Fact: I have four new gray hairs I've accumulated from the stress of my past week.
Auditions are tough. If you're a dancer, singer, actor or performer, you'll know what I'm talking about. It's one thing to pursue a career in the arts but it's another thing to actually be successful in it. You learn a lot from it, nevertheless. The audition process can either go in your favour (very rare) or you can be left with a big fat NO (99% of the time). You really build a thick skin and you have to tell yourself that it's not that you're bad at what you do (though it really seems like that at the time), it's just the personal preference of who you're auditioning for. You could be too tall or too short, too thick or too thin. You could have blonde hair and blue eyes and they'll be looking for someone with darker features. These are all things you can't change about yourself so the only thing you can say to maintain optimism is that this wasn't the place you were meant to be. Wouldn't you want to be somewhere where you can be appreciated for who you are anyways?
I have two auditions coming up this week, one of which I am lucky enough to travel to Oslo, Norway for! I'm very excited because in what seems like less than a year, I've gone from having not been on a plane since I was thirteen, to having been on and off a plane four times. I love travelling to new places and I love getting a feel for culture that is unlike what I am used to. I also love Europe and am particularly fond of the Scandinavian countries, having been to Denmark earlier this year. Oslo is neck and neck with Tokyo to be the world's most expensive cities (danger!!!!) but thankfully I'm only there for two days.
Joining me on my adventure is this one:
Isabelle will be coming from Amsterdam and meeting me on Oslo. We'll be going back to Toronto the same day but because I booked my flight after her, I wasn't able to get the same ticket as her without passing up on an extraordinary deal. But fate is a funny thing. My flight home leaves at 6:35 am (kill me now) and I have a 5 hour layover in Amsterdam (hey, at least it was cheap). Isabelle leaves Oslo at 9:35 am and she has a layover in Amsterdam as well. It didn't even occur to me until yesterday as I was in line waiting to buy a lemon at Superfresh that there was a reason why I had to wait in the Amsterdam airport for 5 hours. Lo and behold, we're flying on the same flight back to Toronto from Amsterdam and I could not be happier!
Here is some documentation of our baking:
This looked like we were cooking crystal meth. Don't be alarmed. It's just sea salt.
The fact that there is an alligator sticker on this lemon makes me 99% suspicious.
Fun, fun and even more fun
Voila!
I must say, this was probably the most satisfying dessert I've had in a while. Baking at the lowest temperature with the oven open a crack really does give it the crispy outer layer but instantaneous, melt-in-your-mouth bite. We virtually ate the whole bowl that night. Definitely will be repeating this recipe!
And finally, a little film of the process and of us, just being goofballs.
Naturally, I put the alligator lemon sticker on my forehead.
Pleasantly yours,
Bart
