My friend asked for my help this weekend with an art project. It was supposed to be photography and include 30 to 40 shots of whatever she chose. She didn't even know where to begin.We devised a plan to tell a twisted fairy tale about a boy and a girl who fall in love very quickly when suddenly he has to leave. She goes to a creek and picks petals off a daisy in the typical "he loves me, he loves me not" fashion. It ends on "He loves me not" and she commits suicide by drowning herself in a creek while wearing a prom dress. It was rather fun, minus spending 45 minutes in a creek in a prom dress during 60 degree weather while the water was about 40. Here are my favorite pictures:


       

I'm sure some of you saw my pictures of regional competition in Kerrville. Here's the part where I talk about the effects it had on me. First of all, it was the best experience of my life. I felt like such a grown up walking around in the lobby with marble floors in a pretty cocktail dress, listening to a string quintet and drinking a glass of wine. Doing sound for Earnest was awesome. In the entire 10 performances  or so, I'm the first person to get the sound cues right. There's a long story there, but I won't go into it. I met this guy on the trip... I had actually met him before, but never talked to him. Well, about 4 hours into our 12 hour bus ride, it's pouring down rain and my window starts leaking. My best friend who was sitting in the aisle didn't want me to move too far, so I just asked Isaac, who was sitting across the aisle if I could sit with him. We talked a little about the tornado, made small talk, and I asked how he got roped into going with us as our videographer.



Then he started telling me that he wants to travel as a journalist when he's done with college and how passion is more important than money, and I was wowed. We discussed our goals and passions for a while, then went straight on into music. We had so much in common that we talked for about 6 hours of the remaining 8 on the trip. (He slept on and off for the other two.) I felt chemistry that I haven't felt in a long time. This guy understood me. We got to the hotel and I was determined to give him his space and not look clingy, despite the fact that he was rooming with my good friend, Shawn. We all got our room numbers and he caught up with me to ask what room I was in. I told him 230. "I'm in 234. Just down the hall," he replied with a wink. That night, there were subtle flirtations but nothing I could actually put my finger on. Shawn assumed we were a couple for some reason. Saturday, we saw each other during the tech rehearsal, lunch, the tech meeting, etc. We had fun, always ended up next to each other somehow, but never really said much to each other. After the tech meeting, my roomates went to sleep. I texted Shawn and reminded him that he promised me us time. (There's a long story behind me and Shawn's friendship, but basically a girl has come between us lately.) We went to his room, where Isaac was watching tv. During this time with the boys, Isaac and I decided we wanted to go skydiving together this summer. I hung out with them for a few hours before going to get ready for the performance. Isaac promised me he would be right behind me if I needed help. After our performance, I went to the bathroom to change into my dress for the after party. I must admit, I looked stunning. His jaw dropped when he saw me. :)
After the party, Isaac, Faith, and I decided we wanted to order pizza. It turned into a huge group affair.
This is possibly the worst picture of me ever taken. I look fat and miserable. He, however, looks adorable. We're waiting on pizza at this point, not knowing who is joining us. Anyway, after we ate, Isaac invited me and Faith back to his room to hang out. It was amazing. Shawn and Kassi were with us, and us girls kind of took over Shawn's bed. Some of the pictures were interesting, because they show the level of interaction me and Isaac were having, not physically, but mentally and emotionally. We were arguing, laughing, and knew more random things about each other in 24 hours than we ever should have.
In this picture, I think we're arguing about the Matrix or something. Just look at the body language and how into the conversation we are.We stayed there until 3:30 in the morning. Next day was a huge disappointment. We didn't place at the competition, and when we loaded up to go home, I wanted nothing more than to be alone. I sat in the back behind stuff that would have to be moved to get to me, with stuff thrown in the seat next to me. Isaac came back there anyway. "I love you," he said with a "pretty please" look on his face. So I moved my stuff, he asked if I was okay, I said I would be, and he went to sleep. That was exactly what I needed. If he hadn't sat with me, someone else would have, and they would have tried to talk to me. He woke up every 20 minutes or so for the next hour to check on me. Then, I was feeling better, and we talked. We listened to music, talked about religion so loudly Tim yelled at us and got on to him for "being condescending when you called her 'sweetie.'" "It's a term of endearment," Isaac replied. It was, and I knew it. We weren't arguing. We were discussing. I fell asleep on his shoulder while we were listening to my ipod together. (He lost his headphones.) He got my phone number at the end of the trip, and that was that.

He seems perfect, right? Here's the catch. He's got a girlfriend. She's short, skinny, preppy, and blonde. I know he was attracted to me. I know it. And I know I can't get him out of my head. I didn't admit to myself that I actually liked him until last night. I haven't talked to him since the trip almost a week ago, although we're friends on facebook now. Today, I decided to do something semi-desperate. I messaged him on facebook and asked him to give me guitar lessons, since we had been talking about the guitar I have and don't know how to play. That will give me an excuse to see him and decide whether he's as intellectually perfect for me as I think he is. I'll get to be around him on a regular basis, and learn something I've always wanted to learn. How crazy am I? And how to I go from here? Advice would be appreciated.

So the day has finally come. Tomorrow morning at 5:30 am, I depart for Kerrville, Texas to compete in the regional AACTFest. About a month ago, the play I'm assistant directing swept the awards at the state level in Morrilton, Arkansas.







Our costumer, two actors, two actresses, and the director after winning the Best in Show at Morrilton.









I have mixed emotions about this for some reason that I can't put my finger on. It could be all the added people that are traveling with us, including my ex best friend Shawn, who barely communicates with me since he fell in love with a member of the cast and is going as her boyfriend, not as my friend. Or it could be said cast member's sister, who isn't bad, but is putting our room count up to three instead of two. At that point, I would feel alone and miserable, so I invited my best friend, Faith. Let me explain something about my relationship with Faith. I love her dearly, but I absolutely HATE her sometimes. We're only friends because we've been friends so damn long. I don't respect her on any level, and I see her following in my footsteps and riding on my coattails with pretty much everything I do. It's really fucking annoying. I'm in a hate phase with her, and she will be sharing a bed with me. I think I'd rather sleep on the floor.













Faith on Halloween of 08.















However, the theater is gorgeous.

     

It's going to be amazing to perform in a theater like that. I'll be assistant directing and running the sound system. But I'm still not excited about this. It's frustrating. I'm so lucky. But I don't feel it right now. A major sign of my lack of enthusiasm is that it's 9:25 pm and I haven't even started packing. Like I said, we leave really early tomorrow.  Our itinerary is as follows:


Friday
5:30 AM Mike Sweeten arrives at OLT, starts and warms up bus
5:45 AM Cast and crew arrive at OLT, load luggage and board bus
6:00AM Bus departs for Kerrville
8:00 AM Bus stops for breakfast in New Boston, Texas
10:30 AM Bus stops for rest break
Noon Bus stops for lunch and fuel (if needed)
3:00 PM Bus stops for rest break
5:00 PM Arrival at Kerrville Big Texas Inn
6:20 PM Small group attends Doubt at Cailloux Theater
7:00 PM Dinner at Big Texas Steakhouse for most of cast and crew
10:00 PM Attend party at Cailloux Theater (optional)

Saturday
8:00 AM Breakfast at the Big Texas
9:00 AM Cast and crew depart on bus for Cailloux Theater
9:15 AM Unload set, props, costumes
9:30 AM Technical meeting
9:40 AM Set up
9:50 AM Closed Rehearsal
10:50 AM End of Rehearsal – strike set
11:00 AM End of set-strike
Noon Lunch in town
2:00 PM Attend plays, sight–see, or relax
4:30 PM Snack at Big Texas
5:00 PM Leave for the theater
6:40 PM Set up for performance
6:50 PM Start performance
7:50 PM End performance – strike set
8:00 Pm Set strike complete – Meet w/adjudicators
8:30 PM Attend Of Mice and Men (optional)
10:00PM Attend Party at Cailloux Theater (optional)

Sunday
9:30 AM Check out and depart for Cailloux Theater
10:00 AM Brunch and awards at Cailloux Theater
Noon or earlier Leave for Mena
3:00 PM Rest break
6:00 PM Supper on the road
10:00 PM Arrive at OLT - Unload set, Costumes and props and return bus

Just a note: My director is retarded and thinks we'll be able to make it in 8 hours including stops. Bullshit. He left 11 hours for the trip there, but only 8 on the way back? Someone's being a wishful thinker.

Anyway, enough venting. I still have a lot of packing to do. Wish me luck.