I’m getting up at 4.30 a.m. tomorrow. It’s going to hurt a lot.

Then I’m going to get on a bus with over 30 other students from my school. We’ll be on the bus for 12 hours. It’s going to hurt a lot.

But then after those twelve hours we’ll be in Wroclaw, Poland. We’ll rehearse, take a look at the town, get to meet new people and perform in a concert. It’s going to be awesome.

See you all in a week!

PS: I guest posted at English Muse again: Mum’s the word.

Have you ever watched or read something and felt like: oh my dear Lord, this is brilliant? Have you ever been struck by people being so honest it’s beautiful?

This is a bit of a weird intro but seriously: have you watched the first two episodes of The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet? I got linked there by Kerry from Welcome to Ladyville and it is absolutely wonderful.

There is something so refreshing about this interview series about women, with women and they’re taking on all things female: from money, sex, relationships to post-partum depression and trauma. Amanda de Cadenet doesn’t shy away from ‘difficult’ topics.

But most importantly it made me realize how the media can distort your view of people. Every part of this show gave me a different perspective on each of Amanda’s guests: Jane Fonda, Zoe Saldana, Gwyneth Paltrow and Sarah Silverman in episode one and Lady Gaga, Rita Wilson, Portia de Rossi and Leslie Bennetts for episode two.

You can watch the full premiere episode here and the second one here. Please do. I can’t recommend it enough.

Update: You can now watch episode three here. Guests are Alicia Keys, Eva Longoria, Kelly Preston and Kirsten Gillibrand.

Oh and it’s co-produced by a certain Demi Moore, don’t know if you’ve heard of her…

If I would put my cup of tea outside right now this is more or less how it would look. Except with worse lighting.

Then again I have to admit that I don’t really mind. I’m sitting here inside, working for school a bit with a nice warm cup of tea next to me. It’s nice to be warm and hear the gentle sound of raindrops falling on the roof window. Small things to be thankful for indeed.

And if you have to brave the rain outside (like I will have to in a couple of hours to head to class) a pretty umbrella will go a long way.

Check out this one. My mum got me the inverted version with smaller polka dots when she went to Spain. The main difference? The handle of mine has polka dots too. Beat that, Marc Jacobs! Hehe.

It’s the first Monday of May and that means that today is the start of a new series. I have asked some of my blogger friends and bloggers I admire (let’s face it, a lot of those are the same people…) to share the best/most hilarious/most absurd advice they have ever been given and then share the wisdom/hilarity with us all.

We kick off with the lovely Casee from The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower and Literary Inklings.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

 
Eleanor Roosevelt’s words have for a long time stood out to me as a model for living in passionate pursuit of one’s greatest wishes. The quote was first introduced to me by my mother, who gave me a metal bookmark with the words inscribed on it as a simple little gift, something she had spotted while out and about and she couldn’t deny its relevance to me.

As an introvert in an extroverted world I’ve always felt a bit out of society’s loop, growing up with a timid, anxious nature among a much more boisterous and confident society. It’s always left me living in a sort of reluctance to “get out there”, drawing me further into my own imagination. I liked books when reading wasn’t cool. I enjoyed a natural reticence and I was content with being alone when so many other girls were out flirting with the neighborhood boys or immersing themselves in the world of adolescent drama. It scared me that I was so different, and upon growing up I worried that I would never be able to achieve the things I wanted to – at first discovering what it was I wanted, and then later realizing that my greatest dream was to spend my life writing.

I never really gave up believing in my dreams, but I think my greatest fear was that the universe somehow had, or would, and that despite my eternal optimism things just wouldn’t work out. And I think through everything, now, as I pursue my goal of making a living as a writer, Eleanor‘s encouragement is always there moving me forward, telling me that the future is mine and that nothing – not even the universe – can ever take it away.

Wow, it’s been a rather quick week for me. It’s already Friday and I’m preparing for my Rotterdam audition on Monday. When did that one sneak up on me like this?

Also on Monday is the start of the Advice Series I’ve been planning for a bit now. I’ve asked my favourite bloggers to share a piece of advice and quite a few of them have responded. Stay tuned for Casee’s advice this coming Monday.

At bottom every man knows well enough that he is a unique being, only once on this earth; and by no extraordinary chance will such a marvelously picturesque piece of diversity in unity as he is, ever be put together a second time. -Friedrich Nietzsche

I love this Nietzsche quote because it is true. You are unique. You are special. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Have a great weekend!

But above all: never give up.

Goodmorning to you all.

I have my first real day off since I got back home Friday night. We’re moving apartments pretty soon so my family is rather stressed out and busy. Time for some me-time today.

And what better way to start the day than reading some inspiring posts across the web? As I went through my blogroll on Bloglovin’ I came across a video Gala posted and I loved it. I really, absolutely, irrefutably loved it.

Right now I want to book multiple flights across the world. Seriously.

On my want-list are the following (and of course many more):

• Jordan – and more specifically the rock city of Petra
• Russia
• Peru – Machu Picchu
• USA – I have so many friends to visit there… not to mention: HELLO BROADWAY!
• Egypt – those pyramids!
• New Zealand

What about you? If you could jump on a plane today, where would you want to go?

Friday is upon us, lovelies! It’s nearly the weekend and I’m lucky: I have both Monday and Tuesday off. Time for some relaxing!

Last night was the first real public performance of our class. Just before our part I was sitting in the wings and I couldn’t help this massive grin forming on my face. It’s such a wonderful feeling when you realize that you’re doing exactly what you love most in life. The adrenalin of being on that stage was brilliant.

What makes you feel that life is beautiful?

I hope you all had a good week. Have a wonderful weekend!

I guess that title was maybe a tiny, teeny bit misleading. I am far from capable of doing the impossible.

However if I’d had a glimpse at how my life turned out I would have laughed and assumed it to be lies. I have come so far from the insecure little girl wanting to become an actor. The little girl would have squirmed and hidden under the table if I would have told her I’d one day be stuck in London with no place to stay for the night, no food and only 30 pounds in my pocket. She would get eyes round as saucers if I told her I’d go and audition in Scotland, competing with BA Musical Theatre graduates with my own BA in teaching. She would probably whimper if I told her I quit my job for a prep course before actually knowing I got in.

All those things don’t seem so big to me right now and that is the point. By taking small steps and always keeping my eyes on that goal I want to reach I have turned some of my personal impossibilities into reality.

What’s the current impossibility you’d like to turn into something real?

PS: I want to thank you all for the encouraging messages for my audition. It went well, even though I was a bit thrown off by the fact there wasn’t a 1st and 2nd round. It just means that I have no idea how my audition was received. And now we wait.

I finally made it back to Belgium around noon today. A bit of a weird start to the week but a start nonetheless.

I think that everyone needs a bit of a reminder now and then. Here is yours for this week: