Just Add Hair... and an audition.

Today, I put hair on the Crucible poppet (the voodoo doll I made for show). I think she's soo cute... I almost want to make another just for me.  :)

I sat down with one of my instructors today about getting into MT II (Music Theatre workshop II) and the Music Theatre BFA. I basically sat down and said, "So... the reason I came to UCI was for the BFA program and I found out last quarter that only 8 are accepted into it. What do I need to do for you to see that I belong in that program?" We had a good chat. He looked back at his audition feedback for my last MT II audition and said that I had a dash next to my name and the dash means YES, so he thought I was good enough for the class but it probably just meant the competition beat me out. So, he told me about how I can really nail the audition and competition with a more upbeat, comical song because they've seen my sentimental and dramatic side now and "I know you can sing that" is what he said. He also said that the audition made me look like a singer who acts so he went through his list of shows and gave me a few song suggestions.
And I left feeling soooo much better about my craft and my UCI goals. And with a new direction on how to approach and achieve my BFA goal.

Also, tonight I auditioned for the musical A New Brain and The Glass Menagerie. They are both UCI workshops. The Glass Menagerie is being directed by Adrian Balbontin whom I met at PCPA when he was a directing intern. Now he's here at UCI as a grad student. He likes me, so that's good. Not that it would help me get a part - I wouldn't want to be cast based on anything but my audition - but what I mean is, it's nice to know there is someone here in some kind of authoritative position who KNOWS I am a good actor. And while I stumbled upon a few words in my monologue, it was definitely my best musical audition to date because of the ease with which I just let out my voice! My acting could have been better, but that's the problem with being out of classes or plays for so long. Thankfully, I am now in Intermediate Acting class, which reminds me a lot of a mix between Aaron Metchik's acting class and some of my favourite acting classes at PCPA.

This quarter is going to be good. I can just feel it. Thank you, God!

The Vagina Monologues Retreat and PICTURES!!!

So, I've been cast in the non-UCI associated production of The Vagina Monologues and it's actually a lot more fun than I thought it would be!

I auditioned kind of because I was getting upset that I'm at this new school and things are supposed to be different; better, but I still hadn't been cast in a show! And then I was a little bummed when I found out rehearsals are at the same time as an Opera Workshop that I was sooo excited to take and worked so hard to get into!

Then this weekend, we "retreated" together for Saturday and a sleepover. First, we met up at the UCI flagpoles and randomly formed teams for a scavenger hunt that took us across campus numerous times,  but it was so much fun! We took pictures of the things we needed to find and I took video of the things that were movement oriented. We ended winning! But whomever won didn't really matter. I will share some of the video/pictures I took.

Lizz, Marlyn, JoJo, Christine, Meghan

Jojo and Lizz in front of the Bren Events Center

with Peter the Anteater 

(UCI mascot)

One of the tasks was to reenact how we think an Engineering Major

would react to the word, "vagina."

Jojo IS an Engineering Major.

Here's what happened.

Peter the Anteater is our mascot, but this is a female version

so we named her 

Petrova, the Maneater

Then we went to one of the director's homes and decorated t-shirts for when we advertise for the show on Ring Road or around campus ("tabling" is what they call it). We watched a movie, then we talked. About the show, our lives, everything. It was great. Everyone is so open and so encouraging and non-intimidating and non-threatening, even the guys who stayed to help out (they are in the crew).

V-Day is the version of the Vagina Monologues

that we will be performing. 

And I had everyone sign the bottom.

Oh man, though.... when we were playing games, there was one game where four girls would stand up next to each other in front of everyone else and anyone could ask the person next to you a yes or no question about you. This is The Vagina Monologues, so a lot of the girls/women are really comfortable talking about sex and guys and love and everything so a lot of the questions were kind of sexual questions. I'm a pretty open person; if you ask I will probably tell you, with a disclaimer saying, "Don't ask if you don't want to know" but I was terrified of getting some random question about ... I can't even think of what. They all know I'm a virgin and I'm going to wait for my husband to be my first (and hopefully only, God-willing). But I was still nervous about all the different kinds of questions that were being asked. But I always love hearing about others' experiences and opinions; I'm strange that way.


-Keep in mind, that what was said on our retreat, stays in our retreat, except that this I have a right to recount because it is about me. I would never blog about one of the other girls' questions.-

So, when it came to my turn, my neighbor was asked if they think that Lizz is the mothering type in a relationship, or likes to be mothered. My neighbor answered that I would be the mother-er because of all that I've helped everyone with in just the few hours we've all been together. ... Apparently, I was the one who gave someone a hair-tie, I had offered help to people who were struggling carrying things, mine was the car that held the luggage while we scavenged for clues around campus and I was one of the drivers to the actual location, so I had garnered this motherly reputation already. But I told them I've yet to be in a relationship, but it's true; when I'm in a relationship, I will probably treat my guy like a King, but of course I would prefer to be treated like his Queen. I told them, though, that so far in my relationships with friends, I tend to be the one who just gives all the time and never gets back - I have a few friends in mind - so I'm hoping that it will be a compromise, as I think it should be. But we shall see.

And that's when the question came up that made my day. A new friend of mine in the cast asked my neighbor if they thought I am waiting for that guy to come along, or desperately searching for him. She said probably waiting but not worried if he doesn't show up just yet because she knows it'll happen in it's own time. She got it right on the money, but I added somet extra.

I said, "I'm desperately trying to wait and not search for him." And JoJo - I love you, Jojo! - said, "Lizz, I think he's desperately waiting for you too." And I HAD to hug her. It made my day and it was kind of affirmation that where I am is okay, and it will happen, but not to go looking for it. In God's Timing. it was great.


Also, here are some pictures of from Cambria Pines Resort, where Kelly got married this Wednesday.

Mom and I wrapped

her gifts together.

Cambria Pines Resort

Some headbands I made at

the UCI costume shop

for the girls in

The Crucible.

Outskirts of UCI campus

on my way home

walking.

The Crucible and a new "job"

On Tuesday, I went to sign up for my new "Drama 101" Assignments. These are basically Crew assignments for working on any of the UCI Season shows and/or working in any of the shops. Last quarter, I worked in the costume shop for 2 units, which is about 60 hours for the whole quarter. I was going to do the same thing for this quarter when I was seduced into signing up for the Prop Shop too! Seduced in a good way!! I really think I'm going to love it! Marshal is really great and she's super laid back, so as long as I get the prop done or whatever the assignment is, she's happy.

With only the passion for craftiness I showed in our "interview" and without any physical evidence of my mad craft skills, she gave me my first assignment!! The voodoo doll/ poppet in The Crucible! That is huge! It's a really important prop, and I made it!!

So, today's picture....

(I know, I missed the last few days. My camera died. But I have a few pictures of Kelly's wedding at Cambria Pines Lodge; It was soooo pretty!)

Aren't they awesome??? I love making things! And one of these will be ON STAGE!

Yummy in my tummy ... for the good of it!

So, I know the day is not yet over, but I'm just way too excited about this tiny change I'm making in my life (that will hopefully garner a HUGE change in the long-run).

My picture for today:

I've made the conscious decision to start eating more healthy. Don't worry, I don't think I'm fat. But my arthritic joints could stand to lose a few pounds of weight pressing against them. And who doesn't want to feel better??

So, I'm mashing the Mediterranean Diet with the South Beach Diet. That means whole grains (when I can), LOTS of veggies, fish, limited poultry, NO RED MEAT, and....   :(....  no fruits (but only for the first two weeks for the 'no fruit' thing).

It actually looks way better all put together than I thought it would. I'm excited to start this new year not with "New Year's Resolutions" but with new ways of improving my life and my body. ... for the good of it.

One last happy day in my happy hometown...

Welp, I'm back in Irvine. I'm all unpacked... mostly... and should really be in bed but I'm still not tired! Ugh! After this post, I will at least make an effort to sleep, but we shall see if it works.

This morning, I actually went to church! Christmas Eve service, I started to realize I'm becoming a CEO of the Christian variety. For those of you who don't know, that is a Christmas and Easter Only Christian. I'm making an active decision to go to church this quarter, even when I don't feel like it. So, this was my last Sunday morning in my hometown for awhile and I thought I should start sooner rather than later.

If you know me, you know that I am always humming and singing tunes, published and made up. This morning, the worship leader said he wanted to try something different. "It is just Jesus and you, so sing your praises to him. Make up a tune for him." I knew this worship leader was talking to me. I do this all the time and I knew it would be quiet because a lot of people just can't do that, not the first time they try and certainly not with so many people around. So this should be easy for me, right?

Wrong! I couldn't do it! It literally brought me to tears because this is probably the easiest task for me ever, and I couldn't do it because my voice would have been the only one, and I knew people in the congregation; in fact, a guy I used to like in high school was sitting right in front of me. Regardless of the gift I've been given to sing out loud, sing out strong, and make it up as I go along, I couldn't do it. I couldn't show Jesus and all those people how much I love him.

I prayed for another chance to show him I love him; to return the love that he has always shown me. The last few years, the music has been gradually different. I just wasn't going to church, so I wasn't learning any of these new songs. So the songs have been pretty contemporary and new, I just don't know any of them, but when I prayed for a second chance, he gave it to me! The next song was an old song we used to sing in worship service. "He Loves Us"

It took me awhile to stand because no one else was standing. And it took me a little bit to sing out strong, because everyone was very quiet. And it took me a bit to raise my hands, as if a funnel for Christ's Love. But when I finally got it through my head that I am here for HIM, not for ME and certainly not for anyone else around me, my arms shot up, my voice rang out, and it was good.

By the end of the song, we were singing the same last line five or six times and the band kept going but the worship leader and the congregation stopped singing, and I sang that last line one last time, all by myself, to Jesus.

I know I'm not cured of my unnecessary insecurities all because of this one incident, but it is what I needed to get me off my butt and show Him how amazing I really think He is and much I love Him, regardless of who is around me and whether or not people can hear me. It will be a constant battle against those insecurities but as long as I keep giving it to God, I can do anything.

My picture for today:

After church - which I already feel was like a week ago now that I'm in Irvine - I took my mom, Amy, Kassi, and Nicolette out to Chinese food to say goodbye. I hadn't really been able to hang out with neither Kassi nor Nico, so this was nice. We got to talk and laugh and eat. Spencer showed up a little before we were leaving, so I finally got to take a picture with them. Can you believe I don't have ANY pictures of us prior to today!?!? For shame!

Today, I am grateful for friends who, even though they can sometimes be too busy for me, manage to always have my heart. I love each of the beautiful - and handsome - people in this picture and I hope they take me with them in their hearts forever as I plan to do with them. I love you guys.

365 Days of Memories... ish?

A friend of a friend of a friend... on Facebook  :)  .... is doing "Project 365" where they are taking one picture every day for a whole year. You know me, I'm quite ambitious so I want to try it too.

Here's the first picture and my sentence for the day:

I'm thankful for a mom who supports me in anything and everything I do (even if it means I'm going to fall on my butt because I didn't listen to her good advice).

I'm leaving Arroyo Grande for Irvine tomorrow afternoon (after church). I'm excited to start my second quarter in the UC system, and definitely am ready to go away from home for a little bit (you know how it is just sitting around... forms unnecessary tensions), but I will definitely miss home. Especially all the people I didn't even get to hang out with for my two-week stay. (That was only partly sarcastic.) I'm slowly learning with whom and where my priorities lie. I'm glad I at least got to see certain people, even if I didn't really get to spend time with them.

That's all for now.

My next post will be from Irvine again. Looking forward to a new year of inspiration, encouragement and drive for my true purpose at UCIrvine and in the Drama/Music Theatre program and in this life (even if these things have to come from myself).