Worked for a "professional" theatre company for a full year. Take that doubting Thomases.
* Bought a TomTom GPS (which I'm in love with) and went geocacheing with Will. Fun but tedious and super difficult. Will likes it more than I do but I'm glad I know about it now.
* Went to Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley and (tomorrow) Santa Cruz wineries. I've developed a taste for red wine now...whooda thunk.
* Saw some really great theatre (Legally Blonde: The Musical, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Jersey Boys, Doubt, A Long Day's Journey Into Night) and some bad (Who is Sylvia or The Goat, most CTC shows...not all.)
* Gained a respect for people who do office work. I know that work is necessary. I know that work is important. I NEVER want to do it again.
* Learned that not everybody in the world is awesome and not everybody in the world is primarily good.
* Went to Yosemite which is beautiful. I can't wait to go back and actually hike and camp there. We had one full day at the park and it was amazing. One of my favorite experiences here.
* Got a season pass to Great America and learned what it was like to be able to go to a theme park whenever you wanted.
* Taught the Young Actors Guild, Saturday Conservatories, Mask Workshops, an awesome improv class, outreach programs and two summer conservatories.
* Wrote about 1/16th of a musical with Will entitled "The Adventures of Gigglebutt and Crosseye." Look for it on Off-Broadway around 2015.
* Survived my first job. Hey! Hey!
* Decided I want an Enlgish Bulldog. BAD.
* Fell in love with my hammock.
* Had some awesome parties.
* Saw a lot of great movies.
* Read a lot of good books and plays.
* Grew up some more. (A continual process.)
* Sang amazing Kareoke.
* Went to bars...a new thing for a Centre student.
* Saw the Golden Gate Bridge, the Muir Woods, and (Monday) Alcatraz.
* Explored much of San Francisco. A city of lots of character...and urine...and homeless people. I think there may be a correlation between the three but science hasn't proven my theory just yet.
* Went to an A's game. In Oakland. I never need to go back there again.
* Went to the exploratorium. The hands on museum that is still cool for adults.
* Found and went to many awesome beaches. Decided I love living near beaches.
* Did the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and rode the worlds oldest original materials roller coaster and a BADASS merry go round where you catch rings on the outside then throw them in a clowns mouth. Why doesn't EVERY merry go round have this? It upped the fun level from like a .5 to an 8.
* Did my first, real life, I'm actually drinking it, kegstand at my Frat Party. Oh man, great party.
* Contemplated my life a lot, where to go, what to do, how to do it, when to do it, whats right for me, what do I have to have, what can I live without, where do I see myself, who do I see myself with, who my friends are, what they mean to me, what my family is, what I want my family to be, all that deep stuff that keeps you up at night.
And a ton more. Wow. Typing it all out was interesting. I had to go back and look through some photos of my past year to get all of it and I'm still sure I missed so much. Life is such a strange thing to me. Whenever I sit back and actually start thinking about things it really just blows my mind the things we do, the things we think, the people we meet, the places we go (thanks Dr. Seuss) and the ideas we'll have. I can't wrap my mind around what I'll be doing in 5 years and I kind of like the idea. It's scary as hell. Being unemployed. Trying to be a real free lance actor for a while. Moving to a new city. Leaving a place I really like. But you've got to just go. I think that's something I need to remember. Just go. You can't dwell in the past no matter how good or bad it was. You can't re-live things. You did what you did, you thought what you though, said what you said, and felt how you felt. You can never change that. Sometimes, that really really sucks. But I can't let it keep me from doing things in the future or wishing for things like they used to be. I have to take control of the present and the future and make things happen. Just go. I know I'll still sometimes be envious of other people, wish I could be somewhere, have something, or be someone but I can't. I have to be ok with that and I have to make it a point to make my life so awesome that other people wish they could do what I'm doing. I can only try and make my time here happy and I want to do that. I think I will do that. I think I'll also second guess myself most of the way, but I think I'll get there.
Just go.
(Was that pretentious as the last line? I think maybe...but whatever. We can all have a little bit of that when we're being pensive.)