So, we had our first Thanksgiving away from home, and it wasn't the traumatic experience Jen was expecting. She spent part of Wednesday night, and most of Thursday morning preparing a traditional Thanksgiving meal, and it was tasty! We had turkey, dressing(they call it stuffing up here), giblet gravy, broccoli rice casserole, green bean casserole, deviled eggs, sweet potatoes, rolls, and a pumpkin pie, and lots and lots of leftovers! We stayed in our pjs all day, and it was really nice! Jen went back to work Friday, so she didn't have much of a vacation. Eric was out of school all week, and got some work done. He also watched the entire Band of Brothers Series that a friend lended him. Maggie also had a good week, as she got to spend more time with Eric than usual, and less time in her crate.
We also got out of town for a day the weekend before Thanksgiving. We had a friend that needed a ride to the airport in Moline(about an hour and a half away), so we gladly drove her up there for a chance to get out of Macomb for a day!! We ended up watching two movies(our movie theater is really old and only has two screens, this one had 14!), including the new James Bond movie and Twilight(Jen liked it, Eric, not so much). We also went to the mall, but didn't buy anything, and ate at Denny's(I know it doesn't sound like much, but we don't have many chain restaurants around here)!
Our first snow hit on Saturday night! It was really pretty Sunday morning when we woke up, and it just kept snowing. It snowed all day and night on Sunday, and by Monday morning we had about 4 inches. Maggie liked the snow on Saturday, but by Monday morning, she had had enough! She doesn't like it, and she won't go out to use the bathroom. She hides in her crate when you even open the door and she sees the white! So we dug her a hole in the snow, and we carry her to it to do her business. It worked, and she goes very quickly so she can get back into the warm house! We both like the snow, and it is much different than the snow in Texas. Jen is a bit worried about when it gets "too cold" to snow though. By this morning, most of the snow had melted, except for some in the back yard. But this afternoon, it started up again, and it is back to how it was on Monday. So I guess this is winter.....
We still can't wait to see everyone, and it is less than 3 weeks before we will be home!! We are so excited!! Be sure to email or comment on here when you will be around, as we want to see as many people as we can while we are home!! Of course, there is a bit of bad news. Maggie won't be coming home with us for this trip. We are going to have to keep her at a vet here kenneled for the time we are gone, as Southwest no longer allows animals to fly. We are sad that she can't come with us, but she will be okay.
Love,
Eric, Jen and Maggie
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
It's Been Awhile!
We are so sorry it has been so long since we have checked in with everyone. We have been pretty busy the last month, so we will fill you in on some of the things we have been up to!
School:
Eric is still working hard in all of his classes, and reading tons of plays! Jen is learning a lot too, as everytime Eric starts talking about a play, she decides she wants to read it(well, not every one, but most of them!). We have also attended most of the productions put on by the school this semester. One of the other first year students directed Closer, and we really enjoyed it. Eric will post another blog later filling you in more on school and the plays.
Work:
Although Jen really likes the babies, she is not enjoying her job. It doesn't pay well, and the management isn't that great. But she is still on the hunt, and looking for new jobs and keeping her eyes open, so everyone keep her in your thoughts!
Fun:
So Macomb has corn, lots of corn! And every fall they set up a corn maze in one of the corn fields. So Jen decided it would be fun for us to go through the maze at night(most of them are during the day, but they have one nighttime one). We actually had a lot of fun! It wasn't super cold, but it had rained that day so it was a little slippery. We thought we were doing good, but we ended up coming out the same entrance we went in. So even though we didn't make it all the way through the maze, we were in there for 45 minutes, and definitely had our fill!!! Halloween night we went to a party, and we dressed up in our Scottish Costumes. Eric had a kilt from when he went to Scotland, and Jen bought a cheesy Scottish dress off the internet. The party was fun, and everyone had great costumes! We also took a trip with all of the first years to Chicago to see Eurydice at the Victory Gardens Theatre. It was a great show, and a fun road trip with friends. Eric's professor, egla also joined us. It was quite a long day, but a fun one!
Well, we hope everyone is doing well, and we can't wait to come home to visit!! See everyone soon! Be sure and let us know what everyone's plans are for Christmas because we want to try and visit everyone!!!
Love and miss ya,
Jen, Eric, and Maggie
School:
Eric is still working hard in all of his classes, and reading tons of plays! Jen is learning a lot too, as everytime Eric starts talking about a play, she decides she wants to read it(well, not every one, but most of them!). We have also attended most of the productions put on by the school this semester. One of the other first year students directed Closer, and we really enjoyed it. Eric will post another blog later filling you in more on school and the plays.
Work:
Although Jen really likes the babies, she is not enjoying her job. It doesn't pay well, and the management isn't that great. But she is still on the hunt, and looking for new jobs and keeping her eyes open, so everyone keep her in your thoughts!
Fun:
So Macomb has corn, lots of corn! And every fall they set up a corn maze in one of the corn fields. So Jen decided it would be fun for us to go through the maze at night(most of them are during the day, but they have one nighttime one). We actually had a lot of fun! It wasn't super cold, but it had rained that day so it was a little slippery. We thought we were doing good, but we ended up coming out the same entrance we went in. So even though we didn't make it all the way through the maze, we were in there for 45 minutes, and definitely had our fill!!! Halloween night we went to a party, and we dressed up in our Scottish Costumes. Eric had a kilt from when he went to Scotland, and Jen bought a cheesy Scottish dress off the internet. The party was fun, and everyone had great costumes! We also took a trip with all of the first years to Chicago to see Eurydice at the Victory Gardens Theatre. It was a great show, and a fun road trip with friends. Eric's professor, egla also joined us. It was quite a long day, but a fun one!
Well, we hope everyone is doing well, and we can't wait to come home to visit!! See everyone soon! Be sure and let us know what everyone's plans are for Christmas because we want to try and visit everyone!!!
Love and miss ya,
Jen, Eric, and Maggie
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Healthy and Happy
School
So Eric is still trucking away with all of his assignments. Jen drops him off at school every morning, and he comes home around 8:30 or 9 every night. He is a busy guy, and is learning so much. Jen helped him learn some scenes for his score class, and she enjoys listening about things that he learns about in his classes. His professor, DC, who he knew before from Dueling Arts, has been out of town until this Monday. Eric was so excited for him to come back, and we are hoping to get together with him and his family soon.
Jen is still looking into the Sociology Program with the University, and hopes to talk with someone soon about the program and qualifications.
Work
Jen is still having a great time playing with the babies(she would like it more if they didn't poop so much), and likes the people she works with. Although this isn't the exact job she thought she would have when we got here(or the exact income she was expecting), it is good for now. They are super flexible with hours, and if you need a day off. Jen put in her application at WIU to see about getting a position there as well. They hire many people in all of the offices as secretaries, and they get full benefits. She will meet with an interviewer on October 13, and take an exam to see what positions she qualifies for. So cross your fingers!!!
Other News
Eric and Jen have both been working out at the student rec center. They both like the treadclimber(you get super sweaty and burn major calories on that thing), and Jen has taken an interest in the classes offered. So far she tried a 15 minute ab class. She thought that she could handle something that was only 15 minutes, but was she ever wrong. Those people are crazy. She's never done so many crunches in her life(let alone in 15 minutes). She also took a step and sculpt class. It is an hour long class with 35 minutes on the step, and 20 minutes of sculpting(crunches, lifting, etc.). Her absolute favorite class so far though: Bellydancing. She doesn't seem to do a single move right, but it is super fun and a great workout. She finds herself dancing around the apartment at times, and can't wait to go back to class. Unfortunately, it is only offered on Thursdays.....so something to look forward to each week!!
Jen is also missing home a bit. While she loves it here, she just found out that her best friend, Brooke, is pregnant and due in January. She and Brooke have known each other since elementary school, and she never thought she would be this far away when any of her best friends were going through such an amazing time! She will get to see Brooke big and pregnant when we come home for Christmas, but won't see the baby for several months after s/he arrives! Weekly pictures and videos will have to be sent our way!!! Sarah is also having a little get together, and while it's not such a big deal if Jen was 45 minutes away, it is sad to know she can't just run over there for a few minutes. Sorry, Sarah, that I am going to miss Roxy's(the dog) birthday party!
Maggie also has some news. Because of Jen's allergies(and her sneezing and hacking), we decided to get Maggie a "big girl bed." Last night consisted of Eric and Jen yelling at Maggie every 30 minutes to get out of their bed, and get back in hers. Hopefully she will get the hang of it. She seemed to like it, but she likes to cuddle next to us, so we will let ya'll know how it turns out!
Jen is also looking into things to keep her busy. She is looking at joining an organization or volunteering with the Chamber of Commerce on upcoming events they are planning. We will keep you posted!
Hope everyone is doing well. We love getting emails, comments, letters, or a phone call! Christmas is only a few months away, and we can't wait to see everyone!! It looks like we will be home December 22-January3, so we want to try and visit everyone of course!!
We will post another update soon! So stay tuned!
Love,
Jen, Eric and Maggie
So Eric is still trucking away with all of his assignments. Jen drops him off at school every morning, and he comes home around 8:30 or 9 every night. He is a busy guy, and is learning so much. Jen helped him learn some scenes for his score class, and she enjoys listening about things that he learns about in his classes. His professor, DC, who he knew before from Dueling Arts, has been out of town until this Monday. Eric was so excited for him to come back, and we are hoping to get together with him and his family soon.
Jen is still looking into the Sociology Program with the University, and hopes to talk with someone soon about the program and qualifications.
Work
Jen is still having a great time playing with the babies(she would like it more if they didn't poop so much), and likes the people she works with. Although this isn't the exact job she thought she would have when we got here(or the exact income she was expecting), it is good for now. They are super flexible with hours, and if you need a day off. Jen put in her application at WIU to see about getting a position there as well. They hire many people in all of the offices as secretaries, and they get full benefits. She will meet with an interviewer on October 13, and take an exam to see what positions she qualifies for. So cross your fingers!!!
Other News
Eric and Jen have both been working out at the student rec center. They both like the treadclimber(you get super sweaty and burn major calories on that thing), and Jen has taken an interest in the classes offered. So far she tried a 15 minute ab class. She thought that she could handle something that was only 15 minutes, but was she ever wrong. Those people are crazy. She's never done so many crunches in her life(let alone in 15 minutes). She also took a step and sculpt class. It is an hour long class with 35 minutes on the step, and 20 minutes of sculpting(crunches, lifting, etc.). Her absolute favorite class so far though: Bellydancing. She doesn't seem to do a single move right, but it is super fun and a great workout. She finds herself dancing around the apartment at times, and can't wait to go back to class. Unfortunately, it is only offered on Thursdays.....so something to look forward to each week!!
Jen is also missing home a bit. While she loves it here, she just found out that her best friend, Brooke, is pregnant and due in January. She and Brooke have known each other since elementary school, and she never thought she would be this far away when any of her best friends were going through such an amazing time! She will get to see Brooke big and pregnant when we come home for Christmas, but won't see the baby for several months after s/he arrives! Weekly pictures and videos will have to be sent our way!!! Sarah is also having a little get together, and while it's not such a big deal if Jen was 45 minutes away, it is sad to know she can't just run over there for a few minutes. Sorry, Sarah, that I am going to miss Roxy's(the dog) birthday party!
Maggie also has some news. Because of Jen's allergies(and her sneezing and hacking), we decided to get Maggie a "big girl bed." Last night consisted of Eric and Jen yelling at Maggie every 30 minutes to get out of their bed, and get back in hers. Hopefully she will get the hang of it. She seemed to like it, but she likes to cuddle next to us, so we will let ya'll know how it turns out!
Jen is also looking into things to keep her busy. She is looking at joining an organization or volunteering with the Chamber of Commerce on upcoming events they are planning. We will keep you posted!
Hope everyone is doing well. We love getting emails, comments, letters, or a phone call! Christmas is only a few months away, and we can't wait to see everyone!! It looks like we will be home December 22-January3, so we want to try and visit everyone of course!!
We will post another update soon! So stay tuned!
Love,
Jen, Eric and Maggie
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Busy, Busy, Busy!!!
School
Just finished my second week. I've got a couple of projects in my Analysis class due soon, so I am hard at work on those. We start discussion on "The Cherry Orchard" by Anton Chekov tomorrow in Analysis, as well.
After studio auditions, I still did not get cast in anything, but the Director of the first mainstage show, "Women's Minyan", approached me on Friday to perform a vocal role in her show. The play's cast is all women except for a male voice at the beginning of the first and second acts, so....that's me! I was a bit bummed at not getting cast in any other shows( and to an extent I still feel like the department was just throwing me a bone ). That's not say that I'm very grateful and pleased to be a part of "Women's Minyan", though. I think it is an important cultural show. Actually, since it is a smaller part, I'll have more time to spend on my school work. I did talk with a few of the directors and got some feedback on my callbacks. I'm glad I did too, because they have given me a couple of specific things I can work on for the next round of auditions for next semester. Namely, exploring the extremes of roles to show the directors that I can go there.
I will possibly have the opportunity to do some choreography work too. The head of the acting program sent my info to a director at a smaller college in nearby Jacksonville( about an hour away). They need someone to come down and choreograph a fight for a production they're doing. If it works out, it will be a paying gig, but I'm working out some of the details before I commit to the project.
My other classes are going well, but still lots of reading to do. I'm excited about learning so much, and getting the chance to throw around ideas with my classmates. Speaking of which, I don't believe I've introduced them yet. There are five actors, including myself, three directors, and one designer in our first year class. Of the actors, Rick and Nicole are from the Milwaukee area, Chad is from a little town south of Joliet, Illinois, and Caitlyn is from Freedonia, New York. The three directors include Craig and Zach, I can't remember where they're from, and Sandra who is from Chihuahua, Mexico. Cindy is the designer, but we only have Analysis with her, so I haven't really had a chance find out much about her. Cindy is the oldest, in her late thirties - early forties, but then I'm the second oldest. Craig is 26 or 27, I'm not sure how old Zach is, but I think he is around my age, then the other actors are only 22 or 23. Some interesting dynamics in any case, and certainly a fun group.
Work
Jen is doing alright at work. She had to miss a couple of days at the end of the week, because she wasn't feeling well again. Any time one of the teachers gets ill, they immediatley get sent home. Her boss and co-workers have told her that it might take a while for her to build up a tolerance to some of the "bugs" the kids pass around at the daycare. Of course, this has become a bit of a frustration, but we're doing what we can for both of us to stay healthy.
Actually, Jen was able to get a membership to the recreational center on campus and we have started working out. Jen has "taken the bull by the horns" and is also going to get a fitness test, and attend some of the free classes they give in the evenings and on the weekend. Eric, of course, meets up with her when he can, but is also starting to work out during the day. The rec. center has great machines called Treadclimbers that burn almost twice the calories as a regular treadmill, in the same amount of time. We're really excited about getting fit and losing the weight.
Jen has also started looking into getting involved with events in the community, and is finding some things she might volunteer for. Again, Macomb is a really small town, so Jen is scrounging for things to keep her busy. Some fun possibilities, though, and we'll keep you posted.
In Other News
The annual Macomb Balloon Festival was this weekend. We got to see some of the hot air balloons take off from a field next to campus on Friday, but unfortunately flights were grounded Saturday afternoon and evening due to approaching weather. We'll look forward to the next festival, though, and hopefully post some great pics.
Oh, and there was a funny thing we saw. There is a show on MTV called "Busted" that's kinda like COPS, but for college kids. We had heard from Chad that he saw a member of the show's crew earlier that day around campus. We dismissed it, though, thinking that they wouldn't come out to Macomb, Illinois. However, we were heading home Saturday night from dinner and decided to cruise down the party strip next to campus to checkout what was going on. WIU is a party school( if you're an undergraduate ) and there are parties going on almost every night around campus. We like to cruise from time to time to be entertained. Anyway, we were getting toward the end of the strip when we saw that a cop had pulled someone over. As we got closer to the vehicles we saw there was a cameraman filming a guy the police had cuffed, sitting on the curb. "Busted" in Macomb!! Needless to say, we got a good laugh out of that.
More to come next week, so stay tuned!!
Just finished my second week. I've got a couple of projects in my Analysis class due soon, so I am hard at work on those. We start discussion on "The Cherry Orchard" by Anton Chekov tomorrow in Analysis, as well.
After studio auditions, I still did not get cast in anything, but the Director of the first mainstage show, "Women's Minyan", approached me on Friday to perform a vocal role in her show. The play's cast is all women except for a male voice at the beginning of the first and second acts, so....that's me! I was a bit bummed at not getting cast in any other shows( and to an extent I still feel like the department was just throwing me a bone ). That's not say that I'm very grateful and pleased to be a part of "Women's Minyan", though. I think it is an important cultural show. Actually, since it is a smaller part, I'll have more time to spend on my school work. I did talk with a few of the directors and got some feedback on my callbacks. I'm glad I did too, because they have given me a couple of specific things I can work on for the next round of auditions for next semester. Namely, exploring the extremes of roles to show the directors that I can go there.
I will possibly have the opportunity to do some choreography work too. The head of the acting program sent my info to a director at a smaller college in nearby Jacksonville( about an hour away). They need someone to come down and choreograph a fight for a production they're doing. If it works out, it will be a paying gig, but I'm working out some of the details before I commit to the project.
My other classes are going well, but still lots of reading to do. I'm excited about learning so much, and getting the chance to throw around ideas with my classmates. Speaking of which, I don't believe I've introduced them yet. There are five actors, including myself, three directors, and one designer in our first year class. Of the actors, Rick and Nicole are from the Milwaukee area, Chad is from a little town south of Joliet, Illinois, and Caitlyn is from Freedonia, New York. The three directors include Craig and Zach, I can't remember where they're from, and Sandra who is from Chihuahua, Mexico. Cindy is the designer, but we only have Analysis with her, so I haven't really had a chance find out much about her. Cindy is the oldest, in her late thirties - early forties, but then I'm the second oldest. Craig is 26 or 27, I'm not sure how old Zach is, but I think he is around my age, then the other actors are only 22 or 23. Some interesting dynamics in any case, and certainly a fun group.
Work
Jen is doing alright at work. She had to miss a couple of days at the end of the week, because she wasn't feeling well again. Any time one of the teachers gets ill, they immediatley get sent home. Her boss and co-workers have told her that it might take a while for her to build up a tolerance to some of the "bugs" the kids pass around at the daycare. Of course, this has become a bit of a frustration, but we're doing what we can for both of us to stay healthy.
Actually, Jen was able to get a membership to the recreational center on campus and we have started working out. Jen has "taken the bull by the horns" and is also going to get a fitness test, and attend some of the free classes they give in the evenings and on the weekend. Eric, of course, meets up with her when he can, but is also starting to work out during the day. The rec. center has great machines called Treadclimbers that burn almost twice the calories as a regular treadmill, in the same amount of time. We're really excited about getting fit and losing the weight.
Jen has also started looking into getting involved with events in the community, and is finding some things she might volunteer for. Again, Macomb is a really small town, so Jen is scrounging for things to keep her busy. Some fun possibilities, though, and we'll keep you posted.
In Other News
The annual Macomb Balloon Festival was this weekend. We got to see some of the hot air balloons take off from a field next to campus on Friday, but unfortunately flights were grounded Saturday afternoon and evening due to approaching weather. We'll look forward to the next festival, though, and hopefully post some great pics.
Oh, and there was a funny thing we saw. There is a show on MTV called "Busted" that's kinda like COPS, but for college kids. We had heard from Chad that he saw a member of the show's crew earlier that day around campus. We dismissed it, though, thinking that they wouldn't come out to Macomb, Illinois. However, we were heading home Saturday night from dinner and decided to cruise down the party strip next to campus to checkout what was going on. WIU is a party school( if you're an undergraduate ) and there are parties going on almost every night around campus. We like to cruise from time to time to be entertained. Anyway, we were getting toward the end of the strip when we saw that a cop had pulled someone over. As we got closer to the vehicles we saw there was a cameraman filming a guy the police had cuffed, sitting on the curb. "Busted" in Macomb!! Needless to say, we got a good laugh out of that.
More to come next week, so stay tuned!!
Monday, September 1, 2008
This Is What I Wanted....
Okay, so its the end of my first week in school, and boy did we hit the ground running! After sitting through an actually quite enjoyable orientation on Friday, the other first years and I met Saturday to attempt the MFA exam. The test was comprised of nine questions, all essay, requiring an in depth, analytical response to nine different plays. Needless to say our attempts at answering any of the questions was feeble at best. Not to worry though, as mentioned before it was more a chance for us to see what the test was going to be like than an actual attempt at taking it. Then, we met later that day and performed our audition monologues for the head of the acting program and received critiques. Sunday, we met at the head of the directing program's house with the other grad students, faculty, and staff to meet and mingle. Jen and I, and the other first years showed up at the same time, but unfortunately for us, that was 30 minutes after the party started. Of course, we were teased about this for the rest of the evening.
On Monday, classes kicked off. Here's what I am taking: a Movement class that centers on warm up activities, games, and relaxation techniques, an Analysis class which focuses on complete analysis of plays as a whole, a Voice class looking at basic vocal exercises and relaxation techniques, and a Score class that focuses on the complete analysis of individual characters of plays and different acting techniques. In addition, I'm also assistant teaching the Unarmed Stage Combat class. Both the Analysis and Score classes will be constituting the bulk of the work that I will be doing this semester. Both classes incorporate several analysis projects, reports, and presentations. This program has been described as a more academic program, which I am worried, but also excited about. I'm worried because most of the training I have done has been more practical, and some of the lower grades that I have received in the past have been due to the lack of self discipline in getting the work done. That being said, I am excited about the work laid before me because of the challenge it presents. I am continually reinforcing the attitude that when I am presented with an assignment, I don't think of it as something I have to do, but something I get and want to do. One of my teachers made the point that the faculty here are training my classmates and I to become their colleagues. Therefore, they are obviously going to push us to become professionals worthy of that distinction. I appreciated that because of course this is my passion, and I was inspired to achieve not only the degree, but more importantly, the knowledge and experience. Of course, I hope I can still count on all of you to help me stay motivated.
Auditions went okay this week. I got callbacks for two of the mainstage shows, but did not get cast. Auditions for the studio shows, which are shows that the directing grad students present, will be tomorrow night, though. There are seven or eight studio shows being staged this semester, so, I still have an opportunity to be cast in one of those. Of course, given the class load I'm kind of embracing the less is more mind set when it come to how much work I take on.
Also in the News!!
Jen is still doing well at her new job. She likes the work, loves the babies, but is still keeping an eye out for something that has a little better pay rate. She is actually starting to look into her grad program, and taking note of deadlines for applications and possible financial aid. I think she is leaning toward the sociology program now, instead of elementary education. While at work the other day, she covered for one of the teachers in a class with five year olds and it kinda freaked her out. She's still doing research, though, so we'll see what she settles on. Jen has also begun delving into the family cook book and trying out some recipes. She made sour cream enchiladas for dinner one night that were excellent, and she baked a couple of buttermilk pies. We had the other first years over this evening and they all had second helpings of the pie. Way to go Jen!!
We had the Graduate/ Undergraduate softball game today. They have the game once a semester. Major bragging rights at stake. It was pretty intense. The Grads all got personalized jerseys and had practice before the game. Eric had a couple of hits including a base hit and a deep fly to left field that almost went the distance for what would have been a three run homer, but was caught. He also got to play catcher for a while and did well as he helped the team get out of three innings with one strike out and only allowing one run to score. Of course, Jen and Maggie were in attendance cheering Eric, the first years, and the other Grads on. Unfortunately, after having won two previous games in a row, the Grads lost to the undergrads 6-1. Oh well, we'll get 'em next semester.
We are continuing to find our daily routine since classes have started, and looking into other ways of getting involved in the community. Eric has two of his Analysis projects due soon,
a minor/personal analysis of "The Misanthrope", by Moliere, and a Major/researched analysis on "Othello". We are also scheduling time to work out and attend various fitness classes offered at the campus recreation facilities. Hopefully, by the time we come home for Christmas we will be lean and mean. As always, we're looking forward to hearing from you all.
Love,
Jen, Eric, and Maggie
On Monday, classes kicked off. Here's what I am taking: a Movement class that centers on warm up activities, games, and relaxation techniques, an Analysis class which focuses on complete analysis of plays as a whole, a Voice class looking at basic vocal exercises and relaxation techniques, and a Score class that focuses on the complete analysis of individual characters of plays and different acting techniques. In addition, I'm also assistant teaching the Unarmed Stage Combat class. Both the Analysis and Score classes will be constituting the bulk of the work that I will be doing this semester. Both classes incorporate several analysis projects, reports, and presentations. This program has been described as a more academic program, which I am worried, but also excited about. I'm worried because most of the training I have done has been more practical, and some of the lower grades that I have received in the past have been due to the lack of self discipline in getting the work done. That being said, I am excited about the work laid before me because of the challenge it presents. I am continually reinforcing the attitude that when I am presented with an assignment, I don't think of it as something I have to do, but something I get and want to do. One of my teachers made the point that the faculty here are training my classmates and I to become their colleagues. Therefore, they are obviously going to push us to become professionals worthy of that distinction. I appreciated that because of course this is my passion, and I was inspired to achieve not only the degree, but more importantly, the knowledge and experience. Of course, I hope I can still count on all of you to help me stay motivated.
Auditions went okay this week. I got callbacks for two of the mainstage shows, but did not get cast. Auditions for the studio shows, which are shows that the directing grad students present, will be tomorrow night, though. There are seven or eight studio shows being staged this semester, so, I still have an opportunity to be cast in one of those. Of course, given the class load I'm kind of embracing the less is more mind set when it come to how much work I take on.
Also in the News!!
Jen is still doing well at her new job. She likes the work, loves the babies, but is still keeping an eye out for something that has a little better pay rate. She is actually starting to look into her grad program, and taking note of deadlines for applications and possible financial aid. I think she is leaning toward the sociology program now, instead of elementary education. While at work the other day, she covered for one of the teachers in a class with five year olds and it kinda freaked her out. She's still doing research, though, so we'll see what she settles on. Jen has also begun delving into the family cook book and trying out some recipes. She made sour cream enchiladas for dinner one night that were excellent, and she baked a couple of buttermilk pies. We had the other first years over this evening and they all had second helpings of the pie. Way to go Jen!!
We had the Graduate/ Undergraduate softball game today. They have the game once a semester. Major bragging rights at stake. It was pretty intense. The Grads all got personalized jerseys and had practice before the game. Eric had a couple of hits including a base hit and a deep fly to left field that almost went the distance for what would have been a three run homer, but was caught. He also got to play catcher for a while and did well as he helped the team get out of three innings with one strike out and only allowing one run to score. Of course, Jen and Maggie were in attendance cheering Eric, the first years, and the other Grads on. Unfortunately, after having won two previous games in a row, the Grads lost to the undergrads 6-1. Oh well, we'll get 'em next semester.
We are continuing to find our daily routine since classes have started, and looking into other ways of getting involved in the community. Eric has two of his Analysis projects due soon,
a minor/personal analysis of "The Misanthrope", by Moliere, and a Major/researched analysis on "Othello". We are also scheduling time to work out and attend various fitness classes offered at the campus recreation facilities. Hopefully, by the time we come home for Christmas we will be lean and mean. As always, we're looking forward to hearing from you all.
Love,
Jen, Eric, and Maggie
Thursday, August 21, 2008
On the Verge!!!
Okay, so classes start on Monday, but tomorrow is when everything really gets kicked off. Jen and I got a chance to meet my classmates the other night(there are five of us all together), and we made sure that we all had the schedule correct for the weekend. Tomorrow I have orientation from 330p -530p. Saturday the other "first years" and I are going to be taking the MFA Exam at noon. The exam is basically an exit test that all graduate students have to take before they can receive their degrees. However, they like for incoming grad students to take it when they first start so they can get an idea of what the test is going to be like. After the exam, we are all going to meet with the head of the acting program to perform, and work, our audition pieces for the first semester's shows. Sunday, the head of the Directing program is having a party for all the faculty, staff, and grad students. Then, classes start on Monday, of course, and things really start taking off. We have another meeting for all the grad students on Tuesday, where we will all perform our audition pieces again. Then, auditions start on Wednesday and continue through Saturday. So, the next few days should be really exciting as I get to meet and mingle with everyone in the Theatre Department.
I'm a bit anxious about my audition pieces. In the first round of auditions, we get two minutes to perform two contrasting monologues. I have chosen to perform Aaron from "Titus Andronicus" and Benoit Pinglet from "A Little Hotel On the Side". Aaron is definitely a dramatic piece and Pinglet is a comedic monologue. The first semester's shows include "Women's Minyan" by Naomi Reagan, "The Lion in Winter" by James Goldman, "Dearborn Americana" by Christian Krauspe (a recent WIU graduate who won the regional ACTF theatre festival playwriting competition), and a host of studio plays including "Closer" by Patrick Marber(a play that I directed a scene from in one of my undergraduate directing class). Needless to say, there will be lots of shows to see and hopefully take part in, but the focus, of course, will be on classes.
In Other News
Jennifer has started a job at the Catch a Star Learning Center, and is working with babies six weeks to a year old. She works Monday through Friday from 830a to 530p. The school is about two and a half blocks away from our duplex and enrolls kids from babies to five years in preschool. She is enjoying it so far and loves working with the babies. I get a little grossed out, though, when she comes home with her shirt tainted with infant side effects. Actually, Jen has contracted a cold in the last day or so, which I had to blame on the kids(damn carrier monkeys!! - sorry that's one of my catch phrases). Hopefully she will be better in the next couple of days, though. Jen is still going to keep an eye out for other job opportunities while we're here, and we'll see what happens when she starts her grad program next year.
Maggie has adapted to her new home well. We take her for walks around the neighborhood from time to time, and there is a small dog park not too far from the house as well. She's made a handful of friends is always the life of the party. She's still not quite sure what to make of all the sounds at night, though. Macomb is pretty much out in the country, and is surrounded by farms, so we have a lot of insects that Maggie is not used to hearing.
We've also been keeping up with Olympics. Actually we had to take a break tonight, and watch something else. We loved watching the Gymnastics, and were glad to see Shawn Johnson win a gold medal. Of course, the feats of Phelps were awesome to watch, and I caught the exciting beach volleyball match last night. Way to go May and Walsh!! I've been checking in on the Stars' website here and there. Jen and I are still hoping to maybe catch a Blackhawks/Stars game in Chicago, or Blues/Stars game in St. Louis this season, but we'll have to see if the schedules work out. In any case, GO STARS!!!
Stay tuned, though, as there will certainly be more to come.
Love,
Eric & Jen
I'm a bit anxious about my audition pieces. In the first round of auditions, we get two minutes to perform two contrasting monologues. I have chosen to perform Aaron from "Titus Andronicus" and Benoit Pinglet from "A Little Hotel On the Side". Aaron is definitely a dramatic piece and Pinglet is a comedic monologue. The first semester's shows include "Women's Minyan" by Naomi Reagan, "The Lion in Winter" by James Goldman, "Dearborn Americana" by Christian Krauspe (a recent WIU graduate who won the regional ACTF theatre festival playwriting competition), and a host of studio plays including "Closer" by Patrick Marber(a play that I directed a scene from in one of my undergraduate directing class). Needless to say, there will be lots of shows to see and hopefully take part in, but the focus, of course, will be on classes.
In Other News
Jennifer has started a job at the Catch a Star Learning Center, and is working with babies six weeks to a year old. She works Monday through Friday from 830a to 530p. The school is about two and a half blocks away from our duplex and enrolls kids from babies to five years in preschool. She is enjoying it so far and loves working with the babies. I get a little grossed out, though, when she comes home with her shirt tainted with infant side effects. Actually, Jen has contracted a cold in the last day or so, which I had to blame on the kids(damn carrier monkeys!! - sorry that's one of my catch phrases). Hopefully she will be better in the next couple of days, though. Jen is still going to keep an eye out for other job opportunities while we're here, and we'll see what happens when she starts her grad program next year.
Maggie has adapted to her new home well. We take her for walks around the neighborhood from time to time, and there is a small dog park not too far from the house as well. She's made a handful of friends is always the life of the party. She's still not quite sure what to make of all the sounds at night, though. Macomb is pretty much out in the country, and is surrounded by farms, so we have a lot of insects that Maggie is not used to hearing.
We've also been keeping up with Olympics. Actually we had to take a break tonight, and watch something else. We loved watching the Gymnastics, and were glad to see Shawn Johnson win a gold medal. Of course, the feats of Phelps were awesome to watch, and I caught the exciting beach volleyball match last night. Way to go May and Walsh!! I've been checking in on the Stars' website here and there. Jen and I are still hoping to maybe catch a Blackhawks/Stars game in Chicago, or Blues/Stars game in St. Louis this season, but we'll have to see if the schedules work out. In any case, GO STARS!!!
Stay tuned, though, as there will certainly be more to come.
Love,
Eric & Jen
Friday, August 15, 2008
Our First Week in Our New Home
Well we've come to the end of our first week here in Macomb. We are pretty well entrenched, and preparing for our first assault when classes begin. Before we get to that, however, let us acquaint you with the events that occurred this first week.
The Move
We got a little worried about how things were going to start off when we called to confirm reservation with Budget Rental Truck, and found out there was not a single car dolly in the metroplex. We had planned to tow Jen's car behind the moving truck, but apparently it wasn't in the cards. After discussing our options, we decided to leave Jen's car (Jessie) behind, and pick her up when we come home for Christmas. So, this first semester should be interesting, with the use of only one vehicle. Fortunately, Macomb is a pretty small town, and we shouldn't have many problems figuring out our schedule.
Having finished packing up late Tuesday evening, August 5, we got up bright and early(well not so bright) Wednesday morning to begin our 14 hour drive to Illinois. Eric and a "relaxed" Maggie took command of the Budget truck that we named Francis, and Jen followed close behind in Eric's truck (Lucille). Fortunately, because of the early start, we hit very little traffic and made excellent time through Oklahoma. We stopped in Springfield for lunch, and then began the second leg of the trip, which seemed to drag a little bit. On more than one occasion a phone call had to be made to give a quick pep talk, and keep us from dozing off. After passing through Hannibal, MO, and crossing a noticeably high Mississippi river, we began the home stretch. We pulled into Macomb at about 6:30pm, and into the driveway of our new home.
We had to introduce ourselves quickly to one of our new neighbors, a local state trooper, and ask him to move his patrol car from our side of the driveway. Eric strategically backed the rental truck down the narrow and steep driveway, and we introduced Maggie to her new backyard. We unloaded a few items from Lucille, and Eric assembled our bed for the first night. We then quickly went to sleep.
After sleeping in a little bit the next morning, we began unpacking Francis. Not long after starting to unpack the truck, one of our neighbors graciously offered to help us with the heavier pieces of furniture. Ironically, he and his wife are also in law enforcement, as he is a criminal justice major at Spoon River College in town, and she is a correctional officer at a nearby facility. After scouting out the town in May, we saw that crime was not a problem in Macomb. Then after meeting our neighbors, we were reassured that we shouldn't have to worry too much. We finished unpacking mid-afternoon, returned the rental truck, and after returning home ordered the typical first meal: Pizza.
Settling In
The next few days were spent putting everything where it goes, and finding homes for all of our things. We have assembled some furniture that we bought from Ikea, and hung up most of the wall decorations. In addition, we have also done some more exploring of Macomb and the outlying areas. During the summer, Macomb is a relatively sleepy little town, but we have already noticed more activities as classes draw nearer. Population signs of Macomb read a little over 20,000, but we have been told half of those are students. Western Illinois University is the main attraction here, and usually the first question we get when we meet someone new is "Are you going to school at Western?" The town has quaint little neighborhoods, with picturesque vintage homes and gardens. The county courthouse lies in a traditional town square, with shops and restaurants surrounding it. There is a park off the square with a playground and gazebo across from which is the train station that has a regular amtrak train to Chicago. There is a Wal-Mart, but we have also taken the time to visit the other less familiar stores, like the Hy-Vee and the Farm King. Both of these have some decent prices, and useful local necessities.
Work and School
Eric is getting excited and anxious about starting this semester, and is beginning to work on his monologues needed for auditions the first week of classes. Before that, however, Eric will have two to three different meetings with classmates, faculty, and staff to outline the first semester. Eric has been assigned as a graduate assistant to DC Wright for the first semester, and will be helping teach the stage combat class.
Jen has been on the job hunt this week, and has looked a few different options. One is working with the Head Start program in town, and another is working with the school district as a program assistant. The Head Start program, however, turned out to be a part time position, which would not work out. She will be applying for the School District position on Monday, and hopefully that will work out. We will keep you posted on her progress in finding a great job here in Macomb.
For now, we continue to get comfortable and acquainted in our new home. Although we miss our family and friends, we continue to thank you for your love and support. We look forward to seeing you soon, and we will continue to keep you updated as we begin this exciting new chapter!
Love,
Eric, Jen, and Maggie
The Move
We got a little worried about how things were going to start off when we called to confirm reservation with Budget Rental Truck, and found out there was not a single car dolly in the metroplex. We had planned to tow Jen's car behind the moving truck, but apparently it wasn't in the cards. After discussing our options, we decided to leave Jen's car (Jessie) behind, and pick her up when we come home for Christmas. So, this first semester should be interesting, with the use of only one vehicle. Fortunately, Macomb is a pretty small town, and we shouldn't have many problems figuring out our schedule.
Having finished packing up late Tuesday evening, August 5, we got up bright and early(well not so bright) Wednesday morning to begin our 14 hour drive to Illinois. Eric and a "relaxed" Maggie took command of the Budget truck that we named Francis, and Jen followed close behind in Eric's truck (Lucille). Fortunately, because of the early start, we hit very little traffic and made excellent time through Oklahoma. We stopped in Springfield for lunch, and then began the second leg of the trip, which seemed to drag a little bit. On more than one occasion a phone call had to be made to give a quick pep talk, and keep us from dozing off. After passing through Hannibal, MO, and crossing a noticeably high Mississippi river, we began the home stretch. We pulled into Macomb at about 6:30pm, and into the driveway of our new home.
We had to introduce ourselves quickly to one of our new neighbors, a local state trooper, and ask him to move his patrol car from our side of the driveway. Eric strategically backed the rental truck down the narrow and steep driveway, and we introduced Maggie to her new backyard. We unloaded a few items from Lucille, and Eric assembled our bed for the first night. We then quickly went to sleep.
After sleeping in a little bit the next morning, we began unpacking Francis. Not long after starting to unpack the truck, one of our neighbors graciously offered to help us with the heavier pieces of furniture. Ironically, he and his wife are also in law enforcement, as he is a criminal justice major at Spoon River College in town, and she is a correctional officer at a nearby facility. After scouting out the town in May, we saw that crime was not a problem in Macomb. Then after meeting our neighbors, we were reassured that we shouldn't have to worry too much. We finished unpacking mid-afternoon, returned the rental truck, and after returning home ordered the typical first meal: Pizza.
Settling In
The next few days were spent putting everything where it goes, and finding homes for all of our things. We have assembled some furniture that we bought from Ikea, and hung up most of the wall decorations. In addition, we have also done some more exploring of Macomb and the outlying areas. During the summer, Macomb is a relatively sleepy little town, but we have already noticed more activities as classes draw nearer. Population signs of Macomb read a little over 20,000, but we have been told half of those are students. Western Illinois University is the main attraction here, and usually the first question we get when we meet someone new is "Are you going to school at Western?" The town has quaint little neighborhoods, with picturesque vintage homes and gardens. The county courthouse lies in a traditional town square, with shops and restaurants surrounding it. There is a park off the square with a playground and gazebo across from which is the train station that has a regular amtrak train to Chicago. There is a Wal-Mart, but we have also taken the time to visit the other less familiar stores, like the Hy-Vee and the Farm King. Both of these have some decent prices, and useful local necessities.
Work and School
Eric is getting excited and anxious about starting this semester, and is beginning to work on his monologues needed for auditions the first week of classes. Before that, however, Eric will have two to three different meetings with classmates, faculty, and staff to outline the first semester. Eric has been assigned as a graduate assistant to DC Wright for the first semester, and will be helping teach the stage combat class.
Jen has been on the job hunt this week, and has looked a few different options. One is working with the Head Start program in town, and another is working with the school district as a program assistant. The Head Start program, however, turned out to be a part time position, which would not work out. She will be applying for the School District position on Monday, and hopefully that will work out. We will keep you posted on her progress in finding a great job here in Macomb.
For now, we continue to get comfortable and acquainted in our new home. Although we miss our family and friends, we continue to thank you for your love and support. We look forward to seeing you soon, and we will continue to keep you updated as we begin this exciting new chapter!
Love,
Eric, Jen, and Maggie
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