Dogs in Church

Okay, this really happened.
I went to church this morning and sat down right as the service was starting. We sang and danced around and it was great. The sermon started and I hear a "ruff" behind me. "Someone clearing their throat," I thought. Then little metal clinking noises start, "a baby playing with mom's keys or something." Then the Lord's Prayer, "forgive us our" *BARK!* I turn around and there is a dog sitting on the chair directly behind me!
Really people, who brings their dog to church? Then all I could think about was if dogs go to heaven or not...

Look what I did!

Here's pictures of my homework!
The "drape" pictures are for Costume Construction and the thumbnail is for Design 3.

Baptism by Fire

It's official, I'm a Grad Student!
I just had the busiest week ever. I had a bazillion presentations this week (more than my peers) and I got them all done on time and they were quality work! I am very proud of myself for that and for not having to stay up later than 2am on any given night this week. I actually didn't get stressed out until after it all was finished--more like when your body decides to shut down because it can't run on adrenaline anymore sort of things!
I had renderings for Arcadia in Design 3 due on Tuesday (presentation 1). I had a lot of fun rendering some of the characters--Jellaby especially, I made him fat and he's really adorable! I'll put a pic on here after I get him back!
Wednesday, I taught in my Costume History class (a 50 minute lecture= presentation 2). I actually had a blast doing it! I spent HOURS setting up my powerpoint, putting together guided notes, finding and making handouts, pulling actual costume pieces to bring in and inventing "Elizabethan Bingo."
In class: I passed out the handouts--which included an Elizabethan coloring sheet I found and a "design your own Tresham Triangle" worksheet I made! Then I started my presentation, covering a the Tudor family tree from Henry VIII-Elizabeth I, social and political context, the reformation, art and theatre of the time and architecture. Then, we discussed men's costume. After that, I dressed up 2 guys in the class in some pieces and played "what are you wearing?" Then I presented on women's clothing, dressed up 2 gals and played "what are you wearing? round 2." After that, we played "Elizabethan Bingo." I passed out blank bingo cards, put up a slide with new terms on it, and let them make their own bingo cards (with a "free indulgence" in the center space-- 10 points for anyone who gets that reference!) Everyone got real excited when I passed out M&Ms to use as their little bingo markers. Then I played a series of slides that contained pictures of these terms, each slide had 12 seconds for them to identify and mark their cards. The first bingo was crowned King of the class with a King-size snickers. Then we reviewed the bingo slides to see if they got them all right. I'm sorry if this section dulls you, but I HAD SO MUCH FUN TEACHING!!!! I loved it, and how many people can have fun preparing a lesson plan?
Thursday, I had my half drape for costume construction due (presentation 3= a 16th Century dress, picture will be included here later.) It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be to do it, but I know that it will only get harder as Donna continues shoving huge loads of new things into my brain! My little brain is so tired by the time I get home everyday!
Also on Thursday, I had a presentation (#4) on the costume design group Motley. It was interesting researching Motley's designs because there are actually 3 people who make up Motley! It's not often you find a group of people doing designs under 1 name! And then I had to show and tell (presentation 5) my research and collage for the next play we're doing in design 3: Suburbia. Suburbia is about a bunch of 20-somethings who are stuck in the rut of suburban life and hang out outside the seven-11. It's an awesome play for anyone who likes theatre! I highly recommend reading it!
Thursday night, after having a party to stain the new costume tables (and getting a huge headache from that!), I did no homework--I couldn't anymore!-- so I watched Mansfield Park and ate ice cream.
Friday after work, I went shopping for art supplies and fabric swatches with Diane and Danielle. We ate some good mexican food, too!
Saturday I realized how terribly messy my house really was so I cleaned! I also sewed myself a toga for festivities later that night. I went to a BBQ at Krystal's apartment with a handful of the other grads and then most of us went to Guerrilla Theatre--sort of a talent show that the undergrads do once a month. This month they had a toga theme. I was really really impressed at the quality of stuff! It was a lot of singing and dancing from the musical theatre majors this time. Everyone told me I looked like a little Sprite in my costume.
Today, Sunday, is homework day and dress rehearsal for Moon Over Buffalo! Life doesn't seem to stop! But, the last few days have been full of fun and "me" time so I think I am refreshed enough!
Next weekend is USITT Masterclass-- Oy! I'm sure I'll write about that next week!
Love and Hugs to all who read this!

Sunday

Sleep in
have a long conversation with a new friend
enjoy the service at my new home church
attend a class after church on Christian Essentials
go to WalMart, buy a toaster
drive home
eat some coffee cake while checking email
put away the laundry that's been neglected
take a long nap
watch M*A*S*H
read a chapter of costume history on the Northern Renaissance
discover that Scarlett parts 3 and 4 are on
watch it while drawing and enjoying the sound of the rain
make hot chocolate
consider snuggling into freshly laundered sheets
good Sunday

Mail Ambush!

I was emotionally ambushed by my mail yesterday.
Before that: I recieved a "we have a package you have to pick up" slip in the mail on Wednesday. I didn't understand why they didn't leave them by the door like always. So I ran to the post office after work (which is very out of my way) on thursday and got there 12 minutes after they closed! I was very not happy when I went online to figure out if there's more information about how to get this re-delivered.
So yesterday I come home to 2 boxes by my front door! Yay!
The first box has "Miss Britta, sorry about this. I would usually leave thesse at your door but there was several people walking around working and I just felt better if I didn't leave them that day. I didn't want anything to happen to them. Thanks, Mail Lady." That made me forgive her for the frustration of the last couple days. The package was my birthday present from my sister in Austrailia! She sent be a beautiful scarf/pashmina and some other stuff, including Cadbury chocolate! (which was a bit melty from the heat). I started to cry as I sifted through all the wonderful things she sent me.
The next box was from Mom- 6 pairs of jeans and 2 beautiful new dresses. I immediately tried the black dress on and started to cry again.
Lastly, I got a card from my grandma with a letter in it from my grandpa. I cried harder at that one.
My friend Danielle was coming over to hang out, so I answered the door bawling, wearing a fancy cocktail dress and holding a letter and some mushy chocolate.
It was an emotional mail day.
Thanks for the mail everyone!

I met Captain Hook!

Yesterday at Chili's, while waiting for my chicken fajita quesodillas; I was reading my books on the costume designer group Motley (as I was alone). I noticed the cover of one of the books: captain hook wearing a quite frilly red and pink jacket. Before I knew it, the real captain hook was whizzing by my booth, running laps around his parents' table! He stopped, gave me a mischievous grin and continued on. The next lap, he stopped again. I took this opportunity, when would I ever talk to captain hook again? "You know, there's a picture of captain hook on the cover of my book..." and I showed it to him. His eyes brightened and smile widened, "him's hook's better, because mine's only made of pwastic." I told him I was sure that his was just as good. Then he showed me how to use a hook to move silverware from one end of the table to the other, very impressive! I told him he could show the book to his mamma as long as he gave me his best pirate "argh!"

Email to Amy

I wrote this in an email to Amy, but it's what's going on so thought I'd post it here. In addition, I went to my first Piggly Wiggly yesterday!

In my construction class, I'm working on a 1600s gown--well, half of one. We're only building "half drapes" (a half of a costume) so we can cover more periods in the class. I'm a bit sad, I wanted to make costumes that I could wear! But, my dummy is my size so I can at least know how to enlarge patterns via the split and spread method for my own purposes! I get to work from a real pattern this time, but I think Donna will take that away by the end--everyone else has to drape the dresses, meaning stick the fabric on the dummy and make a pattern that way.
For shows, I've been making boxers and dealing with underwear. The show is "Wild Party" which is a 1920s orgy musical basically and everyone (20 people) runs around the stage in their underwear, so I've been putting sexy black lengerie on dummies for about 3 days now, then adding gardrs and stockings and feather boas. So, I had an army of prostitutes to keep my company while I was sewing black satin boxers for the men.... yep. Costume History class has left me in the dust a bit, there's just so much information and Donna's a very "teach yourself" kind of prof, so it's a bit hard.
Design class is going well. I've actually gotten several compliments on my drawing! my people have movement and character, even if they're not exactly proportional! So that feels really good.
Last week, for the garage sale, Emma and I sorted a gazillion hats! I bet there's 250-300 hats that we got rid of! It was fun though, to see all the crazy things we had! Great pictures came from that!
Today is my first Alabama Football Game experience. That's a real headache! I have to have my car moved from my parking lot by 4:30 (which is nice bc we leave work early on game days for that reason). they tail gate on the quad starting tonight (when the game's tomorrow night!) It's just nuts! i was going to stick around and get pizza with some people, but it was just too much to fight traffic and find parking that I just came home. I think I'm going to take a nap anyway! With love from a hurricane Gustav kinda day! (I think I've forgotten what a sunny day looks like, haven't had one in almost a month!)

Homesick

Okay, I've been here for over a month, so I thought I would just skip this part if it didn't happen by now. But, of course, it sneaks up on you, when you're vulnerable, just before you fall asleep. You're laying in your bed, not the one you've had for the past four years but a new one with sheets that smell and feel new regardless of how many times you wash them, and thinking about all you have to do. Then you wonder where you have to go in order to do those things, hope that they're on your map and you can do all of it before class. I'm homesick. I want a hug. A GOOD hug that only a good friend can give, the kind of friend who has seen you grow up. I miss Northwestern. No, I miss my NWC family, and how working 24-7 was so much more fun because I wasn't in charge. I'm in limbo now, I'm in charge but I still have a boss yet there are those who think I'm the one in charge. I don't know where I fit in this puzzle, God. However, I know that this is right, how I'm supposed to feel, and that God wants me here. I'm going to go cuddle with my teddy bear, I'll work more on this growing up bit tomorrow.

Labor Day Weekend in Atlanta!

Danielle invited me to go home with her this weekend on friday at noon. By 4, we were in the car on our way towards the Alabama boarder. Friday night we hung out with Danielle's friends from high school whom she hasn't seen in years. We went to Applebees and bowling. It was quite funny, Danielle and I were the ones who were fading fast by midnight and the mommies were still going strong!
Saturday, we slept in and had homemade breakfast. Sourgum Syrup on homemade buscuits--so yummy! Then we went into Atlanta. First stop: Margaret Mitchell Museum on Peachtree street. I loved it! I was sad that there were no movie costumes there, but the renderings for them were so it was just as good! Then we went to the World of Coca-Cola via Marta (the Atlanta subway system). We rode the subway with thousands of Alabama and Georgia football fans and fantasy/sci-fi characters from the Dragoncom convention. It was very interesting! The World of Coke was fun though! We got to taste test all 60 coke products from around the world--Danielle and I liked the African ones the best!
Sunday I had a migrane so I had to miss out on the canoeing, but it was nice to just rest for a whole day. I was fine by the time everyone got home and we watched the Sound of Music. Oh, the memories from High School!
Today we slept in on accident and woke up at 10:30 (we meant to leave at 10am!) so we watched CSI and ate pizza then drove the 2 hours home. It was a nice trip, but I'm not ready to dive back into homework and school just yet!