Anyway, time-warp with me if you will, to May. The beginning of May, I think. Finals were awesome, I only had one test that I really had to worry about: Bible 102, Summary of the New Testament. It was comprehensive exam from one of the most difficult test givers in the school. Reveling in essay questions like: “Discuss: How does the author of Hebrews use a ‘two-level’ world view to talk about Christ and his work?” or asking about the similarities and differences between Saul and Paul. That was actually one of my favorite essay questions (partly because I could go, ‘yes! I know that one!’ and partly because it is best answered in the teacher’s favorite method – bullet point.) That is one reason I love Dr. Willis, he allows us to answer in bullet point if we can make it clear and logical. It was rather interesting to discover that he most favors the style of writing I learned from Mr. Hinrichs, clear, logical, to the point with just a little poetry scattered in to get the reader interested. Add a little outside research and broader application of the question at hand, and you’re set! Mostly set anyway. That test was the most difficult for me, though Dr. Willis did bless us with having two-thirds be material from the two previous exams.

Beginning Acting I had only to turn in a beat-book (an analysis of a script into ‘beats’ so you can pursue a specific goal from the other character) and various paper-work. The preparation for the final 10-minute scene was mostly during the trip to Switzerland, so the professor let me do extra bookwork instead, and run the sound and lights for the other scenes. Feedback from the class: they would love to see me play a nasty role, be mean, and the professor would love to see me audition for more scenes and the mainstage plays, with the right part I could be a lead, according to him. According to me, that’s freaky! Acting is a lot of work, and though I am not opposed to work, it’s mostly things that I really don’t like doing. So while a part here and there, and the occasional directing students scene I am not likely to be putting in much stage time in the spotlight. To many aspiring actresses in the department anyway.

Choreography, the final was a written test and a performance of an original piece. The test was mostly the French ballet terms applied to dance and were on the midterm so not a whole lot of studying needed. The performance part I worked on a dance to ‘Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus)” that I had choreographed the year before, adapting it to pointe shoes and making it a little more advanced and interesting. It was a lot of fun to practice with everyone else in the class, we had everything from classical ballet with me to tap, Irish, clogging, Indian, and whatever it was the Matt Worthington was doing…He was our class clown this semester, keeping us all awake and having fun. He also teaught us such move as The Matt Worthington (requires demonstration to explain) and The Sprinkler (which is exactly that, one of the clicking sprinklers). Teri Wilkerson was the teacher for this class, she also choreographs the theater’s productions and owns a dance studio in town. She is the director for a troupe called Chameleon which I will hopefully be dancing with this upcoming year. Auditions are in November. She dances and choreographs her soul and challenges us to do the same, confronting our fears, insecurities, prejudices, and dreams. I love her. After the performance part of our final she asked me to keep in touch because she would like to see more of my dancing. She had also asked me earlier in the semester to come to the Chameleon work-outs so I could see what they were all about and then try-out for the team. I walked on air for about three days after that, I’ve never considered myself to be all that great, certainly not for what she does.

Stage Make-up shouldn’t even be called a class. It was so much fun! Our final project was to take our character analysis from the very beginning of the semester and create the character using the skills we’ve learned. I was Lady Bracknell from The Importance of Being Earnest. Unfortunately, Sandy has still not gotten the pictures back to me, but I as soon as I get them I’ll pass them on to you. It was a great class. I was an owl, a vase, a middle aged woman, an old woman, Eva Peron, me in glamour, and Lady Bracknell. Trippy.

The Canoe Camping Class had it’s final after school was through, a three day trip camping and learning to canoe on the Guadalupe River. It was a glorious place! Maybe I was just reacting from the humid, flat, tree-less Abilene. We were in a campground by Boerne, about 4 and a half hours south of Abilene. The river was quite high. So our runs were really nice and smooth, the rapids were all underwater. I managed to only tip-over once, coming off a small waterfall and missing the narrow bit of water over a submerged tree trunk. It was beautiful and sunny, huge jungle like trees on the banks, turtles in the water, and rumors of water moccasins though we never saw one. We watched a cow fall into the river while waiting for people to come though a waterfall. I guess it was negotiating a very small trail in a seven foot high bank, lost its feet and splashed right in. All in all, it was a great time to relax from the finals week and the first year of school. A friend from Arizona finished finals as I did and, being a total camping person, came out for the trip. So we got to catch up on each other’s years as well.

I think that was all the classes I took, I really can’t remember..but it was quite a good semester! During finals week there were auditions for the Homecoming Musical next Fall. We have ambitiously (some say suicidal-ly) decided to do Aida. Not the opera, but the musical by Elton John. I auditioned for the chorus, as I really can’t sing, but I can dance and smile! And I made it!!!! I was so excited! I am not only just a chorus member, but I am specifically a ‘dancer’. Whoo-hoo! Rehearsal’s start the first day of school and we perform the third week of October at ACU’s Centennial Homecoming Weekend. That’s right, ACU has been around now for 100 years! This year promises to be one of massive celebration and much purple everywhere.

I was also accepted as an intern at Lamb’s Players Theatre, which leads into the next segment of my summer. This is a theatre here in San Diego which first inspired my love of theatre. They are absolutely incredible, presenting thought-provoking, excellent theater. They are a Christian company, staffed mainly by Christians, so the productions they decide to do are examined from that world-view. But they don’t simply do ‘Christian’ theater where every performance is a presentation of the gospel. They walk such a fine line between appealing to the secular world and the Christian community, trying to get each to ask questions about themselves, to challenge what they truly believe, what is right. It’s awesome. And I was so excited to be accepted as an intern!!

I arrived home on May 15^th, a Saturday, and that Monday began work at the theater. I was scheduled to work with both Cecelia Church in props and Jeanne Reith in costumes. I thought I would enjoy costumes the most, but it seems that one again what I think is wrong. The costume department already had a lot of staff, and as we were quickly approaching opening night they were already deep into the difficult parts of their costumes. So I was pretty much relegated to taking out seams. Not my favorite thing, though I was happy to be of service. I was hoping to work more closely with Jeanne, the designer, but she was having to work out several problems at once. In PropWorld I discovered I was very much needed. Cecelia was the only person they had in that department, and the show we were working on had a massive prop list of very strange things. But more of that later…

My first week was mostly spent orienting myself and trying to find a niche, that Sunday we struck the set for ‘Metamorpheses’ a new play they had just produced. It had a pool of water in the middle of the stage, and so after I had finished putting away props, I helped with the raising of the stage back to floor level. Brutal, filthy work. The stage is made of three layers of ply-wood and composite board stuff over a steel-reinforced support. There are poles in each corner and two more on each long side. The Metamorpheses stage had been lowered to about four feet off the basement ground, and we needed to raise it back up to seven (flush with the house floor). Nasty, nasty, I don’t know what they make the supporting poles with – the same pipes used in the light grid, they are surprisingly heavy. But we did get it all back together, despite quite a few tight spots and one platform in the wrong place. All in all it took about four hours to put the stage back together. I left at that point seeing how it was eleven p.m. and I had an hours drive and had been there since three. But the set guys loaded in the new set for Cold Comfort Farm, the next piece, and assembled the general structure.

The next few weeks were an absolute whirlwind, hustling to make or find such props as toasted water rats, a wooden cow leg, and a scranlet. During production week, the week between the close of a show and the opening of previews for the next one, I was at the theater or prop shop from 9 am to 10 or 11 pm every day. Between making or shopping for the props, and watching the rehearsals and run-throughs to take notes we were quite busy. But it was a great opportunity to make myself totally useful and needed. And we did manage to deal with last minute directorial changes and requests, many broken things, and have a blast making everything extremely old and dirty looking. I unfortunately had to cut my time there short, as my mom needed help with the Del Mar Fair.

Only locals call it that I suppose, the event name has recently been changed to the San Diego County Fair. It’s a three week fair with livestock auctions, flower competitions, and all the various things you’d expect at a county fair. All contained in one medium sized building. And only the die-hard county fair people go there. Most everyone else is interesting in the hundreds of food vendors with everything from funnel cake to hot-dog-on-a-stick to caramel apple towers. Or they head straight for the huge Fin Zone and all the rides, or the three exhibit halls of vendors trying to pitch ‘miracle products’. It’s little complicated how mom and I fit in there, but basically, we sell cd’s for Justin’s guitar teacher. He is the leader of the Peter Pupping Quartet who are something of local legends Encinitas and Carlsbad, where they mostly play. He started selling cds at street fairs because he did not have a website and people could only buy them at his shows. So that’s why we were there. It’s a pretty brutal three weeks though, Tuesday through Sunday 10am-11pm being cheerful, pleasant, and helpful. It ended with some beautiful fireworks and the Navy band on July Fourth. I wasn’t able to actually go hear the Navy band, but I watched the fireworks from next to a small stage by our exhibit hall. That was the weirdest Fourth I’ve ever had, the band playing was a Pink Floyd Tribute. Fireworks and Pink Floyd, what a combo. It was really cool, the band kept trying to synchronize with the fireworks and got some pretty spectacular moments. Mom and I were both totally exhausted by the end of the Fair. But we made it, and decided to change the Navy seal slogan a bit: That which does not kill us, only makes us cry.

And then suddenly, my summer began! Or so I thought it would begin, nothing planned, maybe a part-time return to Lamb’s, visiting people I hadn’t gotten to see yet! But no, I got sick instead. Of course. But I got up and running about a week later.

And I completely forgot about the Fling! Mr. Hinrichs held his annual Fling in June, and as mom wasn’t able to direct the play which is held on Saturday night, I got to fill in! it was so much fun, and a little weird coming back to the Fling after graduating. I couldn’t help feeling slightly out of place, I had graduated and shouldn’t be there, even though I was welcome. It was really hard realize again that this wasn’t my thing anymore, it was time for the next generation to come up and be the leaders. Which is great! But hard for me. But I think the Fling was a great success, a smaller group than last years which made it easier to talk to everyone. We had decided to adapt C.S.Lewis’s The Great Divorce for the play, and anyone who has not read this book, I would highly recommend it. It is a beautiful, and challenging look at the things which keep us from God. Our pet grievances, or little faults that can utterly consume us if we don’t let God root them out, love that can turn from something which brings us closer to God to a maniacal desire to possess at any cost. One of my favorites is about an artist who started out painting because he saw glimpses of heaven in the earthly landscape, and wanted to show the world a glimpse of God. But eventually he came to love the telling about God more than God Himself. Fabulous book.

An no Fling would be complete without some words of wisdom from Mr. Hinrichs, this time about something that hit close to home for me. He talked about living life to the fullest, and what the implications of that are. You not only have to take the great joys, but the great sorrows as well. You cannot, as T.S. Eliot said ‘love life by teaspoons’. I love the world Mr. and Mrs. Hinrichs have created through ETS, more than I can express, and I tried to do everything I could as a student. But I realized that with that great love, there is great loss when you are no longer a student. But I don’t think I would have it any other way, I wouldn’t want to miss out on the joy and love because I am afraid of the pain when I must leave. It is a pale way to live, to deny yourself joie de vive because it might hurt you later.

The mystery singer of the recent Swiss trip was revealed as well, and encored us with another rendition of What a Wonderful World. And I couldn’t help thinking, what a wonderful world indeed. A perfect end.

(I could tell you who the mystery singer was, but then I’d have to kill you…)

That was by far the busiest part of my summer, May 17^th to July 5^th. I was so tired that I decided I better not return to Lamb’s but enjoy my family before I headed back to college – I had hardly gotten a chance to talk with my daddy. Then I got a call from Cecelia Church, the prop mistress. It seems the management has decided to move set and prop storage to a new building that also houses the rehearsal spaces. It sounds nice and easy, just a quick move across the parking lot. But the prop storage is a neat freak’s worst nightmare. Actually is almost my worst nightmare and I am by no means a neat freak, usually. It is a warehouse full of stuff, most of which is not in its right place. Now we all want the end product of this move to nice neat organized storage, but to accomplish that it needs to be nice, neat organized storage before it gets moved. Enter the interns; there are two of us now, which is good because we also have a show to get on stage next week. We wrap the breakables, find their proper homes, put everything else away, and do a lot of purging. Then we box everything, and label it all by section so that when the moving crews (all of us plus the rest of the theater company) come in, they can move a section at a time and put it on the new shelves nice and neat. Hopefully.

It was a lot of fun to go back to work; everyone was so excited to see me! And everyone asked if I was back for good. It seems they were very impressed with me, Cecelia because we worked well together and I kept her on track (she’s a little scatter brained), Maria the stage manager because I didn’t have to be taken care of. She was talking to my mom and said she knew she would like me on the first day she met me (Metemorpheses strike) because I handed her something and told her what to do with it. I don’t remember this, but I guess it happened. Debbie, who is in charge of interns, was also pleased with how I turned out and definitely wants me back as an intern over the next few summers and hopefully future employment after that! I would love to work with them full-time! It’s quite a lucky break, I so should not use the word lucky though, it’s a total God-thing. Most theater students have a lot of trouble finding a job right out of college, auditioning and interviewing for companies they have no knowledge about.

Which brings me pretty much up to date! We have also decided I am driving out to Texas this Fall. It seems I have more off-campus events than on-campus ones between church, Bible study, dance class, rehearsal, and food shopping. Yes, food-shopping is an event around here, a bunch of us pile into a car and drive to Super Wal-Mart to get about a months supply of food and anything else we need. The campus is quite elated that there is a new Super Wal-Mart going in across a road and field from ACU, rather than going all the way across town.

It does seem like a simple thing to decide to drive to Texas, we have an extra car since we got a different car for Tahoe trips. But nothing is ever that simple! The Volvo was, frankly, filthy, full of accumulated junk from Daddy driving and the year it sat under a tree at my grandmother’s house with the windows halfway down. And the headliner was falling apart. Dad took the whole headliner out to try and fix it, and unfortunately broke the boards in the process. But the rest of the clean-up went pretty well, my brother and I got everything out and scrubbed the whole thing down. It definitely needed to get it’s air conditioner fixed so we took it down to a shop where they decided the whole thing was messed up and they needed to replace every part, for a hefty sum. Dad was unwilling to do this, so we took it to a Volvo specialist. They decided to look at the whole car, just to see its condition. More bad news, they predicted it would soon just fall apart entirely, and most certainly wouldn’t make it to Texas. I guess the transmission mount had fallen apart, so it was sort of resting on a bar underneath it, the steering rods were loose, it was missing a muffler, and I don’t remember what else. But the good news was that they could fix it all. They did, in fact fix it all in two days, and are now working on the air conditioner. So, despite some dark times where I thought I was definitely either driving to Texas in August with not air conditioning or not driving at all, I am, in fact, driving to Texas. In a nice clean, well-repaired, air conditioned car, with a new stereo. I’m sure most of my friends who have to drive long distances will agree, good tunes are a must.

This was my summer! Slightly condensed... I am greatly looking forward to next Fall, new classes and teachers, a new class of Freshman to mentor and make friends with, a part in the musical, a new dance company, and most of all – visits from my family!!!! My dad and brother are driving out to Abilene with me in August (maybe when I’m thirty I can make the drive by myself…). Then my mom and brother are coming out in October to the Preview Weekend (also Homecoming so they can see Aida). Justin is going to look into their music program as they just hired a jazz professor. Then in November the whole clan is going to gather at my mom’s dad’s house near San Antonio for Thanksgiving. And just three or four weeks after that is the end of the semester!

I hope you all are having a wonderful summer, and are also looking forward to a new school year! Blessings to you all for your love and prayers!

Amanda