All About Acting

Year: 1994
Age: 9
Grade: Third

Third grade was filled with lots of musicals. The Children's Choir at church put on 3 Wise Men and a Baby and since it can be hard to find 3 guys that want to memorize lines and sing songs, we had 3 wise girls instead. I loved pretty much every church play that I was in...and still pretty much remember all of the songs and most of my lines...but if I had to pick one as my very favorite, this would be it. Reasons why 3 Wise Men and a Baby was my favorite play:

• My character's name was BINKY...it doesn't get much better than that!
• Our costumes...straight from our Mothers' pajama drawers. Apparently long sleeved silky gowns were all the rage in the 90s.
• As I said before, I pretty much remember all of my lines. Well, when we were doing this play, I memorized ALL the lines. Well, King Herod got sick at the last minute and we had to have a fill in (for those FBCers, it was Mr. Mickey). They wrote Herod's lines on a scroll, but due to the spotlight, Mr. Mickey wasn't able to read them. Thank goodness I knew those lines...I "whispered" them to him in his ear...with my mic on. Oh fun times!

This is a little plug to all those that attend First Baprist Church....bring back the musicals of old. No need to spend more money buying the new ones, because the writers just aren't as good. Bring back Binky!

No real story for this...it's just one of my favorite pictures from one of my favorite years. I had some great teachers when I was in school, and year was no different...Mrs. Ellis and Mrs. Cotten. I like to think if I had been a teacher, I would have been just like Mrs. Ellis. Super organized, incredibly smart but fun as well. Mrs. Cotten was my math teacher and she left a lasting impression with her little math cart that she would roll into the room. I loved it so much that I asked for one for Christmas that year. It was one of my favorite gifts ever, so much so that I still have it! This picture was taken during a Christmas party at school. I just love Laurie's face...that slight smile/smirk....definitely a classic. Looks like I was in one of my many headband phases. I still love wearing them, and I've decided I don't really care if they are "in style" or not, I'm a fan.

When I was in elementary school, each grade put on a play during the year. Third graders did the spring play. That particular year the name of the play was Goin Buggy and I was Lana the Ladybug. (This clip is not me...I'll have to try to figure out how to get mine available...but it gives you an idea) I loved getting all dressed up...check out those red earrings! Definitely clip-ons. The Smith girls weren't able to have their ears pierced until we were able to take care of them ourselves...at age 13. But that's for another post. To this day, there is still a special place in my heart for the lady bug. They must sense the love because around this time of year, it seems the little creatures always find their way into my room. This has happened in every room I've ever lived in...no exceptions. I'm in a new place this year, so I'll have to keep you posted.

After all of those plays, I guess I fell in love with pretending to be something that I wasn't. So, when my older sister got glasses, I decided that I wanted them as well. I listened really well and found out that Cile was getting head aches, was squinting and wasn't able to see the board. Quite the little actress, I did the exact same thing. Thinking I was just pretending, my Mom arranged for me to get an eye exam at the school and was shocked when the examiner told her that I failed. I continuted to play along, not telling anyone that I just jumbled up the letters on purpose so I could get glasses like my sister. I didn't realize that I was going to have to go to a real eye doctor, but I figured if I failed one test, I could fail another. Things were going just like I planned until they dialated my eyes. That scared me so much that I started saying all the right letters and the doctor smiled when he told my Mom that I had perfect vision. A smile never appeared on my Mom's face...in fact, she made me pay for the visit.