The Fine Line Between the Imaginative and the Insane

Image courtesy of Lancaster Schools

Welcome to the world of THEE-AH-TAH. Ok Natalie, no need to be overdramatic. Theatre, an art form, form of expression, and expression of imagination. It can also be the fine line between the imaginative and the insane.

Actors are always just a touch crazy. Isn't everyone though? We just choose to show it a little bit more.....okay, a lot more! The stage is a way to slip out of your skin and into someone else's. I'm here to explain just why I love acting so very much.

First of all, character. Everyone has insecurities and everyone has flaws that only they see. I'm no different. Yet when I'm a character, I don't have to be me. I know it sounds a little weird right now, but give me a second. When you are developing a new character, YOU get to create them. YOU get to write their backstory, YOU get to shape their personality, and YOU get to shape them. You have no choice in who you are, but you do have a choice in who your character is. You just don't have to be you for a little while, and that's fun.

Image courtesy of Scholastic

Secondly, expression. In the real world, people expect you to conform to certain social standards. Let me just say it, THAT STINKS. If you do something out of the ordinary in life, you are classified as weird. If you start experimenting with a script or a character on the stage though, you can really do whatever. If you skip on stage instead of walk, that's innovative. If you make your lines very overdramatic, you are creative. There's just this sense that you can pop the bubble and explore without people judging what you do.

Theatre is something you use to take yourself away from your reality and put yourself into someone else's life. It's a cool and exciting way to recognize the normal, the status quo, and then break it.

My Little Bro

C.J. showing off some of his artwork.

As some of you may know, I have a little brother. His name is Christopher James, or C.J. for short. He is eleven years old, and he has Down syndrome. Down syndrome is an affliction where someone has an extra chromosome. This results in a bit of a slower learning pace and a little slower development. It may be thought of as a disability, but I've never really thought of it in that way. Having C.J. as my little brother has actually been incredible in so many ways.

Image courtesy of Calm Down Gifts

Here's a little background on him. He's had eleven surgeries. Yes, you read it right, eleven. One on his heart, one on his tonsils, and nine on his ears. He is a trooper! He always bonds with the nurses and doctors and is way more brave than I could ever be.

At his first surgery.

A later surgery.

He went to the PC CoOp for preschool, to McPolin for first through fourth grade, to Trailside for fifth, and now he's at Ecker! I still can't believe he's in middle school. He's growing up too fast! He knows everyone in his grade, and whenever I see someone from school I'm usually asked, "Wait, are you C.J.'s sister?" I'm very proud to say yes every time. He's hilarious, crazy, and always happy. No matter if it's Monday morning getting ready for school, leaving for a trip at five in the morning, or at dinner, he's always super excited.

One thing a lot of people have asked me is, "Is it hard living with a special needs brother?" It really isn't. It's way more of a blessing than a curse. Even if I'm having the worst day of my life, he can make me laugh. If I have something wrong he will put all of his troubles aside to help me. He is an amazing role model to me. He's shown me how to laugh so hard I can't breath, to dance even when people are staring, how to dream the biggest possible, and especially how to live every day to the fullest. C.J. is an incredible kid who will never stop loving anyone, no matter what they do. I love you C.J.!!!!

My Happily Ever After

Image courtesy of SFist

Fairy tales usually start with, "Once upon a time..." and end with, "And they lived happily every after." Sadly, in this world, it isn't that easy. You can just lose a shoe or have your evil stepmother send you out into the woods. I also find it unfortunate that their are no fairy godmothers. A blog called The Happily Ever After Project is about a woman finding her happily ever after, one step at a time. It has helped me realize that maybe my happily ever after doesn't have to include riding of into the sunset on the back of Prince Charming's horse. Maybe it can just be anything that makes me happy. After all, this is MY happily ever after.

Step One: Get into a good college.
This is where my nerdiness just explodes. *boom* *pow* *pew* My dream college is Stanford. It has a beautiful campus, amazing professors, and is just awesome in general. For my undergrad I would probably major in biology, and then I would go through medical school to become a family and general pediatrician. I love kids and science and it would be an amazing profession!

Step Two: Graduate.
Assuming that I actually make it through the years and years of medical school without being crushed by stress, teachers, and my fellow students,

Image courtesy of Toonsup

I will graduate. If I start college when I am 18 then I will graduate at about twenty-six years of age (wow, I'll be old). After this I have to do about three years of scrambling for internships where I can gain more knowledge and the credibility to actually be a full-fledged pediatrician.

Step Three: Find that special someone.
ALERT ALERT EXTREME TEENAGE GIRLINESS AHEAD, ALL SHOULD BE WARNED
Now we get into the stuff about, you guessed it, boys *cue tiny girlish screams*. After all of this work, I will want to settle down. I don't know who, where, when, or why it will be, but I hope I will be the happiest possible. I definitely want kids, two at least. I really wouldn't only want to have one child, having siblings is actually not all bad. I should know, I have a little brother and little sister. If you can get past the constant torment of their very existence, you can realize that life could be a little boring without them.

Step Four: Live to a ripe old age.
Now I shall live up to my goal of skydiving at age one-hundred. Let's go!

I hope you enjoyed this little walk through my happily ever after.

Locks of Love

Some people still haven't seen my new haircut, so I thought I would tell you about it here. I got it on July 6th and I donated 11 inches of my VERY long hair to an organization called "Locks of Love." It is an organization where people donate their hair to make wigs for kids with cancer who need them. You need to donate at least 10 inches, but I promise it isn't as long as you think it will be. It was my third time doing it, and I think it's a great thing to do. So, if you have the hair, please think about donating!