So I finally saw the prom episode of Glee. I had been waiting quite a while to hear their version of that horridious Friday song. It was pretty good, made the song almost listenable (if it wasn’t for the pathetic excuse for lyrics that is) because the Glee cast can actually sing!

But what really blew me away was their rendition of Adele’s Rolling in the Deep. I mean, it’s a beautiful song on any given day, but I really enjoyed this.

But here’s Adele singing it, for those purists out there

Last Saturday a piece of my heart broke. I think there was an audible crack when I heard that a dear friend passed away very suddenly. All I could think was that the world had lost one of the good ones far too early, again. The shock and anger I felt really kicked me in the gut, but after Janice’s memorial today, I realise how thankful I am that I knew her and that I’ve got people like her in my life.

I met Janice in my first AmDram production in 2008 and, largely because of her kindness and good spirit, I’ve kept coming back to the theatre and to acting. Without AmDram in my life, so many amazing things wouldn’t have happened.

With AmDram, I get to be on stage and act and live out a part of my dream.

Every time a production moves into the Masque Theatre, I feel like I’m coming home again.

I get to make new friends. Each cast becomes a family really and the end of each production is bitter sweet.

Just some of the casts been lucky enough to call my theatre families

So thank you Janice. Thank you for inspiring me with your enthusiasm and your kindness.

Me, Robyn & Janice

Rest in Piece dear friend.

Recently I watched Eat Pray Love. Now you don’t really have to try very hard to work out what the film is about and not much in the film is particularly ground breaking or thought provoking. Liz, played by Julia Roberts (whom I love as an actress!), gets divorced and finds that her life is empty and meaningless. So she sets off, in true chick flick style, on a round the world trip to find herself. Guess what, she does.

So why watch this film? I’m not really sure to be honest, the characters weren’t exactly new and the whole storyline of learning to love yourself isn’t really all that inspiring, or again, that new. But there was something that I liked, something sweet and endearing about the film that made me smile. I also found myself craving good Italian food

So to go with some more cliche, Eat Pray Love is is a nice stop-and-smell-the-roses film. I’m happy that I added it to my journey through life. And remember, life is a journey, not a destination.

OK, I’ll stop now… I’m annoying myself too

OK, on Monday I posted about surviving Schmalentines Day as a single person and the difference between being lonely and alone etc etc… I still stand by all that, and I am still single and all that was said in that post. But… something quite special did happen on that day of commercialised love that brought a smile to my face

I honestly feel like I’m living in a RomCom whenever I think about it… I got sent 6 long stemmed red roses completely anonymously!!!

THE Roses

Now I’m not a patient person and I don’t do well with intrigue (don’t get me wrong, I love gossip!) but I also like to be in the know. I have no idea who sent the roses and that is not from lack of trying. I even phoned the florist to see if they would tell me who sent them, and no go, they won’t tell me!

But I think I’ve made my peace with it. It’s such a sweet gesture, that even if they were sent by a creepy stalker (just jokes) I don’t think it really matters. The story has put a whimsical smile on the faces of so many of my friends and made a few even believe in romance and love again.

So to my secret admirer (love saying that), thank you for the roses. This has made me believe in a bit of magic when things were not so good.

Being single isn’t always bad. There is a definite distinction between being lonely and being alone. Usually I’m alone and I’m OK with that. It actually has its advantages, like I can plan my own life and not have to worry about someone else and his plans. I also don’t have to make sure my legs are hairless all the time (big plus)! Yes, dating can be torturous but it can also be fun. I actually went on a pretty good first date recently

But unfortunately that first date led me to feeling not alone this Schmalentines Day, but rather lonely…
Don’t cry for me though, I have great friends and I am bouncing back. I’m just taking a little strain on this day of commercialised love.

So here are some tips to surviving the commercialisation of love if you are single like me:

• Avoid social networks! Twitter isn’t so bad today but Facebook! Yikes! Particularly avoid Facebook if you are friends with both members of a newly married couple! That is a knife in the gut right there.
• Talk to a friend who is also single but feeling alone rather than lonely.
• Don’t go anywhere near the shops! Even the cafes at garages are guilty of over promoting chocolates and flowers. Also try and avoid the bigger shops for a couple of days after today, they will have all the red, heart-shaped stuff they didn’t sell on promotion.
• Now the general plan on this lonely evening is to watch movies that are completely unromantic, such as slasher movies, action movies or gross you out horrors. I reckon this is a mistake. These films tend to have the lead characters falling in love and making huge sacrifices or taking stupid risks to save their new found love. This sucks! So I’d say rather watch a RomCom where you know they are going to get the guy or the girl. I do this because the leads will usually do stupid things which you can laugh at and the support characters are also normally good fun! Also when they do get together at the end, you can throw your popcorn at the screen and tell the happy couple that it may all be sunshine and roses now, but it will fade and at least one of them will get fat! This makes me feel better

• And lastly, remember that today is just a day. And no one should be allowed to make you feel crap for the fact that you are on your own. So if you are alone and not lonely, cheer up, it’s just one stupid day! Don’t let it make you feel lonely. And if you are feeling lonely, I get it, it really sucks, but we’ll make it. Especially because if you look around I’m sure you’ll find you aren’t actually on your own.

Excuse me while I go take my own advice there

Happy Schmalentines Day everyone. Remember someone loves you, just the way you are, I promise!