Touching Base

Hmm, a quick one from me just because I haven't written for a while... my head's in a continual spin at the moment, so will try not to ramble too much. I finished up my contract with Round Earth early this month, and then walked the Freycinet Peninsula with Dav. Which was beautiful, but quite a hike - especially the last day, when we walked over Mt Graham (as seems traditional now, we got a bit of a view of the mountain, and the sense that there would have been amazing views, had it not fogged over completely as soon as we started to climb!). It was satisfying to see Wine Glass Bay again, and we were rewarded on the first evening we camped there with a glorious sunset (I have yet to see the photos! Have to bug Dav!). We headed out on the Friday, and stayed a night at a cute B&B down the coast (D-boy isn't too fussed about the heritage style B&Bs, but I love them, don't know exactly why! I think they appeal to the girly side of me :). We visited the Salamanca markets on Saturday and then stayed with the Daveys on Saturday night, before I flew out on Sunday (my flight was cancelled last minute, so instead of flying out at 7am, we got a sleep in and I left at midday, very civilised). The markets were nice, but a little disappointing in the lack of hand-made craft and the abundance of cheap or mass-made products; but this does seem to be the way many markets are going. Nothing escapes commercialism. It is depressing if you think about it for too long.

I found it quite sad and quite stressful leaving Strahan, and saying goodbye to the Davies. I wasn't expecting to feel this nostalgic or needy; it quite surprised and somewhat distressed me. But in hindsight, Strahan and the job with Round Earth was the most settled and satisfying job I have had since leaving home really. Which was perhaps why I somehow needed some acknowledgement of the decent job I'd done, and some indication that I'd be welcome back. I learnt an important lesson from this, and from listening to Dav - do the best you can, and be happy with that. Leave no footprints. Give without expecting back. It's a bloody hard lesson, and one I'll probably learn again and again in both my professional and personal life; but rather than regret I wish to choose to look forward with excitement to the next time, when I will learn more, and more deeply.

I flew into Brisbane and mum very generously picked me up from the airport and gave me a lift to the Old Museum, where Dave (from ZZZ) gave me a lift straight to Winterstomp! I went without knowing much at all about what was expected during the week, apart from the fact that it would be hard training - and it was; but I also wasn't expecting the creation work, and so felt somewhat unprepared and out of place (esp as half the participants were interns, and the average age was 18-20, making me feel old!!). It took me a day or two to really settle in with the group, and I noticed again how awkward I can feel and be when I am uncertain about things; but my recent experience leaving Strahan made me determined to do the course first and foremost for ME; I didn't want this experience to be about fitting in, or getting along - I wanted it to be about learning and delving into my strength. I needed to use it as a preparation for the practice at SITI - gearing myself up for that, and very quickly I was very glad to be there for just that purpose.

The theme of the week was "Who am I really"; and I don't know that I really connected with it as a whole; but I did do a lot of creation work on my being a twin (as early in the week this was a surprise revelation to almost everyone :). Which is ironic because I have now been home in Brisbane for a week, and have reverted to my usual insular, grumpy self that I become at home. The atmosphere in this house is just so tense - I know we do love each other as a family, but we sure have a funny way of showing it. And I am finding it almost impossible to counteract this enculturation in myself, let alone in the family as a whole. I want to be happy and to cheer the place up; but I find myself more and more listless, despondent and lost in my computer. Which is why I'm going to keep this short! Trying, trying....

On the practical side of things, I've got today and tomorrow to make sure I have everything packed properly to take to Melbourne and then O/S with me; to get my tax items ready for doing my return in Melbourne; and to do everything I need to do on the web (not sure when / if I'll get access in Melbourne!). I now have everything organised for my VISA application (I hope); and am crossing my fingers (very nervously!) that it will go through within the 3 weeks I have in Melbourne. Argh. And all I really want is a hug from Dav, which will not only make me feel better but help me clear my head and my heart I know. I miss u, boy. Sigh.

I finally figured it out!!

No, not the answer to life, the universe, and everything - just how to log into the damn blog again, now that it's switched over to Google. Have been having blog withdrawal symptoms for the last 2 months, but very little time to do anything about it. So finally, the simple process of realising that Jane must have logged into hers using her email address as a username (on my computer) made me realise that the non-email address username that used to work is no longer valid (duh! No wonder I couldn't figure it out!). Ok, one of my longer-lived blonde moments... but here I am again at last, and there's lots of news to catch up on. Have written a couple of updates on paper in the last couple of months, but have also managed (in classic style) to promptly lose them, so lets see if I can do a summary of the exciting news so far...

What's foremost on my mind at the mo: I got accepted into the SITI Summer Intensive in Saratoga Springs, upstate New York!!! So I'll be an international gal of mystery from around mid-July - if I can get my student visa organised that is. Fingers crossed in a big way there, as I'm still waiting from paperwork from the Uni to be able to book my appointment... argh!!

AND D-boy just got the gig directing for Rockhampton Venues and Events again next year (Cats - what a huge project!); which is good news for both of us. Him for the obvious reasons; but me, because it has helped me make my mind up that, unless something amazing comes up between now and then, I'll finally apply for and do the Zen Zen Zo internship, with the aim of getting accepted into the core company for the remainder of next year.

Sooo... my plan at the mo is to finish up here in Strahan around mid-June (less than a month of work to go! After 8 months, it's hard to believe...); then head to Brisbane to do Winter Stomp. Then back to Melbourne to organise and do Melbourne Stomp. Then tie things up and head O/S to upstate NY. The SITI course goes til mid-August; but I'm hoping to travel from there to Canada (or at least to see Niagara Falls); perhaps meet Dav there; but then go back to NY city for a week (whether staying with Dav's friend or in a hostel) to have a look around; then to fly from there to London, where I hope I'll definitely meet up with D-boy (and hopefully say hi to Annabel), and travel UK (I've already touched base with Uncle George, and hope to visit our friend Katie in Edinburgh as well, and Dav's friends in north Scottland), Europe, and then Thailand (and hopefully get to Indonesia to see Erinn!) for the next 4 months. I'll need to be back in Brisbane by New Year's, if I am to do the Internship... which means it's quite a bit more of a whirlwind world-tour than I was expecting. But it may also just mean that I'll come out of it with a bit more cash in my pocket than nothing, which will help to pay for the Internship fees at any rate! We have yet to figure out where we'll live in Brisbane (whether I'll go and live with the family for a while, which makes sense for me in terms of lack of money; but where Dav will live til he goes to Rocky is another question!...); but I'm hoping to dip my finger into the industry up there a little - there seems to be a lot of filming going on in Qld in general at the moment, and I'd definitely like to do the La Boite generals mid-year; and the QTC generals at the end of the year. It'd be great to get some actual work up there.

In the meantime, work here has dropped away to almost nothing (comparitively speaking anyway); we are working one day in four on the boats, and only 3 out of 4 nights on the play (and only because we are now utilising a Stage Manager position to help set up the show and do box office). I do have to admit, it's a nice change in pace; but as Jane says, it's quite easy to slip into 'Strahan time'; and instead of writing that novel you'd planned, end up doing not a lot but 'taking things easy'. Which I'm partly whipping myself over; and partly accepting as a much-needed 'time out'. I am trying to use the time to get in touch with people in the outside world again; to update my blog of course :) and to re-organise my business things - my website is now up-to-date, I'm working on a new edit of my showreel, and I'm currently trying to pick out monologues from movies and plays I know, to work on on an ongoing basis. I'm also hoping to start researching putting a very basic mock-voicereel together. Oh, and the last 3 years taxes are STILL on the list. I MUST get them done before I leave here. Let alone think about what to pack, what to send home, and what to throw away. Argh.

So yes, plenty to keep me from twiddling my thumbs. It is hard to find the motivation for all these little tasks sometimes; and now that it's colder, it's also harder to keep the weight off. The weather has finally decided it should be winter (we've been incredibly lucky really, and even had a few actual amazingly golden-lit autumn days last week, must be the first Autumn Strahan's seen for a while!) and is generally rainy and cold, so much harder to keep the daily running up (in fact, it's becoming occasional running, and yoga and strength in the living room when I can be motivated. Am trying to curb my eating again currently. It's not entirely an obsession yet, even if it sounds like it! Just an ongoing battle. Dav tells me that to look at me, no-one would believe that I work so hard at it; but I do, and I 'bust out' far too often for my own liking. I'm also far too good at guilting myself over it!!

The other thing I'd dearly love to do in the next month, before I leave Tassie for who knows how long, is to walk the Frenchman's Cap walk. Dav tells me I have endless lists of 'to dos', and as I tell him, I know I won't get them all done, but it's exciting to have things 'to do' to aim for. The hiking bug has bitten me since completing (at last!) the Overland Track just over a week ago... my first long hike, and it was amazing! I loved it, and I loved doing it with Dav. The changing landscape was just incredible, and while we had our fair share of rain, cold, and bad knees, and learnt a lot from the people we met on the trail, I am so glad we did it. It was largely just a relaxation holiday; but it was also the completion of a goal I set myself when I moved down here - to walk the trail that my grandmother is supposed to have walked with her two nursing mates in the 1950s. The track now is somewhat different from what I imagine it would have been then - the trackwork and the huts are just amazing, and absolutely warrant the Walking Fee that people pay in peak period. And the Rangers (of whom we met two) love their job also, you can tell. It would be an amazing job to have. I've been thinking a bit about using the journey as the basis for a show of some kind, exploring my family, and my journey... but the Trek itself deserves it's own blog entry. I have some notes I'll write from soon.

However, Frenchman's Cap is looking less and less like a reality, given the weather (as we really need at least 3 days of good forecast weather to do it), and while we've put the company on notice that we could take off at any time to do it (we have the staff to cover it at any rate!), I do doubt we'll get there this time. It's possible we'll head over to the East Coast, to Frecinet or Maria's Island, instead - if we get the time off. Just as well the weather's not so good at the moment though, as Dav is recovering from a fairly violent virus, which has kept him in bed for the last few days (no fun for either of us! But least of all for him, of course), and probably won't be up to another hike for at least another week. Luckily neither Jane nor I appear to be susceptible (so far) to whatever it was he caught while he was over in Hobart doing his First Aid (he headed off straight after we got back from the Overland).

So, Dav's been knocked about a bit, but hopefully he'll be back to his normal self in the next few days, and back to work too. He'll be working here right through to August at this stage, to see the next season's staff in (whoever they end up being!), before he comes to meet me in... well, wherever we end up! It's exciting, but not really a reality yet - until I book my ticket, and get the Visas sorted, it's all still really up in the air. I wish that paperwork would hurry on up!!

Feeling fat? Why not pop a skinny pill!

Just watched a segment on Catalyst debating the success of current research into diet-pills, and the desire for a 'magic bullet' to help the 'obesity epidemic'. Having struggled somewhat with this in my late teens and early twenties, it was a real revelation to me to realise (only in the last couple of years) that what I put into my body, and how I expend it, has a direct (and unequivocal) effect on what weight I am, and how I feel both physically and emotionally about myself. Of course, this approach does take a little bit of discipline, balanced with a healthy dose of being generous to myself at times. So my initial response to the 'obesity epidemic' is, why don't those affected try eating less McDonalds, taking a little more time to cook themselves healthy meals in sensible portions, and ride to work instead of taking the car everywhere?

Of course, I then thought back to when the struggle felt confusing and unsolvable for me, and realised that many people may not WANT to believe it's so easy - because that kind of discipline and self-awareness is NOT easy, in many senses. It does require constantly checking in with yourself, and simply putting the physical effort and time into exercise, which is often hard to keep up motivation for. It requires having a longer term goal or series of goals. But we WANT a simple solution, without having to change anything else we do - we don't want to give up our fatty, tasty, or easy fast foods, or prioritise exercise over other, more immediately rewarding, leisure activities. Admittedly, there must be a percentage of the 'obesity epidemic' that struggle with medical reasons as to their weight gain, such as those with thyroid conditions, or those who due to previous injuries cannot do much cardio activity long-term without pain and loss of sleep.

But the general desire for a 'magic solution' is one that I have felt myself, and not just for loss of weight, but for a whole range of issues (many to do with image and related self-esteem). It no doubt has a direct relation to the purchase of detox and diet supplements, skin products, and even plastic surgery. And in the bigger picture, it surely has a relation to the way in which we are culturally looking for faster, easier and less painful solutions to our problems all the time (from diet pills to the need to keep up constantly with the latest mobile and digital technology, always changing to make 'communication' easier... teenagers texting each other rather than talking...).

But this also makes me think of the fact that, in my own experience and in my knowledge of things, we (as humans) tend to flourish most when we are challenged; under struggle or duress. Without struggle, we have nothing to overcome; without goals and things to be achieved, surely our lives become somewhat apathetic and day-to-day pointless. It makes me think of the way religion tends to flourish best in countries that need something to help them through the struggle; in third world countries as opposed to countries such as ours, where things tend to come more easily and there's no real need to believe in a higher power, or even to consider the bigger picture at all, for those of us plebs in society at large. It becomes easier every day for us to simply satisfy our moment-to-moment urges. And it seems to me that the 'powers-that-be' would encourage us in this. We are told that to visit Maccas for breakfast every morning is quick and easy, and cheap (so what if it's not compared to preparing urself some healthy breakfast at home?); and so we spend our money on that; then we spend more money on pills that will counteract the effects. I wonder how much money now goes into trying to come up with these instant solutions and overcome any side-effects they may have - and I wonder if it really is possible to come up with something that meddles so clearly with our physical, genetic, and/or emotional make-up without any side-effects? Are we really so all-powerful that we now consider ourselve able to manipulate nature to such great effect? Well, why not, if we can make money from it - and satisfy the right-here, and right-now...

Happy Birthday to me :)

Ok, well, it's a little late. My birthday was a week ago exactly. And I'm now officially a quarter of a century old. Argh!! I must be getting old - I'm no longer officially 'youth'!! I don't FEEL any different... but I do have this nagging inkling as I type this that maybe by now I should have sorted out what I'm doing and where I'm going a little more... actually, even as I type that I know that in truth I am pretty happy right now with where I'm going and what I'm doing; and I'm learning to trust the universe in that the future will take care of itself. When I think of my life now, compared to a year ago, I marvel at how much happier I am - working in a job that I love, with so much less 'certainty' or 'security', but also with so much less to tie me down - so many more doors to open. The constant rejection involved in pursuing acting or art in general as a career and vocation can at times be disheartening; but to offset this, is my growing realisation that I can make anything happen, if I have big enough vision.

For instance, only a week ago (just after my birthday), I realised that Dav and I could possibly perform at the Edinburgh Fringe... so instead of just thinking about it, I've started to look into it, and it might just work. I'm not sure what I'll get out of it, apart from a chance to perform in the largest fringe festival in the world; and not even sure if we'll get an audience (or even, at this stage, exactly what we'll be putting on!!) - but if I want to, I can make it happen. Making things happen is a lot simpler (and a lot more work also!) than I used to think it was. Ideally, of course, I'd love to put my own work on, self-devised, and research it and all, but perhaps this is a goal for further down the track. I am a little worried that my goals at the moment are all quite short term - the long-term is hazy - but on the other hand, I am getting better at embracing the essential to all artists, 'uncertainty'. I have, though, wanted to write or self-devise a show (perhaps solo; but now perhaps with Dav, which could be very exciting!) for some time now, and yet have not even started. I don't feel like I've found the right inspiration or topic; or even know what it will be. But maybe I should just start... Do I want it to be a historical piece though, or an autobiographical piece? A drama or a comedy? Performance art or script? I don't know the answer to any of these things, and I do tend to get stuck (like with many things) in not being able to see the wood for the trees. Eventually I know I am going to have to bite the bullet and just start writing - or working. Working on the floor does seem to work better for me; although I think if I could just find a topic / person I could research and start with material about them (as I did with myself for my life story at VCA) and use this a spring-board, it might be somewhat more useful than starting from nowhere. I am reading the papers now at least - but I still have found nothing to really grab onto... sigh.

Don't know how this post suddenly became about my lack of inspiration for a show. Oh, that's right, it was roughly about setting myself goals. I realised today that some of my goals are quite strong and driving. For instance, I'm much better disciplined in my eating and exercise habits in the last year or so, and find it a lot easier as that is a do-able goal for me - to lose weight and look and feel my best. The physical comes, not easily, but tangibly. To find and maintain paid acting work is also a goal that I am fulfilling at the moment; as is to save to travel O/S. To study in NY and in Europe is a doable goal this year; and I mustn't forget my goal of jumping out of a plane for my 25th birthday! Perhaps in June!!! To perform at the fringe is now on the agenda also, although it may just end up being visiting to have a look this time around, but who knows. If we can somehow keep costs down, it's possible we can do a show while there as well... I keep thinking about S-J and Mark's show, "Kissy Kissy", and how fantastic it was, even though it was quite abstract and simply about a relationship that could never quite get there. Perhaps we could start there too...

Oh, and I should probably put, 'getting my tax done' on my definite list of goals for this year, before June!! Eek.

So much to do. And interestingly enough, this job, while having more down-time than any other job I've had, also manages to chew into ur energy, so that I tend to do not a lot on that down-time. On the up-side, it is well-paid, and I do still enjoy doing it, so it's something I think I could definitely return to if there's work for me here and I need it. I'd also like to try my hand at getting or making some of my own work similar - tour guiding and the like, elsewhere. John and I met a couple who do entertainment work out on the Whitsundaes today; that would be interesting work! Although I'm still not confident in my ability to create work myself; and a lot of that work seems to need singing ability. Better keep practicing that one! Sigh.

Meanwhile, I've worked pretty much every day straight since seeing D-boy off; and I'll probably work right through to the trip to Rocky. 25 days and counting - oh, not that I'm half-eager at all :) It's interesting returning to the work without Dav, and working so hard too - there's a real risk of the work becoming stale, that I've felt particularly in the last week. It's great to have Franz here though, as 'fresh blood' - I did a fantastic show with him tonight, or so I felt, and managed to find some really exciting new stuff with Shires, that re-ignited my desire to keep trying different things with each character. I think I need to be more radical also in my choices, just to stretch my own boundaries a bit more... tonight, just towards the end of the show, I organically found a different 'character' - largely in the physical, and it reminded me of Frank Woodley, randomly. I thought about trying Shires as something a bit more bumbling, caught between Porter and his desire to get them off the hanging, trying to convince Porter - smart in a simple kind of way. So he might appear quite clumsy / simple / honest; but come out with moments of brilliance. To keep looking for the juxtaposition within his character, there's an aim; and to keep looking for the juxtaposition between him and the much more sure-of-himself Mr Hoy. I also need to think about how to stretch Porter in similar (and different) directions... perhaps even just clarifying when he's disbelieving, and when he's actively trying to undermine Shires, and when he's just mucking around?

Very random thoughts, for a post in which I was going to describe my birthday trip!! Despite arranging it, I did NOT get my birthday off, as boat numbers rose and we're ridiculously under-staffed at the moment. I did 3 tours on the island; but then had the Stormbreaker (Trev's yacht) pick me up from the island and went all the way up the river with them, to Sir John's falls. I was excited about the change, and the chance to see parts of the river I hadn't before; however, the night itself wasn't much to talk of, as most of the travel I was either in the kitchen helping Gary (as I did feel obligated to); or it was too dark to see much. Gary did take us for a walk to find the glow-worms up at Sir John's falls - they are tiny little things, and I wonder what makes them glow? He also took me for a walk up to the Gordon Dam Commission hut, behind the falls, which was much prettier to walk in the morning. I didn't get fantastic sleep on the boat; but woke up early, about 5.30, and watched the sun rise over the Gordon. I dashed up to the falls and then down to the beach near the hut, which was definitely worth it just for the reflections of the slowly rising sun and clouds on the perfectly still early-morning water. The run back to Strahan definitely made the trip worth it; the yacht travels relatively slowly, and just glides through the water, especially on days like that one, when the reflections were amazing - the sunrise looked like an impressionist painting in the black water. Some of the rafters that we picked up were really lovely, and I had a long chat to a couple of them, mostly about Sarah Island, but it was kinda fun to realise how much I could give them in terms of information, and actually have ppl genuinely interested ask me questions (as opposed to simply deliver deliver deliver). That was, of course, after I'd climbed to the top of the mast (the only one on the boat to do so!) and sat up there as Lady Jane II sailed past (plenty of photos of me up the mast for the boss; if only I'd managed to keep one! I took one on my phone for evidence, but then washed my phone the other day and now have to buy a new one!!) and as we closed in on Sarah from the river. The trip in general reminded me that I NEED to buy a decent camera; so that has gone on my list of things to shop for while in Brisbane. A mobile phone can't wait til then though - I'll probably order it over the web via Telstra.

The other benefit of the trip back (apart from eating too much!!) was that I got a bit of sun - I'm slowly developing a tan, although it's far from even. I'm trying to get some sun-tanning done on my arvos on the island, although I haven't got any now for at least a week. So hopefully the good weather will last a little longer. I've been soaking up the heat in the last couple of weeks... I wasn't sure, when I got back from seeing Dav off and the weather was miserable, that I'd be able to stand the separation for 7 weeks with BAD weather as well... but I've been lucky and the weather has held. And now it's only just over 3 weeks to go... and yes, I AM counting :)

P.S. I am also the luckiest girl in the world, and got very spoiled for my birthday, by my favourite boy - who not only showered me with gifts, but also sent me a birthday video that made me cry. Thank you my beautiful boy, for making me feel special even in your absence.


Goals for this year:

* Travel O/S to America, UK, Europe and Asia
* Study the SITI summer course in NY (July / August)
* Visit and perform in the Edinburgh Fringe (August)
* Find theatre-related work in the UK and/or Europe
* Backpack with Dav through Europe
* Do a butoh course in Germany
* WOOF in Europe
* See theatre all over the world
* Jump out of a plane
* Take a hot air balloon flight
* Go skiing
* Visit Annabel, Katie, and Uncle George in UK
* Visit Erinn in Indonesia
* Apply for and commit to the Zen Zen Zo Internship
* Keep fit - get down to and maintain 56 kilos.
* Have my eyes lasered so I don't need glasses anymore!
* Learn how to play the guitar
* Learn how to sing in front of other people
* Write and perform my own solo show!!

Longer term goals (2008):
* Become an active member of the Zen Zen Zo ensemble
* Audition for QTC and La Boite
* Get an agent
* Record a voice demo and pursue voice-over work
* Complete GenAm courses
* Travel to LA for the pilot season (research required!)
* Gain further paid film / TV work
* Get at least one paying commercial
* Become qualified for and undertake corporate training as an alternative work source
* Look into children's party hosting; patient simulation; spruiking; voice-over; life modelling; tour guiding - as alternative work sources.
* Write and perform my own solo show!!

Big goals:
* Buy a house (possibly in Tasmania or Victoria)
* Pursue an ongoing working career in film and theatre.
* Cast in a major television drama
* Parts in mainstream feature films
* Work with the Malthouse and MTC
* Work with Bell Shakespeare and/or the Royal Shakespeare Company
* Continue to travel and work and create with D-boy.
* Write and perform my own solo show; and further work!!

Oh god, I'm turning 25.

Yes, in a matter of weeks, I will be a quarter of a century old. Suddenly I feel like time is slipping away. What happened to being the youngest doing this that and the other? Suddenly I've lost all my 'oh, isn't she cute' charm, and I'm officially into the very average 'mid-20's. Argh! And I haven't even been overseas or jumped out of a plane yet! Well, this year is going to be an adventure year, to make up for the mid-20s downward plunge... maybe I could even jump out of a plane WHILE flying overseas?? ;)

But it does make me think more about my stated goals for this year - I AM going to get overseas, and to travel, 'free as a bird' (ideally); although I have yet to get my visas or book a flight! Ok, Franki, time to get urself motivated on that one... and I do want to give myself a birthday present involving jumping out of a plane (yes, I'm terrified! Isn't that the point?) although it's unlikely to be on, or even near, my birthday... on my birthday I'll likely be working on an island on the west coast of Tasmania, and missing D-boy like crazy. And then missing him again the day after, on Valentine's Day. Silly commercial holiday. So why does it mean so much?

Still, 25 is a big turning point, and I do wish I could spend it with my sis. If only I could convince her to make her way down here. Shoulda bought her fares in the sale... hmm, but then would have to be able to get her away from the business. Speaking of which, I ran into another 2 of her massage clients today on the boats, a Nicole and Andrew. Nicole recognised me simply because of my similar looks... always amusing when that happens!

So anyway, I've just got back to work after my week off, which was much needed... although didn't involve much of a rest! Spent the Wednesday stopping on the way to Hobart, to see Nelson Falls, several lookouts, and The Wall (which is a fairly impressive Huon Pine sculptural project detailing the history of the West Coast, currently in development). Amazing to see the developmental process and the way the artist worked. Thursday we spent at Port Arthur, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and was fascinated to learn about the history of the settlement (especially the parallels in personell and buildings - the much larger solitary prison was very spooky, and Hoy and Lempriere were both there, as was Major Champ (now a commandant, despite his apparent dismissal from Sarah Island! Must look into that one... I do keep wondering how much of what we tell ppl is truth, and how much dramatic licence!!). Dav, however, was very quiet, and I only discovered at dinner that he was not into it at all, but trying to 'support me'. Another case of miscommunication I think. Although I must admit I pretty stubbornly wanted to look around - but Dav had been there before, and for him it was 'work'. We are still learning about how to live with each other! We did have a lovely meal at the local seafood restaurant, and ended up staying in a B&B nearby, so we could go on the Ghost Tour. The ghost tour guide was the best guide of the 3 (we did the Isle of the Dead tour, as well as the Walking Tour; my guess is the number of guides employed means the quality of tour fluctuates). The ghost tour was what it was - entertaining, and quite scary at times, even though I remembered most of the stories from when I was a little girl, but the factual content was minimal. I did think a little bit of fact would have helped the reality of the stories, rather than rough generalisations...

After the tour, we popped in to say hello to Andrew, and were both very glad we'd booked in to stay elsewhere, as he lives directly behind the church at Port Arthur, and had plenty of stories to tell about his house - which only he currently lives in, as all of the other guides refuse to apparently! But it was good to have a drink with him... unfortunately we lost track of time (or I did anyway) and we ended up sneaking back to the B&B at 1am, only to discover we'd kept our host up (oops).

Friday we went back to PA to see Richard's play, which we both enjoyed, although it was a pity they hadn't employed professional actors to play the younger parts (perhaps the audition pickings were slim). The girl who played Charlotte Lempriere was just too young, and obviously only recently out of training, or uni / school. It does make me wonder how we look though, and whether we come across as 'trying' so hard... eek. I need to keep re-evaluating my work...

Friday night we stayed in a hostel in Hobart, and on Saturday we had a quick breakfast walk to Salamanca (which has degenerated into a very mainstream market in the last few years! A little disappointing - not much art and craft going on there at all) before we caught the shuttle to the airport. Then I said goodbye to Dav for 7 and a half weeks, and flew to Melbourne!!! Where I stayed with Annabel, caught up with Ben, Gina, Marc (good to see him at last!! If briefly!) and Kat; went to a movie (The Queen - great just to go to the cinemas, and even better to go to the Como, which has been done up and where u can now drink cocktails at the cinema!); did the photo shoot (with some great images resulting...); saw Ben's Impro show; did 2 auditions (neither of which ended up being successful; but both good experience, and the physical theatre one especially reminded me how much I need to keep practicing the technique of auditioning!); and got my hair cut (about time!).

Now, after a flight, overnight stay at Kathi's and a long bus-trip back to Strahan (thank goodness for the 3 hour stop in Queenstown, where I had my finger treated for an attack by a rabid locker at the bus station! Argh, I can't seem to keep my fingers whole at the moment!) I am back at work. I have to say that coming back, without Dav, is a little bit of a downer - although I'm settling back in now. But I am starting to feel the strain of doing the same thing day in, day out - it's no longer a real challenge, and I do feel a little frustrated at the moment by my inability to be successful in finding a new challenge for after this; or even during this work. I still have to implement a voice-warmup; and to keep challenging myself with warm-up impro before the show; but overall the job is getting a little too familiar... the challenges of a long run, that are new to me. It was nice to play Shires to Richard's Porter tonight, for the first time in a while - that keeps it fresh. And tomorrow I'll go up the river in the arvo, as there's only one afternoon boat... I think I'm going to have to keep inventing ways to keep the tours fresh though, as they too are starting to feel too familiar...

In the meantime, I think I'll get back to practicing some guitar... and missing Dav like crazy!! Only 48 sleeps to go (and only 12 until I'm 25!! eek!!).

Better Late than Never...

Written a couple of weeks ago on Sarah Island one afternoon:

Well, it's about time I wrote an update! (ironically I didn't get to type it for another two weeks!!) I have been trying to get to this for weeks, but as it's not top of the priority list, and the list has gone out the window in the last few crazy weeks, I'm only now - a month later - able to write.

They warned us it'd get busy during January, and they weren't wrong! Solidly four tours a day and two shows an evening for the entire month - enough work to keep us all busy busy busy. It's only just slowing down now - the numbers last week have dropped dramatically which makes me cross my fingers for a bit of work for both Dav and I after Easter! The plan is now to work here until late May / early June if possible - and then go walking the Overland track (early May, if we can get there!) and do a bit of travelling as well, if we're lucky.

Dav is currently also in the middle of trying to plan 'West Side Story' - he begins directing next Monday, in a week's time! But before he goes, we have two days off in Hobart together, which we are both very much looking forward to. A well-deserved break before we part for two months :(.

We are going to stay with Franz and his wife Belinda in Cygnet, south of Hobart, and will spend one of those days / evenings out at Port Arthur, where Andrew now works, and where he has been able to get us free entry, cruises and tours. So I'm very much looking forward to seeing what goes on there, and how they've done it all up in the last few years. I'd also like to stop at Derwent Bridge, and in Richmond (to see the prison there) if we get a chance. Dav suspects we will be 'historied out' by the end of the trip. If we can manage it, we'll head to Salamanca markets early on Saturday, before we head out to the airport, where Dav is bound for Rockhampton and I for Melbourne for two days. It will be good to see the city again, and say hi to a few people, but I'll also be busy there - doing a photo shoot for Frozen Instant Imagery on the Sunday, out in Glen Waverly; seeing Ben's impro show on Sunday night; and doing at least two auditions on Monday (one of whch requires not only a monologue but also a song! Dav has been teaching me a song from Hair though, and I am loving learning to sing again - it's also helping my voice). Oh, and I'm also squeezing a driving lesson in on Saturday, and hopefully a trip to the movies (which I am most excited about!) on Saturday night with Annabel, whom I am staying with.

We, in fact, have Annabel staying with us at the moment! She came down for the weekend to visit. Very exciting, as she is the first Melbourne friend to actually take us up on the offer of a place to stay in Strahan. We have had a lovely (if slightly wet!) weekend - we drove out to Trial Harbour yesterday for lunch; then Annabel saw the show last night; and this morning I went up the river with her on the Gordon River Cruises, and it was a gorgeous '3 season' trip - with a bit of sun, rain and mist. I have no idea what she thinks of the job we do down here, but it's fun showing her around. Hopefully, we'll get out to dinner tonight, if the White Boat doesn't get in too late!

I had a great tour this morning - a smallish but appreciative audience, with some very boisterous boys who I managed to get on side. I do enjoy working with kids. It presents a different sort of challenge. One of the auditions next Monday is for TIE work, and while the company does not pay fantastically, it could be great experience.

I am falling asleep, as we didn't get to bed til late last night - and I'm not sure if WHC is coming back for an afternoon cruise or not at this stage! There were only 6 booked on this morning!

I was telling Annabel that the most stressful thing about this job, once u've got all the basics down, is the tour timing, and the pressure we are under to keep it tight. Dav and I seem to have got it down fairly pat though... I'm looking forward to playing Shires to his Porter when he gets back though, to give my voice a break. I've been doing lots of fitness and physical training, and a little bit of acro thrown in, but my voice warm-ups are pretty non-existant, I am shamed to admit. I have pledged to re-purchase "Freeing the Natural Voice" (which I lent out and now can't remember to who!) and to start doing something about it, as I managed to damage my voice in November, and while it goes up and down it has not yet fully recovered! I know I have to get it off my throat - I am just not sure how yet. I need to do some more vocal and breath training in general - it's been a while...

I still have not much idea of where I'll be in the second half of the year, although I have some exciting prospects. Lynne has asked me to organise Melbourne Stomp again, this time for July, and for 25 participants. The timing works well, as if I'm accepted into SITI I will head O/S immediately afterwards. As part of my payment, I will also be doing Winter Stomp in Montville in June, for the first time, which is very exciting / scary! Of course, if I manage to get this 6 weeks of work that I'm auditioning for, at the Sydney Opera House / Fairfax, that will put a spanner in the whole works. But both prospects are exciting. And I'm slowly trying to get my passport and British Ancestry Visa sorted at the moment as well. I have to find out whether this gives you working rights in the EU at all... and whether I can get working rights for Dav as well...

Dav and I are still debating how to afford living over in Europe and the UK... We are looking at various options - teaching English, WOOFing, whether Dav can get regular pub work (I know I can - although the least preferred option for both of us!); touring theatre work would be ideal bit I'm not holding my breath for that! But just the thought of travelling with Dav is exciting. I can't wait to visit some of the places he's told me about; and some neither of us know! I am also really looking forward to studying O/S, and checking iur the theatre scene in the UK and Europe. As I told Dav, I don't want to travel fancily, but I do want to put aside funds to see theatre all over the world. Wonder what my blog will read like then??

Woah, It's Christmas already??

Yes, it's been an even longer while since I've blogged, and I don't apologise at all... when I haven't been working or studying, I've been collapsing from exhaustion! I worked 18 days straight between Dav's visit and my trip to Melbourne - and then, after flying to Melbourne and driving straight to Dav's dad's place in Birrugarra for the night (to store most of Dav's stuff, and collect some of mine), we got back to Melbourne in time for the SAFDi Basic level Stage Combat course. Which was fantastic - but exhausting! 8.30 - 5pm every day, 10 days straight. We started with short sword, and learnt some knife / dagger work, unarmed combat (kicking, punching, strangles, etc), and falling / rolling. The course was taught by Nigel Poulton, who was down from Brisbane, with a masterclass in falls by stuntman Robert Shook. Flic was assistant instructor as well. It was an awesome, and at times frustrating, painful, and annoying course - but I loved most doing it with Dav, and getting to perform our exam fight sequence together - to pass with flying colours. We have resolved to look up Martial Arts stores and order some boken, so that we can continue to practice our stage fighting here in Strahan. In fact, as I type, in one of life's little co-incidences, I see Dav is looking up supply stores right now!!

Stage Combat is just one of the many things Dav and I have on our list of 'things to do / pursue' together while working in Strahan. The list also includes guitar (which Dav's already started teaching me - I currently know - or roughly know - E, A, D, C, G and F chords... and B, kinda!! It's a whole new language, the guitar!!); singing (we haven't really started here at all); firetwirling; juggling; acrobalance (we've done one session! Fun!); drawing; poetry (ok, so both of these are my interests); writing; running; yoga; and of course, Dav's musical and editing work. Yes, I finally have Dav down here (dragged him all the way from Melbourne - yay!!) and while the adjustment period was a little rough at times (when I moved here I was exhausted the first two weeks, and that has been amplified this time around by having to jump straight back into work AND help Dav adjust as well) I'm getting very used to having him around. It's wonderful to have him here - am feeling very lucky at the moment. Especially as we get both Christmas and New Year together :) I realised again this arvo that I am going to miss him big-time when he leaves for Rocky - especially as we will have then had 6 weeks of living with each other, and (very happily) in each other's pockets.

We will be working together for Christmas - we are going up the river with the Gordon River Cruises - the only cruise operating on Christmas day, thank goodness. It'll be Dav and my first trip up the river together; and while we have to do a tour on the island on the way back, it should be a pretty enjoyable day. Hopefully the staff will be nice and relaxed too; despite also having to work Christmas Day!

We're currently taking full advantage of two days off before Christmas Day and then the craziness that January apparently is here to do not a lot!! Have spent today finally getting Christmas presents for the family organised and wrapped (sorry guys!! I've been soooo tired these last few weeks!!) - made doubly evil by the fact that mum's Christmas package arrived in the mail yesterday, in plenty of time for Christmas (thank you mum!!). I'll miss the family lots on Christmas day... it'll only be my second away from the family. Dav is also regretting missing Grace's first, and Finn's second, Christmas - especially as he was overseas for last Christmas. But I'm just feeling very lucky to have him here, and not be doing a completely 'orphan' Christmas. In fact, I'm planning a surprise 'picnic' for him on Christmas night... he's been wanting to try Crayfish ever since we saw them being sold on the docks last week when we arrived, so I've organised to pick one up tomorrow morning. Twill be my first try as well... now I'm really hoping he doesn't read this one til after Christmas at any rate!!

Spent yesterday handing out sweets (we made an amazing lemon slice! See photos, for those of you not here, to see what you are missing out on! plus coconut ice, and triple-decker fudge... mmm...) to everyone we work with in the town - fun to make, and always fun to give gifts. This morning, on our first run together (both Dav and my knees are playing up!! I think I must have damaged mine on my run on the first day back here... very annoying!!) Erin Morrison pulled us up outside the mill to give us a bottle of Ninth Island wine, and tell me I'm 'one of the best of them' :) That was a lovely, and at times well-needed, affirmation. I have lots of time for Snow and Erinn, they are lovely ppl, real friendly 'locals'. I have to admit that when we first got back here I was struggling to adjust to helping Dav learn his script, as well as work, and dealing with Richard almost seeming to ignore me in favour of Dav. Being the new employee, that of course makes sense... but things have settled down now, and in fact Dav did his first solo show with me last night, which (apart from the torrential rain soaking us up on the set!) went very well!! We were both happy with our efforts, and are suitably vague and holiday-like today as a result of the hard work over the last week. We're treating ourselves to dinner out at Risby Cove tomorrow night, and then maybe 'X-men 3' - the only movie showing at the theatrette there. We may even see if we can do some sea-kayaking during the day, as I ran into Kathi and Gary at the supermarket this afternoon (who's sea-kayak we borrowed a month ago...); or some fishing, as while neither of us have a clue as to how to go about it, we did manage to find a handreel in the laundry this arvo...

But for now, I'm going to stop rambling and go find another drink... this is, after all, as close to a holiday as we'll get in the next few months!!

P.S. Re the tour, Dav has given me some great constructive feedback - which, while I found it hard to accept at first, has given me more to work on there. He observed that I've been over-delivering a lot - and my challenge is now to find a less performative, and more chatty / truthful style. It's not easy... as I often felt 'flat' at first while trying to find it... but I have noticed that it's easier to do while relaxed, and with fewer time pressures. Time pressure is just about to increase though, with the double-cruises of January!! I am seriously aiming to have a long look at the script (it will take a lot of work!!) and re-write it more directly and more succinctly. Part of the problem is having to get through so much - and untangling it all to be able to cut it may take time and energy, which I haven't had yet. I hope to do some of this over the next few days, before it gets really crazy... we shall see!!