Sometimes
it’s really easy for me to look back on 2013 and just write it off. It’s easy
to look and say “I didn't really do anything this year. I’m still in
university, still accruing debt, still in Fredericton, still single, still
lost.” I seem to forget the good things too easily. And not just “good things”,
but goals that I achieved and experiences that made me a better person. So the other night I sat down and wrote a lot of the good things out, to remind myself to keep going.
Let’s
start with film. In 2013 I took a screenwriting class that changed my whole
approach to writing and became a place where I made hilarious, talented,
like-minded friends. In the spring I helped shoot a short documentary type film
for the Heart & Stroke Foundation. I learned so much that day and it moved
my heart to hear the stories of people who have struggled with various heart
diseases. I also helped a very smart, well spoken friend of mine make a video
application for the Youth Agricultural Summit, and she got in! I worked continuity
on a prof’s film in June. I loved every
moment of making that film and it has been one of my favorite on set
experiences to date. During July I acted in a friend’s short even though I
don’t act very often anymore. It was so simple and beautiful, I was proud to
have been involved. In August I shot a friend’s film. I still have a hard time
believing that she believed in me and trusted me enough to give me the
opportunity to be DoP on her baby. It was a huge boost of confidence and
definitely a milestone for me on a personal level. Welcome to fall, where I took
all film courses at school for the first time ever and on a completely related
note, enjoyed school more than I have in ages.
I did a crazy weekend for the 48 hour film competition with a bunch of
friends in October. Later that month, a spur of the moment type decision
resulted in shooting a short for the Picaroons contest and the subsequent
hilarity alone was worth it. I also got the chance to do continuity on a
friend’s film in November and I’m so excited to see the final product. He is
such a talented writer/director and I felt honored to work with him (finally).
In
theatre news I worked for Bard in the Barracks & NotaBle Acts again during
the summer. It is a great job and I’m so blessed and privileged to have gotten
the grant money three summers in a row to do something I love so much. I
watched so many pieces of theatre come to life on stage for the first time.
Supporting local writers and actors is such a cool process to be a part of.
During the fall I took part in a production of Evil Dead: The Musical. I hadn't
been in a musical in ages and I’d gotten very used to behind the scenes work,
so it felt wonderful to be back on stage. The content of the show itself was
hilarious, I had a ball and it felt so nice to make some new friends and be
part of a great cast! In the spring I was part of a burlesque show that raised
money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Although I think it was my last
burlesque show I will always be grateful to that art form for teaching me to be
comfortable with my body and my sexuality. The other 2 huge bonuses of
burlesque are the family-like bonds you develop with the people and the 8 hour
killer work out you get every Sunday!
As far
as photography goes, I sort of felt like I left it out of the running in 2013.
Looking back over my work it turns out I really didn't. I photographed two
weddings, a few bands and several plays. I did some publicity work for NotaBle
Acts, getting photos published in both Here Magazine and The Daily Gleaner,
another first for me.
My
personal life in 2013 started off in a mess. I was a mess, my relationships
with other people were a mess... I could go on but I won’t. I had to make some
very important decisions about who I was, and I realized that I had to make a
lot of them on my own, for myself. I am SO beyond thankful for my friends who love me, listen to me whine, give
me friendly advice, let me cry on their shoulder and constantly remind me that
I’m worth something. That might just be the biggest thing I've learned this
year: I'm worth something.
Some
other things that overall helped to make 2013 a great year included: all sorts
of birthday parties, theme parties, trivia, karaoke, board games, poker games,
owning a bike and using it often, house church, river front walks, attempting
to learn how to skateboard, late night walks in Odell Park, camping in Fundy,
so many road trips to Moncton for various reasons, sticky buns from Alma, kayaking,
actually getting to go to the beach during the summer, bonfires, sushi, Thai
food, lots of good food in general, taking prom pictures for my little sister
and being so proud of her graduating, getting to spend more time visiting my
parents than I have in years, revisiting a place that influenced so much of who
I am: Camp Wildwood, staying at the cottage, getting to have my siblings living
in the same city as me, going to screenings of weird and wonderful movies, watching
a few good friends get married to the people they love and even being part of
one wedding (!). I know that was a really long run on sentence and I left so
many things out, but it just sort of came out that way.
Once
again the most important part of my year (and my whole life) has proven to be,
not the events or things, but the people in them. So thanks to everyone for
that :)
-K
No comments:
Post a Comment