"I'm mad, really bad, but don't tell my mum and dad..."

So I just came back from Latitude Music Festival and I had such a great time : )


I've been to Latitude a few years back but worked on behalf of Gorillas.org (and Beer Workers Co.) on the bar.  This year I was Stage Managing a show for Theatre 503 (at the Theatre Space) called Billy Chicken's Is A Psychopath Superstar.


First of all, I had a pass that allowed me into more areas : ) this included us being able to pitch our tents in the performers area and using the nice facilities : )  The amount of famous people I saw wandering around this area over the weekend was insane - I even saw Marcus Brigstock getting into his funky 1950s caravan (it was awesome!)


Second of all, our tech and shows were on the Thursday and Friday, giving us Saturday and Sunday to do whatever we wanted at the festival - what isn't cool about that!


My duties also changed over the rehearsal period, so I landed up calling the show (cueing the lights and sound from the desk).  I was originally quite scared about this but it was so enjoyable to do (especially as I know the show inside out) and it was a really great confidence booster - I would DEFINITELY do it again!  On top of this it was for a 650 seater that was packed on both nights.  This is about the same size venue I work within but never having the power over the show - so cool : )


Other than work, I had about 3hrs sleep a night and got to do lots of cool things:
- saw Professor Brian Cox with Al Murrey and various other people talking about the connections between the arts and science
- Marcus Brigstock and Robin Ince on the early Edition for Radio 4
- Tim Key
- Elbow (the best performance of the weekend)
- Rufus Wainwright and his band
- Guilty Pleasures (will definitely have to go to this club night more often)
- Lots of dancing in the rain In The Woods to Dermot O'Leary's DJing
- Mark Ravenhill and a guy from the RSC talking about the connections between theatre and religion and how they can both be controlled by government and sponsorship at times
- Johonny Woo (hilarious performance artist who dresses up including singing a song dressed as Mary Portas, lol)
- Mark Grist (the English Teacher known for out rapping his hiphop pupil on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp4wEewrQdU - so talented!)
- Look Left, Look Right's 4 Musicals
- Disco Shed
- Dexys (Originally Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen : p)


If you get a chance to go, you should.  The Festival has a bit of everything art based for everyone - you won't be disappointed : )


I also want to thank Theatre 503 company and cast and all the other wonderful people I met, ate, drank and danced with - what a great weekend!

Blog title comes from this:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3gFGu9yF34

"Free the mayhem in your mind..."

I find it very hard to relax.  I think my main problem in recent years have been doing freelance work, mainly because I am always looking for my next contract and worry myself into the ground until things are sorted.

Apart from dancing, singing (and listening to music) and socialising, one of the most relaxing things I like to do is draw.  There is something about drawing that makes me forget about everything else.  And I am not talking about Draw Something (popular app on phones), I enjoy using this app, but it is not relaxing, it is just something fun to do on the train.  No I am talking about real drawing and sketching.

I have loved drawing since I can remember.  I have a folder tucked away somewhere of some of the better stuff I did as I grew up (some of the pictures - especially of my parents - are hilarious).  I think it probably made a big difference that my mum has always been a creative person and got my brother and I to be arty in all kinds of ways.

As I got older, I started having more of an interest in collage drawn images and portraits, although if I had an idea, I will generally just have a go at drawing.

In the last few weeks, I seem to have been re finding some of my creative interests and I have tried to put more time into doing this (mainly cos it makes me happy).

I think one thing that I have realised as I have got older, is it is great to grow as a person, but you do not have to leave your old life behind.  There are past times we may forget about, but at the right time or place, they will spring up from nowhere and it will seem like they have never left.

In the last week, I have done a comic drawing, a portrait and just drew a pretty dress for a coke bottle (competition drawing) and it has made me feel great.  Find your inner artist and then never let it go!

Blog title based on a nice summery tune called Do your Thing:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_n1FHX3mBw

"My Funny Valentine"

No, I'm not going to start reciting Frank Sinatra lyrics, but I am going to talk about Valentine's Day.


So it feels like any current normal Tuesday (me doing stuff from home with rubbish on TV in the background), apart from it's the 14th February and all I can hear is Alan Titchmarsh talking about Valentine's Day.


As you know from my blog, I am 29, so I have 29 years experience (ok, not from being born that's weird), let's say from 8 upwards (when boys and girls started mentioning it in the playground and chasing each other round), meaning I have a good 21 years knowledge.  As a youngster, Valentine's Day was dire.  At primary school you had a few kids who gave out cards, whilst others got jealous.  At secondary, you either had the popular girls who got gifts from various guys they had no interest it or the odd girl that got a gift from their date that they thought would be their soul mate for life.  I also had the thing that I went to an all girls school. The only guys we met at school were the male teachers (no go area for most, but definitely a few sackings followed certain incidents in the future) or the lads that jumped over our gates, desperate to see girls in their break as they were stuck in single sex environments too.  Not what I would call a choice.  Don't get me wrong, I was a really active teenager, who was involved with societies, sports groups etc out of school.  But these guys tended to be annoying, just mates or gay.  As for college, I suddenly felt a bit out of depth.  Most people were sexually experienced by now and desperate to get the gossip from others (I was studying performing arts at the time, so they are even worse than most)and I hadn't even had a boyfriend by then (I'd kissed guys and been on dates, but not only was I picky, education and doing fun stuff had always come first).  And then came being an adult.


My first Valentine's Day was in 2003 when I was 20.  By then I had had enough rubbish Valentine's Days to know although I was slightly excited at this officially being my first, I still kind of thought this day still sucked for so many.  Although I was in a relationship, many of my friends were currently single and hated even hearing about it (which I completely understand).  Being at university at the time, in a creative environment, I came up with the idea of Anti-Valentine's Day (which I later changed to Alternative Valentine's Day).  Now I am not saying this is my idea, as I am sure it has existed for ages, but |I decided to work on my ideas and put them into action.  Basically I thought that whoever you are you should enjoy Valentine's Day and spend the day/evening with people you love (friends/partners/parents/siblings - whatever).  So straight away I created a design for a badge and paid out money to get 50 badges professionally made ( I found my badge this morning : p).  Next I gave them out to people I knew from uni, work and else where and their mates and so it began.  That year, some people I knew started doing fun stuff on Valentine's Evening and others just supported it and wore their badges.  Unfortunately, I landed up working but my boyfriend was working too so it was a bit cack but alright.  Well, the following year, I was single again and so I got involved too.  We had an AV party at my friends house where a group of us drunk and ate loads and it finished with laughter and drawing on someone's face and then putting them in a cab - good times!  You see, it doesn't matter what you do, as long as it's fun!


Anyway, for the next few years I carried on the tradition and enjoyed what it brought to me and others.


Well, having now been in a relationship for years, neither of us have really made a big thing about Valentine's Day as we always used to go away in Feb.  But now due to both of us slowly changing our work patterns, we seem to be around for it and it just made me think about the good times.  It has made me realise how much I miss supporting AV and how the smallest things can make a real difference.


Its now I would like to mention a great thing that a group called the craftivists collective have been doing (I think it is great but sad I didn't think of it, lol).  The craftivists collective are a group that do creative things to do good or as they say on their flier "A spoon full of craft helps the activism go down!"  They have started getting people to make Valentine's Day cards using a basic template and then leaving their handmade cards in random places for people to find - sharing the love of Valentine's Day to all!  Unfortunately I did not get around to getting involved this year but will definitely do it next year.  I love this idea because you get to make  people smile who you don't even know and may even make their day.  You may be interested to get involved with them too: 
http://craftivist-collective.com/ and @Craftivists


After thinking about this, I have now put a message on my Facebook account and sent texts to friends.  Just think how happy a nice text on this card companies made for lovers day could be or a random card from someone who cares to make to those around you.  Whatever you do, make your loved ones know they are loved and have a HAPPY AV!

This posts title comes from Frank Sinatra's My Funny Valentine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LqqFcjjbrQ&feature=related