Still grinding away

Adam and I have decided that we dislike our places of business during the holidays. They suck all the fun and and festivity out of a beautiful time of celebration. On the up side, we're nearly there. Mom, Dad, & Cam are arriving the day after tomorrow. Adam's store is making decent money, especially considering how many other businesses are struggling, which is good because it keeps Tim from griping at him more than normal.
I finally got hold of Celeste at Starbucks this past Monday. As it turns out, they are one of the businesses that's experiencing a slump. They're currently staffing more baristas than they have hours for and are cutting hours everywhere. She said they'd really wanted to offer me a position, but didn't have one available.
Adam's aunt Marti gave me her sugar cookie recipe which, judging by Adam's response, I replicated pretty well. That brings my repertoire of Christmas goodies to: fudge, peanut butter balls, Oreo bark, chocolate-dipped pretzels, puppy chow, and sugar cookies. Oh, and the batch of cookies that were inedible by us, but Nestle greatly enjoys.
We had a massive ice storm last night which, on top of the leftovers from Tuesday's snow storm, was lots of fun. It took me five minutes to get INTO my car this morning (I finally ended up banging on the crack around the door with my Nalgene water bottle to break up the ice enough to open the door. Then I had an additional twenty minutes of clearing of my windows enough to drive. Although, I have to admit, there's something very satisfying about breaking off frisbee sized chunks.
Much love and holiday cheer! Cori & Adam

First one

I got my first rejection letter in the mail yesterday. As I'd kind of expected, Kent State decided that I wasn't what they were looking for. Even though I don't think I would have enjoyed myself there, still stings that they didn't want me.
Tim & Sarah have agreed to let me borrow their video camera to make my audition tape for Idaho. My shaky-hands husband doesn't think he'd be a very professional option to record for me, so I may have to draft Sarah or something. The nice thing about their camera is that it records to a hard drive so I can just upload it from the camera to my computer and then email it, burn it to cd/dvd, etc.
Still haven't heard from Starbucks as to whether or not I got the job. I called Celeste (first interview) yesterday since I should have heard from her the day before. Apparently she and Dana (second interview) hadn't talked since I met with Dana. So, the two of them were going to touch base and Celeste asked me to call back today. I did and Celeste was swamped at the counter and said she'd call me back. I'd hoped to have heard back and put in my two weeks notice by this point so that I'd be done at the Rose before Christmas. That's no longer possible, obviously. Hopefully I hear from Celeste or Dana this weekend.
Opa, have a wonderful birthday dinner, wish we could be there. ~Cori & Adam

Tis the Season

Well, I had my second interview with Starbucks this last Friday. Both managers that I interviewed with were ones Adam had worked for previously, and remembered him fondly. I'm assuming that was good, they respected him and knew I had an idea of what I was talking about from him. I should know about the job either way by this Wednesday. Then I'm putting in my 2 weeks notice at the Rose and getting out of there! Yesterday, I talked with Amy & Tess about my frustrations at the drama that'd been going on. Not only were they both of the opinion that I was definitely being treated unfairly, but are actually both looking for alternate employment themselves. Mandy really just has shot herself in the foot all the way around this season.
Just this last week, I also spoke with Damian at Ohio State and was scheduled for an interview there. So I'm auditioning at Illinois State on Friday, Feb 13, Ohio State on Saturday, Feb 14, and Brown on Monday, Feb 16. I know it sounds crazy, but apparently that's when all the schools are doing their on-campus auditions. I checked into doing multiple one way or multi-destination flights and it turns out that it would actually be cheaper and more time-efficient to just drive from Omaha to Normal IL, to Columbus OH, and then back to Omaha to fly to Providence. I'm going to attempt it. Cassie's already ok'd me to crash with her while in IL, so I'll only have to get a hotel for 1 night in Columbus and 1 night in Providence. I'm also thinking I may just do taxi's in Providence as the thought of driving there definitely intimidates me. On the up side, 88improv is doing a show for Southwest Airlines in mid-January and our compensation will be plane vouchers, so I won't have to pay for the flight to Rhode Island (I've already checked: Southwest does fly to Providence, which is neither south nor west, but saves me money!). I also need to fill out the FAFSA as soon as it becomes available, and find someone from whom I can borrow a video camera to make an audition video to send to Idaho State.
Along with all of this new plans and changes, I'm also uber-excited about Mom, Daddy & Cammie coming here for Christmas. Adam and I are already trying to think of which restaurants they need to try, where we should go, etc. Connie & Marti have already extended the invitation for them to come to the Christmas Eve dinner at their house.
I think that's about it for now. Adam's playing his computer game. Nestle's crashed on her pillow next to his chair. I'm going back to my homade chocolate chai and old episodes of Friends. It's been a good day!

T-Day

Mmmm, big show-off dinner! Many thanks to Marti, Cari, and Adam for a truly kick-ass Thanksgiving dinner. The fake turkey was tasty and satisfying. The stuffing, pineapple souffle, and scalloped corn were fantastic! Plus, I didn't have to work, and we came home with tons of leftovers! We definitely missed Brian, who didn't feel up to coming, and Christine, in North Carolina. Nobody else seems to be capable of deciding on which game to play. Only headache was trying to keep Nestle and Charlie from trying to kill each other. Or keep Charlie from killing Nestle while she steals all of his toys.
Anyway, it was a beautiful day, and we're both dreading going back to work tomorrow. On the up side, I have an interview at the Starbucks about five blocks from our house on Monday. I had been hesitant about applying to this location because Adam had known the store manager and hadn't particularly gotten along with her. As it turns out, however, they've had a switchover and the new manager is someone Adam had gotten along with reallly well. Fingers crossed!
We're watching the nightly news right now, and I'm just floored by the fanatics who're already lining up to do their "Black Friday" shopping. My new manager at the Rose, Niki, is stoked that she doesn't have to work until 1 pm, so that she can hit the stores at 4. Sorry, I like my sleep. I'll hit the sales at normal times on Saturday ('cause they'll all still be going on, you maniacs!).
Love to you all, I'm out!

Stuff

I'm waiting for Steve to pick me up for an 88 show tonight, and thought I'd kill a few minutes updating. The show we're doing tonight amuses us because its for the new inductees at the Scottish Rite Temple. We're not allowed to ask what they've been doing at the their initiation all day, but apparently it's stressful enough that the powers that be decided they deserve to laugh at some improvisers for a while.
In other news, I'm looking for a different day job. For the last several months, there've been a bunch of minor incidents at the Rose that have made me feel unwelcome and uncomfortable. The situations I'm talking about have all stemmed pretty much from the same person, my manager Mandy. I think the base of all of it is that since my review this summer when she found out that I'll be leaving the Rose in the spring, she's decided that she doesn't want to have to wait that long and is pushing whatever buttons she can to get me out sooner. I can't say as I'll be sorry to go, Amy and Kandace (the other two girls who worked in the box office) and I all got along really well. Since they left, there hasn't been a lot of reason for me to stay, and a lot of reasons for me to go. So, I've applied to work at Borders and today I ran around dropping off applications to 5 different Omaha Starbucks locations. One of Adam's customers at the Tea Smith manages a Starbucks we visit a lot. I went in to talk to him about open positions and he said that almost all the area locations were looking to fill a couple of shifts. That's hopeful. While I won't make as much money there as I did at the Rose, their health insurance is more comprehensive and affordable, and I'll have the freedom to take time off for auditions (which the Rose would have hated!). Plus, I get to learn to make coffee drinks! I'll call the various managers on Monday to start setting up interviews.
School-wise, I'm working on getting packets and extra information out to my departments. I've discovered that most of them are really easy and eager to work with me, once I manage to get hold of someone. I still haven't heard a peep from Indiana, and am not sure whether or not to pursue that. I haven't officially applied to York yet, which I need to do in order to audition with them. Their application fee is one of the most expensive I've encountered, not to mention all the headaches with getting a passport, and then, if I go there, getting a student visa for me and a work permit/green card for Adam. Might be too many nightmares. I also need to get the application in and audtion scheduled for Idaho, but they're deadline seems to be a little further out, therefore a little lower on the "Things that Must Happen Now" list.

Woohoo!

I've officially applied to Illinois State and Brown University. I'm scheduled for an audition at Illinois on Feb 13th at 10 in the morning. Cassie's already agreed to put me up at her place while I'm there. Only possible problem could be that the audition at Brown is Feb 15 & 16. Not a lot of time there. I know that Illinois is only taking 8 incoming students for their next graduate class, so tons of competition. I don't know how many Brown will take. Also, York (the school in Toronto has their auditions over the last weekend of February. I've also got my application in to Ohio State and should be hearing soon when their on-campus audition is. (Mandy is going to hate me with all the time off I'll be taking!).
I'm also planning on applying and auditioning for Idaho State.
On January 1 I'll have to fill out & distribute my FAFSA information so that I can get as much financial aid as possible. We're hoping not to have to do loans, but it all depends on whether or not I end up getting some kind of stipend for student teaching (and of course, Adam's salary at whatever job he ends up with).
So, yeah, I'm definitely not as discouraged as I was a couple of weeks ago. Re-widening my application base, while costing more & being a pain, was encouraging as I've had some good contact with administrators at the new schools. Plus, Rhode Island, how freaking cool would that be?!
Sushi tonight with Jake & Cari and Brad & Tamara!

Progress!

I have auditions at Illinois and Brown in February!

Brick Wall

Well, I'm a little frustrated at the moment. I've contacted both Illinois and Indiana twice and have yet to hear back from either of them. Apparently they just don't want people to go to their schools! I did talk to Cassie a bit about Illinois. She said that they are an URTA (national auditions) school, and they only take 2 women each new grad acting class. So they really don't need to hear from me, they'll have no dearth of other applicants. I'm thinking I may have to re-broaden my application base.
I did talk to someone at York. I need to apply to the school itself and then schedule an on-campus audition with them. They have one on the calendar in late Feb and one in early March. Their program is definitely more intense, six days a week, but it's also for 2 years instead of the normal 3 of US schools. I don't know, I wish this whole process were clearer.
I got in an email fight with someone at Kent earlier this week. She kept emailing me saying that I needed to send in my recommendation letters and transcripts, I kept saying that I'd handed them in when I was there for auditions. I gave her his name, the date I was there, and everything included in my packet, she said that they'd try to contact the theatre department to get those, but that it was my responsibility to get those things to admissions. Finally, I got another email that they had gotten all of it from Mark.
I've told Mandy that I'll be leaving in the spring. She was not psyched. From summer of '08 to summer of '09, she'll have a complete staff turnover in the box office.
Please keep praying about school.

another day, another post

Not much to report this week. I've got voice/emails out to Indiana and Illinois. Only to be told by both of them that I'd contacted the incorrect person (that's what you get for assuming that the Graduate Studies Director is the person you should inquire about auditions from). So, I sent voice/emails again and have yet to hear back from either of them. Will try again this next week. I still feel like I'm playing catch-up from having been gone last weekend. Although, as of today, my house is clean and we're fully stocked on groceries again. That helps.

Home Again!

I am exhausted, but audition #1 is over & done with. On Friday, Adam dropped me off at the airport, then (God bless him!) went home and reserved a hotel room for me. We'd just found out that my audition at Kent State coincided with their homecoming, so all hotel rooms in Kent were already booked. My first flight had a layover in Atlanta, so while there, I called Adam and got all my room reservation info and directions to the hotel from him. On arrival in Cleveland, I got to the rental car desk at 11:30 to find out that even though we'd reserved a car three days earlier, the guy at the desk was going to have to "find" a vehicle for me. According to him, I'd gotten the last car on his lot, a huge upgrade from our actual reservation: a Dodge Nitro. Can I tell you how much fun that thing was to drive?! Seriously, I drooled a little and was very sad to give it back.
Anyway, I finally got to my hotel around 12:15, tried to call Adam, but apparently my room was the black hole of phone service because neither my cell nor the room phone worked.
On Saturday, because of the threat of parking challenges thanks to Homecoming, I was up and out of my room an hour before I needed to be there. I only had to stop for directions once! Stupid little backroads and mapquest being liars....! It turned out there were about 20 of us auditioning this weekend. It was pretty evenly split between men and women. Most were from Ohio, and very few were recent college graduates. We met the faculty and had vocal warmups together, then waited in one of their lab spaces while each person auditioned for the panel. I ended up being the last one to audition, mostly because I wasn't nearly as tense or pushy as everyone else. The actual audition was fine. My songs didn't go very well, I think due to a combination of me being nervous and the accompanist not understanding what I needed from him. The monologues went pretty well. After that we all ate lunch together while asking the faculty questions about the program and department. After lunch we took a tour of the facilities, and see the plans for their new building set to open in 2010. Then we split into 2 groups: 1 group did Q & A time with the current grad students, while the other group did a workshop with the Acting Director, and then the groups switched. Personally, I found the talking to the current grad students to be the most useful part of the day, getting their opinions of productions, classes, faculty, assistantships, they really told us the nitty gritty of what being a graduate student at Kent was like. After that we were free for about 3 hours before coming back to see their undergrad performance of "A New Brain" that evening. I drove around Kent for a while and then ended up at Starbucks so I could get online for directions from Kent back to the airport. Their show that night was... ok. Granted, the actors were all much more gifted singers than I am, but their acting itself was defintely young. Not a ton of commitment to their characters or much energy. Then I finally headed back to the Cleveland Airport where I returned the Nitro and upon arriving at the check in gates learned that all the airline checkins were closed until 4:30 am. 5 hours away. I talked to Adam and my parents who both wanted asap updates and it was great to kill an hour and a half talking to people who knew and cared about me. After that, I pretty much just tried to get comfortable while keeping a hand on my messenger bag and my duffle bag. I dozed, but it was not an ideal situation, although at no time did I feel unsafe (thanks for your prayers everybody!). At 4:30, I checked in, went through security, got coffee and an egg sandwhich, and found my gate. Where I promptly fell so deeply asleep that I nearly missed my flight and only woke up when I heard them paging my name over the intercom. I was the very last person to board, still half asleep, and apologizing to the staff, but we still left on time, so it wasn't that bad. Short layover in Cincinatti, then home where Adam picked me up this morning.
After thinking about the auditions all day yesterday, I'm ambivalent about them. I did find out that this is pretty much Kent's only audition all year and that they're looking for anywhere between 6 and 10 new students, so my chances aren't too bad. One thing that I love about their program is that each grad student teaches two classes every semester, by the time I'd graduate, I would have taught 12 undergraduate classes! Since I want to be a professor, that's fantastic training. On the down side, their department has a heavy musical theatre emphasis, and I just don't have the voice or intuition for that. Another thing is that the MFA Acting Director is a huge Michael Checkov method/technology man. Coming from my "organic process"/improv background, that's a huge adjustment. Not that I'd be opposed to learning it. I guess over all, I don't necessarily think that I'm what Kent State is looking for or that they're what I'm looking for. I won't be surprised or hurt if I don't get offered a position there. Even if I do get offered a spot, I think whether or not I accept will depend on my other schools. It was an extremely valuable experience, I can survive and graduate audition, I know the questions to ask, and I think I presented myself well. I'm just very glad that I didn't have my heart set on Kent State.
Next up: Indiana University and Illinois State University.

Entering Crunch Time

Ok, my first audition is in a week and a half. Frick balls! I met with Karen last week for a monologue critique session. The meeting didn't take real long, but was definitely good, both for my pieces and my self esteem. I love Karen, she's always so excited and encouraging about my work and my potential. It's very validating to have someone who's doing what I want to be doing think that I'm good.
In other details, I've had a few hiccups. I took my headshot to a photography store to have prints made and found out that it's less than 1/3 the resolution that it needs to be. Adam thinks he can fix that on his computer and I'm extremely hopeful that he can. It would be a lot of work to have to get Andy over here and do another photo session and get that picture to the printers and back again by the 10th.
I had gotten my recommendation letter from Karen when I saw her last week. Today, I sent text messages to Sarah and Amy to remind them. Sarah sent me her rough draft and will give me the final at our 88 business meeting tomorrow night. Amy texted me back to say that she'd forgotten and couldn't do it now b/c she's too busy student teaching. That sucks because I'd asked her to do this over a month ago, then reminded her two weeks ago before she left the Rose. I have to have 3 letters for almost all of my auditions, and I don't really have anyone else to ask, especially this last minute. I think it's great that she's persuing her goal of becoming an elementary teacher, but not at the expense of foiling my dream.
Now I need to set up another voice lesson with Joanie, compile all of the paperwork that I'll need to bring with me (resumes, letters, headshot, etc.), and reserve a rental car for my time in Cleveland. Wow. Deep breaths, Cori.

Baby Steps

Well, I bought my plane tickets for the KSU audition yesterday. Is it bad that I was at work when I did it? Hmm, using company time and a company computer to further my own career. Nice.... Of course, I obviously haven't learned my lesson because I pretty much planned our wedding from my desk at work as well.
Anyway, this Thursday I'm headed up to NWC to do a practice session with Karen. I've received the recording of my song pieces from Joanie, and now she and I need to find time to practice those in person once before the audition. Other things on the To Do List are collect my three recommendation letters from Karen, Sarah Schoenfeld, and Amy Kavan and get my headshots professionally printed. Oh, and arrange for a rental car and mapquest my way from the Cleveland airport to a hotel, to the campus, to the theater building, and back to the airport. I'll leave Omaha straight from work on Friday, Oct 10. Get to Cleveland around 11 that night, get a hotel. Be at auditions/workshops/interviews all day Saturday, attend KSU's current show Saturday night. Drive back to the airport and ditch the rental car, camp out at the airport till early Sunday morning. Get back to Omaha around 10 am on Sunday. I have no idea how many others will be auditioning the same day I am. The last time I spoke to the MFA director, he said there were 10 others, but that was a month ago, so I don't know if it's changed.
Otherwise, I think I've narrowed my scope of schools a little. I'm definitely applying to Indiana U and Illinois State U (where Cassie & Marly are). I'll probably also apply to York U in Toronto. I had wanted to apply to Virginia Commonwealth U, but they want a teaching resume and a research paper, neither of which I have or will really be able to build by January, so they may be out of the running.
In other news: after working 17 days straight, Adam finally had this last weekend off! Supposedly, his new staff is fully(ish) trained and they're finding a new quasi-steady schedule. I'm cynical, because these lulls never seem to last long, but Adam's optimistic. He's also been no help in figuring out what he wants to do for his birthday, so help put some pressure on him!

New Head Shot!

courtesy of Andy Pickens. Whaddya think?

Weekly Update

Hi Everyone! Sorry this post is a little late, this week is absolutely crazy at the Rose. All 3 of our performances this weekend (of which I house-manage 2 of them) are completely sold out!!! Which means we get four days of people calling for tickets and getting angry that we don't have any. How fun is that?! The sense of entitlement most of our patrons possess is astonishing. They're very insulted that we don't make exceptions for every one of them. Personally, I think the problem is that this show is just plain attracting more people than the Rose can handle, so we're overwhelmed. The box office staff is praying that this isn't indicative of what the rest of the season will be like. Lord grant us strength...and don't let us kill/be killed by any angry patrons.

Anyway... I HAVE AN AUDITION! My first one is October 11 at Kent State in Ohio. I have to perform 2 monologues (1 Shakespeare & 1 contemporary) plus 16 bars of a ballad and 16 bars of an up-tempo song. I've never had to sing solo before, so I've started voice lessons with one of Adam's employees who is a composer & hard core music person. She's been great, helping me figure out my range and which part I sing, along with finding songs. I'll also be heading back to Northwestern at some point this month to do a monologe rehearsal/critique with Karen Barker. KSU probably wouldn't be one of my top 3 choices. In case I totally bomb the audition, I won't be heartbroken, so that's a good thing. And it'll be great practice for when I do audition for the schools I really do want.

So yeah, that's life right now. I need a massage, a personal assitant, and a housekeeper. Ooh, and a personal chef. And a dog walker. Yeah, that'd be good.

Yay, progress!

Ok, frick balls! I spent 8 hours working on applications today! I've officially applied to Kent State in Cincinatti and Indiana U in Bloomington. I've also got emails out to a couple of others and saved one or two onto my computer that need to actually be printed. I also talked to the fabulous Karen Barker (after only 2 weeks of leaving her voicemails)! She agreed that, if given the option, it'll be more beneficial to do on-campus auditions instead of going to the national grad school auditions. She also agreed to write me a recommendation letter and give me some audition critiques.

I'm completely overwhelmed but beginning to be excited. The next ones on my list to do applications for are York U in Toronto, and U of Idaho in Moscow (Idaho, not Russia, Cori is not a fan of cold and trying to keep it toned down).

Adam has been awesome! He listens to me rant, he looks up addresses on his computer while I'm filling out applications on my computer. And, when I'm finally done for the day, he makes me a margarita! Best hubby I've ever had.

We also had Andy Pickens (used to be manager at the other location of the Tea Smith, and our wedding photographer) stop by tonight to do headshots for me and play GuitarHero with Adam. I think we got a good picture. I hope we did. The only other one I have is from back when I first joined 88 and while I haven't changed that much in the last three years, I definitely look older. Anyway, once Adam's had the chance to touch it up and everything, I'll try to send it around.

Tomorrow is Labor Day, so we're trying to give Adam a "chill day" before his crazy next couple of weeks. Coffee and reading, maybe some swimming later. Plus it's game night at B & C's and we're bringing the main dish, so that'll be fun. Then I have Tuesday and Wednesday to keep working on these suckers! Some of you have heard me swear more than others, but regardless, I have to say that the statement of purpose letter is a bitch to write! Seriously!

Ok, Cori's tired, had too much margarita, and needs sleep. Love you all!

Getting Started

Well, most of you (our families) know that we're planning on moving within the next year. No idea where to as of yet, right now it all depends on where I (Cori) get accepted into graduate school. We know we're not always the best at staying in touch with all of you, so we're starting this blog in an attempt to keep you as up to date as possible with what's going on in our world. We're going to make a diligent effort to update this at least once a week, although there will probably be times that we fail. Sorry, it happens. It's best that we're all aware of that up front. Anyway, welcome aboard, enjoy the ride, it's sure to be far from dull!

Grad school status: this coming week I have a couple of days off of work. During that time, I'm going to figure out which of the schools I need to apply to college or department first. If there are any that require school applications first, I'll start filling those out. Also on the agenda are creating new theatre and work resume's, getting new headshots made, and deciding whether or not to re-take the GRE test. I'm also trying to get hold of my college mentor about whether or not to go the the national grad school auditions. If she says I should and agrees to sponsor me, I'll be applying for the Vegas round of auditions. Thank God Adam got his laptop back from the shop or he would be a little miffed at how much I'll be monopolizing my laptop.

Love you all! ~Cori