Pop-Tarts & Dr. Pepper.

I should mention right now that I am on a sugar HIGH.  Yeah, I'm a grown-up.

It's the only way I'm going to make it through tonight.  I have some lines to cram into my head before tomorrow, but the encroaching arms of Morpheus beckon me to join those that dwell in the land of slumber.  I.  Am.  Knackered.

I'm going to work backwards.  I had a truly wonderful dinner tonight.  Great company and some wonderful conversation can really make the soul... effervescent.

We did some work in Livia's dance class today that blew my mind.  We partnered up.  I got together with Bro-Shinn;  one-at-a-time blindfolded up, and blindly danced throughout the space with the other groups while the "seeing" partner Witnessed; Guided: Directed the impulses of the blind dancer.  I really want to pour through the notes that we were made to take during the mid-phases and share with you the experience from my point of view, perhaps this weekend, whenI can steal some time to do so  It was incredible.

We fought a little bit today in stage combat.  Fake-fighting, mind you.  I get a chance to work with Andy again, and though he spends most of the time beating me senseless, the chance to work with the guy again is my favorite part.  They will never keep us apart... never!!!  I did notice today that I had almost no focus to speak of and a sense of being piqued during both classes.  I feel like I may have bitten off a bit more than I can chew.  Was it only two days ago that I was talking about falling in to the groove?  Ha!  possibly because my mind keeps wandering to my personal affairs tart need managing, or that I'd rather be writing.  Perhaps it's because I've only been getting three hours of sleep for the past several nights.  Maybe a healthy mixture of the three (dosed now with ample amounts of caffeine and sugar!).

I couldn't knick some time to interview Daniela today, so unfortunately, I have no new Meet The Fourteen videos to share with you tonight.  Tomorrow for sure; look for it.

I'm off to cram.


"Just a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down."
-Richard M. Sherman


Off to the races.

-R

Meet The Fourteen - Phillip Shinn

It's Tuesday, and I thought I'd start the day off early with another of the Meet The Fourteen interviews.  Today's interview features my go-to guy; a champion among men; Mr. Phillip Shinn.  I hope that you like this guy as much as I do; if you don't, check your character-guage because it must be in sore need of recalibration.  Speaking of recalibration, I apologize for the choppiness of the video, texts were going OFF on the phone, which only serves to remind me that I need to find a superior filming device.

Tomorrow will bring another interview,with the long-awaited Daniela Mastropietro.  Until then.

-Nix

and Bro-Shinn!

Gardening.

Yesterday, we had the opportunity for a little development outside of our prescribed curriculum.  Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Andy Talen, we were able to begin the first of three special Alexander classes instructed by Nina D'Abbracci from the Linklater Center.  I've never experienced Alexander training before.  At CSUF, we sort of dabbled in a few different techniques, but straying from Fitzmaurice was akin to sin.  I was really amazed at the simplicity of the beginning exercises and the immense reward delivered in freedom and ease of movement.  I'm really excited to continue next Saturday, and see what else is in store for us.

I was able to post the first of the Meet The Fourteen interviews yesterday.  From what I can tell, between impressions from Blogspot and YouTube, you seem to like it.  I'll be interviewing Daniela Mastropietro, (and if I'm very lucky, Mr. Kevin Tobias Johnston) tomorrow.  The interview with Daniela should be up for your viewing pleasure tomorrow.

I realized this weekend that "the groove" has finally been achieved.  I didn't feel that the transition back into school full-time was a difficult one, but I'm realizing that I've hit a good stride wherein I can really start planting the seeds of some extra-curricular projects that I've been wanting to work on.  I've sent out some feelers to get some stories from some of the class for a music and story-telling (I'm dreading the use of the word cabaret) evening that I'm hoping to develop the "script" for over the next few weeks.  If I can just make time this week to get down to NYU, I think I might be able to get the ball rolling on a charity fundraiser that's been kicking around my brain since the dayI got my acceptance call.  The excitement inside me is really buzzing right now.  The world is full of possibilities.

Sunday is always a great day to take care of all of the odds and ends that get glossed over during the week (laundry and cleaning, anyone?).  It's a bit like plucking up all of the weeds that come in while you're not paying attention, today is no different, UNLESS you count the fact that I got an opportunity to finally get down to the most recently opened BareBurger around the corner for brunch with fellow my fellow Titans, Jessica Kausen; Carly Menkin; and Graham Forden.  I hadn't seen Graham in a few weeks, butI think that at the surprise of seeing him walk through my front door this morning, I embraced him so hard that I almost broke him.  Getting a chance to catch up with some old, wonderful friends and just stroll through the neighborhood on a crisp Autumn afternoon was a sweet rejuvenation for the soul.


Since I've been out of California, I've found myself missing having a yard, a garden, a patio, anything where I can grow something.  There's something really zen about caring for plants; tending to them; letting them speak to you and tell you their needs; helping them grow.  I suppose that my loose analogy of personal cultivation got me thinking about that again and I felt I should share that.  But even though I'm not physically growing anything right now, I'm anticipating sharing with you some of these artistic projects again when the sprigs begin to poke through the surface of their fallow soil.


Now the gardener is the one who has seen everything ruined so many time
that (even as his pain increases with each loss) he comprehends - truly
knows - that where there was a garden once, it can be again, or where
there never was, there can yet be a garden."
- Henry Mitchell


Splish, splash.  Splish, splash.  I'm my own best gardener!

- Nix