Xmas Challenge

It's now 99% likely that I will be spending Christmas in London. I have tried various combinations of buses, trains and ferries and there's either a lack of seats on the services or the prices for tickets has been pushed unrealisticly sky-high.

So if I am to spend the weekend plus the two bank holidays that follow in London then I'm semi-setting myself the challenge to use the time to write an EP of songs so in the future I can market it with the blurb "written while i was stranded in London alone over the Christmas holidays, far away from home and family, nursing a broken heart and an empty bank account blah blah blah.." Or I'll spend the whole time sleeping and watching TV, which sounds very likely.

Watch this space!

Bringing You Up To Date

Looks like I'll be staying in London over Christmas as there doesn't seem to be a way home yet. Flights are extortionate and I just don't have that money for a one-way flight, nevermind a return journey, a lot of flights are being cancelled anyway, coaches are booked up, trains unreliable, I could get part of the way and then stranded... so at the moment I'm staying put but keeping an eye out for possibilities..

I plan to use the time anyway to think long and hard about 2011, resolutions, plans, work goals etc. So many thoughts in my head at the moment, it can be a bit overwhelming but I'll work it all out.

Stay tuned for my 2011 Plans & Resolutions List. It will most likely be EPIC!

Red.

Well, I made it back from Edinburgh and immediately got struck down with various illnesses, probably as a result of not looking after myself. I seem to have recovered just in time for my corneal transplant on Wednesday. Great. So I get a couple of days of feeling okay before I get the eye sliced into and follow that up with God knows how long of feeling dreadful. Perfection!

Due to this upcoming procedure I've not signed up, audition etc. for any shows so life is getting a bit boring. Not much else to report. Although I am back at the bellydance classes (Tribal Fusion, actually), getting to a few yoga and pilates classes and just dyed my hair a lovely bright red-pink colour today. I'm going to be a sexy corneal transplant patient I've decided. Bring it on!

Oh look, it's me:

AND I've made a blog to document my procedure and recovery. The link is in my profile. Ch-check it out.

PS: I am LOVING "The Flood" by Take That. MARRY ME TAKE THAT!!!

Edinburgh Update

Have grabbed a coupleo f minutes in and internet cafe and am having at fab time at the Fringe. Absolutely knackered but it's my own fault. I should eat better, rest more and drink less. I am on holiday though so it's allowed. Boths shows are going well. Great audiences and reviews. Love reading the comments on twitter. Go Team Bubonic! And if you're not here you can watch some clips from the show on their websites: http://www.bubonicproductions.com

Love it!

Must eat now.

The Last Day Of This Year

My birthday is tomorrow so I guess that means it's time to get reflective and think about my goals for the next year ahead. I don't have to but it's something I obviously like to do. Although I seems to always be setting myself goals and targets that I never reach. Life always gets in the way. A change of circumstances or some drama will pop up that throws everything off course. I should be used to it by now. I should have learned by not to stop setting myself lists of targets to reach and just go with the flow. But I like lists so will so it anyway.

Post-Hair

What a trying few weeks it's been. Coping with the come-down from 'Hair' being over, losing a job contract, gaining a new job contract, being ill and not eating much, finding a new place to live and moving in and some other rubbishy personal stuff (blah!) which didn't help matters.

Thankfully things are settling down and I'm getting settled into new home and job and what's evening more exciting is that I'm going up to Edinburgh for the Fringe Festival to support these guys: http://www.bubonicproductions.com and their hilarious comedy musicals. I spent Sunday getting myself nice and messy for them by doing some painting for their set/props and have been totally swept away by the EdFringe bug. It'll be good to out on another adventure and if anyone stumbles across this blog (maybe by googling edfringe, edinburgh fringe festival, plague the musical, piramania, august 2010) and is heading up there then please say Hi and I'll maybe see you there.

Beads, Flowers, Freedom, Happiness (part 2)

I'm trying to ignore the fact that we are approaching the final couple of days of the run of our show. It is an amazing ride to be on and one that has given me a lot to think about. I shouldn't anticipate the end already but instead focuso n the rest of the time I have left with this cast and show. So to keep the excitment up, here's a link to an article about our show that was posted on Broadway World. Fun!

http://westend.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW_FEATURE_A_Not_So_Amateur_Hair_20100621

Beads, Flowers, Freedom, Happiness

We have opened! After 13 weeks of rehearsals and a LOT of lyrics, harmonies and blocking to learn we opened last night and put on a great show. Follow the news and vlogs here:

http://www.beadsflowersfreedomhappiness.com
http://www.beadsflowersfreedomhappiness.com
http://www.beadsflowersfreedomhappiness.com

xx

Video Goodness

Our tribe has a vlog channel. I look a mess but I like the vlogging.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDropCityTribe

Getting My Hippy On

I found this blog while attempting to embrace my inner hippy chic in preparation for Hair. I'm linking it here because I don't want to forget it or forget thr URL: http://hippyhippychic.blogspot.com/

What a cool blog name. :-)

Progress At Last

Well a lot has happened since my last few posts and I'm not sure what to start off with. I interviewed for a 5 month job on Monday, got offered the job on Monday afternoon and started working on Wednesday. I'm back in full time employment and now I can sort myself out and make plans and it's all a big relief! Can't wait for payday... although I still have to be sensible and save my money for a deposit on a new plce to live (the contract on our current flat is up at the end of April so me & my flatmate are going our seperate ways and looking for flat/houseshares so we can save some money).

On the same day I got offered the job I also got offered at part in the ensemble of the sedos production of Hair which made a good day even better. I thought I had sucked at the audition. The first song I sang so badly but the second song was not so bad. Still, I thought I had totally messed up and didn't expect it at all. We had a workshop today which was more or less the first rehearsal where we worked on some movement and one of the songs. I am going to enjoy doing this show so much. And I find it interesting/a challenge that we'll be up against the West End version which will be showing at the same time.

Last but not least, in fact probably the biggest that that will happen to me: I got a date to have my cornea transplant surgery! And it's happening a lot sooner than I expected. It's currently scheduled for May 19th however I need to take into consideration my job and rehearsals. I can to commit to both properly and not sure if taking 1-2 weeks out for recovery from the operation is a good plan. Not to mention that it will probably take another month before my eye gets over the "trauma" of what it has gone through so I might have to take the possibility of manky bloodshot-nessa and light sensitivity into consideration. Blah blah blah. And if I'm being honest I am also shit scared about having to have this operation and was shocked that I was offered a date 2 months away. So there's lots to take into consideration and I need to think about it all but they're happy to operate and that's what I wanted to hear.

Overall, quite a progressive week. There's still lots in my life to sort out (debts, finding a place to live etc.) but I'm getting there bit by bit. I'm trying to stay positive and hopefully more good things will come.

It's My Time

You've got to be in it, to win it I believe. So I've signed up at Benetton's website and made myself a little profile in the hope of becoming to face of their 2010 campaign. You can find me here:

http://casting.benetton.com/users/185658-imelda/

Apparently they're looking for "We're looking for something different, something unconventional, something surprising, something real. It's not just how you look but how you are." Well I think I'm pretty different and unconventional at times so bring it on! I need votes though. Lots of them! Eeeeek!

I Match The Weather

I'm not in a great mood today. I feel tired and slow. I'm feeling the effects of my broken eye more today which just make my good eye tired. My job interview was cancelled and I don't know if it will even be rescheduled and I didn't get an audition recall for a show I really wanted to perform in. And I'm still broke and frustrated because I want to so so much (classes, theatre, concerts) and I want to do it in nice clothes but I can.

it's dull, cloudy and raining outside and I'm sure I was woken from my nap earlier today by an almight clap of thunder. It only happened once though so now I doubt if it was thunder after all. Maybe a neighbour's house collapsed.

So now I've ranted all my despair I'm going to make a cup a tea and try to remind myself of all the good things I have to be happy for. Gahhhh, posi-fookin-tivity!

Sarah Kay: Toothbrush to the Bicycle Tire

I love Sarah Kay and her poetry. So jealous of her skills:

Om.

In a bleak world where one wants doesn't want to stare in the face of unemployment each day and would rather hide/live under one's duvet... this sentence actually goes nowhere. It pretty much somes up the general mood of the past couple of weeks.

I have however, decided to rescue myself by signing up to a 10 day Bikram Yoga offer and dragging myself to the studio (almost) every day to give myself some structure and get the muscles moving and the blood pumping and work towards making myself feel like a halfway decent individual. it's a start. A good start. It does make me want to repeat positive mantras mentally and my skin looks good, if nothing else.

Managing Stages And Stuff...

Getting stuck into 2010 and I started the year ASMing in the production of Mojo which was last-minute but fun to do despite having to sit in a cold, draughty theatre in the middle of freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall. All good though as it helped me prepae for taking on full stage manager duties for Blackbird which will run next month. I've attended rehearsals, made lists and have now acquired a habit of collecting litter... purely for artistic purposes you understand! We need an overflowing rubbish bin for the actors to use onstage. I think providing a good-looking rubbish bin will be one of my greatest achievements!

The other areas of my life are all a bt shambolic. Still no full time job. Sending out CVs into the wilderness and hearing nothing back. I suppose January is the time to deal with all this crap, get it out of the way so I can charge forward with all my plans for the rest of the year. Positivity!