On stage in October!

I think I mentioned in a previous post (or I meant to, anyway) that I'm in a play. Like, on the stage. In a theater.

It's called The Prince, and while I think the story itself is a little odd, I'm overly ecstatic about being in it. I've only got a small part as the Lamplighter (turning a light on and off on my tiny, tiny planet that's only big enough for one person), but like I said, I'm pleased.

I think this is the fifth play that I've auditioned for, and this was the first time I'd ever gotten a callback, (and from there, the first part I've ever had). I almost fell out of my chair when I saw the email offering me the part. Rehearsal is now in full swing (and I love my costume! - even if it's a bit itchy, it looks adorable) and we'll be opening on October first. Squee!

I said it was a bit of an odd story. The Prince is about a prince who lives on a planet all by himself until a Rose grows there. The prince is all confused about how she makes him feel, so he goes on a journey to find answers. He goes to a variety of planets (including mine) and finally makes his way to Earth. On Earth he meets several people, one of which is the person who is actually telling this story - an aviator whose plane crashed in the Sahara. The aviator used to draw, when he was a child, and when the 'grownups' didn't understand his drawings, he stopped drawing. Until he meets the prince.

The ending's the odd part, since the prince has to 'die' to go back to his planet. Or he doesn't; I'm not sure. Anyway, it's a kid's story, but there's parts only adults will actually understand, and a love story (I think, though I don't think that's the main plot), and it's probably more the aviator's story than the prince's. Anyway, it's a cute story.

As an Christian actress (not actor, I'm female, thanks), I'm poking my head into a world that a lot of Christian's have abandoned, and as such a lot of what's out there for me as options for me to get involved in isn't Christian in nature. I really, really wish there was more out there. A lot of shows (on stage and film) are filled with characters that I wouldn't want to play. Kinda stifles me. And training is interesting... if there's a Christian university with a theater major, I'd love to know about it.

3 weeks into the fall semester of 2011...

School's started - been 'started' for about three weeks now, actually. I did get the classes I wanted (slash, needed), so I'll be finished with what I need for my Computer Science AS. But I'm not graduating yet; I'm stickin' around for another semester at least.

I've been working on my theatre AA one class a semester. Next semester I can focus on it, and I only have eleven credits that I need (so four classes). If they're all offered in the spring semester ( and I have some leeway, it doesn't have to be four specific class) then I can graduate, if I want. But as I don't know what I'll be doing after that semester, I don't know right now when I'm going to graduate (taking to administration about multiple degrees and continuing after getting a degree is on my to-do list).

On a side note, I enjoy theatre much more than programming. And science research more than programming. It's funny - speaking as a science person - that theatre, which is in the arts, attracts and challenges me in much the same way as science. (But physics wins way over theatre in term of challenge. In some ways that's not a contest.) At some point here, I'll figure out what I'm going to do with my life. In the meantime, that'll be school, running my own business, and trying to get on stage.

Facebook Business Page

Naturally, of course, I didn't get half of what I was hoping to get done this summer. But I did get some. Part of it shows in my latest side-badge (gadget, whatever those are called). I've got a Facebook page!

It's for my 'administrative'-type part of WoolRanch (my business name) - transcribing, editing, and writing. Incidentally, the profile picture for that page is my general business logo - it's on my fiverr, etsy, and all of my other craft sites. If you've seen it somewhere else on the web other than here, let me know!

Anyway, about my FB page. It's still very very new - at the time I'm posting this I've only got 15 fans, very few posts, and the only interaction with my fans is with family members (not that that's not great, but it'd be cool to have someone that I didn't know beforehand on there too). I'm also not entirely sure of what to post where, but I'm figuring it out. If you've got tips and suggestions handy, I'd be happy to hear 'em.

...And this post was totally a plug for my FB page. But I'm so happy to have one!!

Life, School, and Summer

Only three more weeks of school!!!

...though you wouldn't know that by the amount of work left. Three monologues (so I'm assuming from the email I got, anyway), 3 programs (2 in java, 1 in C++), 1 quiz, and 3 upcoming finals (at least, and I might have a fourth).

It's funny, though, even when school ends my life won't get any less busy. M' summer plans including making a manual for my family's property (it's extensive, trust me), creating a recipe book for myself and my siblings using our favorite ones from over the years, reviewing all my CS stuff (wouldn't want to forget that, after all the effort I've put into that) and my Physics (WEEE!), writing one book (or thirty poems, does that substitute well?), working outside the house (housework and watering plants), and working inside the house (actually creating those crochet items 'stead of just planning them, selling stuff on Ebay (emphasis on 'stuff), and transcribing full-time).

Incidentally, anyone who reads through that paragraph deserves a gold star. Not one of my best, I don't think. But it does get across that I'll be busy busy busy.

Shop Stuff

Shop stuff - mostly Etsy, actually. I know it's been a little while (i.e., way to long) but, hey there!

I mentioned this on my twitter a little while ago, (callistasteele.twitter.com), but since I haven't here, I'll go on ahead and give the long version. Etsy's closed down their Alchemy section for an unknown period of time ;(. Seeing as that's where I've gotten every one of my sales from, that's hit me pretty hard - it's been a few months since I've sold anything there. Internet marketing - marketing in general - is still a bit foreign to me, but I've thrown up my stuff on sites like bonanza, www.bonanza.com/booths/WoolRanch and Zibbet, zibbet.com/WoolRanch. Also, when I'm selling stuff on E-Bay, no matter what it is, I throw in a bookmark with my name and etsy site stamped on it.

Etsy also introduced 'Coupon Codes' awhile ago, and I've come up with some slow ideas since then. I had a sale on Cyber Monday weekend (no one came!) I've also found this neat site where you can put up a coupon for your etsy store, and here it is:
http://www.etsysaver.com/discount/woolranch-use-coupon-code-5percentwoolranch

For those of you who don't want to go to the actual site, here's the code 5PERCENTWOOLRANCH. Like the name implies, it's for 5% off at my Etsy store - so WoolRanch.etsy.com only. One discount per buyer only, please!

Another thing I'm trying out is using my bookmarks to promote in physical places, and not necessarily to a particular buyer - so today, at school, I'm leaving one with a coupon code on the back at the study table I'm currently at. Who knows what that might lead to!

Alright, I seriously need to get back to my transcribing (five jobs to be done this week) for fiverr, but I'm going to try and get back to posting twice a week.

eBay 'n school

Don't think I've mentioned this before, but I have an eBay 'About Me' page. It's not particularly exciting, but I try to keep it up to date with what's going on in my eBay life. http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=wool_ranch

'M selling wool, raw wool - mostly white, little bit of gray, some of which placed at the county fair, and about 25 or so pounds of it. After that's gone I've got a bunch of LOOK magazines, Song magazines, and a bunch of other old stuff that'll go up on eBay.

School update! I registered today and actually got all of my classes. I really can't wait until I go up another priority bump, because I just barely got them. What's funny about classes this semester is that I'll be in the same room from 8 to 2:10, Tuesdays and Thursdays, for all of my computer science classes. I just know I'll be sick of CS by 2. The teachers' are pretty good, or so's been my experience. CS isn't really my thing, and they can teach me. :)

School, Twitter, and Etsy

Too much stuff goin' on. If you saw my twitter from yesterday, here's the explanation (if you didn't, you should be following me (twitter.com/callistasteele) - (btw, it took extreme effort on my part not to have 'callistasteeletwit' as my username - I got it for a class)) So here's the list:

This was the last week of school for me, so I had actual studying going on, but the big project was the actual performance of that play I mentioned last time I blogged. We (the class, I mean) were in East Repertory Theater (an actual stage! which I've never been on before~!), and despite all of my nerves (and completely forgetting my lines in previous rehearsals), everyone's nerves, the night went really, really well. I think it helped that I could barely see the audience cause of the lighting :D. So fun!!!! Man, I can't wait for a chance to go at that again.

So not only did I have that going on (last Thursday night), I had a History final, a Java final, a Java project (which, sadly, got turned in partly done), and a C final, I picked up three jobs this week. Two transcriptions on Fiverr, both YouTube videos - I learned about motorcycles and website promotion - and a request for 2 books on Etsy. One of those transcriptions, I didn't actually get it done until just a few hours before the deadline. I haven't done that since the first one, and I didn't really know what I was doing when I did that one!

On another note, I gave into an urge to get more paper, something I've been looking at for awhile. Check it out!



It's fuzzy!!!! Anyway, though this one's girly, the rest of the book has got plenty of non-fuzzy, non-girly paper. Finally I have paper that's more appropriate for guys rather than just being, 'eh, that's kinda gender-neutral'. It's something that's been bugging me. Anyway, I've been wanting this black/grey and white fuzzy paper for awhile. Plus it's nice and thick, and folds really easily - no cracks.

Seeing as I'm back onto my Etsy store, I'll run through some updates that I've got planned. Matchbook notebooks, crocheted circular swirly, fuzzy coasters, crocheted earrings (that one's going to take a bit of work, still), and a business card - when I figure out how, I'll put a picture of that up here. Of course, I'm not going to get to much of these until after the Christmas craziness is over.

Yeesh, long post, huh? That's what I get for not posting for a long time.