A Breath of Fresh Air

Life has been a bit difficult this past little while, I am not sure if it was a bout of depression, or just being a bit moody, but this winter has been a sad one for me. A little too much of the heavy, so the books I have been reading for pleasure have been a bit on the lighter side. I recently have finished The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Both of these books are so lovely; and just what I needed. (The Potato Peel Pie Society wasn't completely light and fluffy, but it had a wonderful balance to it.)



The Secret Garden took me awhile to read. I really only read it on bus journeys to and from school when I wasn't studying anything else. So it's been about three months since I started the book. But I loved the peace and comfort I got from reading a book meant for children. The writing style and imagination are just beautiful, and it really helped that I was reading this whilst I live in a small village in the southeast of England.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book:

"Them as is not wanted scarce ever thrives."

"One of the new things people began to find out in the last century was that thoughts-- just mere thoughts-- are as powerful as electric batteries--as good for one as sunlight is, or as bad for one as poison. To let a sad thought or a bad one get into your mind is as dangerous as letting a scarlet fever germ get into your body. If you let it stay there after it has got in you may never get over it as long as you live."

"It seemed actually like the laughter of young things, the uncontrollable laughter of children who were tying not to be heart but who in a moment or so- as their excitement mounted- would burst forth."



Unlike The Secret Garden, I read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society rather quickly. I found it on our bookshelf last weekend, and finished it last night. I was swept up so quickly in the fictional world that I actually started to think these characters were real. I wanted to travel and see these wonderful people, and experience their day to day life. I really would recommend this book to almost everyone. I won't tell you what its about so that you can just be drawn in by the genius of the authors.

I will tell you a few of my favorite quotes from the book:

"Perhaps there is some sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. How delightful if that were true."

"...humor is the best way to make the unbearable bearable."

"It's lucky I have my lovely new dress, so I didn't have to waste precious fretting time on my clothes."

"Though it's biologically impossible, I can only assume that some form of nepotism was responsible for the books publication."

"You can purchase my silence with torrid details, you know."

"Your questions regarding that gentleman are very delicate, very subtle, very much like being smacked in the head with a mallet... The first rule of snooping is to come at it sideways."

"In other words, get a wheelchair, get a crutch, get a donkey to tote you, but come home NOW."

"Isola doesn't approve of small talk and believes in breaking the ice by stomping on it."

I could go on for pages... literally, I have written down tons of quotes. I just love this book and think it is wonderful. But here is my issue. I have finished this incredible book, and feel a lack of its fictional world. I mourn not being there anymore. I need a good book. I have narrowed it down to three that have been in my stack for awhile: 1. The Time Travelers Wife, 2. Nineteen Minutes 3. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. I really am not sure which I will read, but I hope they are as good as the last book I've read.

But as always I can use a bit of help in book recommendations. www.whatshouldireadnext.com has just given me way too many. But it has been helpful.

Yay for books, and being transported into new worlds!

Awesomely Awesome!

WARNING THIS POST HAS A SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN TANGLED!!!

On Friday we all adventured our way to the Ashford cinema to go see "Tangled" and I have to say it is freakin awesome! It has been too long since I have seen a good ol' Disney movie. This one made me so happy




And during the awesome movie I just kept thinking how much I loved it when Mandy Moore had her short hair, and how I loved it when I had that type of short hair. Then her character in the movie inspired me to change!




So I cut my hair!!!!





I have needed a change and this haircut was perfect. I already feel so much cuter, and so much happier! It's amazing how a small change can alter our whole outlook!

Adventures in Belgium

I was lucky enough to go on a school funded trip to Belgium for a Theatre and Dance. It was an adventure to say the least. Tuesday was the day of traveling. Started in England traveled through France to Belgium. Took a train from Brussels to Bruges, and walked from one end of the cobblestone to the center where our hostel was located.
Our hostel was straight out of a Tim Burton movie; part Alice in Wonderland, and part Willy Wonka. Too bad the smell wasn’t of chocolate.







That first night we went to our first show called “In Time” it was a dance piece about relationships and passion. Moments of it were beautiful, but overall it was too cliché and too naked without art or purpose. I mean what artistic pieces of theatre aren’t about relationships, love, and passion? A plus side was that the theatre was beautiful!




The next day we went to a conference and a show. The conference was about dance, theatre, and migration in conflict zones. Most of the talks were interesting, and varied. However, they were wordy and full of themselves. They loved the tone of their own voices. The show however was wonderful, and refreshing (besides one hilariously ridiculous naked dance… which I won’t go into detail about.) I was grateful for the people I was with; they were a breath of fresh air.





The next day was a free day for us up until our train at 7. So for the day we acted as tourists; we climbed the clock tower, ate at a fancy restaurant, bought chocolate, went for a canal walk, ate a waffle, and then traveled back to Brussels. Then our train back home. It felt good to come home.





Ioanna tried sour straws for the first time, and as you can see she did not enjoy them.(Honestly this is one of my most favorite pictures ever!)





So in summary, Belgium is cool, but I don’t know if I ever need to go back. Belgium is known for: Jean Claude Van Damme, mussels, lace, chocolate, waffles, and weird hostels!

Field Trips are Awesome!

All my bags are packed... I'm ready to go....

Okay, that first statement is a lie. I'm not packed, but I am REALLY excited. Tomorrow morning I get to travel to Belgium for a school trip. We're going to a theatre conference and watching a few shows. It's going to be awesome. I get to go to continental Europe for my first time. I hope I get another stamp on my passport!

I will blog about my adventures when I get back!

The Attitude of Gratitude

I haven't blogged here in awhile, and I am not sure why. The past few weeks have been really great, and really difficult; but what has helped me stay positive is realizing and remembering just how lucky I am. So I'm stealing an idea from Kathleen, and I'm going to blog about what I am grateful for.

First I have to say that I am grateful for my testimony in the gospel of Jesus Christ; that truly has been my rock and my foundation. I need to make sure I do not forget all I have been blessed with because of that testimony, and the joy/peace that comes with it.

I am also grateful for my wonderful family. I have been blessed to have an incredibly thoughtful and supportive family. They have helped me become the woman I am today. I know that their examples of love, kindness, honor, and trust have have lovingly guided me along the right path.

I also feel a great sense of gratitude for my friends. I feel so lucky to have friends that make me feel loved and supported. Whether I see them every day, or haven't seen them in years, I still feel connected to them, and their influence in my life. I don't know where I would be without the example of those with whom I am blessed to call friends.

I am grateful for this adventure I call life. I get to live in England for a year; I get to further my education, and also further my friendships with three of my very best friends/family. (Kathleen, Annie, and Jesse) I also get to participate in the wonderful Canterbury ward. (Where I am also making some incredible friends.)

I am full of gratitude at the moment and can't find words to express it. I truly hope your Thanksgiving has been as memorable as my own. God bless. Know that you are in my thoughts, and that you have made an imprint on and in my heart.

The Theatre Life

I thought I would share a post about school. I am getting my MA in European Theatre, and am really loving it. It is really different from what I expected, but it is really interesting and something I am enjoying studying.

Part of my course is seeing shows in London, and some here in Canterbury. I am also going to Brussels for a conference next month. I thought I would share with everyone the shows I have seen so far.

The first show I made it to was "Money" by a company called Shunt. Now the inspiration from this show was Emile Zola's novel "L'argent" (which I haven't read) and loosely based on the financial crisis the UK is in now. Now that being said, it was really more a spectacle for the senses to me. There really wasn't much of a text and it seemed more about the built space and around the theme of money. I really enjoyed it, but don't know how to fully explain it.



The next show I got to see was "Faust" at the Young Vic in London. It was being done by the Icelandic company Vesturport. Again it was inspired by Goethe's text, as well as Marlowe's, however the company decided to make up their own text that is loosely based on Faust.

Again they had a fantastic set, and incredible talent. Unfortunately they also enjoyed shocking the audience. I am usually okay with this if it has a purpose, but it seemed to be shock just for cheap thrills. I liked the performance, but came away feeling like I was spoon fed the idea and theme; it was a watered down 'after school special' of Faust.



Then I went to see "Operation Greenfield" at the Gulbankian in Canterbury. Now this was my first experience with devised theatre, and I had no idea what to expect. I really loved it. I was impressed at the musicality of the group. So many wonderful instruments, and I loved the theme of faith and religion. I don't know how to describe it, except say it was a breath of fresh air. So far it's been my favorite thing I've seen.



And this past Tuesday I went and saw "The Caretaker" by Harold Pinter, which was playing at the Gulbankian. This was the first straight play I have seen since getting here. Here they stuck to the script, and it was a naturalistic take on Pinters text. It was refreshing to see something that wasn't trying to push buttons or be edgy. Saying that though, it was boring. I'm not a huge fan of the play, but it was nice to see something that was safe.



On Saturday I am seeing "Blasted" by Sarah Kane, and I know I will be shocked.
Next Saturday I am seeing "MacBeth" but I am afraid it won't be sticking to the text, so I'm not too sure what I will thin of it. I will tell you all about it soon.

Brilliant Book!

Before I moved to England I got recommended "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. I purchased it and put it into my carry on bag, ready to read. Well for some reason or another I haven't had the opportunity to read it. This weekend Jesse decided to read it... and a day later (when he had finished it) he told me that I would love it.

That reminded me that I had the book and a sort of free day. So yesterday I read the book. Today I am waiting for Jesse to finish the second book. (He went to the book store to buy the other two.) We are addicted. It is so good!

Kathleen is the next to read the book, just as soon as she has some down time.

I cannot believe I waited so long to read it. It is sososososososo good. I am a little nervous to see where the series goes with the next book, but I am also just so excited to get back into that world.

This is the UK paperback cover.


This is the US paperback cover.