Monday, December 31, 2012

New Year

Well, it's that time of the year again.  Tomorrow will be the start of a new year, and hopefully 2013 will be better than 2012. 

Let's see...this year...

Since the beginning of 2012, I have...


Gotten a new piercing.
Dyed my hair.

Ended a relationship.
Started a new relationship.
Been on a long car journey.
Passed an exam.
Cried on someone’s shoulder.
Had a massive fight with a boyfriend/girlfriend.
Received flowers.
Had a Valentine.
Written a letter using pen and paper.
Gone to see a therapist.
Been prescribed medication by a doctor.
Read a really good book.
Gone to the zoo.
Spent too much money on unnecessary things.
Traveled by train.
Cried over someone.
Spent a day out in the sun getting a tan.
Slammed a door out of frustration.
Had an anxiety attack.
Had a BBQ.
Gone to the fair.
Gone bowling.
Seen a film at the cinema in 3D.
Gone on a date.
Been the only sober one on a night out.
Helped someone home after they’d had too much to drink.
Stayed up all night.
Talked on the phone for over 2 hours.
Supported someone who’d received bad news.
Watched some kind of live sporting event.
Read an entire book in one day.
Bought a DVD the day it was released.
Eaten McDonald’s more than four times in a single week.
Cried as a result of exam stress.
Met some incredible new people.
Fallen backwards off a chair.
Broken my glasses.
Cried over someone in my past.
Spent hours aimlessly browsing the internet.
Thrown up.
Cried over a film.
Gone out of my way to avoid an ex-significant other.
Fought with someone in (semi)public.
Been in a relationship for a year or longer.
Visited a foreign country.


Yup, and that has been my year.

It's been a rather evntful year.  Made some new friends, went a few places, made a long forgotten childhood wish come true, new discoveries, some realizations, discovering new feelings, had my heart broken a few times, and had a few real smile moments.

Also, guess what I saw this weekend! 

Oh my goodness, Les Miserables is AMAZING! 

The only thing I didn't "like" about it was Russel Crowe.  It sounded like he was singing one note the whole time, except when he did Stars.  He did a pretty good job of Stars, but it could have been much deeper, more emotional.  He just kept the whole eyebrows raised, sad eyes, open mouthed expression.  His eyes didn't really...shall we say...portray the feelings of the song.  He sang it nicely, but not as best as it should have been.

Holy crap, Hugh Jackman!  WHAT. A. MAN!  WHAT. AN. ACTOR!  He was OUTSTANDING!  His eyes!  Oh my gosh.  His EYES!  He portrayed so much emotion, his voice, his breath, his face!  He was AMAZING!  He better win an award of some sort.

Same for Anne Hathaway.  She did a beautiful job of Fantine.  My goodness, she did such a lovely job.  What I loved was how they sang live.  That was gorgeous, if you don't know what I mean by that... Les Miserables Sound Mixing/Editing

And on that topic, the close ups on the actors/actresses and the whole singing live really made all the difference.  During "I Dreamed A Dream" Anne's nose started running, and you could just see that she really meant it.  And then at the end of that video, Eddie Redmayne singing Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, look at his eyes, and hear the shake in his voice...how beautiful is that?  Oh my gosh, it was so amazing!

I have to say that I wanted to see more of Cosette, she seemed to have little to no part in it, but I loved her voice.  It was pure, lovely, and just plain beautiful. 

Eponine, oh, Eponine.  Her story, my goodness.  Her song!  I love the song "On My Own," even playing it on the piano lately.  It's so gorgeous!  So sad!  It makes me cry!  The songs that make me cry are On My Own, Empty Chairs At Empty Tables, A Little Fall of Rain, Red and Black, I Dreamed A Dream, and then the final song.  I'd say that Les Miserables is now one of my biggest favorites--but I don't really have a particular favorite.  Wicked, Les Mis, The Secret Garden, The Music Man, and Phantom of the Opera.  Those are definitely my favorites.

Well, I guess that's all until the next time.  I'm working on a piano song and will hopefully record my playing it the next time I'm home alone (can't do it with the little ones wandering about).  I'm also brewing a new poem, the idea is there and the words will come eventually.  :)

Until the new year, my friends.

Meg

Friday, December 7, 2012

Star


So quick update before I put the poem out, HGC sang at the Houston Ballet Nutcracker over Thanksgiving.  Oh my gosh, the experience is without words.  We were in the orchestra pit--right behind the harpist (who was a very nice lady. might I add).  Such a magical experience, there were actually a few girls who were saying in a bored voice "Oh, ya, that was fun-we should do it again." And I'm thinking, "YOU!  YOU THERE!  GOOO!  IF YOU CAN'T APPRECIATE HOW AMAZING THIS IS, THEN LEEEAAAVE!"

When I was little I had a sort of dream to be in the Nutcracker, but I told myself that could never ever happen because I'm not a dancer, and I'm not a professional violinist, harpist, flutist, etc.  And I completely forgot about that dream until I was in the pit, watching the musicians,  the conducter, and the dancers...I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, thanked God, and before I evem thought of opening them I realized something.  I could "see" the music, the magic, the dancing, the story, and the audience with my ears.  I could see each face that was watching.  I could see how much emotion was put into the roles, and I could see the musicians moving their bows, taking breaths, trilling their fingers, and all the while my eyes were closed.  I saw everything around me, but with my ears--and not just my ears, but I could feel it in my heart and soul "This is where you are meant to be, and this is exactly the kind of magic you've been looking for."

After the first time being in the pit, we went back to the rehearsal room and I sat there clenching my pencil, clicking it over and over again, and tapping my feet--I was so excited.  And to be quite honest, I wasn't even nervous.  I was so excited to be in that pit, and I was so excited to have this childhood dream come true.  What makes it amazing is not knowing who is in the audiece.  Later in the day, I found out that one of my best friends was in the audience that day with her mom and sister.

On the first performance, my mom chaperoned with us and on the way home, both she and I were so excited.  My exact words, "I feel like running a marathon!  I feel like turning cartwheels in the mall!  I feel like grabbing some random guy off the street and kissing him! Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!"  You should have seen my mom's face, it was hysterical!


Anyway, I just had to share that amazing experience.  I don't have a whole lot of happy times these days, but Nutcracker really changed something in me.  My drive, push, and love for theater and being onstage singing at the top of my lungs has heightened by a million.

Okay, that being said, I wrote a new poem.  At Wortham Center (where we did Nutcracker), there are little gold stars along the walls, mezzanine, and the balcony.  I had a little thought too, and I just had to write it down.


Fluttering like a feather,

It seeps through every part,

It digs further and further

Until it reaches my blackened heart.



Riding a star through the clouds,

I am accompanied by stars,

Flying miles off the ground,

This night is ours.

 

It’s over as soon as it begins,

I danced in the winter sky,

The warmth still on my skin

From a million burning fireflies.

 

A star replaces my heart,

I am a new person,

A new work of art.

My soul is now awakened.
 
 
 
Please critique, make suggestions, etc. 
 
Also I can take topic requests for poems and stories.  Let me know! :)
 
Lot's of love,
Meg