Curtain Call

Well, I'm back home now. Got into MSP last night at about six, and proceeded to have a nice dinner with the parents before meeting up with Ian for Izzy's; I love my family. Also, big love goes out to my brother who vacuumed my room so that it is spider free and carried my suitcases upstairs when I wasn't looking. Those things were heavy, too... but not overweight!
HAH!

The flight home was decent. Watched Slumdog Millionaire and Hairspray, listened to music, read a magazine and chatted with my seatmate, a nice guy from California who'd recently retired. Food was pretty good too- pasta and ice cream. Not as good as what was waiting for me at home, but okay for plane food. And my last few days in London were a blast, too. Danaya and I tore the town apart, running all over, sightseeing, playing dress up, and hanging with Yoni. Finally got to the V and A museum, even though I needed like another three days to soak up all that was inside of it. Ah, well, next time.

But now the trip is over. I mean, BADA's been over, but now London's over. When I woke up this morning, it took me a minute to remember where I was. My room seems so big now... and there are no more accents. Even the buses looked weird to me. Am a disappointed to be back? No. There's too much good stuff here in the Twin Cities for me to be sad. But at the same time, this last semester has been an amazing experience, I'm not even sure I've realized the full scope of its impact. I have some new monologues under my belt, some new tricks for my bag. I've learned how to get around in an unfamiliar country, even ones where I don't speak the language. I survived walking home late at night by myself- I'm not saying that's something I want to do regularly, but back in freshman year I didn't like walking back from the theater building after dark, a whole block and a half... And yeah, there were bad times and sad times. Disappointments, stress, and what we'll call "learning experiences." But while it's true that sometimes actors are horrible flakes, they're a good group to have around anyways. There were definitely an abundance of good times, too. And I've collected a whole bunch of new stories, too. Which is always exciting for me.

Earlier this fall, I was talking to BenCorner who said of the aftermath of his Grand Adventure, his younger brother was a little taller, his hair a little shorter, and there was different food in the refrigerator, but other than that nothing much had changed. This is true now for me. Though I think I've changed. Couldn't tell you how. Certainly, not on the outside. This "back to school picture" lined up next to the others won't look any different. But then they never have. The experience is what I have I guess. That and the stories. Thanks then to the teachers who pushed me everyday, Group E and Midsummer cast for camaraderie and good times, friends and family who supported me. Thanks especially to David and Danaya, for the great last week in London. Along with Tamera, Greta and Anna who convinced me not to hop on the first flight home when things got rough.

And thanks to you, readers, for sticking with me. 64 posts, that's not bad for a semester. Hope you enjoyed reading them. It's been fun. Consider this the season finale, I suppose.
Over and Out.

24!!!

It's my last day in London, yo!

It's been a really great weekend here. At first, when I got back from Dublin, I was just ready to go home. I was tired out, overwhelmed and everyone was leaving me. Plus it didn't help that every newspaper that greeted me on the tube either had pictures of broken bodies after the had been stuck by a car in the Netherlands, or the caption 94k will die from swine flu. No joke. But that's how the free papers work- they're really no better than the tabloids you read in the super market, (to refresh your memory, they're the people who called Michelle Obama "beefy"....)

But then I saw waiting for Godot, and saw Covent Gardens and heard the bells at St. Paul's, and revisited my lovely Borough Market. And then the past couple days I've been hanging out with the lovely lovely Danaya, one of my friends at BADA. She and I have been having a blast, going to pubs, watching movies, and yesterday we spent four hours in a bookstore. I was in heaven. And David's boyfriend Yoni has been taking good care of us, feeding us and letting us use his computer. So it's been good. Today I have about a million things to do; still trying to visit the Victoria and Albert museum, need to run a few errands, use up a gift card, and gonna try to go back to Leaden Hall market (aka Diagon Alley!) phew! well, better get started...

I leave London tomorrow at ten am, so this will most likely be my last post in England. We shall see.

Crazy Eights

Back in London, y'all! Dublin was a blast, but it's nice to be in a city I actually know again. My hostel I'm staying at sucks, but I'm only there three days before I caravan to the next one.

Anyways, short little story: I am seeing Waiting for Godot tonight with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen. Just a little excited for that. As I was in it last year, it'll be cool to see a professional take on it. But in order to get cheap (and therefore viable) tickets, my friend David and I sat outside the theater starting at about seven this morning. We then proceeded to sit there until about 10, when the box office opened. Crazy? yes. But we ended up playing cards with these hilarious guys from Montreal and a really nice lady from CA, which made the time go faster. There were that's what she said jokes, insults and entertainment references flying all over the place. Plus a truck (lorry, if you will), drove by blasting "Sweet Child of Mine" so that was stuck in our heads as well.

This is my last Friday in London. I'm mixed about it. Sad that I'm leaving, but also can't wait to get home to the things I know and love best. And the people!!