FREEDOM!!

I am all done, my final projects handed in, my last exam completed; I am a free woman! I celebrated by going to the library with a guilt-free conscience. Hey! I am a bookworm, libraries are heavens on Earth and perfect places to relish new found freedom.

Summer plans? Well...

1. Reading. I have a reading list that is full of books so thick they could stop a bullet.

2. Sleeping. I have a bed that has been sorely nelgected.

3. Cooking. I need to learn how to feed myself. It's a basic life skill that needs to happen.

4. School.  I signed up for an online English course, and there is that bursary for 5 weeks of French.

5. Writing. I want to be a writer. This goes without saying.

6. Blogging. I know that nobody reads this blog, but I like writing for the benefit of cyberspace. I have three entries that I have been working on periodically throughout this crazy exam period that will hopefully be posted by the end of this week.

Last day of classes

Last day of classes today!! Exams and final projects still to go, but I am pretty much done my first year of university. Celebrations!! 

Now, I have done many last days of classes before, but this year seems particularly special. I am so happy that I am done, for it was a hard year with lots of adjustment to my work ethic and making new friends etc. I also feel a great sense of accomplishment. I am thinking: "Yes! I did it! This real life thing is possible!" Of course, I still have three more years to go, but I'll get to that later. Right now I just want to breath and let it sink in that I did it. I am not a complete failure (close, but no). 

So...chocolate? Books? A long hot shower? Yep!! 

(And then some studying. Exam on Saturday) 

Some exciting news

I can't wait until May. Then no more school until June!!! Yes, I am going back to school in June. I just received word that I am a bursary recipient for the French immersion program at the University of Sherbrooke!! Over a month of speaking just French, which so far, I have only needed to write and read a little of. I was not in my French immersion program in high school, and my elementary school did not offer it, so this will be a new experience. It also means I will be celebrating my 19th birthday in Quebec, where the drinking age is 18, there is some irony in this.

April: Hoildays and Exams

It is Good Friday. No school, but exams are around the corner, and I am trying to avoid studying. This leads to me attempting to do all the things I have procrastinated on for months. The holiday however is making this difficult. I cannot contact my dentist and make an appointment, for example, and I think my mom told me to do this three months ago. I have resorted to cleaning up my room, particularly my desk, which has been covered in junk for the past year or so.  It has taken quite a bit of effort, but now it is done, so here I am writing a blog post to past more time.  I really wish holidays were days tha I could actully take a holiday.

Easter dinner will happen on Sunday, and a bunch of family is coming over!! Siblings, nephews and nieces!! I am so happy. My newphews and niece are very young, so Easter is all about chocolate and egg hunts for them. Mom bought dye and boiled a bunch of eggs to colour.

I love musicals!!

I love musicals. I have seen many live stage versions, recorded stage versions, and movie versions throughout my life so far and plan to see many more.

As of today, I still have not seen The Phantom of the Opera live, but I will!! It is hands down my favourite. The last time I watched the recording of the 25th anniversary stage production I cried. After watching muscials I get into a funk, where I am really emotional, happy and frankly a little out of it. My head is somewhere else.

I was introduced to muscials at a very young age, but did not really get obsessed until my second year of high school, when my little sister introduced me to The Phantom of the Opera movie from 2004. I fell in love with the music and the story. Sophie then kept on showing up with different musicals, and I grew to love having my stories told to me through song and dance. Phantom, we got out again and again. It was definitely our favourite.

Before my passion fully formed I had my fair share of musicals. I saw a production of Cats in Toronto when I was really young. Wicked for my twelfth birthday in London!! Grew up with The Wizard of Oz, Julie Andrews (I will devote many a post to this woman), Disney etc. My middle school always did a production every year. I was even in my Grade 8 production of Beauty and the Beast (the egg seller and a statue). Also, my high school had a course devoted to it. I saw all the porductions they have put on throughout my four years. So yeah, the musical spark was always there, but Phantom made it the roaring bonfire it is to this day.

My favourite productions that I have seen live: Wicked (twice, London 2008 and Toronto 2014), Cats (Toronto?) South Pacific (Toronto 2010/11?), Les Miserables (Toronto 2013). There are probably more, but I can't recall them right now.
Plus numerous high school and middle school productions. Favs: Little Women, Footloose, Little Shop of Horrors, Aladdin.
Favourite moive versions: The Sound of Music, Victor/Victoria, West Side Story, Into the Woods, My Fair Lady (oh how I widh Julie had been Eliza), Chicago, Moulin Rouge and probably more.

My musical idols: Julie Andrews, Ramin Karimloo, Sierra Boggess. These people are perfect in every way. Best voices I have ever heard and, of course, great actors. They have made me cry and laugh more than any other entertainer. I have only seen one live. Ramin Karimloo was Jean Valjean in Toronto's Les Mis.

I saw my first university production just this past Feburary. It was Sweeny Todd. I loved it!! Definitely going to next year's one.