This past week, I had the most amazing time playing the Tin Man in a local production of the Wizard of Oz. We rehearsed for a month and a half, performed five shows in three days, and had a whole bunch of fun together! Here are a few things I took away from my time with my 38 castmates:
- Give your best effort, no matter the circumstances I originally auditioned for the role of Dorothy, and I'll be honest, when I didn't get the part, I was a little disappointed. But despite my initial disappointment, I decided to do my best and really work hard on the role I did have. Besides, it was still a really great role. I ended up having a lot of fun as the Tin Man, and in the end, I wouldn't have traded it for any other role. - Don't worry about petty drama As with any show, there was a lot of drama backstage. I just learned how ignore everything and keep working hard on my role, and in the end, I came out on top. When you focus on things that aren't important, you aren't at your best. I learned how to keep myself focused, and in the end, I wasn't distracted. - Friendship is amazing In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy learns how incredible true friends can be. Throughout my time in the Wizard of Oz, I became great friends with my fellow actors and actresses, and we all learned so much together. We grew together, we laughed together, we worked hard together. We had an amazing time together, and we grew closer than ever.
0 Comments
Hey guys! I didn't write my usual two posts a month last month because I was actually out of the country. I was on a mission trip for two weeks, smack-dab in the middle of the Amazon jungle! I had already been to Brazil last year in June with a team, but this time it was just me and my friend Rebekah. In June, we were visiting two villages a day, providing medical care and a vacation Bible school program. The rest of the time, we were traveling down the river on a big boat, where we ate all our meals and slept in hammocks on the top deck. But this time, I wasn't on a boat with a group. I was with my friends who are missionaries stationed in a village on the Uraria river. I stayed in their house, helped them with little jobs around the village, and went along with them whenever we had church services in any of the surrounding villages. It was an amazing experience that I'll never forget. Below is a slideshow of my trip. Enjoy!
I love thrift stores. Whenever I go to a thrift or antique store, it’s like a treasure hunt. I love to transport myself back in time with all the vintage trinkets. In my little town, we have eight vintage stores, and that’s not including the hundreds of yard sales during “Flea Across Florida,” which is basically a holiday where everyone just has their yard sales on the same day, all across the state. I go thrifting every few weeks, so I like to consider myself experienced. Here are a few tricks and tips for when you go on your next treasure hunt!
- Map your route. If you don’t know where you’re going, then you’ll spend more time figuring out the next destination than actually looking for antiques. - What do you want? If you go shopping without any idea of what you want, you could end up spending way too much money, or getting something that you don't really need/want. Have a goal! - Collect something! If you collect something, you’ll always have something to look for whenever you go into a store. For example, I collect cassette tapes. Whenever I go into a store, if I’m not looking for something exact, I can always fall back on my collection. - Don’t hoard! If you buy something new, you should probably get rid of something too. You want new, fun treasures, not clutter. - Don’t rush, take your time. If you're going to fast, you're not looking hard enough. You miss the best deals when you rush! - Bring a friend! It’s always a great time with friends by your side. Not only is it just plain fun, but it's another set of eyes on the lookout for a great deal. Don't have any friends interested in thrifting? Bring your grandparents! They are so fun to bring along, and they're great at pinching pennies. - Make friends with the sellers/store owners. I’m such an extrovert, and I love to meet new people. There are so many cool people to meet, and antique stores are no exception. One time, I was in a store with a few of my friends, and we found a whole stockpile of cassettes, which made me super excited. The owner of the store thought it was awesome that we liked older music, and even gave us a discount because she thought that it was so cool! Now, she even lets me know when she gets some new cassettes! - Try to find new stores in your area. Don’t just go to the same store every time. Branch out! Make new friends, and find new trinkets! What are your tips and tricks for treasure hunting? Let me know in the comments below! Happy Holidays! We're almost done with this year, so I decided to look back at some of my favorite things during 2017. Here is my "Best of 2017!" Favorite Bible Verse: This one isn't a surprise: Galatians 6:9! This verse helped me push forward, and it encouraged me to never give up. No matter where you are in life, you will always need encouragement to carry on, so this is a great verse that can be applied to any season of life. Favorite Music: This year I surprised myself and started listening to rap. Last year I went to Camp Electric, a Christian music camp, and saw NF (a Christian rapper) in concert. I didn't pay much attention to him, but this year he released a new album that peaked at the number one spot on the Billboard 200, and that got my attention. I decided to jump out of my comfort zone, and I'm so glad I did. My favorite album this year was NF's Perception. It was really eye-opening and the lyrics were so meaningful. He talks about burying his fear, and defying society's expectations. If you're looking for something new and thought-provoking, I would definitely suggest you check him out. (FYI- There's a whole backstory that you may want to read up on before you listen to him, otherwise you might not understand what he's talking about in his songs.) Favorite Book: Wonder by R.J. Palacio was not necessarily a Christian book, but it was so moving. When I finished it, I got up to put it back on the shelf, but I just stood there in awe of what I had just read, and said out loud, "That was a really good book!" I have yet to see the movie, but I have high expectations, and we all know the movie will never live up to those expectations. Favorite Movie: I actually only saw this movie yesterday: Star Wars: The Last Jedi. I love Star Wars, so naturally this movie is at the top of my list. And of course, I have to mention Wonder Woman, which was such a beautiful film. So there you have it! What were your favorite things about 2017? Let me know in the comments below! Have a happy 2018 as well :) Music is a huge part of my life. I can't go without it. Once, instead of being grounded, my parents took away my music for two weeks, and believe me, it was torture. I love all music. However, in this day and age, it's difficult to find good, clean music that still sounds fun too. Here are some of my favorite Christian artists from different genres.
Pop: --Hollyn-- I saw Hollyn in concert last year when I attended Camp Electric. She has this great attitude in her lyrics that would fit perfectly into a worship song, and she somehow makes it blend perfectly into the pop vibe. --Tori Kelly-- If you like Alessia Cara, then you'll want to check Tori Kelly out. She works in the secular industry, but she's Christian and has an amazing voice. She was the voice of the elephant Meena in the movie "Sing," so if you've seen that movie, you know how incredible her voice is. Rock: --Switchfoot-- Switchfoot is literally my favorite band of all time. I've got almost all of their albums and I've seen them in concert twice. Their songs are featured in both the Christian and secular industries. --Skillet-- Another great band is Skillet. They mainly cater to the Christian industry, but they're a little more hardcore than Switchfoot. If you're into some punk rock, you'll definitely want to check Skillet out. Folk: --The Vespers-- Now, folk music may not be for everyone, but my dad loves it, and introduced me to some folk bands, such as the Vespers. They have some great harmonies and the banjo player is awesome. --The Wailin' Jennys-- The Wailin' Jennys are an all-girls band. They are great musicians and, once again, they have awesome harmonies. Rap: --Lecrae-- Lecrae is one of the main rappers in the Christian industry. He was featured on KB's song "Church Clap," which was pretty popular, and I suggest you check out the line dance to that song because it is super fun. --NF-- I saw NF in concert last year when I went to Camp Electric, and he was definitely the crowd favorite. He has this amazing way of telling stories. He writes about real life, and he doesn't hold back. His lyrics are really meaningful. He's just an amazing rapper and he weaves beautiful stories. I've really been enjoying his new album Perception, which recently reached number 1 on the Billboard 200. These are some of my favorite artists, but what about yours? Let me know who your favorite Christian alternatives are in the comments! Ah, it feels so good to be in a show again! I haven't been onstage in over a year. In September, my theatre company will be performing Music Man. As rehearsals have begun, I thought I might make a list of what everyone who loves the stage can relate to. Enjoy!
|
AuthorHi, I'm Abigail! Welcome to my blog. Hope you enjoy! Archives
August 2018
Categories |