The Londoner

  I'm feeling pretty local these days. I know where everything is. I don't have to look closely at the currency anymore to know what I'm carrying. The accents no longer stick out.
  Shopping has become much, much easier. Groceries, clothing, school supplies, housewares. I've gotten lucky with a lot of good deals. I've also been tasked for "tall guy" jobs many times at the supermarket by kindly old British ladies who can't reach those top shelves. They always call me "dearie" or "love." Cute.
  School's going very well, and getting busier every day. This coming week is really going to light a fire, I think. Dance classes have been added to the wide array of acting classes, and a ton of different voice classes are in the mix. We've got "Pure Voice," "Applied Voice," "Singing," and "Choir" going on this first term. There will be performances later in the year.
  We've also just been assigned our first roles. I'll be playing Benedick from "Much Ado About Nothing," and also pulling double duty as Orsino from "Twelfth Night." The guy playing that part is going to be gone the day of the actual performance, so I have to understudy and play his part on the day. That means twice as many rehearsals. My teacher asked me if it was too much, and I said no. I'll just have to get my ass firmly in gear.
  And speaking of that very teacher, she's amazing. She is exactly like Judy Dench. She looks like her, sounds like her. Actually, she's like a fiestier version of Judy Dench. I love her, and I love that she doesn't let you get away with giving less than you can in a performance. I've only been here for three weeks now, and already I can feel myself growing tremendously as an actor.
  About those dance classes... yeah. I'm not known for my dancing skills. I've never had any training whatsoever, and I tend to be a little wreckless with my feet. It's been challenging so far. On Friday, at the end of three hours of Elizabethan dancing, we were trying to learn one final dance before we left. On our last go, I completely failed at almost every step. When the song ended, our teacher said, "Right. Brian, that was dreadful. One more time, everybody, I can't leave things on that note." It was pretty funny. We all take a few jabs from the instructors, but nothing is ever mean-spirited. I have nothing but good things to say about LAMDA. Next term, we learn Flamenco dancing. I love that all my weak areas are being filled in here. I'll come out of here ready for anything.

  I'm cooking bangers and mash for dinner. Not very creative, but it's tasty.