This day last year I was going to some of my last classes for Careers in Professional Theatre and Comparative Politics. I was trying to figure out how I was going to have time to finish my zine for Queer Culture and rehearse for my senior Guerrilla act. I was planning on accepting a position in the Memphis Teaching Fellowship starting a the end of May, but I had a job interview the day before at the Red Cross which was making the decision a little more difficult. I just didn't know if I wanted to stay in Tuscaloosa for another year.
Well, we can see how much all of that mattered now. Within a matter of hours, all of those things got pushed from my mind, and I was suddenly a college graduate a week and a half early and had to go home without the good-byes I longed for. It's a terrible was to end your senior year, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Since then, though, I have seen how much stronger it made us. I already knew that Alpha Psi Omega was part of my college family. We talk about it all the time, but I don't think it has ever been better exemplified than it was that day. Everyone flocked to Rowand Johnson even after the storm had come and gone because we just knew everyone would be there. I knew the majority of my friends were okay because they were with me.
Many of you know my grandmother's and aunt's homes were hit and received major damage in Phil Campbell, Alabama. I went up there a couple of times to help them get things out of their wrecked homes, and on that Saturday after the tornado was when I received the call that changed my life. There was barely any cell phone service up there, but I was some how able to receive one call while I was in my grandmother's dining room alone. It was from my would be supervisor offering me a job in Disaster Services at the American Red Cross of West Alabama. I knew it was what I needed to do and readily accepted. Then I stood there and cried out of pure happiness.
I don't regret the decision to say in Tuscaloosa for the extra year. Working at the Red Cross has meant the world to me. I have been able to give back to a community that has given me so much, and I was also able to help even more people than I ever anticipated. For the rest of my life I will refer to the area of West Alabama as my counties. I've remembered why I love being from the South by meeting all of these people in rural towns who are genuinely happy just for me to come and talk to them. It hasn't all been easy, but I know that I can leave Tuscaloosa at the end of June and feel good about it. I'm leaving after a year of understanding the counties more than I ever thought I would. I'm not leaving with a heart filled with regret as I did last May. I felt so helpless last year not knowing how to help, but now I will always be able to respond to natural disasters even if the don't affect me directly. There's my plug for free Red Cross training. I was able to respond to the January tornadoes in Center Point and no what I wasn't able to do for Tuscaloosa. The feeling cannot be described nor compared to anything else.
I'm going to give a special mention to my fellow APO seniors and my friend Sarah. I thought that our class of seniors was pretty close, but I think that we have been forced into having an even stronger relationship because of last year. We all went home shellshocked and had no one that completely understood what we were going through. I could cry at moment's notice in those first few weeks, not that I didn't already have a reputation for getting emotional. Thanks to social media I got to see that we were all going through the same thing. The one thing that gave me closure on college and the way it ended was my senior Guerrilla in December. A few people got to come back and do there performances as well. It was so cathartic, an dI am so grateful we were given that opportunity. I know that I can always talk to these people even if we haven't spoken in months, and it'll be like we saw each other yesterday, I am so proud of all of them.
Now my friend Sarah. We had become closer and closer over the last two years of school. My senior year we hung out at the Wesley Foundation EVERYDAY watching terrible yet wonderful television and making leftover cookies from the goody bags. I was lucky enough to be able to have Sarah with me that day. We left the Wesley Foundation since it was one floor and in the projected storm path to go to Rowand Johnson and spent the night in Wesley Foundation with no electricity watching Harry Potter on my iTunes until the computer died. I don't think I could have slept the little I did that night if I hadn't gotten to be there with one of my best friends.
I took a Red Cross car the other day to get some breakfast because I am notoriously always eating at the office. When I drove up to pay, the woman saw the Red Cross sticker in the back window. She asked me if I worked there, and I told her I did. Then she said, "You're a blessing." It's odd that something so simple could have such a large impact, but it did. So I want you all to know, you're a blessing to me and many others. Nothing can change that. Especially not a tornado. Tuscaloosa, I love you, and it makes me so proud to call you my hometown. Roll Tide.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
I Can't Say No to Mexican
This week has been a hodgepodge of events. Most of them leading to little sleep, which is why I am struggling to stay awake at my desk today. I'm watching the minutes slowly tick by until lunch.
Friday was one of the longest days. Like always I needed a serious nap. I've decided that I need a job where I can wake up at ten. That afternoon I left early to pick up some client assistance cards from the REGIONAL office in Hoover. Apparently , calling it the state office is incorrect and highly offensive. After visiting with my friend Lee, I drove to my parents' house to have dinner with them before heading back to be on call for house fires that evening. I went on call at 4:30. I got a call at 4:34. Thus my dinner sadly never took place. This was my first call to respond to after hours, so I was a bit nervous. Luckily, the team in Greene County was very prepared to respond. All I had to do was help them over the phone and get the information put into the computer for them. They did a great job. Now hopefully Tuscaloosa will be able to step up and do that as well, or I'm going to be very busy once Mike leaves in a couple of weeks. While it is more rewarding to respond to fires yourself, I think it really demonstrated the importance of volunteerism in this organization. We're on our way to working ourselves out of a job, which is the point during the last year of the contract.
I got done putting the information into the computer just in time to make it to Ashley Frazier's birthday dinner at Surin. I could eat that tofu coconut soup multiple times a week. It is too good. Alex Lann and Sarah Langcuster both came into town for the event. It was nice having a group of people from Wesley Foundation together again. It made Tuscaloosa feel a little homier than it has in some of the past few months. All of my friends that have moved to other cities have explained how difficult it has been for them to meet new people. and I can't agree more, which is odd since I didn't actually move anywhere yet. The twenties are just such an odd transitional stage during which there are so many possibilities. People get married and have children, go to grad school, move home, get jobs across the country, travel, etc. Now that my one year deferment for making a major life decision is almost over, I am back to the uncertainty with which my life was plagued last year around this time.
After a short sit in The Houndstooth and at Waffle House, Casey wanted to go out, and I obliged since I hardly ever go out anymore. This was made evident by me realizing that after five years of living in Tuscaloosa again I discovered that the bars say open until three on Fridays. I enjoyed myself, but I was too tired to be extrovertedly social. That is too often the case. If I weren't so tired maybe my roommate and I could bond more... I'm sure he'd love for me to join his porn video club in the living room with his friends. I wish I were kidding.
Saturday, Cody and I saw Cabin in the Woods. I am a Joss Wheedon fan and could easily see his style in the movie. It was a very intelligent satire of the American horror movie industry. It points out how similar all of the formulas are with stock characters that lack depth and die in the same order. This made some of the dialogue vapid and seemingly terribly written, but it was on purpose. I knew pretty early on what was happening, but I was surprised the directions it took to the ending. It's a pretty high body count with a scene very reminiscent of a scene from season 4 of Angel in which a very large beast slaughters a lawfirm with direct connections to evil demensions. #recycling
Sunday, I went to see Natalie and others in Fefu and Her Friends by Maria Irene Fornes at the University. It was definitely a cerebral play giving the audience something to think about. It lacked a central plot and action, but I don't think the playwright intended it to have those things. The open endedness leaves it up for discussion and thought, which is one of the things I enjoy most about theatre. I love when it challenges conventions and makes you consider why you believe what you do and gives insight into what situations were like in the time the show was written. Natalie was wonderful, as always. I don't know when I'll get to see her in a show again, so I'm glad I got to hear her giggle on stage before I go wherever I go.
That night Sydney and I went to Iguana Grill and Gleeked out a bit. This is what she brings out in me. I'm trying as much as possible to spend time with people and not sit in my room watching Veronica Mars and Buffy the Vampire Slayer over and over again regardless of how much I love them.
Monday, I went to see the University's production of Chicago. It was wonderful. The entire cast was enjoyable to watch. The choreography was interesting and very well done. Caroline Schmidt portrayed a very different version of Roxie Hart, the show's protagonist, as she tries to get off for killing her lover. The show plays a lot with the role of the media and how it can form and shape opinions of the masses about certain people or events. If it was true in 1920s Chicago, it's even truer now. Any show that has an unorthodox main character provides an intriguing dilemma. Do we cheer for her to avoid the death penalty even though she's a terrible person and completely guilty? We do, which is why Schmidt's character choices are so important. If Roxie isn't likeable, then the audience would not be invested in her journey from poor adulteress to ex inmate Vaudeville performer. It has three more shows if you haven't seen it yet. Even if tickets are sold out, you can still do standby! Zacc, Emmie, and Drew all did amazingly as their principle roles as well.
Tuesday, I had my last Hispanic Service Providers meeting before our Brazos Abiertos health fair. The closer we get the more it seems like it will actually happen, but I am still so scared it will fail. I've never been in charge of something this large and planning it in so little time with so little guidance has been stressful. I will be so glad once it has finished. I know it will do great things for the Latin American community in Tuscaloosa, and I hope that HSP can get back on its feet for next year's fair. If we hadn't have done this year's I'm afraid they would have fallen apart. Now more than ever the Hispanic community needs help in determining where they can receive the help they need without fear. I also am doing the introduction for the event, so I hope my Spanish is up to par... He practicado cosas cuales quiero decir pero estoy nervioso. Nunca he hablado en frente de dos cientos personas en español.
After the meeting, I headed to Nashville to see my friend Tim Rosko's senior music composition recital at Belmont. It was FANTASTIC. I could not have been more impressed. He composed nine original pieces: three choral arrangements, three piano selections, and three pieces for a string quartet. I took my first day off since Presidents' Day, so it had to be worth seeing! Afterward I went with him and some of his friends to a Mexican restaurant close to campus called Chago's. They have a Pollo Gringo dish that includes I can't say no to Mexican. When I tried to dictate a text message to Tim saying that, my phone interpreted as "I can't say no to sex again." I wanted to make that this blog's title but chickened out.
Wednesday I drove back after staying up until three watching Tim write a paper... Too good of a friend. I picked up Dianna Duffy, a UA graduate and friend, from the train station. I had lunch, dinner, and Grey Lady time with her and some other people. I have this tendency to think that if I don't constantly stay in touch with people that it will cause the relationship to fade, but I've come to learn that it isn't really true with most of the people who were in Alpha Psi Omega. It's easy just to pick right up with them. I was so glad to get to spend time with her before she starts law school at Loyola in the fall.
The trivia world, both my teams had respectable performances: The Midnight Society on Wednesday and Terell's Going to College on Thursday. Now I am sitting in the office and slowly awaiting the weekend. Only 13 minutes away! We have been fireless all week. Knock on wood. Next week will be pretty busy and maybe emotional as we approach the one year anniversary of the tornado. I cannot believe it has been a year or that I've been at Red Cross for 10 months. I tried to make this post a good mixture of introspection, commentary, and daily details, so I hope at least a portion of it was up your alley, as they say.
Friday was one of the longest days. Like always I needed a serious nap. I've decided that I need a job where I can wake up at ten. That afternoon I left early to pick up some client assistance cards from the REGIONAL office in Hoover. Apparently , calling it the state office is incorrect and highly offensive. After visiting with my friend Lee, I drove to my parents' house to have dinner with them before heading back to be on call for house fires that evening. I went on call at 4:30. I got a call at 4:34. Thus my dinner sadly never took place. This was my first call to respond to after hours, so I was a bit nervous. Luckily, the team in Greene County was very prepared to respond. All I had to do was help them over the phone and get the information put into the computer for them. They did a great job. Now hopefully Tuscaloosa will be able to step up and do that as well, or I'm going to be very busy once Mike leaves in a couple of weeks. While it is more rewarding to respond to fires yourself, I think it really demonstrated the importance of volunteerism in this organization. We're on our way to working ourselves out of a job, which is the point during the last year of the contract.
I got done putting the information into the computer just in time to make it to Ashley Frazier's birthday dinner at Surin. I could eat that tofu coconut soup multiple times a week. It is too good. Alex Lann and Sarah Langcuster both came into town for the event. It was nice having a group of people from Wesley Foundation together again. It made Tuscaloosa feel a little homier than it has in some of the past few months. All of my friends that have moved to other cities have explained how difficult it has been for them to meet new people. and I can't agree more, which is odd since I didn't actually move anywhere yet. The twenties are just such an odd transitional stage during which there are so many possibilities. People get married and have children, go to grad school, move home, get jobs across the country, travel, etc. Now that my one year deferment for making a major life decision is almost over, I am back to the uncertainty with which my life was plagued last year around this time.
After a short sit in The Houndstooth and at Waffle House, Casey wanted to go out, and I obliged since I hardly ever go out anymore. This was made evident by me realizing that after five years of living in Tuscaloosa again I discovered that the bars say open until three on Fridays. I enjoyed myself, but I was too tired to be extrovertedly social. That is too often the case. If I weren't so tired maybe my roommate and I could bond more... I'm sure he'd love for me to join his porn video club in the living room with his friends. I wish I were kidding.
Saturday, Cody and I saw Cabin in the Woods. I am a Joss Wheedon fan and could easily see his style in the movie. It was a very intelligent satire of the American horror movie industry. It points out how similar all of the formulas are with stock characters that lack depth and die in the same order. This made some of the dialogue vapid and seemingly terribly written, but it was on purpose. I knew pretty early on what was happening, but I was surprised the directions it took to the ending. It's a pretty high body count with a scene very reminiscent of a scene from season 4 of Angel in which a very large beast slaughters a lawfirm with direct connections to evil demensions. #recycling
Sunday, I went to see Natalie and others in Fefu and Her Friends by Maria Irene Fornes at the University. It was definitely a cerebral play giving the audience something to think about. It lacked a central plot and action, but I don't think the playwright intended it to have those things. The open endedness leaves it up for discussion and thought, which is one of the things I enjoy most about theatre. I love when it challenges conventions and makes you consider why you believe what you do and gives insight into what situations were like in the time the show was written. Natalie was wonderful, as always. I don't know when I'll get to see her in a show again, so I'm glad I got to hear her giggle on stage before I go wherever I go.
That night Sydney and I went to Iguana Grill and Gleeked out a bit. This is what she brings out in me. I'm trying as much as possible to spend time with people and not sit in my room watching Veronica Mars and Buffy the Vampire Slayer over and over again regardless of how much I love them.
Monday, I went to see the University's production of Chicago. It was wonderful. The entire cast was enjoyable to watch. The choreography was interesting and very well done. Caroline Schmidt portrayed a very different version of Roxie Hart, the show's protagonist, as she tries to get off for killing her lover. The show plays a lot with the role of the media and how it can form and shape opinions of the masses about certain people or events. If it was true in 1920s Chicago, it's even truer now. Any show that has an unorthodox main character provides an intriguing dilemma. Do we cheer for her to avoid the death penalty even though she's a terrible person and completely guilty? We do, which is why Schmidt's character choices are so important. If Roxie isn't likeable, then the audience would not be invested in her journey from poor adulteress to ex inmate Vaudeville performer. It has three more shows if you haven't seen it yet. Even if tickets are sold out, you can still do standby! Zacc, Emmie, and Drew all did amazingly as their principle roles as well.
Tuesday, I had my last Hispanic Service Providers meeting before our Brazos Abiertos health fair. The closer we get the more it seems like it will actually happen, but I am still so scared it will fail. I've never been in charge of something this large and planning it in so little time with so little guidance has been stressful. I will be so glad once it has finished. I know it will do great things for the Latin American community in Tuscaloosa, and I hope that HSP can get back on its feet for next year's fair. If we hadn't have done this year's I'm afraid they would have fallen apart. Now more than ever the Hispanic community needs help in determining where they can receive the help they need without fear. I also am doing the introduction for the event, so I hope my Spanish is up to par... He practicado cosas cuales quiero decir pero estoy nervioso. Nunca he hablado en frente de dos cientos personas en español.
After the meeting, I headed to Nashville to see my friend Tim Rosko's senior music composition recital at Belmont. It was FANTASTIC. I could not have been more impressed. He composed nine original pieces: three choral arrangements, three piano selections, and three pieces for a string quartet. I took my first day off since Presidents' Day, so it had to be worth seeing! Afterward I went with him and some of his friends to a Mexican restaurant close to campus called Chago's. They have a Pollo Gringo dish that includes I can't say no to Mexican. When I tried to dictate a text message to Tim saying that, my phone interpreted as "I can't say no to sex again." I wanted to make that this blog's title but chickened out.
Wednesday I drove back after staying up until three watching Tim write a paper... Too good of a friend. I picked up Dianna Duffy, a UA graduate and friend, from the train station. I had lunch, dinner, and Grey Lady time with her and some other people. I have this tendency to think that if I don't constantly stay in touch with people that it will cause the relationship to fade, but I've come to learn that it isn't really true with most of the people who were in Alpha Psi Omega. It's easy just to pick right up with them. I was so glad to get to spend time with her before she starts law school at Loyola in the fall.
The trivia world, both my teams had respectable performances: The Midnight Society on Wednesday and Terell's Going to College on Thursday. Now I am sitting in the office and slowly awaiting the weekend. Only 13 minutes away! We have been fireless all week. Knock on wood. Next week will be pretty busy and maybe emotional as we approach the one year anniversary of the tornado. I cannot believe it has been a year or that I've been at Red Cross for 10 months. I tried to make this post a good mixture of introspection, commentary, and daily details, so I hope at least a portion of it was up your alley, as they say.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Did I Really Audition for the Real World?
Yes, in fact, I did. We'll get into more specifics about the process later, but it was definitely worth doing.
I have been a part of three trivia teams since I last blogged with varying levels of success. Michelle, Jake, Amber and I were setting our selves up to sink when we picked a Titanic themed name last Thursday. Rose Let Go yielded one of the lowest scores I have ever been a part of. This Wednesday, Maggie, William, Sean, and I put up a good fight as Lolita 2: Lolita Harder but fell short due to our lack of knowledge about the movie Singles. Last night, Barrett, Michelle, Sean, and I had a respectable showing as Whatever, I'm Getting Cheese Fries. Our downfall was not knowing when Oklahoma entered statehood. I did, however, know that a signet was a baby swan.
After work last week, my family came to go eat at Longhorn and go see The Hunger Games. I have now seen it three times, and the fourth time has already been planned. I was pretty much at a constant state of almost crying the ENTIRE time as a single stream of tears was going down my face. Also, when they came to visit me at work Rachel told my parents that I was the poster boy. This was after she asked them who they wanted to see in a really weird way, I have a video on my phone but have no idea how to get that here. My dad did an impression of her, and I laugh every single time that I watch it.
Last weekend was really enjoyable. The weather was perfect for Good Friday through Easter. Friday, I went over to Natalie's apartment to play a really fun game that is too difficult to describe called Rounds. The boys beat out the girls pretty handily. The game involves getting people to guess words or phrases by first using words and movement, then one word and movement, and finally only movement. Saturday night I filled my ever constant hunger for Fingers of Fire with Stephanie at Buffalo Phil's. The Kaitlin, her roommate, Casey, and I went to spend time with the clientele of Brown's Corner. The people that go out on Easter Weekend are an interesting bunch. One woman was paid by the bar to dance to get other people out there. She told Casey that she was 19... She was definitely 28 or older and danced in an interesting manor. She told Casey that he danced like he knew how to f***. Sunday was one of the best Easters I can remember since I got Hippity, Hoppity, and Floppity in my basket as a child. Kaitlin and I went to Forest Lake for the contemporary service. It was pretty mediocre, but at least it was funny when an older man said, "Happy Easter!" to Kaitlin, and she responded with, "I'm Kaitlin." Also, all the kids received non breakable butterfly ornaments during the children's moment, which they proceeded to drop on the tile floor as many times as possible during the sermon. Here are Hippity, Hoppity, and Floppity for those of you who are not Beanie Baby connoisseurs.
After church, Michelle and the other Kingdom dwellers, as their home has been named, hosted a potluck brunch for the APO people. It was a nice calm way to spend a Sunday afternoon, which was followed by lazing on the quad in the sunlight and a dinner at Swen with Natalie, Will Cotton, Gia, and partially Michael Vine. He didn't actually eat because he was too busy watching Bubba in the Masters on his and Gia's phones.
Work has been just plain silly this week. One woman came in with a fake bun on her head that fell off and rolled across the ground. I misread a link in an email, which led to a volunteer looking at a bondage porn site in our office. One of the interns from Shelton State, who is rather old, called our Executive Director "Dimples." We quite literally burned through all of our Client Assistance Cards with in a matter of days. It's just been crazy in many ways. Dave Murray and I went on our first official DAT call to a mobile home fire in Northport. I'm glad that Mike and Robin have put so much work into getting the teams started back up. Our hope is that it'll transition into being completely volunteer led by the time we leave. I'll include the things that James has done here instead of at the end. After months of talking about people shaking their legs in reference to dancing, James finally shook his leg. It was brief, so only a few people got to enjoy it. Now he refuses to acknowledge the event. He also told us he saw Clara Barton, our founder and resident ghost, wearing hot pants.
I think now I can move on to the main event: my audition for The Real World. I just happened to catch a tweet by The Tuscaloosa News about the open call being set up for the next day at Mellow Mushroom from 11 until 6. I watched the show religiously from Hawaii through San Diego (the first time) or so. I started watching season 8, and I just auditioned for 28. After a busy morning and early afternoon at work, I took off early to go wait in line because I had no idea how many people might possibly show up. I ended up being 109, and I think only about 200 people showed up in the end. While I filled out my application, I ended up having a great conversation with a girl who works at Plato's Closet. I know her name started with a J... I cannot remember the name of one person I met that day, which is out of character. Anyway, I was glad to have someone to talk to since I waited an hour and half outside. The application had some interesting questions on it. The first question is asked before anything else was "Have you ever acted outside of school?" There goes the naive belief in "reality" television not that I still held to that. There was not a lot of variety in the people there. It was mostly stereotypical Alabama students with good old Southern boys and sorority girls. It seems hypocritical to talk about people's motives for being there, but it seemed as though everyone was just interested in the television aspect of it. While that is exciting, I don't think it's the main reason you should want to do the show. I would enjoy being on the show because I think I have a different combination of view points than what I have previously seen. I like the psychology of the whole thing, which is what the show was once more centrally focused on. In recent viewings, it seems as though the crazy hook ups and drinking portions of the drama are more followed, but to be fair I haven't watched it all too much.
After my hour and a halfish of waiting, I went inside the upstairs room of Mellow Mushroom with seven other people. We waited and made small talk at the on deck table before the casting director called for the next eight people to join her. I knew it was important to make a good first impression, so I got up immediately and walked over to her. She wasn't shaking hands to avoid getting sick, but I was able to snag a seat right next to her. Then all 8 people played two truths and a lie as our interview after we had handed in our applications. The other people in my group were not super interesting in their choice of truths and lies. One guy completely blanked on being able to say anything while other people made their lies so crazy that the truth made them appear lame i.e. the girl who said she lost her virginity on a plane but really lost it at her parents' house. Luckily I was able to think quickly because I knew it needed to be things that would reveal enough about me that the casting director would want to hear more. My truths were about being a virgin, because they always want to know about sex, and about my interview for my Red Cross job being the day before the tornado. I figured if they came especially to Tuscaloosa that they might want a tornado story. Then my lie was that I had lived in Tuscaloosa my whole life so that I could mention having lived in Costa Rica for three months. Everyone at the table called out the virgin one for being a lie, which I guess is a compliment? Anyway, the casting director asked me about whether or not it was for religious reasons, so I got to quickly discuss the progression of my faith from blind following into a belief system I developed on my own. She also really liked my picture which I have to give credit to Teddy Bear and Rae for making happen. They're calling people within 48 hours. I'm not expecting anything, but I don't think it could have gone much better. Who knows what she's looking for? She might have been told to find one specific archetype or maybe a couple or it could have been completely open to just finding interesting people. We'll see. It was just fun to do, and now I will always be able to say I tried out.
I have been a part of three trivia teams since I last blogged with varying levels of success. Michelle, Jake, Amber and I were setting our selves up to sink when we picked a Titanic themed name last Thursday. Rose Let Go yielded one of the lowest scores I have ever been a part of. This Wednesday, Maggie, William, Sean, and I put up a good fight as Lolita 2: Lolita Harder but fell short due to our lack of knowledge about the movie Singles. Last night, Barrett, Michelle, Sean, and I had a respectable showing as Whatever, I'm Getting Cheese Fries. Our downfall was not knowing when Oklahoma entered statehood. I did, however, know that a signet was a baby swan.
After work last week, my family came to go eat at Longhorn and go see The Hunger Games. I have now seen it three times, and the fourth time has already been planned. I was pretty much at a constant state of almost crying the ENTIRE time as a single stream of tears was going down my face. Also, when they came to visit me at work Rachel told my parents that I was the poster boy. This was after she asked them who they wanted to see in a really weird way, I have a video on my phone but have no idea how to get that here. My dad did an impression of her, and I laugh every single time that I watch it.
Last weekend was really enjoyable. The weather was perfect for Good Friday through Easter. Friday, I went over to Natalie's apartment to play a really fun game that is too difficult to describe called Rounds. The boys beat out the girls pretty handily. The game involves getting people to guess words or phrases by first using words and movement, then one word and movement, and finally only movement. Saturday night I filled my ever constant hunger for Fingers of Fire with Stephanie at Buffalo Phil's. The Kaitlin, her roommate, Casey, and I went to spend time with the clientele of Brown's Corner. The people that go out on Easter Weekend are an interesting bunch. One woman was paid by the bar to dance to get other people out there. She told Casey that she was 19... She was definitely 28 or older and danced in an interesting manor. She told Casey that he danced like he knew how to f***. Sunday was one of the best Easters I can remember since I got Hippity, Hoppity, and Floppity in my basket as a child. Kaitlin and I went to Forest Lake for the contemporary service. It was pretty mediocre, but at least it was funny when an older man said, "Happy Easter!" to Kaitlin, and she responded with, "I'm Kaitlin." Also, all the kids received non breakable butterfly ornaments during the children's moment, which they proceeded to drop on the tile floor as many times as possible during the sermon. Here are Hippity, Hoppity, and Floppity for those of you who are not Beanie Baby connoisseurs.
After church, Michelle and the other Kingdom dwellers, as their home has been named, hosted a potluck brunch for the APO people. It was a nice calm way to spend a Sunday afternoon, which was followed by lazing on the quad in the sunlight and a dinner at Swen with Natalie, Will Cotton, Gia, and partially Michael Vine. He didn't actually eat because he was too busy watching Bubba in the Masters on his and Gia's phones.
Work has been just plain silly this week. One woman came in with a fake bun on her head that fell off and rolled across the ground. I misread a link in an email, which led to a volunteer looking at a bondage porn site in our office. One of the interns from Shelton State, who is rather old, called our Executive Director "Dimples." We quite literally burned through all of our Client Assistance Cards with in a matter of days. It's just been crazy in many ways. Dave Murray and I went on our first official DAT call to a mobile home fire in Northport. I'm glad that Mike and Robin have put so much work into getting the teams started back up. Our hope is that it'll transition into being completely volunteer led by the time we leave. I'll include the things that James has done here instead of at the end. After months of talking about people shaking their legs in reference to dancing, James finally shook his leg. It was brief, so only a few people got to enjoy it. Now he refuses to acknowledge the event. He also told us he saw Clara Barton, our founder and resident ghost, wearing hot pants.
I think now I can move on to the main event: my audition for The Real World. I just happened to catch a tweet by The Tuscaloosa News about the open call being set up for the next day at Mellow Mushroom from 11 until 6. I watched the show religiously from Hawaii through San Diego (the first time) or so. I started watching season 8, and I just auditioned for 28. After a busy morning and early afternoon at work, I took off early to go wait in line because I had no idea how many people might possibly show up. I ended up being 109, and I think only about 200 people showed up in the end. While I filled out my application, I ended up having a great conversation with a girl who works at Plato's Closet. I know her name started with a J... I cannot remember the name of one person I met that day, which is out of character. Anyway, I was glad to have someone to talk to since I waited an hour and half outside. The application had some interesting questions on it. The first question is asked before anything else was "Have you ever acted outside of school?" There goes the naive belief in "reality" television not that I still held to that. There was not a lot of variety in the people there. It was mostly stereotypical Alabama students with good old Southern boys and sorority girls. It seems hypocritical to talk about people's motives for being there, but it seemed as though everyone was just interested in the television aspect of it. While that is exciting, I don't think it's the main reason you should want to do the show. I would enjoy being on the show because I think I have a different combination of view points than what I have previously seen. I like the psychology of the whole thing, which is what the show was once more centrally focused on. In recent viewings, it seems as though the crazy hook ups and drinking portions of the drama are more followed, but to be fair I haven't watched it all too much.
After my hour and a halfish of waiting, I went inside the upstairs room of Mellow Mushroom with seven other people. We waited and made small talk at the on deck table before the casting director called for the next eight people to join her. I knew it was important to make a good first impression, so I got up immediately and walked over to her. She wasn't shaking hands to avoid getting sick, but I was able to snag a seat right next to her. Then all 8 people played two truths and a lie as our interview after we had handed in our applications. The other people in my group were not super interesting in their choice of truths and lies. One guy completely blanked on being able to say anything while other people made their lies so crazy that the truth made them appear lame i.e. the girl who said she lost her virginity on a plane but really lost it at her parents' house. Luckily I was able to think quickly because I knew it needed to be things that would reveal enough about me that the casting director would want to hear more. My truths were about being a virgin, because they always want to know about sex, and about my interview for my Red Cross job being the day before the tornado. I figured if they came especially to Tuscaloosa that they might want a tornado story. Then my lie was that I had lived in Tuscaloosa my whole life so that I could mention having lived in Costa Rica for three months. Everyone at the table called out the virgin one for being a lie, which I guess is a compliment? Anyway, the casting director asked me about whether or not it was for religious reasons, so I got to quickly discuss the progression of my faith from blind following into a belief system I developed on my own. She also really liked my picture which I have to give credit to Teddy Bear and Rae for making happen. They're calling people within 48 hours. I'm not expecting anything, but I don't think it could have gone much better. Who knows what she's looking for? She might have been told to find one specific archetype or maybe a couple or it could have been completely open to just finding interesting people. We'll see. It was just fun to do, and now I will always be able to say I tried out.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Bubble Witch Saga
The title is a shoutout to Cody and the ridiculous facebook games he plays during work like Mystery Manor and Bubble Witch Saga.
I'm starting this post in mild annoyance after I drove to Ensley last night to teach a class last night in some of the worst traffic 20/59 has seen. When I got there the program leader decided to cancel the class because there was a miscommunication about the class that has been taught at the same time on the same day of the week for a month. Then I come in this morning, and one of our interns refuses to listen to me as I try to explain something to her that she's complaining about. I guess I just had a shorter fuse than normal for stupidity today.
To move back in time to happier things, last weekend was Alpha Psi Omega's initiation and pledge Guerrilla. I cannot believe it's been a year since the initiation week that I planned. I can't go into all the details of the evening because I guess it's supposed to be a secret or something, but I was so fortunate that Jake allowed me to come back and be a part of it. Teddy Bear the dog was quite the celebrity that evening. I doubt he's ever been around so many people, but he didn't pee or poop inside. He did hump Leah quite a bit, but that's to be expected. I was so proud to see that over 20 of my pledges were volunteering that evening for the different activities. I loved being able to see them share the same wonderful experience they had (I hope) with the newly inducted members.
The party that night was all kinds of crazy just because it didn't start until 2 or so in the morning. My BPPFL, Kaitlin, and I dominated the beer pong table again which took most of the evening as the entire membership crammed into the Pink House. I have to point out one particularly intense match against Michael Vine and Gia Asperas. TWICE Michael got our last cup, and TWICE I got their last cup on redemption negating his achievement. Then when I made the cup one he did the same thing. FINALLY, Kaitlin was able to make it that one last time sealing our victory. I got home at 4 in the morning and had to take a shower. Luckily, Teddy Bear was passed out when I got back to my room. He was not upset that I brought him back before the party.
Saturday, Teddy Bear had his first photo shoot with my ex roommate, Rae Marshall. She just wanted to do something pretty with the dog an a girl, Natalie, who had similar hair to the dog. I even got a few free pictures out of it.
After taking the pics, I spent some time gleeking out with Sydney before I went to see The Hunger Games for the second time. I'm obsessed. If I already wasn't because of the books, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta makes me glad that three years isn't a creepy age distance. I found a picture on pinterest that describes this same realization others around the world are going through.
After the movie was Guerrilla. There were some really good acts including many songs, as always. Someone condensed the South Park movie into 10 minutes, which was pretty funny. I don't know if any other Guerrilla will be able to compare to my Senior on, but I think that would be true for most people. I just don't think you can compare the catharsis achieved on that night. Because of how late Friday night went, I went straight to bed as soon as the show was over. And by straight to bed, I mean went to reread Catching Fire while in bed.
Monday I gave Teddy Bear back to his owners. It was not a tearful good-bye. I learned that I am not ready to have anything or anyone dependent on me. I was already pretty sure this was the case, but Teddy Bear's stay confirmed it. I will, however, be watching him again at the end of the month.
The work week has been a nice combination of busy and not. The Brazos Abiertos health fair is quickly approaching. While I don't know if we'll be as successful as the event has been in the past, I do believe we'll accomplish the main goal of providing free health screening and information. People just have to come receive it.
Red Cross amped it up this week. We have our Disaster Action Teams up and running and the people in the office are splitting up being on call as DAT Leaders until volunteers gather enough experience to fill those roles. Along with being on call for a few nights this week, I also had a CRAZY Wednesday. I drove up to Guin Tuesday night after trivia (Sabor de Soledad did not win :( ). The next morning I left Nanny's house and went to Sulligent First Baptist Church for lunch and to train them in Shelter Operations. They were a great group who knew how to cook some great beans, peas, meat loaf, and chicken fingers. I hope they weren't too offended when I explained to them that a shelter is not an opportunity to evangelize. Baptists can be on the more close minded side when it comes to accepting others. They did have a very stereotypical Baptist moment when they mentioned buying juice at a cheese store in Mississippi. The speaker wanted everyone to know that while the juice came in wine bottles it is not wine! LoLoLoLoLoL
After this positive teaching experience, I drove all the way back to Tuscaloosa with just enough time to pick up materials for the class in Ensley... Now I have to go and make a meme about it.
I'm starting this post in mild annoyance after I drove to Ensley last night to teach a class last night in some of the worst traffic 20/59 has seen. When I got there the program leader decided to cancel the class because there was a miscommunication about the class that has been taught at the same time on the same day of the week for a month. Then I come in this morning, and one of our interns refuses to listen to me as I try to explain something to her that she's complaining about. I guess I just had a shorter fuse than normal for stupidity today.
To move back in time to happier things, last weekend was Alpha Psi Omega's initiation and pledge Guerrilla. I cannot believe it's been a year since the initiation week that I planned. I can't go into all the details of the evening because I guess it's supposed to be a secret or something, but I was so fortunate that Jake allowed me to come back and be a part of it. Teddy Bear the dog was quite the celebrity that evening. I doubt he's ever been around so many people, but he didn't pee or poop inside. He did hump Leah quite a bit, but that's to be expected. I was so proud to see that over 20 of my pledges were volunteering that evening for the different activities. I loved being able to see them share the same wonderful experience they had (I hope) with the newly inducted members.
The party that night was all kinds of crazy just because it didn't start until 2 or so in the morning. My BPPFL, Kaitlin, and I dominated the beer pong table again which took most of the evening as the entire membership crammed into the Pink House. I have to point out one particularly intense match against Michael Vine and Gia Asperas. TWICE Michael got our last cup, and TWICE I got their last cup on redemption negating his achievement. Then when I made the cup one he did the same thing. FINALLY, Kaitlin was able to make it that one last time sealing our victory. I got home at 4 in the morning and had to take a shower. Luckily, Teddy Bear was passed out when I got back to my room. He was not upset that I brought him back before the party.
Saturday, Teddy Bear had his first photo shoot with my ex roommate, Rae Marshall. She just wanted to do something pretty with the dog an a girl, Natalie, who had similar hair to the dog. I even got a few free pictures out of it.
After taking the pics, I spent some time gleeking out with Sydney before I went to see The Hunger Games for the second time. I'm obsessed. If I already wasn't because of the books, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta makes me glad that three years isn't a creepy age distance. I found a picture on pinterest that describes this same realization others around the world are going through.
After the movie was Guerrilla. There were some really good acts including many songs, as always. Someone condensed the South Park movie into 10 minutes, which was pretty funny. I don't know if any other Guerrilla will be able to compare to my Senior on, but I think that would be true for most people. I just don't think you can compare the catharsis achieved on that night. Because of how late Friday night went, I went straight to bed as soon as the show was over. And by straight to bed, I mean went to reread Catching Fire while in bed.
Monday I gave Teddy Bear back to his owners. It was not a tearful good-bye. I learned that I am not ready to have anything or anyone dependent on me. I was already pretty sure this was the case, but Teddy Bear's stay confirmed it. I will, however, be watching him again at the end of the month.
The work week has been a nice combination of busy and not. The Brazos Abiertos health fair is quickly approaching. While I don't know if we'll be as successful as the event has been in the past, I do believe we'll accomplish the main goal of providing free health screening and information. People just have to come receive it.
Red Cross amped it up this week. We have our Disaster Action Teams up and running and the people in the office are splitting up being on call as DAT Leaders until volunteers gather enough experience to fill those roles. Along with being on call for a few nights this week, I also had a CRAZY Wednesday. I drove up to Guin Tuesday night after trivia (Sabor de Soledad did not win :( ). The next morning I left Nanny's house and went to Sulligent First Baptist Church for lunch and to train them in Shelter Operations. They were a great group who knew how to cook some great beans, peas, meat loaf, and chicken fingers. I hope they weren't too offended when I explained to them that a shelter is not an opportunity to evangelize. Baptists can be on the more close minded side when it comes to accepting others. They did have a very stereotypical Baptist moment when they mentioned buying juice at a cheese store in Mississippi. The speaker wanted everyone to know that while the juice came in wine bottles it is not wine! LoLoLoLoLoL
After this positive teaching experience, I drove all the way back to Tuscaloosa with just enough time to pick up materials for the class in Ensley... Now I have to go and make a meme about it.
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