Eventful Night

So my intelligent boyfriend has a wonderful idea to fulfill before his buddies and I leave for college land. That wonderful idea would be to brew his own bear. Long story short cut to Nick, Erik Clark, Paul Coursen, and myself driving around all over central Iowa looking for bear supplies and ingredients. Nobody has anything, or has any idea on where to get stuff. We finally come across a brewery shop in Valley junction, too bad they're closed. So we come back tomorrow.

Well we then decided to drive out to Jordan creek to see if we could find some malt extract, and low and behold sitting at the Red Robin parking lot, what do we see? Nothing else than the GIRLS GONE WILD bus. We drive around it, and all the windows are covered up and no one is coming or going, but the bus is running. So we take a picture of it and leave.

Now to our final stop of the evening, Buffalo Wild wings. Now most of you have heard of the blazin' challenge. 12 wings 6 minutes. Sounds easy right? No. Super-fucking-melt-your-face-off sauce on top of the most disgusting wings you've ever had in your life. Well, the boys wanted to do it again. Paul had beaten it in the past and just wanted another t-shirt, Nick wanted to try again after coming just 4 wings short of the goal and Erik wimped out and had a cheeseburger instead. So I decided that I would give it a try. The wings finally come out. The boys are freaking, but I have no prior experience so I don't know what to expect. The official timer comes out and we dig in. It's awful. Not the heat of the sauce, I didn't mind that, but those wings. They were awful, but I had to eat them. I had to beat Nick and show up Paul and devastate Erik by having a girl beat him; and I did. I came in barely beating the clock at 5:53. Covered in sauce they snap my picture. I didn't get a shirt because they didn't have my size. I'll go back in a week or so. Forgive me while I go puke. I vow never to touch another hot wing ever again.

Oh and to top off the evening we rented a movie about 4 Amish people deciding not to be Amish anymore and discover the world of sex, drugs, and alcohol.

So overall my evening consisted of beer, girls gone wild, and buffalo wings. Awesome.
~Until Then

Orientation...finally.

I had my one day orientation today. It went by so fast since they were trying to cram 2 days worth of stuff into one day. I have my schedule, but it's weird that the typical 'Do we have any classes together' shenanigans isn't happening. I'm taking 16 credits, 15 in class and one technology course online. I've got German III 5 days a week in the morning. Acting I 2 days a week, Theatre Design 2 days a week, and my required Accelerated Rhetoric class 2 days a week. I like my schedule, no back to back classes. Only 2 days where I have 3 classes. Monday I'm done after 12:30, Tuesday and Thursday done by 3:30, and Wednesday and Friday I'm done by 5:30. Not too bad. Scheduling was hell. I had the last pick of classes since I'm one of the last groups to come and register. It was a race to figure out what the hell I'm supposed to do for the next 5 years of my life. That's right, I said 5 because I've decided to pursue a double major with Theatre and English Secondary/post secondary education. Awesome. I could do it in four years, but I'd have to be taking summer classes and over 18 credits to do so. I dunno, my mom did something like that, maybe I can do it. Walked around campus and had no idea where anything was really, but the campus is basically in down town Iowa City so there's all sorts of shit to do. Classes start in 31 days.

~Until Then

A friend lost but never forgotten

Corey-
You lived a life that was long and full of joy
The company that you provided for 15 years and 4 months can never be repaid
We've grown up together one day at a time, never waisting a moment
No one can take away all the endless games of ball and walks to the park
You were a silly dog
Always begging for one more cookie or a piece of cheese
The way you'd rub your head along the couch just so you could get petted
You'd always land with your front paws crossed after jumping up in the air
You were a beautiful dog Corey, the best dog I've ever had
Even those these tears I cry are full of grief and sadness
I know in my heart that you are in heaven now
I love you Corey boy
One day we'll meet again.


Corey
March 20, 1993 - July 20, 2008
The dog who lived to a ripe old age, and lived from flood to flood.

Donor 401 and iPods

Guys, just be careful when you're desperate for money in college.

Girls, a new use for 'the girls.

My Grandparents are AMAZING people.

I wish that I was as smart as them. It's unbelievable.

Update

The floods of 2008 were worse in some areas, fortunately, not my mother's office. She only had about 2 feet of water and for only 2 days. This time around she was able salvage the floor, the counter tops and the interior walls of her business. She was thinking that she was going to be able to open later this week. That's not going to happen. She got a visit from the city yesterday saying that all the businesses that took on water are not going to be able to open until they have the bottom 2 feet of drywall on the inside exterior walls taken out and the insulation replaced to have mold dealt with. My mom is going to be out of business for the next two weeks. She called me crying yesterday.

~Until Then
I'll be home Sunday evening, if there is sketch on Monday I'll be there.
Oh, and if anyone is bored and wants to be a good Samaritan and has free time, there will be a lot of painting to do. Just FYI.

Worse than 93. By far.

Wednesday- 6:30 am. Nick, my mother, Sam, and I are down at the public works getting sandbags. For the next two hours, we lay down almost 500 sandbags. 2 wide, 2 high. A sheet of plastic then more sand bags. Her entire office surrounded, in hopes of keeping out the water. Things are looking good. The rain from the night before hadn't done much. The roads were still open and the baseball field was still playable.
7pm. We drive back to see how things are. The baseball fields are now a lake with 4 feet of water. You can barely see the fences separating the parks. My sister and I are standing on 16ft square patch of grass taking pictures and throwing stones into the water. We leave. 15 minutes pass and that patch of grass is now 4 inches under water. The parking lot next door at Casey's is filled with stupid on lookers. The police have put up barricades to keep them out. The adjoining business now has water reaching the entire width of the parking lot. 15 feet wide by 1 foot deep. We had to leave.
9:47 pm. The waters have hit the office. The adjoining roads are closed. All we can do is wait.
Thursday- ?

My mom doesn't deserve to go through this again.

~Until Then

I have 14 doors, a freezer, surgery table, and an x-ray machine in my garage

15 years ago my mom's office (which had only been open for 14 months) was filled with 3 feet of standing water for almost 2 weeks. I don't remember much. I do remember watching my parents wade through the hip deep water trying to fully asses all the damage. It was devastating. All the flooring, bottom cabinetry, and bottom parts of the drywall along with 90% of electrical had to be replaced. My mother was out of business for 6 weeks. Rush Animal Care Clinic was non existent. It reopened on her birthday in August. She thought that she would never have to go through that again; now with all the advancements in flood prevention. She dropped her flood insurance 2 years ago because it was 700 bucks a month. And for something that hadn't been an issue for 13 years; was too expensive. Within the next 24 hours, this could become a reality for my mother, once again.
Monday- 1:30 pm. I get the voice mail from my mother. The one I hoped would never come.
'Manda, it's your mom. Call me.' She sounded serious. I called her. 'Manda, we need you to come down here. It might happen again. We have to move...everything.' Nick and I booked it down to my mom's office. There for the next 7 hours we moved non stop. A majority of the items in the office went up to the attic. Boxes of books, all 4000 of the patient's files, small hand held equipment, 2 computers, grooming equipment, and some small furniture. My poor mother was completely lost yesterday. She didn't sleep at all last night. I could see it in her eyes, the realization of losing her office again. It's one thing to be out of work due to a disaster. It's another things entirely to lose your place of work. Her office is what pays the bills, feeds my sister, gives her car a full tank. Allows her to live. 13 years ago, my mother was married and had a second source of income. That income won't be there if her office goes under.
After all the small stuff went up, it was time to move larger things. Nick's parents came down and helped us move all the doors (2 which are lined with lead) up to my garage, and the freezer where dead things go. Fortunately, the freezer got emptied out yesterday morning. That's all we could do yesterday.
Tuesday: 9am. My mom and I come rolling in with a U haul truck. My grandpa and I take apart all the computer desks, draw files, and other large movable items. The office is down to minimal operations for the rest of the day. Then I had to go to work. I come back around 4. The auto business next door has moved all of its cars. The body shop connected to her is getting the rest of their stuff out. The Casey's across the lot is empty. Not even a crumb remains. I walk in to the deserted office. The washer and dryer have been hoisted up onto the counters. There's nothing left in any of the lower cupboards. No pictures on the walls. Balls of dog hair roll across the floor like tumble weeds. At that point I leave to get sand bags. I get to Public Services and fill up the jeep with 40 sandbags. My mom's emplyee and her mother have already made 3 prior trips. The back door has been boarded up with heavy duty plastic and 20 or so sand bags. The crowd gathers out at the front desk and waits as my mom changes the voice mail. 'We're in the line of the flood. We don't know how long we'll be out, please bare with us.' The office is desolate. Nothing is left. It's awful. My mother has out so much work into that office. We walk out the front door and board it up. The U-haul pulls out, I follow. I'm going back tomorrow at 6am to put sandbags around the remainder of the office, that is if it isn't flooded.
Wednesday- ?

~Until Then

Habits and Destructive Forces

I felt like I needed to write. I don't have much else to do. I wake up early because I want to keep my habit. I feel more productive in the morning. Sure people aren't up, but it's far more comfortable in the morning. Sure it sucks in the evening when people want to do stuff and it's 10:00 pm and I want to go to bed, but that's going to help me later in life when we all have to live in the real world. I'm not saying I get up at the crack of dawn, but I'm usually up between 7 and 9:30. I'm going to take an 8 am class next year if I can just so it will force me to not stay out late and get mixed in with the wrong crowd. Then I'll be done early afternoon! It's weird the little habits that we all develop. How we go about doing things, and the ways that we do them.
Well now to change directions. My summer thus far. I've decided that I'm going to get out and do stuff this summer, random stuff, just as long as I'm outside or at least being productive. I hate being a vegetable laying on my bed and eating cool ranch doritios. I've had about 15 days of summer and so far I've managed to do...

• Buy a BB gun and become fairly accurate in my shooting abilities.
  
• Play multiple games of Crotchet and Super Crotchet, one ended in with the entire Crotchet set in the tree.
• Had a picnic by the Sailor ville dam and attempted to throw a boomerang.
• Found out that all the fireworks in my boyfriends car are a dud from being in his trunk through the winter.
• Lit off several of the dud fireworks.
• Planning to tube down the Boone river and eventually Canoe it as well.
• I leave for Georgia in a week to go rafting, jet skiing, hiking, kayaking, and camping. And I plan to see my dad for more than 10 seconds.
• Had bonding time with my sister.
• Saved 4 baby bunnies from certain death by rescuing them from my gay cat.
• Built and launched a rocket successfully, only to have it run over by a car because the wind carried it too high.
  

I'm proud to say that there hasn't been one day where I've just been lying around, I've either done something or worked. I'm also in progress of cleaning out old clothes and tackling all of the areas where my junk just piles up. I've got the clothes down, now I just need to hit my closets. Hope the Chicago trip was fun for those who went, sorry I missed it.
~Until Then

So I'm officially an alumni!

So we graduated. Yup. How weird is that? I can't believe that I actually made all the way through the West Des Moines School District. 13 years of education under my belt, which will supposedly help me out at Iowa next year. Looking back on it all, it's hard to say that it wasn't a good time. I've met so many people who will remain close to me, even if they aren't physically next to me any more. Teacher's who have impacted my life in ways that they don't even realize. Memories that I can look back and laugh about, and some that bring tears to my eyes (in a good way.) I felt that in these last few years, I've become more open to myself and true to who I am as a human being. Sure others may not like it or me all the time for that matter, but why lie to yourself. I figure, those who truly accept me as a friend will show it, why trying to form relationships with people who I can't stand. I'm done being 'real' to others. I'm never going to see 90% of the people I graduated with ever again. Now that remaining 10% translates into 60 people if you actually put it in perspective. Even that's pushing it. Maybe 5% of the entire 2008 graduates will I actually see over this summer (hopefully) if time allows. I've moved out of the biggest step in my life this far. I've got a diploma, and it feels weird. I just know, that I've got 89 days until I start my first day of class at Iowa. That really doesn't feel all that long.
College. The main reason I'm looking forward to college, is not parties and no parents and little rules, no I'm looking forward to the fact that everyone there has already experienced high school. They know what works, and what doesn't work. (Well most of the them, the people that I'm going to hang out with any ways.) They know how to act, and what to do when called upon. I'm excited. I'm living in the performing arts community. That way I know that my roommate and I will have something in common at least. Sure, I may not be going any where impressive, but I'm still excited to move on with my education towards my education career. I don't know what lies ahead in 89 days, but I can't wait.
My roommate has moved out and the house feels at peace. It's nice to be able to say lets go back to my house and know for a fact that know one is there moping around.
Almost all the high school festivities have come to an end. I've had my grad party and it was a blast. I don't care about the gifts or the money that I received, but what I truly cared about was what people wrote. I have all my cards in a box and they're coming with me next year, so in a time of down-ness, I can read them and look back on the memories that I may have pushed to the back of my mind. I plan to come back home about once a month. Not only for Nick, but to see my friends who are still in high school. I want to keep building those relationships, and come and support them in their drama activities, just as all the alumni did for us. I hope that I will see you at some of those performances.
I also plan to keep updating this. I know that we'll all be hundred of miles apart (except Thane who will be just across campus.) but I think that we've formed a little bonding community here, and I want to keep it up. See how long we all keep writing, see how we all grow over the next 4 years. Sure we won't be able to fully understand all the stuff in the posts that we write, but still. We'll have this to look on and feel just that much more closer to the person who's writing it. So I promise to keep writing. I hope the rest of you do as well.
Well that's my post graduation post, I'm ready to move on.

~Until Then

A week later and...

I guess I still don't feel like an adult yet. It's probably due to the fact that I'm still stuck in High School (40 hours and counting.) I've done adult things such as smoking a cigar and I got something permanently drawn on my body, but I still have to get up every morning wait for my room mate, drive to school and be there from 7:15 til 1:42 pm. Haven't gotten any new privileges, but I think in time those will come. I have played the I'm an adult card, and I've also played the I'm still an adult but too poor to afford things card as well. It sorta works, for now anyways. My parents finally decided to stop giving me hand me down lap tops and are getting my an Mac Book for my super late birthday present. I won't get it until to July, but it doesn't matter. Being a senior is really expensive, and I don't like it.
On the other hand there is a light at the end of the tunnel, not only do we graduate in about 2 weeks, but even more exciting is the fact the my room mate will no longer be living here as of May 21st! She's going back to her mom's where she can be moody and stay locked up in her room and be gone for what seems like days on end without anyone ever seeing her. She will be out of my hair and there will be a party in her honor of absence!
I can't wait to be done with high school, it's so boring now but I've miraculously managed to maintain rather good grades this year. Well that's it. My first post as an adult.
~Until Then

Finally

I've help a out a lot longer then most of my senior friends, but it finally hit me 2nd hour on Wednesday how much I want to be done. I've got no motivation left at all. I honestly didn't think it would take this long.

The Subconscious

So it's always amazing to me what my mind can come up with when I'm dreaming. I've yet to have one of those lucid dreams I've heard about, but I enjoy my own dreams none the less. I had a dream last night, that I was luckily able to remember all of the details to. This dream struck me on an emotional level. It's a dream so it's not going to make complete sense now that I'm awake, but at the time it did.
Nuclear Fallout-
To start off my sister has foreseen the future. There is news of a comet heading right towards earth and we are unable to stop it. It will hit when we are all in school (they would hopefully cancel school on the day that the world is supposed to end I would hope, but anyways) as far as my sister can tell there are only four survivors, myself, Justin Bopp, Casey Cottington, and Mark Rustin. I tell these people that we are the only survivors and that we must stick together. I end up finding Mark first and we get into a class room with the other students and wait. I can see people outside the school laying on the grass, some and running around in the field playing catch. The class room is packed and people are starting to cry. It's hot and breathing gets harder. We count down to the moment of impact. From here my mind takes me to a side scene where a teacher is asked to go take care off something and after she does that, she releases a gas in a side room somewhere and commits suicide. Also in the start of the dream, I have visions of other places (such as bunkers, and other governmental places preparing for impact, but they're safe because of the structure of their building.) Back to present time, we're waiting for the moment of impact, I grab Mark's hand and lean in close. The sky goes dark and then all of a sudden a blinding hot white light fills the area and then it's all over. Now normally, most people in a fallout situation would die instantly, but their demise was different in this dream. How people died was not instantaneous, but rather over the course of an hour or so their brain function would slowly drop. They can recognize faces and names to an extent, but beyond that it's very limited. Eventually they die. I did not see anyone actually die in this dream, I don't think I could have handled that. After the explosion, they started serving lunch, but you had to go outside to get it. People were leaving to go eat, but they had to walk outside, so not only did they become contaminated even more, but the food the ate was also contaminated. Others around me and getting out their cell phones but no connection can be made. I want to call my parents, my sister, my boyfriend, my loved ones who aren't with me, but I can't.
From here I wander around school with Justin. People are in corners just sitting, but at this point no one seems affected by the fallout, but they will. I find Ms. Hansen and tell her what I huge impact she has been on my life while trying not to cry. As I wander, I'm trying to find people like myself who weren't contaminated and by now the others are starting to get affected. They move slower, speak slower, and their brain function has dropped immensely. Now I'm desperate to get to people like myself. I run into Borstad. Affected. Sam. Affected. Kyle. Affected. It's awful. I tell them all that I love them, but the can barely recognize who I am. Tears are streaming down my face as I run into the auditorium. For the first time to me, it no longer feels like home. On the stage I see the Justin, Mark, and Casey. I run up to them. I tell them we should go to the booth but the ladder has been destroyed. I look back and then I wake up.
To me it's amazing how real and raw the emotions all felt. It was happening around me and I couldn't stop. The people that I loved and cared about so much, were wasting away around me. Thank god it was only a dream.
~Until Then

I need sleep.

I've just woken from a 4.5 hour nap and I'm still exhausted. This play is killing me, and I don't even do much now that tech is over. I feel sorry for some of the leads.

~Until Then

At last, at long last.

I'm sure that you've read Jordan's and Thomas' on their final wrap up on their careers as a Valley mime, but here's one more. A different point of view I would like to ad. For three years (that's six shows in mime talk) I've been graced to be a part of the Baker's Dozen Mime Tech Crew, not only just a part of it, but the Sound Director. This post is not going to be full of emotions, those all calmed down sometime the Friday or Saturday after the show. I wasn't kidnapped and thrown into the back of a car, mine was less eventful. I was in the tech shop just cleaning away when Liz Bloomburg came in and told me to show up on Monday at 3:00. I did, I was totally lost. There were all these rowdy looking people sitting there talking about Pirates and how much paint we were going to need to get and also to see what we could dig up in the dungeon (pre-borstad cleaning it out era). Now I'm down in the dungeon hanging from rafters looking for something that could possible resemble a pirate wheel. All of them were seniors except for some people that I sorta knew at the time, Emily Dengle, Caitlin Ho, and then there was myself. I didn't know any of these people. Then later that day, Steve-o shows up and grabs Emily and myself and starts talking to us about looping tapes in the green room. We're both sitting there, only having met in freshman IHSSA group mime. Then she's called away by Cam. Great. Flash forward one week. I'm up in the lighting booth for the first time with a headset strapped to my head, a giant board in front of me filled with all sorts of dials and switches listening to Cam say 'Go Sound' and Henderson telling me to shut the hell up and stop singing. Before I know it, my first mime show is over. I really wanted to move from the booth to being on stage. So I tried out and didn't make it. And I'm glad. I love my job and what I get to experience for four short weeks out of the year. I get to hang out with the some of the goofiest fucking people I know and help produce a show that hundreds of people are going to see and be screaming for. I've found two of the people that I shall forever remain close to. Had someone told me that I would love these people and do anything for them my sophomore year, I would have thought they were lying. Turns out they were right. These guys (mimes and techies) became my first family. I would do anything for them. Three years flew by fast. After the seniors left, the rest of my friends became in charge like I was. We were all think 'WTF! How are we going to do this. We don't know what the hell we're doing.' But somehow, we came together and did it. We ran four shows together and worked hard to give the mimes a set and a great show to go with it. I'm sitting 60 feet away from the stage watching my friends grow up these past three years. Talking to Emily and Kyle of the headsets and watching skit after skit unfold before my eyes. I may not be the one that is wearing the white makeup and running around in slippers and tights, but I'm a part of it none the less. Coming together for those few short weeks, means more to me than anything else in the world. I'm glad it's all done, I know that we're leaving it all in good hands. When I graduate, I'm leaving more than just brick on the wall, I'm leaving a part of me behind.

...Go sound...

~Until Then

Mime Show

"Now the seats are all empty, let the roadies take the stage. Pack it up and tear it down. They're the first to come and last to leave working for that minimum wage. They'll set it up in another town."

~Jackson Browne

I did not have the time or energy to write a post like Thomas did; but I will. But until then.

Unmotivated

So it comes down to the final quarter I will ever spend in high school. I've now become completely unmotivated to do any of my homework that is passed due. For instance, I've got 2 assignments in APC averaged out both are worth 65 points, but yet I do not do them, even though Hardin has given me more than a reasonable extension on one (try well over a month now with spring break done) and the other 2 weeks. I've calculated my grades out and I will get a D for the semester if I don't do them. But even that still can't bring me to do them. Fuck it. My grades are (not counting Gym) 5 A's and a D for the quarter if things carry out correctly, and last semester I was 5 A's and a B. Not bad for a senior, granted I am taking nothing but Art and Writing classes, but none the less. The only thing that is possibly motivating me is the fact that this is a college credit class, but if I pull a B or C off next quarter than I'll be set with 24 credits that are all A's one B and one C. That will still give me a GPA for Iowa of 3.63. Not bad.
Spring Break is a wonderful thing and a terrible thing as a senior. It's nice to relax, sleep in, and catch up with friends, but it's a week where your brain doesn't have to function. My brain doesn't like to function on things that it doesn't have to. So this last quarter I think that I'm going to be diagnosed with a full blown case of Senioritis. Great, just what I need. We're 63 days away from Commencement (that's with weekends) and 42 school days left. That's not a lot of time when you think about it. I only have to bull shit stuff for 210 more hours of my education. I think I can do that. Man, I'm motivated to write this, but I still won't do my APC homework.
~Until Then

IHSSA Love

Few know that mimes are known to have sweet dance skills.










I feel like we should be walking into the sunset. Montage anyone?


Last minute crappy improv.






I wish all my imaginary friends were real.













^I love this photo.
<---Hard work paid off.
Heroine anyone?

Four Organs In Each Jar!

So it's officially Spring Break. I'm looking forward to this one. I've taken off work and have no commitments what so ever that I oppose to as of right now. I'm going to enjoy this spring break and catch up on some very late APC homework. The play is halfway through, and for some reason, I just don't feel as connected to this one. It might have something to do with not getting an actual part, but I know that because of that I get to spend more time on tech where my time can be better spent. That set is going to be sweet, and I can't wait till those mornings where I have to be there at 8am on Saturday and get covered in paint and saw dust. It's so much fun.
I see that Jordan and Thomas are posting a lot about the mime show. It's coming up so fast that I don't really want to deal with it at some points. It's funny, every show when the mimes and the techies dress up, there are so many people that ask me if I'm a mime. It's usually the same people every show, and I gently remind them that I am a techie. I know that there are some days that the mimes want to absolutley kill us, and we become so bitchy because we don't have the cooperation we need from them. But when it comes down to it, we both rely on each other. This is my 6th and last mime show, and I've come to realize that that is the best family I've ever been in. Sure I don't go to the Sunday night meetings, or I don't have the ties that our stage manager has with the mimes, but I still feel apart of it all. Is that so wrong? I spend 2 weeks twice a year with these people, and work my ass off for them. I love it. The biggest gift that you guys have ever given me was not only my job, but last fall show when you actually waited for the people in the booth to make it onto the stage. That was a great feeling for actually getting recognition for doing stuff behind the scenes even if it didn't flow as well as we all hoped. Well that's my bit for the mime show. 7:30 March 27. Valley. Be there, or I will have my pet porcupine rape you in the face.

~Until Then

IHSSA-4 years of Mime and Improv

Okay so 2008 IHSSA has offically ended. It's been an experience to say the least. It was nice to be in the same two catergories for 3 consecutive years. I've gotten the hang of it, and really refine my skills as an improver and a solo mime. Dare I say that I've become known as the Valley Solo Mime? I don't know. But I've enjoyed being one. I get such a rush when I become a different charater and I can't rely on my voice. I've learned how my body works under pressure and how to control my movements to make an impression. I only count on myself, and so therefore I get all the attention. It's not 'we did it' or 'we made it', it's 'I did it. I made it' Cocky? Yes maybe. But totally worth all the hard work. I'm proud of myself and where I've gone in drama.

So what the hell was up with this year? Good lord, the three varsity mimes got there asses kicked. What's the hell? The districts judge this year, has been a judge at the state level the past two years, who has given me a nomination for All State. I just don't get it. It was heartbreaking to see that two on the list. Yes, I cried. I'm devoted to what I do. I love it. No more chances at winning the banner, no more mime rehearsals, no more walking out of the room all sweaty and full of energy after performing to intense music. Nothing. It took me a while to get over that. I was determined to make Claussen proud. He has been amazing to work with these past 2 years. I'll miss him.

But then Lauren, the underdog of all the mimes, some how, some way, managed to defy all odds and make her up the ladder of IHSSA and land herself a spot at All State. Working with her these past 4 months has been a blessing and a gift. She started out with no mime skills, nothing at all. But we rehearsed and practiced and challenged her skills, and look where she landed! I could not be more proud of her. After the critics at All State had nothing but wonderful things to say to her, that truly topped the cake. After she finished her skit, I was crying. I was so happy for her. All throughout contest, I believe that I was far more nervous than she was. I was talking with Mary about what it's like to be a coach. It's one thing to stand up there and perform some one elses skit, and then take the comments and critisms that come along with it. But it's a whole other world to take someone and give them your skit, that you wrote, that you developed and watch them perform your ideas. After they perform it, you get feedback. There's nothing that you can do about it. You have to sit there patiently and watch as you are critiqued through another person. You can't do anything about it. When they are performing your skit, you can't walk up there and fix their mistakes, you have to sit and endure it. I can't wait to be a coach and a full time educator.
I may not have ever won a banner, but being able to take a skill that I've developed and pass it on to someone else and have them do just as well as you could have done, I think I may have a knack for this teaching thing. I hope I keep it.
Improv. Wow, what an impact. It's been an adventure, and I'm glad that I've endured it. Having the same partner 2 years in a row, and making it to the top both times. Two girls out of 80 teams to make to All State twice. We've learned how to communicate without words. We can work off of each other, and we found our place in the improv scene. Serious. It's a first really, to do a chain of serious natured scenes. I'm proud to call Joanna my partner, we work so excellently together.
I've been asked what's been my favorite All State. That's tough. They all mean something different to me. Sophomore year, my first festival, two events. What an experience. Truly amazing, and to have 2 more years to do this. Junior year, top of my game. Favorite solo mime ever, had the best scene for improv ever that year at state and went to All State for it. Senior year, working with my seasoned improv partner for the second year, and also having my directed solo mime make it to All State. If I had to pick between Lauren and myself to go on, I'd pick her in an instant. I've been to All State before, she hasn't. She's more important.
To my team mates-
You've been amazing to work with and watch over the past 4 years. Thank you guys so much. You rock my world. Keep up the good work and I don't want to lose touch with you guys.
Lastly to my coaches
Ted- You started me off and taught me the joy of Solo Mime. Encouraged me to explore outside of my comfort zone.
Claussen- Our time was cut short this year, but that happens. You helped me develop my true passion for theatre and mime. You pushed me to limits of physical endurance and mental capacity. Thank you. I've learned how to move and control my body and communicate without words. Given me two excellent and demanding characters to develop and give a personality. Thank you.
Joe- You've been more than just a coach to me, you've been a mentor as well. The lessons that you've taught me will continue to stay with me over the course of my life. You've shown me the bar, then raised it, and then raised it again. You've taught me to trust my instincts and to go against the grain in the same evening. You've encouraged and helped me from day one all the way to now. I started out at a 1 and with your help, I've managed to take it to a ten. Thank you for everything that you've ever done for me.
IHSSA is done, it's been a journey, a truly wonderful journey.
~Until Then