WHOA. a rollercoaster.

This has been one craaaaazy week.

I just talked to my dad on the phone and he told me I got accepted into the Central School in London... Yes, THE school... the only one that I have actually wanted to go to. This is ridiculous. Now I just need to see if I can afford it. Which, unfortuntately, there is a HUGE possiblity that I may not be able to. : ( But at least I got in? We will see...

This past week I've been in New York. I'm actually at the airport right now about to fly to Boston. I'm supposed to be auditioning at NETC this afternoon, but my flight was cancelled, so I had to reschedule for a later flight. I'm not sure if I will be able to make it to my audition now, but I sure am gonna bust my butt trying!

I have had such a fantastic trip thus far. I really don't want to leave the city... and get back to taking 28 very not fun hours of classes when I get home. : ( Ugh, stress.

This past weekend I attended the Intercollegiate Broadcasting Systems Conference in NYC. WMTS sent me. It was a really wonderful conference and I feel like I definitely left it feeling more knowledgeable on certain things. Not to mention the fact that it was incredibly motivating.

Then I stayed with Ryan Chitt, Brian, Austin, and Chris in Harlem. They have a really lovely flat there. Very nice. I had a blast hanging with the boys. Sad to leave.

On Wednesday I had v.i.p. tickets to see Jimmy Fallon. When I interviewed him on WMTS a week and a half ago, he hooked me up and I was able to take Ryan, Alex, and Austin as well. This past week (before I knew anything of Central..) I had pretty much set my heart on moving to the city when I graduate in May, so I've been looking at potential jobs. I contacted Jimmy Fallon's assistant through email a few days before the show to see if she knew anyone I could contact about possible getting a job doing assistant work at NBC. Sure enough, on Wednesday I got a phone call from her saying that she had contact info for me and that she spoke with Jimmy and he wanted to meet up with me after the show... WHA?! So... After the show I got the opportunity to meet up with Jimmy in the greenroom and talk for a while. He showed me around the set and then introduced me to Racheal Harris... who is HILARIOUS... lol. She was like "Hey, call me if you're ever in LA and I'll take ya to the Groundlings".... Yeah, like that would happen. ha! Either way, I had a freaking blast. Jimmy was such a sweetheart...really good guy. Kelly, his assistant, said she would be my referral for a job at NBC, so I'm working on that... We will see.

I also saw some theatre while I was here. Yesterday I went with Austin and Ryan to see "A Life in Three Acts". It had its ups and downs, but was definitely interesting. And last night, we went to see Austin's improv group, Garamond, perform. Very fun! I also got to see "Lenin's Embalmers", a new show Chris was working crew on. It was absolutely fantastic! I love seeing GOOD theatre...especially good new works... which are usually few and far between.

Well, I definitely have a lot of decisions to make within the next month.... Hopefully I can figure it out and make the right decision....What a great spring break this was! Hope I make it to Boston!!!

sleep alli

Had my audition last weekend. It went really well! Yay! Unfortunately out of the hundreds to audition, they are only accepting 20 people into the program. Yikes, I know! BUT I am still keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best...because I REALLY want to go to this school....

I'm kind of doing a weird thing-- Most people seem to apply to a TON of grad schools hoping to get into one... Well, as I was narrowing down my top choices, I realized there were only a couple that I really wanted to go to. So I decided that I was either going to audition for these schools and get in and go there... or audition, not make it, and just DO IT. Ya know what I mean? Just forget about school for the moment and just go for it. Move somewhere and audition like crAAzy. Ya know, DOOOOO it. Like Nike. lol.

School has been very hectic to say the least. 28 hours is killing me, but I just keep thinking "it will be worth it eventually??"... and, yes, with the question mark....

Snow, Dreams, Yoga, and Auditions...

My goodness, it doesn't seem like it's been two months since I last updated this thing. Time flies, doesn't it?? It's kind of depressing when you think about it... AND at the same time, I'm usually wishing the time would fly. "Gosh, I just wish it were next week. Then I would be done with these two exams and this audition would be over with", yadda yadda yah... I've decided to stop doing this... Live in the moment for the moment, right? We spend our lives always working for something and forget to calm down and relax sometimes... Well, I can't speak for everyone, but I certainly do this often...

Which brings me to a new note-- Whenever I get busy with things, I put other important things at a lower priority... Such as, a big one for me right now-- I've always loved doing yoga. BUT when I get super duper busy, it's the first thing that goes! That's kind of counterproductive, huh?! Not anymore. I have been doing yoga for 9 years now... wow... that's a long time... : / I'm old... Anyways-- I'm not giving it up.

Speaking of "giving it up"... lol... (I just love tying things in together!)... I haven't had any processed sugar this year. Today it will have been an entire month!! Whoa! I know, ONE MONTH, that's not that long... oh, but for me, it is. I'm pretty stoked.

This is an incredibly big week for me... Or month really! This weekend, I'll be heading to Chicago for my audition with the University of London...It's for my Masters in Musical Theatre... I am to say the least incredibly anxious... excited, but nervous.. I had a dream about it last night and it went really well, so that's a good sign, right?? Actually, it was one of those super weird dreams where I was at the audition singing, but I was also traveling through a playground maze-like thing... Dreams can be so weird. Still haven't come to a conclusion of whether they mean anything or not. My dreams do give me dejavu' quite often though?... creeepy...

Sooo-- Headed to Chicago this weekend. Then, on March 5th, I'm headed to New York for the Intercollegiate Broadcasting Systems Conference (it's a radio conference for nerds.. : ) I'm pretty pumped!). After the weekend is over, I'll be staying with Ryan Chitt and his roomies for the week-- gonna audition for some things in the city while I'm there. After that, I'm taking a train to Boston for NETC, the New England Theatre Conference. Lots and lots going on, but I am attempting to not be stressed... hence yoga this morning. : )

WMTS happenings have been quite exciting-- the new website is finally up-- www.wmts.org-- still working on kinks, but it's there! Online streaming is also available there! Yay! Managing the radio station has definitely been keeping me busy... It's funny, too... It seems to be one of the most unrewarding and most rewarding things that I do. Does that make any sense? lol. Being the General Manager, people only seem to come to me whenever something breaks and continuously give me crap for it...when I have already been working my butt off to get it fixed! People don't see that part though. I get crap when bad things happen, but when great things happen, I get nothing. No pat on the back or anything like that... lol.... not that I need that or anything! People could still try to not be so rude sometimes though. Well, I did get a fancy "Outstanding Student" trophy...but still. lol. BUT, as I was saying.. it's also one of the most rewarding things I've done... I know that regardless of whether people recognize the work that I do, that at the end of the day, I know the work that I've done and I can be proud of it. And, in the end, that is what really matters. As long as you know that you've given your all to something, it's okay... because that's how life is always going to be. : ) I'll take it as a lesson learned.

It's been snowing here like craaaazy. Super weird for Tennessee! I went sledding with the boy yesterday.. SOooo much fun! : )

I guess that's a pretty good update on my life at the moment. As far as where I will be in just a few months? Good question... Is it weird that this question excites me?

Health Continuity

I've realized I'm healthiest when I am consistent with myself. When I have days and days where Frazier drags me to Donut Country...okay, he doesn't drag me.... but for real, it's hard to keep eating well! Stan got me into a Kurzweil kick a while back. Ray Kurzweil is a 'futurist' that writes books and does research on ways to reach your optimum health, so that you can live the longest possible life in the best health possible. He just came out with a new book, too, that I haven't gotten to read yet-- (*note: Stan I know you're reading this... Bring it to me please? : ) lol) When I first started, which was about a year ago, I took on a lot of his principles. I started taking about 12 supplements a day and doing it perfectly so as not to get too much of each vitamin/mineral/herb. I've always been really interested in health and, particularly, natural cures and remedies. I honestly believe that if I weren't a performer, I would devote my time to going to school for holistics and maybe start up a yoga studio. Lol. Sounds hippie, I know, but I would! ha!

Anyway--I spend time trying to work different things into my life at different times. You can't just incorporate new habits into your life (if you want them to last!) all at once. Previously, I've wiped out dark sodas...then I cut out sugar from my tea...then sugar from my coffee (and occassionally cream ; )), and now I'm working on replacing my coffee for tea (for the most part). I just drink too much coffee. Seriously, too much. Studies have been shown that coffee can be good for you, but too much of a good thing is usually never good. Anywho-- On my tea kick, I'm now drinking lots of green tea (my favorite being a london brand 'Twinings' with mint!). I've also begun drinking chamomile tea every night for a little while before bed. Chamomile is not only good for you, but it will knock you out!!--something I need badly; it's usually very difficult for me to fall asleep at night. My mind races thinking "Okay, Alli, what do you need to do tomorrow? Get up at 5 am and write an essay, work out at 7am...etc, etc.". Unnecessary! I don't think I'm going to forget all that I need to do when I get up in the morning. I just have to put that stuuuufff aside when I'm going to sleep. Who wants to have dreams about homework? poooie.

I'm also currently focused on lowering my body fat percentage...which is not easy to do, but I'm trying really really hard!! lol. When I read Kurzweil's stuff, I just think "Ya know, if I'm not in the best shape that I can possibly be when I'm 22, when will I be?". No time like the present, right?! I've already made some progress!! People focus waaaay too much on losing weight. I had this conversation with a girl the other day who told me she's going vegetarian to lose weight....and then I noticed she was eating a bunch of french fries, grilled cheese, stuff like that... People need to realize that going vegetarian doesn't just make you lose weight... You have to try even harder than others to be healthy, but the payoff is ten times healthier than if you were getting that protein through meat. So, anywho...just got off on a tagent there. I'll let you know how this body fat percentage thing goes! Six-pack baby! lol. I need to be able to beat up these crazy people running around on MTSU's campus... ahhh....

Green Tea and "Lost"

I don't get to watch much tv...BUT Fraiz and I just got the seasons of Lost that we haven't seen yet... which means we started watching it last night...which means we will continue every night until we are finished...regardless of how late it is or how much we have to do or how little sleep we are running on.... That's dedication, baby!

Today has been a productive day. I worked out a LOT. When I actually have time to workout, I get kinda obsessed with it. I loooooove the feeling you get.. not WHILE you're working out...duh... but after. It's nice. Kinda funny, too... I almost feel like I'm glowing when I get down working out.. Weeeeeird, I'm like radioactive or something?!

I can't believe the semester is coming to an end. This is my NINTH semester of college-- Crazy, huh? I feel really old. It's kinda funny because I always get told I look a lot younger than I actually am. Hopefully one day that will work for me and not against me. I do get told I look like Sally Fields... my mommy gets it, too.

chuggin' right along

Worked super duper late last night, however, it was well worth my time. At first, it was completely and utterly slow and I wasn't making any money..lame... and then, it stayed slow, but the people I got to wait on were incredible! Seriously--Two people left me $20...which is ridiculous...another couple left me $10... I guess they picked up on my telepathic rays letting them know how broke I am.. lol. I love people like that. : )

I may be working on Thanksgiving. I got my brother a job at SNS, too, and he works that night, so I might just go ahead and work as well. I still have the daytime with the fam.

It looks beautiful outside today! I'm stoked. I got my bike back too!! Which is AWESOME!! I missed her very very much...I hate cars, especially mine that is slowing falling apart. I can't wait until I live in a city where I don't need a car at all. Seriously, the subway and the metro, even though fairly dirty, turned out to be my best friends. Sooo fast!

I was talking to some guys last night about naturally carbonated water. One of the guys was asking if we had soda water and we don't, so.. then a guy was giving him crap, because soda water is so "unnatural"...Then I told him there are actually NATURALLY carbonated springs. Isn't that crazy? Sounds like a weird concept, but foo realz..

Then we got (somehow) on the topic of busking, which totally took me back to Dusseldorf this past summer. Fraiz, Mike, and I went busking and made 40 Euro in like 3 hours! We just sung and played some pop songs. It was ridiculous. It makes me want to just pack a bag and fly to Europe to busk and backpack. That alone would pay for my trip, so why not? It's interesting to me the different perspectives people have in the US and Europe. In the US, if you see someone busking on the street, they are usually looked down on or considered "bums". In Europe, people actually look at that as entertainment! Granted, you have to still be good... But there are plenty of good artists playing around Nashville, but still..."bums".

Speaking of performing, songwriting has kinda taken the backseat in my life for the moment. Sometimes I just have to do that with certain things... I can't do everything at once! gosh. I'm going to try to start writing again though. I have to write a song for my popular music class-- perhaps I'll start there!

Good day, everyone!

Today

Very relaxing, really. Got up early and worked out. Nothing like a relaxing morning. Some people don't like mornings. I don't when I'm sleepy, but for the most part, they're terrific. It's like a fresh new start, ya know? Everyone's always searching for a way to get another chance at life, right? Some people find that in changing their hair color, some end relationships to find themselves again, some lose weight in hopes of making themselves better. I, however, rely on my mornings. If something didn't go right the day before, you get another chance to get it right. Ever since I was little, I've always had that desire to "start over". If something didn't go exactly as planned or how I wanted it, I would "start over", becoming devastated each time that I wasn't successful. I failed to realize (until my college years) that we get a new day...every day. Wake up on the right side of the bed and give life another chance!

Working at WMOT right now. I really do love what I do here. And the people I work with are fantastic. I'm running out of here to pick up a shift at SNS.