A list.

What have I been listening to lately?
1.) OneRepublic- Waking up
Such a great cd! I wasn't really such a fan of them before, but this one has a funkier feel to it. I like it.

2.) Xavier Rudd- Solace
I used to listen to him a ways back- I saw him at the house of blues in myrtle beach about 5 years ago or so. But I just recently thought about him again, and re-downloaded the album, and I've just been loving the feel of it. He has a very unique sound- he uses didgeridoos (the aboriginal australian instrument,) and is very positive and all about nature. Check out "Let Me Be," and G.B.A.

3.) Robin Thicke. I'd only heard a few of his songs, but I just downloaded his latest 2 albums..and I usually don't listen to R&B type stuff...but idk.. I like his stuff. He's so...smooth.. and sexy. haha. ;) Good stuff!

What beauty products have I been using lately?

• In order to be a nice, tan Indian, I have been using Jergen's Express self-tanner.

It works pretty well in giving a nice, deep tan glow without the tanning bed risks and such. Apply it after showering very carefully- (The first time I applied it, it was very streaky. Make sure you put a separate dollop like on the front and back of your legs, arms ,etc.) As you can see, it worked pretty well. The only complaint I have is that it gives you a kind of a strange smell. Not bad, not good..just..interesting..haha. But it's worth it for the show, anyways. If you like having a tan at all times, I would recommend it!

• I've been using Maybelline The Colossal Volume Express mascara. I really like it alot- it makes my lashes nice and fluffy. I got the limited edition blackest black version... it is nice! If you are looking for a relatively inexensive drugstore mascara, go with this.
  

What have I been eating lately?
Too many sweets. Apart from that, I've been trying to hold out on going grocery shopping until I come back from after Christmas break. But lately I have made this really great chili recipe that is hearty and filling and pretty cheap to make! Nice for the cold months =]

• Insanely Easy Vegetarian Chili

While you're there, allrecipes.com is a GREAT website to find new recipes becuse everyone lists reviews and suggestions to make them even better! Check it out!

• Too many sweets. Hey, it's the holidays.
  

What have I been wearing lately?
My look for the most part is solid colors with a crazy, funky, bold accessory, (or more than 1!) Lately, I've been wearing lots of things from my etsy store to self promote but mainly because I usually just want to wear the things that I make because I like them! :P

My Winter Style by J9isyourstar

What have I been watching lately?
If you know me, I'm not much of a TV or movie watcher, but I know when I see a good one. The best movie I've seen in a long time is Brothers, starring Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Natalie Portman. The acting is phenomenal, especially from the younger actress who plays the daughter. It is a riveting movie that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. It is heart-wrenching, but definitely one of the best movies I've seen.

What have I been DOING lately?!

• Peter Pan- I'm in the last stretch of Peter Pan, we close on the 23rd. All in all it has been a positive experience and I have had alot of fun! Sure I have a somewhat small role, but I try to just make the most of it and roll with it. If you are in town and have not seen it, it is a very entertaining show and you should totally check it out! Buy tickets here!
• Being crafty- I've been making all my Christmas presents homemade for the most part, and I have enjoyed just sitting around and being crafty, making necklaces and other accessories. I am starting up an etsy store (I already posted a link to it, plus I have a link on the side-bar to the right!) in which I have displayed my items if you are interested =] Now that I am off from school, I have had time to devote to it and I am having lots of fun!
• Re-decorating. I posted in an earlier blog that I would post pictures of my room, and my room is still not completely done (I need curtains!) But here is what it looks like so far:

More to come when it is finished! I'm pretty happy with the way the Indian fabric turned out. =] I want MORE!

• Relaxing. I've thoroughly enjoyed my break so far. I can't believe I have so much left to just...RELAX?! It's a word that is barely ever in my vocabulary, seriously! But I'm really so grateful for Christmas break and then being able to go home to spend time with family for Christmas. =]

Life is good.

Time for a break!

So, now Christmas break has finally started. All my finals are over, and I just feel GREAT to be honest. I've had time to do things like rearrange my room, do some super-cleaning, and just enjoy things like butternut squash soup in a sourdough bread bowl at atlanta bread company. Yum. Yes, Peter Pan is still going on, but it is so non-stressful that it's not even funny. It's just fun!

My project as of late has been to re-decorate my room. I'm going for an Indian-inspired, sumptuous, silky, romantic feel. I bought some sari fabric from Joann's, a teal, olive, gold, and orange silky/satiny type of fabric with gold embossed designs, and I'm going to drape them on my walls. I actually just rearranged everything and it already feels more "zen." I got a small lamp, flowers, and tealight candles, too, and it is starting to actually look like a bedroom. My room was kind of haphazardly thrown together before, and now it actually looks nice. I am proud. I still haven't put up the fabric though, which is probably the defining factor of my decorating, because I still have to hem the edges, but when I do there will definitely be pictures! So yeah, I'm definitely excited about having a nice sanctuary instead of a dumping ground for my stuff. =]

For the first time in awhile, I'm actually feeling Christmas this year. Last year it came upon so suddenly that it didn't even feel like Christmas to me for some reason. But this year I am really enjoying it. I've been listening to Relient K's Christmas album alot, and just feeling festive! So that is good. I'm excited to go home, even though I can't go until Christmas eve because of Peter Pan. But it will be nice to just chill out with family and get out of Columbus for a bit. Things here have been a bit awkward as of late, but it has cleared up mostly. I think that a break from the theatre department, however, is very much needed for many, including myself! I'm excited for the new semester, too- new classes that will be lots of fun! But for now, I'm taking my sweet time to relax, decorate my room, and make presents!

On another note- I'm seriously drooling over these anthropologie necklaces:






Too bad they are ridiculously priced. Ugh. Oh, to have money...

life is good.

So I just got done with the last analysis of the semester...it's a WONDERFUL feeling. So many hours spent on these darn analyses!

So my life is finally slowing down quite significantly....besides Peter Pan, which is gearing up soon. The rehearsals that I've had so far are enjoyable, except for the sing-through of the show in which I only had to sing in one song...but its okay! haha.

Now that directing is pretty much over, the stress has lifted. I am in the midst of rehearsals for my last scene...and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I'm doing the Rain in Spain from My Fair Lady....and I LOVE my actors..and they all sound wonderful...it's overall just been a great experience and alot of fun to do. I'm very pleased with the work everyone is doing.

I'm really enjoying the work I'm doing in acting class, I really like the character scenes, and it is boding well for me actually. I'm doing good work, and it's just nice to succeed in an acting class, since that is what I will be doing for the rest of my life, haha.

Overall, I'm quite please with life at the moment. I feel as if I'm finally coming out of my weird anti-social hermit-esque vortex I was in for the past couple weeks or so, and I'm hanging out with different people and just enjoying free time again and just loosening up, so to speak. I've felt so wound up and uptight lately...really I've just been very focused on schoolwork which is a good thing, I suppose, but sometimes you just need to relax!

I have already registered for my classes next semester, and I definitely feel like next semester is going to be a good one. I feel it in my bones! In all honesty, this semester actually fared pretty well for me too... I've accomplished alot which is always nice.

It's been beautiful weather lately. Life is good.

The rain in spain

I feel as if the days and weeks just turn into a blur...
It's already November?! What?! When did this happen!?
I'm already working on my very last directing analysis.... I feel like it was just last week that I was stressing out about it, and wondering if I would be any good at all...and now with 2 A's on both my last 2 scenes and analyses, I had really nothing to worry about! While I have found a new ability in directing, I still don't think it's something I want to pursue forever. But we'll see. =]
Directing aside, I definitely feel as if I have improved as an actress so much this year as well, especially with seminar in auditions (I got passed on from GTC to SETC this year! yay!) And I feel as if Meisner is really clicking with me now, and I am truly enjoying class, especially now that we are doing character scenes!
Now Peter Pan at the Springer is starting up on Monday, and I just got cast as Irene in Crazy For You (yay!) which starts rehearsals in January, and Crazy for You goes up in April- (Long rehearsal period, I know haha) so I have a full semester of theatre ahead! Not to mention SETC. Which is very exciting =].
Pretty soon it's Christmas time, and then a new semester. I can't believe it. It is truly bizarre. Time goes by so fast... In just a short amount of time from now I will be graduating! I really can't wait, but at the same time I am apprehensive as I will for one be on my own fully, and I will be moving to a new city as well. (I want to move to Atlanta after graduation.) I am very excited about my future though... I know that if I continue to work hard I will be able to achieve whatever I want =]

While my academic and theatre life is going swimmingly well, I feel as if my social life could use a pick-me-up, while at the same time, I feel like I literally don't have TIME for one. So it's a catch-22 there haha. I just feel really isolated alot, and that I don't make much of an effort to hang out with people unless they are in or if they stop by my apartment. But it's whatever. A social life is not important right now haha. I'll have time for that later :P

I need to get back to working on my analysis. My third scene is from My Fair Lady. =] The raiin in spaiin stays maiinlly in the plaainnn!!

My new business venture.

Want your makeup done?

Because 1.) I need to make money and, 2.) I love to do makeup- I am offering my services to the general public!

For those that don't know, I was the official makeup artist for CSU Dept. of Theatre's "The Cripple of Inishmaan" and the makeup designer for "Big River" at the Springer Opera House as well as "The Rocky Horror Show" with Chattahoochee Shakespeare company.

• I am willing to negotiate prices depending on what it is (For example: if you want a prosthetic nosepiece and you want to look like you are 95, it may cost more than if you just want formal makeup done. I'm looking at ranges between $15-25. (less if you bring your own makeup, which is advisable!)

• Just in time for Halloween! =] Have a Halloween party or even to go to and want a super special look? Just schedule an appointment with me for a consultation if you just want to know how to achieve a certain look, or you can schedule a time for me to do it for you, granted, I am a busy girl and it will probably cost a bit more for me to actually DO it, especially on Halloween day as I also am doing my own, and I can't have like 10 people all wanting to do their makeup on Halloween night, haha. But we will just see how it goes!

• If you know anyone that is wanting a makeup artist for any formal event, just direct them here =]

For those who are not familiar with my work- here is a sample of what I do. I also am pretty good at creating a makeup design from any photo/painting/etc.

Extreme fashion/glamour makeup

Special FX/Extreme Makeup

Show Pictures

Please tell anyone you know who may be interested in having their makeup done. =]

To contact me, e-mail me at demichele_janine@colstate.edu, or find me on facebook!

SO life has been pretty good lately still.
I'm just not believing that we are already at MIDTERMS. As in.. an entire half of a semester has went by already! It's so hard to believe. I know they say the older you are the faster time flies..but..man. It's just so crazy!
But anyways, so school has been going good I suppose. I made A's on my first directing scene and analysis so *yay* for that! I feel like directing class consumes my life sometimes (it's certainly consuming my fall break!) To be honest, I'll be glad when it is over.
Apart from that, I'm gearing up for GTC! Which is going to be this crazy amalgamation of stress and excitement at the same time. Stressful- because I am doing this cabaret thing in which we have to learn all this music in a short period of time, but fun because I of course love to sing and perform! Also stressful though, is the GTC audition which weirdly, I am not even as nervous about. I feel just really good about my package, and I am just trusting myself to bust it out. haha. Also stressful is RIGHT after GTC is Richard's freestage. I'm not really that stressed.. but its just another thing, ya know?

OH and I forgot to mention- starting November 2nd I start rehearsals for...PETER PAN! =] Yep! I'm an Indian. I'm pretty excited, because I wanted to get my foot in the door over at the Springer. It's another thing I can put on my resume and a respectable place to do work in, and I'm sure I'll have lots of fun! The only bad thing about it is that my thanksgiving/christmas breaks will be cut short, but alas, I'll have the cast to keep me company I suppose.

Oh wow and you know what I just remembered though.... SEASON AUDITIONS are coming up! ahh! AHH! AHHHHH! I'm so exasperatingly desperate to be Polly in Crazy for You. I know, I know, it may be presumptuous of me to be so gung-ho about one particular role, instead of just saying I want to be cast- but I just want it that badly! There's something about Crazy for You that embodies all the things I love about musical theatre, the joy, the 40s, the goofiness, the beautiful costumes and extravagance, the beautiful standards of Gershwin, ahh. Few people really appreciate stuff like that. I feel like most people are all about whatever is controversial, dark, edgy, and cool. And that's all well and good but not ALL the time! Where's the love? Where's the fun and joy? A person can only take SO much!

But anyways, enough about my rant :P
Whatever happens will happen, and even if I'm not in Crazy for You, gosh darn it I'll be in something. It hasn't stopped me before. I'll find a way to be on a stage, CSU dept. of theatre, I'll find a way... hehe.

Anyways, I suppose I should get back to my lovely directing analysis of joy.

P.S. IM SO EXCITED FOR HALLOWEENNNN I'm going to be Jasmine. WOO

The weirdness of life.

Wow. So it has definitely been quite a while since I blogged last, huh! Haha. There are alot of things that are going on right now that are exciting and strange...

• My classes are going REALLY WELL. I'm super happy. Like, I feel pretty confident about my pieces in auditions class, I am done with my directing analysis and I am VERY happy with the way my scene is turning out, I had a really great day in Meisner last class, I made a great grade on my first government exam, I'm nailing my theatre dance classes... yay
• Also, I feel SUPER SUPER SUPER confident about my GTC package this year. Like...I love performing both pieces, my monologue is funny, the song really shows me off well... I'm actually excited to perform at convo which is weird because last year I was totally freaking out during this whole process haha. I just have a really good feeling about GTC this year, and it feels nice to actually be very prepared and on top of things.
  
• I am also doing this cabaret thing that Brenda asked me to do for some entertainment portion of GTC, which is super exciting!!
  
• I am also now in one song, "Gotta Get a Gimmick" for Richard's freestage..i know I told myself I wouldn't do freestages this semester so I can focus on classes and what not... but I was asked nicely, and I mean... one song won't hurt, right? :P plus I really like the song, and the choreography by Dureyea is FIERCE. Also, I get to wear an awesome showgirl costume that literally lights up. I mean hey, I couldn't pass that up you know? haha.
• I am fitting into old clothing that used to be way too small..... I'm finally getting my shape back again! Rocky Horror definitely spurred it, but I'm keeping it up and I'm super happy about that!
  

On another note, I am single again, which is weird to say. And I have no hard feelings towards Matt at all...but it was one of those things where I just felt like it was better for the both of us you know? I don't want to elaborate, but yeah its weird but to be honest I think I am in too much of a selfish/career focused state of mind to really be in a relationship with anyone right now.

But yeah, other than awkwardness...life is pretty good.