Soelberg lesson take aways

Deperate breathes - be patient. You will not die. Quality is better than quantity  (meaning I have been noticing I desperately gasp breath but when I really sing on the breath I feel so great! But I have to be diligent in the quality of breath I take!!)

Intensity without closing -- I have been playing with the image of a child trantrum where their head is back, mouth open and lots of breath energy?)

On close vowels -- open mouth
On open vowels -- puppy whine place

Thoughts from months gone by...

So-

I remembered that I actually do have a blog. hehe silly me.

But I also remembered it was a little over a year ago I started this big. Woah. how life has changed. how I have changed.

It's odd- these little time markers..."It's been a year since I started a blog" "It's been 2 years since I graduated high school" "It's been 4 years since I got my license"...I mean, sometimes I think- seriously? NOTHING HAS HAPPENED! How can it already be [insert time value]?

But then, I realize: so much happened.

little things. anyone who doesn't know me very well would probably think I was the same person I was 1, 2, 4 years ago. But in fact, I think if I met my 16 year-old self, it would be like when you meet a stranger, and the first time you meet you totally get each other, but the more you get to know them, you realize you are super different (not bad different, but definitely different)...anyway. yeah.

and now, on the verge of some big changes in my life, I am so grateful. grateful for the experiences I've had, the people I've met, the knowledge I've gained. I know there is a God who LOVES me and all of His children. I know there is a God who prepares His children for these mortal challenges. I know there is a God who lets us go through hard times with the knowledge that "all these things shall give [us] experience, and shall be for [our] good." I know there is a God who hears our prayers, who answers our prayers, and who guides our willing hearts to where we can reach our greatest potential.

I have hope in the things I don't know. but I am striving to lean more on what I DO know, rather than what I am unsure of.

This knowledge enables me to look to the future with joy, excitement and enthusiasm.

It's a good feeling :)

Details.

So- I might have mentioned before that I am taking my first official acting class ever this semester. I absolutely love it!

i feel like a sponge. I just want to remember every moment!

So, my teacher loves little catch phrases to sum up a principle. and one of those phrases is...

Details are the KEY to imagination.

Basically it means when we are acting, details are what are going to make it real...what do you see? Taste? Feel? Smell? What is the logo on the object you are holding? etc.

so, today we did a little exercise; it incorporated a TON of principles, but this was one of them: details.

The whole class found a spot on the ground, laid on their backs and closed our eyes. We were instructed to listen to our teacher and to imagine we were going through this situation. It was emphasized that we focus and see the details.

I want to recount a summary of how some of this went down. (in italics is what we were told by my teacher, in normal is what I was imagining....)

You are at the airport, just finished at security, maybe putting your shoes or belt back on...

I'm standing trying to put my brown, fluffy boot on as fast as I can, but people are still walking around me to grab all their stuff out of the blue bins. I grab my red smart phone out of my own bin and wait for my backpack to come all the way down the little ramp thing.

You are walking to your gate.

I stop to look at a sign, I'm unfamiliar with the airport. I find my gate, C, to my left and begin walking towards it, casually looking at all the people sitting in gates A and B. I did pass a bookstore, back by the sign. It was cute, well lit and 2 or 3 people standing in line at the registrar. 

You arrive at your gate, you have a drink, what is it? You see someone attractive; what do they look like?

I find a seat close to the window, pull out a SoBe lemonade and open it and take a small sip. yummy! I glance over to gate D and there is one attractive guy, 24ish, with short, clean cut dark hair. He is dressed in business casual and is reading a book.

~this goes on for awhile...eventually we end up on the plane, and we take off (LOTS more details being imagined that what I am actually posting)~

The flight attendant hands you a napkin and the small plastic cup with your complimentary drink.

I'm in the window seat, so the attendant leans over the man in a business suit with glasses to hand me the napkin with the Southwest Airline logo in the bottom right hand corner and the small, plastic cup with my Sprite in it. I just finished a bag of peanuts and the bag is sitting on the try in front of me. I am about to take a drink when...

There is some turbulence. You spill your drink...

 I say "Crap" under my breath as I grab my napkin and wipe up the small puddle of Sprite. 

The turbulence doesn't stop...the plane gets quite and the pilot's voice comes on and says they are returning to the airport for an emergency landing. The flight attendants come rushing down the aisle collecting trash.

I put my tray up and my hands immediately grasp my arm rests. I press my head against the head rest and glance out the window. It is very rocky, so I close my eyes and my breathing gets more labored. I hear small sniffles from the ladies behind me. I focus on my breathing...in...out...in...out..

LOUD CRASH! (my teacher actually drops a metal chair on the floor) The pilot comes on and instructs everyone to put heads between their legs. The plane is slowly inclining downward.

I jump and grab my arm rests even tighter. My only thoughts are to keep calm and to not panic. I slowly follow the pilot's instructions. I blink very slowly, afraid to keep my eyes closed too long, but not wanting to have them open either. I say silent prayers. My breathing continues to be shallow and labored, especially since I'm leaned over. I notice the grooves on the floor- dirt has settled in between all the grooves and there is even a piece of pink gum smashed into it. The plane is silent except for random, soft cries of surprise when the turbulence hits.

You begin to feel the plane level out. You hear sirens from rescue teams below. 

I lift only my head to glance out the window- I see red and blue flashing lights down below. I spring my head back down, focusing on the gum on the floor and making sure I continue to breath. 

~long story short, the plane lands safely, then our teacher instructed us to get ourselves out of the plane, and when we were done to sit up~

The applause for the flight crew finally ends. As soon as the people in my row file out, I walk (my legs feeling like jello), out to the aisle, almost forgetting my backpack that was up above my seat. I can't help but stare at the ground as we all slowly, file out of the plane. I am breathing slowly, yet once I get out to the airport I nearly collapse on the black waiting area seats, grab my phone in my sweatshirt front pocket and with shaking hands begin to dial my mom's number. My eyes begin to fill with tears as the shock wears off and my body all begins shaking.

At this moment in class, I sat up very quickly because I realized my hands were actually hot and sweaty and my eyes were actually filling with tears. My heart was racing and as I began to wipe my sweaty hands off, I saw they were shaking too. Our teacher had helped guide us to see with such great detail, that my body was literally reacting. 

I was amazed! I loved it! I loved experiencing first hand how I could emotionally connect to a situation I have never been in before. I have previous experience I could draw from and was able to create a whole new (imaginary) experience!

 Woah. so. cool.

 I have so much to work on so I can actually apply this to my acting, but I just thought it was the coolest thing! :)

School.

Yes, the creativity of this post title is remarkable.

But I have some thoughts about school, so it seemed appropriate!

So, today was the first day of school for me :) Woot. I only had one class today...at 8am, none the less, but I feel that 'first-day-of-school-jitters' are already out of me. Being a sophomore, boy, I know all the tricks and what to expect. Ok, that's a lie. but I definitely feel better knowing I know more than at least a couple thousand students on campus (aka freshman). I know, it's a power thing, but com'mon, everyone is relieved when they can finally stop responding "Freshman" when others ask what year you are :) I also think about how my attitude towards school has changed in the past year...

I remember last year when I wanted my whole schedule figured out, books bought and classes mapped out before the first day.

Ha. that didn't last long.

I remember the first time I dropped a class, after the semester had already started, and added 2 news one the same day. Woah. I was so nervous!

Here is a short list of advice I heard as a freshman, didn't believe, and now know them as hard core truth:
1. You don't have to have all your books before class starts.
I still haven't bought all my books yet. but why not! I probably won't use half of them, so I may as well wait till I go to the class before I know. Unless you get notified by your teacher before school starts, just wait- and you don't have to go to the bookstore, look online, find them used, you'll be fine...
2. Your schedule is yours, once school starts, you are NOT locked into it.
Well...until the add/drop deadline, which you should look up so you don't miss it! haha I am starting this semester with a big hole in my schedule, hoping to add a class- but I have to go to the class and talk to the professor and pray there is room for me in the class- ok, that is a little stressful, but it'll be alright.
3. 8am is a terrible time to have class.
ok, so this one I've always believed...but of course, I have 8am class every day this semester. and i know it's true. I know I'm dumb, but sometimes that is the only time the class is offered. (and it won't be that bad...but I guess time will tell.)
4. The syllabus is the law.
Dude, if you have any questions, most likely the answer is in the syllabus. it just is.
5. Sleep is actually a good thing.
I don't think I went to bed before 1 or 2am all last year. This was dumb. I realize. But it happens, and that is one thing I needed to learn by personal experience. And every freshman should never sleep, because after that, you actually want to give up social experiences to be in bed by 11:30, haha (so I say the first day of class...hopefully this sleep schedule sticks!)
6. Wendy's frosty's are always a good idea.
they just are.

so...as I approach this school year, I'm going forth with confidence that I am not a freshman. haha :)

There you have it

So. I really do enjoy having a blog.

You probably wouldn't know it by how often I post on here, but it is the truth none the less.

But as I reflect on this coming school year, I'm seeking comfort in having a space to record my candid thoughts. My thoughts that I want to share, but am not sure where they belong. It's nice to know they belong here.

This year is going to be hard. I think the anticipation of it is worse than it will be. But maybe not. What if it is worse than I expect. It could be. But it could also end up being a simple semester. But most likely not, haha. And I don't know how I'm feeling about it- I mean, there are so many things I need to do...I'm starting to see my social life slowly disappear...but who knows. Not me. I'm excited though...in a nervous kind of way.

I've had so many thoughts this last week. So many thoughts that I want to share. So I'm going to start again. Every so often I have to remind myself that I don't have to wait for January 1st to rededicate to a goal. But I also heard a TED Talks about not sharing your goals with others... (It's worth a listen). So- I'm not going to share my goals for this school year...not yet at least. So, here it goes. A new year.

And there you have it.

enunciation

well, being a vocalist, I've always been taught to really enunciate. I also was a chronic 'mumbler' as a child, so now I am much more aware of how I speak. (I would get so frustrated when all people would ever respond to me with was "...What?")

ok, I try to. I'm not perfect. and I definitely try. but mumbling is definitely still an issue sometimes.

BUT. still. As a singer, and a performer in general, speaking clearly is very important. How in the world can you touch an audience if they don't know what you are even saying?

Then there are those words that people subconsciously 'mumble'... Have you ever noticed how people (yourself included) say "Fur" instead of "For" when you are talking quickly? Start listening for it. It'll drive you crazy!

My personal favorite is (my favorite word): obviously. Most people just say "ah-viously". Hello! You're missing the very important "b" sound! So, I always try to say "ah-B-biously" :) It's such a fun word :) It's so sassy.

This leads me to my second point: Taylor Swift

I have no problems with her songs, I actually like a lot of them. But seriously- I can NEVER understand her songs. I constantly have to ask people what the lyrics are, because apparently that's why her songs are so good. But a dear friend showed me the following video. And honestly, this is how I feel when I hear her songs (especially the first time).

Point made.

"Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, cold hard ground!"

com'mon people. a little enunciation goes a long way.

a blog?

oh yeah- I have a blog.

haha I guess this was bound to happen...it is summer, I'm working a lot, I'm eating lots of ice cream, the blog was bound to get put on the back burner. But I'm back. For now.

I don't have tons to blog about, except if you all want to hear my thoughts on the new show Graceland (starring Aaron Tveit- he is incredible... he plays Enjorlas in the new Les Mis movie...here is his IMDB profile. I just really. like. him), or the Bachelorette (Drew is my favorite, but I watched the preview for this coming week and I don't know what's going to happen...), or So You Think You Can Dance (I'm still at least one episode behind, so...I don't have a lot to say about it yet, so yeah :) The dancers are still brilliant!), or Downton Abbey (yes, I just finished watching, or should I say rewatching, the first 2 seasons again...I am dying for the 4th season to come! Hurry BBC!! Hurry!!)- I have lots of thoughts on those.

but I promise I don't just watch TV.

Yet, the evidence is against me. I do have some great thoughts on those shows...

Perhaps I'll start using this blog to record those thoughts. Or not. I'll just start remembering I have a blog and start writing...the things I used to write...hehe

Until next time :)