Awards season!!!

It has come, one of my favourite times of the year.

OSCAR SEASON!!!

I love this time of year, because when the Oscar nominees come out every year, I create the challenge to myself to watch all of the films in the best picture category. This challenge, however, has become a bit more difficult when they doubled the amount of nominees from 5 to 10. Even though they have recently dropped the number to 9, that's still a lot of movies to watch! (Particularly when you still have a life going on.)

I'm still going to try to achieve this goal. The art of balancing school, work, life, sleep, and movies can and WILL be done! I've achieved this goal once before (and when it was 10 movies) and I will do it again! While I do it, I'm going to include mini-reviews. A while back, I used to review movies I saw with a note on a piece of paper. Just a few thoughts written down with a couple jabs at the current crappy movies floating around.

**cough**Twilight**cough**

So for the next little bit, along with the other posts, I'll be doing wee movie reviews of the best picture nominees.

K, that's it. I got movies to watch!

-janeovision

Wait, BEER MIGHT NOT BE VEGETARIAN???

The month moves on, I'm back in school, I'm getting my life schedule back in order, or in some fashion, and I'm looking towards more of my future monthly goals. I've been looking into caffeine-free options, contacts, music and other adventures.  I've also began my research for veg-uary. I'm looking into ingredients, starting to stock my fridge with my upcoming options, and generally researching what I can and can't eat.

Holy crap.

Did you know there are beers, wines and some foods you'd think are veg-friendly, but totally aren't?? Guinness uses a fish product called isinglass in the production process of the stout.  They essentially can't guarantee particles won't make it's way to the final product.  The same for Magners.  Magners uses an animal product (Cochineal) for colouring.  I also have to look into items that use gelatin or pectin, which is in surprising items such as sour cream (huh!).

I have done research for half a day. And all I have to say is this:

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?????

I have to watch not only what I eat, but what I DRINK too?  When did I have to start worrying about that shit too??? Stuff with dyes, surprise pectin or gelatin, or even animal products tossed in or used in the production.  Aren't there other effective ways to separate product in the production process, or use other items for colouring, or even just having NATURAL colours for the product?

I've been talking to other friends who are vegetarians and vegans and they say the scariest thing about  doing this is the research.  Along with that, the more research you do, the less you want to eat the nasty-ass food that is put out there.

One step at a time. One bite at a time, lots of reading, and even more eating.

-janeovision

P.s. I tried veggie ground beef last night. I'm pretty sure I like it better than real ground beef, but I've never been a fan of the smell of ground beef cooking anyways.  BRING IT ON.

Vacation dread

The Friday before you head back to school or work after the holidays is probably the worst day of the year so far... Which I guess is a good thing, since you're only a few days in to the new year.

You lie in bed, staring at your clock, resenting every second that is passing because it's getting closer and closer to the time when you'll eventually have to get up at a REASONABLE hour and do productive things in your day besides shower and reheat leftovers. Soon enough, you're going to have to out on your face, smile, fake pleasantries and try not to deck fellow commuters on the subway during rush hour.

Vacations are dangerous like that! They lure you in with this utopia of food and festivities and friends, the pretty lights and the music and that perfect moment where the entire years stress melts off your shoulders like the foam on your overpriced latte and you can finally have some fun!! But once you are having fun, footloose and fancy free, you have to go back to reality. You have to go back to WORK. you have to do adult things and keep up with those adult responsibilities, and restrain yourself at evening events because you have an adult thing to do early in the morning. It tricks you into forgetting the bullshit of life! How evil!!

I just want to stay in my wonderful cocoon. Stay in this bliss of hanging with my friends that I otherwise never get to see, drink, and dance, and have adventures!

But all good things must come to an end. I have to go back to school and work and the world outside my blanket fort. Once I get back in that groove, I'm sure ill be hunky dory again, I'll have a happy little routine and ill find time for the fun and the adventures I'm having now. It will all work and it will all be awesome once I get back into it.

But today, today I'm in my cocoon. I'm eating tomato soup and grilled cheese and watching bridesmaids. Later on ill have some beer and dance my face off probably.

It's cool, I've got til Monday to enjoy my vacation bliss.

-janeovision

A resolution of sorts

A new year is upon us, and, if you're reading this, you've survived. GOOD JOB!! Gold stars and all that jazz! Now we move to the next year!

The usual tradition of the beginning of the year is to create a resolution, something you are aiming for for the upcoming 364 days ahead of you. I'm not one to make such big goals. Not because I can't do it, but because I'm far too realistic for my own good.

I was thinking of this tradition, and I thought, why not make this a bit more attainable? This year, I've created a month to month goal. I will have one goal each month to attain, and if I so choose, I will continue with that habit, if not, I will at least be able to say (hopefully) that I completed each task and can move on to the next.

Here's my plan:

January - at least 2 blog posts a week. Nothing intense or deep all the time, but something tangible linked to my current events, rants, opinions, or foodie-ing I may be doing in my life

February - this one I call VEG-uary. For one month (and yes, the shortest one!) I will not eat meat. No bacon, no chicken, no broth, no Caesars, just fruits, veggies, dairy, and eggs. I'll need help with this one.

March - get at least 2 play ideas written out with plot points and at least 2 scene breakdowns each. Bonus points if I don't just write monologues

April- develop my business contacts. Whether within my crafting, event management, or theatre, I would like to have 5 contacts towards my future. *note* friends don't count! This could be done earlier, but this is my deadline.

May - go to at least 2 new restaurants a week. This could be fine dining, a diner, a bar, but I want to try new place I haven't been to yet in this grand city of mine

June - explore new music artists out there. With NXNE happening, I want to go to shows that are more off the grid and challenge my music tastes

July - Take my friends to fringe shows. I love the fringe festival, and a lot off my friends have no idea about this festival, as many are wrapped up in music. This month, with every show I go see, I want to have at least one non-theatre friend with me to enjoy and discuss it after the fact. This should be interesting.

August - This month I want to be outside as much as possible. My goal is to watch a max of 30 minutes of tv a day (limited to news only) and watch movies only after 8pm, (with exception to rainy day matinees) and bike at least once a day. I will also spend at least 2 days in the park and 1 day a week on a beach of some kind. I want to grab hold of summer!!

September - caffeine free. Crap.

October - Start my Christmas sewing. This includes presents, toys to sell, and create 2 new patterns for an item.

November - one new recipe a week. Try something I've never made, never cooked, never tried, and make it. I'll also post about it.

December - relax. This is usually a stressful month, so I want to take 5 minutes every day to relax. Whether it's posting something goofy, watching a stupid show, or grabbing a drink with friends, I want this month to be about enjoying life and what I have around me.

So there you have it. My 12-month goal. So far, so good.

Happy New Years everyone, best of luck in your own resolutions and here's to another year of whatever life may bring us! Whatever gets thrown, make the best of it and make it work for you.

-janeovision

A life's year in review.

Hey! I'm posting junk again!! Go me!!

Since my birthday has just come and gone, I thought I should start this up again.

I just celebrated my champagne birthday. Yup, 28 on the 28th. In good birthday fashion, I was stuck prepping for an event for school. As I was cutting tags for caramel apples, a class mate asked me what I had accomplished in my last year of life. It was an interesting question I had never been asked before. What have I done? Then I took a moment and realized, hell! I've done a lot this year!

This year I wrote something. Not just anything, I wrote an entire play. 60 whole minutes of my blog-like blabbering was put to paper and put out to the public. A whole lot farther than this blog has gone. I wrote a play. I directed this play. I financed this play. I produced it, supported it, and went through all the highs and lows, fun and sheer chaos of being responsible for a piece of art.

I also challenged myself further than I ever thought I had to. A mere 10 days before we were to hit the stage, I had an actor abandon the show with no explanation or discussion and I was forced to take her place. I had to perform scenes that were fun, but also heart-wrenching and personal, scenes that I had never intended to perform because of how hard they were to write alone. But I did it. I got on that stage (and memorized a script in 9 days! Bam!) and I poured out my heart and felt those emotions all over again, and every night for 7 shows in the 2012 Toronto Fringe Festival. Certainly a learning curve of worst-case-scenario. I am proud I did it, and impressed I survived. Thankfully, I had the amazing support of my cast and crew pushing me to succeed and being the best help line a girl could ask for.

I not only wrote/directed/performed in my show, I also had a show that was successful! Well, we made about $80 each, but hey! It worked and I wasn't in the red, so I call that a success for a first timer!

This year also brought on more education. I am now back at school for event management. Being back to a school certainly isn't glamorous, or even fun at times, but I'm learning a lot and I'm surrounded by smart, funny, and exciting people every day, and I get to be challenged further than having to remember what's in a Burt Reynolds shot as I tend bar.

Finally, I've taken the step to live on my own for the first time. I have my own little space, my own bathroom, my own mess, and me and jerk cat are making it on our own. It's quiet at times, and sometimes lonely, but I like having the freedom of having a full space to call my own, my privacy, my world. Hell, my sanctuary free of pants!!

Writing it down makes it seem small, but l of these were huge. I've pushed myself and had pretty much everything thrown at me.

And I survived.

27 was a ride. Ok, 28, show me whatcha got!!

-janeovision


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

one down! My Drunk Play Survives!!

WE DID IT !!!

Yup, we have survived our first performance with the 2012 Toronto Fringe Festival!!! Especially with the chaos and turn of events in the past 2 weeks, I am exceptionally proud of my cast and crew!!

Unfortunately, we had an actor leave the project 10 days before opening night. This was a sudden shock, but thanks to my amazing cast, we were able to step it up and I stepped in as her role. I can't say I'm not disappointed with her behaviour and shocked at this surprise lack of professionalism, we have no choice but to wish her luck in the future and hope this is a learning process for her future projects.

I have to say, I could not do this without my cast and crew.  I had to pick up the script 10 days before we opened, and, even though I was the one that wrote the play, I was not expecting to be the one to perform it.  I love that my cast pushed me to rehearse, to do the scenes I was dreading, to make me work, and force me to take off the directors hat and start acting again.

Last night was our first show. I am so proud of what we've done!! There were a few flubs, but that's what the first show is for!!! When it comes to Fringe, I always take the first show as the Dress rehearsal.  We get all the mistakes, the screwed up cues, and all the line fuck ups out of the way in the first show.  Once that's done, the next 6 shows are gonna be nothing but gravy!!!

So six more... come see our show at 7:30!!!!

But first... After all the work, all the stress, all the rehearsals, and none of the sleep, I can't believe it has all finally happened.  My work, my goofy blog writing transformed into a real play has become an actual production that people are seeing.  It's been almost a year of work and the last 3 monthes of lots of work, money, and dedication to something based on my drinking, my friends drinking and the life I've been living in my 20's.  I have to say that after everything is said and done, I'm proud of what I've written, proud of my cast, proud of my stage manager, and proud of the final product.

This show rules. I'm not sure that the media and reviewers are going to say, but in the end, I'm a proud little mama.

That being said,

-janeovision

Info and officialness for My Drunk Play

Official is official.

With our show creeping up very quickly, it's time to share my cast and crew!! Some would've share. This much earlier, however being as superstitious as I am, I wanted to hold out until I knew they were going anywhere.

That being said,

Janet Davidson - Actor
Jenn Viens - Actor
Aaron Kagan - Actor
Steve Shand - Actor

Allye Vice - Stage Manager

This crew has been incredibly fantastic, helpful, patient, and overall just so wonderful in working and developing this show. They are awesome. So you should come see the show and enjoy the awesomeness that they are!!

The dates:

Friday, July 6th 8:45pm-9:45pm
Saturday, July 7th 7:30pm-8:30pm
Monday, July 9th 1:00pm-2:00pm
Wednesday, July 11th 5:45pm-6:45pm
Thursday, July 12th 11:30pm-12:30am
Friday, July 13th 12:00pm-1:00pm
Saturday, July 14th 6:15pm-7:15pm

Closer and closer. Stressing out. Excited. Panicking with joy and terror.

-janeovision


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone