The First Decade of the 21st Century (oo-rah?)
Okay, late to the party. But I went back a read a couple of people's memes on The Last Decade: How Was It? And I just sort of had to do it.
2000: Graduated 8th grade after suffering through a horrible production of Hello, Dolly! (I was Minnie Fay, the most pointless character to ever be given an exposition monologue in a musical). Forever subjected my friend naivepegasus to random creepy Facebook wall posts by the girl I made him ask to slowdance during the 8th grade dance. Got into high school, was chorus member in our production of Applause the musical. It was awful, but I met youngcurmudgeon, so all is forgiven. Had a math teacher who thought calculators should be named, who forever destroyed my enjoyment of his subject. Got cast in an adult production of A Little Night Music. Found out through that cast of 20-50 somethings that I was what people called "precocious". Joined speech team and found that I sincerely rocked at Radio Speaking. Got a wonderful puppy! Missed Halloween for the first time in my life. Got even more obsessed with Farscape (and The Invisible Man).
2001: Performed Rose's Turn for my audition for Gypsy, just to prove I could. It astounded but didn't change the fact that I was a freshman. Wore atrocious costumes as a Hollywood Blond, but perfected my Ethel Merman impression. Watched my good friend since 3rd grade get into drugs and other dangerous things. Started growing apart from her. Realized that phabala86 and I made a pretty fantastic comedic duo during our mad scramble to put together a Humorous Duet Acting piece for Speech Team regionals. Assistant directed Anything Goes. Got mad crazy into Harry Potter. Read Lord of the Rings and saw Fellowship in the theater about 18 times. On September 11th, tried to make out a long, fuzzy announcement over the intercom as I changed for gym class. Watched footage of falling buildings all day. Was cast as a very old woman in The Cripple of Inishmaan, had the time of my life doing the show (Erin go bragh... ya feck).
2002: Got to wear a fantastic 40s dress for a bit part in Mame. Lost my nerve at Radio Speaking somehow, started doing Verse on Speech Team. Died my hair red for the first time with phabala86 for our sooper edgy Dramatic Duet piece on red-headed lesbians for Speech Team. Kept dying it red because it was fun. Did a project on the chemistry of Star Trek with youngcurmudgeon. Did not care if the teacher missed the point. Had a World History teacher with a sword. Did a junior thesis (in sophmore year, don't ask) on Star Wars as a modern myth. Tried to ignore my continuing ankle problems, even though walking in heels for How To Succeed In Business for a two-line role was really not worth the time. Did a hilarious production of Arms and the Man with my favorite director. Was Frodo for Halloween. phabala86 and youngcurmudgeon and guavapaste were Sam, Merry and Pippin.
2003: Heard through the grapevine that my choir teacher (who didn't even like me) said that I was the only person in our giant high school who could sing Sally Bowles. Was not surprised that I didn't get the part. Finally did Humorous Interpretation on Speech Team and went back to comedy duets with phabala86. Had a blast. Had an AP American History teacher who though it was totally okay to let me take the AP test when I had mono. Predictably fucked up test. Cried over the death of Sirius Black. Watched in fury as Farscape was canceled with the words "To Be Continued..." on the screen. Couldn't say no to Little Shop of Horrors (my favorite musical) and auditioned even though I knew I wouldn't get the part. Got the part and played Audrey opposite a poor little freshman Seymour who was terrified to kiss me. Stage Managed the most hilarious production of View From The Bridge you ever saw. Applied to Sarah Lawrence College upon realizing that Joseph Campbell had taught there. Played Little Red Riding Hood in an adult production of Into The Woods. My mother played the Wicked Stepmother. It was a party. Went to see Return of the King with my dad at midnight. Dealt with general teenage drama and growing pains.
2004: Played Hattie in Kiss Me, Kate. Was told that me making out with a gay guy was "hot". Should have made it to the Speech Team State Competition with the killer piece phababla86 and I had that year (apparently two girls are never as funny as two boys or a boy and a girl). Decided that physics really wasn't important to have on my transcript and dropped it for Anthropology, yays. Directed a piece that was selected for Illinois High School Theatre Festival. Had one of the only interracial casts there. Did a production of The Food Chain, which was probably not so appropriate for high school students, but we didn't care. Decided to go to Sarah Lawrence. Graduated high school and entered college. Was terrified of having a roommate and also of not having any friends. Found within a few hours that roommate and I were eerily alike. Decided it was awesome having a roommate. Kept in touch with old friends. Finally saw Farscape completed. Taught children at the local elementary school how to read. Stayed up all night to find out the true results of the election. Cried with classmates the next day.
2005: Did a long paper on the love triangle between Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot. Read Viking poetry, talked about homosocial (and erotic) themes in Song of Roland, picked apart Dante. Determined that I would end up in the 8th Circle of Hell. Saw Fiddler of the Roof instead of going to the Coming Out Dance and getting mono (and my stomach pumped) like the rest of the school. Discovered a love for stage combat. Used it to teach a class for a summer theater program I worked at. Realized that Harry Potter would be over soon. Kept my roommate for the next year. Watched Battlestar Galactica. Started taking one of the best art history classes in the world. Got into a cabaret class and sang all day. Learned what my own voice really sounded like. Realized that I needed to travel abroad if the roommate was going to be in Paris next year. Knew that England was a only real choice (not due to language, but to love). Took a very uncomfortable anthropology seminar class that covered the top topics never to be discussed with Sarah Lawrence students: sexuality, gender and racism.
2006: Got into the study abroad program at University of Bristol. Sang rockabilly blues, rock and Disney in the cabaret performance, and was told that I simply had to become a rock star by age 26 (... better get on that, I think). Got to do a wonderful stage adaptation of 8 Women, made friends and sang Love Is A Battlefield on a table. Worked on campus in the summer, telling dumb people how to use gym equipment. Suffered through an ungodly heatwave with no air conditioning. Snorted rum up my nose on my 20th birthday. Moved to England. Was struck with flu at a most inopportune time. Learned to drink, starting with cider and strangely moving onto to Cabernet Sauvignon. Took classes on Englishness and Ancient Egypt. Saw King Arthur's grave and climbed up to the Glastonbury Tor. Got really into RPing. Spent Christmas in London with parents, went into a hash shop in Amsterdam, spent New Years with family and roommate in Paris. Kissed French policemen and Italian tourists on New Years and drank far too much champagne.
2007: Decided University of Bristol was not the best school. Was incredibly lonely and did not take care of myself. Had the worse Celtic history professor (worst professor, period) I had ever come into contact with. Was too scared to try out for any theater. Spent my spring break traveling with a friend and then the roommate: Turkey, Germany, Greece and Italy. Most amazing month of my life. Would not have changed any of it for the world, despite aforementioned loneliness. Became obsessed with Doctor Who. Went on an archaeological dig at Berkeley Castle. Made instant wonderful friends (one who I must have known in a past life, we got on so well), and wondered why I couldn't have been having that much fun when I first got to the damn country. Went home, decided I was old enough to start hitting the gym and taking very good care of myself. Was an Azkaban guard for our town's Harry Potter celebration. Started senior year with same old roommate. Was asked to perform 8 Women in the city. Wrote my first song.
2008: Wrote, wrote, wrote fiction, sang, sang, sang songs. Continued performing 8 Women in the city. As a result, was hit by the Plague of Death. Still managed to graduate in spite of the inconvenience. Fell in love with roommate. Was lucky enough for it to be mutual. Moved to California with roommate. Tried to be a film PA. Realized that it was the worst job in the world. Took part in a very important election. Spent the first Christmas ever away from family. Did soulless office jobs. Was fired for the very first time.
2009: Ran from LA with roommate. Came home to the east coat and reconnected with wonderful friends. Learned how to be a bartender. Became a bartender. Waffled on purpose in life and generally panicked about What Comes Now? Got roommate to apply to grad school, since it won't cost her anything and she's sure as hell good enough. Got laid off by asshole managers who were very immature. Missed RPing liek whoa. Got very tired of all the well-meaning advice people give out. Sat down to watch the first part of the Tenth Doctor's final story. Decided that next year could only be better.
Gosh, that sort of ended on a low note. Well, all the sad stuff doesn't really matter. I have Kelsey. In the end, that's a lot more important than the rest of it.
And in other news, more internet screwage. This is getting ridiculous.
2000: Graduated 8th grade after suffering through a horrible production of Hello, Dolly! (I was Minnie Fay, the most pointless character to ever be given an exposition monologue in a musical). Forever subjected my friend naivepegasus to random creepy Facebook wall posts by the girl I made him ask to slowdance during the 8th grade dance. Got into high school, was chorus member in our production of Applause the musical. It was awful, but I met youngcurmudgeon, so all is forgiven. Had a math teacher who thought calculators should be named, who forever destroyed my enjoyment of his subject. Got cast in an adult production of A Little Night Music. Found out through that cast of 20-50 somethings that I was what people called "precocious". Joined speech team and found that I sincerely rocked at Radio Speaking. Got a wonderful puppy! Missed Halloween for the first time in my life. Got even more obsessed with Farscape (and The Invisible Man).
2001: Performed Rose's Turn for my audition for Gypsy, just to prove I could. It astounded but didn't change the fact that I was a freshman. Wore atrocious costumes as a Hollywood Blond, but perfected my Ethel Merman impression. Watched my good friend since 3rd grade get into drugs and other dangerous things. Started growing apart from her. Realized that phabala86 and I made a pretty fantastic comedic duo during our mad scramble to put together a Humorous Duet Acting piece for Speech Team regionals. Assistant directed Anything Goes. Got mad crazy into Harry Potter. Read Lord of the Rings and saw Fellowship in the theater about 18 times. On September 11th, tried to make out a long, fuzzy announcement over the intercom as I changed for gym class. Watched footage of falling buildings all day. Was cast as a very old woman in The Cripple of Inishmaan, had the time of my life doing the show (Erin go bragh... ya feck).
2002: Got to wear a fantastic 40s dress for a bit part in Mame. Lost my nerve at Radio Speaking somehow, started doing Verse on Speech Team. Died my hair red for the first time with phabala86 for our sooper edgy Dramatic Duet piece on red-headed lesbians for Speech Team. Kept dying it red because it was fun. Did a project on the chemistry of Star Trek with youngcurmudgeon. Did not care if the teacher missed the point. Had a World History teacher with a sword. Did a junior thesis (in sophmore year, don't ask) on Star Wars as a modern myth. Tried to ignore my continuing ankle problems, even though walking in heels for How To Succeed In Business for a two-line role was really not worth the time. Did a hilarious production of Arms and the Man with my favorite director. Was Frodo for Halloween. phabala86 and youngcurmudgeon and guavapaste were Sam, Merry and Pippin.
2003: Heard through the grapevine that my choir teacher (who didn't even like me) said that I was the only person in our giant high school who could sing Sally Bowles. Was not surprised that I didn't get the part. Finally did Humorous Interpretation on Speech Team and went back to comedy duets with phabala86. Had a blast. Had an AP American History teacher who though it was totally okay to let me take the AP test when I had mono. Predictably fucked up test. Cried over the death of Sirius Black. Watched in fury as Farscape was canceled with the words "To Be Continued..." on the screen. Couldn't say no to Little Shop of Horrors (my favorite musical) and auditioned even though I knew I wouldn't get the part. Got the part and played Audrey opposite a poor little freshman Seymour who was terrified to kiss me. Stage Managed the most hilarious production of View From The Bridge you ever saw. Applied to Sarah Lawrence College upon realizing that Joseph Campbell had taught there. Played Little Red Riding Hood in an adult production of Into The Woods. My mother played the Wicked Stepmother. It was a party. Went to see Return of the King with my dad at midnight. Dealt with general teenage drama and growing pains.
2004: Played Hattie in Kiss Me, Kate. Was told that me making out with a gay guy was "hot". Should have made it to the Speech Team State Competition with the killer piece phababla86 and I had that year (apparently two girls are never as funny as two boys or a boy and a girl). Decided that physics really wasn't important to have on my transcript and dropped it for Anthropology, yays. Directed a piece that was selected for Illinois High School Theatre Festival. Had one of the only interracial casts there. Did a production of The Food Chain, which was probably not so appropriate for high school students, but we didn't care. Decided to go to Sarah Lawrence. Graduated high school and entered college. Was terrified of having a roommate and also of not having any friends. Found within a few hours that roommate and I were eerily alike. Decided it was awesome having a roommate. Kept in touch with old friends. Finally saw Farscape completed. Taught children at the local elementary school how to read. Stayed up all night to find out the true results of the election. Cried with classmates the next day.
2005: Did a long paper on the love triangle between Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot. Read Viking poetry, talked about homosocial (and erotic) themes in Song of Roland, picked apart Dante. Determined that I would end up in the 8th Circle of Hell. Saw Fiddler of the Roof instead of going to the Coming Out Dance and getting mono (and my stomach pumped) like the rest of the school. Discovered a love for stage combat. Used it to teach a class for a summer theater program I worked at. Realized that Harry Potter would be over soon. Kept my roommate for the next year. Watched Battlestar Galactica. Started taking one of the best art history classes in the world. Got into a cabaret class and sang all day. Learned what my own voice really sounded like. Realized that I needed to travel abroad if the roommate was going to be in Paris next year. Knew that England was a only real choice (not due to language, but to love). Took a very uncomfortable anthropology seminar class that covered the top topics never to be discussed with Sarah Lawrence students: sexuality, gender and racism.
2006: Got into the study abroad program at University of Bristol. Sang rockabilly blues, rock and Disney in the cabaret performance, and was told that I simply had to become a rock star by age 26 (... better get on that, I think). Got to do a wonderful stage adaptation of 8 Women, made friends and sang Love Is A Battlefield on a table. Worked on campus in the summer, telling dumb people how to use gym equipment. Suffered through an ungodly heatwave with no air conditioning. Snorted rum up my nose on my 20th birthday. Moved to England. Was struck with flu at a most inopportune time. Learned to drink, starting with cider and strangely moving onto to Cabernet Sauvignon. Took classes on Englishness and Ancient Egypt. Saw King Arthur's grave and climbed up to the Glastonbury Tor. Got really into RPing. Spent Christmas in London with parents, went into a hash shop in Amsterdam, spent New Years with family and roommate in Paris. Kissed French policemen and Italian tourists on New Years and drank far too much champagne.
2007: Decided University of Bristol was not the best school. Was incredibly lonely and did not take care of myself. Had the worse Celtic history professor (worst professor, period) I had ever come into contact with. Was too scared to try out for any theater. Spent my spring break traveling with a friend and then the roommate: Turkey, Germany, Greece and Italy. Most amazing month of my life. Would not have changed any of it for the world, despite aforementioned loneliness. Became obsessed with Doctor Who. Went on an archaeological dig at Berkeley Castle. Made instant wonderful friends (one who I must have known in a past life, we got on so well), and wondered why I couldn't have been having that much fun when I first got to the damn country. Went home, decided I was old enough to start hitting the gym and taking very good care of myself. Was an Azkaban guard for our town's Harry Potter celebration. Started senior year with same old roommate. Was asked to perform 8 Women in the city. Wrote my first song.
2008: Wrote, wrote, wrote fiction, sang, sang, sang songs. Continued performing 8 Women in the city. As a result, was hit by the Plague of Death. Still managed to graduate in spite of the inconvenience. Fell in love with roommate. Was lucky enough for it to be mutual. Moved to California with roommate. Tried to be a film PA. Realized that it was the worst job in the world. Took part in a very important election. Spent the first Christmas ever away from family. Did soulless office jobs. Was fired for the very first time.
2009: Ran from LA with roommate. Came home to the east coat and reconnected with wonderful friends. Learned how to be a bartender. Became a bartender. Waffled on purpose in life and generally panicked about What Comes Now? Got roommate to apply to grad school, since it won't cost her anything and she's sure as hell good enough. Got laid off by asshole managers who were very immature. Missed RPing liek whoa. Got very tired of all the well-meaning advice people give out. Sat down to watch the first part of the Tenth Doctor's final story. Decided that next year could only be better.
Gosh, that sort of ended on a low note. Well, all the sad stuff doesn't really matter. I have Kelsey. In the end, that's a lot more important than the rest of it.
And in other news, more internet screwage. This is getting ridiculous.