Tag Archive | OCT

End of Week 4

Oct24

Compared to last week, it has been a pleasant respite from the onslaught of making a full bellydance costume to now being a stage hand for a local theatre company.  I am able to show up and work on assignments in an environment that invigorates me.  Being in the dark of the backstage world is comforting and the only distractions I have are the actors talking and being ready for my cues.  While I have stepped into the role as of Sunday, I feel relaxed and prepared to take this on as I have the confidence in my skill set as a practitioner of the theatre arts.  Plus, the show has a beautiful story to tell and its meaning and power is wonderfully executed by the actors and director.  My part is brief but builds upon the power that comes at the end of the show.  I will not give it away, but I encourage everyone to see it.  I & You at Oregon Contemporary Theatre.

Another benefit of not frantically sewing a costume is the ability to see articles and images online that I feel have relevance to what has been discussed in course work.  Portland Center Stage has a production of The Typographer’s Dream which opened recently and with my exposure to typography through my Marketing, Media, and Communications class, I now want to see this show.  Especially since they have a sense of humor.  Aside from the theatre, there has been an ongoing debate about women in the gaming (and other similar mediums) community.  I have been re-posting articles onto the AAD Class of 2016 Facebook group to either initiate debate or rather to bring it to our attention as it has relevance in what we have been discussing in our Art in Society class.  We have not covered much about gender, but when I see “culture wars,” I have to stop and figure out what are they meaning by culture.  Gamersgate is something I am not familiar with but it may have a lasting affect on how people are presented and treated in digital mediums or other art forms, especially when an article comes out about former Playboy Bunnies.

To counter possible negative articles, I keep finding really positive and affirming videos or articles such as comedian and actor BJ Novak reading to kids, http://themetapicture.com/this-man-opens-a-book/ or the video from CNN of a graffiti artist who now sells his works for thousands of dollars, https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153000318221509&set=vb.5550296508&type=2&theater  Being able to identify and relate to articles and opportunities is something I find re-energizing me and making me excited about my chosen path.  I just wish I could clone myself so I can be at 10 different places once, while still maintaining my original self so she can travel.  The clones can do the work.

Now on to Week 5, halfway through my first term of Grad School!!!

 

Starting Week 4

Oct19

The first three weeks of school have flown by and I am now starting to feel more like myself and finding my way around campus and school work.  I had a really great workshop on Friday with the Graduate School on Speed Reading and I hope to take their next workshop on Time Management, downside is I have group work meetings at the same day and time as the workshop!  Oops!  Plus, trying to get ready for a dance performance with school work and finding part time work has had some serious side effects.  Dishes not getting down, scrambling to fit in hundreds of pages of reading (I will catch up though thanks to the speed reading workshop), and not feeling like I am taking care of myself.  Late nights sewing were not what I had in mind for doing a 3 and half minute dance, but there is an upside to all of this.

My performance yesterday at the Middle Eastern Dance Guild of Eugene’s Fall Festival resulted in the audience clapping along to our music and then individuals from the audience would stop and say how much they enjoyed it.  Results of this performance were really pretty dance outfit, not messing up on the foot work (ok, maybe a little), performing with little food on my stomach and too much caffeine, and doing all of this in a two-piece costume!!  (Super body confidence powers activate!)

I hope to have photos or videos to post soon since I want to share my performance with my cohort, because the Universe decided that all the really cool things I want to do with my cohort have to happen the same weekend I have committed myself to another event.  While the Classes of 2015 and 2016 were having their talent showcase, I was dancing and stage managing, easiest stage managing gig to date, but having to chose between building new relationships with people I am spending a lot of time with or doing something I have been desperately wanting to do since 2005/2006, well….I stuck with the latter rather than the former.  Opportunities to perform the routine in the future may happen, but no more last minute sewing!  Too much stress, not always feeling rested, and not doing myself any justice by not doing my readings and school work.

A year ago I started the AAD application process and fretted if I would get in, now being in this program is so monumental to me as I never thought of myself as smart enough to earn a Masters degree.  In hindsight, it’s not about smarts, but about drive and finding that goal in life and doing whatever it takes to achieve it.  I may have cheated myself on expanding my network with AAD Alums this weekend, as I was unable to participate in a number of events, but being able to do something which I never thought possible because of how I look is really empowering.  I danced in front of people I do not know in a skirt and bra!!!  What?!?!  I know, right!  I did it and did the dance with lots of happiness in my soul because it is a great song and that no one was there to hate on dancers’ bodies, they were there to celebrate it!  This feeling of empowerment is what is driving me to pursue a Masters in Arts & Administration, or possibly use my degree as a vehicle for working with organizations that have mission to empower girls and women to appreciate and respect their bodies or being able to assist our veterans who struggle with PTSD.

So now that I have the dance performance behind me, I can start focusing on my school work and getting a part-time job because I am getting nervous that I will not be able to pull my weight on bills.  An opportunity to work at Oregon Contemporary Theatre has presented itself and I will be doing that for the next two weekends and I am excited to be around theatre people, they are my kind of crazy.  :-)

Ciao until we meet again!  Keep following my course work postings to see what I am learning and I will see you at Week 5 (Victory Mimosa is coming).