I'm Ready for My Close-Up

FPD theater...where to begin...

For me it all started in 4th grade when I landed the star role of Fairgoer #8 in Mrs. Archer's production of Charlotte's Web. Boy, I thought I was hot stuff. My one line was "That's some pig!" At least, I think it was something like that. I took my part very seriously...maybe. Honestly, I don't really remember the details. I just like to pretend like I do. I  do, however, have a vivid memory of singing Elvis's "You Ain't Nothin' but a Hound Dog" to a room full of my peers while waiting to go on stage because I was young and naive and thought stuff like that was cool. Misconception, much?

Since my 4th grade debut had had such a significant impact on me, I waited a whole two years before I even thought about doing another production. Yes, I'm being facetious about the major impact. I enjoyed theater, but since when do kids pay attention to what they like in elementary school?  I wasn't too big on the whole you-are-what-you-do craze.As far as extra curricular activities go, I took my time figuring out what I enjoyed. Theater this year.  A short-lived soccer career the next. Guitar lessons interspersed. A little bit of tennis. A smidgen of church choir. It was all the same.

Middle school was the defining point. Through a series of "trial and error"experiences, I found out that sports just weren't for me. That's what I get for being the girl who tore a ligament in her ankle by tripping in a very visible hole in the yard. Looking back, that was probably a sign that my talents were better suited elsewhere. So when athletics didn't work out, where did I turn to? Good ole' theater, of course. 

I enjoy surprising people. I like making others laugh. I love to imitate those around me, and I had have a large imagination. All of those things combined with my somewhat weird personality worked to attract me to the acting community. It's kind of like the Sugar + Spice + Everything Nice = The Powerpuff Girls. 

Weird + Imaginative + Imitation "Skills" + Any Other Unique, Innate Abilities = Thespian

My point in of all of this rambling: I like acting, and, because I like acting, I'm happy that One Act is starting up soon. Nothing like a big, dysfunctional family reunion of awkward theater kids, right? Well, I don't know about that. I've kind of been like that one cousin who shows up every now and then to surprise people by showing that I am, in fact, still alive. Hopefully, this year will be different, and I will participate more. After all, it is my last year at "the Day School." <-- I absolutely hate when people say that. 

 

Good Success. Maybe.

Wake up. Go to school. Go home. Do homework. Sleep. Repeat. It's a mundane existence, but that's senior year thus far. There's this urban myth that we've been led to believe: seniors have it easy. Pfft. Is that a joke? Naively, I used to think it was true. But, the last week of summer sent that misconception straight down the drain. Staying up through the night to finish in-depth discussion questions and summer Pre-Cal review problems to get me ready for this year's Calculus should have been my wake-up call. I don't listen very well, sometimes.


It's hard to relax when you know there at least a 1000 other productive things you could be doing like writing those college application essays  or reading that Frankenstein novel for English class. I don't give a rip about those things at the moment. I'm tired, burnt out, exhausted etc. The shocking thing about it is that it's only September not April or May when I have a right to feel like that. We've only been in school like what? A little over a month? It's pretty pathetic that I'm already contemplating jumping out of the window to hopefully break my leg. That way, I can have an excuse to sit and rest. 


I've worked hard for 13+ years of my life. Call me crazy for wanting to quit now, but I desperately need a break. "Senioritus" has hit me hard. I deserve a little slacking off here and there. All seniors do. We're tired from all the meaningless busy work and tests and quizzes and papers and applications, so back off and leave us be. I think when this year is over, I'm going to crawl in bed and cover up and go to sleep for a few months. Maybe then I can begin to catch up on the hours of sleep I've missed out on over the years.