And We're Back

It's great to be here.

Over the past couple of days, the urge to start blogging again has been growing and growing. Previous posts appear on my timehop very frequently around this time of year due to the upcoming anniversary of the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games; so what a time to be back.

My dearest readers, it sure has been a crazy few years since university has been a massive part of my life and so much as happened. I'm thinking of some bullet-points to summarise it all...

• My written work; the area i thought i'd be tragically bad at, has improved every single time with every assignment which is incredible. This area has seen the biggest improvement since being at Bath Spa i believe. 
• I started university with a boyfriend that I adored that helped to make 1st year what it was, we aren't together anymore and that's, ok. It was a great chapter and as they do, they finish so the next one can begin.
• I directed a condensed 10 minutes or so of a play called 'Pronoun' by Evan Placey as part of the Directing module in which i learnt what an actor needs from a director and vice-versa. That has been one of my favourite journeys so far - the cast I had brought the play to life in a beautiful way and I learned a lot about directing. I've used the lessons learned here in other work for sure.
• The second term of 2nd year saw me work with 11 other artists in the Actor Creator module that culminated in a night of original work of very high quality. The intimacy of the class was vital in creating and protecting the safe environment we need to create our own work and help find our style / voice. 'Freedom' was the story of Yeomni-Park and her family of how they escaped North Korea, I eventually took this work to a fringe festival which was a great experience. 
• I've worked with some great visiting theatre companies and participated in a couple of TV workshops which have been super helpful and handy!
• The Shakespeare project of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' was taste of the professional expectations that are required of us upon our return in September. I directed a scene which had the whole company in (including myself) which was the greatest challenge i have faced since beginning the course. It wasn't easy but i was very happy with how it turned out as well as how Company 1 started the show off.
• I have a qualifications in Rapier & Dagger, Rapier & Gauntlet, Broadsword and Knife stage combat which has been a ridiculous amount of fun, I hope to get on to the advanced summer course next year to further my skills in that area.
• Now, next year sees me at the very least being in a sitcom, making a sitcom, learning stand-up, practicing auditioning, performing in a directed play, taking part in a rehearsed reading, making or collaborating a work of our choice at the end of the year as well as any additional projects that we may want to be involved in. Oh, and the dissertation ohhhh the dissertation we can't forget about that.
• I am the Area Champion for Bath & Bristol for Costa's Barista of the Year competition which is bloody nuts! I now go on to compete with other champions from the South-West in Leamington Spa i think. 

So a lot has been experienced and achieved and there is still so much to enjoy!

This has been a glimpse of that has been going on with me, other posts can now have other content in which I don't talk about myself for the whole thing!

It's great to be back with you all, and i can't wait to start talking to you again.

Until next time.

L. 

Short Burst

Well we are having a short bust of summer sunshine! 

I love it, yesterday I spent the day in the sun at the Olympic Park, today I'm just sitting in the sun while doing my washing and other small bits and bobs and tomorrow.. well im back at work but will be seeing LADY GAGA for the second time AND will be taking my bestie, Sophie who has NEVER in her nearly 20 years of life hasn't been to a gig. So I'm popping her concert cherry! 

So yesterday we (mum, sister, niece, nephew, brother in law and mums friend) went to watch Athletics at the Paralympics, It was great to be in the stadium and be watching, rather than performing. Seeing something from the seats, the different angle. I loved it, I took so many photos and recorded some races, but let me tell you the triple jump was the best thing to watch.. the athletes were blind and I thinks it's crazily amazing that these people can run, RUN and hop skip jump into some sand, I can barely walk a few feet with my eyes closed, it was great fun to watch! Li Duan, this Chinaman with a great sense of humour! He would rip off his trackies before running, such love and laughs that man got. Walking around the park and again, just being part of it was so lovely. Danny said to Charlotte "Remember, this may be the last time the Olympics are here for the rest of your life" She's 8 years old. You may think that may not be the case, but do remember we are the first country to have it 3 times. It will be a very long time before it comes back. We may bid again, but we've had our magnificent moment so the IOC will always bare that in mind.

I can'r wait to see Lady Gaga tomorrow with Sophie, She puts on such a show, If you've never been I really suggest that you do because not only is her music amazing her shows aren't typical routines to songs and the occasional special version or whatever, she goes all out and it's almost like you're at a film set. Es muy impresionante.

Im Back, I Never Left

Now, I know I said I was moving my blogs over to Tumblr, but then it dawned on me. Why fix something that is not broken?

So here we are!

Yesterday, last night.. I met up with someone who at the time I would consider someone I used to be friends with. It had been a year since we last spoke properly. It's been a long time and since then we've both evolved and I thought he had evolved further away and didn't care anymore.

Little to my knowledge that he really missed me and didn't want this situation to go on much longer than I did. So after 2 hours of talking we finally hugged it out and decided to put it behind us and try to get back to where we were. I have to say it's a huge relief knowing there is much less negativity in my life now. It's good to have you back, and to solidify this we are, along with the rest of our class getting drunky drunky tonight.

At work it's the first day of our Autumn campaign, and I would say it's our biggest yet. The colours are so inviting and warm, the new packaging makes you WANT to buy it so much MORE and the new drinks, i'm sure they'll all be a hit! Im at a good place with work, I feel passionate about what I do and love to educate people about it. We've even launched Tassimo pods and gave our retail coffee a face lift. 

The Olympics? Well the best thing i've ever done without a question. Performing in front of thousands, watched by billions? Gave me goosebumps! The best stage i'll ever perform on! The atmosphere? The whole thing was the best place in the world for you to be, there wasn't a care in the world, the purple army made the games & I am so so proud to have been a part of that. Words do struggle to convey the true emotion of how I feel. It's even made me consider getting a tattoo! Something I would not have even considered before hand. The Nay-Sayers? They can't be human if they couldn't embrace the overwhelming positive energy circulating London and the UK, or want to be a part of something so happy, something which we can all come together in and just have fun. So it was amazing yeah?! Of course It was, my pins, notebook full of message from fellow cast members, my Games Maker uniform, pictures, soundtrack to the ceremony which still gives me goosebumps and reinstates my exact feelings of that night. 27.7.12 <3 

We Have A New Home

Ladies and gentlemen, it has been a pleasure posting to you using blogger. 


In keeping with the times I have now decided to move all my blog posts to tumblr!


It is much more user friendly and easier on the eye! Annoyingly because the two are competitors I don't think I am able to transfer my current entries over to tumblr, which is very annoying considering I've only just reached 100 entries! 


I will keep this account until I can find a way to save all my current entries, from this day forward I will be posting to the new site. 


http://www.tumblr.com/blog/itsliamjay 


You can now find me at the above web address.


It's been lovely posting to everyone on here I will continue.. I'm just modernising


love to all! 

Re-Start

Dear me, it's been far too long since I wrote, I've been so swamped with Games Maker and recovering from my high of performing on Friday; still hasn't worn off.  I will talk about Friday later, let's start with Games Maker for now, I've finished my second day yesterday and the two have been very different. Saturday I was at the Stratford Gate, the busiest one doing soft ticket checks making sure people were coming to the right place on the right day. You know, people think that because they have a ticket for gymnastics at the O2, that it means they can come to the park and wonder around. NO, it does not mean that. It's like someone having a ticket for sailing in Weymouth thinking that although the venue is not in the park (let alone London) that they can come and have a butchers. You are wrong people, wrong. Fair enough of you didn't know that the venue wasnt in the park, easy mistake, but what londonder doesn't know that the Excel is is not in the park? Silly sausages. 


Saturday was better, I felt very helpful and useful, but yesterday? Yesterday was not so good, it's was just filled with people really standing by their misjudgement and Ill-thought, one guy was upset because of the whole empty seat thing, yeah it sucks, but don't tell me they could have had people sitting behind the tree in the opening ceremony.. NO, wrong again people! You wouldn't see a thing, you might as well put your hands Infront of your face, hush now silly American man. Today was a bit annoying with all the people moaning about tickets. I was also at the Greenway gate, so quiet, lots of not doing much. But I am enjoying it! 

It's Around The Corner

It's been a rollercoster these last couple of days! I had a dress run yesterday, well a tech run actually and it really made it all so real again! Getting into costume, with hair and make up! The atmosphere is indescribable! Everyone is getting so excited, in a few days we will be on that stage with 80,000 watching us with the added billions watching at home. Can It get bigger than this!? I thought to myself when I did Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace that, this would be the biggest thing in my life, that nothing else could come close to that incredible experience. Then, the Olympics rock up and takes the prime spot as the best thing I've done in my life. So far of course. What could possible top this though? Performing at the Opening Ceremony? Really, what could? I suppose international stardom and success, but that's a long way to go. I was skyping Emma and Hannah tonight, they are seriously nearly as excited as I am! Emma is gutted she is in Greece, I would be too girl! They said this is something that you could always talk about, right into when I'm an old and shrivelling man, I could still brag about it. I will, that's for sure! Ask me, and I will share every detail I have. We will need to sit down. I am loving my costume, especially my wig, I've been told its what my hair would look like if I were to grow it so long, and I very much think that's true! The ceremony itself is very British, when you watch it you will know it's not another Beijing, Danny knew something like that could never be repeated, so the show won't be like that, every aspect of it will have meaning, not just people moving in unison with no story. People who watch in the stadium will see the show of their lives, mum and her friends are very lucky to be seeing a dress run two days before, the last one before the show, there may still be some slight pauses, but I think it will go very smoothly, they will essentially see the ceremony, for FREE!! See, who says being a performer has no perks? So yeah, watch the ceremony and really embrace it for what it is, DO NOT compare it to Beijing simply because they are two different types of ceremonies. The slate has been wiped clean. I also went on a date Stan. He's such a lovely man, well from what today gave me anyway! He's from Bulagria, lived in Cyprus and now is in the UK. Great body, talks a lot, and that was ok because what he was saying was interesting, what I said felt a bit small talkish, but it went well. We sat on the grass listening to music and just enjoying the sunny day. Very nice, will see him again tomorrow, I don't know what it will turn into, but I'd live to have him as a friend at least. Well my birthday is also soon, what would I like? I've no idea!! But when I come home, I'm going straight to a cousins wedding reception, so I will be swarmed by my family asking me all sorts, there will be so much to tell! It will be a great night! Well this is me for the night, I smell a BBQ, I really want one!! I shall be typing to you soon, tomorrow is a dress run in front of a audience, im going to fall over with hype.

Cross the Fingers

So I am back in London and the day wasn't as long as it was meant to be. Tonsillitis still rages on inside me, what a time for me to feel unwell?! I can't believe it! I'm trying to kick this pig I really am, go away for goodness sake!! Our green room is in Eton Manor, the other side of the park, half hour to the other side! So much walking its unbelievable. I'm also having the same trouble I always have when I perform away from home: eating. I lost 2lbs in then initial days I was here, now it doesn't sound like much in that space of time, but when your BMI is right on the Underweight/ Ok line, I can't afford to loose any at all. Also because I am skinny I notice when I loose weight, so alarm bells rang. I've eaten a good amount today, just need to keep it up and tons of water. So I'm feeling 6/10, which is borderline lunatic all things considering. Not good no sireey. Night bloggies.