[Gemma]

The General Update: 

 

My health has been quite poorly the past month, and I have determined the primary culprit to be my new glasses. Something is "off" about the prescription, and I can tolerate looking at a computer or phone screen for less than a minute before the beginnings of a sick headache start to show up.  I've got an appointment with my optician tomorrow to see if she can help me get it sorted. Meanwhile I'm wearing my old glasses. They are coming apart at the hinges, but at least they don't make me feel seasick! 

 

I had a blast at the audition for Making God Laugh last Saturday. I didn't get the part, which is cool with me because I didn't expect to. As soon as I came home I plunged headfirst into Shakespeare. I've got two weeks to refine my memorized monologue (Mistress Page, Act II Scene I of Merry Wives) and to prepare to read from  several selections that Director Phil has provided, before I audition for The Taming of the Shrew.

 

Timing is everything.  When you show up at an audition, the sign-in sheet asks you to identify any conflicts that you will have during the production that will stop you from attending every rehearsal. It's not always a dealbreaker to miss one or two, or even more depending on the size of the role. But my boss has decided to send me to California for a week and a half - Feb 23 to Mar 6 - right in the first half of the production. This is probably one factor in why I wasn't cast in Laugh;  the role I was reading for is in every scene, so missing any rehearsals is disruptive. (The other, bigger factor is that there were several very talented actors there with me!)  So if Director Phil doesn't want to deal with the headache of scheduling rehearsals around the absence of even a minor supporting character, I can't blame him for that. If I was directing I would prefer not to mess about with that either. Not worried about it - I intend to nail this audition whether I have a chance at a role or not, because Shakespeare is bloody FUN! 

 

The travel plans got modified on short notice. I was only supposed to be gone for four days for a conference. But the College just hired a new Academics Officer (my 'official' job title) for the Camp Pendleton campus, and the Dean wants me to train her.  It is really bad timing for the community theater season, but otherwise I don't mind too much. My dad and stepmom live in Los Angeles and I will get to spend two weekends with them. I don't get to see them nearly often enough. 

 

Challenge Goals:

 

Ongoing - 

1. Vocal lessons weekly (well, except the Tuesday that I'm out of town, and maybe the one after I've spent all of Monday on airplanes home)
2. 20 minute vocal warm-up and workout every day except airplane days. 
3. GMB 3x week - either Elements or Literal Immortality, as the mood strikes me
4. Meditate daily 

 

New - 

1. Attend at least one session of an online improv class 
2. Travel without getting sick; to wit 
   1. At least one balanced meal, with protein and a vegetable, every day
   2. At least 64 oz. water / day, increase to 100 oz. on airplane days 
   3. Mask on plane, in airports, and otherwise crowded environs 

 

I love my job, and I am excited to see my dad, but I really don't like travel. Not sure what happened, I used to love it - now it is exhausting and stressful and I really dislike being away from the Hubs and my doggies. Ah well, this too shall pass. At least I don't have to do it often. I'll try to keep a good attitude about it. 

 

 

 

[Elastigirl]

Hope the glasses situation gets fixed.

Here to cheer you on!

[Harriet]

Happy vocalising, and I hope you get some comfier glasses, bad glasses sound terrible.

[Scaly Freak]

On 2/6/2023 at 12:35 PM, Gemma said:

I really don't like travel. Not sure what happened, I used to love it - now it is exhausting and stressful

 

I have heard this from a number of people in the past... um... 2-3 years. Strange timing...  

[Gemma]

Voice lesson this morning was good. Coach says I am still not loud enough. This is hard to gauge, because I am really loud inside my own head. I have started recording myself, both speaking and singing, and yep that is every bit as cringe as it sounds. But it is really super necessary, so I am sucking it up. If this is going to be The Year of Living Bravely, well, then I just have to do a few super suuuuuperrr uncomfortable things. 

 

Saw my optician today, she took a few measurement and figured out how the glasses are positioned on my face, and here is the gist: Because they are "progressive" lenses, they have a very particular focal point for the midrange or "computer screen" distance, and that focal point is supposed to be exactly in front of my pupils when I am looking straight ahead. Mine was about 3mm off. Amazing how much difference that makes. My wonderful optician confiscated the glasses and is sending them off to have new lenses made for them, meanwhile I am wearing my old ones and feeling much better about the whole situation. 

 

I bought a set of online lessons from this instructor, because I absolutely require things to be fun if I am going to stick with them. Mama Cheryl insists that to follow along with her lessons, you must dance.  I may start counting my daily vocal workouts as actual workouts.  She also chides her students constantly on core engagement - after 20 minutes with her I feel like I've been doing hollow body holds for just a little bit longer than I am actually capable of. 

 

Meditating on track. 

GMB not so much.  

 

 

 

[Gemma]

I worked out my "courage" muscle last night and took an online improv class. I didn't want to. All the way home from work I was thinking up excuses to skip this one and sign up "next time." But I did it. 

 

So. Much. Fun!!! 

 

This was a drop-in class, a low-stakes introduction to some basic concepts. There is a full six week level one course that fits my schedule starting in April, and I am 100% in for this! 

 

Meditation still working.

GMB count for the week - 1. 

20-40 minute vocal workout every day (and my abs are sore!) 

 

 

 

[Gemma]

I. Got. The. Part!!!!!

 

 

 

I am playing Baptista Minola in the May production of The Taming of the Shrew.  <hyperventilates in iambic pentameter> 

 

Director Phil is dropping Shrew into a steampunk circus setting, and Baptista is the ringmistress and proprietor of "Minola's Menagerie." I am already anticipating a costume such as this. (I have a strange feeling that if I do don an outfit of this nature, I may decide that this is how I ought to have been dressing for the whole of my life. It doesn't violate my job dress code, so ... )

 

 

 

This is not the role I auditioned for (that would be Tranio) but I am 100% thrilled with it. 

 

 

In other news, I am still rubbish at keeping up with the forums, not great at working out consistently, so far doing well at daily vocal practice and meditating. 

 

Tomorrow I fly to Cali. Yay. Airports. 😬

 

 

[Artemis Prime]

7 minutes ago, Gemma said:

I. Got. The. Part!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

 

7 minutes ago, Gemma said:

<hyperventilates in iambic pentameter> 

I'm sorry that I haven't been keeping up with your thread, but I saw this in the sidebar on my home page and clicked on it just to tell you that this is pure, solid gold. 

[TimovieMan]

34 minutes ago, Gemma said:

I. Got. The. Part!!!!!

[Gemma]

Airports. Yay. 
 

I got up at 3:30 this morning to catch my flight. Caught it, boarded it, and sat on the runway for almost an hour before getting towed back to the terminal because the plane had a maintenance problem. Had to wait an another hour for an empty plane to get flown out to my little small-town airport to carry us to the big-city hub. 
 

The gate staff was really helpful about getting new flights for all of us who were now going to miss our connections (pretty much the whole plane) but there just aren’t that many open seats. They did the very best they could for me.  
 

I’ve been sitting in the large hub airport for two hours so far. I’m a standby on a flight in three hours, at 4:30. If I don’t get a seat on that one, I’ll be a standby on the 6:15 flight, and if that doesn’t work out I have a confirmed seat on the 8:45 flight. 
 

The practical side of the 8:45 flight is that by the time I land, get my rental car, and drive the two hours to my actual destination, I will have been awake for over 24 hours. (Don’t worry, I won’t drive if I’m too tired to drive safely and the emergency infusion of energy drink doesn’t make it safe. I’ve slept in a car before, I can do it again. Unfortunately I can’t sleep on a plane. Wish I could.)

 

Focusing on the positives:

* Everyone was civil and polite during the uncertainty and frustration of the morning. Not one person went diva and berated or spoke rudely to the airline personnel!

* My checked baggage is supposedly on the 4:30 flight whether I am or not, so there’s a good chance my luggage will get there before me. Nice change from my prior “we’ll get your bag to you within 48 hours - probably” experiences. 
* I am keeping my commitment to a meal with protein and vegetables every day. I just had an overpriced but very tasty chicken caesar salad. 
* The airline’s decision to not fly with uncertain brakes was 100% the right call, regardless of the inconveniences. I had no desire whatsoever to be on the evening news, ‘tis truly better to wander around an airport like a sleep-deprived zombie.

* I have my script and a decent selection of highlighters  and sticky notes in my tiny carry-on bag, so I can get at least  some work done. 

[Gemma]

I made it to the hotel safe - actually got the only standby seat on that first plane, so yay. 

 

I'm going to pass out now. 

[Gemma]

Did I ghost the forums AGAIN?!?!

 

Yes. Yes I did. This whole challenge period has been a bit of too much. 

 

 

The General Update:
GOOD

I survived California. Had a great weekend with my dad and stepmom, trained my new coworker who is great and I think she will do very well at this, and sat through an unusually productive conference week - all good stuff. Even better, the trip home was a whole lot less complicated than the trip out. 

 

Got back and plunged into Shrew rehearsals. I love my castmates!!! The two young ladies who are playing my daughters are both absolutely brilliant actresses and everyone is working hard and really committed to having a great show and having fun doing it. I am so unbelievably happy that I pushed myself to finally audition. There is a temptation to be angry with myself for not doing it for so long - I've wanted to for over a decade but made up some great 'chicken out' excuses. But I am choosing to not bother with that. I'm here now. 

 

Voice lessons are going surprisingly well and I'm really enjoying the song I'm currently working on. It's from The Addams Family and it's fun - the high notes are at the top of my range and I've been struggling with them for a while, but this week I've been hitting and holding them more or less consistently. 

 

It's spring in North Carolina and my crocuses and daffodils are being particularly beautiful this year. 

 

LESS GOOD

My challenge goals were again too ambitious for my current time and energy budget. It came down to this - most days I had enough of me left that I could either do vocal practice or do a 20 minute workout and I consistently chose voice. At least my laryngeal muscles are getting stronger  

 

I got back to work and had 347 unread emails, a 6-inch high stack in my inbox, and a whole truckload of faculty who had been "waiting for weeks" to ask me questions.  

 

It's spring in North Carolina and everything, including my sinuses, is coated with a thick layer of pollen. I take allergy meds year-round but this time of year they really struggle to keep up. I've had miserable headaches more days than not in the past two weeks. 

 

 

Challenge Goals:

 

Ongoing - 

1. Vocal lessons weekly (well, except the Tuesday that I'm out of town, and maybe the one after I've spent all of Monday on airplanes home) Yes, and really loving it.
2. 20 minute vocal warm-up and workout every day except airplane days. Also yes
3. GMB 3x week - either Elements or Literal Immortality, as the mood strikes me  Nope. 100% nope. 
4. Meditate daily I did meditate a few times a week, but nothing near "daily" 

New - 

1. Attend at least one session of an online improv class  Yes, and it was fabulous, and I will absolutely do it again! 
2. Travel without getting sick Yes? I mean, I didn't get sick until I after got home to Pollenville