Reflecting on 2005

2005 is coming to an end. What a crazy year!! I finished the honours acting program at the UofW, started a theatre company with Matt (Theatre by the River), the Bruxelles Pussycats once again kicked city butt in softball, I moved in with Matt, quit serving tables (yes!), continued lifeguarding (boo!) Eternal O! was a Fringe success, and I got a job as a Teacher's Assistant for an Intro: Performance class taught by Ian Ross (awesome!).

It was a great year! The most significant changes have come in how I view my future in theatre now that I'm past the safety-net of school. I think I took more control of my future this year, looking beyond the UofW bubble. I fully realize now how important it is for me to continue to create my own work both through writing and through Theatre by the River, because sitting around waiting for the phone to ring sucks monkey butt! And I've been lucky, jumping from project to project - yay work! Hopefully, this momentum will continue to pick-up in 2006! I chose to use the cast photo from my last UofW show with this post. Hopefully, I'll have many pictures of future projects to share!! But for now, let us take a moment to remember A Midsummer Night's Dream, the best bloody university show ever!

Home for the Holidays

Tis the season ... to go back home for the holidays. Oh, the joy. I'm very much looking forward to it, but at the same time, it sometimes feels like I'm taking 3 steps back, you know? It's such a weird dynamic: we're raised by our families, then we enter into the world and create our own family of friends/jobs/interests, but once a year we have to go back to where it all began. I'm writing a play right now dealing with growing up in rural Manitoba (or any rural community) and then moving away. It's such a weird dynamic - the concept of "home". If anyone has any insights, let me know. I might incorporate them into my work (so they better not by copyrighted!) On this, my last post before Christmas, I would like to encourage everyone to not get caught up in the consumerism of the season. Christmas is truely a time to relax with family and friends, not a time to question if you spent enough (or too much!) on gifts. Don't get caught up in the "buy buy buy!" ploy of retailers - a homemade or touchingly thoughtful gift goes a long way! AND don't forget to recycle that wrapping paper!!! Happy Holidays!

Debate #1

Alright, the first debate is approaching! Although I'm interested in hearing what all of the parties have to say, my vote is pretty much set. Now I'm watching just to see the tactics that the politicians use to sway the public. It's an interesting study in rhetoric and pop culture. Let me take this time to push people who are disillusioned with politics to cosider voting for a small - but growing! - party. THE GREEN PARTY. Consider the fact that Canada's economy is basically dependent on its vast natural resources. No, I don't think the Greens stand a chance in hell of winning, nor do I believe that they have the ability to govern the country as a whole; HOWEVER, our country is recovering from scandal, and I for one am sick of the 2 big parties fighting over their 2 opposing views about what our country is. Between the arguing and mud-slinging, not much gets done. If the Greens are able to earn a few seats in government, then the status quo will be shifted, and real change can happen. If they're able to participate in the debates one day, then perhaps we can go beyond the finger pointing. I for one am going to vote Green, and if all the young people who are sick of the current government situation choose to vote Green instead of simply not voting (Hello! People in other countries are dying so that they can have the chance at Democracy people! VOTE!) then maybe the Greens will earn a voice in the future direction of Canada.

beginning blogger

Ok, I'm slowly figuring this thang out! Well, here's a little bit about me: I'm just finishing my honours BA in theatre at the University of Winnipeg. I'm pretty active in the Winnipeg theatre scene, so you'll be hearing a lot about upcoming shows in the city - keep tuning in! I live with my boyfriend, Matthew, who I met 5 years ago when we were both in the same Intro: Performance class. We ended up going through the whole UofW acting program together, and started dating at a Halloween party in our 4th year (2004). Now we've started our own theatre company, Theatre by the River, which we're building with our fellow UofW theatre comrads! I'm working as a Teaching Assistant for Ian Ross's Intro: Performance class, as well as still lifeguarding at the Downtown Y - oh, so many stories about crazy people! Well, that's it for me for now, but I'll try to make my blog a little cooler in the future, as I slowly figure out this crazy technology. I"m also on Hi5, so you can check out bits of my world there too! Lata gatas! MEL

Picture Publishing 101

look at me, here I am, right where i belong

annoyed

I am annoyed b/c I can't upload pictures or view my blog. GRRRRR. Hello, let's be user friendly people!!!