tea for one

You know, I haven’t seen Rock You in ages, and I haven’t missed it. But seeing Champions of Rock this weekend reminded me of what I loved about it - getting to hear Queen’s music performed live. I mean, damn, y’all. Peter Johansson, Mazz Murray and Kerry Ellis together equals one hell of a concert.

And they were cruel, they were. This really was a tribute to Queen, with videos and pictures on a screen above the stage, and at one point Peter came out and sang Those Were the Days of Our Lives after saying how it was one of the final songs that Freddie did before he got too sick. While he sang they had a montage with pictures from throughout Queen’s career which they ended with a picture of Freddie. And then Kerry came out, and you knew she was going to sing No One But You. And it just wasn’t fair. We were broken before she even sang the first line.

Plus, I got some V time, which, yay! First time we actually met in Sweden, how strange is that?

We had our introduction meeting today, and it made me anxious. I’ve been dead set on choosing the linguistics option from the start. I don’t like literature analysis, and I love linguistics. Simple choice.

And then I met the guy who is the supervisor for both the linguistics course and the term paper seminars. And… I don’t know. I know it’s wrong to base your opinion on other people’s experiences, but he was rude to my SI colleague in an email - she’s going to be our essay mentor this term and contacted him to let him know this, and he basically said that he didn’t want his students to attend her meetings because we were his responsibility and wouldn’t need any other help. And then, I met a girl today who was in my linguistics course a few years ago. She came straight up to me and said she’s seen my name on the linguistics list, and wanted to warn me - she’d taken this course before, chosen the linguistics option and had to drop out because she couldn’t get along with the supervisor. She had to re-register and go for the literature option instead.

Now, I know there’s nothing to say that this will be my experience, too. But it worries me. It’s not like I could just change my mind and do literature instead if it doesn’t work out - I want to do linguistics.

And there’s another thing. It’s silly, yes, but I’m really sad that none of my friends are going to be with me. They’re all doing literature. I know I’m supposed to be past the whole wanting my buddies with me, but starting a new, difficult course with a teacher I’m unsure of, without knowing anyone there… It’s scary. /end childish

Also, I really miss rehearsals and Shrew fun. Already. After two days. Just excellent.

A miracle. Today I stood in front of a hundred people, introducing myself and the SI sessions - without being the least bit nervous. After standing in front of just as many if not more people yesterday speaking blank verse in English, this suddenly didn’t seem like the big, scary thing it was last time I did it.

Yesterday was fantastic. Stressful, terrifying as hell and completely exhilarating. It really went quite well. From what little I got to see, people were rocking it. I mean, yes, I fell down on stage (!) and almost dropped my petticoat in one scene, but I didn’t get hiccoughs, I didn’t fall OFF the stage and I didn’t flub any lines badly. I consider that a victory. AND I didn’t laugh at ‘mad ass’! Go me! But all right, Lucas said he’d toned it down a little in order not to make me laugh. Pfft, boy has no faith in me.

And I’m still full with glee on Emma’s behalf since the Shakespeare expert/theatre critic from England went up to her after the performance and told her she was his favourite Petruchio out of all the ones he had seen. She is fantastic and totally deserved that. He also told us all that he had seen many different versions of the play, and that a lot of them weren’t half as well thought out and entertaining as ours, which, yay!

Afterwards almost all of us went out to get drunk. That was what got me through the evening; the image of a huge pint of beer. Oh, and the singing, of course. I begged Nadja to sing Rent songs with me before the performance, so we sang Seasons of Love and the ‘No day but today’ refrain over and over, and that really calmed me down. But the pint image helped a great deal, too. And boy, did it live up to my expectations. We went to Gräddhyllan first and then Grand Hotel, and there was beer and tequila and much laughing.

I’m really going to miss the Shrew crew. What am I going to do without people who understand why I say ‘Come hither, crack-hemp!’ a lot (and who say it almost as much)? Or why saying ‘Kent the Content’ is so incredibly funny? *weeps*

bollocks, bollocks!

I cannot keep a straight, insulted face when I am being called a mad ass. I just can’t. And I have to, because I when I don’t, I set Lucas off, too. And then that sets Nadja off and then we’re all screwed.

"Away, away, mad ass!"

*cries* I mean, it’s not even that funny. Why, why, why is it so funny when I’m on stage?

Okay, freaking out about tomorrow now. *chews nails*

Whew. That was scary. I was checking tickets and everything for Norrköping next weekend just now,  to make sure everything was in order, and had an awful moment of panic when I suddenly thought I’d booked a train ticket to travel up on the Saturday. Turned out I was looking at my coming-back ticket, which is indeed supposed to be for Saturday.

Christ. Calm down, heart. We’re good.

We have a day off from rehearsals today since the C-students are busy with seminars, defending their C-essays. Thank Christ. Very much needed, because the rehearsals have been kicking our asses this week and will continue to do so tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday. But after that, there won’t be any more rehearsals at all, and I’m going to be complaining about that instead. I’m really going to miss it. Sure, it’s tiring, but being tired also makes for hilarious situations. I still giggle whenever the words ‘Kent the content’ pass through my head.

I’m sure the people at SOL will be relieved once we’ve performed and they are rid of us, though. The people in the foyer must be a little sick of us now. I know the reception staff are - they claim we are too loud, which, well, I can’t deny. But it’s been funny to watch people watching us. At first, they were all curious and you could see them thinking, ‘ooh, what’s going on here?’ And then, after a few days, it was more, ‘oh, great, them again.’

My timetable for this term looks all right. It’s still preliminary, of course, but it seems doable. And of course, there is the damn C-essay that will need to be written, but actual the actual classes are fewer to allow for it. Should make it easier to fit the SI sessions in. Plus, we only have two groups each this term - no more trying to find a time that suits three different groups every week, which also helps immensely. Man, I hope I get a nice, loyal little group of students this term, too.

I’m going to go lie down and enjoy being free today now. And try not to think of any lines or blocking.