friends.
it's been a long time!! in an effort to keep you fairly updated in the goings on of my existence (something i know you've all been desperately clamoring for), i've decided to make a post encompassing the incredibly jam-packed year of 2016.
in 2016 i...
...learned to play the accordion. very poorly. after years of longing and yearning, an accordion was bestowed upon me. it's completely absurd just how difficult it is to learn how to play the accordion. there are far less youtube tutorials available to watch than, say, for the ukulele. but slowly and surely i will be at the level of any old parisian street performer. if you're in need of an accordion player for your eclectic gypsy band, hit me up...in a few years!
...somehow managed to be in a show with my best friends...at a theatre 3.5 hours away from where i live. crazy? yes. worth it? absolutely. how did i manage it? by only having classes on tuesday-thursdays, a car that gets 48 miles per gallon, and sheer unadulterated determination.
...re-injured my previously "unknowingly broken for 8 years" foot...and had to wear a boot again. i acquired a handicap parking permit to use so i wouldn't have to haul it around campus...but that honestly didn't help too much. honestly it's my own fault for posting "tonight is my very first dance rehearsal WITHOUT A BROKEN FOOT!" on all my social media outlets...it was months until that actually happened.
...played a married pregnant woman in one of the greatest shows of all time: BIG FISH. if you've never seen the movie or musical...you are definitely missing out. it is so whimsically touching and the music is beautiful! and i'm not going to lie...wearing a fake pregnant belly is one of the funniest, most absurd things i've ever done. i could not take myself seriously.
...went to NEW YORK...for the first time...with my best friend! and had all kinds of adventures. like...
seeing DADDY LONG LEGS and meeting megan mcginnis (the original BETH in LITTLE WOMEN: THE MUSICAL),
seeing the greatest show currently on broadway...HAMILTON (and meeting some of the cast),
seeing SHE LOVES ME and meeting zachary levi,
and much, much more (check out my travel blog for stories and anecdotes...coming soon)!!
...turned 22. which is honestly just such a strange age. i think it truly marks the beginning of adulthood because you've finally reached a number that doesn't carry some specific connotation with it. it's like the 19 of your 20's. i will say, it's fun to tell unsuspecting people that i'm 22. apparently being 22 is so much harder for people to believe than being 21. i put the blame on my youthful glow and childlike stature.
...made my first college friends. it took a long time. a really extraordinarily, embarrassingly long time. there was almost a full year of my inner monologue being the best conversation i'd have all day. but i FINALLY found some people that i totally love and admire and are you surprised that i found them through the a&m theatre department? because you shouldn't be...
...finished my sophomore year of college strong and with new glasses! there are always moments during finals week where you start wondering just how rich you're going to have to marry to make up for your stupid, idiot brain. but that mindset really only lasts a few days, and is mainly due to sleep deprivation and excessive coffee intake.
...met up with old theatre friends over the summer. this included accidentally making an adult table at a party. additionally i discovers that i'm usually either the oldest and/or shortest person in all of my friend circles. the one exception to this rule is when i'm with joanna...but i slouch so much, it usually looks like i'm shorter than her (even though i'm technically not).
(my summer also consisted of: 9 scorpions, 4 mice, a roadrunner named george, a broken car window & a feral cat wrecking havoc in said car)
...celebrated the u.s. national parks' centennial by visiting a number of swell american landmarks: alien vacation destination, roswell, new mexico. a wyoming speakeasy/brothel. where obama vacationed literal days after we did, carlsbad caverns. thoroughly devoid of bears and anything remotely scary, yellowstone park. and more.
...worked as an intern for a new theatre company TTYP. i acted as the costumer, stage manager, production manager, and basically every odd job needing doing...for three full camps. we created a super hero comic book experience for 4-8 year olds. an apocalyptic/dystopian romeo and juliet for 14-18 year olds. and an original musical based on an old play "bluebird" for 9-13 year olds. it was quite the experience!!
...also got to work on one of these camps (bluebird) with my then future college roommate, abi!
...met the love of my life, best friend, soulmate, and better half. unfortunately, it was a very short and one-sided relationship. someday i will find a pig who loves me like i love them.
...also somehow thought it would be a good idea to take 18 hours over the summer. that's SIX college classes. that's more than i usually take in a full semester. what was i thinking??? it kept me very busy and constantly double-tasking (as seen above).
...moved into my new apartment with my new roommate abi! it was my 8th move in 3 years, and i'm honestly not sure that i'll ever be ready to move again. it's the tiniest most perfect, adorable apartment. and it has already seen some wild pajama parties and brunches (pictured above), let me tell you.
...got into a car accident the day before school started. and i honestly can't say it's the first car wreck i've had on my first week of school, either (throwback to freshman year). ALSO it was a hit and run, which was terrifying. ALSOOO it happened right after we had callbacks for a show, which was honestly terrifying enough.
and speaking of terrifying transportation...we learned to ride the bus this semester too (pictured above). it was a fear for both of us, and we have more than conquered it.
...started my junior year of college with friends in every single one of my classes!
...became an aunt for the 5th time! meet baby owen. isn't he perfect in every way???
...went to an art museum. after a few weeks of taking some very performance heavy college classes, i actually felt like i absorbed meaning from it! maybe i can accomplish my lifelong dream of being a pretentious art enthusiast, after all!
...built a 1.5ft post-apocalyptic apartment building model for a homework assignment in my theatre design class. and let me tell you...i got some strange looks on the bus.
...got to play a mermaid in THE LITTLE MERMAID at a brand new (to me) community theatre. atina is the quirky middle child with pink hair and an affinity for fish puns. also it was decided that she's technically the littlest mermaid (at least in stature).
...also got to be in the ensemble of one of the hardest shows of all time SWEENEY TODD.
...joined a fraternity! which is actually just a theatre honors society. but i like to tell people i'm a frat boy, because it's fun and they usually freak out. #alphapsiomega #justcallmechad
...finished the semester with a huge day of performances. the perks of being a performance [double]major. and if you're absolutely desperate to see our 20 minute excerpt of THE ROVER by aphra behn...i could probably hook you up...
...made new friends.
SO MANY NEW FRIENDS.
according to Facebook i made 99 friends JUST THIS YEAR.
