Important fact: today is April 15.

More important fact: today my brother turns 23.

Most important fact: he is a lawless punk, who plays professional paintball for San Antonio X-Factor.
a place you should visit: http://www.texasxfactor.com/indexFlash.php

Obvious fact: brilliance and sexiness run in the family.
(see below for sexiness)

that is all
yddbs

Picture an empty stage. You feel the hushed excitement of a packed auditorium when the house lights signal for silence. As lights go down, your hand vanishes before you face.

Suddenly, a spotlight finds two people on stage amidst the darkness. They stand together silently. You breath in the suspense. Your veins fill with anticipation. The couple on stage stands motionless in a sensuous aesthetic frame. A passionate moment in time, frozen for your eyes alone. All around you is blackness, innate voyeuristic cravings seep to the surface of your consciousness.

Moments later the music starts, and the two performers expertly execute a series of intricate dance movements that defy the laws of this world. Their artistic dance electrifies the atmosphere. and prepares the audiences for…

the rest of the evening is filled with artists of all varieties, dancing, singing, playing, and roller-skating. By the end of the performances your head is spinning in a cloud amazement. Throughout the night talented individuals and ensembles have left you utterly speechless.

At the precise moment, when you think you can handle no more, out from behind the curtain come four people, who begin throwing free t-shirts into the audience. You find the strength to stand and cheer at the top of your lungs! One of the four t-shirt tossers notices you and swings a t-shirt up in your direction!

But before you can grab it, the tall lanky nerd-guy in front of you stands up and snags it out of the air. You immediately feel the need to retaliate with violence, but nerd-guy kneels down onto one knee and hands his t-shirt – excuse me – your t-shirt to an small nerd-girl. Nerd-girl unfolds the t-shirt, and discovers that within the folds of the shirt Nerd-guy concealed a diamond ring. She slowly nods and begins to cry as Nerd-guy takes the diamond ring and places it on her left ring finger. Nerd-guy stands and there is a nerd-embrace as the happy couple celebrates their new nerd-relationship.

You silently vow to find nerd-guy later and carry out the necessary retaliation.

YOU: I can’t take it anymore! What is this event you describe to me?
ME: Obviously you didn’t go to Spotlight 2008 this weekend.
YOU: No, I missed it!
ME: I’m not sure that can be forgiven. What possibly could have been better?
YOU: Well, you see I was -
ME: That was a rhetorical question.
YOU: oh, right. But I was saying that I was alphabetizing –
ME: Would you like me to define rhetorical question for you? Or may I continue?
YOU: No thank you, I know –
ME: That was also rhetorical.
YOU: oh, right sorry.

What part did your favorite blogger play in all this shenanigans? Do you remember the passionate couple at the beginning?

YOU: Yes, of course I do, they were great!
ME: Again, rhetorical.

I was one of them, the passionate woman. My dance partner and I emceed the whole glorious event. And let me tell you, it was glorious.

Spotlight 2008: Behind the lights: In the green room:
For your viewing pleasure, here are some backstage photos of the artists prepping before their performances.

ME: So you missed Spotlight 2008?
YOU: yes, I already told you I was alphabetizing my –
ME: Okay...you’re right, that one wasn’t rhetorical, but I wasn’t talking to you. I was asking the people out there in internetland. (points at computer)
YOU: oh, do they ever answer you?
ME: well,…no.
YOU: Then why do you ask them?
pause
ME: Please, just go away.
YOU: fine. (exits)
pause
ME: So you missed Spotlight 2008?
YOU: (from off stage) they’ll never answer you..!
ME: (whispering) So you missed Spotlight 2008?

Well shame on you, but you’re in luck… You should immediately enlighten yourself with the Spotlight 2008 dvd.

i have a copy, you may borrow it.

okay listen up (which is stupid because you are reading, but just for this next part imagine listening to me speaking in your head. okay, it's not that scary.) with this blog, begins a new tradition called “reflections-of-greatness: people i’ve influenced”

i was debating between that and calling it “the people-who-should-be-famous part” but i think what’s important here is not the person i’m honoring, but the role i’ve played in their greatness, so i went with the former.

now, the idea is to feature a new and amazing person with each blog and share some interesting tidbit about them, and more importantly, how it pertains to me. of course i will rename each subject because
1. while they may be “amazing” people, it doesn’t mean they’re perfect. some things need revising.
and 2. i guess, for precautionary measures, or something like that

so, without further ado, i present my very good friend:
“the disney distractor”

oftentimes, this inspiring young lady can be found sitting on the couch in my room, playing disney clips off youtube, while i diligently work at my computer.

that is all.
mads

The story of the plastic toothbrush package:
About a month ago a brand new toothbrush was liberated from its outer casing.

Toothbrush was born, probably in Japan, and immediately imprisoned within a little clear-plastic cell. After traveling many miles (to the HEB off Olmos) in his portable prison, Toothbrush waited on his shelf for days yearning to be chosen by just one of the many faces that walked the personal hygiene aisle. Then, finally, one afternoon, after a particularly sleepless night – the mint flavored floss had selected that night to launch a rather rambunctious assault on the electric waterpicks – Toothbrush was chosen. But this story isn’t about a toothbrush. It’s about a plastic toothbrush package that ended up living on the floor of our bathroom for an entire month.

i visually catalogued its progress or lack thereof over the course of the month

exhibit A – week one

exhibit B – week two – still there…even after our room was cleaned.
apparently, when we moved the rugs out of the way for the cleaning staff, the package was also safely put aside and, post-cleaning, was returned to its initial position along with the rug.

exhibit C – week three – the sudden appearance of a dish towel next to the package takes me by surprise, i keep my distance so as not to disturb their interactions

exhibit D – kicking and screaming the toothbrush package finally made its way into the garbage…a sad day indeed.

with this little tale in mind, my soon-to-be-college-freshman readers, here are a few things to think about when filling out that potluck roommate form.

1.don’t fret about it.
nothing is ever as bad as everyone makes it out to be…except maybe organic chemistry final exams, those really do suck. not that i would know or anything (being a drama major, and never having taken a chemistry class in my life, much less organic chemistry), but i’m like 99.9% sure it would really suck just based on the name. there probably isn’t much worse than organic chemistry. or wait, i take that back, maybe inorganic chemistry…yeah that would suck.

but chemistry has nothing to do with anything (really, it doesn’t. don’t tell the chemistry majors, they'd be heartbroken)…so anyway back to the potluck roommate form…

2.consider you’re living habits as well as who you might want to live with.
if you’re messy, put messy. if you’re neat, don’t think, “oh its not ‘cool’ to be neat, i’ll put messy” or “oh, i don’t really care…” Trust me, you do. (or at least you will after the first sixty days)
this idea goes for every choice you have to make, not just messy vs. clean.
smokers vs. non-smokers
partiers vs. non-partiers
and that brings me to #3.

3.please note that by “partier” it usually means a back-after-midnight boozer – nothing wrong with that, but just be aware…and don’t step in the vomit by the toilet when you get up to use the restroom at 4 am.

A perfect example: I go to parties, but I don’t drink. Would one consider me a “partier” simply for attending the evening’s events?

One: No Madi, you would not want to describe yourself as a partier on your freshman roommate form.
Me: Thank you One, but I’m a junior, so that no longer applies to me.
One: Oh, excuse me, Madi. Sorry for wasting your time.
Me: Yes, that is okay, but don’t let it happen again.
One: …right, I won’t.

4.night-owl or early-bird?
for all those people out there going, “what if I’m neither?” – tough luck, pick one.
for all those out there going, “what if I’m both?” – put down the Red Bull and the No-Doz and go to bed.

but really, how do you choose?
things to think about: right now you probably get up at some god-awful time every morning to go to class five days a week for about eight hours. (wow, i do not miss high school) what if you didn’t have to? what if you could schedule your classes around times when you’re more…well…alive? now, you can’t always get lucky, especially as a freshman, and get all afternoon classes. but at least the first ones here at Trinity don’t start until 8:30 am. and the freshman live about five minutes walking distance from the classroom.

Another perfect example: My internal clock never fails to wake me up by 8 am, usually earlier, around 7. During high school, I was fine getting up early for cross-country practice, so i thought, “ya know, I’ll put early-bird.”
One: (interrupting her) Yes Madi, that’s a good idea, you should put early bird.
Me: I thought you said you wouldn’t let this happen again.
One: Oh my gosh! I can’t believe it, I’m so embarrassed, how can you ever forgive me.
Me: I’m not sure I can One, I’m not sure I can…

anyway...... after being so rudely interrupted I’ve lost my train of thought…
One: sorry
Me: Silence!

sigh right, as I was saying. Think about what schedule you’d like to have, I’m not saying you’ll get it, but you probably won’t have to wake up as early as your used to. Also keep in mind that they usually try to match early-birds with early-birds and night-owls with night-owls. You don’t want to be trying to go to sleep at night when your roommate’s doing somersaults off the dresser; but, at the same time, those early-birds can be quite noisy getting ready for class in the morning when you’re trying to sleep in.

so, consider my advice, but you must know, it doesn’t come free. just place five dollars under you pillow, and i’ll have the tooth fairy pick it up for me next Tuesday. we’re good friends.

okay, so it’s 11 pm and this little early-bird is going to hit the nest.

that is all
mabirdi

YOU: How was your spring break?
ME: I had the flu.
YOU: (see Below)

Below: There are two types of people in the world… they give me the two common responses.
people one (the realists): Oh man! that sucks.
people two (the always helpful, never empathetic optimists): Oh man! well at least you didn’t get it during school.

To people one I respond: yes. yes it did.
To people two I respond: you know i didn’t even think of that, geewillickers! thank goodness i got the flu over spring break!

No, but really, it wasn’t that bad. I only had the flu for the beginning of spring break, and for real thank goodness I didn’t get it during Dangerous Liaisons…cause then Mike would have gotten it, then Erica, then Robby, then Lindsey…(if you saw the show, this makes sense. if not, poo on you!) I guess If you’re going to have the flu, spring break is a good time to have it cause you don’t have to worry about classes. But why “if you’re going to have the flu”? Why not NOT have it at all. I’ll take that option.

Anyway, all flus aside, my spring break was wonderflu, flutasticly flufilling, full of flun…

i’m done.

Mother and I showed horses at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Actually we showed horse (singular), who ended up very tired when all was said and done.

a very tired Spencer.

Spencer, the horse, and I did really well – especially considering I had not been on him in months. Our proudest placing was a 2nd in amateur western pleasure. Along with the 25 cent red ribbon, the admiring congratulations from our adoring fans, and the defeated glares from our wannabe rivals, I think we might have also won a little money in the whole endeavor. not to shabby.

here’s two of me and Spense in a class called western pleasure. this competition is sort of a horsey fashion show, where you strut around the arena at different gates looking as gorgeous as possible.

As for the two giant bags of books and schoolwork I brought home to study, I am proud to say that they remained, for the most part, untouched for the duration of the break. I hoped to come back to Trinity with a flu plate (sorry, i’m done for real now.) a full plate of tests, papers, projects, and more. I wasn’t disappointed.

that is all.
mady

Without further ado,
I now present to you:
Pictures form our sexy show,
With beautiful girls and handsome beaux.

your two favorite bloggers.

makeup, corsets, and wigs...

and more wigs.

waiting backstage.

scene change.

i don't even know...

scandal!

that is all.

Les Liaisons Dangereuses opened last Friday and it was super-dee-duper fun! (and as the French say, super-du-duper fun!) We are really getting some great feedback! AND there have been no major snafus. Sometimes the Theatre gods decide to blow the vapor from the fog machine backstage rather than on stage, but our performances are amazing fog or no fog.

…yea, there’s a scene with fog in the show. if anything, you should come just to see the fog. it’s intense.

Opening night party was fun too. It was small, but a lot of the times the smaller parties are more fun – there’s not really any dancing, but you really get to hang out with people, rather than constantly flittering around from group to group. Unfortunately, A few of us had to come back to campus early though – Chemistry of Crime Lab the next morning…oh right, the whole higher education thing. you know i think college would be a lot more fun without the classes…or better yet, just get rid of the grades, and we’ll just study exactly what we want: arts and crafts, nap time, recess…oh wait that’s called elementary school. dang, i really do miss elementary school.

Anywho, I will eventually post some Dangerous Liaisons pictures, but I’m waiting until the show closes this Saturday. (you have to check back to see the costumes – they are beautiful. special thanks to our costume designer, Jodi, and everyone in the costume studio!)

interesting thing about the costumes though: the girls wear corsets. Each night we squeeze our insides into a space about half the size of what they deserve. At first this was not fun, but now we like our corsets. … what’s that condition called when you start to love/need you captor…stockholm syndrome, i think. corsets are fun, but i guess i like my internal organs where they are, so i think i’ll stop wearing mine when the show closes...

But right now that’s kind of my life: Les Liaisons Dangereuses.
As for the fast-approaching spring break, my activities might or might not include acting, riding, and relaxing: hopefully, I’ll get to work on some film in Austin— I’ve got a few auditions that I’m trying to set up right now. If I’m not acting, Mother and I will be attending several horse shows, where I will get to show for the first time in about a year…it could be scary.

that is all.
madie (an especially unique spelling found in the Dangerous Liaisons program)

1. Dangerous Liaison rehearsals are going splendidly.
2. FOUND filming is about to start up again.
3. Classes are not bad at all.

Dangerous Liaisons, or as the French would say – Les Liaisons Dangereuses, is this semester’s first main stage show. It’s a fantastic play set in France, right before the French Revolution, full of corruption, deception, and, of course, sex.

My fellow blogger, Mark, and I are both in the cast. Mark plays Azolan, footman to the lead male character Valmont; and I play Cecile de Volanges, a young, naïve, nitwit straight out of the convent.

Anywho, rehearsals have been a blast – except for the fact that Cecile is gone by the end of the first act, (you’ll have to come watch the play to see what I mean by “gone”) consequently, I’m not called to all the rehearsals. And that is difficult…see, acting is an addiction. Those who love it exhibit all the signs: theatre/film cravings, irrepressible character outbursts, inability to concentrate on non-acting related activities, even withdrawal. One week I was the only one not called to rehearsal for three days in a row, and…well, it was hard, but we made it through without any permanent damage…we think.

Episode 1 of FOUND premiered on Feb. 1st. They threw a huge red-carpet affair – It was quite the event. super good times...

Here's a picture of me with two of the writers of FOUND.

I counted the number of fans there…some of you were missing… but don’t worry, you can make up for it by coming to see Liaisons:

Feb. 29 8:00PM
Mar. 1 8:00PM
Mar. 2 2:30PM
Mar. 5-6 7:00PM
Mar. 7-8 8:00PM
Box Office: (210)-999-8515

no excuses.

but back to what I was saying, I counted the number of my fans in attendance and I am happy to report that you guys outnumbered all other followings present at the event.

ME: Thank you.
YOU: It was my pleasure.
ME: In that case, you’re welcome.

Now, the cast of FOUND is meeting –in an undisclosed location– this week –on an unrevealed day– to gear up for the top-secret second episode. This I look forward to.

Finally, classes are classes…better than high school, but not quite as amusing as elementary school.

that is all.
madigascar

My suitemate walked into my room two days ago, or maybe three, doesn’t matter - time flies when you’re me. (yeah, yeah… I know that’s not the exact saying… and I realize this new saying contains a fundamental flaw: you are not me. but don’t we all wish we could be. actually, I can be me, so technically that doesn’t apply to me…only to you. Understand? good.)

Now, where were we? ahh yes…

My suitemate walked into my room an unknown number of days ago and says, “Hey do you guys wanna go to the Spurs game? I have four tickets."

ummm yes, very much yes.

Turns out her aunt, or grandma, or some awesome family member has season passes they weren’t going to use, so they gave the tickets to us! My roommate, my suitemates and I left around 5 pm and went to Panera for dinner that evening. (my new favorite place, by the way, and also a potentially great study location) Then, we trekked over to the AT&T Center for the game.

In the car, I cursed myself for forgetting to bring binoculars. It's usually really hard to see the players from the college-student priced sections. (...oh how little I knew.) We were walking over to the main entrance, when my suitemates began veering left. My roomie and I are like, “Guys, entrance…that way," pointing toward the huge mob of people lining up to get into the game. But our lovely suitemates said, “No, we go in over here," pointing to the scary looking bouncers outside a more discrete entrance.

I don’t think the realization hit me until we had walked down a very long tunnel with flashy Spurs photographs and into the sleek restaurant/mezzanine/bar/TV/lounge area…we were VIPs. holla! I happily withdrew my I-forgot-binoculars curse, as we settled into our seats 15 rows up from the mid-court line, and our waiter, Hunter, asked us if he could get us anything from the menu. (of course there was a menu, we were VIPs, and VIPs need food and water. fact of life people.) The Spurs ended up losing to the New Orleans Hornets…sad day, but oh well, the whole experience was wicked awesome!

YOU: Wow, that is such a great story, but how can I be sure you aren't lying to me?
ME: Good question. How about some proof.

Me, pointing at my suitemate with the amazing ticket hookups.

Me, pointing at the court, 15 rows away.

Me, lounging in the restaurant/mezzanine/bar/TV/lounge area...yeah, yeah, yeah, so I took a few pictures of myself...

My roommate and the other equally awesome suitemate.

Tony Parker shooting a free throw as Tim Duncan looks on wistfully....okay maybe not wistfully but the point is he's in the picture.

YOU: Wow, I will never doubt you again.
ME: I appreciate that.

So, long story short:
Dinner at Panera. VIP at Spurs game. Spurs lost. Didn’t matter. My suitemates are awesome. bam! end of story.

that is all.
maddster

Okay, so I want to take a quick moment to brag about someone other than myself.

wait don't go away!

oh good you're still here. I know this is a change of pace, but stick with me for a sec.

Here's a little known fact about one of my fellow bloggers:
Mark (if I could say his last name right here, this sentence would sound so much cooler) is a playwright! He wrote Broadway Review this year, and it rocked!

I reserved tickets for opening night - my friends and I sat in row H amidst the packed Stieren Theatre. The singing and acting was great as usual, AND the student-written script was fantastic! Broadway Review blew the pants off everyone - seriously, the entire audience was sitting there naked. okay, so maybe not... but for real, we were either singing along to the musical numbers, or cracking up at the script’s constant stream of brilliance! So, ladies and gentleman, this is an official congrats and thank you to Mark, a fellow blogger and talented playwright.

Congrats!
Thank You for a great show!

that is all.
madaroni

It's add/drop week. A time for frenzied planning, and for making decisions that will have permanent ramifications on your future.* …and for begging the professors of your wait-listed classes to please, please, please let you in. (because i am a good student, who contributes in class, and would really benefit from knowledge gained in MUSC 1346-1.)

*not true

In honor of add/drop, I wanted to throw out some advice. So, dust off that old baseball/softball glove (we're gender inclusive here at Trinity) and get ready to catch this tidal wave of knowledge that, if used appropriately, will never leave you out to dry, up a creek without a paddle, or “Just Around the Riverbend":
(i apologize for the sentence above. when you are a master of the written word, you find it nearly impossible to suppress the unremitting geyser of intellectual expression that animates your privileged understanding.)

anywho.

The funny thing about college…well, one of the many funny things about college is that the world feeds students contradicting messages regarding when you are supposed to have it all figured out…you know, your classes, your schedule, your major, your career, your life, your future.

Some say you have as long as you need. Many of our parents still don’t know what they want to be when they grow up, so for goodness sake take your time. You don’t have to pick a career in college.

Others complain about students’ indecisiveness and lack of dedication. These are the folks who tell college kids to declare their major as soon as possible, to prepare for the future, where real life is not all fun and games.

These messages are straight-up wrong.

(Disclaimer: the views expressed here represent one student’s extensive research and experience on the subject matter, and are not necessarily true for every circumstance no matter how qualified, reputable, intelligent, and attractive the author of such views may be.)

Here’s the bottom line: In college you don’t have to decide exactly what you want to do for the rest of your life. You should just try to find out what you are interested in. Major in the department you are most fascinated by. …and it may or may not have something to do with your eventual career.

Moms and Dads, by a show of hands tell me how many of you out there are still pursing the profession you chose when you were 20 years old?
(okay, i hope you didn’t actually raise your hands because i can’t see you. i apologize for tricking you; i understand you baby boomers harbor a certain resentment against your technologically advanced children in this computer age. but we can’t help it if we are smarter, faster, prettier. however, that is beside the point… actually it’s nowhere near the point, but it needed to be said.)

now, back to the point…
My advice to students: Take the common curriculum or basic requirement courses until you have an idea of what sparks your interest. Then check out the requirements for the major in that department. If your still interested…bam! There’s your major. (not your career, not you life, not your future. It’s just a start.)
Experience can tell you that it’s really easy to fall to the unnecessary pressure of having to make a premature decision. I have taken a lot of classes in pursuit of a major I wasn’t interested in, so I changed my mind (and my major).
In summary…
1. Don’t officially declare a major until you have to.
2. When you do, make sure it’s interesting.
3. Finally, don’t be afraid to change your mind.

YOU: Why should I listen to this kid?
ME: Because I have a confession to make: Yesterday, I dropped my business major, and, being a second semester Junior, I kind of freaked out…but now, I can take the classes I really enjoy - classes that I would have missed out on.
YOU (slightly confused expression): …
ME: And because I am an all-knowing genius.
YOU (completely satisfied, appreciative, and subservient expression): Thank you so very much!
ME: You are welcome.

that is all.
madoutofmymind