Saturday, December 31, 2011

A Year in Review

 
January
~ Raising $264,290.14 for Children's Miracle Network ~

February
~ Showing Mom my favorite bar and teaching her to dance ~


 March
~  Spring break in Centerville with friends... 
...and ORLANDO BLOOM! ~


April
~  Celebrating my grandmother's 91 years of life with family and friends ~

May
~  seeing all the sights in London ~

June
~  visiting Mike in Germany and touring the countryside ~


July
 ~ Another great year at Sharon Bluff Girl's Camp with "Out Of This World" ~


August



















~  Attending the Mississippi Valley Fair and two of the amazing artists, Miranda and Blake! ~


September
~ seeing my 1840's family, and forgetting the 21st century for a few days ~

October
~  ISU football with the fam ~

November
chaperoning the NCYC trip to Indianapolis ~
picking out the BIGGEST Christmas tree EVER ~
 
December
~  Christmas trees, Christmas morning outfits, and lots of visiting family! ~

Overall, 2011 was a year full of family, travel, and fun. I'm so blessed to have been the places I've been, done the things I've done, and to have the supportive family that I do. 

I'm looking forward to starting some exciting new things this new year, including student teaching, long distance conversing with my sister in France, and looking for a full time job. 

Wishing everyone a safe and happy New Year. Enjoy celebrating tonight!

Thursday, December 29, 2011

A Fairy Tale Christmas

One of the Christmas traditions in our family is to visit the Herbert Hoover Museum's Christmas Tree Display. Every year is a different theme, and each tree is decorated within the theme. 

This year's theme was "A Fairy Tale Christmas," and I LOVED the castle and drawbridge.

Childhood regression anyone? 
Who wouldn't like a drawbridge and a castle?!  Someone come decorate my classroom! 
 Emily enjoyed the Hansel and Gretel tree, which she so kindly demonstrated for us.

One of my favorite trees was the Snow White tree
(which may or may not be due to a certain tv show...)
 The ornaments were so diverse and helped to bring the story to life on each branch.
I also really liked the Robin Hood tree, especially with the hat as a tree topper. 
Emily tried to play the hero for Rapunzel, but she wouldn't give her the time of day.

We also managed to get a little shopping done in nearby Iowa City, and Emily got a few needed items for her France trip. I also found a few great things at Stuff! and will hopefully feature them in my new year wardrobe.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Christmas Time

This  past week at home with my family away from all things school related has been heavenly!  We had a wonderful Christmas, and since Santa was so kind to replace my CAMERA, I can finally show my own photos here! 

We enjoyed sleeping until 7:59, then jumping on Mom and Dad and all rushing downstairs to see Christmas magic under the tree. The opening of gifts, drinking of coffee, and a few tears rounded out the morning. The afternoon was spent relaxing on the couch, playing cards with Grandma, visiting, and a long skype conversation with family in Texas. Needless to say, a perfect day to celebrate the birth of Christ by basking in the love of my family. 

So truly thankful and blessed I have them. 
Some hightlights from the Fischer Christmas Day festivities include...

 Funny Faces while opening stockings...
 A new suitcase for the soon-to-be world traveler...
 a funny father who's not too old to wear a Santa Hat and bow (self placed, I kid you not!)...
 a new blender....
 Christmas brunch with coffeecake, eggs, and juice...
 skype conversations with the rest of the family in Texas...
And continually looking at my new Dutch Oven! 
I'm willing to cook in freezing cold weather in order to use it soon {thanks Emily!} 

In addition to our small Christmas on the 25th,  we also hosted the Caes Christmas at the house. 

My Mom's the youngest of 10 kids, 8 of whom are still living, so we had quite a houseful, even with a few families that couldn't make it. About 38 people made the trip to our house, from a close as Durant and as far away as Germany! We all laughed, ate lots of lasagna and french bread, and enjoyed catching up with everyone. Oh, and of course playing with lots of littles! 

 The guys quickly established a room solely for male discussions. 
 Games among first and second cousins Hannah, Owen, and Liam
 A little bit of George for his biggest fan Adam
 Cigars for the Uncles from Mike's abroad travels
 A printers drawer for Aunt Suzanne's small collection
And the induction of a newcomer to a Fischer house tradition.
I mean, who wouldn't want to sit on a furnace vent with lots of blankets!
We may have stranger traditions, but Carolin was certainly a trooper in a new country! 

We finished off the evening playing board games with those who were staying at the house, drinking hot chocolate and  realizing that most of us were not very artistic 
when it came to Pictionary.
But the laughter as a result was heartwarming.

With most of the Christmas festivities over, I'm a little late with my Christmas wishes,
but I hope each and every one of you had a wonderful Christmas full of love, laughter, and light, celebrating the birth of Christ with family and friends.


Thursday, December 1, 2011

The End is Nigh.....

These last three weeks in the semester always amaze me. First, because every semester, they are so full of projects, papers, and presentations. Second, because somehow I naively think that each subsequent semester will be different. Which it isn't. The Monday after Thanksgiving Break, I'm sprinting in a race that does not provide a break until at least Wednesday during finals weeks.

I am thankful, however, that I will be able to truly enjoy the break in Christmas Break (unlike the "break" of Thanksgiving Break). I'm also thankful a couple of days where I could take a break to spend time with my family, Thanksgiving Dinner, and Christmas Tree escapades with my Mom. Add on top of that coffee with friends, a night out with some more friends, and most of a HUGE unit project completed, and that's my break in a nutshell.

Of course, I can't forget about the National Catholic Youth Conference, which was technically a precursor to my break, since I skipped out on Thursday and Friday in order to go. This year the conference was in Indiana, so it wasn't a terrible long bus ride to get there.

Plus, we had a great group of kids...
We brought a bunch of attention to our group with our flashing Mohawks and glasses, but that made trading with other groups much more enjoyable!

See, much more diverse head ware! And this wasn't even the last night.

But it wasn't just about the hats and trading and meeting new people from all over the United States (even Hawaii had a group attend!). It was the fellowship and strength that came from knowing that you weren't alone. 

23, 000 Catholic teenagers in one place at one time is truly inspirational. All those times when faith seems to far away, when you feel like the only one who's ever struggled in life, seems so distant when you speak to any of the attendees. Everyone had a story to tell, and some were able to share their stories with the entire audience. 


We attended large group sessions in the morning, where phenomenal speakers talked to us about God, how we need to make room for him in our lives, the multitude of ways we can serve him, the promise of our eternal home in heaven. We attended small workshops, where even more amazing speakers continued to share the love of God through their respective ministries. Jason Evert and his wife Crystalina spoke to a packed hall about the important of valuing our sexuality and the gift God has given us in marriage. Pam Heil spoke about the dating game that many youth play today, and how we are denying ourselves the happiness God has in store. Comedian Judy McDonald made as laugh as she related her experiences living a Catholic Life. Steve Angrisano spoke about living our faith to the fullest. And those were just the workshops I attended! 

Besides workshops, there were hundreds of booths and activities available, including games and service projects.  Reconciliation was available throughout the entire conference, and some groups even got to explore a little of Indianapolis. 

Needless to say, it was a wonderful experience, one I feel blessed to have been able to experience for a third time. It's true, I saw the conference through different eyes as a chaperone this time instead of a student, but the experience still offered me a chance to look to myself and see where I needed to change my life, what I needed to do to include God. 

Given the opportunity, I'd go again....even if it means I get another enchilada on the rocks.

P.S. Special thanks to Stasia Nykoluk for the wonderful photos. This was another time I really wished I had a camera, but I'm so appreciative others captured the experience and shared them! 

Sunday, November 13, 2011

The Days of Old

Today's a full day of homework again, part of which involves writing a lesson about poetry. While this has nothing to do with my actual homework, it's one of my favorite poems, and I thought I'd share.  It's an alphabet poem, so each line has to start with the letter of the alphabet and each successive line adds another word as it moves through the alphabet. So while the first line, A, has one word, the lasting line, starting with Z, has 26 words. It's a fun type of poetry.



The Days of Old

A
Big trolley
Coming clickety clackety
Down the tracks, picking
Everyone up and taking them
For a quick ride to the
Greatest place on earth, a small, quiet
Haven where time is simpler and less complicated.
I step off the trolley, my skirts swishing gently,
Just ready to start the day. Carrying water for the
Kitchens, so we have cold water to drink and a yummy
Lunch to look forward to, cooked carefully over an open fire. Once
My chores are done, it’s off to the barn working the lathe, making
New chair legs with spirals and grooves, demonstrating the craft that Ron, my dear
Old friend, taught me. Kids come and turn the wheel, going fast and showing off,
Pulling the handle towards them, then pushing it away until their arms tire, and they stop
Quietly admitting defeat and allowing the next in line their turn. Once my power stops, I sit
Resting in the shade of the barn, drinking iced tea and talking to Ron, until kids line up,
Sweetly asking me to help them make rope. I thread the rope through and hold the end while
they
Turn the handle and watch their very own jump rope being made. When it’s tight, I cut the
rope, tie
Up loose ends and give it to the beaming child before moving on to the next child, the bright
sun shining
Very warm on my face and an unexplainable feeling of pride in my heart. After supper and
when the sky grows dark
We all gather around the fire in front of the cabin, sitting on rough wooden benches or on the
cool ground, under the
Xanthic leaves and listening to the sounds of dulcimers, fiddles, guitars and spoons making
music. Sometimes, they play fast songs, getting the teenagers dancing,
Yelling, laughing and having a wonderful time, till we all collapse on the ground and hear
ballads of a soldier, amazed at how the day
Zipped by and how we never want this moment to end, surrounded by our friends, and
untouched by the world we know, basking in the moment.


Love to all my family at Threshers - I miss you!

Friday, November 11, 2011

Friday Files

One of my friends over at The Neesby Lookbook started something a few weeks ago she calls the The Friday Files. She reserves these posts to talk about some of the more {real} things in life, things that aren't always perfect or funny or interesting, but that are still part of ordinary life.

SO

In order to help celebrate the ordinary in my life, I thought I'd give it a try.

{+} This morning, I received a wonderful email letting me know I had nine, NINE library books overdue, and as a result accrued a $27 fine. Not only do I feel like the university is bleeding my almost empty account completely dry, but somewhere along the lines my renewal of said books didn't go through (even though the other 6 books checked out at the same time and RENEWED at the same time were not overdue)

{UPDATE: Got an email from the library - turns out they're having trouble with their new software, and my books AREN'T overdue! Hello $27, I'm so glad you're still around!} 

{+} The constant state of disarray my room is always in. It's embarrassing to have friends drop by, and all I do ask I talk to them as I pick up and put away random things. One of my friends had to grab my hands and say "just stop cleaning up Erin. You're like my mother." Appealing, no? 

{+} My bank account depresses me every time I check it. As much as I love college, moments where said account is only in double digits scares me and makes me want to run out and apply for eighteen more jobs. Then I remember I have no time to work a third (or even forth!) job, so I think about which bank I would be most successful in robbing. Then I regret wanting to grow up, and instead want to crawl back home and let my Mommy make me pancakes and read me stories. Growing up can be difficult.

{+} My Weekend To-Do list - I'm not even sure I can accomplish everything on this list within the 48 hours the weekend offers me. I'm going to try, that's for sure. Especially everything in yellow, that has to be turned in next week BEFORE I leave on Wednesday morning. YeeGads GollyGeeWiz.

{+} I used my computer's webcam to take the above picture. Another downside of being without a camera and a poor college student. Someday, I will buy a replacement camera. And I hope whoever has my camera is enjoying the large memory card, amazing zoom, spectacular Western US Vacation pictures, and a guilty conscience for not returning it to the address on the bottom of the camera. 

{+} The design on my blog - yes, it is from a template. Yes, it's driving me nuts. Yes, I'm planning a redesign. But, instead of working on redesigning my blog, I have to design and code a website for class. At least I'll have all my programming down by the time Christmas Break rolls around.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Awkward and Awesome

Can I hear a hip hip HOORAY for Thursday? 

HIP HIP HOORAY!

And since today is Thursday, that means it's time for another installment of awkward and awesome moments!

Let's kick off this week with an awkward, yet awesome photo that my sister took a couple years ago

                                           Awkward - my face      Awesome - Lena's earmuffs

Awkward
- coming out of the bathroom to find someone waiting for my stall, when there was another completely good stall open.
- knowing when someone's presentation is not going well, and having to sit through the rest of  it anyway
- thinking I'm the only one at home, only to hear someone cough in the next room. {Sorry, hope you don't mind my singing....}
- checking my bank account online {the true meaning of a poor college student}
- whenever someone comes into the computer lab and stands behind me, right in my blind spot {Do I really want to print in this lab? Are there imaginary people in all the computer chairs? Do I really want to be here?}
- The movie Drive. Full of awkward moments. Not sure why I even kept watching the whole thing.
- Alex and his "little spoon" statement in class today - awkward, yet awesome

Awesome
- The fact that it's almost Friday
- My Thanksgiving Break begins in 6 days!
- The fact that I get to go home on my Dad's Birthday, and help him celebrate
- My wonderful letter from Miss Hannah Porth, which was not only a ray of sunshine on a gloomy day, but full of fun little stories and laughter
- Potato Soup on a rainy day - DeLiciouS!
- Having my Wednesday morning session cancel = 2 more hours of sleep time!

One of the blessings about having jam packed days Monday through Thursday is the amazing freedom I get on Fridays. Now that tutoring at AHS is over, I am looking forward to sleeping in for several hours. Maybe I'll finally be able to knock out my cold. Then, I've got the entire weekend to be productive and get a long list of homework done. Who knows, maybe Saturday afternoon will be spent reading and drinking coffee at Panera. Mmmm Hazelnut coffee!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

6 Word Memoirs


Part of the stress from this semester comes from writing a three week unit plan. I'm in the middle of writing my unit on poetry for a seventh grade classroom. It's been an interesting experience thus far, especially when I take my observations from a seventh grade classroom and use them to help shape some of my lessons.

What's nice about writing these units (in addition the practice it gives) is that everyone else in class is also writing a unit, each with a different topic and theme. Today we starting our presentations, where everyone takes a 20 minute activity from their lesson and teaches the class.

One of my classmates is writing a 3 week unit plan on Memoirs, and in her presentation today had us begin writing our own memoirs. The only catch - our memoirs had to be six words.

That's a lot of information to fit into six words. However, some people have done so gracefully and thoughtfully, such as Ernest Hemingway.

For Sale:
Baby Shoes,
Never Worn
Six simple words that packs quite a punch. Take a look at some other examples:

Been there, done that, loved it
- Sid Singh

Happy now that I know myself
- Anne Maiwald


Traversing Earth together, 
chasing elusive answers.
- Paul Barber

Or this one, one that's particularly relevant to writers (and one that I really like)

Live, then write; Live again, repeat.
- Lauren Gonzalez

So with all these memoirs floating around, I'd like to share some of my own. Mind you, these are from 10 minutes in class, but I'd like to spend some more time writing.

Past I am, 
Present I become

What are we?
Teachers, 
Some Day.

I'm always waiting, 
watching for
ONE

One book, 
blank pages,
still writing.
What six word memoirs can you create? Try writing one about your entire life, a specific event, memory, or age, anything you want!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Awkward and Awesome Thursday!

Happy Thursday! The sun is shining, the air smells of fall, and tomorrow is Friday! Here's my Awkward and Awesome moments from this week.

Awkward
- scrunching my hair in the car while sitting at a stop light, and getting funny looks from the guy in the car next to me (You think I look this good effortlessly? HA!)
- The point in a conversation where silence is not comfortable or welcome. (Um....someone say something...)
- Messing up on a couple question while helping one of my tutees (Yes....I'm wrong, you're right. Will you be my tutor now?)
- Creeping into the neighbors apartment in order to leave my steak in their fridge
- Getting ready to jump in the shower, only to find the bathroom occupied....for half an hour.
- Going home to surprise my dad, and having to wait for him for 4 hours past the planned surprise. (Tt was awesome when I found him though!) 

Awesome
- The giveaway sponsored by the LOVELY Miss Neesby at The Neesby Lookbook (If you haven't seen her blog before, check it out! She's blogging about life as a newlywed, her first home, China, and a bunch of other fun things!)
- My Halloween weekend at home, complete with surprising my dad, a bonfire, family movie night, Fireman's Pancake Breakfast, touring a new house, NCYC meeting, coffee with Mom, shopping with Emily and an extra night!
- The e-mail I just got from Papa Ron, signed 'I love you more than all the steel in the Golden Gate Bridge." He knew I needed a pick-me up this afternoon.
- How warm my room is now that the heat is on! It's almost a sauna!
- Thursdays in general! (Hello swing dancing, and weekend!)
- Only 2 weeks until NCYC (and THANKSGIVING BREAK! Can I hear an AMEN?!)
- Steak Night. And Pie. SO glad the boys brought this little tradition back. Even if Greve did burn my steak a little.
- Sleeping in on a Wednesday morning for the first time all semester. Heav.en.ly!

What's been awkward or awesome in your life this week?

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Thanks to all my friends that confirmed I am, indeed, the author of this blog.

I'm just testing to see if the syndication works and if my feed link is right.

Bear with me - and cross your fingers!


Sunday, October 9, 2011

Homesick for Home

,
 I love fall. As I've gotten older, it's become my favorite season, not only because it includes my birthday, but because it's such a beautiful time of year.  This picture was taken last year when I went home for a weekend right around harvest time. Dad's still pretty old fashioned with his two-row picker, but it sure gets the job done (and makes use of Grandpa's equipment!)

Last night, I watched the movie "13 Going on 30." I forgot how much I enjoy that movie, and spent the rest of my evening living life through the eyes of a 13 year old. It was liberating in a way, smiling and laughing at funny things I saw around the house. Next time I need a pick-me-up and a step away from adult life, I'll watch that movie.

There's a scene in the movie where Jenna return home and sits in a closet trying to send her 30 year old self back to her 13 year old self. Her parents come home and find her, and she gives them huge hugs. For some reason, I cried at this point, something I've never done before. So, it's logical that today, when the day is a perfect fall day, the trees are a rainbow of red, yellow, and orangey tints, and the weather is quintessentially fall, I'm finding myself a little homesick, both for home and for my childhood. Not to worry, I'm not homesick enough to sit at my computer and cry. I'm just homesick enough to remember all the wonderful things I did at home during the fall season.

 While I may not get home in time to see this sight again, I can still remember all the good times associated with fall.

Things like:
- raking leaves into huge piles and burying myself at the bottom
- piling all the leaves into the truck and pushing them off the back while Mom drove down the cornfield
- apple. cider. Enough said.
- carving pumpkins
- making a giant corn shock in the middle of the yard around the lightpole, and later using it as a fort.
- campfires anytime and every time the weather was gorgeous
- taking a family drive up north along the Mississippi River to Gutenburg to have a picnic and look at the trees changing color
- walking down to the creek
- driving tractor to help with the Harvest (or bouncing around the field in the gray truck with Stephanie White)


What are some of your favorite memories or activities of fall?



Thursday, October 6, 2011

Awkward and Awesome Thursday

Happy Thursday! That means the weekend is almost here, and life will finally begin breathing again. This week kinda came up and slapped me in the face (or as Alex said so succinctly in class, "knocked me down and kicked me a couple times"). Thankfully, there's light at the end of the tunnel, and 3 blessed days where I am able to do homework!
Here's this week's edition of Awkward and Awesome's!

Awkward
- Receiving three phone calls from random numbers, especially from one 000-000-0000. Not suspicious at all.
- Trying to find my way around my practicum on my first day - this school has TWO floors! And misleading signs.
- Trying to remember the names of my neighbors in order to attend their birthday party, and failing miserably.
- Making eye contact with a random stranger while driving back from Bondurant."Oh, hello, I'm just going to keep singing to this song. Don't mind me..."
- Attempting to start a difficult conversation, on the phone, and failing miserably.

Awesome
- Picking up my brand new Homecoming jacket, and learning of the CAMO GATOR for Homecoming! I'm excited to drive that bad boy.
- The amount of faculty who have been e-mailing me with interest in the Homecoming contest.
- Celebrating my sister's birthday Friday night, and my birthday on Sunday.
- Quidditch on central campus. hysterical. especially watching my father's facial expressions while he watched.
- Being on the football field when the players ran out to start the game (and my free game ticket!
- Being hired as a tutor
- My Panera coffee date with my mother. We always have so much to talk it about, and I value our relationship as more than mother/daughter, but friends.

Now, go outside to enjoy one of the last days of Indian summer for me! I've gotta pay some bills...

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Awkward and Awesome Thursday

One of my favorite blogs to follow is this little gem. And even though I have very little fashion sense, I still enjoy reading Sydney's stories and comments about fashion, and of course her new little that's coming soon! One of the traditions from her blog is Awkward and Awesome Thursdays, where you tell little awkward and awesome moments of your day (or week). So, I thought I'd give it a try, especially when I'm trying my best to avoid homework (hello first blog post since Europe!)

Awkward
- Walking and talking to another student I don't know well from class, and realizing halfway through that I'm heading the wrong way. "Well, if you;ll just excuse me while I go back down this path the way we came....I just like exercise."
- That silence after a classmate makes an outlandish claim in class. Really, who knows what to say after something like that?
- Being the only one dressed up for my tutoring interview. Out of six. "She said business casual, right? Wrong? What's the world coming to?"
- Losing my phone and frantically searching for it at work, only to realize it's in my back pocket. Duh.
- Sharing a 'brilliant' idea in class, only to have everyone look at my blankly before some starts talking about something. completely. different. Right - brilliant.... 
- Students coming into lab, only to hover right behind me, so when I turn around, they look at my funny and scatter - quickly, which makes me feel like a creeper. Or they ask, "Is this lab empty"? "No, it's full of computers with no one sitting in front of them. Can't you see the invisible class?"

Awesome
- Sleeping with the windows open. Best night's of sleep this semester.
- Getting hired even though I may have been overdressed for my tutor interview (or I just blew them away with my amazing outfit)
- Beautiful fall days that remind me why I LOVE fall.
- A surprise visit from this beautiful blogger and plans for a lovely fall picnic tomorrow!
- Starting up my devotional again, and realizing how perfect God's timing can be.
- Pancakes. The perfect, 9:30-done-with-class-hunger-solution.
- Seeing my family tomorrow for the ENTIRE WEEKEND.

I'm super excited for Mom, Dad, and Emily to come visit this weekend. Not only do Emily and I have plans to celebrate her 18th birthday by checking out an area club (and of course eating pizza, ice cream, watching movies, and staying up too late to catch up on life), but we're also all going to watch Iowa State CREAM Texas in the football game on Saturday. I'm hoping to fit in a Panera visit with Mom, and a walk around campus with Dad, plus several hours around the campfire at their campsite. Mmmm, the weekend smells good already!

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Learning London by Theatre

A quick note to all my readers - the following is the text of my creative final project for class in London. I thought it would be more fitting to post it here for my professor to read than just using a word document. Also, in order to enhance what I write about, I have included pictures and scans relating to the material I present, which will hopefully help create a better picture of my entire theater experience. Enjoy if you so choose!


 Learning London By Theatre
     Before arriving in London, I had no idea what to expect. I knew very little about the city, besides the commonly shown photographs of iconic London locations. I wasn’t sure if the culture of the city would resemble other large cities I’ve visited, such as New York or Chicago. Although I had previously read literature set in or near London, by such authors as Dickens and Austen, I still had little idea about the important ties between London and literature. I viewed London as one entity, one city that was cohesive and combined. It was just LONDON. Now, after having spent time not only touring through London, but also living and studying in the city, I feel I’ve come to appreciate the wealth of literary and theatrical history that the city, as well as surrounding countryside areas, have to offer. Not only does London serve as such a literary location in history, but also continues to be a city that promotes and sees developments in literature, theatre, and film. Overall, I  feel that my exposure to theater in London had the greatest impact upon my three weeks in London.

     From my limited perspective, I considered New York’s Broadway to be the hot spot for theater. I knew London had theaters as well, but I was woefully ignorant to the extent of theater that London has to offer. The first show we went to see, School For Scandal, helped me to immediately bring both the past and the present together in one instant.

With the original text and dialogue from Sheridan’s play which premiered in London in 1777, 
Ticket stub from the School for Scandal performance
 and some modern costuming and scene changes, the whole play came together in a totally new style. I loved seeing the individual interpretations of the director and the actors, especially after reading the play and making my own assumptions beforehand. The similarities and contrasts between my interpretation and the show’s interpretation showed how literature can mean different things to different people. For example, while reading the play, I didn’t feel much sympathy for Lady Teazle’s situation near the end of the play, but during the production we saw, I found my sympathy much greater towards her plight.

Harry Melling and Matilda Ziegler as Sir Benjamin and Lady Sneerwell
     In addition, it was also a pleasure to see Harry Melling, the actor who played Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter films in a completely different role. To be honest, I would not have recognized him if not for some more devout Potter fans in our class. 


Claudie Blakley and Zoe Wanamaker as Varya and Ranyevskaya
     This crossover aspect between film and theatre continued to permeate almost all the shows I saw during my trip.  During Chekov’s The Cherry Orchard, I was thrilled to see Claudie Blakley, a character from the most recent film of Pride and Prejudice. Not only was it thrilling to see a well known actress in person, but I enjoyed seeing her take on a completely different role in a totally new setting, much in the same way I enjoyed watching Harry Melling.

Pamphlet from the Nation Theatre advertising the Cherry Orchard
   
     Although we did not read The Cherry Orchard, I was oddly enthralled by the entire performance. Many shows that I have chosen to go see are usually uplifting shows, with happy endings.  Chekov’s play, in contrast, does not end ‘happily,’ and I remember several classmates who expressed dislike of the play. Personally, I thought it was extremely well staged and well cast, and the deeper meanings behind the play left me thinking long after we left the theater and walked across the Thames on our way back to the flat. With The Cherry Orchard, I felt my theatre horizons broaden, and I look forward to other opportunities to see shows somewhat outside the norm.

     Thanks to some interest by other students in a particular performance of Much Ado About Nothing, I was fortunate enough to not only get a ticket to the show, but a ticket to the official press night of said show, starring the Scotsman David Tennant and the lovely Catherine Tate.

Much Ado About Nothing advertisement!
Needless to say, it was an excellent performance from the start, with the added attention and excitement from both the media and from my fellow classmates who enjoyed David Tennant’s work in the show Doctor Who. Instead of setting the play in Shakespeare’s traditional location, with traditional clothing and such, the show was set in the 1980’s in Gibraltar, which added a unique twist to Shakespeare’s original lines. Despite standing for the entire show, I loved every minute of it. The witty lines delivered so well between Tate and Tennant, and the continued support of humorous props and staging had me laughing the entire show, all while hanging onto every word. I was also struck by how the play made Shakespeare easy to understand, and that I could use this example in my own classroom when I begin to introduce my students to Shakespeare. I feel that not only will adapting some Shakespeare pieces to a more modern setting help students make sense of the plays, but will also allow them to take ownership in their own work.
   

     London’s a city that’s not only big enough to pull of several different productions of Shakespeare but TWO productions of Much Ado About Nothing. The second production I attended was at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, and was completely different from my first experience. 

      If I were asked to choose a favorite between the two interpretations, I would fail to 
Ticket Stub from Much Ado About Nothing at the Globe
decide. Both shows were excellent in their own respects. The Globe’s production kept everything traditional, right down to the staging, costuming, and delivery. I especially enjoyed how the actors interacted with the audience throughout the play, delivering lines to specific people in the crowd, or making dramatic pauses when an airplane passed overhead. 

      I felt like I was part of the production in more ways than the first production. It may
My view of the Globe stage before the Much Ado About Nothing performance
have also helped that my ‘seat’ was much closer than before, as I was now standing directly in front of the stage instead of at the back of the theater. I view the first production as a show, and the Globe’s production as more of an experience of theater.
  
     Either way, Shakespeare’s play is truly magnificent, and I’m pleased I was able to see two different interpretations. In addition, our class tour of the Globe helped me understand how theatre fit into London’s history. Being a groundling, and standing throughout the entire performance was something the other financially limited people might have done, just to  see one of the production.
Much Ado About Nothing playbill from the Globe
     Our class was also fortunate to be given a chance to see a show of our own choosing, which allowed us to branch away from our class and into our own interests a bit more. I decided to see Les Miserables, and it was by far my favorite show that I saw in London.

     Everything about the show was spectacular – the set, costumes, music, singing, and acting. I sat through at least half of the show with my mouth open in pure wonderment.
The theater where I saw Les Miserables!
We were also blessed to have the well known singer Alfie Boe sing the lead of Jean Valjean for our performance. Later, we discovered that director Cameron Mackintosh and actor Russell Crowe were both in attendance to hear Boe sing. Speculation has circled since the Crowe might be playing Jean Valjean in the upcoming film production of Les Miserables. As incredible as it was to catch a glimpse of Russell Crowe right before the second act, or to hear the incredible tenor of Alfie Boe, I was again struck by the close relations of the theater and film. Here in America, I feel we make a large differentiation between the film and theater. Usually, actors in movies stick to movies, and actors on Broadway stay on Broadway. Rarely do the two intermingle. In London however, an actor can be seen on stage one night, and seen on the big screen the next night. Their acting craft carries both live and filmed performances, which undoubtedly gives them an edge in adjusting to changes on both stage and screen.

Mom and I outside Her Majesty's Theatre
     To top off my theater experiences in London, I attended the production of The Phantom of the Opera with my mother. I was especially excited to see the live production after being such a fan of the film version. I was not disappointed either. 

     Throughout the production, I found myself making comparisons between the two productions, how the stage was similar to the film, and how it was different. I found many similarities between both, but also some subtle differences, many concerning the unique ways in which scene changes were conducted. It’s always interesting to see scene changes after you’ve seen a movie where virtually anything is possible. The stage has much more limited space and time to complete their production, and yet the scene changes effortlessly to help the story continue moving forward.
     
     After six shows in about three weeks, my view of London as a place of theatre has completely changed. Not only has it surpassed the high level I always associated with Broadway, but it also brought some of my literary studies to life right before my eyes. Visiting the Globe theatre was especially important to helping me understand the importance of theater in London’s history, as our guide explained during our Globe tour. Without a doubt, I will never view London the same again.