It takes courage...

As of this week, both of my internships are in full-swing. [Education and Community Engagement at Hennepin Theatre Trust, & Marketing at The Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts]. 

I just wanted to land a quick note about how my recent career decisions have affirmed exactly where I want to be. Deciding to work 40 hours/week for free wasn't easy, and it's only the first month. I expect it may only get more difficult. But in my book, hearing ballet classes (live piano!) in the background, and getting insider access to amazing Broadway productions (The Lion King!) are very validating factors. I have given myself to the performing arts my entire life. Why change gears now? Ask some, and they'll tell you nonprofits don't pay. Ask me, and I'll tell you it's where I'm happy. I know this industry, and if I work as hard as I plan, I'll be bringing in the entertainment for Minneapolis for a long while. 

I'm doing everything I know how to do; everything I want to do. I'm in charge of Hennepin Theatre's historic tours, I'm involved in giving underserved communities access to theatre tickets through donations, I will be tag-teaming an adult, theatre networking session each month, I've archived a year's worth of magazine/newspaper clippings (arts&crafts, anyone? :) and I get to construct an entire social media campaign. This is the work that my peers are doing as well, but I am just so lucky to have my work centered in live theatre. It's going to be a wonderful spring, everyone. 

General Update: Reporting for Duty!

Since it has been close to an eternity since I've given any love to this blog, I surmise that a general update is in order. The starting place feels much longer ago than a mere three weeks- so much has happened! On December 22, I turned in my final paper (Ethics on "How to Live a Good Life"-- what a topic, eh?) and I moved out of my campus apartment. Not surprisingly, it was a pretty emotional week. While I had (have) so much to celebrate, I told Jared it was St. Ben's was "breaking up with me." My internal dialogue echoed something along the lines of, 

"Olivia, it's been a great four years together, but I feel that it's time to go our separate ways. It's not you, it's me. This is best for the both of us." 

"St. Ben's, no! We can make it work!" Yep. I love that place that much. I really look forward to articulating exactly what The College of Saint Benedict was for me - especially when my reflections are so fresh. 

So as a graduate in December, I would certainly note an element of awkwardness in the aftermath. Most of your peers are dying to leave, while you're silently holding on to every moment on the friggin Link. However, the holidays were a real stabilizer. When you're thrust out into the "real world" to find yourself directly in the company of family, food, and merriment, well- it is a tangible reminder that life just gets better and better. Life doesn't slow down, and it surely doesn't stop. So when you feel like you are not in control of your timeline (like I felt as I walked off campus) go back to home base. Thanks to many, I regrouped. 

Christmas was short, but wonderful. We made the trip up north, and I can't remember the last time we all had so much fun together. Of course, whenever we are all together, it's always the time we feel our losses the most. The remedy? Be together as much as possible. It's quite hilarious actually. Stacy brought over an ugly Christmas sweater for everyone, which we wore straight through dinner. They even survivded the hilarious white elephant exchange, where popular gifts included the meatloaf pan, pajama jeans, and the Make A Deal ZONK box of matches. But soon, due to a four-hour stint of Running Charades, we were down to long underwear and rosy cheeks. After our brains started short-circuiting from the over stimuli of charade gestures, we literally moved every piece of furniture into the living room. We watched movies until all eyelids were too heavy to keep open. It wasn't traditional, but traditional doesn't really fit us anymore. It was our quirky little Christmas. 

When I count my blessings, I always feel so grateful for my second family: The Sherlocks. Jared's family has taken me as their own since the day I met them (truly, even before then. Our beginnings as a couple are set to be a second future blog, and apparently, they had me pegged ;). I no more than unpacked my bag from Christmas before I was excitedly repacking for my stay in the Sherlock Happy Place for an extended week of snowboarding, Dexter (season 4- WHOA), beautiful dinners, visits from Jared's best friend, New Years Eve fireworks on the mountain, and so much more. Like I said, these people are my family, and it was so comforting to be with them after moving on from school. 

PHEW! And that's three weeks for you, folks! In other news, I'm waiting to hear back on an apartment I applied for in Roseville- just outside of Minneapolis. Fingers crossed, I will be moving in toward the end of January. I am currently interning at both Hennepin Teatre Trust and The Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts. As I see it I am pursuing arts administration at full speed! It's funny, because at every twist and turn of the application process I found myself narrowing in on the Minneapolis theatre scene. It wasn't a clear goal, but as I've gotten both offers, I think I definitely need to tune-in to what my parents, peers, and previous employers have always told me: You'll always work in theatre. Never a shortage of things to celebrate and look forward to. January has been very kind, and I'm very thankful to be loving my life like I do-- let's be real. My internship with HTT just let me sit in during the broadway touring production of The Lion King's final dress rehearsal. I can die happy now.

Move.

I once read that it is a very sad thing for a woman to live her life without knowing the strength of her own body. Remember, slenderness does not equal strength. Do your best to love your body today; but not the kind of love where you have resigned acceptance of the way you are. Love your body by fueling it, by conditioning it. 

 There will come a time when you won't be able to work out. Today is not that day.

One for the books...

Last night, my boyfriend came at me with a knife.

Let me digress...

Yesterday was an extremely successful day in learning more about myself, my career goals, and how I might work to accomplish them. From morning till late evening, I was gaining momentum for the next five weeks before graduation, and I felt utterly compelled to cap the night with a feel-good moment. As Jared and I have been separated by long weeks and arduous schedules these past few months, I thought to myself, "Why not make a surprise visit to Minneapolis for the night?!" 

I rushed to grab contact solution, my phone charger, and of course, failed to remember deodorant. The road was wide open, and all signs pointed to a decision well-made. I was even lucky enough to evade his phone call until I was minutes away. We hung up the phone after saying our "goodnights," and I walked up the stairwell planning my sneaky entry. What's a surprise visit without a stealth entrance, right? Wrong. I thought using my key would allow me to get in unnoticed, mostly because I was convinced he would be watching Conan like always. Instead, he was in the kitchen reading emails, and he heard my fumbling with the key latch.

Well, while I was busy being an awesome, thoughtful (albeit sneaky) girlfriend, Jared was busy finding the biggest butcher knife in the kitchen. Needless to say, I was the one who ended up getting surprised last night. It was one of those moments that was so undeniably sweet and hilarious, as we found ourselves cursing at each other using pet names. 

Yes, last night was one for the books. Thank god neither of us ran towards each other!

See More.

This week, I was determined to be thorough. I wanted to pay closer attention. I wanted to understand better. I wanted to be clearer. But most of all, I wanted to be engaged in everything I did.

I feel like, as I am double-timing school and job searching, I am often consumed with output-- Did I get everything done today? But lately, I have been realizing how satisfying it is to approach projects with intent to be thorough and extensive. I read a novel with pen in hand to mark moving passages. I watched a movie twice in a row for an analysis project. I wrote critical and detailed notes in my classes. I slowed down.

This doesn't mean that I did less. In fact, I've accomplished everything I've needed to, plus the groundwork for when I revisit the projects. Being engaged in my endeavors this week has felt like an investment. This week- with this specific set of opportunities- won't come around twice. This week was my opportunity to read a book about life's questions and survival, to watch a quirky crime film with gorgeous mise-en-scéne, and to learn from the professors I respect most. (Of course, I could do these things just as well next week, but if we don't embrace what the week has given us, what might we miss later?) I have invested in life this week by simply realizing these opportunities. I have gained understanding and perspective that I wouldn't have gained had I just scraped by. 

So as this week wraps up, commit to being engaged. Don't skip the easy stuff (or the hard stuff) and don't take short cuts. Processes are essential in learning-- nothing worth while comes at the snap of a finger. And above all, make sure you ask yourself what you think. Be introspective, and have charity with a range of ideas. You'll find that having a clear perspective is a wonderful way to see more. 

Hello!

Yup. School started. 


And let me tell you, nothing has slowed down! Graduating in December, job hunting, avoiding "Senioritis" like the plague...this poor blog has been neglected. But I haven't forgotten about it! I will most definitely have a "General Update: Reporting for Duty" post by the end up this week :)


Until then, listen to THIS! Seriously...it's good.

READ.

This summer I set a reading goal. I swear I've been setting reading goals since we got AR points in the fourth grade, but this time I actually followed through. I told myself I would read three books this summer. And as I am rounding home on my third book, I am blurting out recommendations left and right. I loved them ALL! My method for choosing the books was fairly simple: one random book off the shelf, one book that was recommended to me, and one book that has "hype."

The first book I took on was "The Constant Princess" by Phillipa Gregory. This book is the prequel to the very famous "The Other Boleyn Girl," and let me tell you, this book is some juicy historical fiction. The main character, Katherine of Aragon, is astonishingly brave and ahead of her time-- a very fun read for a feminist such as myself. I cannot wait to pick up "The Other Boleyn Girl" and continue with Gregory's novels. The Tudor lineage is such a fantastical string of events. You just can't make this stuff up! 

Next, I read "Hiding the Elephant" by Jim Steinmeyer. Jared recommended it to me, and not just because he is a magician and Steinmeyer is an illusion engineer. This book is an incredibly graceful account of the Golden Age of Magic, and Steinmeyer writes with much appreciated wit and emotion. "Hiding the Elephant" is riddled with quotations, diagrams, newspaper articles, and seamless storytelling that make you feel like you attended each show. The best part is that the book circles around the constant question, "Are the secrets in magic priceless, or worthless?" The tension between ugly mechanics and gorgeous stage artistry is a brain-bender. I haven't quite decided what my opinion is yet...

Finally, I poured myself into the book, "Water for Elephants,," by Sara Gruen. This novel is worth every second of hype and publicity it was given. By the fifth page, I was a puddle. I sailed through this book because I never looked up- but to call it a page-turner makes it sound suspenseful or gossipy; this book was beautiful. Read this book if you want you ask yourself some important life questions.

In fact, if you're looking to provoke your thoughts, just read in general. Commit yourself to reading a book and asking yourself, "what does this story say about life?" Sometimes figuring out a book's message is more insightful and constructive than a magazine article or a self-help book. Instead of having everything spelled out for you, you are left to live through characters, feel what they feel, and most importantly, relate.