I'm Free To Do What I Want Any Old Time

Another semester has come and gone. I only had 2 classes, but they had so much homework that it didn't feel much different from spring semester. Both classes seemed like kind of a waste. I expect to get pretty good grades, and that worries me. How come I can't get good grades in the education classes that aren't a waste of time for me? Oh, that's right. The Education department is messed up. Oh, well. This semester, I did the following projects (and got 100% on most): a WebQuest about the validity of doing High School Musical in a high school, a digital story about plot-development and using Wicked as a well-developed plot, a book report on Black Like Me which resulted in my hating white people for a few minutes, an autobiography, a biography of Elfi Panholzer, and a paper comparing my autobiography to Elfi's biography. There were smaller assignments, too, but those were the big ones. And now, I have one more semester of actual classes, and then student teaching. There is a light at the end of the tunnel!!!

I also recently took the PRAXIS-II exam. It was a 100 question test about my knowledge of theatre. It was ridiculously stupid. It is designed for secondary education majors, and yet there were questions about elementary school kids' development. What the?! The biggest kicker, which makes me hate the state of Utah right now, is the fact that it doesn't even matter how I score on the test. If I get a 20% or a 100%, they don't care. They'll certify me just for taking it. LAME.

Saturday's Warrior/The White Star is up and running. It was an amazing experience until the end. The last week, the gloves were off, and somebody on the production staff became very selfish and non-collaborative. There are some gosh-awful things about the music that I wish more than anything I could fix, but I was told that my opinion doesn't matter on the issues. The reason that I hestitated to do the show came true there at the end, and the last few rehearsals I went to were miserable. However, I still love the cast, I still love the director, I still love the choreographer, and I'm still glad I did the show. It turned out pretty darn good, too. There are some aspects of the show I don't like (basically all the tech, the manipulative slide shows, the tracks that I couldn't fix), but overall, it's a good show. And it blows my mind to see how many people are going to see it.

If you read my blog, you know that I've been dying to act lately. I actually have some free time for once, and a director has pretty much offered me a great part in a good show, and I would be paid. However, I just can't bring myself to audition. I feel like I need to keep taking a break until the fall. Heaven knows what I'll be stuck doing at school then, and I don't want to go a whole school year without any free time again. If I get a break, it will make that tolerable. For the first time in years, I don't have a show lined up, and while it was stressful at first, I'm kind of enjoying it now. I'm also worried that the second I get involved in another show, the Elders' Quorum will suddenly need more of my attention. I guess I should pray about it, and fast. The auditions are soon.

Happy stuff now:

• I'm watching Alias right now. I haven't really watched it in two years, and it makes me very happy.
• I've been able to have a few scary movie nights with my nieces and nephews. The Eye wasn't as bad as I had feared. Jessica Alba is as wretched as ever, but the movie rose above my expectations.
• Lego Indiana Jones is pretty much the coolest thing ever. I've finished all of the levels, and now I'm going back through to pick up things I missed on the first go-round. It's so stinking addictive.
• It's summer, and that means I'm fully addicted to Otter Pops again. Gosh, I love those little frozen sticks of delight.
• I've been catching up with more friends lately. Last night was Taryn's last night in town, and also the only night she could get together, so we bbq'd with Holly, Tavin, Megan, and Taryn's friend Karen. (I missed Family Home Evening for it. Ssh! It'll be our little secret.) She brought pineapples, and right in front of my eyes, she cut one. And I ate it. And it was amazing. I've never had pineapple that fresh. I've only had it after it's been cut for a while. Oh, and since Taryn has sat by me at Church the last couple weeks, people in our ward think we're dating, which makes me giggle. As if I could ever get a tall, artsy drink of water like THAT!
• I get to sleep in as late as I want tomorrow, and Thursday, and Friday, and Saturday... I love the last week of a semester.
• I've started recording tracks for You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, which I'm doing with youth theatre next year. I never knew the show until now, and I love it. I particularly love the chord progression at the end of "Happiness" when Lucy says the title line to Charlie. And I like the creative ways I'm using Schroeder onstage. He'll randomly play on his toy piano, and then it gradually fades into a full combo. Tomorrow, I'm going to record the title song. I'm excited.

That's it for now. Enjoy this funny video that brings me great joy:

High School Tony Awards Honor Nation's Biggest Drama Club Nerds