ok, so...

I really do need to write in this more often because its going to be very hard to remember all that is worth remembering this past week. I will try.
I performed my acting scene with Michael on Tuesday for the first time. We got some good feedback and have a lot to work on before we perform this coming Tuesday! The scene is from a play called Life & Limb. It's crazy.
Then I performed my musical scene Wednesday with Cody. It was fun! Its "All Er Nuthin'" from Oklahoma. We worked specifically on the "moment before" our scene. We made good discoveries and it more specific.
I am a crazy note taker during class. One of the things I love about what I'm learning is that not only am I learning how to improve myself, but my teachers are really good at telling people how to fix things. It's one thing to be able to identify that there is a problem and point it out, and a completely other thing to know what to do or say to FIX it and make it better. They seem to be able to identify and then solve every problem. Or at least they know what to do to work on it. So I'm constantly scribbling down notes, not only for myself, but things I'm learning by watching other people work. I don't know if this is making any sense. What I'm saying is that my teachers are AWESOME and are so very qualified to teach us.
One of the things I've written down multiple times in every class is to be more SPECIFIC. With everything. For example, instead of entering a scene by walking into a room and doing a general "acting" look around, ACTUALLY look at things. What do you see? What does what you see make you do? Also, for example, if there is a scene in which you must have lots of nervous energy, make sure it's specific and connected to actual physical action, so it comes off as truthful, and doesn't fall in what my acting teacher likes to call "general acting land".
I'm also working a lot on my posture. I've been told by multiple teachers, here and in the past, that I need to stand up straighter and roll my shoulders back when I sing. I've decided that I just need to do this all the time, and then it won't be hard to do it whilst performing. Ya, I just said whilst. What? It might actually be an incorrect usage, but I like it, so I'm leaving it.
So I'm checking in with myself throughout the day, whenever I think of it, (this is an assignment that acting teacher Larry gave us) to make sure I'm not holding tension anywhere that isn't necessary, and that my sternum is lifted and my shoulders aren't hunched.
My dance teachers are pushing me hard. Especially my jazz teacher, Lloyd. He doesn't take crap, and won't tolerate things that other teachers let slide. He has been on me about having energy and really attacking the dances we're learning. I'm glad that he is so hard on me. I need to be pushed. And I think once I conquer not having enough energy and presence, I'll be able to push myself to be even better.
I'm working hard, but I could be working harder. I could be on Facebook less. I could do more research and spend more time on my assignments. My goal this week is to work harder than the week before. Take more notes. Spend more evenings renting out studios to rehearse with scene partners, or just rehearse dances and songs by myself. I want to take every note and apply it to the fullest.
This weekend has been a BLAST, and I still have one more day of it!! Friday night, I went out with most of Group 4, my acting/vocal perf/musical scene study classmates. We ate at Ruby Foos. DELICIOUS! I absolutely loved getting to know them more! I hope we hang out as a group more often. Then we went to a bar called Duplex and sang at the Open Mic Cabaret they had. We met up with Price and Andrew, who are visiting this weekend!! It was so much fun. Then Saturday, Price, Andrew, Shaun and I hung out all day. We went to the Met to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit (which was freaking incredible) and walked around Little Italy for a while. We got dessert, went window shopping, and met up with Bethany!! We all went out again, and met up with Jillene, my friend from CAP, and her roommate. We had a lot of fun, but were so exhausted from walking around all day that we didn't stay out crazy late. OH and this creepy creeepy man was creeping on us from outside the window at one of the places we went. He was just blatantly staring at us. We got some pictures that I hope will be on Facebook soon. I'll include one here too.

 Today was a lazy day for me. I slept in, and then Skyped with Patrick and talked to my mommy. Then one of my roommates Tiana and I went to La Duca, the designer dance shoe store. Holy cow. Their shoes are GORGEOUS. With the blessing from my mom, I bought really expensive but reeeeeally nice character taps for Millie. They are beautiful. They're 2.5 inches, black, t-strap. I love them. I get to pick them up sometime this week when they get their order of taps in. I can't wait to go to tap class for the rest of CAP with them and get used to tapping in heels! AHHH!

 Then Tiana and I met up with our other roommates, Morgan and Christina, and we shopped for a while and then headed home. The mice are STILL in our dorm. We found this out when one came to visit us in the kitchen while we were all sitting at the kitchen table. Needless to say, there was lots of screaming and scrambling to get our feet off the floor. It was hilarious.
I just Skyped with Kelsey, and now, instead of FINALLY starting my homework (today was supposed to be a homework day) I am updating my blog. Which is actually good because I needed to. And now I get to cross it off the to-do list I just made. Cool.

I think that's it for now. Tomorrow is July 4th!! YAY! I hope I can find a cool place to see the fireworks!