For those of you who have noticed (love you Mom), I've only
written ONE blog post since last November: my 2013 "National Blog
Posting Month" challenge. Despite this alarming lack of activity, you can
rest assured that it was all for very good reasons. During last year's
NaBloPoMo, I outlined my daily, monthly, yearly, and Korea-time goals. Looking back through those goals, I'm
impressed enough with myself to announce that I have dominated in
checking these goals off of my personal to-do lists.
A
"Success" Summary:
1.
I still floss every day.
2.
I've completed 2 out of 3 curriculum resource books, and the third (and final!)
book is scheduled to be finished by January, 2015. A year ago, we presented the incomplete first book to the Gwangju Office of Education and asked for financial support
to complete it and the remaining books. To my group's delight and amazement,
the support was granted. I feel hella proud of the materials we've turned
out, and the payment that we received - and will receive - for it. I look at
the books now, and feel a swelling, awesome sentiment: "I made this."
3. I'm currently the President of the Gwangju Performance Project, which is where the bulk of my not-writing-blog-posts
blame lies. This past spring, I directed and produced 5 performances of Neil
Simon's hilarious farce, "Rumors." It was blood, sweat, and tears
getting it done, but I'm hella proud of myself and my cast and crew for the
excellent productions we created. I remember the moment after the first
performance, when I looked at the stage, the gorgeous set, and the actors
bowing to the audience's applause, and I felt a swelling, awesome sentiment: "I made this."
Obviously,
I wasn't the only one who made these books or shows, but my involvement and
motivation and efforts were crucial in the final results being produced.
And that is a sweet, tangy feeling.
The
GPP continues to flourish, too. I initiated a monthly workshop series where we teach
about various performance arts topics, and anyone in the community is welcome
to attend. A choir was started, and has regular practices and performances. A
spring raffle fundraiser turned out to be a huge success, and our upcoming
fundraiser is an exciting "Cabaret" Dessert Night with singing and
dancing and chocolate. We participated in the Busan Shakespeare Theatre
Festival, and I got to play Helena from "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
I'm currently the producer for
our upcoming fall play, David Auburn's "Proof." We recently merged
our group with the local International Center, and will hopefully be receiving
govt. funding for the arts next year, for our 2015 play lineup. People in the community are constantly creating, performing, and enjoying the arts, thanks to all of the hard-working and passionate members of the GPP.
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| 4 members of the GPP choir (plus Adam in a bear suit - thanks again hon!) just before we won 1st place in a foreigner-only K-pop singing contest. WOOT. |
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| 3/4 GPP actresses who participated in the Busan Shakespeare festival. Tho we be but little, we are fierce. |
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| GPP choristers before our first official singing gig! |
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| We raised over 800 bucks with these baskets, and paid for our set and costumes! WOOHOOO! |
In
short, I spend most of my free time talking, working, and thinking THEATER.
It's delightfully amusing to realize that my college degree is getting as much of a
workout as it is. Especially considering that I had no plans to return to
theater again after graduation in 2007.
I believe that's enough gratuitous back-patting for one blog post. Also, it's 1:15 and Monday morning's alarm clock is looming ominously close on the horizon. Tomorrow, we shall all find out what my goals are for this year's NaBloPoMo challenge. ...Myself included.
