Inspiration Comes Randomly

"Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it."

-C.S. Lewis

I had an amazing conversation with my director last night. A conversation that surprised me, inspired me, and spurred me on to think about things more deeply.

I got cast in a show! Smoke On the Mountain. I am resolving to not 'care twopence' how people have played my character in the past. Maybe I'll make it an original. :-)

One thing Mrs. Cooper told me was that her parents raised her in a deeply spiritual, Christian home, but it was also a home where she had all the freedom in the world to be creative and expressive. "Bohemian" is what she called it. I think I want to have a home like that one day...

Life is never perfect is it? So many aspects of life can be going so well...but there's always some aspect of reality thrown in there. I'm thankful for that though...reality is what we learn from...not perfection...

Snow!

It snowed today. :-) And because it's the Saturday after coffeehouse, we didn't make it out until nightfall. Virginia is for lovers. Saturdays are for rockstars. And snow? Well, it's for great pics. 

Stuff I'm Learning (about acting, and a little about life too)

So tonight I went to a rehearsal of "into the woods," that show that I'm not in. I've been going the past couple nights, just to watch, soak in the direction, and learn a bit about acting. Tonight I helped with stage managing, because the head stage manager, chad kennedy, my great friend, was tied up elsewhere.
I'm learning more and more that acting has so much to do with expression. You may believe you're in the story 100% but if the audience doesn't see it on your face, it doesn't communicate. And 99% of the time, when we think we're being really expressive, we're not being as expressive as we assume we are. I also observed tonight the importance of always believing in your character and what's going on with them, 100% of the time. There were moments where there were 19 people on stage, and I guarantee you that the random girl in the back didn't really think about anyone watching her...but I sure was. And you know what else? When there are a handful of people going all the way in their commitment to a character, when they're thinking about every lyric they're singing and every movement they're making...and the rest of the cast is simply singing the words and thinking about the blocking that is coming up, it shows. The few SHINE. And you know what else I'm learning? That you can never do excellent musical theater, without experience in acting, without studying it. There are a million beautiful voices out there. But out of those voices, who can act? Who can become a character? Not many people. In order to do excellent musical theater, you have to be able to act. And the idea of growing in that art, that craft, sounds exciting to me. I'm up for the challenge.
Oh, why have I figured out so late what I would have loved to major in? If I could go back today I would double major in English and Theater. Easily. Oh well. I guess not many people do what they majored in anyway.
To be honest, I just want to do what will really bless the Lord. And He gave me certain passions and talents for some reason...what a humble blessing it would be to be able to use them in the future...

musing on friendship...

So I just got back from eating lunch with one of my dearest friends, Lindsay. Lindsay and I met the second day I experienced life at Liberty. Her home happened to be located just on the other side of a concrete wall in our ghetto dorm our first semester. (Dorm 28…I can’t believe I lived there for 3 months…)
I knew I liked her when I first met her. I was mildly intimidated by her because she seemed so poised and well-adjusted to this whole college thing…but I also knew she was one of the few people on that weirdo hall that I actually saw that I might have something in common with.

And did I.

Lindsay has been one of those rare finds of a friend that I can talk to about anything. She’s transparent, vulnerable, and real with me, no matter what’s going on. We’ve made some stupid decisions together, cried together, had a million analytical conversations, and laughed together more times than I could count.
These days our daily routines don’t really include one another. She lives in a house with 3 other girls, is a family and consumer science major, and works all the time waitressing. And me, well I live with a girl that she doesn’t even really know, I’m a communications major, and I’m involved in things like music and theater at Liberty. It’s sort of weird, because we used to have allll the same friends, hang out 24/7, and be ridiculously socially involved with one another.
But today it was really cool. We verbally acknowledged the fact that our lives have changed. We have different friends, are headed in different directions…But, our friendship, our appreciation for one another, our understanding…hasn’t changed one bit.
She even took a moment and thanked me for being a “constant” in her life. A friendship that never changes as far as depth and appreciation…even though time together has become more scarce.
The older I get, and the more life I experience, I’m starting to recognize and embrace the fact that situations and relationships are ever changing and evolving. And rather than hang on to the past, or be depressed about life changing…it’s better to simply smile on that time of life, and be thankful for it. Recognize the fact that someone has walked through your life, and changed you for the better…or contributed to memories that you’ll treasure for life. Life changes. I’m thankful for the blessings of memories and real moments. I’ll not soon forget even one of them.

Why I'm Happy Today

by Hilary Sutton

• God is teaching me an old(er) lesson in a new way. I never really thought that all of a sudden in the Spring of my junior year of college I would not get cast in a musical. But the Lord is really using it to give Himself more glory. What sometimes feels like sorrow just strengthens my affection and dependence on Him.

• I just finished my first voice lesson of the semester. I haven't taken voice since last Spring, and I have a renewed focus and passion. Singing is a beautiful treasure that the Lord blesses some with. I need (and want) to make the most of it. What if I practiced consistently? What if I actually put effort into this fun thing?

• As I was casually strolling through Barnes today, I happenned upon a book that I instantly knew I needed. It's called "Letters to a Young Artist" by Anna Deavere Smith. Ms. Smith has won Tony's for playwrighting and acting. She actually has done a series of 1-woman shows where she plays up to 50 characters in one evening. Enchanting, no? The book is a series of letters to "BZ". "If youare an artist of any age, if you are learning the ropes of your art form, and if you want to learn more about the rules of the road in the business of making and selling art, BZ is you.

Therefore, I am BZ. I guess.

• In addition, I bought a membership to the Writer's Market website today. This is a website that has the inside scoop on marketing and selling writing.

I still haven't narrowed down what I want to do in life...but the longer time passes...the more I feel like I don't have to. :-)

That's all for now...

Democracy's Literary Method...

"If you're a supremely talented artist and you hit a very lucky day, then maybe you can write a poem or story or chapter or a novel that needs no revision. If you're a regular writer with your appointed portion of esthetic luck, you'll need to come at the piece again and again. I like to think of revision as a form of self-forgiveness: you can allow yourself mistakes and shortcomings in your writing because you know you're coming back later to improve it. Revision is the way you cope with the bad luck that made your writing less than brilliant this morning. Revision is the hope you hold out for yourself to make something beautiful tomorrow though you didn't quite manage it today. Revision is democracy's literary method, the tool that allows an ordinary person to aspire to extraordinary achievement."
--David Huddle New York Times Book Review

Huddle was quoted in my textbook for my feature writing class. Call his take on editing idealistic...but I like it...I wish that theater and vocal performances could be revised like writing can...but I guess once you put it out there, you can't take it back...

My New Apartment!!!

Josh, me, Leslie, and Kristin my roommate! This is from when we hung out on my inaugural night in the new place. :-)

View of my room from the doorway... 

My fabulously big closet!!! 

This is my room!! I still need to put some more pictures on the wall, but I'm doing moving in, other than that. I'm not sure what is going on with the tv... 

The Bathroom! (enough counter space for us to both be in there doing makeup...perfect) 

The Living Room...those couches are amazing... 

 

The Kitchen...see all that counter space?? And it's so clean! (bliss) 

kitchen... 

Living Room...my roommate is leaving the Christmas tree up until her mom visits in February...she's really, really proud of of it...

Inspiring Professors, Shows, and Slogans

So, I decided to post my latest blog entry from the libertyu website, so you can see what types of things I write about. It's generally much less personal, because its for school...I'm having a great time doing it...I wrote this one yesterday....

Well, it is now Friday morning of the first week of class. I’ve been back in Lynchburg a week now. It may have been one of the fastest weeks of my life! I’m very excited about going back to classes again today. Does that sound nerdy? Basically, I have an infatuation with all my professors. They all have incredibly qualifying credentials, are all well-spoken, and are all thinkers. Like, my grammar class (that I thought was gonna be bo-ring) my professor, Dr. Muller had my attention wrapped the entire time! Not only is he knowledgeable about grammar, but he made tons of references to operas, artists, and philosophers. He is obviously a person who never let his education end once he finished taking classes. I love that!In other news, we had opening night of “Pirates of Penzance ” last night. It was so fun! The whole operetta is a comedy, and though I thought there were funny moments, I had no idea the audience would crack up as much as they did. You really never know how a show will go until you have an audience before you. And they seemed to love it! So I hope if you’re in the area, you come J Oh and a final thought, to help with my make straight A’s goal, I came up with a theme-type thing for the semester. Ready? Where effort meets intelligence. This means that I’ll try just as hard as I am intellectually capable. I think the moment we are disciplined enough to engage all of our efforts, that is when we achieve excellence. Until next time…

big news...BIG NEWS...

I’m moving!!!

When you ask? Tomorrow.
When did I decide, you ask? Today.

I’m so excited!! My new place is in Holly Run townhomes, off of 501 North (“7” minutes from Liberty apparently) where I will enjoy nice new carpet, cable tv, wireless internet, a kitchen big enough to do cartwheels in, and a backyard.
Plus one roommate—which equals 75% less trash and dirty dishes.

I’m so excited!

It’s all quite random how it worked out. So random though, I feel the Lord must have worked it out.

This may indeed be the last place I ever live in Lynchburg.

No more moving in and out of dorms and apartments here??

I’ll take it.

More to come…

The Return: 3 days and counting

I'm so excited to go back to the burg!!!

Not because I'll be in the burg, but I digress...

I'm so excited! Every semester proves to bring new surprises and be completely different. What will this semester bring? For that matter, what the heck will April bring? Usually I have a month-by-month idea of what my semester will be like due to shows and trips and such...but this time, there is no show in April, so what the heck will be going on?!?


Time will tell.


Here's what I know will be going on this semester for me, for sure:

• Pirates of Penzance (the first two weekends of school)
• A Valentine's Day worth celebrating (heck yes...)
• Watching Josh steal hearts in "Into the Woods"
• Learning alongside Mel
• Hanging out with Jenn (for it is her last semester in Lynchburg)
• Hanging out with my sister (for it is her last semester unmarried)
• Voice Lessons
• Acting Class
• Auditioning at the Southeastern Theater Conference (for over 100 companies, yowza) which segues into the next thing...
• Taking a trip to Orlando with 10 or so of my friends to go to SETC
• Spring Break in NYC
• A trip back to the Nash for my dad's 20th anniversary at our church (falwell's gonna come too i think...maybe we'll carpool...whoot.)
• Taking a magazine writing class...which hopefully will help me determine if I'd ever want to do that for a living
• Turning 21

Hopefully this semester will include the following: deepening relationships with those important to me, lots of learning and growing, GREAT grades, more money, improved acting chops, and an abundance of traveling.

Let adventure part 6 begin....

Passion, Weddings, Change of Plans

Hello and Hello,

I've figured out this perfect christmas break schedule for myself to get things done for my new job at libertyu.com. I generally stumble out of bed between 9 and 10, go pour myself a hot cup of coffee, flip on the tv and get to work here on our family's computer. It works great for me. Then I don't miss the blessed "View" (back off, I don't even have a tv at school) and I still get the things done that I need to do! Lately I have been writing 100-word(ish) summaries for some different aspects of Liberty life. I've written about convocation and student life so far. Right now I'm working on commuters (I mean, what is there to say really?) and soon I'll be working on "drama/theater" (that should be a bit easier :-) and the Career Center. Have I mentioned that if I could have an adult version of this job in a couple years, I would love life? There's something great about not having office hours...or an office for that matter. :-)
This week I was supposed to go with Bonnie down to Birmingham to visit with friends and eat at one of my fave restaurants--California Pizza Kitchen. But alas, I guess it was not meant to be as the plan included coming back on Friday and I have to work all day Friday and Saturday. But would you like to hear the good news??
My friend Mel is in town for the Passion conference and found out that her group has an extra band (the thing you have to wear to get in) and so tomorrow I'm going to go to the thing all day (I think) and get to hear some great bands and great preaching, and for the low, low price of nothing. yessss.
So ya know, it all works out.

In other news, my friends Laura and Dar are getting married Saturday in New York. I so wish I could be there. They are such a sweet couple. But you know what's weird? Laura and I are basically the same age. And she's getting married. Forever. Like, hello the rest of your life, here it is...I'm not sure I'm ready for that...