Writing Blog/Assignment for voice class..again

 03 MAR09

I didn’t come to class.  I really needed a mental health day.  There is just so much going on—some good and some bad.

Linda was right in her comments in my journal.  I’m not getting enough sleep.  I’m working 33 hours a week—33 of which are done between Monday at 8:05 a.m. and Thursday at 11:30 p.m.   I’m also taking 12 hours of classes.

Additionally, I’m really worried about my niece.  She is 15 and making some really bad decisions in her life.  So, I’m feeling a lot of stress.

 

O5MAR09

We did a bit more breathing.  I was having a hard time focusing.  It is partially because of my lack of sleep and partially because an interzaction near the beginning of class had me distracted in a negatrive way.  I had a hard time getting my focus in. 

While Britney and matt and I did our group lines, I still had a hard time focusing on me.  But I could tell a little discomfort in Britney and quite a bit in matt.  His discomfort was partially because he didn’t know  his lines really well. Alos, I think he has a really big issue with talking—in more than a personal, casual way—in front of crowds, He is no Loralee Ford, yeah?  As far as I go, I just couldn’t get the breaths right.  It is not as if I don’t know how to do it.  I was uncomfortable physically and emotionally.   I am writing this on the 10^th, even though it is for the 5^th.   My emotional  health  is better, but I’m still uncomfortable in both realms.  My hope is that the 4 days I have to rest and be creative over spring break will ground me again.  It seems really important for me to be creative regularly.

10MAR09

We all had to do our monologue with just Linda.  It was interesting.  Just  having to perform such a personally emotional monologue in front of someone really brought the feelings to the surface.  It was hard to do.   I’m not sure I was breathing right or thinking of any of the important things that Linda has been trying to teach us.  I was just so emotionally connected to the piece because of my parents and my niece.     I really hope that someday there will be a useful, helpful way for me to harness all this emotion/pain/hurt whatever that lives inside of me. 

It was hard, but I did it, tears and all.  I was pleased to hear that I have an “A”.  what that means for me is that if I keep the same effort or better, I should be able to keep that grade.  I really need to bring up my GPA.

Her suggestion that I try to connect with my senses—not my mind—will be very hard for me.  I’ll just have to practice.

 

10-12MAR09

I’m amazed at how much breathing in a “drop breath” kind of way is helpful in every day life.  It helps me fall asleep.  It helps me calm d own.  Even when I’m rehearsing for my beginning acting class on an empty University Tram back from San Antonio at 10:45 at night.    When I warm up my voice and breath I find I can reach the end of a spoken or sung line without having to take another breath whereas before hand, I’d run out of breath before the line ended.  I find it refreshing and sometimes I even smile to myself when I realize that I did something better because Is at up straight and breathed properly.

 

12MAR09

Class was sparse today.   But oddly, it added an intimacy that made it more confortable.   First we laid down on our back breathing and “ohm-ing.”  Our task was to feel the vibrations in our bodies.   Because I’ve had voice lessons in the past, I knew what to expect.  But strangely—this time—I felt the vibrations in nearly all my body, not just my nose, face, and sinus cavities.  While on my back, I felt the vibrations in my neck, chest, and head and my stomach and pelvis area.  Even all the way down my legs to my inferior tibia-fibula area.  I didn’t feel them in my feet or my arms (excepting a tiny bit in my wrists)

When we sat up, I really only felt the vibrations from my 12^th rib upward.  I find this odd but since I’m always having discomfort in my back in that position in class, I suspect that there is a disconnect between the two halves of my body when I sit.   Since there is a straight aligned body when I am flast on my back, the disconnect doesn’t happen, perhaps?   The singing of snippets of songs was great!  The ohm-ing must have really warmed up my voice because it felts so strong.  Though I felt the tiniest bit of discomfort singing the notes on the extreme edge of my range, the rest of them—even  the somewhat higher ones which usually trouble me—were easy as pie.

Spring Break-2009

The road trip was fun and I was in the DFW area quite a bit because most of my visits were there.  I got to sing and feel vibrations a lot because they have an oldies station—two in fact—in the metroplex area.   I really had a great time singing the oldies for four days straight.    I must admit that though I paid attention to the vibrations some of the time, I just had fun the rest of the time.

 

24MAR09

I was not feeling well, so if there was any growth or usefulness in this class, I don’t remember much.  I was late and didn’t know it yet but had the beginnings of a viral infection. Blech. 

26MAR09

I didn’t know go to school or work per doctor’s orders.

31MAR09

We did some breathing/diaphragm exercises which were very unique.   We positioned our mouths in the “O” position and then quickly panted our breaths.  The purpose was, I believe, to become aware of our diaphragm which worked very well.   I could feel it moving very easily.  However, it was easier when the breaths were slower.   The faster we went, the less able I was to easily discern the movement of the diaphragm.

Linda allowed me to read my poem “like alice.”  I swear I can practice it a million times and not cry, but reciting something so close to my heart was really hard and I think there was a tear in my voice when I reached the end.    Though the poem was written two years ago,  some of its aspect are still valid in my life.  Perhaps, that is why it was so emotional for me at this time.

Joanna approached me after class and had some really great things to say about it.  And she even understood some things that I think some of the others didn’t.    As a creator, it is so nice to hear the positives about your creations.

I was in a car accident today, so I ‘m sore all over.