Monthly Archives: August 2012

Pressure Change

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Change…GO:

changes, writing, five minute friday,backstage,costumes

The calm before the costume storm change…

Recently I worked backstage as a changer. It is an exciting job changing 25 different costumes on just one actor–that would average around 12.5-costume changes for each act in a two-act show.

In this stage production, there were 20 characters, only 2 actors, 2 changers, an act 1 and act 2.

I learned a few things about my (so much pressure) changer job that I can apply to my life.

First, life sometimes expects us to go off script and improvise, like when your dang car breaks down in the middle of summer and you need to be at work in half an hour! Quick change needed! Ad lib…improvise…quick, aargh, the pressure!!

Second, quick changes in life can mean, no, will mean, MESS!

>Costumes, wigs and props flying through the air as rapid chaotic changes happen.<

YOU WILL HAVE MESSES! Go through the change and come back later to clean up.

Finally, no matter how quickly you work to change things for the better, sometimes you will not get perfection or make it on time to get perfection, so, you can follow the footsteps of the actor I dressed and undressed and blurt out as he occasionally did,…f**k it…as he quickly dashed on-stage with a few missing costume pieces and props, and, with just enough time to roll into dialogue for his next character.

This was crazy, pressure changes! …STOP.

(**sometimes, backstage language is very colorful–I write as is…my apologies if it offends.**)

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Have you had a pressure change recently?

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Join up every Friday with host, Lisa-Jo Baker – tales from a Gypsy Mama, for Five Minute Fridays.

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Weekly Writing Challenge: The Sound of Blogging

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I wanted to try two new things today. First, a quick post for the Daily Post Writing Challenge, the theme being, The Sound of Blogging, and second, in the dashboard section, compose a quick post.

So, here it is…

“I heard a neigh. Oh, such a brisk and melodious neigh as that was! My very heart leaped with delight at the sound.” ~Nathanial Hawthorne

Of all the sounds in the world, the most intoxicating to my soul and sends me leaping with delight, is no other than the dear sounds from God’s gift to the world, the horse!

I love how some writers write exactly what you are thinking.

Wynford Vaughan-Thomas, summed up beautifully…”All the sounds dear to a horseman…the snort of the horses as they clear(ed) their throats, the gentle swish of their tails, the tinkle of irons, as we fling the saddles over their backs–little sounds of no importance, but they stay in the unconscious library of memory.”

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This is my neighbor’s horse but one day, I will check off from my bucket list:
Own horses

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Have you tried anything new on your blog recently?
What was the best sound you ever heard?

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What Does Love Look Like?

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Saint Augustine once wrote, “What does love look like?”

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~Love must look like the freshness and beauty found in the surprise gift of a vase full of flowers. Pretty, but more realistically, love probably looks less showy and ever bit more practical.

Augustine continued, “What does love look like…?

It has the hands to help others.
It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy.
It has eyes to see misery and want.
It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men…”

~In our silence you can hear the agonizing cries from those deeply hurt by life’s burdens–you listen with sadness and wonder what you can do with so many broken-hearted souls humiliated especially when their wound comes from love not felt or love torn away.

In love…
~We cry with them
~We spend time with them
~We listen and hold them close in our thoughts
~We love unconditionally…

“That is what love looks like.” ~St. Augustine

In order to see love, occasionally we need our silence to hear love calling out to us and a plea to heaven: God, give me your eyes…for just a second.

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What does love look like to you?

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Silhouette Of a Mother’s Love

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The dark silhouette of a mother’s love for her son, Augustine–

Her long-suffering silent prayers, her weeping and unwavering hope for Augustine’s eternal life continued until her prayers brought conversation and baptism to Augustine.

“This was the mother who had wept over me for many years so that I might live in your sight.” –St. Augustine, on the death of his mother.

The silhouette of a mother who endured eighteen years watching her son abandoned to all the cares of the world…

“In the flesh she brought me to birth in this world; in her heart she brought me to birth in Your eternal life.”–St. Augustine

Let us find our single purpose in life as we travel through the silhouette of this mother and learn to apply the wisdom gained from the book of Proverbs 31:20:

Travel theme, silhouette,monica,augustine,proverbs 31

“She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy.”

For the month of September, our small church family will be distributing food to those in need within our community. Our public library now hosts an ongoing literacy program to help adults learn how to read.

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In the hidden silhouette of a mother’s love, how is your community helping the poor and needy in your area?

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 Join Ailsa every week for her fun and adventurous  Travel theme: This week–Silhouette.

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