So apparently today was one of those "Discover USC" days--where clueless high schoolers visit campus, take tours, learn about the programs, etc. I had no idea this was going on today until I trekked to campus to meet a friend for lunch, and was bombarded with crowds.
The perk of all the high schoolers was that all the restaurants in the Campus Center were open. Usually on the weekends, select restaurants are open at certain times. There's always something open, but the selection is smaller than normal. However, the con of having these high schoolers visiting was that the lines were insanely long.
So I'm headed away from the insanity to find my friend when I spot someone out of the corner of my eye: a kid I knew from PYT way back when. I said hello, how are you, are you checking out the campus, good things like that. And then his mom asked if I was going to apply to USC as well.
....
Apparently I still look like a senior in high school.
And yes, I know in twenty years I'll appreciate this fact, when I'm still getting carded and all my friends are getting senior discounts. I'm not complaining at all--I actually found it rather funny in the moment. But still, it's a little discouraging to know that you look like you're about to graduate high school when you're about to graduate college.
Oh well. So be it!
Off to research potential colleges---er, I mean, POST-GRADUATION JOBS.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Nifty Linky Time
Here's just a couple of cool little links I've found over the last two days:
Spider Baby on BroadwayWorld
Just a press release, but it's still cool. Another such press release is also on Playbill.com, which is also awesome.
Conversatiosn with Katherine: Natalie Angiuli, Self-Made Recording Artist
It's the interview I conducted, now online in lots of pretty glory on HerCampus.com. It was a fun interview... and seeing my name in the byline is pretty fun too! =)
Spider Baby on BroadwayWorld
Just a press release, but it's still cool. Another such press release is also on Playbill.com, which is also awesome.
Conversatiosn with Katherine: Natalie Angiuli, Self-Made Recording Artist
It's the interview I conducted, now online in lots of pretty glory on HerCampus.com. It was a fun interview... and seeing my name in the byline is pretty fun too! =)
Sunday, November 14, 2010
What a Weekend
This has definitely been an insane weekend. Very high highs, extremely low lows, and then some in the middle.
So Friday: internship and show. Same as every Friday. But this was an especially good day, because at the internship I was constantly doing stuff. And not just research, which I realize is important but I never feel like I can be officially done researching, so I never know when to stop. But this Friday I did a lot of different tasks, some in front of the computer and some away--a nice mix. I think I'm discovering that I am not someone who can sit in front of a computer all day: it gives me a headache. But even the computer-work was fun because I'm inputting names for people attending Opening Night and I was figuring out some stuff for the advertising department. Paying bills and things, which sounds dreadfully boring but was surprisingly satisfying, because I had to actually think and figure out the process. I don't know, call me geeky but it was fun to have something challenging. Not that my internship isn't challenging by any means, but I just felt really accomplished by the end of that task.
Then the show. We had a decently large audience, which is always exciting, plus a couple of friends came to see the show. After the show, I took one of the friends out to dinner and I had delicious chocolate chip pancakes from Denny's (of all places!). And then we just hung out for a while. It was great because we haven't seen each other since the summer, and it's always nice to hang out with people who you click with pretty easily. So that was a lot of fun.
Then... Saturday. Pretty much the opposite of Friday. Woke up having gotten not-enough sleep and went off for a group project. I don't want to go into details, because it was honestly one of the most frustrating moments I've had this year, but I have never been so insulted, both in terms of my intelligence and my personality and how my mind works. (Yes, those sound like the same thing, but they're not. I'm just not feeling eloquent enough to explain it better right now.) And consider this: I've been doing theatre for a good ten years now, where I have to deal with criticism left and right, and I've learned how to turn on a thicker skin. Some things really get to me, of course, but I've been working on not taking this personally since I was 10. But now they're not insulting my talent... they're insulting me. And that is not OK. Thank goodness this will all be done on Tuesday and I won't have to think about these people ever again. Plus this is all for a class I'm taking pass/fail, so in the end it barely even matters.
After this though, I was so upset that I went home, ate a snack and crawled into bed and watched a movie and napped. I was supposed to see my friends in a show but I was simply not in the mood. After nap-time, it was show-time. Went to the show, where we had a number of technical difficulties with the sound system. Very frustrating. Luckily, we're supposed to have a band back next week, thank goodness. And my cast was great--I told them about what had happened during the day, and they had a really encouraging perspective on the whole situation. It didn't change things altogether, but by the end of the show I wasn't feeling so upset.
After the show I talked a long time to my family too, which was also great. I love my family. They always make me feel better.
Today, I got up at noon (yay for sleeping in!) and didn't do anything for a really long time. Oops... I did edit down an interview that I conducted for an online "USC magazine" that's launching tomorrow. I'm a writer I'm a writer! (Kind of.) I'll put a link here once it's up.
Then off to a directing rehearsal, where I'll be playing an 8-year-old psychopath. Fun! Then another show tonight. It went really well, partially because the sound worked perfectly, but mostly because a few of my friends were in the audience and were extremely vocal about how much they enjoyed the show!! Two of them were returnees, and Spider Baby now officially has groupies, haha. And another girl from one of my classes was there, although I guess she left before I had the chance to say hello because I didn't see her after. But it was awesome to have them all there, especially since I don't see them that often. And having a really high-energy audience just makes the performing that much more fun!
So Friday: internship and show. Same as every Friday. But this was an especially good day, because at the internship I was constantly doing stuff. And not just research, which I realize is important but I never feel like I can be officially done researching, so I never know when to stop. But this Friday I did a lot of different tasks, some in front of the computer and some away--a nice mix. I think I'm discovering that I am not someone who can sit in front of a computer all day: it gives me a headache. But even the computer-work was fun because I'm inputting names for people attending Opening Night and I was figuring out some stuff for the advertising department. Paying bills and things, which sounds dreadfully boring but was surprisingly satisfying, because I had to actually think and figure out the process. I don't know, call me geeky but it was fun to have something challenging. Not that my internship isn't challenging by any means, but I just felt really accomplished by the end of that task.
Then the show. We had a decently large audience, which is always exciting, plus a couple of friends came to see the show. After the show, I took one of the friends out to dinner and I had delicious chocolate chip pancakes from Denny's (of all places!). And then we just hung out for a while. It was great because we haven't seen each other since the summer, and it's always nice to hang out with people who you click with pretty easily. So that was a lot of fun.
Then... Saturday. Pretty much the opposite of Friday. Woke up having gotten not-enough sleep and went off for a group project. I don't want to go into details, because it was honestly one of the most frustrating moments I've had this year, but I have never been so insulted, both in terms of my intelligence and my personality and how my mind works. (Yes, those sound like the same thing, but they're not. I'm just not feeling eloquent enough to explain it better right now.) And consider this: I've been doing theatre for a good ten years now, where I have to deal with criticism left and right, and I've learned how to turn on a thicker skin. Some things really get to me, of course, but I've been working on not taking this personally since I was 10. But now they're not insulting my talent... they're insulting me. And that is not OK. Thank goodness this will all be done on Tuesday and I won't have to think about these people ever again. Plus this is all for a class I'm taking pass/fail, so in the end it barely even matters.
After this though, I was so upset that I went home, ate a snack and crawled into bed and watched a movie and napped. I was supposed to see my friends in a show but I was simply not in the mood. After nap-time, it was show-time. Went to the show, where we had a number of technical difficulties with the sound system. Very frustrating. Luckily, we're supposed to have a band back next week, thank goodness. And my cast was great--I told them about what had happened during the day, and they had a really encouraging perspective on the whole situation. It didn't change things altogether, but by the end of the show I wasn't feeling so upset.
After the show I talked a long time to my family too, which was also great. I love my family. They always make me feel better.
Today, I got up at noon (yay for sleeping in!) and didn't do anything for a really long time. Oops... I did edit down an interview that I conducted for an online "USC magazine" that's launching tomorrow. I'm a writer I'm a writer! (Kind of.) I'll put a link here once it's up.
Then off to a directing rehearsal, where I'll be playing an 8-year-old psychopath. Fun! Then another show tonight. It went really well, partially because the sound worked perfectly, but mostly because a few of my friends were in the audience and were extremely vocal about how much they enjoyed the show!! Two of them were returnees, and Spider Baby now officially has groupies, haha. And another girl from one of my classes was there, although I guess she left before I had the chance to say hello because I didn't see her after. But it was awesome to have them all there, especially since I don't see them that often. And having a really high-energy audience just makes the performing that much more fun!
Monday, November 8, 2010
The Joys of Being Sick
Ok, so being sick stinks. And after week of constant tiredness and endless coughing, I'll be glad when I'm finally feeling back to 100%. But today was a decent day--got a lot of emails sent, dealt with things I've been avoiding for a while. But the true test will come once I finish this blog post and get back to the one kind of homework that I can't fake with a cold:
Singing.
Now, because I'm enrolled in both a choir class and a musical theatre class, not to mention independent voice lessons, singing is kind of important. I kind of need to be able to sing to get the work done. I managed to get through an entire weekend of shows while fighting back a cough--apparently you couldn't tell when I was onstage, which was a relief! It's nice to know that if I have to, I can still perform, even if I'm not 100% in real life. But only if I know that the rest of my evening will be spent in a nice sleepy relaxed state. And I got through the week by just not singing in-class, which was fine. But I want to know my music and I want to work on my next song, which means I need to be able to get through it without coughing up a lung.
Wish me luck, invisible blog-readers!
Singing.
Now, because I'm enrolled in both a choir class and a musical theatre class, not to mention independent voice lessons, singing is kind of important. I kind of need to be able to sing to get the work done. I managed to get through an entire weekend of shows while fighting back a cough--apparently you couldn't tell when I was onstage, which was a relief! It's nice to know that if I have to, I can still perform, even if I'm not 100% in real life. But only if I know that the rest of my evening will be spent in a nice sleepy relaxed state. And I got through the week by just not singing in-class, which was fine. But I want to know my music and I want to work on my next song, which means I need to be able to get through it without coughing up a lung.
Wish me luck, invisible blog-readers!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
The Trouble With Registration
Ok, so I'm in the midst of figuring out which classes I want to take for my final semester at USC. In some ways, I have it easy: I only need two more classes to graduate, and I know exactly which ones I want to take. A GE about the science of happiness (perfect, no?), and a class about adapting classic theatrical stories into a variety of mediums, from musical theatre to ballet to opera. Also seems pretty appropriate. I'm also 90% sure of another class I want to take, Theatre for Youth. If I want to consider any kind of theatre profession with children, this seems like a good choice. So those three are pretty much set. And I'll probably take the musical theatre workshop again, just because I enjoy it a lot and it helps me keep working and fresh.
But other than that, I have free reign. Which is exciting but also frightening. What do I want to take? What classes will help me further my career? What do I want to make sure to take before I graduate? What opportunities are unique to USC that I don't want to pass up? For example, I was thinking about signing up for a film class that shows films before they come out. That's unique to USC and I hear it's fun. So shouldn't I take it before the opportunity goes away? But then I remember that I barely watch movies anyway, so it's clearly not something I'm really interested in. Besides, if I'm in any kind of rehearsals then it'll completely conflict (since all those film classes are night classes), so I wouldn't be able to take that anyway. And I'm thinking positive, believing that I'm going to get into something next semester. Even if it isn't at USC.
So here's what I'm debating with right now. Do I focus on classes that could help with my career? Of course, that opens up a whole additional can of worms, considering I don't know exactly what I want to do or how I want to do it.
So here's what I'm debating, because I need to get this out of my system. And no better place to do so than in a blog!
Intro to Pop/Rock Guitar (2): just in case I want to pursue any kind of musical career. Or do songwriting. I have the guitar, I have the basic skills but I have no willingness to practice on my own without some form of pressure telling me to work. That's just how I am. Besides, guitar is pretty simple and it'd be a great skill to have. I'm currently enrolled in this.
Modern Dance (2): Also enrolled in this. Would be taking it to keep up the dancing, and to keep in shape. Plus, I took a modern dance class over the summer. Just a drop-in class, but it was a blast. I absolutely loved it. It was a lot of the grace of ballet in a much more laid-back, interpretive style. And it's dance, which I don't get much of anymore (sadly). I'd love to keep this.
Acting Shakespeare (2): Taught by one of the best acting teachers at USC. I've had her before and she's great. The cons of the class? 9am. Tuesday/Thursday. The two days a week that I am already crazy busy: the GE and the Performing Arts classes are both T/Th, as is Musical Theatre. The two classes I'm definitely taking, and the one other one I want to take. Lame reason to be a con, I know, but considering that over the last three semesters I've had morning classes every day I'd like to have a few days a week to sleep in. Also, I don't love Shakespeare. I get that he's brilliant and I enjoy working with classical text, but I don't feel passionate about acting Shakespeare. I don't know. I'm currently enrolled in this, mostly because I just wanted to save a spot in the class in case I wanted it (it fills up super-fast), but I'm not sold on this. Although it's been a very long time since I've taken an actual acting class... it might not be a bad thing to do right before leaving.
Philosophy of Religion (4): the one class I'm considering that I'm not enrolled in currently. This sounds like a really odd class to consider, but let me explain: I really enjoy philosophy. Even though I dropped the minor, I'd love to take another class. But Katherine, you say, a class on religion? Well here's the thing. I've never understood religion. Growing up in a half-Jewish, half-Chinese household (for sake of argument, "Chinese" counts as a religion), I never had a clear concept of religion. I'm not complaining, I was happy and content, but I've always found religion to be both perplexing and frustrating. I have many questions about it but don't know how to ask the questions. Part of the reason I've enjoyed philosophy is because it offers ways to answer questions that are similar questions of religion, but without depending on pure faith to answer.
Of course, I could just take a class on intro to religion, but I don't want to simply take a basic 100-level class that will skim the surface and not fully investigate. I want to work through these questions! I want to learn! And a class on the Philosophy of Religion could be a great opportunity to do this. Especially since this is the one kind of class that I don't think I'll be able to take after school ends. I could always teach myself guitar, I could always take dance classes, but let's face it--I'm probably not going to take a class in philosophy after school. And apparently the professor of the class is pretty good, or so says RateMyProfessor.com--and I tend to trust the peoples' opinions on the site. It's all overwhelmingly positive. And this class is already pretty full--21/35 spots filled already, and registration hasn't been open long. When classes fill up fast you know it's a good one (or a requirement for a major). But do I want to take a class that kills my Monday/Wednesday afternoon (4-5:15) and I'll probably have to write a big research paper and whatnot? I don't know. This is probably the one I'm most uncertain about. I'd love to take it but I don't know if I should spend the time learning about it if I may never use it again...
And here's another thing. Do I really want to take a full courseload? Do I want to have time free to get ready for next year, to get material ready for auditions or to actually go and audition? Do I want to take a part-time job at some local school? Do I want to be practical or do I want to have fun? Maybe get another internship somewhere? Have a lot of free time (which is dangerous for me, I get bored super easily) or be busy all the time (which I am now... and it's a bit much, to tell the truth)? Cram in as much learning as possible or enjoy having minimal responsibilities while it lasts?
So that's what I'm struggling with right now. Wish me luck as I decide what I want to do with my semester... and my life... BAH I hate being a senior!
But other than that, I have free reign. Which is exciting but also frightening. What do I want to take? What classes will help me further my career? What do I want to make sure to take before I graduate? What opportunities are unique to USC that I don't want to pass up? For example, I was thinking about signing up for a film class that shows films before they come out. That's unique to USC and I hear it's fun. So shouldn't I take it before the opportunity goes away? But then I remember that I barely watch movies anyway, so it's clearly not something I'm really interested in. Besides, if I'm in any kind of rehearsals then it'll completely conflict (since all those film classes are night classes), so I wouldn't be able to take that anyway. And I'm thinking positive, believing that I'm going to get into something next semester. Even if it isn't at USC.
So here's what I'm debating with right now. Do I focus on classes that could help with my career? Of course, that opens up a whole additional can of worms, considering I don't know exactly what I want to do or how I want to do it.
So here's what I'm debating, because I need to get this out of my system. And no better place to do so than in a blog!
Intro to Pop/Rock Guitar (2): just in case I want to pursue any kind of musical career. Or do songwriting. I have the guitar, I have the basic skills but I have no willingness to practice on my own without some form of pressure telling me to work. That's just how I am. Besides, guitar is pretty simple and it'd be a great skill to have. I'm currently enrolled in this.
Modern Dance (2): Also enrolled in this. Would be taking it to keep up the dancing, and to keep in shape. Plus, I took a modern dance class over the summer. Just a drop-in class, but it was a blast. I absolutely loved it. It was a lot of the grace of ballet in a much more laid-back, interpretive style. And it's dance, which I don't get much of anymore (sadly). I'd love to keep this.
Acting Shakespeare (2): Taught by one of the best acting teachers at USC. I've had her before and she's great. The cons of the class? 9am. Tuesday/Thursday. The two days a week that I am already crazy busy: the GE and the Performing Arts classes are both T/Th, as is Musical Theatre. The two classes I'm definitely taking, and the one other one I want to take. Lame reason to be a con, I know, but considering that over the last three semesters I've had morning classes every day I'd like to have a few days a week to sleep in. Also, I don't love Shakespeare. I get that he's brilliant and I enjoy working with classical text, but I don't feel passionate about acting Shakespeare. I don't know. I'm currently enrolled in this, mostly because I just wanted to save a spot in the class in case I wanted it (it fills up super-fast), but I'm not sold on this. Although it's been a very long time since I've taken an actual acting class... it might not be a bad thing to do right before leaving.
Philosophy of Religion (4): the one class I'm considering that I'm not enrolled in currently. This sounds like a really odd class to consider, but let me explain: I really enjoy philosophy. Even though I dropped the minor, I'd love to take another class. But Katherine, you say, a class on religion? Well here's the thing. I've never understood religion. Growing up in a half-Jewish, half-Chinese household (for sake of argument, "Chinese" counts as a religion), I never had a clear concept of religion. I'm not complaining, I was happy and content, but I've always found religion to be both perplexing and frustrating. I have many questions about it but don't know how to ask the questions. Part of the reason I've enjoyed philosophy is because it offers ways to answer questions that are similar questions of religion, but without depending on pure faith to answer.
Of course, I could just take a class on intro to religion, but I don't want to simply take a basic 100-level class that will skim the surface and not fully investigate. I want to work through these questions! I want to learn! And a class on the Philosophy of Religion could be a great opportunity to do this. Especially since this is the one kind of class that I don't think I'll be able to take after school ends. I could always teach myself guitar, I could always take dance classes, but let's face it--I'm probably not going to take a class in philosophy after school. And apparently the professor of the class is pretty good, or so says RateMyProfessor.com--and I tend to trust the peoples' opinions on the site. It's all overwhelmingly positive. And this class is already pretty full--21/35 spots filled already, and registration hasn't been open long. When classes fill up fast you know it's a good one (or a requirement for a major). But do I want to take a class that kills my Monday/Wednesday afternoon (4-5:15) and I'll probably have to write a big research paper and whatnot? I don't know. This is probably the one I'm most uncertain about. I'd love to take it but I don't know if I should spend the time learning about it if I may never use it again...
And here's another thing. Do I really want to take a full courseload? Do I want to have time free to get ready for next year, to get material ready for auditions or to actually go and audition? Do I want to take a part-time job at some local school? Do I want to be practical or do I want to have fun? Maybe get another internship somewhere? Have a lot of free time (which is dangerous for me, I get bored super easily) or be busy all the time (which I am now... and it's a bit much, to tell the truth)? Cram in as much learning as possible or enjoy having minimal responsibilities while it lasts?
So that's what I'm struggling with right now. Wish me luck as I decide what I want to do with my semester... and my life... BAH I hate being a senior!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Grr...
Somehow, over the weekend, I managed to start getting sick again. Hopefully this will be going away soon, especially since I plan to sleep as much as possible over the next few days. Katherine has been sick for two of the three weekends of Spider Baby, she won't allow herself to be sick for any more!
In other news, I went to my first KP rehearsal today since I went "on sabbatical" for the show. It was very strange to be back, considering I pretty much sat on the couch and read my magazine and listened. Didn't bother singing, it seemed rather pointless considering I won't be at the concert--not to mention I couldn't. The three times I tried to sing to help the sopranos out, my voice was pretty much gone. So yes. Cold needs to go away. Now.
I haven't had the chance to buy Airbourne yet (I went today but the line was painfully long!), but I did drink a bottle of orange juice over the last two days. Considering how much I hate orange juice, this is quite an accomplishment for me!
I should go to bed now, considering that I have class at 9am tomorrow. Yuck. Oh well, so is life.
In other news, I went to my first KP rehearsal today since I went "on sabbatical" for the show. It was very strange to be back, considering I pretty much sat on the couch and read my magazine and listened. Didn't bother singing, it seemed rather pointless considering I won't be at the concert--not to mention I couldn't. The three times I tried to sing to help the sopranos out, my voice was pretty much gone. So yes. Cold needs to go away. Now.
I haven't had the chance to buy Airbourne yet (I went today but the line was painfully long!), but I did drink a bottle of orange juice over the last two days. Considering how much I hate orange juice, this is quite an accomplishment for me!
I should go to bed now, considering that I have class at 9am tomorrow. Yuck. Oh well, so is life.
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