That is the thing about living in Doha. I find that all at once I feel uber-inspired, it fizzles and then I feel absolutely the opposite...just singularly repressed and downtrodden. So, I would like to go through a recap of those moments briefly and then if I have time later, I will expand upon some of those things.
-ok...the sky here...drives me crazy...it's a lazy haze of blue. It has a covering of dust, that though the light gets through, I can't actually see the sun. I know it is there, because we have light, but I can't actually see it. I think that faith is a lot like that. I've been pondering that lately. Faith that the sun will rise, that it has in fact, risen and faith that God will help us, that He has in fact, helped us. Mull that over for awhile. I have.
-I helped to write and structure a scholarship for an organization called C.A.S.T. which is the Creative Arts Support Team at the American School of Doha. This is a small group of parents and teachers who have come together to support the fine arts. I love doing this kind of thing. There seems to be a trend that the sports and academic teams have plenty of support from booster clubs and scholarships, but the fine arts simply don't. It is the same here in Doha. Which is sad...BUT there is this great group who are trying to counteract the inevitable. It is a struggling group because they need WAY more volunteers, but they work hard. Anyway, it has been a pretty positive experience for me. I am almost finished with writing up the entire application and selection process. More on this later, when I feel comfortable about ranting about the schools surprising reaction to scholarships. You will be blown away by what I write...I was appalled. Later though...the good thing is to let you know what I am working on.
-I met a really great musician who was feeling totally inspired to write and wants to collaborate on a musical. Yep, a musical. My thing - I know - sounds perfect, right? I agreed to write the script...but somehow I am having a difficult time getting her ideas and my ideas to mesh together. I went from feeling totally inspired and writing, writing, writing to erasing erasing erasing, to ultimately having nothing I am satisfied with. Sigh. It was all working, and then it stopped completely! Writer's block I guess...I think it is more writer's eraser. As I had almost an entire act, and now I'm down to a single scene and considering scraping that as well. So, I need some more inspiration.
-We had the Doha Tribeca Film Festival. I cannot tell you how great that felt to be able to attend. I saw a beautiful movie called Brightstar. It was totally romantic. It would have been a lot better if David and I, at that very moment, were speaking to each other. Instead, we sat through the movie with our arms folded ignoring one another...until he started snoring...I elbowed him. He says he wasn't snoring and that I was mean to elbow him. Possibly. I can see how he would think that if he weren't snoring :) We got to see Where the Wild Things Are. The lighting and costumes...so very much like the book. It totally took me back to my childhood. I got to sit on an a QA session with Mira Nair who directed Amelia. She is one amazing woman. Intelligent, perceptive and artistic - she is fierce. In a very good way. I felt inspired to be a film director after that...though it fizzled quickly after I reminded myself that I had never had that particular desire before and should just stick with my normal grandiose dreams instead of adding new ones.
-I auditioned for a short film which put me on a tangent about being an american. That is actually a blog entry I have started about 50 times and quickly ended. My controversial side keeps wailing it's ugly head and it is the first time I wish that this blog was anonymous. Pfft. I'm still going to write it though. I just need a moment when it doesn't put me in such a foul mood that I can envision peoples heads on platters. Still waiting not to get so worked up about it. But the experience was a very positive one because it led me to something quite interesting...later though...
-Angelina turned 8. Baptism age. She will be baptized when a grandparent comes in January. Meanwhile, I think Satan is tempting her extra. Poor thing. I should make her start wearing garlic and flinging holy water...just kidding...but seriously, the girl is coming into her own around here. Madelyn meanwhile, is struggling with not being 8 yet. She will be turning 7 on the 21st. They have a pirate princess pool party tomorrow. Gotta get to working on that.
-I had my hair colored again. After living in Oman and pretty much just being satisfied with gray coverage...err...silver coverage...I thought that I would have more options here. I went to one salon and had a terrible experience. She just started hacking off curls, instructed me never to wash my hair and preached to me and 'trained' me on curly hair. Puhlease...I've had curly hair for all of my adult life. The last thing I need is a lecture about how to take care of my hair! On top of that, she refused to dye my hair red...stuck with brown...and informed me that red wouldn't look good on me. Alright. Whatever. BUT I am the client and I want red. Still brown. And an icky brown, which, guess what? Faded out to a reddish on the ends, like I knew it would. This is why I just go red...it is easier. So last night I tried someone different. Who was willing to dye my hair red...but it came out black. My roots were red though! Rainbow Bright, Strawberry Shortcake kind of red. She fixed it, gave me a discount and apologized profusely and said that she knew what to do next time. I know I have freaky unpredictable hair...so I can forgive her because she was humble and actually sounds intelligent about the things she is saying. Still though...I recommended first giving me some highlights and then dying my hair red...she doesn't think that was a very good idea. Would have saved us a bunch of trouble if she had listened to me. sigh...maybe at some point my hair will be a decent color again, but I'm banking that I will always have this weirdish-not-quite-black color so long as I live in this part of the world.
-I love Mindy Gledhill's blog. She is always so thought provoking. Her latest entry was regarding being flexible. I'm just stealing part of my response to her post for you to read
"Many times I've thought about the repercussions of flexibility. I find my legs are wobbly from stretching. My arms feel like jello...and at some point, I swear, my back will break from being inverted. I find myself growing skeptical of the remedy of flexibility. Sometimes it is nice to just dig my heels in and say "NO! You will NOT do anything but what I want." I see some people who are so flexible I worry they don't actually have a spine.
So, while I recognize flexibility is great and an essential quality to get through life, I also see that the moments are there where flexibility is not the way to go. Honestly, I feel like the person who has been so flexible for so long that I have lost that muscle tone needed to hold my bones up straight. And then there are times when, because of my own flexibility, I have found a different place for my feet to reside and find that standing in THAT spot is much easier to do. That the gravity isn't as strong and I am lifted.
ok - enough of my silly poetics. Because of my own 'flexibility' I have found an extremely creative new venture that is needed where I am. I am going to start doing makeup artistry. Don't laugh! It can be very creative. Which I need right now. "
so there you have it...my latest reveal, brought on by that audition I mentioned earlier. I have actually done a job already. I did makeup for a makeup school advertisement/corporate film. Talk about pressure. Another story...another day...I have to go get my pirate on!
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