Yesterday, the gift was PM's (those are someone's intitials) blog. It was a particularly yucky day at work, but fortunately I had brought my computer. I found this very strange blog. I don't understand most of it. It's doodle, drawing, crazy quotes, prompts, and philosophies that are even more rounds about than my own way of thinking! He is truly theatre' s mad scientist! Perhaps life's mad scientist. But totally inspirational - at all times! (at least in his blog.)
He seems to truly experience life - and celebrate all of life's eccentricities and beauties - and totally believes that you are responsible for your own experiences. He lives by the "two feet" rule - which is - if you are in a place where you are not learning or contributing - you have two feet - walk away. (He later had an entry about how this is not a politically correct rule - as some people don't have two feet - and some people are in wheelchairs, so he changed it to the rule of mobility.) At any rate - it got me thinking- that I can definitely be having a much more fulfilling experience in life than I am at the moment.
Since MFL started - I spend most of my days with 20 year old girls who want NOTHING more in life than to get married - and spend all of their time planning their yet to be had weddings - or their friends weddings. Or complaining about how horrible it is to be in a show instead of planning a wedding. So what's a girl to do who - doesn't have a wedding to plan for herself OR any of her friends. Not even a bridesmaid outfit to pick out.
Well for starters, there is a band room. The band and I get along, and they let me use their band room. I started taking piano lessons so I can become a better musician, and hopefully learn to sigh sing by understanding how notes relate to one another, but have had trouble finding time to practice. Well - on our breaks - I can go and use the piano and practice - and the "reed" player has been kind enough to come and correct me and make sure my "homework" is correct.
PM seems to constantly be inspired by quotes or prompts. He'll find a quote - and use it as a prompt - and then write about why this quote speaks to him. I really enjoy this idea. It just helps you organize your thoughts. (And heck - might help me write a letter or a tweet to him one day.) For example - I know I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Satyagraha - but I have a hard time concisely and rationally explaining why. It just seems like a good communication skill. So I might work on that. I know I also crave some sort of conversation about politics or media or new or social events - so it might be good to just have these conversations with me myself - if no one else wants to have them with me.
I am in NYC - so I have the capability to take classes. I ALMOST signed up for an improv class, but one of my WIW friends told what I should REALLLLLY be doing is taking actors access classes, because you get to work with and show your work to agents and casting directors -which will actually help you get jobs. So I am definitely going to sign up for one of those!
I've also fallen slack on actually practicing my singing and warming up every day. I need to do that! I know I can sing everything in MFL without warming up - but I owe it to myself and my instrument to warm up and challenge it. And find time to work on those arias. And learn the music to chorales I might actually get to one day sing in and be paid for. (Beethovens 9th - The Messiah - Mahler's 4th - Carmina Burana, etc...) The MFL band told me about community chorale societies that I can at least use as a learning tool until I figure out how to get paid. (This isnt a TOO distant possibility - as I have an opera friend who said she will get me an appointment with her agent who books her these jobs at LINCOLN CENTER to sing with the NY Philharmonic - BUT - the agent audition consists of singing an aria and SIGHT SINGING - so I have to be somewhat more proficient at that first. Hence the piano/music theory lessons.) And just learning music is such a wonderful experience. And hopefully I can meet some wonderful intelligent people!
And of course - I have my wonderful podcasts and iTunesU! I found several music theory courses on iTunesU - yay free music lessons! I also found a new favorite political podcast to keep up with current events - Slate's Political Gabfest. It's wonderful. Interesting, entertaining, has a left, right, and center representative. Definitely a winner in my book.
I also called up my old friend Matt - because he's smart - and interesting - and curious - and NOT in theatre. I thought I needed some friends outside of theatre/opera - so we are hanging out next week.
At any rate - I don't know if this entry makes any sense - I'm insanely tired - and a mix of incredibly inspired - and ready to walk away if I hear one more thing about stolen pita chips. And I'm watching Orca Whales swim to Gregorian Monk chants on classic arts showcase - methinks it is time to go to bed!
No comments:
Post a Comment