Updates...

Alright friends, I know it's been awhile--and I mean aWHILE since I've written. March has been one unique month, since I've flown to various cities each of the 4 weekends in the month. It is now March 31, noon, and I am sitting on my bed, cup of starbucks on the table next to me, snowflake pajamas on, with a little vh1 in the background, reveling in the fact that I don't have to go anywhere or even see anyone today if I don't want to. So a little review of what I've been up to? I'm glad you asked. :)
March 1-5 I traveled down to Orlando, Florida to the Southeastern Theater Conference. Hundreds of college students from the southeast go to SETC every year to audition for professional theater jobs, whether they be only for summer commitments or year-long contracts. The exciting thing about SETC is that you have to be passed through a state screening to even get to go. So last fall we went to the Virginia Theater Association to audition to even GET to audition at SETC. Thankfully I got passed through so I got to go audition at SETC. SETC was a total learning experience for me. One big thing that I really clued in to is the fact that casting directors are on your side and want to see you at your best. There's no need to be intimidated or nervous at an audition because these people are dying for you to be their next Jean Val Jean or Belle! Noone is hoping you do not succeed. Secondly, I learned how important it is to really be a triple threat. (That's a singer/dancer/actor for those not familiar with the term :-) And if that's absolutely impossible for you, you need to have atleast 2 competing strengths. Be a singer/dancer. Or a singer/actor. But never just be a singer. or an actor. or a dancer. Not if you want to do musical theater. It's just not an option. I mean, not if you want to get jobs anyway...
So, I auditioned on March 2nd. I certainly wasn't at my best but at least 8 companies seemed to think I had something that they might want. So I got callbacks from theaters in Virginia, Tennessee, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Montana. It was exciting. Exciting to think that they might want to pay me to do what I love.
So as for this summer, none of these jobs will work out b/c in order to graduate in May '07 I have to complete an internship for communications this summer. Which means, I'm 95% sure I couldn't commit to one of these theaters. But for next year, WHO KNOWS. I'm excited to see where the Lord might want me next after college. Because I certainly have no idea.
Ok, then a week after I got back to Lynchburg from SETC 3 of my friends and I (see pictures below) trecked down to Nashville to catch a flight to Chicago. What a fuuuuuuunnn week. I count myself so blessed to have godly, fun friends. These are people that I can do nothing with and still feel like I've had the best time of my life. And they're all people that I'm excited to see God use in the future. Justin is a psychology major and feels totally called to go into counseling. I can't wait to see how God will bless those efforts and his passion for people. Leslie has already interned in the office of Kentucky Senator McConnell and she's headed back there this summer. She's graduating next May and is totally committed to the idea of committing herself to causes in Washington. She, for one, is a person who is not scared to peace out from the comfortable, often lazy, college life. She knows that there is life to be lived outside of college. And that's just cool. And as for Josh, he's bound to either stumble into stardom on Broadway or be a brilliant communications officer for some big company...either way I'm certain he's going to be a successful, dependable father and husband. He totally looks forward to the opportunity to be a dad one day. I thought i was the only one who got excited about parenting at an unnaturally early age...but alas no. But don't get worried...no rash decisions aaaannnyyyy time soon. :-)
This past weekend we flew home (Ashli, Matt, Josh, Me) to help celebrate my dad's 20th anniversary at Two Rivers (see link "church where i grew up in"). Friday night there was a really nice dinner at the Springhouse golf club (not sure what its called now) and dad's friend, Jay Strack, mc'd it. There were videos from all kinds of accomplished men that my dad is friends with. It was pretty neat. Among others, Paige Patterson, Chris Matthews, and Senate Majority Leader Frist all sent their congratulations. Saturday, Josh and I ventured down to the Cumberland County Playhouse in Crossville to watch a matinee of the musical, the Fantasticks. It wasn't a stellar performance by any means...but it was fun to see the stage version of the show. Sunday there was more celebrating and Sunday night Dr. Falwell preached. The fun/exciting/slightly ridiculous part is that after the service was over the 4 of us got to fly back with him and his boys in his jet. Like, private jet. It was sooo fun and silly feeling. We made it all the way back to Lynchburg in 50 minutes. The longest its taken me to get back here was about 10 hours. The shortest to date? Was 3 hours (due to layovers and such). This was definitely a record and sooo fun and glamorous feeling. I think we giggled the whole way.
In addition to all my globe-trotting I've also signed up for classes for next year and been trying to secure an internship this summer. The classes are: Jane Austen Seminar (sooo exciting), News Writing, Musical Theater, Playwrighting, Economics, Voice, Newspaper Practicum. It looks like the one that is most likely to work out is a marketing internship with Fee Hedrick Entertainment in Pigeon Forge, TN. I'm also gonna be editing transcripts of two of my dad's sermon series and turning them into books to be published. In addition to that I'm going to be taking an online Biology course so that I can complete my 3 minors upon graduation. A little over-achievingish? Nah. A little indecisive? Definitely.
Sidenote, my job is going great for libertyu.com and it's so fun. Its great b/c it totally works within my schedule and time constraints, and I get to do what I enjoy. I wouldn't be shocked if I end up working for the Residential Marketing office for a bit after I graduate. It'd be a greeaat way to pay for grad school. Ok, ok. We'll see.
5 weeks left in the semester. Crazy...