Thursday, March 3, 2011
ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS
I just got an email from the people that I auditioned with a few months ago (read story below) and I actually got asked back to be an EXTRA. I never would have guessed that in a million years. It's hilarious, absolutely hilarious.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
FREE TO DREAM
Today I had one of those experiences that you look forward to forgetting sometime down the road, but you know deep down you never will.
Well, two weeks ago I got a call back for an audition I had submitted to play a part in. It wasn't something I was ecstatic about, but it sounded intriguing, so I signed up for an audition time. It couldn't be that hard right? Plus, if I showed up to meet with them then I would have a chance to drop off my sample work for script supervising, which is a job that I do get ecstatic about.
Lucky for me, my husband is a director and his best friend is an actor, so I had good and kind help preparing for it. We read, shaped, and sculpted my part to perfection. And truly, when I left the door to go to this audition I was as calm as day and actually thought that this audition was going to be fun.
Driving...I was fine. Walking in...fine. Signing in and getting my picture taken...still fine. Going to the bathroom...just fine. Then a man stood in the hallway and called my name. I got up walked down the hall...fine. Then I walked into the room...my heart started beating faster. Not so bad at first, I sensed it but figured it would go away in a minute. The casting director talked to me briefly, chatted about my name saying the same thing everyone says when they hear it for the first time, "What an interesting name." I smiled and told her "I got lucky I guess." She returned my comment with a weird look that I couldn't place. She then told me where to stand and to say my name to the camera, which I did. Then she sat down to start reading the lines with me. At this moment a 100 mile per hour gust of fear slammed into me and knocked me breathless. Truly breathless. My chest tightened as it fought for more oxygen and my throat felt as though an invisible ghost had its hands securely wrapped around my neck.
So I did all I could do in the moment, attempt to take a few weak breaths before I began and get on with what I came to do. She began her lines and I followed with mine. I didn't get very far though because soon after beginning I ran completely out of air and began gasping. I think I frightened her. You may use your imagination as much as you like to see how I got my breath back, because I can't remember how it all happened. Finally I did get it back though and gathered any little shattered bits of courage left around me to stand in front of the camera and start over again. The look on her face: "This girl is pathetic." I tried not to think about her disgust and began again. I finished, thankfully, but not graciously. The woman directed me, telling me to calm down, and play the role differently. I was able to change the tone of the role, but no matter how hard I tried I could not win the battle with the choking fear, it was hopeless.
At the end of the second round she sighed, somewhere between the emotion of frustrated and disgusted, and then walked to her desk and said, "Well...thanks for taking time to come out here and do this." But I was looking into her eyes and they read, "You're wasting my time, get out of here." So I did.
I walked out of the building thrilled as can be that I was finally out of that horrible room. I drank the fresh air in like a cool glass of water. All the pretty plants, trees and flowers around me seemed to say, "It's OK, you're with us now, we love you."
And then it came, my epiphany. Somehow, by the grace of God I'm sure, I was able to see and believe in myself entirely. I knew I was capable of doing anything I wanted. It isn't failure or incapability that stops me, it's fear. I thought back to each of the things I was confident in and realized that they had all come after a distinct and brutal battle with cruel fear. The best part of this realization- that this mean throat choking fear monster can be defeated, and I have done it before. And...as long as I keep trying, I become more free. Free to dream and become as I please.
Like I said, this audition was one of those nightmares that I wish I could someday forget, but I never will, and I guess I'm glad.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
POLITICS AND HASH BROWNS
THE LADY WITH THE HASH BROWN
(This story is an example of the random train of thoughts that a boring job can take you down)
Today in the lunch line a teacher came through and she said, “I got the salad, but I really want a hash brown too. I don't have to pay for that do I? It's just a little hash brown.” Her face scrunched up in a pout and she suddenly looked injured. “It’s so cold out side…I just want one little hash brown.” I told her “sure” and we went into the kitchen. I pointed to the hash browns and asked her to pick which one she wanted because my hands were dirty. As she reached for the hash brown she sadly expressed her need for the extra item. When she put it on her plate she then pointed down and said, “Now doesn’t that look so much better?” She walked away with a solemn thank you and went to eat her lunch in the teacher’s lounge.
I stared after her in thought. How interesting. Why did she feel like she could only get what she wanted by trying to make people feel sorry for her?
That thought reminded me of a movie I watched last night called Roshomon. It’s about the trial of the murder of a man. With four people who witnessed the murder and testified with their own version of the story. All four testimonies were drastically different from one another. Each person bearing a strong conviction of his or her innocence and bravery. The trial ended and then shortly after we learned the true story through a man who saw the murder but wasn’t involved. It turns out everyone mostly told the truth but lied about his or her role in the situation to initiate pity from the judge, all in the pursuit of protecting their name.
Then that thought made me think of a conversation I had with a man named Brent Hatch. He’s the father of McKay Hatch, president of the “No Cussing Club.” Brent mentioned that another local newspaper wrote about his son’s club. The article was demeaning and misinformed, with an attack on the whole Hatch Family. I told him, "The news lies, I don’t know what I can believe anymore.” Brent laughed and said, “People see what they want to see. Just take everything you hear with a grain of salt.” After we talked I wondered, “Why is drama more important to the press than truth? Of course...money."
As I continued working in the lunchroom this question from Sunday came back to me and then I remembered something Mitt Romney said in his book “No Apology.” He was talking about personal freedoms that America stands for. One example was Freedom of Press. He told a story of when he and his wife attended the Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Beijing. He said:
“The audience warmly welcomed every national team as it was introduced into the stadium, but the Chinese gave some of their loudest cheers to the teams from North Korea and Cuba. We wondered how it was possible that nations ruled by tyrants who deprive their citizens not only of freedom but also of economic substance could be celebrated. The explanation of course is that the Chinese people don’t see media reports of North Korea’s population being starved to feed the maniacal military ambition of Kim Jong-il or of Castro jailing dissidents who advocate freedom and democracy. The Chinese people receiving only glowing accounts of these tyrants; their information is shaped by a monolithic government rather than by the varied perspectives of the free press.”
Earlier on he also states, “There is no First Amendment Freedom of Press in China. The media is prohibited from criticizing certain Communist Party Officials- those who do may lose their jobs or be imprisoned.”
So then I thought, yeah, some stories of “The Hatch Family” are lies, but a lot of people and press support them too. People have a choice, they may believe as they wish, and that's part of being an American.
So then I thought of our First Amendment. It's like a balance scale, opportunity on one side and responsibility on the other. The press is authorized to print what they want, but the power of their influence gives them a responsibility to do their job well and get the information right. It seems that many people want the privileges without the responsibilities. They've forgotten- freedom means sacrifice.
Which made me think...I want to try harder. I can make a difference too.
And then I thought, "How did I get on this topic?"
Monday, January 11, 2010
SPRING TIME
I’ve just returned from the Utah snow, as of last weekend, and the warm January air here in Cali seems more like springtime. Cold winters in Utah begin exciting but wind up lingering on until every resident is desperately hoping and aching for the earth to come alive again. And finally when spring comes the frozen turns soft, the brown turns green, the grey turns blue, the silence turns to song, and each soul is carried into a temporary realm of ecstasy.
Today I was working, standing outside at the cash register and although I was in the shade I could feel the warm sunshine gently seeping into my bones. Ahead, coming through the gates was the sound of a neighbor mowing his lawn. The air was fragrant with new growth and humidity. It all swept me away and took me back to the beginning of my life to visit the wonder of springtime as a three year old. I could hear my father mowing the lawn. The warm sun was pouring into all the windows of the house. My mother’s eyes looked happy and rested now that the back door was free to let her little ones out. Life was free and open to do anything I wished. My only job was simply to enjoy it all. I stood at the top of the stairs considering what to do next. The sun shining through the windows persuaded me to go outside and watch my father. I went out the front door and the warm sun folded itself around my skin and into my hair. The smelled grass was sweet and damp... just like today.
Ahhh, memories.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
HALLOWEEN ART PARTY
FIRST
We went to the PUMPKIN PATCH to pick out our favorite pumpkins.
WE CARVED
WE PAINTED
SECOND
We went shopping for all the goodies to make HAUNTED MANSIONS.
-chocolate graham crackers
-reeses pieces candy
-candy corn/candy pumpkins
-trick or treat mix (witches, skeletons, pumpkins)
-black licorice
Frosting Recipe:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup melted butter
6 egg whites
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cream of tartar.
-Beat 10 minutes
-Split mixture in half and put in separate bowls
-Add and mix black food coloring to one half and orange to the other.
(we learned that doubling the walls up makes it so everything doesn't come crashing down. Just put frosting in between 2 crackers when you double them up.)
WE DECORATED
Thursday, July 9, 2009
WHAT DO YOU LOVE?
JUDY LOVES...
Her wonderful husband and amazing children. She's been blessed with a great family.
ROSIE LOVES...
Standing under a street lamp in the middle of a misty night and watching the snow fall.
This girl has the coolest snow globe collection.
NATALIE LOVES...
Babies!
JENNY LOVES...
Watching her kids have fun together.
WINTER LOVES...
Bright colors, polka dots, and mixing patterns. Paisley seems to be popular these days :)
This ones for you too Winnie
SPRING LOVES...
STRIPES! Definitely sisters :)
DORI LOVES...
Taking moments to enjoy being a wife and mother, and realize how fun it is to be so in love with her little family.
This one is for you Whitney
WHITNEY ALSO LOVES...
Watching the sun rise and set while holding the ones she loves.
MONIKA LOVES...
Rainbows and airplanes.
Click here to read about her movie Flyabout.
JENNY ALSO LOVES...
Going out with her Hubby.
TONI LOVES...
Hearing the laughter of little children, especially when they are playing in her back yard.
Here's a second one for you Toni.
OLIVIA LOVES...
Shoes!
COOKIE LOVES...
Shoes too! But I think her boot collection rates #1
MERRILEE...
I know you said jackets, but I got on your blog the other day and I realized you love EVERYTHING that you can make beautiful. If any of you don't know about Merrilee you should take a peek here at her blog- she's amazing.
RACHEL LOVES...
Fresh baked bread and butter.
THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
SAVING THE WORLD WITH FLIP FLOPS?
If you thought saving the world was something out of your reach, think again! Just hop in your car, drive to your nearest shoe store and purchase a pair of flip flops- any size, any color. Then email stmoncrief@digis.net to get the mailing information, and Toni- one of Village of Hope's humanitarian aid volunteers- will assist you in your final steps of your life changing service.
These flip flops are given to a thriving public charity that is changing the heart of Ethiopia. Think of all the illness, pain, and mutilation you avoid with your shoes, then pretend you don't have a car, you tend to animals, and you're a farmer. Your donation will make a world of difference to these people, even one pair will be recognized as an answer to a prayer.
p.s. The 99 cent version doesn't hold up well in their rugged terrain, so think OLD NAVY before you resort to the dollar store.
READ STORY BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
BEGINNINGS
Don and DeAnna Kennard first arrived in the VILLAGE KERSA ILLALA when they came to pick up a little girl they had adopted. They wrote about the experience. "When we first came to the village we were stunned with the pitiful human suffering. It was beyond our comprehension to realize how a child could survive and grow to maturity in such dire circumstance. It seemed every child was shivering with cold, dressed only in filthy rags,
usually only a thin ragged t-shirt, nothing else. They had infected eyes, ears and noses. Most men had no shoes and we don't remember a single child or woman with a pair. The need for proper nutrition was obvious in the skeletal features, vacant eyes of everyone, the swollen bellies, and the reddish hair of the children. Animal and human excretion were everywhere including on the floors of their huts, and it seemed no one tried to avoid stepping in it with their bare feet. Flies swarmed continually, countless ones at a time crawled on their faces, legs, and arms. Bits of garbage were stuck in the bushes and on pathways. Occasional pieces of shoes that had been literally worn till they fell off the person's foot lay about, as well as torn shreds of cloth."
Lon and DeAnna slowly discovered the little girl they were taking home had five siblings, one in grave condition. So the Kennard couple went home with six adopted children to add to the seven biological children they had already raised.
After returning to the U.S., the memory of this village weighed on the couple's minds. The world was sending what support they could to help the people of Ethiopia survive, but the Kennards sensed a need that went much deeper. While Lon was working on a humanitarian aid project in Mexico he had an epiphany. The villages in Ethiopia needed something to provide an opportunity for them to THRIVE, not just survive. In this moment of truth he developed a dream that soon became Village of Hope- Ethiopia.
VILLAGE OF HOPE - ETHIOPIA
Founded by Lon and DeAnna Kennard
MISSION
"To provide individuals and families with an opportunity to not only survive, but to thrive."
"It is our goal to take one village at a time and help develop all the areas necessary for the entire village to improve their health and standard of living, and create a sense of teamwork, cooperation, and independence."
AREAS OF FOCUS...
1. NUTRITION
BEFORE: Their diet almost entirely consisted of wheat and corn.
AFTER: They teach the importance of mothers providing balanced diets. They offer seeds and teach techniques to each family willing to care for personal gardens. They also offer 5 fruit trees to to anyone who will commit to keeping them watered during the dry season.
2. SANITATION
BEFORE: Read the intro above :)
AFTER: They teach sanitation lessons that include the necessity of properly using and caring for latrines, bathing children, airing and cleaning bedding, keeping human excretion cleaned up from pathways and homes, basic hygiene, concept of germs and how they are spread, and keeping the village cleaned up in general.
3. FRESH WATER
BEFORE: They were drinking water from the river that runs near the village, which was at times raw sewage. It was also used for livestock, as a garbage dump, a dead animal disposal site, laundry site, and bathing facility.
AFTER: In 2005 a water well was completed that was funded by the LDS church. It has six water stations with fresh drinking water, bathing facilities, and wash basins. Since the installation of this system they have seen a sharp decline in disease and illness.
4. MEDICAL
BEFORE: There was no facility to treat patients when they first arrived so they set up clinics under the village "gathering tree." Each time the doctors arrived, news of their presence would be spread by word of mouth, and in the next few days they would have as many as 5,000 people waiting in the field, having walked as far as 100 miles away. People were suffering with terrible illnesses, but the doctors could do little to help them with their few medical supplies.
AFTER: There is now a medical clinic with doctors, nurses, medications, and supplies.
5. HIGH RISK CHILDREN
BEFORE: The prevalence of death in Ethiopia creates a large amount of orphans. Also, because of the repression of rural women and girls, millions of them are "on the run," needing refuge from their oppressors. When they do escape from their oppressors they are hunted down and if found are imprisoned, raped, circumcised, and beaten until their willingness to escape has been destroyed.
AFTER: There is now a High Risk Children's Center which provides protection, food, clothing, shelter, education, medical care, and nurturing. Village of Hope works with agencies to assist in finding permanent homes for the children.
6. EDUCATION
BEFORE: Because of the large number of children per family and not enough funds to send them to school, many of the children never get an education.
AFTER: In January 2006 a scholarship program was developed that allowed young men and young women to attend local private school, providing a much higher education than the overcrowded public schools in Ethiopia.
7. FOCUS ON YOUTH
BEFORE: The youth felt no value or hope in their role within the community.
AFTER: A Youth Service Program was developed. The youth are provided opportunities to do service in the community, create unity and friendship among various social groups, create leadership opportunities, and create a sense of pride and ownership in the community.
8. AGRICULTURE
BEFORE: There were times when the village did not eat in over a week because the community harvest had not started.
AFTER: The villagers entered an agreement to plant personal gardens. They are provided the seeds and grain. The Morrell Family Charities came and did an evaluation of the soil and climate finding the area comparable to the Simi Valley in California which is the most productive agricultural area in the U.S. This evaluation concluded that adding a second crop and harvest to the community during the dry season was possible.
9. FAMILY INCOME / ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
BEFORE: Unemployment of fathers in Ethiopia is 95%. The income families do have is from selling their crops. A further problem is that once a child is educated, there is no work that uses their education.
AFTER: Families are provided a small income as the fathers do community service. Mothers and fathers are required to attend monthly educational classes on topics including micro financing, setting up small businesses, and improving farming techniques. In 2008 the Women's Education Center was built to provide opportunities for women to learn occupations and qualify for loans. Plans are underway to start a cooperative dairy in Kersa Illala and the surounding villages, making Kersa the center for dairy in Ethiopia.
10. CULTURE, RECREATION, AND MUSIC
BEFORE: When they first came to the village there was no hope and no celebration for life.
AFTER: With a new hope the Youth Group is thriving in this area. They have martial arts classes, perform traditional music and dance for the village, and perform dramas.
11. RESPECT
BEFORE: It was a case of "every man for himself." That left out women and children, who had no more respect than animals. The men were in such a panic to "get things" that they would exploit anyone to get success for themselves.
AFTER: All the programs have an emphasis on making sure girls and women in the village are given equal or greater opportunities. Identical services are provided to all regardless of tribal affiliation.
12. SERVICE TO OTHERS
BEFORE: Individuals were starving and utilizing all their efforts to feed themselves and then their families.
AFTER: The community programs are active in providing service and support to needy individuals and the community as a whole. Community fathers and youth are harvesting fields for widows, clearing roads, improving the appearance of the public schools and repairing homes of the elderly.
13. SPIRIT AND PRIDE
BEFORE: Decades of attempting to survive have taken a toll on the spirit of the people.
AFTER: Hope, respect, work, and celebration are now the core of the community. All those receiving from these benefits are providing service or receiving education as a way of earning their benefit.
"The villagers are loving, appreciative, intelligent, tough, religious, courageous, prayerful people. You will be recognized as an answer to their prayers. They will never forget you. There is much to do, but lots of fun to have, as you inspire these great people, and you are inspired by them. With your help they can improve their lot and become self sufficient and prosperous."
VISIT THEIR WEBSITE
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Donate Flip-Flops (see beginning of post)
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