tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35483082024-03-10T12:13:23.279-07:00Inklings<strong>"...All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us..." <br>~J.R.R. Tolkien<br></strong>Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.comBlogger1683125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-6659323183754958832017-03-30T15:47:00.002-07:002017-03-30T15:47:37.559-07:00Are Personal Boundaries a Bad Thing?
I saw a flash today, regarding our Vice President, who, it seems, has a personal rule that he will not dine out alone with a female colleague. He also will not go to a party involving alcohol without his wife at his side.
There is a lot of uproar over this. I'm actually inclined to side with the "other side" on this one.
Personal boundaries are healthy. Knowing your limits is healthy. Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-5702577314562147712017-03-20T09:39:00.000-07:002017-03-20T09:49:38.600-07:00Why the refugee crisis IS actually our responsibility... Part 1: Food Waste
Like everyone else these days, I've been watching a lot of news, and reading quite a bit more of political articles than usual (I prefer to focus on people, rather than politics - but that's a luxury/privilege that isn't available anymore).
One thing that has struck me, as I listen to the pros and cons of things around me, is how much the refugee/immigration issue is spoken of in terms of Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-60211063664716316002017-03-11T13:10:00.001-08:002017-03-11T13:39:16.383-08:00Debt-Free (soon) - and how just $4,000 almost broke me, and almost turned it all back around again
I was debt-free at the end of my 20s. I'd paid off my student loans. I'd paid off my car.
And then I moved to Seattle to pursue a career in the Arts.
Needless to say, I am no-longer debt-free. I've worked really hard for the past 9 years. I've accomplished a rarity - I've managed to scrape together a living in the Arts, without having a regular, year-round, 9-5 job. Oh, I've Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-66943844231156382532017-03-10T06:56:00.000-08:002017-03-10T07:02:18.052-08:00Celebrating International Women's DayMarch 8th was International Women's Day!
I had a message from my Father that morning, wanting to know if it was just for women, or if a heterosexual man was supposed to be/not supposed to be participating. I told him that the day was for everyone - whether you are a woman, or just know one... (he has three daughters, so I think a red shirt wouldn't be out of line)...as a day to celebrate Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-24527564115801967052017-03-04T08:20:00.001-08:002017-03-04T10:00:54.186-08:00Modesty Culture - and other odd revalations from World Hijab Day
I've been reading Miyam Bialik's blog Grok Nation lately, and as a practicing Orthodox Jew, she occasionally has mentioned on the blog, and in her What Not To Wear appearance, that modesty is very important to her. I found this very intriguing. As an actress, I am very comfortable being unclothed in rooms of people, and I am very comfortable (in character) showing lots of cleavage, leg, or Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-82143539636920410002017-03-03T08:13:00.001-08:002017-03-04T09:37:28.140-08:00Thoughts on Wearing a Hijab and Intersectional Feminism
This has been an interesting time (and not in a good way). As someone who has always been passionate about making life changes based on new information - I can't learn something and not apply it - I find myself thrust into activism in a way I couldn't previously imagine. I think at this time in history, every person should be vocal about things that are important to them - on any side of the Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-9853712565534619932016-02-23T11:08:00.001-08:002016-02-23T11:09:51.044-08:00I'd rather talk DIY than Religion...
I've never been one to be very loud about religion.
That's not to say that it isn't important to me. It is. Very much.
But I feel enough people today are spending far too much time screaming, and not enough time living quiet, sacred, productive, loving, lives. I'd rather be the latter. (I hope) Saying little, but doing lots.
But, on the other hand, DIY adventures are easy to share, and Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-61102119457522315282016-02-06T13:11:00.000-08:002016-02-06T13:11:21.784-08:00The Dictionary of Obscure SorrowsI caught this on Facebook this morning, and wanted to keep the link around. Who knew there were words for all of these feelings?
http://www.dictionaryofobscuresorrows.com/
Favorites:
Vellichor
(n) The strange wistfulness of used bookshops.
Jouska
(n) A hypothetical conversation that you compulsively play out in your head.
Sonder
(n) The realization that each passerby has a life as vivid andRachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-23773350505564316192016-01-21T08:32:00.000-08:002016-01-21T08:41:32.506-08:00100% Zero Waste.....in one tiny corner of my bathroom!I finally did it!
On March 19th of last year (I know this, because that's the day I ordered "Zero Waste Home" from abebooks.com. And if you've never heard of that book site - you need to get on it. It's the best place to order books from a nationwide collection of independent booksellers. Support local! And get really cheap books! Win-Win!), I began a journey into trying to lessen my impactRachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-83140441625682744082016-01-12T08:32:00.000-08:002016-01-12T08:32:42.828-08:00Opening 3 Shows in 2 Weeks.Oy.
That is life right now.
I used to run at a breakneck pace ALL the time. I had 9 part-time jobs my first theater season in Seattle.
But then I became somewhat better paid. And I found a few side jobs that were fairly regular that paid the major bills. And I started working for better houses with more support (and stock, and reciprocal lending agreements with other theaters).
And I Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-39462925939545787872015-12-31T08:19:00.000-08:002015-12-31T08:32:36.580-08:00So THAT'S why the bulk sections don't carry baking powder.....Zero-Waste Shopping. It really is worth the effort.
Living up here in the PNW, I've really enjoyed the ease of recycling.
I've lived many places, and this is the most accessible. We have at home recycling (no need to sort - they prefer it all mixed together), compost/yard waste pickup, and lots of local businesses that recycle the things you can't put in the common recycling. Wine for LessRachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-27877966044732226352015-12-30T08:53:00.001-08:002015-12-30T08:53:49.220-08:00I can see the future....and it involves knitting stockings....So, I'm a little crafty. And in trying to find more ways to learn to make things instead of buying them, I have found loads of new skills to learn, recipes to try, and outlets for creativity that feel very "Little House."
One thing I ALWAYS wanted to do was knit socks. The highlight of my year is getting a new pair of socks from my Aunt Becky to add to my collection. Someday, I will have a Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-62756468263599802372015-12-29T09:03:00.000-08:002015-12-29T09:03:55.225-08:00Making Yogurt - or, gosh - another thing that's ridiculously simple NOT to buy!My husband really likes Yogurt.
I do as well, but I'm very basic. I like vanilla yogurt. Period. I like it with granola. I've tried other flavors, and liked a few, but I'm turned off by slimy gooey fruit-on-the-bottom cropping up in my perfectly smooth, yummy breakfast.
My boy likes all sorts of flavors, and I've been pleased at having something vaguely healthy that he'll eat. Normally Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-85166413438431175482015-12-27T10:52:00.001-08:002015-12-27T10:52:34.514-08:00Year End of 2015
This has been an interesting year. Many things have changed. Some things that I love to do have fallen by the wayside (like blogging, in a world with instant updates on the fly via Facebook)...some new opportunities have arisen from the ashes of some 'failures.' Here are a few things that meant a lot to me, as I look back over this year:
1. The Locavore Movement:
I didn't set out to be aRachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-91716241269829994922015-02-18T09:36:00.001-08:002015-02-18T09:38:53.455-08:00Theater...and Waitressing....and painting every surface imaginable.Life went from half-employed to full tilt in a matter of weeks.
I've been kind of cruising for about six months. While Funny Girl was running, I was too busy commuting to get a summer job, and worked on establishing my Etsy shop, instead. It was something I'd been wanting to do for quite some time. Alan's been well employed, and enjoying his day job, so it was time for me to get to take a Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-81790383156309940172015-01-04T12:18:00.000-08:002015-01-04T12:18:02.294-08:00On new venues and new opportunities...So, I have a shop on Etsy. I've been wanting to begin one for quite some time, but didn't have enough free time to devote to a new venture. This year, I finally got some!
Things have been going well so far, and I'm slowly adding views, sales and favorites each day. It's gone from an occasional sale to a rather steady trickle of sales. I think if I can keep working on my shop, adding more Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-363082160508860102014-11-05T09:23:00.001-08:002014-11-05T10:02:26.591-08:00On Babies and Birth ControlI found something out last night that shook me a little.
I was reading a new blog (see below) and somewhere in the middle, as I trolled through old posts, was a discussion on birth control. It wasn't in the article itself, but in the comment thread someone stated that "the pill" is an abortifacient. I, of course, began researching. I've always been both pro-life and pro-choice. I believe Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-67846863668474353482014-11-04T18:52:00.001-08:002014-11-04T18:52:26.699-08:00The End is Nigh!I really thought that I was the only person who felt this way. As a child, and well into my adult life, I would get panic attacks in stores if I lost the people I was with, thinking that the Rapture had happened, and I missed it. I would wake up screaming from dreams where demons were chasing me, and then thinking I was awake only to find another one outside my window. Now, I read the Bible, Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-15915809802544689522014-10-28T10:31:00.002-07:002014-10-28T10:33:50.275-07:00FA La La La La - or not!It's that time of year again. Time for the Holiday shopping madness. Time for increased pressure from the retail establishment to spend money, spend it faster, spend it earlier, and don't forget those last minute stocking stuffers!
I don't have a problem with Christmas. I LOVE Christmas. I love Thanksgiving. I love the day after Thanksgiving - as the day when Christmas decorations went up Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-80295887335002256902014-08-12T08:37:00.001-07:002014-08-12T08:37:56.377-07:00Depression and PerformersI like to read news about actors. Even though the famous and infamous in the film industry are doing work in projects with budgets that I'll only imagine, we are, after all, in the same industry. The news about Robin Williams (coming too soon after the news about Phillip Seymour Hoffman)makes me so sad. There is something in performing that seems to take people to extremes, or perhaps, there Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-50250840952415158632014-06-28T08:31:00.000-07:002014-06-28T08:31:05.783-07:00Preserving!My husband has an assignment this weekend! (Sound of cheering) I love the idea of temp work. It's lovely in our household, where it gives us some nice time to putter and travel together guilt free between assignments - without the hassle of arranging vacation time! This, however, has been a LONG season of very little work, prompting my husband to apply for another agency in the hope of Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-91479439768765491022014-06-14T08:16:00.001-07:002014-06-14T08:16:13.001-07:00CanningI've begun canning. I know!!! I've bought a living social coupon for a canning seminar, but I don't have a Saturday free to take it until August. But, with such thing as the internet -I've already broken in my new canning pot, rubber gripper thingy, and the first two jars.
I made....CHERRY JAM!
Ok. So Cherries plus a few things. Because the conversion from the big jar of pectin versus the Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-16144640874330517402014-06-08T10:55:00.001-07:002014-06-08T10:55:38.929-07:00Many thoughts...So many thoughts today. So many things buzzing around my head in general recently. So, off I go.
1. Etsy:
I've been working pretty consistently on my Etsy site. I've been wanting to do this for quite some time, but needed the right combination of steady work (for capital) and extra free time (to find/prep/photograph/list) to get started. The 8 weeks between Les Miserables and Funny Girl wasRachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-2517551864787343372014-05-20T07:14:00.000-07:002014-05-20T07:14:07.197-07:00Doing what comes NaturallyAlright. I've done it.
Or rather, I've begun to do it. I've gone natural. Or at least, I've begun the process. It will take some time to filter out all of the chemicals and additives, but once you've fallen off the curb, you just keep gathering momentum.
I've always had a thing for the homemade and old fashioned. Growing up homeschooled - although a very suburban, "normal" homeschooled (noRachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3548308.post-18313035234395101822014-05-08T14:25:00.001-07:002014-05-08T14:25:30.218-07:00OH...the sorrow of a bad audition...This job is hard. I mean it. Most days I can be pretty philosophical, and let things roll (as much as possible considering that You have to sell Yourself every time you walk into a room).
Today, I bombed an audition that I REALLY wanted. I prepared, I chose music, I worked on it for a week, I transposed the "easy" version back into the original key, I arranged good cuttings. But my coach Rachel LeAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668883012643371426noreply@blogger.com0