A little late, but still the holly jolly season.

Merry Christmas 2006. A few days after the fact I know.. This was a unique christmas for me, primarily because it's the first one ever that I haven't spent with my immediate family together. I was very lucky indeed to have Kirsa and Corin here with me, but I did miss my parents something awful. And the rest of my family too of course-Also new this year was the fact that I spent it here in Juneau.. there was slushy snow the day of and the week leading up to it, and it's a bonus you can just look up at the mountains at any point and have a white christmas. The three of us kids spent the eve and day of xmas festivities at the house of a dear friend here who also wasn't able to go home for christmas, and I really did have a lovely time considering. I called my family at home and then rocked it juneau stylie. I got some awesome presents, I think every single one was a goodie- really thoughtful peoples, thanks. I did all of my shopping on christmas eve, literally.. which was a good time. On the day we made lasagna, tiramisu, and watched movies.. later opened presents- christmas music.. Good times all around...We had some laughs, and for someone who is opposed to change as much as I am, it really ended up being quite a nice comprimise to going home..which is largely due to our sweet sweet friend making it feel so familial. I'll post a picture or two once I get them onto my computer.

In other news, have I mentioned, (I'm sure I have..) that I threw my back out something awful playing eskimo games with the cast of Raven? I am just a pathetic old biddy who can't lift her legs above knee level when sitting down, and who gets great twinges of electrickk! Pain!! when she rolls her head around.. still- I continue mostly full speed ahead, and I have assured myself it'll mend itself in due time.

So It's ALSO about to be 2007, which freaks me out.. time is going entirely too too fast. And I shan't celebrate the holiday if I don't get off here and finish this weird tunic-y garment I'm making for the very occasion, because Levi showed me too many pictures of different clothes from his endless doors books, and now I simply must have one fore new years. But that's means getting going and crackalackin.. not sleeping in all afternoon after hanging out all night with my out of town, now back in town for christmas, friends.

Finally, I'm also in a great muddle about school currently. I'm still loving the learning process, and I made the vow earlier this year to be cooler than all of my crazy constantly dropping out of school friends (not that everyone who stops in crazy, you know who you are crazy people) (back to back with the parentheticals, why I am friends nearly exclusively with crazies btw?) But annyway, I'm just as jazzed as I should be about the beginning of the new semester- and I'm all torn up about what I want to study, what's easy to study, how much school costs, how much time it takes, why am I such a screw up, and on and on and on it goes... Well, no use thinking about it now I suppose.. I'll just file the butterflies away and have a private little freak out later.

So, I was thinking...

Earlier today I was looking at some assorted posts through out the internet from those unfortunate souls who wax poetic, (very poorly) sometimes with annoying- sometimes with comedic results about their sad lives, or their meaningful thoughts, or really deep issues that just get them down, you know mannn? Well, I put that forth as a disclaimer, because I in no way mean to be them, or reflect the glow from their tragic dying sun- BUT

I was just searching through my old email for something, and found an email to a friend I had written that sounded like a younger, happier, better version of myself- from only a year ago. So I digged deeper through the emails to find what the variable was that made me seem so much fresher than now, and the more I read, I found letters that sound 10 times wittier, more insightful, with healthier activies than I currently possess, and I thought- geez....

I'm getting worse, not better with age. I like each older version of myself better, which I guess means I like the subsequent versions worse each time.. Isn't that lame? I don't want to have a pity party, but cmon, that's sad. I'm a helium balloon that's abandoned in the living room and slowly fading and sinking to the level of the carpet.
But I don't think this is just some aging thing either.. It's not a "Oh, I wish I was young me again" because even at the tender juvenile stage of 21, I've already had those moments.. and it's not that... we're talking about the span of a year here... it seems as if the doctor may be entering the room to tell me about my rare condition, the tests have come back, and then he says "I'm sorry Ms. Hughes-Skandijs, the results were positive... you're getting lamer."

This is but a taste of the terror Saruman will unleash!

I call these images, pictures of the sky..and Alicia skye. Get it? Get it? Yeah, I know, not that spectacular- but different than the ones I see here.

It's also clear at this point that I go for pictures of water and sky.. I could take boring pictures of that all day long when I get near it. Thank goodness I've relocated to Juneau so I can do just that with my readings and manifest experience collecting such images for the general sovereignty.. whoops, my shakespeare final scene creeps into my language... but seriously, anything better than billy shakes? I think not. The best part about drinking with other theatre types is that you can really let the shakespeare fly to help express yourself as you get progressively drunker, but this is also the catch 22 why theatre types are not fun to drink with... aha. I feel my razor sharp wit is very dull at the moment, so I'll spare you until later when I've gotten a good nights sleep. Maybe it has something to do with Kirsa playing "We are the world" an oldie but a hilariousy, and far more star studded than I remembered... One quick note, the pic with the jet skis is cool because it looks black and white but was taken on color and the sun was so bright it bleached everything out. freaky.

I'm a mess in a dress

and I've got things to say! if people would only listen! Brentisms aside, I really do have things to say, but I also have past due papers to write.. So here's the plan- I stay on this green futon until they're done and then Its finally fucking over, no more fall semester. You stay where ever you are and find something fun to do- but come back soon and listen to me. Dealio? things to look forward to include landfills worth of my thoughts and reflections, (yeah I said reflections, because I really do reflect to be honest) including my thoughts on Speech and Debate, I'll rip off kirsa's blog, no shame, my thoughts on UAS finals and staff, and a Chris Cairns themed photo show to document his recent visit to the AK. I'm getting a little crazy with it and even considering a show of some summer pics, because they're fun and I never did put them up then. God, how can I go on and on and on here and not write a line for an assignment. So it goes.

Some Pictures from Opening

Here are some shots from the good times at the Pub that followed the opening. Unfortunately it appears no candidness occured, maybe next time. It was nice to see the number of people who dress up is growing. DCG promised to design a frock for me to wear to opening of Raven, if Boni would create it. We'll see if he actually does... and if so, there will totally be more pictures.

Ed Christian provides the balance to Goyette's cleaned upness

Another one of the talented actors from the show

Mr. Baxter is surrounded by Hughes-Skandisj

Ericka Lee, so beautiful

who are these gangsters?

A bunch of smiling faces

Drinks and dresses, check

Noises off cast hard at work

Who am I, Gamling?

well, we clearly all are hoping that I'm the king. But what kind of beginning is that?
clean clothing that's cold to the touch, icy water, floors that feel even icier to feets that are not too happy to leave bedding that's been painstakingly warmed by body heat alone. These are some memories of my child hood, and funnily enough, my current daily routine. We ran out of oil two days ago, in my lovely too good to be true, juneau, alaskan, last homely house, the aquarium is out of the oil that keeps it temperate and heats the water. So the two biggest differences between now and then, is the plumbing and sinks that are still fully functional, and the abundance of electricity included in the monthly rent, which is also totally functional- but because the house is cold I keep imagining I don't have electric either. I've got a fire place, a tricked out kitchen, and a tub with jets and a bidet that are ready to rock with cold water. So really I have nothing to complain about. And yes, I could easily refill the oil by buying some more, but I, and my other two room mates are broke as jokes. I realize that my ususal not so wonderful command of the english language is rapidly crashing to a screeching trainwreck, but it's because this whole table full of people here in the learning center are talking about a mystical truckdriver who actually exists, whose name is fuzzy sprinkle. And they are FREAKING OUT! and I'm sorry to get off topic, and I don't mean to do a play by play.. but they're getting crazy with it. They're slowly leaving the joint, so maybe in a minute I'll be able to hear my self think again, but that was certainly an interesting diversion.
In other news, what else? It looks like my second stage show might be back in biznass, we'll see- it's a rapid up and down on this one, but I might end up doing it over christmas break, which is basically the only time I have available for it... damn these people who all have conflicting schedules. Time shall tell..
Not to harp on the oil thing, but it's hard to get it off your mind when you're cold, but this isn't quite about the oil per se- Ever since we've moved into that house there are a whole bunch of folks who I'm always saying "Hey, yeah you need to come over and see my new place, it's so choice" and they're always "Yeah, I do, soon!" well of course "soon" becomes an actual time as soon as the house becomes a place where you can see your breath, and then you have to be all "Uh no, not right now, it's not good for visiting right now" And this is usually the time where I start laughing hysterically as I tell people we're out of oil and we can't afford to buy any more, because really when you think of it, it is pretty funny... especially with this beautiful overabundance of snow we're having right now, and the cold cold temps. But this is also the point where kirsa tries to shush me, and I think gets embarrased.. which admittedly, it's probably a faux pas to say that you're broke in public, but I don't want to talk about it with out explaining... what can you do? it's just another side of the situation, it's interesting the different ways people handle things. I guess I just don't have any tact, but I do consider myself a private person at the same time, so maybe a better way of describing it would be, that when misfortune knocks on my door, it's usually just too darn funny not to share it with the world.
The snow is still very beautiful, there is just so much of it! I got the studs put on the other morning, and I'm feeling a great deal safer. Corin is not driving his car is this weather, which makes me happy, because it's been an already frightening winter in terms of skidding around and what have you. I shoveled snow for the theatre this morning, which felt productive and like I was doing something nice, which was nice. And then I shoveled snow with my neighbors this afternoon so we could get their car out/put our car in, which also felt nice as we were all working together against the passive and beautiful nature about us.
Later, tired from shoveling, I chopped wood for god only knows how long, and built a fire in our fire place. This was one of the best parts of my day, although my back and hand hurt from bending and rubbing against the hachet respectively. I've never been able to start a fire to my satsifaction, and today I just did it, and got some really wondeful flames sparked and sustained in no time. How much fun I had!
I guess that's all for now. I have a math test on friday to study like mad for, and am starting to get a possible picture of next semester.. although I'm not ever going to imagine the summer yet. I had a crazy dream about rich fertile dark brown soil that made me so joyous in the dream the other night, and I heard a cool story about my dad's side of the family coming to the united states, very exciting because my family history doesn't go so far back. Pictures? maybe. Innapropiate thoughts about the individuals walking around me, definitely.
ciao ciao

Noises off is finished!

Saturday night was a very very fine night. And now, Noises Off, the show that I've been working on as an assistant director for the past month is finally open. The show went off with out a hitch, and the cast looked lovely and performed wonderfully. It really is such a funny show, I look forward to seeing at some point after it's not so fresh in my mind. It's definitely good/necessary timing to have some more time on my hands to buckle down and hit the books. Who knows, it might even be a bit late to be doing that, but I can only do what I can do at this point. For now however it's been truly wonderful to sleep 12 hours with out feeling bad, and I spent the entire day at my house which is really unheard of for me lately, doing nothing but padding around and cleaning. Got to catch up with my parents which was great, always wish we talked more, and hopefully I'll see them soon one way or another over christmas. So, here we go, another week approaches, get some tests back, take some tests, and those are just of the scholastic variety! I'm being so witty out here, what's going to happen to you when I've gone off to direct Richard the third? (that last line was a shameless quote from the show) And you know it does strike me, as it always does whenever I post on here, how infrequently I post, and I saw old ones to the right left over from king island christmas, and it seems im always posting about shows... what a theatre lame-o ive become.. but it's what ive been up to, and hopefully I'll get some more pictures up here soon as well. And In referral to the other picture I just put up, Kirsa's so funny comment, was: "86% of the presincts are in, it's back by popular demand, the people have spoken, and the picture they have chosen is alicia walking around the house with out her shirt on." I know it's an oddly anticlimatic picture, but it made me laugh, and if you were noises off, then that's the view you'd have, me walking away. But as I walk I remember what fun i had and how much I learned, and how much I love all the people i'm lucky enough to work with.

One task finished, I march onward

the model modern officer

Time and again I've said that I'm an experiment in sleep deprivation. What happens? How does performance decrease? How long can it last? Well, as I continue to gather data for these questions, I'm adding a new side effect to the list. Disorders of the Epidermis, caused by lack of bathing, due to lack of time, relating back to lack of too many things in this life current. Certified by the school nurse. Seriously. Things have reached a new crisis point when it hit me this evening that I have to make sure to remind myself to shower on a more regular basis.. that probably sounds bad, but I'd rather sleep than bathe, and I have pretty loose sanitary standards in general... Don't get me wrong.. it's not like i stink.... but yeah. New consequences... The data gathering reminds me, I had a funny talk with kirsa earlier.. she always thinks i hate science, which i don't. I love it, i also need to poke fun at it at times, and of course more so because she's such a lover of it, but she was telling me something exciting from one of her classes that basically boiled down to after decades of counting fish stuff, they found the result that you would of course expect. And that was the exciting part. Wow, I'm doing a really really terrible job of explaining this right now, so im not even going to erase it, I'm just gooing to come back and explain it another day. Who knows when, i thought it would be more regular, but i cant even make it to the cleaning room. i hear its next to godliness.. lets meet soon.

Did anyone else hear that?

So what have you been doing lately besides not blogging, alicia? I don't know- let's start the top of the list off by acknowledging the fact that at this very moment I'm talking to myself, or rather writing to myself in question/answer format. That probably definitely helps to color the lovely rainbow spectrum of my life current.
Speaking of color and lighting, I'm studying a bit of lighting design in my intro to technical theatre class right now, and I have to say, it's pretty fun stuff. I'm actually excited about it. Could this be an arena in the theatre where math and creativity meet, marry, and have babies? Who knows... all I'm saying is there is a lighting program called vector works. nuff said. I knew all that time spent with the lite brite in my younger years would pay off.
I'm about to make myself laugh out loud as I write, and In fact I just did. I don't think that's because of my amazing wit but more a result of my punch drunk state. I feel a little loopy and the idea of bed is looking pretty good right now. I actually started blogging this post frantically in an attempt to look studious because I'm in a study room at the library this minute, and I just pounded on the table a couple of times in good spirits and to accompany the sound of my seagullish laughter. This followed by proclamation "I'm awesome." which just amused the heck out of me.
So what have I really been doing? I don't know. Life has been a bit crazy this whole semester and I don't really have great answers why. I'm living in a house that I love right now, and the loan finally came through that ensures that I'll get to keep living there.. which is some recent good news. My class load should be easy, and yet I'm not being the best student. A good ways from it actually... but not horrible either.. I guess Im just feeling very unmotivated and a little crazy. Anyone who knows me knows that my biggest fear is the day when I go crazy, or rather crazy enough to not be able to function in society, and so feeling this way, plus a little depressed for any extended period of time is worrisome to me to say the least.. but we can't ignore the fact that I'm a hypochondriac and so will use any typical young person crisis to be evidence of some mental disorder which I don't really have... see!? saying that right now is practically like signing my execution sermon, and admitting something is wrong, even though nothing is wrong! Maybe this has to do with something else....
something else..
like.....
Clown Camp!!! a couple of weekends ago, a retreat at the shrine with john leo and 8 other clowns.. it was everything I'd hoped it would be and so so so much more. And that's completely sincere. I felt that I had some really big stuff happen within me as a person, and dare I say, a spiritual experience? I think an after effect of said experience is that I feel like I'm being a much more candid person, and maybe I'm saying things, expressing emotions, that I would usually keep to myself. I don't know.. I feel like I know myself pretty well, so when I start surprising myself, it's... well, suprising! which seems kind of cocky for a 21 year old, a mere babe in the wood.. but what can I say.. I'm calling it as I see it, speaking of ages also: my most adored older sister is about to turn 29. Does anyone else think that sounds completely ridiculous? Did she not just turn 28? what the hell is going on? That's nearly 30... not that I consider 30 to be old or anyhting... but kirsa? 30?
Ok, im going to wrap this one up for now, so how to summarize? It's been lovely and leafy and im seeing much more fall here than i have in previous years, I think that might be another great effect of living on the cove.. Oh im such a lucky girl.
I think also that even though things are changy and crazy, this is most likely just another part of being a big kid and growing up, or aging, or whatever... and im still enjoying life, all the time.. all the time, bay-beh!

We're only half way through 2006

So if you think about it, It hasn't been that long since I posted. Ok, it has been a monster amount of time- with many happenings and events in between to boot.. but can't you ever let anything go?! I'm trying here... So, here I am with a couple of days left in Juneau before I head back to the east coast.. I've quite enjoyed my summer experience in J-town, and I hope summer in WV and surrounding areas will prove as nice. Which I'm sure it will. I'm house sitting downtown right now, which is very pleasant, and reconfirms that I could be happy being a downtowner, but of course school is out right now, and so I don't have a ton of reasons to visit the valley. So now, I'm a lady on a mission; to find my keys would save me a lot of drama, to visit skagway would make me happy, and to make this last week in juneau incredible is my duty.