Where are you all?

There is usually a drop in postings on this site during the Christmas period, and it picks up again in February. This year though, it feels as though nobody at all is posting - even us regulars seem to be posting less and less. Where are you all? I know I've been a bit busy (but then I'm always busy, and still manage to post)... is it simply busy-ness, or is it that people don't have anything interesting to say? Or perhaps we need another controversy, like Blackbox etc, to come along... Don't tell me there's nothing going on out there - there's plenty!! ... So I offer up a topic of question - I'm currently helping a girl get into puppetry, by introducing her around the place, inviting her to view rehearsals, sending her info, etc. It's the first time I've done something like this (though it does fit within my normal activities of helping fellow theatre people), and I'm just wondering how many people go out of their way to help newbies - and how many people have been turned down/accepted by those they admire/ask for help. Any comments? Na

When I was at uni, I was smart enough to think way ahead and organise my work experience early (we're asked to do two weeks of work experience at Swin with a local theatre company). I worked with Arena Theatre Company, but spent much of my time helping them clean out their storage room; I also got to see them rehearse for a new touring schools show. It wasn't the best experience I've had, but it was by no far the worst. My worst was travelling all the way to Sydney (I'm in Melbourne remember) to do one week with the people who run Cleo, etc. I think I was actually with the House and Garden publication... Anyway, I was doing less than nothing. I did photocopying for two days straight. They actually literally told me that there was nothing for me to do - not even filing did they have left. Meanwhile the entire department was busy editing, writing, etc. I ended up going home after a couple of days, because it was such a waste of my time. (Just so I'm clear; the entire dept. and work experience coordinator for the mag knew that I had travelled from Melbourne specifically for the experience. No one in Melbourne who runs a publication was even remotely interested in taking on board a work experience girl who was not associated with a school or university - I had done a correspondence course). I think work experience in general is considered to be a huge waste of time for both the students and the companies. The students want to learn, and the companies find the students 'get in the way' of doing their normal everyday business. So the companies don't bother to teach you anything. That's why a mentorship is more useful I think, because then one person sits down and actually makes the time and effort to make the relationship work. A one-on-one experience is more fruitfull I've found. The Prompt Copy Store www.store.thepromptcopy.com Sticky Apple Legs www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs Puppets in Melbourne www.freewebs.com/puppetsinmelbourne Treading the Boards www.treadingtheboards.thepromptcopy.com

When I was at uni, I was

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