Ego Booster Tips

I recently ordered a new dress for myself on line. I don’t usually do that cause I like to try things on before I buy them, but I thought I would take a chance.  I am glad I did because I LOVE it! And I will just put in a plug for how much I love Target!

So yay for a new dress! I am meeting up with a friend for dinner after work so I decided to wear it today.

On top of a new dress my hair is working today as well! Yay for good hair days!

I left my apartment and walked towards the subway to head to work. I heard someone yelling from their car... a whistle, a call out, “Hey! Hey baby!” I didn’t even turn my head. I just kept walking. I knew that he was calling out to me. I ignored it.

Then the car pulled up and a guy jumped out and came up to me. This is our conversation… my thoughts are in the brackets…

Guy: Hey how you doin?

Me: Fine

[For real!? This guy just had his friend pull over the car and jumped out, ran up to me so he could talk to me! HA!]

Guy: Where you goin?

Me: I am going to work

[I kept on walking at my normal pace, and he walked right along with me.]

Guy: No, I am going to take you to breakfast! Where do you work?

Me: downtown

Guy: Where downtown?

Me: in Midtown

[sure… let me tell you the exact location of my work so that you can stalk me… or not]

Guy:  Well I will give you a ride in my car, come on!

Me: No thanks

[Hilarious! He wants me to get in the car with him! What is next will he offer me candy too? My dad taught me to never accept candy or rides from strangers. I still live by this rule.]

Guy:  Ok, so you going to give me your number so I can take you out to dinner sometime?

Me: I don’t think my boyfriend would like that very much.

Guy: boyfriend, Awe… common if you have a boyfriend then he should give you the freedom to do whatever it is you want to do.

[This part of the conversation is funny to me because of a few things:

#1- If HE were my boyfriend I am going to take a guess that he WOULD mind if I gave my number out to other random guys

#2- “The freedom to do what I want” is assuming that what I WANT is to give him my number and go out with him! Really guy… is that what I want? Along with the implication that I am controlled and restricted by my boyfriend to not be able to do what I want to do. Like it isn’t my choice. Too funny]

He then wished me well, complimented me and watched me walk away, while he continued to talk… something about boyfriend… blah blah blah…

Oh man! So ladies when you want an ego booster here are a few tips:

1    1-      Buy a new dress that you feel good in.

2    2-      Walk down the streets of Harlem.

The Olympics are Coming!

On my way into the city I stopped in Stratford. That is where a bulk of the Olympics are going to be taking place. Wow! Stratford has CHANGED! I remember it much more run down and old looking. Now it looks like someone sprayed it with new, high end, big, squeaky clean, and fancy solution. There is a HUGE mall. And I mean HUGE!!! There is a good view of the stadium and the surrounding sites from a department store in the mall that overlooks everything.

I then went to Portabello Road. It was raining when I first got out of the station. But it stopped, which I was happy cause then I was able to take some photographs on my way to the market area.  I love Portabello Road.  The whole time I was there I was singing the song from the movie “Bed knobs and Broomsticks” That I used to watch when I was growing up. Man! What a good movie! I want to watch it again!

I found some gifts for the girls in my family! Be excited! ;) and then I headed over to Picadilly Circus.  I went and saw a Play. “Long Days Journey into Night.” By Eugene O’Neil.  It was Very well done! The acting was great and it is a serious drama that addresses a lot of real life problems.  I think I would have appreciated this show more if I had someone to watch it with and then have been able to discuss it and analyze it with. Oh Miriam…. Why are you not here with me!? HA!

Instead I found myself thinking about how I could use this script with applied theater techniques. How I could freeze the action at certain point and as the facilitator step out and ask the audience their opinions and ask if there is anything that they would want to change or do to make the situation better or different. And get some spect-actors up on stage to try out their scenarios and versions of what they would like to have happen instead. 

This was a play that really calls for more than to be entertained.  It begs for some critical thinking and reflection about some hard questions in life.

Comes to show that often I am not completely satisfied by the entertainment aspect of theater.  I know the potential and power of theater – I have seen how it makes a difference and its ability to change and make a huge difference in lives. 

Borough Market

I went into the city to try to get tickets to see a show at the Globe. Sadly they were all sold out. But there was a free internet connection in the area. So I sat by the Thames River and got to talk to my bestie Miriam! The connection was not the best one ever but we were able to fit in a good 40 minute conversation and we only had to call each other 20 times to get it all in. haha Every time the connection went bad we would hang up and call right back and continue talking where we had left off.

I had a moment of loneliness today, I was supposed to meet up with a friend of mine, but couldn’t get a hold of him.  I enjoy traveling so much! And sometimes it is nice to be alone, so that I can go at my own pace and do my own thing… but I really would love to share it all with someone. I told Miriam that next time I decide to go somewhere I have to bring her with me! It is fun to have a traveling companion! Today I wished I had one.

So I went to Borough Market and got some fruit and some cheese and some bread… for a picnic for when Jen and Phyl get into town on Sunday! SO EXCITED!!! I will get to see them for ½ a day as our London trips are overlapping with one another.

At the market I got a duck sandwich… oh man! It is the best thing that I have tasted in a LONG time! (other than the wonderful meals that Gavin and Ana make  for me! They are so great to feed me and make really yummy food!) I walked back over to the Thames River and sat in the cool breeze and ate my lunch and savored the moment.

I then took a walk and took some pictures and enjoyed the nice day. I ended up at the National Theater. They had a free performance.  It was actually 2 separate performances a little less than an hour each.

One did movement based performance, which included a slack line, and the other was mainly juggling.  It was a fun outdoor performance and the weather was perfect!

I then went to the Hyde Park chapel where the Britannia Ward (Young Single Adult Congregation) was having a get together. I met some new friends and then my friend and I took a walk in Hyde Park and got to talk for a while. I LOVE Hyde Park! 

Double Show Day

Its official! I am back in London… ok, yeah it has been official for more than a week now, but it was a double show day today.  I headed off to see if I could get tickets to the musical Matilda. I was sad that they were all sold out. But on my way to Matilda I saw the theater that is showing “Singing in the Rain.” This wasn’t on my list of shows to see, but I saw the theater and got excited as memories of attractive Gean Kelly and the fun songs that I love rushed into my mind. So when I discovered that Matilda was sold out, I went back and got a ticket and saw Singing in the Rain.

It was a fun show, not my favorite. =/ I mean it was what it should have been- jazz hands, the songs I love, the lead did a great job and the number that inspires the title of the show with a full on rain storm and splashing the audience was a lot of fun, well performed, the dancing was great. But my over all feeling for the musical was… Meh.

I know that sounds awful. I think that I am becoming more and more snobbish in my theatre likings, and not as easily appeased with flashy and showy just for the sake of fluff. This is probably in part, the doing of my  Master Program.  The desire for theater to SAY SOMETHING! Something Important. For audience interaction, for Critical Thinking!

After Singing in the rain was over I headed over to Hyde Park. When I was there the other day I saw a Large white tent set up. The same 360 Theater tent where I saw Peter Pan last time I was in London. And I got excited. They are currently showing “The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.”

From the moment the production started I was captivated! The Music was awesome! The puppetry Incredible! The acting was on spot and the Design and Costuming was Phenomenal!!!

I LOVED every minute of this show! It was so Creative, and Beautiful! And I was filled by it in many senses.

Let me tell you something about myself. I don’t cry in movies…but live theatre – much more likely to happen! After the performance of this show I had a few tears running down my cheeks. Not cause it was sad… but because of the beauty and creativity of the art that I had just seen! IT really was amazing! It is a show that I really wish I could have shared with someone! Actually I want to share it with everyone!

I wanted so badly to take pictures during the performance… but they are not allowed. Instead I bought a program that has promotional photos… I want to share some of the costumes and design aspects of the show… it was truly AMAZING!!!

Also I wish that they had a recorded soundtrack of the original score. They don’t and I was sad, cause I was ready to get one, just believe me when I say it was Amazing!!!

Madonna in Hyde Park

I went into the city and I found my way to the river and walked along the Thames. I had forgotten that this is one of my FAVORITE places in London! It was PERFECT weather! I walked along the river and took in the view, I stopped and read on a bench for a little bit and then I headed over to the Tate Modern.  I took my time exploring some things in the museum. One of the floors was closed, unfortunately. But it was still a nice time.  I then continued my walk along the Thames and ended up at the National Theater. I LOVE this place! It is a happening place to be! There are lounge chairs avalible for public use outside the front of the National Theater. I grabbed one and sat and read. It was Perfect, switching between sunny and perfect cloud coverage and a light breeze. I took a short nap, but mostly was engrossed in my book.  I am reading the Hunger games series! I LOVE reading for personal pleasure! This has not happened in a LONG time! Usually if I have time to read I HAVE to read schoolbooks! So I have been eating up this series!

A staff member at the national theater was going around telling people about what was happening at the theater and about various events. He was telling me about them and then said, “And I have free tickets to the Madonna concert tonight.” 

My thoughts… “Madonna… like the real Madonna?!?… Free Concert?!?… Hyde Park!?...Can I have 2?!?”

I only actually vocied the last question and he said, “sure!” and handed me 2 tickets. 

I then met up with George and asked him if he likes Madonna… cause if so… and I showed him the tickets. 

I think that he had the same thought process. Neither of us are die hard Madonna fans, but I am always up for music, and Free?...Yes! I love free stuff! Why Not?!?!

So we went!

I like Madonnas old music… not so much the new stuff… the old music remixed…meh! Overall it was a crazy crowded concert and we had a good time!

I will add pictures soon.

A Day Off

I took a day off. And by that I mean that I stayed home today. I almost went out, and then I saw how much it was raining.  I decided to stay in today and I actually got a good chunk of my final paper written.  I felt kind of lame, I am in London and I stayed inside all day… but am glad that I started on my paper and I decided that I would make sure to take advantage of the rest of the week. Hey I am on holiday why not take it easy and not run around like crazy for just a day. So I did! 

I Feel My Saviors Love!

After weeks of traveling and not being able to make it to church it was really nice to be at church today! I went to Sacrament meeting With the Ishmael family. Gavin was called to serve as the new bishop. So it was a special day and I was happy to be there with them.  They are so wonderful and have included me as part of their family! They are one of my most FAVORITE things about London!

After Sacrament meeting with the Ishmaels in the Romford ward I headed into London to the Hyde Park chapel so I could go to sacrament meeting with George.  After that I headed back home and made it in time to have dinner with the Ishmaels and the missionaries.

The rest of the day has been spent talking with Mom and Dad and Miriam and catching up with a few loved ones on line, as well as updating the past 3 days of blogs. Gah! Don’t get behind Kristy! Everything happens SO FAST!

There were a lot of really great things said in church today! In both meetings that I attended! I am renewed with gratitude for the gospel of Jesus Christ! I am so thankful that I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I recognize what a blessing it is for me! 

During Church today I had moments of revelation where the Spirit was speaking to me.  Very specific things that I need to do.  These are not life changing by any means, but some small instructions that the Spirit whispered to me while I was listening to the talks. I wrote them down and I have a goal to do them tomorrow. I am thankful for the spirit of revelation in my life and for the promptings and guidance that I receive from a loving Heavenly Father!

One of the main messages that I heard today was the love of our Father in Heaven and Savoir Jesus Christ. And How they know the intimate details of our lives and they understand.

“Every time you pray,

and you don’t know if he hears you…

He hears!

And eventually he will answer.

He understands

He knows

He has felt your pain and your heartache.”