Walking home in the dark is a nice way to end a long day, be it after rehearsals, study hall, meetings or music practice. It’s peaceful and the town is lit up along the hillside, with the backdrop of Dehradun in the background.
Most unfortunately, my camera fails at taking good photos of
this, so you’ll just have to use you imaginations.
The weather in Mussoorie is officially beautiful. Monsoon
season is over, the heat is on, and the sun shines brightly all day.
Today in drama rehearsal we had our first full run-through
of the production. I love it so so so so SO much.
Stage fighting is officially the coolest thing in the
freaking world. As young Siward, I have a fabulous sword scene with Macbeth.
It goes some thing like this: I rush Macbeth with
broadsword, deflected, I lunge, get hit in the back with hilt of M. sword,
Macbeth sends sword skittering across the stage, I hobble over to fallen sword,
M. hits it out of my hand, I back up trembling onto the stairs (I’ll have a
blood bag under my arm) GET STABBED! I curl my body in on the sword, and
Shalaka (aka Macbeth) stage whispers to me “thou wast born of woman” and pushes
me off her sword. I lie sprawled on the stairs panting as she examines her blood-smeared
blade. “But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn. For none can harm me of
a woman…” and on BORN she kicks me off the stairs. I then lie sprawled onstage
for the next two scenes.
According to Milo (Siward aka dad) I’m very good at being a
dead body. He has the luxury of transporting me offstage before the last scene.
Teehee…
It’s a little unfortunate that Milo is cradling my head for
about 5 minutes. He’s the kind of guy that loves to crack jokes, but as the
dead body, I can’t laugh!!!
News flash: for those I have not informed, I am also playing Fleance,
son of Banquo. This part requires no lines, but I get to do some fun falling
and running during Banquo’s murder scene. To be honest, I’m happy with the
small parts of the play. Poor Shalaka is kind of going nuts as the title
character and a gr. 12 AP student.
In terms of studies, I am actually doing fairly well, though
I could be doing better. My best subject by far is Algebra (???), followed
closely by French, English, Music and the sciences. I am not doing as well in
the sciences as I had hoped, but I’m developing a much better understanding of
all the principles. I just need to get a lot better at doing labs. Parents: be
aware of an impending report card!
I am also a member of the writing center at Woodstock. This
basically means I get to sit around for 3 hours a week in the hopes that
someone will need help with their essay. Usually, I’m left to my own devices
for the hour I’m there, but today, for the first time, someone actually knew
where it was, what it was for, and required my assistance! I’m pretty pumped
about that, actually.
I have signed up for the IAYP (international award for young people) program, formerly
called the Duke of Edinburgh award. I’m going for my silver level, meaning I
will complete it in about a year. This requires 3 aspects, as well as an
adventurous journey: skill, service, and physical activity. Skill: Dance and German.
Service: tutoring and Amnesty international (PS email me if you want to sign my
petition! EmilySteers@woodstock.ac.in).
Physical activity: Climbing and strength training. Pretty much all of these can
carry over to home, where I’ll finish the award next October.
A warning to all those at home: you have no choice, none
whatsoever; we are going to watch Lagaan. It’s this amazing Hindi movie that
Devika introduced to Annabelle, and me, and it’s my new favourite thing in the
world.
Some clips you need to see:
Tomorrow I’m leaving on the quarter break expedition to
Darwa pass and Lake Dodital. I’m packed and ready to go!
Risk factors: dehydration, hypothermia, hyperthermia,
altitude sickness, twisted ankles, trench foot, falling objects, and (white
people problems) sunburn.
Food for the week: lots of GORP (good ol’ raisins and
peanuts), dark chocolate, honey and oatmeal, bananas, paneer, rice & dahl,
potatoes, pasta, tuna, and PB. I had a last slice of chocolate cake to say
goodbye to naughty foods :P.
Finally, happy birthday to my dearest and most wonderful mother!!!
And of course, happy early 14th birthday to my beloved
brother! I hope it’s amazing and that you ace your geography test!!!
Love, kisses and amazingness from afar,
Emily
PS sorry for the lack of photos. Internet wan't letting me put them up last night so I'm doing this on a school computer in studay hall.
PPS THANK YOU to Patricia and Dahlia, who went to the nightwish concert last week, got me a t-shirt and apparently had the best time of their lives! Keep metal-ing, ladies!
Love, kisses and amazingness from afar,
Emily
PS sorry for the lack of photos. Internet wan't letting me put them up last night so I'm doing this on a school computer in studay hall.
PPS THANK YOU to Patricia and Dahlia, who went to the nightwish concert last week, got me a t-shirt and apparently had the best time of their lives! Keep metal-ing, ladies!
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