Holy Sondheim. January has been a bit of a blur for me. In a very good way however. It feels like I arrived here yesterday and at the same time it feels like it’s been ages. Blogging hasn’t exactly been at the forefront of my mind. My class schedule is extremely busy and it’s only been the past week that my body is starting to get used to the demanding nature of my course.

So I figured that some kind of catch-up post would be perfect for today.

In the past month I’ve:

Moved to Cardiff. We spent about eleven hours in the car which was less boring/annoying than I had feared. Music and re-reading The Fault in Our Stars helped. A lot.

It was so nice to spend a couple of days with my mum and my brother here in Cardiff. I showed them around town (the parts of it that I already knew), we visited the National Welsh Museum and Cardiff Castle, I took them to College and we had some nice meals in town.

Met up with Amber. We had talked about it once I knew I had gotten a place at the College but I wasn’t sure if we would be able to make it. Once I knew when I would be moving we started making plans and turned out she could come visit on my first Saturday here, the first full day I would be on my own in Cardiff. We had tapas at Las Iguanas with some happy hour cocktails and loads of talking. I guess we call that finding a part of your tribe.

Last weekend we travelled to London for a literary foodie day. But I’ll definitely blog about this later, it deserves its own blog post.

Started my MA. Exciting, exhilarating, exhausting, demanding and basically fantastic. From my lovely – seriously lovely – and non-egotistical classmates to the ridiculously great tutors and just the general kind and genuine atmosphere at College. Words can hardly describe how grateful I am for being here.

Tomorrow we’re on week six already and we’re halfway through the spring term. We’ve already had our first masterclass (week 3), finished our first acting project (improv with the fierce MamAnita) and have used more straws for singing practice than for drinks in the past five years. On to more!

I hope you all had a great first month of 2013.

Hello guys and gals! I am back with exactly one week to spare before this little blog’s second anniversary. Time really does fly by. I’m still changing hosts (there’s something with the nameservers, blabla, techspeak, bla) so hopefully all this will work out the way I want it to.

The past month I’ve been…

• Working. Those housing bills in Cardiff next year aren’t going to pay themselves after all. It’s nice though: good atmosphere with the colleagues and I’ve managed to get the times I need free for dance classes and singing class cleared with my schedule.
• Dancing. I started with dance classes again: jazz on Thursdays and intermediate ballet on Sundays. The jazz is perfect level-wise but ballet is kicking my proverbial behind. I love it though, I feel that I’m really progressing even though I do struggle with the terms and the pace of the class. Ah well. I’ll keep on keeping on eh. And I started with tap again last week. I’m loving the advanced class, finally a class I’m really good in while still being challenging enough.
• Reading. Not as much as I’d like but I’m re-reading all of my Harry Potter books (no idea why, I just picked up the first one and kept going) and I’ve just started Tender is the Night by Fitzgerald. Any recommendations are always welcome… Hehe.
• Listening. I have discovered Newsies the musical. Oh, the genius that is mr Alan Menken. Seriously. I’m loving that show right now. Oh and this tap routine is beyond awesome. That goes on the want-list…
• Writing. No, that big novel isn’t coming out just yet. I’ve started going my morning pages every day. 750words really does help with that for me. A bit of brain vomit that gets dumped every morning is good to clear the head.

As for the coming month, there are plenty of things to do. I’ve gotten my first email from RWCMD last week with the term dates. Hopefully I’ll get some more information soon and I can start planning and arranging. It did kind of hit me that day that this is real. Seriously real. Which is at once wonderful and exciting and just a tad scary.

Have a lovely day, dears!

My life has gotten a bit of a routine lately. It’s soothing, relaxing and a bit unsettling all at once. In the past couple of years I’ve become used to rehearsals and different classes, to have a job that challenges me at every turn. It’s strange to now have an – albeit temporary – job that I don’t take home with me. It leaves me a bit jittery, as if I’m not doing enough, not challenging myself enough.

At the same time it allows me to sometimes ignore that impatient streak I have. That part of me that can’t wait for January, for my MA course to start. It forces me to live more in the now. To see this period as an opportunity to take care of myself, to read more, to enjoy little moments with friends I probably won’t see very often in the coming year and a half and maybe even longer.

I’m starting to see the opportunities that come with a job I’m doing to get money in the bank and living at home so I can save up. I’m starting to see the rain.

PS: another of my guest posts at English Muse is up. It’s right here.

I’ve been in a bit of a blogging rut. I started work on the 16th and my body’s slowly getting used to being on my feet for so many hours a day but I have to be honest: I’m exhausted every night when I get home.

I have to admit that my blogging ‘dry spell’ is about more than that. You know how you don’t do something? And then the next day you’re like: oh it’s only one day more. And before you know it five days have passed and you kind of, sort of, maybe, totally feel guilty for not doing that thing and then you don’t.

Well. No more.

Today’s the day that I blog again. Also: the lovely Amber from Wind & The Willow tagged me for a Liebster award. It’s probably cooler to be all non-plussed about stuff like this but I’m totally chuffed. And the questions she set are pretty awesome.

1. What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry?
I don’t particularly remember. I get really moved and emotional about movies/books/tv shows but I hardly ever cry. I do remember when I was watching The Last Samurai in the movie theatre with a friend that I told her at one point: ‘Sofie, help me, I’m blubbering out my contacts.’ That was sad and hilarious at the same time.

2. If you were to win the lottery,what would you do with the money?
I would first of all pay for my year at RWCMD, my housing and living expenses. Then I’d set aside a big chunk on a savings account just in case – musical theatre isn’t the most stable of careers. And finally if there’s some extra money I’d either spend it on a car or travel.

3. What is a song that you’re listening to on repeat lately?
There isn’t exactly one at the moment. I keep having a song of the day in my head at work though: one song (mostly musical theatre) that I hum throughout the day. Though Sigur Rós is always quite rad.

4. What chore do you hate doing?
Hoovering. Hate it. With a passion. Weirdly enough I don’t mind mopping floors…

5. What are some things that help you relax?
A good shower, listening to music on my iPod in the dark before going to sleep, watching a good episode of Gilmore Girls.

6. What story does your family always tell about you?
I honestly have no idea. We’re not that much of a story-telling family that way. There used to be a story about me not being able to pronounce the rolling r properly. So I would call my brother (broer in dutch) bjoeje instead of broere. Yeah. They would all tease me about it and then I’d yell: ‘You can’t say bjoeje to my bjoeje!’ Good times.

7. What is the farthest you have ever been from home?
Canada. I went to visit friends from Guildhall summer school. It was amazing. I really want to go back.

8. Name a movie that you could watch over and over again.
You’ve Got Mail. It NEVER gets old.

9. What is one of your favorite quotes?
There are so many and it’s so hard to choose. However I’ve been thinking a lot about the following quote. First of all I think mr Hiddleston’s a wonderful actor (that guy is made for Shakespeare – hello talent crush) and he seems so genuinely nice and humble. I like that in actors/celebs.

10. If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
This is a great one. There are so many skills I’d like to have. If I really have to choose one I would love to be an accomplished seamstress. I might just have to ask my friend Marieke (who’s a trained designer) for some lessons…

11. What do you miss most about being a kid?
Unbridled belief in the good of people. I always try to be positive and to believe that people are good but over the years I’ve (had to) become a bit less trusting and open.

Today’s my absolutely final day at school in Antwerp. Graduation tonight and even though it feels weird that I won’t be going back to school anymore my future is looking even better. Give me Cardiff over Antwerp anytime.

Even more fun is that with graduation comes the start of summer. I’ll be working for a month but until I start on the 16th I have plenty of plans. Two days at Disneyland Paris with my brother, a sleepover with my bestie not to mention our city trip to Rotterdam, meeting up with various friends I haven’t seen in a while. Oh and maybe a summer cocktail or two…

What are your plans now summer is finally here?

I had to go to Antwerp this morning for a couple of hours. Considering that it takes 3 hours (for the entire return journey) I wasn’t looking forward to it. And then the 7 a.m. train racked up a wonderful 50 minute delay.

Well I had two choices. I could spend the entire journey to Antwerp worrying I wouldn’t be on time and being annoyed at the delay. Or I could keep breathing and continue reading Neil Gaiman’s Stardust. I chose the latter and I was very happy about it: I finished the novel and I was just in time for the presentation.

Life is full of little annoyances. That is the simple truth.

I think the above image by Parker Fitzgerald (do check out his portfolio and blog, his images are amazing) says it all.

The thing about these annoyances is to keep breathing and not let them get to you. I’m not a hero in that department but I’m learning.

Have a wonderful week!

It’s been a while. The past two weeks have been incredibly busy with our two final rehearsal weeks for our end of year production. Long days, exhausted limbs and a grandma that wanted to go to sleep really early every day. Blogging somehow didn’t fit into that.

I have big news however. And no, I’m not pregnant, suddenly engaged or contemplating a sex-change (that first was actually asked by my drama teacher when I told him I had big news… erm… NO).

I got a place at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

To say I’m delighted is just completely and utterly inadequate. I found out last Tuesday really late in the evening and I think the dog of my housemate thought I was simultaneously choking, laughing hysterically and being murdered very slowly and painfully.

I kept logging in and out of CUKAS to make sure the words ‘guaranteed unconditional’ didn’t suddenly disappear. Same thing the next morning when I woke up: first thing I did, even before making myself a cup of tea, was checking CUKAS. It’s a miracle that their server survived. Yes, I might even have asked my bestie Julie to log in herself to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.

Ringing my mum was the best thing ever. She didn’t believe me until I started crying: ‘Mum, I’m SO happy!’ Calling Jules and my singing teacher was hilarious. It was late so they were both incredibly worried that something awful had happened. Crying and laughing at the same time at both ends of the phone: priceless.

I just feel so grateful to my friends, my family and my teachers for believing in me and supporting me (and oh God this starts to sound like a really bad acceptance speech…). It’s only today when I got home in Ostend and I had the letters from the college and CUKAS in my hands that it started to be real.

Is it January 7th yet?

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?

It’s Monday again. I’m another week closer to my first audition but somehow I’m excited rather than nervous.  This week I’ll be inspired by this amazing Steve Jobs quote.

The big step is of course knowing what you want, what your inner voice is telling you. Very often it’s something we don’t quite want to admit to ourselves. Something that scares us because we would rather do something safe that we’re okay with than face the possibility of failing at something we’re really passionate about. It’s easier to say: ‘I didn’t want to do it anyways.’ than to say: ‘I really really wanted it and it didn’t work.’

The thing is that very often when we finally take the plunge to do something we’re truly and utterly passionate about it usually works out. Because that passion and that drive is what keeps us afloat, keeps us working, keeps us going no matter what.

So trust your instinct, that gut feel that tells you what you want. The path to greatness is filled with scary things but it’s overcoming those things that brings you where you want to be. And it’s okay to be scared. Really, it is. But overcoming fear is just that much better than being paralyzed by it.

Step out of your comfort zone. Even if it’s only with two toes. It’s worth it.

Today is a glorious day. The sun is out in full force, the sky is blue and I’m feeling great.

Quite a contrast to 1 a.m. last night when I relieved my stomach of its contents multiple times all the while crying like a hurt animal. This is probably way too much information. Ah well.

In the meantime I’ll be sitting here outside in the garden eating only yoghurt and toast. Life is pretty good.

Have a great weekend!