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.

Feels Like Fall!

This past week, Minnesota has had consistently gorgeous weather. The air has finally dried out, we've had bluebird skies, and best of all, I have been falling asleep with my windows open every night. When the sun goes down, I absolutely revel in getting to snuggle up in my big comforter with the chilly breeze around me. As the title goes, it feels like fall around here!

For so many reasons, fall has always been my favorite season of the year. The movement and pace of Autumn is special. Fall humbly subdues the bright splashes of summer's color. Fall brings us a warm afternoon sun and a cool breeze so that we do not complain about heat so close to winter. And at this very moment in August, fall is gently reminding us to enjoy these last few weeks of freedom and family before we all begin working very hard again. 

To me, fall is inexplicably beautiful, cozy, and exciting. The colors and clothes are at the top of my favorites list! Jeans, sweaters, and boots- comfy, conservative, chic- What else could a girl want? Plus, when you pair the outfit with the most gorgeous campus in this nation in the midst of nature's color change...well, you just feel good. (I can't wait to post a picture of my favorite Saint John's University tree. When it turns canary yellow, it's stunning). Speaking of SJU, this brings me to my other favorite part of fall: Back to school! Sadly, this is the last year I can truly say this- [CUE depressing senior-in-college moment]- so I better make it a good one! 

I love fall. Did I mention I love fall? Hopefully you're laughing and not clicking out of this window--I'm clearly about to burst this morning, but that's what blogs are for, eh? Now get out there and fill those lungs with harvest air! Oh, and make a few of these adorable owls while you're at it-- they're so cute! I made this one yesterday:

General Update: Reporting For Duty

It's been a while, and a lot has happened! Here's a whirl-wind recap of my past week and some odd days:

Last Monday was our Fringe For All performance! We loved performing at the Mixed Blood Theatre; it was rustic and gorgeous. We condensed an illusion and the juggling act to a 3 minute snipet, and walked away feeling like we had sold some tickets! Audience reactions ("oohs," gasps, and cheering) are always an encouraging indicator. Below are some pictures of this gem of a venue.

The rest of the week passed fairly quickly. Rehearsals generated new levels of cast enthusiasm, and the full runs were demonstrating that we would have a smooth fringe show. As the weekend approached, Jared and I knew we would be rewarding ourselves with tickets to a musical that is completely sold out for its entire run. Unfortunately, as I was traveling down to Minneapolis that Saturday, I was rear-ended on the freeway. Thankfully, both drivers were not hurt. Money and inconvenience aside, this was an untimely reminder that cars are 3,000 death machines. This man was not paying attention, and he hurled his death machine right at me. Drive defensively. 

As luck would have it, I had planned to spend Sunday with my great friend, Lezlee. This girls' day could not have been timed any better. We talked the afternoon away, watched "Will and Grace," and enjoyed the last few hours of warm daylight at the Saint John's beach. Nothing like a day with Lez to de-stress!

Next thing I know, it's Thursday! Show opening eve :) There are a lot of last minute things to accomplish before tomorrow, but all the excitement is organic fuel. Jared tells me there will be a smattering of Johnnies in the seats for opening night, and lots of family will be smiling back at us too! Wish us luck! 

Write This Down.

This past year, I have discovered the joys of the US Postal Service. 

Until my now, I have not appreciated how cool it feels to send personal mail. Before college, I didn't have bills to mail, and everyone knows that writing graduation thank-you notes does not count. The internet had rocketed me right into "messaging." First email, soon followed by MSN Chat. Next would be Myspace, and of course the trends topped off with our strongest newcomer, Facebook. Let's put it this way: my world on the internet was so connected and fast-paced at such an early age, that it sped past my keyboarding classes in sixth grade. To this day, I still type (albeit, type well!) with a kiddy-wompus home-row.

I can't exactly know for sure what triggered this handwriting bender, but before I knew it, I was at TJ Max stocking up on stylish notecards. (If you are looking to spend a little more on some beautiful cards, Papyrus is a blast to thumb through). Now, if I find myself with a little down time, I reflect on who has been in my thoughts lately. There is always something going on- happy or unfortunate- in somebody's life. Yesterday I sent a thank you note to a couple who invited me to their gorgeous wedding. I also sent a a thank you to Jared's grandparents in Indiana who so sweetly remembered my birthday with a card. Today, I'll be sending a sympathy card to my roommate who has just lost her grandfather. 

When you write a note or a letter, your words are not stamped with the confining perfection of a font. You do not delete or edit your thoughts. Your handwriting lends itself to flow and emotion, and the recipient can hear you say what you want them know. So go buy a book of stamps and get writing! Oh-- and hand-delivered notes are equally fun! Here is a tutorial on how to fold your letter into its own envelope! Have fun writing, and dig deep. Sincere thoughts are never weird, awkward, or mushy. I've even gotten a thank-you note for a thank-you note! Happy mailing!

Home Is...

I would like to dedicate this blog post to the comforts of home.
For the past three years, my family has been in the process of moving. The decision to move to Sartell came shortly after I graduated, and after two and half very trying years with our house on the market, it finally sold this past January. Since then, we have been house hunting, and as of June we are exponentially raising our hopes that we will get the house on which we bid. We love our apartment (or, as we call it: The APT). It has made us such a closer family in those 1500 very tight square feet. But this summer, with both Austin and myself back in the apartment, we have collectively agreed that the phrase, "a house is not a home"  is no longer our mantra. We're ready.

My mom is ready to design and decorate her dream home. My sister is ready to be 16 and have her friends over to giggle in her room all night. My dad is ready to become a grill master in his own backyard. My brother just wants his own room again...(he is currently living on our couch, and his closet is in the laundry room. We're making it work, people). 

So as we have been dreaming and planning up our new place together- and as I am readying myself to find a place to live in Minneapolis come December- I have really been made to think about the parts that make some place really feel like home. Of course, the elements of comfort and "hominess" differ for everyone! For example, my friend Andrew likes his space to be cold and dark. He watches movies all the time, and sleeps like a bear cat, so it makes sense- right? Or take Annie, who treasures her quirky friends and family. Her space is littered with colorful frames that hold dozens of pictures, cute solar-powered sunflower gadgets, and family heirloom blankets draped on her couch and bed. Then there is Jared, who works from home. All he wants in life is a view. He would live in a box if it meant that he could look out onto this everyday:

(His view after a rainstorm from his current apartment in Minneapolis)

Here are a few features that I value and create to make my space my own:

| Flooding Sunlight | I always want to open the blinds and let in the day.

| Open Floorspace | I do everything on the floor. Dance. Nap. Craft. Eat. (Floor Picnic!)

| A Wide Desk | I am a filing freak. This space needs to be big and organized.

| Fluffy Bedding | Nothing says coming home better than falling into a clean, cloud-like bed.

Hopefully after reading this post, you will find yourself reflecting on the parts of your home you love the most. Spruce your place up a bit, give attention to the things you'd like to change, and most importantly, be thankful for the parts that make you feel comfortable. Take pride in your space, and invite others in. 

My First Fringe!

As most of you are probably aware, I perform illusions with my boyfriend, Jared Sherlock. Actually, magic   was our genesis-- but our story is saved for another blog some day :) I spent last spring touring Minnesota with The Magic of Jared Sherlock (MoJS), but regrettably had to stop performing after I tore my MCL in a skiing accident. (YES: it was the first day up on the mountain. I still have night terrors from the toboggan ride down). Now, Jared has rounded home on his spring tour, he has finally planted himself in Minnesota, and I am fully recovered. Fringe mode is in full swing, and I can't wait to get "back in the box!" MN Fringe is a very big opportunity for us, and it seems that we are already attracting some fantastic talent. Jared spent yesterday rehearsing with a brilliant performer/juggler who was referred to him by Del Arte talent in Blue Lake, CA. We also start training a phenomenal dancer, and one of my best friends, Mel today. And if these two lovely ladies weren't enough to get our motor going, Jared and I are thrilled to be learning another illusion coming as soon as Sunday. Everything seems to be falling in to place, which is much welcome relief. As if moving isn't difficult enough on it's own, the anxiety of recruiting new talent, finding rehearsal space, and executing a stellar show by August 5th is pretty taxing. However, if we found ourselves backed into a corner, there is always the comfort of "home base." Katherine, our beloved actor and juggler from "Night Games" and the MoJS Tour will be performing with us at MN Fringe. We will be sad to see her exit stage left to focus on her new full time job permanently. Mark, "The Pro," our hilarious and insightful "Night Games" actor has always jumped in when he needed him. I'm hoping he will make a couple Fringe appearances as well-- maybe at Indy Fringe! (Indianapolis, IN). And lastly, our stage manager from "Night Games" will be rejoining the crew to keep us in check at MN Fringe. All three of these people are Johnnie/Bennie alums, and we all feel a certain loyalty to each other through the community of theatre and friendship. 

MN Fringe Festival is a lottery in which over 500 artists enter. 200 are chosen at random, and Jared's name was first on the list. He has applied every year for the past four years, and this is our opportunity to really show Minneapolis what we've got. The way that talent, dedication, and resources have been presenting themselves is very encouraging, and I can't wait to keep everyone updated on the progress and development of our production!

Included in this post are some pictures of the people we love and appreciate as members of MoJS. Also, if you didn't catch the half-joke before-- You'll see a picture of me actually "back in the box." (It's the opening illusion at the spectacular Penn & Teller show in Las Vegas!)

 This is our wonderful cast from "Night Games." Katherine is the adorable laughing blondie on the left, and Mark is uncharacteristically NOT smiling on the far right. He was probably being a serious professional.

Penn & Teller's opening illusion! (No, I do not know how it's done).

Limbo

With one semester left of my collegiate experience, and a boyfriend who has been booted into the real world after graduation this spring, the word of the day is "pressure." I have watched many of the 2011 graduates apartment hunt, job hunt, accept jobs, enjoy the summer, go abroad, work on solo projects,-- and the list goes on.

As the spring was wrapping up for me, I was feeling like I had really nailed it. I applied to more than a handful of internships, and I had accepted two. However, two weeks into the first internship, I quickly realized that it was not a learning environment, and I did not believe in the work it offered. (Lesson learned: it's just as important to do research and profiling for the person you'll be working for, as it is for him or her to research and profile you.) Thus, I've downsized to just one internship that focuses on public events on weekends-- it's great fun, and definitely a resumé booster, but not exactly "work experience" in the most general sense of the phrase.

This is not, by any means, the end of the world. But it definitely does not rocket me into a comfortable position to graduate. The successes and failures and "inbetween's" of this years graduates are both inspiring and exciting. Perhaps I feel that I am in limbo because I feel ready to launch. This final semester is scheduled with filler courses. I would be wise to busy myself with work and living preparations this fall. 

Bringing all of this full circle, I am not wishing my last semester of college away. I hear tons of my friends' and family members' voices starting the "I'd give anything..." conversation. However, this grey stage of life, where I am not exactly a college student anymore, but not quite independent, proves to be emotionally difficult. The pressure is very real at this point, and I only know of one worthy response: Work.