Time for My Closeup- September 18-19, 2013

Yeah, I'm writing this a bit late again. Forgive me as I try to remember what actually happened on Wednesday.

Oh, that's right. I felt like a real actor!!!

It kind of hit me during my acting class Wednesday morning that I really am starting to feel like an actress. I've always considered myself a drama kid, theater student, etc., but that's different than being an actual actress, you know? But I'm finding that artist in me. There's a freedom in just leaving you at the door and stepping into someone else's skin, and I'd like to think I'm getting better at it.

The other thing about acting is having complete control... yet at the same time, not thinking at all. It's quite a paradox, I know. An actor, however, has to have complete control over their body and mind. You have to know what little things are going to be convincing as your character, and what isn't, and how to train yourself to manipulate how you act with your acting. At the same time, if you overthink things, you're not staying in the moment of the character. Don't think: just do! But make sure you know what you're doing.

It's hard to explain.

Anyways, I had my Philosophy discussion section, then hurried back to the dorm room to make myself look all pretty! I met up with a photographer named Bobby Galvan. He used to go to USC, but now he works in film and photography. I saw his advertisement for headshots a while ago, and I need a headshot. Well, I needed a headshot. I don't anymore!!!

I'm supposed to pick my two favorites for him to add some editing to: one theatrical and one commercial. Let me know your picks! These are my favorites of my favorites, and certainly not all of the ones we took. If you like what you see, check out bobbygalvan.com. He's awesome!!! (Shameless advertising) Also, sorry for how many are on here... I know I can only pick two... but I love so many of them!!!!!!

T1

T2

T3

T4

T5

T6

T7

C1

C2

C3

C4 (which looks a lot like C3... sorry)

C5

C6

I'm really, really pleased with how all the pictures turned out. Thanks in advance for the compliments. I can sense some of them coming. I'm not trying to fish for them, I promise!!! But I am having trouble finding two favorite pictures. :/

Anyways, after that adventure I grabbed some lunch and went to my Philosophy class. I've figured out my problem with Philosophy: I don't think deeply fast enough for it. It takes me a little while to fully grasp an idea and come up with an argument.

I spent most of the evening in my dorm room, especially after dinner. Paulina came to visit Jinny and I, but our conversation was interrupted when the fire alarm went off.

We all had to leave the building, and the fire department came!! I started to get worried... it clearly wasn't a drill, but I hadn't smelled smoke... and we couldn't see flames...

Turns out someone just burned popcorn in the lounge microwave. We all got to come back inside, and I finished my Spanish project. Hooray.

Wow. Onto today!!!

Thursdays. I tend to like Thursdays. Today I got breakfast with Jinny, then right afterwards had a voice lesson with Prof. Mcveigh. Wow... there is a LOT I'm doing wrong when I sing. I think what's been happening for me, in acting and singing, is in high school, I learned the basics, but not the details of the basics. Now I'm learning the details, and the basics... aren't so basic anymore. Anyways, she taught me a lot, just in an hour, but also said I had potential, which I'm super happy about. I take it as a great compliment.

She also basically gave me a lesson in how to be confident unknowingly. A lot of what she said about being free in your singing and letting your full voice come out paralleled in my mind with things I've heard God imply to me at parts of my life. For example, "Trust your vocal chords: they know what to do!" Trust God, he knows what he's doing. You don't have to do anything to make that happen, and, just like your singing, you become weaker when you try. It was really cool. I felt blown away afterwards.

My text studies class helped me decide that I would absolutely LOVE to play Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire. And not just because of Marlon Brando, trust me. (though he is quite a good-looking man... his voice is a little off...) There's just something about her character that's resonated with me from the beginning. Not sure what it is, exactly, but still...

I actually had time to work out today before Spanish class!!! Spanish as a class is pretty fun! The kids in it are really lively and entertaining, as well as my professor :)

This evening I worked on trying to update my resume, went to dinner with Kieryn and some members of Intervarsity, and then went to the Intervarsity fellowship. I enjoyed it, even though I was feeling pretty tired a lot of the time. It's odd... I feel like I'm going through some sort of dry spell spiritually... but I'm not quite sure. God still pops up every now and then... but other times I feel really distant. I'm not sure what to make of it.

I came back to the room, and was planning on getting something done, but then Jinny discovered that The Emperor's New Groove was on Netflix. How can you NOT watch The Emperor's New Groove?

If you haven't seen it, there's something wrong with your childhood. Go to Netflix!!!!!

Anyways... hopefully tomorrow will be more productive.

Don't forget to let me know about the headshots! And Fight on, friends.