Now is the winter of your discontent!

Taking a quick study break to post.

I was thinking about not studying for Shakespeare at all. I just got my last Theatre History test back. I didn't start studying for this thing until an hour before the test, and I finished writing before almost anyone else in the class. I got 85%, and there is no way that I can possibly justify this as a mark. I think Ian might have been high when he marked these.

At any rate, here is story the third:

3.
At three years old my ability to memorize large quantities of useless information, was quite possibly even more powerful. My mother recorded me reciting "T'was the Night Before Christmas" at this tender age. Now I'm sure this will come as a great shock to everyone reading this, but as a child I was a little hyperactive, and (to say the least) a touch dramatic. I ran around my house acting out the poem and putting every colour of the vocal spectrum into the words (not knowing what at least half of them meant I'm sure). Not a Christmas goes by that we don't have to listen to the tape of my performance- A Christmas tradition that will haunt me the rest of my life, but that I can't help but be a little proud of ;)

Holly

I told my mother that I was posting random Christmas moments all the way up to the 25th of December and she said that it was "kind of like an Advent Calendar... with out the chocolates".

2.
As mentioned in a recent post, a month before Christmas when I was in grade 11 a friend of mine passed away from a battle with cancer. Two days later my Grandma's dog, who I was very attached to, also died from a cancerous tumor. My grandma's dog was named Red (after the Fraggle) and had been her only companion at her home for 10 years. The holiday season was off to terrible start, but a few days later my Mom and I came up with an idea to help my Grandma. We bought her a dog for Christmas. My mom brought the puppy home and got me to look after it for an afternoon while she was out. I sat cuddled up with this tiny puppy watching Christmas specials for hours, and I remember thinking how amazing it was. Here was this new life resting on my chest (I could feel her heart beat). She had come into the world just as others had left. I don't know if can really explain it... I can't really do the feeling justice.
Her name is Holly, and I still try to steal her and bring her back up to Sudbury when my family isn't looking.

Tiz the Season

It's official. I have hung the Christmas decorations. One full month of merriment and joyous yuletide has commenced!
While this weekend will primarily consist of studying for exams, I am hoping to squeeze in a little shopping here and there.
This should prove to be an excellent holiday season. Because I was so extremely good this year (or at least I seem to have deceived the fat man in the red suit)I am getting my present early :D
Next weekend I will be in Toronto seeing the Dave Matthews Band, which will also put me in the general area of Hamilton (specifically York) to decorate the Christmas tree.
I also now have a DVD player on my computer to enjoy the DVDs my brother made me of Christmas Specials, and I have my own copy of "It's a Wonderful Life" which I seem to remember I have to force a few people to see.
And to put the icing on the gingerbread house, my cousin Lorraine is coming up from Florida to see a real Canadian Christmas (hopefully we can provide her with some snow- though if she were coming right up to Sudbury I'm sure there'd be no problem).

I am adding a new segment to my blog :p
For the month of December I will post random favourite Christmas memories. In no particular order-
1.
Scott will appreciate the following script:

(LIZ is carefully decorating cookies slowly and methodically. She drops a sprinkle on the wrong part of the icing)
LIZ: Oh shit!
(DAD and SCOTT look up)
LIZ: I mean... Merry Christmas!

THE END

maybe you had to be there...

ANYWAYS!

Here's to a month of family and friends and another year of great moments.

(in Louis Anderson voice) "Alright!"

Disclaimer: written at age 16 thus written in Grade 11-ametre (rhyming couplets and a bouncy rythm)

I'll stare up at the clock one day
and remember there was a time
I could tell you all this mushy stuff
and it didn't have to rhyme

I'll remenisce with all our friends
about memories and share
but nothing will ever be the same
because we won't have you there

I'll see a snowflake falling
or wind blowing past a tree
I'll think of you in heaven Jay
I hope you think of me

I'll keep cheering for the Leafs
and they'll keep losing too
Maybe I'll even see that game
I was supposed to see with you

I'll dance with other guys
but they might not let me sing
I'll never forget what you've meant to me
I didn't close my eyes, I didn't miss a thing.


Jason Uberig (1983-1999)


If it's of any help to anyone- it is difficult for a while. But it does get easier. Now when I remember stuff the sad feelings get replaced by a nice warm fuzzy feeling. Anything that can make me smile when I hear Aerosmith has to be a pretty powerful warm fuzzy feeling.

For Jay: "I'm Liz Buchanan, I'm the smartest person in the world!"

Happy Birthday Snooty Chuckle-Face!

The following in excerpted from a children's book, "Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot Professor Poopypants" by Dave Pilkey, in which the evil Professor forces everyone to assume new names...
1. Use the third letter of your first name to determine your new first name:
a = snickle
b = doombah
c = goober
d = cheesey
e = crusty
f = greasy
g = dumbo
h = farcus
i = dorky
j = doofus
k = funky
l = boobie
m = sleezy
n = sloopy
o = fluffy
p = stinky
q = slimy
r = dorfus
s = snooty
t = tootsie
u = dipsy
v = sneezy
w = liver
x = skippy
y = dinky
z = zippy

2. Use the second letter of your last name to determine the first half of your new last name:


a = dippin
b = feather
c = batty
d = burger
e = chicken
f = barffy
g = lizard
h = waffle
i = farkle
j = monkey
k = flippin
l = fricken
m = bubble
n = rhino
o = potty
p = hamster
q = buckle
r = gizzard
s = lickin
t = snickle
u = chuckle
v = pickle
w = hubble
x = dingle
y = gorilla
z = girdle


3. Use the third letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name:
a = butt
b = boob
c = face
d = nose
e = hump
f = breath
g = pants
h = shorts
i = lips
j = honker
k = head
l = tush
m = chunks
n = dunkin
o = brains
p = biscuits
q = toes
r = doodle
s = fanny
t = sniffer
u = sprinkles
v = frack
w = squirt
x = humperdinck
y = hiney
z = juice


I would be Zippy Chuckle-Face... though I suppose if you wanted to get really technical it would be Dorky Chuckle-Face.

Some fun pictures

My blog is looking a little overly-wordy at the moment. And since my wordiness lacks substance at the best of times, I thought it would be good to add some fun pictures to my blog. This is the first thing you get when you type "fun" into a google image search:










This is the second...










Hey go to Torren's band's website.
Thanks for looking out for me Torren. You made my night last night.

Me again :)

Just a quick post about the parital return of my sanity.

Three incredibly good mood things:

1) I am now offically the TA for Acting I! Bet you didn't know you could start TAing a class almost half-way through. Well you never know until you try.

2) Tomorrow is my Shakespeare scene with Josh :D I love Josh.

3) I think this show might actually be ready to open on Friday night.

Take note I didn't specify which Friday night and/or of what month.


Anyways, the point is that after a few days of not necissarily being "well adjusted" or maybe not "communicating coherrently" or "thinking things through before I say them" (maybe I can't "reach all the parts of my body" or I don't "own a toothbrush")my head is now screwed on straight. Or at least as straight as it has ever been.

*I think I should go back through all of my posts and track the number of times I say "anyways" "at any rate" or "the point is". It might be a good exercise to improve my writing.

A few important discoveries made tonight:

1) The Coppercliff bus does not transport one to the school

2) Dry cereal straight from the box is a perfectly reasonable dinner

3) It is not a good idea to try to build an entire kitchen for a set one week before the show opens

4) Either my acting talent is fantastic or I come across as being much more plausibly pathetic/insane than I thought

5) Inhaling paint fumes for long periods of time can have lasting effects

6) I come up with better ideas for how to fix set problems after inhaling paint fumes for long periods of time

7) A hand-held drill is easier to operate at 1:45am

8) Having only one week before opening and having half a set finished, seems less painful at 2am

9) It's not a good idea to start at the side and built the set across the stage... otherwise Bill will try to strangle you...

10) It is in fact possible to be too tired to go to sleep

stuff

OK I didn't get around to publishing this until today, but I'm not changing the answers so here's what I thought about things yesterday afternoon at around 4:30-

10 Favorites...
Favorite Color: red
Favorite Food: Quizznos Veggie sub
Favorite Band: Dave Matthews Band (is it too early to start the count-down? 24 days)
Favorite Movie: Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail
Favorite Sport: Hockey
Favorite Season: the Christmas season. Not the rest of winter
Favorite Day Of the Week: Tuesday
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Prailines and Cream
(There are only 8 "tens"...?) yes why is that?

9 Currents...
Current Mood: Much better than I have been
Current Taste: neutral
Current Clothes: jeans, sweater vest (which make Angelo and I look especially cool today), and some socks I've only worn a couple of times since their last wash
Current Computer: My home computer
Current Finger/Toenail Color: natural
Current Time: 4:49
Current Surroundings: My happily postered room
Current Annoyance(s): in brief- not being a very capable production manager+my inability to find all but the crappiest jobs in the city of Sudbury+the summer of 2005 AKA The summer that won't fricken end
Current Thought: I should probably be doing something right now...

8 Firsts...
First Best Friend: John Hunter
First Screen Name: I think it was "Lizonline"
First Pet: Mokey
First Piercing: ears
First Crush: Donny Reid
First Music: oldies 1150! My first concert was The Beach Boys :)
First time you flew in a plane: Going to Disneyland when I was 8.

7 Lasts
Last Cigarette: N/A
Last Drink: water... mmmm Thorneloe filtered water
Last Car ride: Home from work last night (thanks Joe!)
Last Text Message: N/A
Last Movie Seen: Shania, A Life in 8 Albums. Don't ask.
Last Phone call: To get a ride home from work last night... thanks Joe...
Last CD Played: a mix CD I made and entitled "Soothing"

6 Have You Ever....
Have You Ever Dated One Of Your Best Friends: I am dating one of my best friends :)
Have You Ever Broken the Law: Uh-huh
Have You Ever Been Arrested: Not yet.
Have You Ever Skinny Dipped: I have a pool- of course!
Have You Ever Been on TV: Yes, I was recently on the news saying that I was too lazy to exercise EVEN though it could save my life! argh...
Have You Ever Kissed Someone You Didn't Know: yes

5 Things....
You Did Last Night:
1. 4:30-6 worked on the set
2. 6-7 Attended rehearsal
3. 7-11 worked
4. 11:05 missed my bus
5. 11:35 got a ride home and went to sleep... I don't know if I mentioned this but thanks Joe...

4 Places You've Been Last...
1. The bus
2. Shakespeare class
3. The library
4. The computer lab

3 People You Can Tell Anything...
heh heh... yeah... I'm with Angelo on this one
1.
2.
3.

2 current loves...
1. coffee
2. caffiene

1 last song played...
Guitar Song-Hayden

Warning! -Code Red and Green

I will try to do this as briefly as possible.

This is mostly so that you can be prepared to duck and cover.
The next pseudo-intellectual wanna-be cynical jackass that tries to pass off “Christmas decorations go up way too early” or “Christmas is so commercial” as their own unique original thought may be the victim of a swift kick to the head. Enough is enough. It's not a new idea anymore, and you're not bringing me down with you.
I mean I completely agree that the commercialization of Christmas is bad, but I take it as my challenge to find something meaningful in the holiday season that’s separate from shopping and gift giving. And what is so bloody awful about having decorations up in November? It is kind of early yes, but is it really so bad to have pretty lights and colourful displays all around downtown for a couple of extra weeks?


Hmm if only someone could make up a Christmas special about someone who is so distraught over the commercialization of Christmas that he loses sight of the meaning himself. But then he finally learns what Christmas is truly about and is surrounded by his family and friends… perhaps around a Christmas tree humming Hark the Herald Angels sing. If only...

Pardon my sarcasm. I really love this holiday, it means a lot to me, and I think sometimes people bash it because it’s fashionable to do so.
I can totally have a sense of humour about it (Family Guy’s Rudolph: Classic), but please stop trying to convince me that I’ve been brain washed by corporate America or that I have a lower IQ because I happen to be able to find joy in the month of December. And yes... even parts of November.

PS: Everytime I do this I swear I'm done editorializing, maybe I should stick to random inside jokes and surveys for everyone's sake.

Things I'm going to buy when I get my first $8/hour movie contract

In a theoretical world, I would be studying.

But in this real world, I am blogging about my lack of initiative to study.

I spent the better part of my day being an "additional background performer" (which is a fancy way of saying extra) in a Canadian film shooting here in Sudbury. This was seriously one of the funnest days of my life. Top five for sure. What can I say? I'm a list maker. mmmmmm High Fidelity :)

Anyways, let's re-rail.

Since I actually made a little cash on the gig today I have decided to purchase something from my list of "things that I'm going to buy when I get my first $10million movie contract". I think it's only fair now that I've made 1/3125000 of that in my first gig to put a small dent in my list. Hmm I should go back and check it...

Oh well back to trying to understand Melodrama. Oh yeah and studying for my theatre history test. ha ha ha... yeah that was definatly only funny to me...

Waiting for the bus

I have a little time to kill before the bus comes to take me away from work.

I was REALLY dreading coming in tonight. Did anyone else find that the weather and general atmosphere of the day sucked the life out of them? Maybe that's a little melodramatic...

My shift did however have it's bright spots: It wasn't overly busy, I did not work with any crazy or annoying co-workers and I got a visit from this guy.

Sorry about the pic I couldn't resist.
If it makes you feel better... I can do a sommersault!

PS: Your skill in the art of hugging does not go unnoticed.

No time to blog!

"But Liz," you say, "How will we get to hear your witty and wonderful thoughts on things if you don't take the time to write in your online journal?"

Or at least that's what I like to think you say. I kind of suspect it's, "Well there's one less time I have to hear one of these stupid stories."

Back to "Uncle Tom's Cabin". I don't want to write the quiz without having read the play and only get 7/10.

Oh Theatre History :P

Closing my eyes and hoping that things will just magically get done

In my nerdy IMDbing ways I came a across a pre-production movie that was supposed to star Ewan McGregor and Kate Winslet (two of my favouritist of favourite actors) called "Gnomeo and Juliet" about an indoor gnome and an outdoor gnome who fall in love. Apparently the project has been canned. I think this is incredibly sad, there aren't anywhere near enough gnome movies. I mean certainly there are some wonderful gnome moments in movies (Amelie and The Full Monty notably), but I was really looking forward to gnomes as central characters.

I think I might have to pick the project up as a live action movie starring my indoor gnome, Chomsky. I will need a female gnome (who I could supply the voice for) and a male actor for Gnomeo's voice. I will be in talks with Ewan's agent as soon as possible.

Actually, if I can get Ewan I might not use the gnomes at all...

At any rate! Blogging has become a wonderful way for me to feel as though I'm accomplishing something, when in fact I'm simply procrastinating. Back to memorizing.

Polka-Dot Door

I had a series of the strangest dreams last night. All of them revolving around the central theme of finding my friend, who had mysteriously disappeared and feeling extremely guilty (long story).

Then in one of the dreams I had on this hideous puprle polka-dot shirt. I kept trying to take it off, but everytime I removed it there was another one underneath.



I wonder if there's a meaning behind that? Or if I should stop drinking Northern at the Townehouse...

Look at me, judge me by my size do you?

Sweet! I am already in full Jedi attire despite the obvious fact that I won't be going out for at least another 5-6 hours. I couldn't possibly care less.

After pulling a solid 16 hour day yesterday, I am left baffled at how certain friends of mine are able to do this up to five days/week. It's entirely possible that they are super human. Or that I'm a lot lazier than I like to think.
No... it's the super humans that are wrong.

YOUR STAR WARS NAME: ( first 3 letters of your last name+ last 3 letters of mothers middle name /+/ first 3 letters of your pets name + first 3 letters of the town you live in)= Buclen Mogsud

I much prefer Liz Kenobi.


"sigh, if only I could be with Liz... but attachment is forbidden in the Jedi order"


oh man... I have actually become the world's hugest nerd.

Something of Value to Say

What a great day!

I am finally home after my strange and fun-filled day.

It started this morning (naturally) with a trip to see Josh to work on our scene for Acting II. In three hours we managed to run the scene four times, and spend 2 hours having some really great Josh-Liz time. It was most enjoyable.
I went to go check on set construction and it was sort of as though everyone at Thorneloe had been teleported away. I've never seen that place so empty. And there was the set, not even half done sitting there, waiting to be built. I have no idea where everyone went, or when on earth we are going to have this thing done by, but there it is. I waited for about a half an hour (OK maybe 20 minutes, I really wasn't in the mood) and then I took off to go home and try to get some stuff finished.
I made the executive decision when I got home to go visit the Laughing Buddha. Mostly this girl. We had a nice chat about how she really ought to SM Hamlet :P and how wrong it is to steal costumes from Thorneloe. waves hand You don't need to know where I got this robe.

Then I spent the evening doing a haunted house run by the school for the United Way. I spent 5 hours screaming as though I were possessed by demons. While not my strongest acting performance (I could just hear Val going "Centre your voice Liz" "Are you ACTING possessed or BEING possessed?") I did get the chance to make some children cry, and possibly send them to therapy in their adulthood for psychological trauma.

I am sleepy now. And I have a big day of Jediing ahead of me.

Censorship

I found an interesting article about a school banning students from having blogs.

Here's the thing. Anyone who puts up in-depth sexual information and measurements on their blog along with any kind of personal contact information ought to be stalked by preditors. I'm sorry but seriously.

Who puts their measurements on their blog anyways? Better question. Who even tells anyone their REAL measurements anyways, let alone online.

Fine you can say "But they're just kids". See I was 14 once too, I do remember. But I was 14, not stupid. I knew enough not to tell strangers my phone number and address when I was 3.

Now granted as I type this there could be some dude who cut and pasted my head from the picture on my blog and put it on some naked chick's body on some random porn site. I accept that risk, and given that there are only about 5 people who regularly visit my blog, and only about 4 of them are likely to do that kind of thing :P I'm not really that worried. But see if it happens, it won't make me think that all blogs forever should be shut down because they're evil. I'll learn my lesson and accept that that's what happens sometimes, because that's the risk of putting pictures up on the internet.

Could we start taking SOME personal responsibility again, instead of punishing the masses for individual stupidity? Seriously.

Online Artistry

Watch me create my work of art. Or something. I actually kind of like this. Keep in mind it's hard to control brush strokes and splatter with a mouse and a series of clicks.

I've been having a really tough time drawing since I got tendinitis in my wrist this summer. I already had a bit of trouble keeping my hand steady and now it's gotten a lot worse. I haven't really drawn anything in a while. Unlike the guitar, this is not just simply a laziness/using my wrist as an excuse issue. It actually feels very strange not to be able to keep my hand steady and it's extrememly frustrating when I'm trying to draw something that I know I'm capable of drawing, but I can't.

Thanks for the link Luke. It's not often that I get to play with paints and not have to clean up a huge ass mess or be $50 in the hole.

Green Eggs and Hamlet

I wonder if Ian would ever forgive me if I did a student production of this?

I would not could not kill the king. I would not poison anything.