Fall Break...

Good heavens, it's been since JANUARY since I updated here. Sorry... (to whom, I'm not sure).

Since then:

I moved, but not far. I have a dishwasher :).
I played The Mother in Ring Round the Moon.
My family moved back to Utah.
I was elected Vice President of the SAC for the Department of Theatre.
I spent a summer trying to build parade floats, with out losing my sanity and sense of dignity.
I adopted, and lost new fish and frogs, as well as a new fish tank.
I designed, built, and painted my first set in the Babcock for Macbeth.
I played Witch 3 and Seyton in Macbeth.
I heckled my land lord about fixing the swamp cooler 12 times. I cried when it was really hot, swamp cooler was broken, and it was the end of a long parade day.
I was cast in my first professional, but second paying production: Shadows of the Bakemano, I will go into rehearsals in November. I have speaking parts in three of the five plays in the production. We perform in December.
I started the fall semester. This year we have: Auditions, Movement (mask), Voice and Speech, Acting Styles (Shakespeare), and Singing- with our new teacher David Schmidt. Whom i previously took voice lessons from which I am picking back up.
I was elected, or volunteered to be, the treasurer for The French Theatre Connection.
I wrote a grant.
I dressed A Chorus Line.
I made it to work on time, once or twice.
I made it to fall break.

And today; I cleaned my locker at work (a disaster), cleaned the rotting food out of the fridge, put those dishes in the dishwasher, took the rotting food out to the trash--outside, pulled the stuff from my locker in to the house, put those nasty food containers in the dish washer and started it. Ran an errand for my Grandma Jones, went to work, and helped Rachel work on the costume basement-- a BIG disaster. Not in that order.

and NOW:
I'm learning how to knit.
I'm helping my mom with costumes on her current three productions. (Two nut crackers and The Little Mermaid at YTU)
I'm going to work on some art work that i hope to sell at the Actor's Boutique at SLAC.
I'm staying a head in classes, attempting to catch up on sleep and staring down the clean laundry that needs to be put away.

25 Random Facts, a note pulled off of my Facebook.

1. I've had 3 frogs. One died, one was given away, and the third is lonely.
2. I love being in school.
3. Chartreuse is my favorite color.
4. I have been 110 feet below water.
5. I have three siblings, we all fit with in 10 years.
6. I just started a blog.
7. I ramble, especially online.
8. I still sleep with blue bear on occasion.
9. I love cheese!!!!!!!
10. I don't think my boyfriend's parents like me.
11. I want a really really nice digital camera.
12. I have too many shoes, that i never wear.
13. I don't play guitar but i own one.
14. I have 10/11 Seasons of M*A*S*H. I'm only missing #4.
15. I own over 100 scripts.
16. I enjoy board games.
17. I want an iPhone.
18. I hate petal paper.
19. I think rainy parades are fun.
20. I collect playing cards, but rarely play anymore.
21. I look for clothing to get painty in.
22. I would rather see a play than a movie.
23. I will never have a bunny, cause my uncle Johnnie always threatened to roast mine as a kid.
24. I like ranch style ramblers, and victorian homes.
25. I like mornings, when I don't have to rush somewhere.

Sophocles-the surviving frog!

Well, It's been two weeks since I began logging the conditions in the frog tank, for the purposes of making sure there was stability in the tank before considering adopting a new tank mate. I am thrilled to report, it is in deed stable, not perfect but certainly decent conditions for adopting a friend. Sophocles seems to be a bit happier, I think there is more location for him to hide, and therefore he feels safer being OUT! there's quite a bit more of "zen" floating (what frogs do when happy) However, he's developed a new habit of trying to swim out the glass (gently at least) whenever I am standing in front of the tank feeding or checking the water. I find it quite endearing. My frog is trying to swim to me! I will be considering adopting tomorrow, but I probably won't be naming the new frog for a few days seeing as I want to "discover" their personality before naming. For example, I did realize when I adopted Sophocles and Euripides from Mary that they were definitely Greek Writers--but who was who? The surviving frog was always more calm than Euripides, as a matter of fact Euripides always seemed hyper active, and that's how I imagine Euripides (the Greek Playwright). I have realized (maybe decided) that it is, indeed a tank full of playwrights. From any period. how fitting for an actress to house a small containers of personal writers. I think it's fantastic.

I thought I would show a couple good "frog fotos". Since I don't think we have any pictures of Euripides, I've taken a few of Sophocles, and he seems to pose... it's strange. And i do feel sort of strange for uploading photos of my pet frog.

This is Sophocles Stuck in a plant.
Sitting on a piece of driftwood.
And just hanging out.



He later discovers me, though he hasn't started swimming at me, yet.

and then he discovers one of the Bobs (the snails) they're named Bob and Bob for Bob the Stage Hand...
I love the intent look he's giving that snail! It's HILARIOUS!

The Death of Euripides

When I returned home after vacation I discovered that one of my frogs had passed away. We really don't know from what, and we probably never will. It doesn't seem they weren't over or underfed. And we're fairly certain that he was alive at least 5 days before the discovery. I was sad to see Euripides had died. I was also more shocked to see the disaster of a tank. Both the heater and the light were and are functioning properly as far as I can tell. But the large leaves on the plants have begun to have holes as well as looking brown, a symptom of the leaf rather than the entire plant, as a matter of fact the rest of the plant looks quite well. Not knowing if the state of the tank being the cod, or the death being the cause of high levels, I removed the living frog Sophocles to their old bowl with fresh water. (definitely not a good idea with fish, but the frogs are a bit heartier). After buying testing supplies I compared both of the current tanks. One of the larger problems being the hardness of the water. I also noted how high the Nitrate and Nitrite levels in the bad tank were, could have been the cod, not likely because, neither Sophocles nor the chorus of snails in the tank died. But the Nitrate/Nitrite levels are generally caused or increased by a dead specimen. However, it does seem that there is or, hopefully, was a fungal infection. I have treated the water with anti fungal drops, which I hope will rid the tank of any remaining fungal infection.

Anyhow, I am happy to report that the tank looks much better now. We got a piece of drift wood, apparently that helps with the hard water, and a rock, cause it looked cool, and was about a buck. As well as some softened water, and more drops for stuff like the pH. We boiled the rock and the drift wood (cleans them, gets the funny discolored water thing out of the drift wood before putting it in the tank, and cleans all of it (a correct pre-insertion procedure). And as we were cleaning the gravel the correct way, with a siphon we discovered that it was totally wicked gross, and decided that it should really just be rinsed, since the siphon wasn't actually sucking up the gravel anyway, then since we were completely rising it all, we might as well boil the gravel too--which was totally disgusting.

But, the tank looks clean, the plans are pruned and healthy-looking. In two weeks, assuming the tank seems to stabilize and things are going well, I will adopt a new frog. At some point i may go up to a 5G tank, and get a water filter and what not, with a few fish. But, we'll see.

It should be noted if for some reason some random person, or even not, is reading about this and thinking it good advice for fish/aquatic frog tank care. It's not. As a matter of fact it's mostly what they tell you not to do because of 'new tank syndrome', where it's so sterile that the the necessary bacteria which allows the tank to really take off, can't grow. And once you've got a tank going it's best to keep it even if you've got some sort of massive problem. And one should definitely clean their tank more than myself.

Stones Left Unturned

As i sat in the airplane on the tarmac I began thinking about the past, and last, three weeks that I've spent on Okinawa. Wondering if i was able to capture the memory, perhaps the image of the 'essence of Okinawa', places of Okinawa, and what Okinawa means to me. I know that there are things that I didn't do, or things I couldn't do, many of which I regret, and weigh heavily upon my mind. Our plane begins to back up in order to get ready to taxi. Once we've backed out of the line up. The airport personnel stand waiting for everyone to clear, disconnect and give the signal to send the plane of to it's taxi and take off. As the plane begins to move the two men standing, one in a pale green jumpsuit, the other in his white shirt and dark blue plants and both with awesome but hilarious hats, bow to the plane and begin to wave the passengers and crew off to their next destination. That image to me is one of the most humorous, touching, and Okinawan things I know. I only wish I had kept my camera out to take a photo of them as they waved.

I've sat reflecting how I spent this last vacation on the island. I nearly spent the last three days attempting to capture in photography the places, images and icons of Okinawa that some how may keep it from disappearing in to a distant memory and adventure long forgotten. Even now i can think of a number of places or things that I didn't get. And even the time that I lived on the island seems so long ago. Will it all be forgotten? How many opportunities did I miss due to "we'll do that later" or "we've got plenty of time to do that, right now we're busy"? And how many did i miss or postpone through school, and sleepy or laziness. It's funny that in the last week, I've had to remind my self that I can't take a semester off because I've got the ATP, and I have a show this spring, but i wonder if i didn't, that i would probably have opted to take a few online courses and not return to Utah until the 90 day visa expired.

I find it sad and funny how my family, with 125 remaining days on the island, is only counting the time that they'll wait to come back to Utah. Though I understand the desire to be off Okinawa. Scattered with long work days and dramas, it only seems fitting that they'd want to get off the small island. I imagine that being on the island for 6 years increases the desire to leave only more, but i enjoyed the luxury of being able to return approximately every 6-12 months. I think providing an opportunity to find closure of the odds and ends that I wanted to tie up. Even with all those vacations some short and others months long over the summer, I am still finally leaving the island thinking of the summers where we never once went to the beach, or the festivals I didn't see. I know that as they approach the end of their stay the things that they do enjoy on Okinawa will become more apparent, and more immediate. And as the days close there will be a scramble to get a photograph of 'that cool place we went two summers ago'.

As i think about Okinawa and all the treasures that I will miss It makes me wonder how many of the treasures at home I miss. How much of the summer do i spend working instead of going and seeing the marvels we have there. The fact that I've lived in Utah most of my life has perhaps fitted my sight with a filter that i don't remember the uniqueness of my own home, and some how in my mind i know that I'll always return there... even if i were to decide to make a life changing move across the country, returning to Utah-home, never seems to be out of reach.

I do wonder how long it will be until I reach the island of Okinawa. Some how it feels as if ten years will be so far away, and there's no telling that I won't keep telling myself that i still have time, and I'll do it later. How long will I push it off, leave a return to the island as another unturned stone. Though, it is on my list of things to do, will I find the time? The money? I feel as if too many things there are left, and many of which I will probably think about from time to time, wishing I hadn't left that last stone unturned, wondering if could have fit it. And even if i do return, will I ever be satisfied to think that i have finished everything.

Will I ever feel as if i have left no stone unturned?