Sunday, April 17, 2011

The rabbit and the tornado.

Well, the play is over! All three shows went extremely well. I was a little nervous after the less-than-perfect dress rehearsal but certain boys finally remembered their lines which helped greatly. We had excellent audiences too which is always mahvelous.
Here is a picture of me onstage in all my rabbit glory! (I look concerned because I am undoubtedly worrying what important date I am late for. :P)



You can't really see my pants but they were white, fluffy, and oh so warm. Combined with my long sleeve shirt, vest, coat, and hood I was an exceptionally overheated bunny. I'm pretty sure I sweated my own weight in water this weekend. Also, I couldn't itch my nose because of the face paint. Funny how my nose never felt itchy till the paint was applied... o_O


After the last show (which was yesterday), I experienced a disconcerting thing for the first time; a lockdown because of a tornado warning. First, let me assure you, there was no tornado, just conditions conducive for forming one.

The show had been over for a while so there were only a couple of audience members left. We were all in the midst of striking (theater talk for taking down the sets, loading props &c.) when we were gathered, told the news, and filed into a couple of rooms that had no windows to the outside. Most of the kids were in one room and the adults mainly in another (for no particular reason.)
Maybe everyone just hid their fear well, but the general atmosphere in the room I was in was lighthearted with a possible slight tinge of annoyance at the inconvenience. I could tell, though, by their stiff demeanor and the tight line of their lips, that some were more freaked out than others. One of the cast member's little sister would sporadically and inquisitively ask if we were going to die as she sought laps to sit on.
At first, I had a stone of apprehension lying at the bottom of my stomach but was relatively fine after a few minutes. I mainly regretted that I hadn't grabbed my book (and my friend obsessed the whole time that she hadn't grabbed her Cheez-its!) But I was with my best friend (who is almost always calm) and the aforementioned friend so it was good and we sat, laughing and chatting. We were about to start singing to see how many people would join in when someone came to say it was safe to leave.
Overall it only lasted 20 minutes or so, I think. I wasn't near a clock. But no tornado formed and the warning ended - thank God. And I don't think it was even an issue on the side of town I live in.

In less exciting news, I have started cleaning my room! I've only made a small dent in Mt. Chaos since I am still exhausted. But I am happily re-acquainting myself with my carpet.
While cleaning, I found an old writing folder which contains a story I started writing when I was around 13 1/2. I meant to finish it but never did. Currently it has four parts (which sounds very grand but it only equals six handwritten pages). Originally it was a random story I started telling my two little brothers one day and they urged me to write it down. Reading it again, I laugh at what a quirky little girl I was and how much it reeks of Lewis Carroll who I can tell was a major influence. I want to complete the story but it is so imaginative and random I am afraid I will ruin it. Most of it I don't even remember writing. But, we shall see.

So, yes. That was my uncharacteristically significant weekend. How was yours? :)

14 comments:

  1. My weekend was, well, charactaristically insignificant as it mostly involved a lot of procrastination, going to work, not doing homework, reading. And of course, my usual Sunday-night marathon of delegated homework. More than four hours tonight--the usual. I'm still not done. Though I did shop for prom shoes today which is a first...
    We had a tornado lockdown at school near the beginning of the year. I was one of the ones who was only annoyed by the inconvenience, but I seem to recall that I had the foresight to bring my sketchbook with me, so it wasn't a complete loss.
    You look quite dashing in your rabbit costume--no, that was not an intentional pun--I'm glad it went well.
    Good luck with Mt. Chaos!

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  2. It was so lovely catching up on your writing. I act too and am so glad to hear your show went well.
    I paticuliarly loved your poem about the petals, and your story. The first being very reflective and lovely. The latter light-hearted and funny.
    Thanks for always being able to take my mind off the world.

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  3. My weekend was much more boring than yours :) Reading on animal behaviour and watching birds. And I'm glad that you didn't encounter a tornado!
    Isn't it wonderful to find writing that you don't even remember to have written! I should read more of my old writings, they are certainly treasures.
    <3

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  4. Sounds wonderful.
    Well done for making a start on your room. Starting is always the hardest.
    My weekend was spent at home, chilling in the sun :)
    I always find old pieces of writing cringe worthy! Maybe you should just leave it as an unfinished work? Special that way :)
    xxxx

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  5. Jenica: I've never been prom shoe shopping either! Though I imagine it's as tortuous as regular shoe-shopping. ;)
    Ah, see! You're smart.
    Hehe, thank you! And the dent in Mt. Chaos is growing deeper. *strikes a conquering pose*

    Lilah: I am glad to see you around again, dear! I didn't know you acted too. :) Oh, thank you so much. I am happy that my little words can offer some respite from the world. <3

    Nikita: =D

    E: Sounds like a lovely way to spend time to me! I much prefer anticlimactic weekends. Thanks - I am glad as well!
    Yes, I do love finding forgotten writings! They are treasures, indeed. In my case, they are somewhat buried treasures, heh. <3

    Heather: I could not agree more; starting is the highest hurdle to jump over.
    Mmm, I wish my weekend had been more like that! I'm an incorrigible homebody. :)
    Well, there are plenty of my old cringe-worthy writings lying around as well. I've considered leaving it unfinished but I don't know... something about it is so plaintively begging me for more story and a proper ending.

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  6. Glad you're safe! :)
    I know what you mean about feeling a little reluctant to work on a story you wrote awhile ago. I say, go for it, if you feel inspired and save the original.

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  7. Ahh that tornado warning sounds terrifying! That kind of thing doesn't happen in the UK, I'd freak out. Well done on staying so calm! :) xx

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  8. Jade: Thanks, dear! Me too. :)
    Thanks for the advice! Hm, I am seriously considering just going for it!

    holly and the wolves: It was rather at first, since I never thought I'd be doing that sort of thing where I live! I'm sure you would have been fine as well. Being surrounded by calm people helps. :)

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  9. I loved The History of Love, but it was very confusing in parts I have to admit.
    It's the first book that I have ever underlined my favourite passages in. It was difficult to draw the first line, but it got easier after that :)
    It sure sounds like you had an uncharacteristically significant weekend! I've never had to worry about a hurricane warning, it makes me wonder how I'd react if we got one.
    Congratulations on finishing the shows :)

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  10. Oh how cute!!! you made a cute rabbit, Melee! i really wish i was there to cheer for you :) (okay, maybe you don't need me to do that, but i will if i could anyways!)

    my weekend was just another boring weekend. i'm so glad yours was interesting :)

    take care, dear!

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  11. P.s. I am Me: Have you ever read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer? If you liked The History of Love you might like that too. I need to try reading The History of Love again. I think I was trying to read it at a busy time in my life and I didn't feel I could give it the proper concentration or something.
    Ooh, I know what you mean! I recently wrote in a book for the first time. But that's a story for another day... :)
    I hope you never have to find out, haha!
    Thank you. :)


    haze: Hehe, thank you! I would have loved to have you cheering me on in the audience. =D
    I'm hoping this next weekend is boring - I'm not sure I could handle another interesting one! ;)
    <3

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  12. Ahhh, the picture of you as the White Rabbits is so cool! Thank you for posting it! The costume looks so beautiful!

    We get tornado warnings from time to time, but most of us ignore it unless the warning is enforced in a school setting. Why ignore it? FL doesn't get tornadoes. Oh, we have hurricanes like all the time during the summer, but tornadoes? No way. The funny thing about warnings is that nothing usually happens. Maybe an ugly rainstorm. But not much. I smiled when I read the part about you longing for your book; I tend to forget important things when there's a fire drill or evacuation of some kind. Drives me nuts :)

    BTW, I foolishly started another story on Figment that is inspired by Alice in Wonderland. I say foolish because it'll make my goal of finishing Birdcage Girl this summer a bit harder, haha. There is no White Rabbit in my story, per se, but he serves a unique role. The story is called "The Rabbit Guard." Please take a peak when you have the time:

    http://figment.com/books/67656-The-Rabbit-Guard

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  13. Thank you! It was an awesome costume - I loved it! I just wish it hadn't been so warm... hehe.

    Yeah, we usually have watches but nothing ever comes of those. We don't really get tornadoes either. Just heavy rain and wind.

    I totally know what you mean about foolishly starting stories. I do that too often, hehe.
    That sounds really cool! I will definitely be sure to check that out, especially since I love your stories. :)

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Silhouettes of a secret. A story told over a cuppa. Or perhaps just sitting on that stone bench, basking in the moonlight... and not saying anything at all.


("I can no other answer make but thanks, and thanks, and ever thanks." -Shakespeare, Twelfth Night)