Ring out the old, Ring in the New

Oh blog, it's been a while. Here are some of the highlights of my year:

Favorite Film: The Fountain

Runners-up: Children of Men, Little Children, The Departed, Stephanie Daley, Blood Diamond, Casino Royale
(some which have potential for above but which I haven't seen yet: Pan's Labyrinth, Babel, Half Nelson

Guilty Pleasure: X-Men 3

Worst: The Grudge 2, Pirates of the Caribbean 2, Lady in the Water

Favorite TV Shows: Six Feet Under on DVD, The Office (both British and American)

Runner-up: Grey's Anatomy

Guilty Pleasure: Joan of Arcadia on DVD

Best Theatrical Events: The Little Foxes, The Light in the Piazza

Runners-up: Bedroom Farce, Twelfth Night, Seascape, Angels Unaware

Favorite Book: The History of Love by Nicole Krauss


And let’s not forget some lovely experiences. Jobs: Working at the BYU Bookstore and learning to hate it. Working at Apx Alarm Systems doing data entry—I earned a lot of money and it was mighty boring. But I did answer some calls using dialects, and at least I didn’t hate it like I hated the bookstore. I hope I never have to buy anything from the bookstore again, I don’t want to give them my business. And it was fun to see how much we could get away with at APX. Oh summer jobs. T.A.ing is the best job I’ve ever had. My 4 classes this year have been great learning experiences.

Worst roommate ever: Evanesce. Yikes. She broke some windows after I left. It’s true.

I’ve only been three places outside of Utah this year: Malad, Idaho, New York, and California. I wouldn’t mind living in Northern California one bit, no siree. Getting to know my aunt and uncle in San Francisco better was so nice. New York City kind of gives me anxiety, but only because I fear moving there and failing miserably.

Sundance Film Festival: the best way to do this experience is having an In and going the last day to see all the award winners when everybody has left. Except then there are no celebrities or camaraderie, which is half the fun.

Theatrical fun of the year: Little Foxes was the hardest and most rewarding thing I’ve done. I was so frustrated, but loved that show so much. I think it’s going to be a long time before I’m part of something I love so much again. The people involved mean so much to me, friendships grew, I grew. Personally and as an actor. More family saw it than any other show I’ve done. It provided the most meaningful mother-daughter moment of my life. I was so invested, it’s hard to let go of that group of people. We’ve shared so much with each other.

Twelfth Night was barrels of fun, I love that group so much. Goodbye to Young Company. I spent three years with it and it’s helped me through some hard times. I think Greatest Hits was the show that was the most fun to do, but van times with Chris was the best part of Young Company. Though nothing beats the emotional support Christy has given me this semester. Heads in the hula-hoop game, craziness and bum-grabbing backstage, hugs and backrubs, never-ending sold out Nelke performances, the first year on the season (leading to ACTF), van games (the crying game and the eye opening game), Chris trying to make me laugh during the Ophelia crazy scene onstage, singing in the van, being a tragic hero.

Much Ado—I was sad to not be in Angels Unaware, but I made some great friends because of Much Ado whom I would never have met otherwise. And I love that I was in a show at PTC before it hit its troubles. Dancing during intermission in the green room, totally losing it onstage and trying to hold in laughter while I should have been singing, film talk during pre-show, improv games, uncomfortable words, uncomfortable men, the pasty white club.

Playing with the Thrillionaires has been great fun. I really love being a part of that group. It’s funny to think how much anxiety it used to give me and how relaxed about it I am now. Huzzah for long-form improv. Thank you Jake and Maclain.

Biggest Disappointments/Trials of the Year: Hamlet has been the hardest, Little Foxes not going to ACTF, boys, Angels Unaware, no Castle show for me, no Europe

Goals for 2007:

Get into a graduate program I love
Go to the gym at least 4 times a week
Read my scriptures every day
Don't fall apart after I graduate
Road trip to Seattle/San Francisco?
Date
Take a photography class
Improve my wardrobe so I enjoy wearing my clothes
Make friends wherever I end up by next December
Get a great summer job (Heritage?)
Keep in touch with my incredible Provo friends
Develop some quality self-confidence

This coming year kind of frightens me. I have absolutely no idea where I will be by the end of this year. 7 is my lucky number so hopefully this will be my year... I do feel like I have revolutionized myself a wee bit this past year. I look kind of different, I have been workng on a gradual makeover for myself just so that I am more confident in my physical appearance at least. I have started going to the gym regularly (thanks to Slate). I have started to read my scriptures daily (I confess, this is the first time in my life I've done such a thing, so I'm pretty proud of myself). I have been shockingly honest with somene in a very vulnerable way. I have become Much more daring acting-wise as well, several people told me how impressed they were with this seemingly different Laura after my auditions final. I've put a lot of work into acting this year and I think that it shows. Auditions has made me a different actor. This year has also given me some Incredible friends. Seriously, I don't know what I would have done this year without Slate, Michelle, Christy, Jenny, Jennie, and Lauren. Some of the most supportive people I know. I owe a lot to them. And I have loved living so close to the Thomasons so that I could spend more time with all of them.

It's been a very challenging year, but one that I needed in order to face this next one I am sure. This coming year holds a lot of change in it, a lot of uncertainty. I'm scared, I don't know how I'll react, how I'll cope, how things will turn out. But there's nothing else to do but plunge forward, so plunge forward I will.

Here's to 2006, and to the future.