Ministry of Silly Walks

John Cleese. You should hire me for your next production of "The Ministry of Silly Walks". Except, I'm not sure if you're dead or not. But if you're alive. I would be quite perfect right now. Because my walk is rather silly due to a silly afternoon.

So, as usual, I was craving a good dose of adventure, but I rather meant to just take a different route to Bixby's Cafe. Well, that turned into an all afternoon excursion due to getting lost. I walked in a full circle around the streets of hilly Duluth neighborhoods. Passing houses that looked like fairy-tale mansions, seeing a scampering deer in front of me, and passing an area that had 3 cathedrals in one block. It was beautiful. But... I had on my thrift store boots, which as you can see from the image above, I am rather miffed at. For, they gave me blisters the size of quarters. I decided to wear them to get used to them for they are my character boots for Moth, but unfortunately, they had not been previously tested. And, after walking miles in them, surprise surprise my walk started to turn into a strut, then a half limp, then kind of a skating step. But at that point I reached Bixby's finally! I found my way and I felt like Robin Hood or some conquerer like Alexander the Great. Except all I conquered were quaint neighborhoods of Duluth. But I will not let that burst my balloon of pride! I felt powerful. And celebrated by having a bagel and coffee. Then I set off again to school, where I am now. And I am sure I got some funny looks due to my ungainly swagger. Heehee. So that is why Mr. Cleese should hire me.

Well, I might give my lines a good once-over before heading in. I wish you all coziness and cheer tonight. And wish me luck in my jaunt home tonight. Should be quite interesting with said boots. Hah! 

~With sincerity and poise,

Flo

S.O.S. = Lost in book. Do not send help.

What a weird thing it really is to be so lost in words on paper that you lose consciousness of an outside world. Because of school I really had no time to get this stuck in a book-world, but now that I have time I have been getting increasingly fond of novels as each day progresses. And I have to admit my silly infatuation with fairy tales. I always feel like somewhat of a dork for liking simple childish fairy tales. But I can't help it. And by simple childish fairy tales I mean those based mostly off of the Grimms Brothers. Not Twilight or anything of the sort which I consider to be grime on the good name of fantasy novels. But, lovely ones such as The Chronicles of Narnia or those by Robin Mckinley and the authoress I just discovered, Shannon Hale.


The truly good fairy tales are those that draw you in and make your own life feel more complete. Fairy-tales that make your own life feel empty and meaningless are not good ones at all. 


In "The Goose Girl", the fairy tale I just read, by Shannon Hale, I identified strongly with the heroine who was a princess who often felt socially inadequate, but through her friendship with geese, her horse friend Faladar (with whom she could speak), and her conversations with the wind, she was empowered and at the end of the novel, she found herself. Simply written but very poetic, it was one that drew me in like I used to be drawn into books. It felt so good to live in that book realm again. To be magnetically connected to a book like when I was a child. I think there really is magic in the pull of a good story. Which is why I love acting so much. 


I feel kind of like a little nerd right now. And that is a funny word "nerd". But, I hope you will pardon me. I think I might go take a walk with my book and find a nice bench or something outside to start my next culprit, which is the seventh Harry Potter in preparation for the movie that comes out in July.


NERDY Carla strikes again. But, the thing is, "The Artist's Way" is teaching me to like what I like and not give a whit what others say about it. So I don't care if you give me a little eyebrow lift of condescension. You can just sip your coffee and watch the news. I am going to read a fantasy novel. That's right.


Hehee. Okay. Have yourselves a sunshiney Saturday. 


And I will leave you with a video which feels exceedingly appropriate right now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuRuwR2JSXI

I'm readin' a book man.


~Flo

The Start of Summer

Haha. I don't think this blog post bodes well, because I start it while a little child cries miserably at the table across from me. 


But it is now officially summer as I write this. And for two more weeks I will abide in Duluth, and then home to my family, my dog, my friends, and my Minneapolis. I think I will probably cry for joy when I get home. Not that being in Duluth has not been beautiful and absolutely wonderful. It really has, but now that Emily has left, the loneliness is starting to creep in. 


But, I filled my Saturday with lovely things and today have a rehearsal, so it's not like I will be completely alone. Yesterday I took a jaunt to the Lake and found a little wooden bench where I sat, soaking in the sun, listening to the waves lap against the shore, and soaking in some sunshine. It was in the low 80s, sunny, and utterly beautiful. While sitting there, I also started "The Artist's Way" program and because of all this time I have on my hands now, am determined to stick to. I CAN do it! I then proceeded to sit on the cliff-side rocks and admire the light reflecting off the water. Twas' the perfect summer day. In the evening I did some more Artist's Way, read through my script, and watched part of the Princess and the Frog. Being alone and doing all these lovely things was great, but I think the true joy of doing them lies in sharing them with others. We are not meant to live alone. God said this to Adam at the beginning of all things and it still rings true. "And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone." We were created to take delight in fellow human beings. Not to selfishly go about our days by ourselves. But, as I am left to my own devices these next two weeks, I really have no choice but to be alone. And I will try to be as useful as I can be in that time. This blog post is kind of boring, so I apologize. It's kind of a word barf for me right now.


Ach! But I truly can't wait to frolic with my sister and dog at home once again! And cook and clean and bike and adventure. And I will leave you with the song of the day which is "Blue Skies" by Maxine Sullivan.


~With sincerity,
Flo