The 30 Day Photo Challenge: Day 9

"Art is the most beautiful of all lies." -Claude DeBussy 

Day 9: One of your favorite places near/in/around where you currently live

This one was challenging, because there are so many beautiful pockets of Mount Holyoke's campus that I wanted to share! (one of the many reasons you should consider a women's college, ladies!) But the ultimate place, though, is so obvious I couldn't resist:

The WMHC Radio Station!

Hattie & I in the WMHC Station! Photo by the lovely Lisa Setrakian!

I love the station- I mean, it's essentially three rooms full of CDs and vinyl, so what's not to love? The equipment, for all its conniption fits and feisty-ness with the transmitters, is really wonderful and so much fun to play around on!

And there are all these tiny aspects to the station that make it one of my favorite places to hang out- like this authentic-looking 1940s style radio (which we actually use to check that we're really broadcasting):

My show, which is something I came up with last semester while listening to an abundance of NPR and watching obscene amounts of the Ellen DeGeneres show (LOVEHER!), is so much fun to do! I'm exposed to so much new music because of my guests, and as a history minor and lover of stories it's so wonderful to listen to people share their stories on a weekly basis.

Hattie and I on air! Photo credit due once more to Lisa :)

With two roommates and a hall full of wonderful women, it's very hard sometimes to find and make my own personal space. Last semester when I was just playing music, and now whenever I sub for someone else's show, I get to be in a room all by myself for two hours. For an introvert, that is such a blessing! 

...And, let's be real, all I do then is dance around and sing along. 

This morning I interviewed my friend Mary and it was STUPENDOUS! Thanks again, Mary, for being on Juxtaposition and sharing such wonderful music! 

Til tomorrow, friends!

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current jam: "should i stay or should i go?" the clash

best thing in my life right now: the clouds outside! puffy and perfect!

days until departure: 64

The 30 Day Photo Challenge: Day 7

Day 7: Something I never leave my abode without:

CHAPSTICK.

Seriously, I have this chronic addiction. I once emptied my purse in this vlog and found that I had something like four or five tubes/containers of chapstick.


And the thing is, they all serve different chapstick purposes. Pictured here is my personal favorite, Blistex, which is the most intense (and therefore more frequently used). I use Chapstick brand when I want to be on the go; Neosporin overnight before I go to bed; and tubed Blistex for on-the-go-but-its-really-windy-out. 


So, basically, I'm a freak. But you knew that already.


IN OTHER NEWS I have been very, very busy lately (thus the brevity in my blogs). I had several midterms and papers due last week and the flow of homework and reading has not ceased. I am not complaining, though, because I want to soak in every academic moment here at college! And, as it just so happens, I'm going to declare my major pretty soon (expect a blog post later on that).


In other realms of my life, I've been hard at work on my radio show. Last week I had the great pleasure of interviewing my Religion professor, Dr. John Grayson. What a treat! He talked about meeting Bishop Tutu, Winnie Mandela, and Rosa Parks (!!) and was so genial and lovely to chat with. This week I'll be interviewing my friend from NC, Mary Day Saou, a photographer and Worship Leader. While the show itself is only two hours on a Saturday, preparing for it involves actively listening to all of my guest's music at least twice through, researching artists I don't know already, and writing the script. So about five hours of preparation goes into each two-hour slot. 


AND FINALLY, I'm in a play! It's a goofy one-act entitled "The Moustache Guys" which has been quite enjoyable to work on. In high school I did a ton of theatre, especially because I was on the Board of Directors for a student-run company, One Song Productions. I directed, acted, tech'd, costume designed, sang, danced, and produced for something like twenty plays. When I got to college I was pretty burned out on theatre, not out of spite, but just because I had other interests I wanted to pursue. But last semester I auditioned for Project: Theatre's annual production of The Vagina Monologues. It was ideal because of the short time commitment, and because I love the show. From there I was recruited to do "Moustache Guys" and I'm so glad I auditioned! The show itself goes up tomorrow night and will have a matinee on Sunday afternoon. 


I'm so grateful for all theatre taught me in high school. From the stage, and the people involved, I learned so much about self-presentation, speaking in public, and confidence. My radio show is very much a product of what I gleaned dually from running a production company (it's a LOT of work) and from the pressure of performing in front of audiences of  about a 1000 people (yay Arts Schools!). 


So that's what I've been up to. How about you?


OH P.S. Happy Belated Birthday, Vincent Van Gogh! There goes that whole vlog I made for your birthday, because, well, I forgot it was yesterday... (*headdesk*)


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current jam: "the king of spain" tallest man on earth
best thing in my life right now: my job interview is this afternoon! and the weekend is nearly nigh!
days until departure: 66

The 30 Day Photo Challenge

A photo album theme that has been circulating around my friends on facebook for a while now is the “30 Day Photo Challenge.” The basic premise is pretty self-explanatory: you post a picture every day for 30 days.

I really liked this idea, and the more I think about it the more apt I feel it is for what I want to do here, with this blog! So I am going to partake in the 30 day photo challenge not once, but twice this year.

For the first round, I’ll be posting pictures here from my life at college. The second round I will be posting (you guessed it!) from my life in Uganda.

There are some guidelines the facebook page outlines to what type of picture you put up on each day, but I am choosing not to follow these specifically and rather use them as inspirational points of reference. The idea is less to tell you about all my likes and loves and such but more to compare “the little things.” It should be fun and enlightening for all of us!

Without any further ado, I present:

Day One: A  picture of yourself with 10 things about yourself

1.     Most people call me Lizzie, but I have a whole slew of other nicknames (the benefits of being named Elizabeth). Some of my favorites include: Liza, Lizzie-Beth, McMizzie, Harry Potter, Lizzie-lou, Luna, Red, and Lovegood.

2.     My glasses are actually prescription. No, really, they are.

3.     I can wiggle my nose.

4.     If I could be anyone in history I’d want to be Anne Bonny, the more fearsome and famous female pirate in the seven seas. (I made a vlog about her here, if you’d like a look).

5.     Don’t ask me about my favorite movie, because you’ll be stuck there for at least ten minutes. (But, to give you a few: Up, V for Vendetta, Sound of Music, Sense & Sensibility, Little Miss Sunshine, The Princess Bride…)

6.     I collect quotes.

7.     I cannot STAND tomato sauce or ketchup. Even the smell makes me want to puke!

8.     When I was little I wanted to be a dolphin trainer who worked as an actress and inventor in Sea World. (My, how the times have changed).

9.     If I could have any superpower, I’d want to be able to apparate/teleport. No air fees and all the world to see!

10.  I will never and have never worn diamonds, because diamond trade, mining, and sales (what I refer to as “The Diamond Machine”) is one of the most corrupt institutions in the world. 

current jam: "blow" ke$ha 

best thing in my life: my radio show! and this week being over!

days until departure: 72

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