.....

So I have a lot of half-written blog posts saved up in my "Edit Posts" section that I have yet to complete and have yet to post. Therefore I shall be spending what little time I have left before going off to University completing these posts and posting them. Although they may have happened months ago, and may no longer be relevent, I will post them anyway.
-Emily

An experience to remember...

For the past three weeks I have been in London doing a summer course at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (a.k.a. RADA) and it has been the best experience of my life. I know I will treasure these last three weeks for the rest of my life.

The first week was all about Shakespeare. We spent the week focusing on 'Twelfth Night' but we also had classes in all kinds of things. We had special focus on sonnets, period dancing, scene classes and even stage combat classes. The multitude of classes was so much work but at the same time it felt like I was in full time Drama school which was an amazing precursor to University.

The second week focused on contemporary plays. We spent the week focusing on a contemporary play in which we each had a role and we worked towards a final performance at the end of the week. We also had special classes in delivering monologues.

The third week focused on devising theater. We spent the week putting together a piece based on a story about a man who's dog ate his toe while he was asleep. The entire process was hilarious as we had a lot of dogs and owners thrown into the mix. After a week of devising, we finally had a piece to show at the end of the week including the girl playing the dog eating a chocolate finger out of the sock of the girl playing the owner.

Although the experience was so involved with the classes, one of the best things about my time at RADA was the people. Spending that much time with some wonderful people showed me how amazing University will be in September. I can't wait to live with a random set of people!

Things you might find around Vienna

I took a stroll in this wonderful city of mine and as I took various turns on various corners I found little things and took pictures of them.

Pancakes and Sleepovers

A few weeks ago I happened to randomly sleep over at a friend's house. Onlookers (mainly my other friends) thought it was weird because this friend is in grade 9 (freshman) and I was in grade 12 (senior) and it kind of made me realize how much snap judgments can affect our lives.
This friend, although 4 years younger than me, is a great friend and is a lot of fun. Plus it was nice to be hanging out with someone who wasn't pre-occupied with the IB and stressing about final exams. For once this year I got to act like a kid again and have some actual fun.
Anywho, in the morning we made pancakes from scratch without a recipe and although not using a recipe can be dangerous at times, they were AMAZING!
So basically the moral of the story is the tale that has stood the test of time and has become a complete cliché "don't judge a book by its cover".

What am I going to do now?

After 14 years at a school where I have been bred for the IB that I did in the final 2 years I am finally finished. It's over. Done.
I can't even believe that the last 2 years of crazy horrible work finally came down to 3 weeks of exams and now that they are over I have no idea what I'm going to do. I have spent almost my entire life at school and now I'm free.
I don't know what to say...I'm speechless.

Pinocchio and the Spider

Now that I am on my way to the end of the dreaded IB as my last exam is on Tuesday morning, I have been thinking about things to do afterwards. On my list of a million things, my first and the one I'm most excited about is the play I am planning on starting called "Pinocchio and the Spider". I was walking through Vienna and I saw a really cute statue of a Pinocchio type boy sitting on a chair with a spider hanging from his nose. A friend of mine then turned to me and said "Hey, you know what would be a great name for a novel or a play or something? Pinocchio and the Spider". So I put it on my list to write a play called "Pinocchio and the Spider". Usually people start with a character or a story line or something similar but I like this title so much that I'm starting from it rather than from anything else. Whether I will actually carry out this goal or not is still questionable but I'm pretty sure I'll at least attempt it. As will be the case with all the other things on my list. Woot!

The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.

Ellen Parr once said "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." which is exactly what led me, during one of my final Ecosystems classes ever, to build a statue made up of the entire contents of the pencil case belonging to the girl who sits next to me.

So I began with a foundation of pens of the same type lined up and equally spaced and then proceeded to systematically build up the statue in a sort of pyramid shape, using smaller and smaller pens as I reached the top. I then finished it off with a highlighter protruding from the top of the pyramid with a layer of small items (such as an eraser, a USB stick etc.) so that the highlighter would not fall over.
See what you can accomplish when you’re bored and curious.

What would you like? Studying with a side of "Chatch 22" please miss

When you've spent all day studying for a big whamo philosophy exam that is to take place in less than 24 hours, the perfect cure is a touch of Josef Heller. To go from pouring over Descartes' Meditations and delving into the infinite realms of meta-ethics the life and times of Yossarian and the boys seems a welcomed relief.

Now some would say that Catch 22 is not exactly a relaxing read what with all the names and descriptions of countless characters. However, I would say to these people that it has significant upsides to it when compared to the musings of Nietzsche.

I would also say that my head is about ready to explode or melt or something to that effect as there is no room left and I fear that the more I try to cram inside it, the more leaks out of my ears (a disgusting image I know but that is what it has come to).

I just know that my final goal is ROYAL HOLLOWAY!! and so I have decided that I can live with my brain ceasing to exist right in front of me as long as I can get there.

p.s. if you are one of the unfortunate people in the world who happen to be doing the IB. I feel your pain and I wish you the best of luck.

The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination.

Ward Elliot Hour once said "The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination." I love winter. It's the most beautiful season in my opinion. However, a few weeks ago, I took a walk with a good friend of mine as the snow first started to melt, marking the beginning of spring. I like the changing of the seasons. I even like the smell of spring. I suppose spring would be my second favorite season as it is still cool and of course you get the beautiful flowers starting to pop out of the ground and the trees start to get leaves and bloom again.

I love the calm that sets over and the silence you get during a mid morning stroll across the back fields of Austria. You can see various small field animals such as mice and hares running and jumping across the fields. You might even see some large pheasants wobbling around in the grass looking for bugs.

I also love the fact that there seem to benches spread across every walking path in Austria where people can sit and have a picnic or lie with their hair dangling off the side of the table. And of course one cannot forget the strange looking huts that are held up off the ground by large poles which seem to have no other use than to bear graffiti and the odd bird watcher.

Basically I just wanted to express the feeling of fresh winter-spring air and the smell of melting snow. The sun isn't too bad either. It's definitely a pretty picture.

DRAMA SCHOOL!!

So, I have been accepted to a Summer School program at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (a.k.a. RADA) in London and I am so excited! I have been involved in theatre my entire life, acting, writing and directing. In this course I am going to be able to experience what drama school is really like. It's going to be tough but I can't wait. We are even going to be able to learn about stage combat which I find extremely interesting. Anyway, I just wanted to show my excitement and so I put a countdown clock in the sidebar, counting down the days, hours, minutes and even seconds until I arrive in LONDON!!

There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good

Edwin Denby once said "There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good." and I would have to agree with him. Dancing isn't about knowing how to dance, it's about getting out there, having fun and looking like a complete idiot. Unfortunately traditional "Ballroom" dancing doesn't allow for an inexperienced hand (or should I say foot) as the Viennese Waltz is not something you can wing but rather must be learned and studied to perfection. It is almost as amazing to watch as it is to do yourself.

I had the fortune to be a part of the annual IAEA Staff Association Ball which was held in the most amazing palace in Vienna called the Hoffburg. There were rooms for every possible music style and of course the whole affair was completed by a disco for us younglings.
The ball started in typical fashion with several performances including one by an oriental percussion group who were very talented and interesting to watch. We danced the night away and before I knew it, it was 3 A.M. and therefore time to leave.
I loved every minute of it and I would definitely do it again.

shopping, starbucks, shopping again, chinese food, starbucks again, drinks and finally a movie

On Tuesday I had an eventful day out with my sister. We left the house at around 12:45 and spent the entire day on Mariahilferstrasse (the largest shopping street in Vienna). Basically we were trying to kill time before 8:00 P.M. when a thing called "Sneak Preview" - where you go and watch a movie without previously knowing which movie you are watching - was scheduled to start. So after entering and buying something from the third H&M on the street my sister and I decided to take a break and visit the Starbucks located towards the bottom of the seemingly never-ending street. After ordering a caramel macchiato and something unbelievably chocolaty we went over to sit in the window and waste as much time as we possibly could. Of course when two girls are faced with a window, Starbucks coffee and a constant supply of hot and not so hot guys walking past, the first thing that pops into our head to do is to rate those who just happen to walk by.

So half an hour past quite seamlessly and we had seen several 10's as well as quite a few 1's so we decided to proceed with rating outfits instead of looks. Let me tell you, there were many unbelievable fashion atrocities but of course there were many exceedingly exceptional outfits. Once we had finished we went out again for a little more shopping before dinner. After some more carefully planned time wasting, we decided to go out for dinner and we settled on a much loved fast-food Japanese place called Akakiko. We ate until our bellies were full and then scuttled out and onwards towards the cinema. On the way we stopped one last time at another Starbucks for another round of caramel macchiatos and then we finally made it to the cinema.

We were early of course so we decided to have a drink at a bar around the corner before actually entering the cinema. Then finally we finished our drinks and sat ourselves down in a large cinema anticipating what the movie we were about to watch was doing to be. Then as the African music started and we heard people playing rugby, we squealed with excitement as we knew that we were about to watch Invictus which I must say is one of the best movies I have ever seen in my entire life. The day ended with a bang and was truly worth it.

Skiing combines outdoor fun with knocking down trees with your face.

Dave Barry once said "skiing combines outdoor fun with knocking down trees with your face" which is exactly how I spent my day on Monday (the knocking down trees with your face part). Although I spent the day falling on my ass because I was snowboarding, I had a lot of fun. I have always felt that part of the entire alpine experience is the awful "Schihütte Music" you hear at lunch and even passing by the huts on the slopes. It's just so bad that it becomes good and you actually end up liking it, at least I do. Then you have the food and beverages that are typical of Austrian ski huts. From Bernerwürstel to Schiwasser to a huge plate of fries to Glüwein (basically warm wine with some cinnamon added), everything you find is both tasty and filling - the perfect combination for some energy before you go out on the slopes again.
So anyway, back to the beginning. We started the day at 6:45 A.M. (god that's early) driving to the train station. Then after a two hour train ride we finally arrived in a tiny little train station in the middle of nowhere, covered with snow. Now I suppose even though we shouldn't have, we lied at the ticket office and said that I was 16 because the ski passes were so much cheaper that way. Then after a few hours of skiing and snowboarding, we stopped for lunch and dinned off of a typical menu - as I have already outlined above- and then set out for another couple of runs down the slopes. Then after a second break - during which I had a Glüwein and there was a mixture of coffees and hot chocolate also present on the table- and a few more runs we went back down to the bottom of the mountain and got on the train to go home. Of course the day then ended with a beer on the train and us recounting the funniest falls of the day.

coffee, chicken nuggets and a pile of work

When you have a bucket load of work to do the smartest thing is to find a place you can work without interruption where there is an ample supply of coffee and maybe some yummy pastries. Now this sounds like a typical coffee house in Vienna somewhere so the last place you would ever expect to find me is McDonalds. However, that is where I happened to find myself today on a Sunday afternoon although this one did in fact have a McCafe which has the aforementioned amenities (Coffee and Pastries).
So there I was, sitting in McDonalds with my little sister: books, pens, a laptop and coffee cups strewn across the table and later on a box of chicken nuggets. Of course, sitting there with my sister, I didn't do any work and instead we spent about two hours chatting and gossiping (as usual).

Now the reason we happened to find ourselves in McDonalds is because my father is part of a group of people who lay out trails at different places in and around Vienna for everyone to follow at a run. So while my father was out running, my sister and I found the only place that was open where we could "work" and instead I decided to people watch.

We chose a table by the window and so I had a perfect view of people coming and going at around 3 in the afternoon on a Sunday. As I sat there I saw a whole host of different people eating, getting coffee, driving by etc. From the couple who entered and got a couple of coffee's and two little chocolate covered chocolate pieces of cake to go, to the - shall I say - large woman and her son who entered and then left with a bag of food; from the two guys seemingly trying to get over a very strong hangover with some food, to the tiny blonde with her yappy little dog who left with a happy meal, I saw them all come and go. All in all I would say I had a pretty interesting day that was well worth it and I hope to repeat it - perhaps in a different situation next time - as I like to see people walk by. Of course I should have been working but I think most would agree with me that my complete waste of time was far more fruitful. Anyway, tomorrow I am off to the slopes and I haven't been snowboarding in two years so it should be fun for people to watch me fall a lot.

From the start it has been the theatre's business to entertain people ... it needs no other passport than fun.

Bertold Brecht, one of the greatest theatre practitioners of all time, once said "From the start it has been the theatre's business to entertain people ... it needs no other passport than fun." I have been involved in theatre for as far back as I can remember and the reason is because I have so much passion for it because it is the most fun I have ever had.

One of the aspects of theatre - without which a performance would not be possible - is lighting. The downside of being obsessed with theatre is of course that I am the only student in my school who is able to understand how to work the new lighting board. In the past few weeks I have lit three different performances and although it is very hard work, I LOVE it!

You see in my school, all the students in Theatre Arts have to do a final performance which they write and direct so I was asked to do the lighting for three different performances. Anyway, I just wanted to say a little something about lighting and show a few pictures from my journeys. Enjoy.

Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.

Steven Wright once said that "Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time." If you ask me that is one of the best quotes I've ever heard in my entire life. It is simple yet true and beautiful in its own right. The sad thing is that with modern inventions of cars, airplanes, bicycles and public transport no-one ever walks anywhere anymore. Now I suppose that isn't entirely true because there is the odd person who rejects the conventions of modern society and instead enjoys walking for no particular reason at all other than to simply walk.

I suppose that is what brought me to walk up and down the entire length of the longest shopping street in Vienna (also known as Mariahilferstrasse), an occurrence I am embarrassed to say I have never experienced before. I suppose like many others I have never really had the chance to do so but I must say it is well worth it.

So there I was, Friday the 5th of February 8:56am looking for a ball gown for the following day, and I just happened to take a wrong turn when leaving the subway station. I ended up walking up towards the top of the street when I meant to walk towards the bottom. I hadn't realized that in Vienna, even on the biggest shopping street, most shops don't open until at least 9:30 and so I decided to continue on my journey partially in order to waste time but also just to see what was actually at the top. What I found was a typical scene of cars rushing past and buildings all around but in the distance I spotted a pretty little church called the "Maria vom Siege" Church, tucked in between two typically Austrian buildings with its own little courtyard. For some reason it made me smile and I felt that my journey had been worthwhile.

Then as I began my decent back down the street towards the famous "Peek and Cloppenburg" in order to find a dress (last minute of course), I happened upon a dress shop called "Joppich" which look perfectly well stocked and definitely less expensive than Peek and Cloppenburg where I would expect to pay over 200 Euros for a decent dress. Imagine my luck when I look over and right there on the rack is the most amazing dress I have ever seen staring me right in the face. It was the last one left and it was my size, the only question now was would it actually fit me because you never know. Clearly someone in charge likes me because the dress fit and it only cost 99 Euros which is much less than I expected to pay.

So my work was done. I had found a dress, I already had shoes, a bag, a necklace and earrings to match and so I decided to walk all the way down the street to Museums Quatier. On the way I saw a charming bicycle which I half intended to steal (although not really, it was just a fleeting thought) of which there is a picture below.

If I hadn't walked all the way to the top of Mariahilferstrasse, then I never would have found that amazing dress and I wouldn't have finally seen the top of the street and I also wouldn't have seen that awesome pink bicycle. Basically, I just wanted to say that good things can come from walking and people should definitely do it more often.