Cheers Darlin'

When you've finished getting yourself ready in the morning, you must go get the planet ready.

Been reading The Little Prince. Such a good book.

Getting into the Christmas spirit! As much as one can without being near their family I suppose. This will be the first time I won't be able to be with my family during the holidays. Eh, I might cry once or twice. But I will be alright. I'm learning that it is completely possible to still be close to everyone without actually physically being with them. the hardest part is missing my nieces growing up. Trying to find them a really cool Christmas present though. That makes up for it, right?

Life is going really well. Just got my headshots printed off and bought the newest Contacts book, so I can start contacting agents and whatnot. Not going to be fun. But anxious to get on with it. Working on finding a good accent coach as well. Gotta spiffy up my British.

Band stuff is going really well. Think we're going to start gigging really soon. Pretty pumped about it. And my bandmates are great. So all is good on that note.

This is a shout-out to my most dedicated reader, BaileyCakes. He never fails to read a blog entry and is upset of his not being mentioned, but needs to know that he has never gone unnoticed.

Here is my secret. It is very simple. It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; What is essential is invisible to the eye. -The Little Prince

appasionato

finally gotten a grip. i think.

Developed new friendships that are turning out to be really lovely. When I first got here, I felt like no one was going to be able to be anything close to what I had back home. Maybe I was in denial. Dunno. But the truth is, you just have to spend time on these things. Of course I'm not going to be able to move to a new country in a completely different culture and just find people that I mesh with like the people back home that I've been friends with for years and feel completely myself around. I do feel like I've (finally) become myself here now though. What I was back home. What I was attempting to be again. It's weird how much a change of setting can make you feel so much not like yourself. I finally feel comfortable in my own shoes here is this big city.

London really is a lovely place to be. There's just so much going on all the time. I almost feel like there's so much that when I do have free time, I'm not quite sure what to do with myself.

School is going well. It has its ups and downs, but I think I'm where I need to be. I know the progress that I've made and that is enough for me. To be quite honest though, I'm getting really antsy. I want to get out. And just go. Audition. Rehearse. Perform. I miss being in shows. Doing theatre.

Also ready to start performing my music. It's so hard to find the right people to collaborate with and really mesh those ideas together creatively. I think I'm on the verge though...New project on the way. More soon.

Hmm...what else?? I haven't updated in over a month, so I know there is plenty to tell you guys...

I have a breeze in my room. Which is annoying. And cold. It is absolutely freezing in London now. Shockingly cold already. And I know it's going to get worse. Time to bundle up!

Seen some good theatre lately. Blasted by Sarah Kane at the Lyric Hammersmith was astounding. It's one of those shows that is almost hard to describe without you just watching it... and if I even attempted to tell you about it, you would think I'm crazy. The actors were incredible. I love theatre that, no matter how affected the characters, the actors are able to find the humanity within them and bring the audience to a level in which they can empathize with them. I left that show thinking 'this is why i love theatre'.

My dear Deutschland friend, Anna-Lena, is coming to stay for a few days soon. Haven't seen her since I left Germany over a year ago! Cannot wait!

Joined a gym here in Swiss Cottage recently. Getting addicted again. It's what I do.

I know I say it often, but life is good. I really can't complain about anything.

Back to Normal

Or close to...or next to? hmm.

Life before this summer was so full. Go go go.. was me. all. the. time. But that's the way I like it honestly. I find things to fill my time. I don't like slow. Err.. Okay, I do like slow... slow time.... so I have time to fill it with things I like to do. Anyways-- point is, I feel back to me. A life filled with things I like to be doing.

Classes are holding much of my focus. I've learned to ask questions all the time. No, not in class... ha. To myself. About my art, art in general, life. It's nice. A very reflective process.

I've been writing music all the time and it feels really good. I went through some dry spells back in the States and I like the wet ones much better. Ha. I think the move has inspired a whole new burst of creativity for me. A change of perspective.

Looking back on what I wrote last time, I sounded so lonely! Ha! It isn't that I'm lonely, it's just that I don't have as many loved ones surrounding me all the time...something I am just not used to. But change is good. It will be even sweeter when I get to see everyone again. In the meantime, man my hand hurts from writing postcards....

so many thoughts that I can't even share them.

London is beginning to grow on me more and more. I must admit that it was (is) not easy leaving my friends and family. I literally think about all of them everyday, yet I still know this is where I need to be. Even though I've made a few friends here, I tend to spend a lot of time on my own. Which is probably a good thing. Hey, if you're ever going to be fairly anti-social, why not do it in grad school when you're supposed to be focused anyways, right?! It is quite weird though still... at home I spent so much time with my friends...Just looking at pictures this morning from my going away party made me sad. : (

Well, no time to be sad is what I say! ha! Now I'm off to work out a bit, read some Shakespeare, and plan my week! I'm going to start taking mime, dance, and yoga classes outside of school. Woo! Can't wait!

phew

What a day! My third day of grad school and I am already feeling incredibly tired. But I look at that as a good thing! The program is already pushing me and I feel like I've already learned so much--and not just about theatre either, about myself! It's bizarre.

These past few days were labeled as "Inductions", referring to each session, such as voice, acting, movement, and dance--but they were by no means "inductions". We just jumped right in and got to work really. I kind of left having many questions about our schedule and specifics of projects as in what we are going to be doing after today and yesterday, but I feel like time will tell? ha. I guess it doesn't really matter as long as I'm getting something out of it...which I have intensely done thus far. Maybe tomorrow when we meet to have tea and biscuits we will learn a bit more. Everyone on the course seems so lovely and the teachers as well. I feel like we're all going to bond :)... hey, some of us already have even! It's nice to have people that I feel comfortable around being as I am millions of miles away from everyone in my life.

As for settling in, I am definitely still a bit jetlagged and quite sick from the change in weather. I am praying this goes away soon (hopefully by the morning!) as I have to perform tomorrow. I've been drinking lots of tea with lemon and honey, water, and OJ, so I'm hoping the natural methods will help with this one! I finally set up a bank account over here which is a nice relief, but I haven't gotten a card yet, so I can't get a phone... sooo... waiting!

Other than that, my room is beginning to feel more like MY room. And my flat, very much like home.

finally home... home?!

I finally made it... and, let me tell ya, it was for sure a feat. After finally getting my visa and a very long flight over, I hopped on the tube with my two suitcases and incredibly heavy backpack thinking I was homefree... Got off the tube to switch to the final tube that would take me to Swiss Cottage. The line was shut down. :( So I began to improvise. I ended up walking the streets of London for a good twenty minutes without money or a phone (with all my luggage mind you.. jetlagged and sleepless! ha!) until finally I hailed a cab with the intention of just sucking it up and ALREADY using my emergency credit card... Driver doesn't take cards...go figure.. So he directed me to an atm and I finally reached home. HOME. What a weird concept. I was greeted by an incredible group of roommates, and, even though I was EXHAUSTED, there was no way I was getting to sleep anytime soon.

Adam came over and went with Claire and I to the grocery store... EVERYTIME I got in Claire's car, my mind was telling me to get in the passenger's side... which is actually the driver's side here.. This will take some getting used to. Grocery shopping was also a feat in its own. You would THINK that it would generally be similiar...umm no. HA! It was fine though--Definitely had some ridiculous moments of laughing with Adam and Claire. Then we went to the mall to buy some sheets and then drove around for a while... SCARY! Ha! Driving in London is definitely comparable to driving in NYC. And Claire is not one to be reckoned with on the roads by any means! It was pretty hilarious...

When we got home, Claire, Adam, and Aneta all decided my room (that was a MESS and totally not unpacked yet!) would be a good place to hang out. Adam does some killer card tricks... And not just card TRICKS either... I'm talking serious mind reading here. No, really. I have to admit that everyone is exactly what I thought they would be like. And I mean that in the greatest way possible. Cause I already thought they were pretty freakin awesome. :)I can tell this is going to be one of the greatest adventures of my life.

I went to bed at a fairly reasonable time as I don't think I would've made it any longer, and here I am--sitting at my desk at 6:13am drinking tea and listening to musicals. :) I got everything unpacked this morning...as I was up at 4AM! Even got to Skype my sissy today already! Been working on school stuff since I have to perform on the first day, which is a little scary as I am definitely stuffy from the change in weather and yucky plane ride.

Today we go to uni at noon to register. Cannot wait to meet everyone else in the program and actually get started on the course!! So pumped. I definitely miss everyone back home already. All of this is still a bit surreal. And my room is still a little bare, but I'm working on it.

Love from the UK,
Alli

and the journey begins...

Catching my flight to London in a few hours. So ready. It's a bittersweet time here in Nashville. It is so hard leaving my loved ones. :( But, I have to admit, I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! London, look out!