theatre magic

Even if a picture means a thousand words… this one and the memories along with it will always leave me speechless.

Theatre Temp, you the love of my life.
I am truly blessed to be able to experience a love like this.

Feeling pretty nostalgic as it's been my friends' play week this week and with one ending tonight and the other drawing to a close tomorrow... I can't help but know exactly how they feel. Mind you, I've somewhat been living vicariously through them because poor ol' me, never had the "I MISS THEATRE TEMP" quite hit me post-production. But now, being reminded of some things... I can't help but feel compelled to address something.

Despite our differences as individual theatre programs... it's neat to see that no matter what company/production you're in... Us "theatre kids" have this elusive "thing." This "thing" is just untouchable. This became clear when I met up with the St. Pat's gang earlier today at Oakridge during their break. For one, the huge clump of high schoolers blocking the entrance to the White Spot could be seen as either a rather odd grouping of people (to those who may know them) or to the trained eye... a family. Looking from the outside in and knowing how it felt to be in that odd clump myself, it was kinda weird as I swear it was like a mirror image of the several Theatre Temp clumps in the Film Studio. As I tagged along, I started to get an inside peak at only the tip of their group's own set of traditions. As I joined in on the galivanting along 41st, making trucks and cars honk at us; it was like deja vu as I felt like I was belting out songs on Commercial Drive just yesterday. Traditions and antics that seemed unique to each group are really just all the same; reflections of each other. Which brings me back to that..."thing." This "thing" is something that we all share. We have our own variations of it but that cool elusive thing that only us theatre kids get to experience...is that magic. It's those single spurts of pure magic that you only notice in hindsight. Looking back, what was it that made you jump on your stage manager's back in the middle of a crowded mall? What was it that made you give that guy you saw in the hallways half of your sandwich? It's... that magic. Simply put. You don't notice it in the moment. But it's that weird crazy indescribable power that being in theatre has. And I think that's why so many people love it. Not before they do it, but during it. At one point, that magic inspires each and everyone of us and gives us that single thought of, "Wouldn't it be neat... if I did this for the rest of my life?" And those who act on it, it just keeps being reflected into the next person. Because, the only way you can have that "theatre magic" is well.... with magic.

before i forget some of my own moments of magic...

• "CAN WE HAVE FOCUS IN THE PHILIPPINES PLEASE?" - Mike Stack
• spontaneous bad romance dance party on stage
• oo, i feel so good
• what it to do?
• hugging everyone 9213209721367 times
• mount lumpy
• mr. c 
• "the pain does go away"
• company bow
• raise your glass
• circle of hands
• just you > lovers' > cast family
• "these hands depend on you and you depend on them so GO BIG or GO HOME"
• faerie-related accidents
• moss exams
• faerie time care package
...and many more exclusive to only... me ;)

me

"Hi, my name is Camille."

I word vomit as you can see from my last post.
It's because I think a lot, so bare with me.
But to summarize my last post...

Yes, I have dreams and aspirations of what I want to do with my life. Who doesn't? This includes doing all of that humanitarian and social work. But my thinking is, that if I'm that passionate about it - what I do in school shouldn't matter. Because if I love that kind of work enough, I will always find a way to stay true to it and go back to my roots. Knowing myself, in whatever I end up doing, I will always find a way to twist things to my liking. Because ain't nothing wrong with wanting to make a living out of doing something "professionally." And that's where Architecture comes in. For those who know me, it might be a shock but it's not I dream that I've made public prior to such a revelation. It's been more of a private, personal dream. Probably because, I didn't think I could do it before. I was intimidated, to say the least. But I don't feel that way anymore. So yes, I'll be trained and educated in how to make skyscrapers and design fancy buildings. But whose to say, that I won't use this education to design educational facilities in third world countries? Whose to say that I won't go back to the idea of what I might want my NGO to be, which is rehabilitating communities after natural disasters. Whose to say I won't use my skills as an architect to team up with like-minded changemakers to re-build a city for the better?

The more I look at being that "Entrepreneur" and "Changemaker" vs. being an "Architect," I can't help but have both of them resonate with me. I spoke with a counselor from Capilano University today, who (of course) was recruiting me to go to her school even as a UBC Graduate and she said, "Whatever choice you make, it has to be YOU who is happy with it. Your decision must resonate with you because it is you who is going to be putting in the work." And she's right. I still don't know what I want to do for my next 2 years, but whose to say that Camille the "Entrepreneur/Changemaker" and Camille the "aspiring Architect," can't be one the one in the same?

I mean... they're both Camille.

"Hi, my name is Camille. I'm....



....me."

good looking out, homie

thank God for the friends that i have. they know what’s best for me especially at times when i seem to forget and am blinded by my constant need to succeed and avoid embarrassment. they keep me on the straight path, remind me to do what’s right. as scared as i am, i don’t wanna disappoint. gonna try my best. thank you.

homie, this shit is basic, welcome to graduation

my final words

The greatest lesson that I have learned from my home of 5 years would probably be the value of family. As Christopher Lasch once said, “The family is a haven in a heartless world.” Without the ones I have grown with and loved (my own, the Minis, Student Council, Theatre Temp and Volleyball), I would not have the motivation to, “go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good." - Dr. Minor Myers, Jr.

Stay classy y’all. On to the next one.

Oh, the places we'll go...

Rarely is one put in the company of such great potential. As the song, All My Life blasted in the SPL Barn on Thursday night, I could not help but just, stare. I stared at the linked arms of my classmates and I and couldn't help but think of how each of them were gonna make it SO WELL one day. I have been blessed to know future dentists, doctors, engineers, and cake decorators... the list goes on. To learn of each person's aspirations for the upcoming years on this trip was a trip (or a mindf?ck in Maddie's words). Some people might go to Oxford, others across the country, some down to the States... and all I can say is that, I'm jealous. I'm jealous because I am 100% sure you guys will and I do not know that for myself. But I know all of you well enough to know that whatever <insert big name university here> any of you apply to, would be a fool not to accept you. The work ethic that we've all developed from literally hundreds of Kuniss assignments has given us the educational advantage over anyone else I can think of. But not only that, the passion and heart we've all revealed to each other throughout the years about whatever we do, has probably the biggest ONE-UP for us in this crazy high-school life.

"All things are ready, if our minds be so." - Act 3, Scene 1 from Henry V

We are all so ready for much greater things. Just forget the juvenile high-school mentality, Mini fam, we're bigger than all of this. This is just the beginning. Wherever our bright futures may lead us, just know that I will never forget each of you and you know, that you can always come back to me for anything. Like Dr. Vera said, one day, I'm going to pick up the phone from one of you and it's going to be like no time has even passed.

So go on, go ahead. Run. At full speed, run. This is your race now. No more Strathcona, Apex, Bamfield, Kuniss, Vera, Lawrence, isolated Mini School hallway; it's all you now. So run. But don't forget to look back once in a while. Because knowing us, we'll probably be on either side trying to out-run you, because that's what families do. We are competitive with each other, we fight, we laugh, we cry - and all it does is push us further and makes us stronger.

Mini Grad XI, 

Here's to us.

We're almost there.

I love you all.

My sincerest good luck.

- Your one and only Camel

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.


- Oh! The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss